*Doug threw yesterday’s pants against the wall and sat heavily on the bed. Last thing he wanted to deal with was Chloe.
The door opened and Jordan leaned against the frame, crossing his arms over his chest. “What’s all the racket for?”
“Left my fucking phone at her house.” He stood up, grabbed his wallet, and shoved it in his pocket. “Whatever, I needed a new one anyway.”
“I could swing by her place and pick it up,” Jordan offered.
“Nah, my contract is up. Good time to upgrade. It’s fine.” He headed out the door.
“You’re being a dick,” Jordan called. “Trust me, as the king of all dicks, you’re taking dickdom to a whole new level.”
Doug rounded on him. “Look, I’m not discussing Chloe. She fucked me and walked away twice. This is no different, other than I beat her to the door this time.” Though he was the one feeling it in his gut.
Jordan held up his hands in surrender.
After storming out, he made his way to the cell shop across the street from his store and bought a new phone.
Am I being an ass? Yes! But I don’t fucking care.
His chest hurt but he ignored the ache. Running to the shop had to be the cause. Not his fool heart.
He walked into the Jitterhouse and waved at Skylar.
She grinned. “I hear you went home with Chloe Mae.”
“Let’s not go there,” he warned. “And before you make my drink, today I want a plain coffee, black, nothing in it.”
She frowned, then shrugged and poured a brewed cup. “Thought you didn’t like plain coffee.”
No, but he needed caffeine, and something not the slightest bit sweet. “Needed a pick me up.”
One corner of her lips twitched but she held in her comment.
Once he had his coffee in hand, he plopped down a five and strode for the door.
“Doug,” she called in exasperation. “That’s too much for a plain coffee.”
He waved a hand over his shoulder. “Put the rest in your tip jar. I need to go to work.”
He heard her groan and had to chuckle. Granted, he’d known Skylar all the way through school, and thought of her like a sister, but he still paid for his coffee, and he would have shoved a couple dollars in there regardless.
*
After the door shut, Chloe stepped out of the back. “He’s pissed.”
Skylar shrugged, her smirk devious. “Sounds like he’s mad at himself.”
“I don’t know. Guess we’ll see when I go over there. If he’ll even let me in.”
“Go to the backdoor. He’ll think it’s a delivery that showed up early.”
“Wish me luck.” Chloe walked out the coffee shop’s door at the same time Doug entered his shop. She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath before hurrying around the building.
Holding her breath, she knocked on the door in the alley.
“Hang on,” Doug shouted.
She waited, wringing her hands.
Finally, the door opened and Doug immediately tried to shut it, but Chloe shoved it open, pushing him back. “Listen first.”
His head jerked to the side. “How’d you find me?”
“Your phone. Which I have right here.” She held it up with an arched brow.
Anger filled his eyes. “Did you open it?”
“No. Your lock screen has your logo.” She handed the phone over. “Wasn’t hard to Google you.”
“Thanks.” He took the phone and shoved it in his pocket. “That it? Are you done with me now?”
“Done?” She shook her head. “I told you, I’m not making the same mistake.”
He took a breath, and let it out. His shoulders slumped as the anger dissipated. “What do you want me to say?”
“That you’ll give me a chance to prove myself.”
“I don’t know, Chloe. I don’t get you. If you’re after my body, there are other men out there. I want something real, and you don’t seem to be there.”
“I don’t seem to be there?” She shoved him. “I’m only after your body?” Another push. “What the hell gave you that impression?”
His chest heaved as he shook his head. “The two minutes of ogling me without a word.” Then he mimicked her voice, “I don’t want to hurt you, just take a ride.” He shook his head, looking up at the ceiling with a snarl. “Seemed you missed what we had, and we only had sex. You never let me in. What the fuck else am I supposed to think?”
“Well, we both know I suck at finding the right words. Yes, I want your body, but only if it comes with your heart. You make me feel like nobody else.”
One brow arched. “Don’t tell me you listen to that My Darkest Days song.”
On repeat, whenever she thought about Doug, which was all the damned time. She shrugged. “Every time I hear ‘Like Nobody Else’ I think of you.”
His scowl slipped into a frown. “You don’t hate me for leaving?”
She sighed, looking into his eyes. “I deserved it.”
“And now?”
“I’ll keep coming back until you let me in.”
A soft smile pulled at his lips. “Promise?”
She nodded.
His fingers delved into her hair as he stared into her eyes. “Tell me it will be different this time. And you better damn well mean it.”
“Different, completely one-hundred-and-eighty degrees different. I swear,” she vowed.
His mouth crashed over hers and he backed her into the wall. She felt his passion, his desperation.
The knock on the delivery door made her jump. He stepped back, staring at her as he dropped his hands. “Need to get that. Can you stay? Maybe look around the front of the store and I’ll be there in a few.”
She dipped her head. “I’ll be here.”
*
Doug dealt with the shipment and then stood in the back trying to get his head in order. Did he believe Chloe? He wanted to. Was it enough? Time would tell.
He pushed his fingers through his hair before going to the front. Chloe ran her fingers over his first guitar. It hung behind the counter, on the wall. He still played it from time-to-time. She turned to him with a dreamy smile.
“Still play guitar as well?”
He nodded. “Mike never learned bass and I’ve always enjoyed it. There’s not much I can’t play though. You could say getting to know new instruments is a hobby.”
“I wish I had half your talent.”
“You do, but your talent is in another area. You’re a doctor who graduated from an Ivy League school. No way in hell I could ever manage that.”
A smile pulled at her lips and she walked toward him. “Thanks. Look, I don’t expect you to pledge forever. But I do want an opportunity to prove what I feel.”
“Not like I’ve ever been able to resist you, Chloe.” He looked up at the ceiling for a moment before meeting her amber gaze. “Be careful with my heart. You left it fragile.”
She placed a hand over the beating organ. “Let me mend it.”
“Let’s be real for a moment. We definitely have something, but let’s not put a label on it until we know what.”
Chloe nodded. “Anything else?”
He shrugged. “We’ll see where this goes. I make no promises.”
Her smile gave him hope. Then she asked, “Can I pick you up later? We could go out.”
“Give me your phone number, and I’ll call you when I’m done. I have someone working here in a few hours, but Jared is my morning guy, and he may not be in. I should probably call to check on him.”
Chloe told him her number and he sent a quick text so she’d have his.
She rose up on her toes to steal a soft kiss. “Don’t forget. I’m not giving up.”
He smiled. “I’ll call you. Don’t worry.”
Doug pressed his mouth against hers. She had the same taste. Sweet and addictive as always. He hoped his heart wasn’t playing the fool again.