ChapterTwo
CHLOE
It takes all my self-control to close my mouth, to breathe properly, to not pass out behind the sales counter thanks to this new arrival.
There’s something about Blake Mitchell that does me in. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t seen him in years; my reaction this morning is what it always was. What had started out as a crush in high school has now developed into, I’m not sure what, an unachievable dream perhaps?
Whatever it is, my body responds at a cellular level. It doesn’t hurt that he’s blessed with deep blue eyes, shoulder length dark curls and a body honed by hours of surfing. As a teenager, he’d been impressive. As a man, he’s freaking spectacular.
It takes all my nerve to speak, my words preferring to stay in my mouth. “Hi, Blake. Ah, I guess you’re in town for the, ah, carnival?” I then kick myself for asking such a stupid question. Of course he’s in town for the carnival.
He answers, for all the notice I take.What a fool.My drooling over him is a pointless exercise, because guys like Blake aren’t interested in girls like me. I’m altogether too shy, too mousy and too fond of nibbling on chocolates when I’m reading to appeal to men like him.
That’s for statuesque blondes like the one currently plastered to his side. On recognizing who she is, it’s all I can do not to be violently ill. Lost for words, I acknowledge her presence with a nod and a brief smile.
Sylvia Chamberlain is a former cheerleader who’s lost none of her looks in the intervening years. If anything, she’s more stunning than I remember. She must be in town with Blake for the carnival, because it’s the first time I’ve seen her since I left high school.
The quintessential mean girl, Sylvia had gone out of her way to make life hell on earth for me. It was at lunch on the first day that she’d decided I made the perfect target. Taking in the venom in the woman’s eyes, I suspect things haven’t changed much on that front.
The other thing that hasn’t changed is the woman doing whatever the heck she wants. She does nothing to hide the ice cream in the hand that’s not full of Blake.
So much for the ‘NO FOOD OR DRINK’ sign on the front door.
A flash of jealousy burns through my chest and up my throat. The only difference from when I was in high school is that I now own my own home and am working my dream job. Other than this, I may as well still be sporting braces and a bad haircut.
Next to my old nemesis, Blake is every bit as good looking as I remember. Make that dream about, with my reaction to him is every bit as devastating as it always was. My heart flutters in my chest like a caged bird, my mouth is dry, and my hands tingle.
“I’m sorry, Blake, what was it you were after again?”
“Fins for a long board? I’m after something around eight inches.”
He follows this up with a wink and a cheeky grin, and I’m mortified to realize the tingling isn’t confined to my hands. My mind in my panties, he has to ask me the same question three times before I’m able to respond, at least verbally.
Even then, I have trouble. I open and close my mouth a couple of times before I’m able to squeak out, “We might have eight and a half inches.” I have to swallow deeply before I can continue. “Will that do?”
His mouth quirks up at one side, and he licks his lips. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to see.” I’m not used to this type of attention, my brain fizzing in response along with other parts.
Surely that isn’t what he means?
Are you serious?
Of course, that’s not what he means!
Whoa, desperate much?
Despite this chat with myself, I’m aware of Sylvia watching me like a hawk. No doubt she’s waiting for the right moment to dig those hot pink, bejeweled talons of hers into me.
Without breaking eye contact with me, she leans closer to Blake, licking her ice cream in what I’d have to say is a carnal manner. Could it be my arousal is clouding my judgement?
Either way, when she holds the cone up to Blake’s mouth, I’m as frozen as the sweet treat, transfixed by his full lips. So much so, that it takes a moment to realize Sylvia has spoken to me. It requires all my willpower to drag my gaze away from Blake’s mouth to stare at the woman. “Excuse me?”
“My mom said you’d been away to college. You didn’t learn a lot while you were there, did you?” She jabs the ice cream in my direction, causing drips to fall onto the sales counter top, before she looks me up and down. “You’re still Doughy Chloe from what I can see.”
On hearing the horrid nickname she’d lumbered me with, my breathing hitches, and my body responds as it always has to her bullying. Hurt, shamed, and wanting nothing more than to escape. Only I can’t run away in tears today. I’m stuck right where I am.
If Sylvia was alone, I’d deal with it, having weathered worse from her in the past. But with Blake as a witness to my ritual humiliation, I long for the ground to open up and swallow me.
Only it doesn’t. Rather, it’s Blake who comes to my rescue.
