“But maybe if you tried? With me.” Her face, her voice, everything about her saidsweet,vulnerable,timid. And that she put herself out there on purpose.
“What happened to our pledge? No on-set romance.” Jesse pulled on his coat. “Haven’t you had your heart broken enough? I’d rather be your friend than the guy who tried to love you and failed. Another one who broke your heart.”
“But what if you’re the guy who tries and succeeds? What if you realize Loxley would want you happy?”
“I’m not sure I know how to be that guy, Chloe.” He took his scarf from the coat’s pocket. What was she saying? She loved him? She was shorting his circuits with this conversation. He needed a moment to process. “How are we going on this adventure today?”
She held up a set of keys. “I begged a car from the crew.”
He touched her arm as she passed. “If I were going to try, it would be with someone like you.”
“Someonelikeme?” Her eyes searched his.
“You. It would be you.”
“Then where does that leave us? Are younevergoing to try? Lacking the courage to tell a girl she may be the love of your life is the same as lacking the courage to tell her she isn’t.”
“Love of my life? See, we’re already in hyperbole while still talking in hypotheticals.” He started down the hotel hallway, then whirled to her. “By the way, are you saying you want to start something with me? Are you willing to put your heart on the line again? With an actor? And knowing my story?”
“Forget it, Jesse. Forget what I said. Let’s just pretend there’s no attraction between us.” She pushed past him, bumping him against the wall. “Do you still want to go to the battlefield and breakfast?”
“Sure, why not?”
In some sort of steamy silence, they walked across the parkinglot to the car. What just happened? Jesse side-checked Chloe as she backed out of the hotel parking lot.
But if she was falling in love with him, then color him helpless. He’d not be able to resist her. Past or no past. In fact, he might be conquered by the end of breakfast.
CHLOE
The sun broke through the clouds as they drove north toward the historic battlefield. Chloe parked at the opening of Green River Road.
Their doors clapped shut in the cold morning air. She’d been quiet during the drive over trying to figure out what happened at the hotel. Fear overwhelming the idea of love?
But sooner or later she wanted to try again. Unlike before, she had God to seek, to give her wisdom this time.
Since their wedding escapade, Jesse had become a part of her daily thoughts—a favorite memory, a yearning, his kiss the kind that made her glad she was a woman.
Her feelings for him were growing stronger, and she’d not deny it. Yet, putting herself out there, exposing her heart, had been risky.
The idea of being in love suddenly trumped her rules about on-set romance and the idea that she just picked bad, bad men to love.
But Jesse... oh, he was...
She glanced over as he joined her on the road, zipping up his coat.
Special. There was something about him...
“Where do you think Hamilton was on this field?” she said.
“He was one of the skirmishers, so over there, in the trees.” Jesse pointed left, tugging on his gloves.
The wind nipping between the trees was edged with ice. Chloe walked on one side of the dirt road, Jesse on the other.
“I’m trying to picture a thousand or so militia and regular army, and it seems so foreign, another life,” she said.
“It was another life. Thus, the magic of movies.” Jesse slowed, taking in the ancient field. “It’s nice to be here without the cameras and crew.” He tipped his face toward the sun.
“History was made here, Jess. Your ancestor fought for independence. On this very ground. Do you think he realized what he was doing, what kind of nation we would become?”
