Page 38 of Chasing Forever

“Yeah. The Barbies weren’t happy about it, and they had a few choice words for me before they left. But I couldn’t do it. I discovered I’m a one-woman man.”

“Hmm.”

“Are you surprised?”

“I have to admit that when I first met you, I figured you’d jump at the chance, but now…”

“Yes?”

“You’re different than I originally thought.”

“Different good or different bad?”

She smiled for the first time since they’d left the beach, and he felt his shoulders relax. He wasn’t sure why it was so important that she liked him, but it was.

“Different good. But you should know that I’m not looking for a relationship either. I came here at my grandmother’s urging to give my writing a jumpstart. Between my break-up and her illness, I got away from it for a while. So, the fact that I’m a woman doesn’t have to be a problem. We can be friendly while we’re here, but I don’t want or expect anything outside of that.”

Mind blown. Coy Callie wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, and her words packed a punch. He should have been relieved, but somehow he felt disappointed instead. They both wanted (or didn’t want) the same things, and now that they’d laid it out there, everything should be easier between them. Yet why did he feel the urge to take it all back?

“Are we good now?” she asked, her eyes shining with hopefulness.

“We’re good.” But if he’d been in a courtroom in front of a jury, he doubted they’d be convinced.

When they got back to the resort, Chase took her bags out of the back and brought them up to the porch.

“Do you want me to carry them inside for you?” Now that they were home, he was reluctant to leave her.

She shook her head. “I’ll take them.”

While he was transferring the bags to her hands, she went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, shocking him once again.

“What was that for?”

“A friendly thank you for today. I had fun.”

“Oh. Well, you’re welcome.”

She smiled exuberantly, and he pondered the sudden change in mood.

“I’m so glad we talked. I feel a lot better now.”

And there was his answer. Too bad he didn’t share her enthusiasm. If only he’d turned his head slightly when she’d gone to kiss his cheek. Then she might have landed on his lips instead.

“Yeah. Me too.”

“Okay, then. I guess I’ll see you around.”

She started to turn away, but he hadn’t budged. He was standing there like an idiot, trying to think of something else to say, when she turned back around.

“Chase?”

“I…um…I was just thinking about the sunset.”

She glanced up at the bright blue sky and raised her brows in confusion. “It’s only mid-afternoon.”

“Yeah, but I heard the sunsets here are spectacular, and I haven’t seen one yet.”

“Oh. Me either.”