Page 36 of Chasing the Sun

“Exactly.”

“What else?”

“He has to be in decent shape, because health and fitness are important.”

Check. “I agree.”

“And he has to treat me with respect. I’m not into control freaks.”

Uh-oh. “When you say control freak…?”

“I don’t want him telling me how to dress, what I can or can’t do, that sort of thing.”

“Got it.”

“And he needs to be a good listener. Some men just want to talk about themselves, but I want a good conversationalist.”

“Sounds reasonable. Anything else?”

She glanced down at her hands, which were clasped in her lap. He readied himself for the grand finale.

“Well, there is one more thing, but I’m not sure if I should say it.”

Nothing like building the suspense! “Oh, come on. You’ve gone this far. I promise not to judge.”

She laughed. “I thought that’s what you’re supposed to be doing?”

“You know what I mean.”

She inhaled deeply, her chest rising and drawing his attention to her nipples again. She looked flustered, like she wasn’t sure she should be sharing this with him, and she was probably right. He’d started this thing, and damn if he didn’t want to finish it!

“Chemistry,” she said in a rush.

“Chemistry,” he repeated.

“Yeah. That zing you feel with another person. That awareness that makes you come alive whenever they’re near. Do you know what I mean?”

I know exactly what you mean. “I think so.”

“It’s like you want to be around them any chance you get, even if it’s to do something mundane like, I don’t know, go grocery shopping.”

He raised his eyebrows at that. “Grocery shopping?”

“That’s a bad example. The point is, you’re drawn to the person physically and emotionally, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t deny it. It’s like there’s an invisible thread tying you together, and there’s nothing you can do but hang on for the ride.”

Uh-oh. She’d stopped talking and was waiting for him to say something. What the hell do I say that won’t get me into trouble?

Finally, he looked her straight in the eye and said the first thing that came to mind. “Chemistry. It’s a rare and beautiful thing.”

Chapter 13

Two weeks later, Chloe and Molly were waiting for Victoria to show up when a guy on a motorcycle came rumbling up the driveway. Molly had been standing in the front window, and when she saw him, she jumped up and down.

Chloe assumed it was Victoria’s boyfriend, but she couldn’t believe that Bryce would approve of Molly riding on a motorcycle.

“It’s Uncle Seb!” Molly squealed and ran out the front door.

Molly had talked about Seb before, but Chloe had yet to meet him. She found it curious that Bryce had never mentioned him. She stepped outside right as he was taking off his helmet, and she stopped and stared.