Page 3 of Wild Dreams

A shiver ran through my body. "This is Telluride. There hasn't been any crime like that?—"

"There's a first time for everything." He opened the front door for me and gestured for me to get inside. "Turn on the car."

He wanted me to be warm and safe. He was always so nice to me and Scarlett growing up. He never acted like we were too young, and he always looked out for us. When I was younger, it made me long for an older brother of my own. Later, it morphed into something different, something more like hero worship. ButChance would never look at me as anyone more than his sister's friend. He had a strict code of rules he lived by.

I turned on the engine, adjusting the heater temperature to high.

Chance leaned on the roof of the car so that his head was inside the vehicle. I couldn't breathe; he was so close. "I wanted to thank you for what you did to convince Scarlett to move here."

"I wanted her to stay as much as anyone. But I'm fairly sure Eli was the hook." Scarlett was my best friend and now, Eli's girlfriend. After high school, she'd traveled the country with a theater group. She'd recently returned home when she lost her job, and I convinced her to lead a children's theater class, which led to directing a play. When she got a job offer in Tennessee, I worked on a plan with Chance and Eli to convince her to stay in Telluride instead.

Chance shook his head. "I still can't believe my best friend is dating my sister when I asked him to protect her."

"I thought you'd be happy she was staying in town and building a life here."

"It took me by surprise. I didn't realize that Eli wanted to settle down. Then the next thing I knew, he was in love with my sister."

Oh, so it wasn't so much that it was his sister, but that he'd moved onto a different stage of his life, and Chance wasn't ready for it. "You could meet someone too. There's nothing stopping you."

Chance chuckled without any humor. "I can't make any kind of commitment because of my job. My parents' relationship was strained when my dad was working long hours. I saw what it did to my mom. Not to mention how much she worried about his safety."

My heart contracted for him. It was obviously something he'd thought about a lot, and it did nothing to diminish my attractionto him. It only made me like him more. "We're not getting any younger."

"Scarlett mentioned something about you wanting to date."

"I haven't had much luck with local guys, so I'm throwing a wider net, joining an online dating site."

Chance's brow furrowed. "Those aren't exactly safe. How do you know if the men you meet are good guys?"

"I want a family and kids, and I can't wait forever." My parents were rarely home or emotionally present when they were. I wanted the perfect family: the doting husband, the rambunctious kids filling my home with joy, and maybe even a dog. I hadn't lost hope that there was someone out there for me.

"Just be careful." Chance turned away as if he was going to leave. Then he snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot. The guys and I want to create a book club."

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" I couldn't have heard him correctly. The library and the local book store sponsored numerous book clubs, but I couldn't remember any groups of younger men forming one.

"We need a dedicated time to meet and discuss books. Otherwise, we get to talking about work or something else."

"You could schedule a meeting room in the library. There's a nice one with leather couches and a fireplace on the top floor. Then you could advertise for other members or keep it exclusive to you and your friends."

Chance nodded. "I think we'd like to keep it exclusive for now."

I raised a brow. "Are you worried about what people would say?"

He dropped his head slightly. "Maybe. I don't know."

I knew what kind of conclusions people made about those who preferred reading, say, to real life. But I suspected mostwomen would find a men's book club sexy. "Let me know a date and time, and I'll reserve the room for you."

"If you'd help us with more book recommendations, that would be great too. I don't know what's good, and I don't want the guys giving me a hard time because the book I picked is awful."

"I can do that." I was excited to have another reason for us to see each other. I enjoyed collaborating with him when we both wanted Scarlett to stay in town.

"You're the best, Marigold." Chance tapped the roof of the car. "You have a good evening."

"Thanks. You too." I said as he closed the door, enclosing me in the warm space that now smelled like him. The way he'd said I was the best told me he only saw me as a friend. He didn't experience the quickening of his heartbeat when he saw me or find it difficult to breathe when he was in my presence.

I preferred reading to going out, and I enjoyed devoting my spare time to charities. I wasn't someone men were instantly attracted to, and there was no reason for Chance to see me in a different light.

I sighed as I backed up the car and waved at Chance. He'd waited for me to exit the parking lot before heading to his department issued SUV. It was just the kind of guy he was. Too bad he'd never be mine.

---