Page 7 of Sweet as Sugar

I know in my heart that Chloe and I can be just as good. Just as lasting. And it makes me a little queasy to say it…just as hot.Ugh!

But I think that we are the reverse. Chloe is my sea of calm. Just being around her makes me feel calm, settled, happy.

My Mom smiles at me, her green eyes sparkling. “Do you think that you can keep yourself under control long enough to win Chloe over? Because if you can’t, her family isn’t going to be happy.” She winks. “Allof her family.”

I blow out a deep breath. “Yeah. I can.” I grimace. “I just wish that I could…I don’t know. I wish she could understand that I’m hers as much as she’s mine. I just want to make her happy.”

My mother’s smile gentles, her still-vivid red hair just starting to show gray and shimmering in the bright lights. Every part of her is beautiful but nothing more so than her love and support. She’s always been the best mother in the world.

She pats my shoulder and then hugs me close, whispering, “You will. Somewhere deep down inside her, she already understands. But it’s all new and maybe a little scary to someone who’s been an independent woman for the last couple of years. You have to be patient and show her that you don’t want to control her, to change her life in a bad way. That you want to give her the space to fly, to spread her wings and be the glorious woman she’s meant to be.”

She steps back and my dad walks away with her, holding her hand and grinning like the proud man that he is.

Now that I’ve talked to my parents I feel calmer. With such good examples as our parents, how could we not grow into the best love story of all. It’s in our genes.

I watch Chloe as she steps away from the gym and heads back to the office, I assume after blowing off the guy who hit on her.

I have to grin to myself. I should be more sympathetic to the guy but I just don’t care. I hope she shot his ass down hard.

Just to make sure that he never tries to take a second shot at what’s mine. I’d hate to have to kill a fellow member of the gym. I think that might be bad for business, after all.

CHAPTER 6

Chloe

Icome out of the office after the gym closes and step into the darkened space. Only to scream and jump when a dark voice comes out of the inky gloom.

“I think we need to talk, Sweets.”

“Shit!” I jump about a foot in the air. Then spin around and grasp my chest like I can steady my racing heart literally. I glare into Samson’s ice-blue eyes. “What the hell are you doing? Trying to scare the hell out of me!”

He crowds into me and I have to tip my head way back to see his face. It’s a palette of shadows and rock-hard, clenched muscles. “I’m not trying to scare you, Sweets. I’m trying to find out how long you’re going to play this game? How long you’re going to leave me dangling?”

I rock back on my feet, trying to move out of his space and give myself some room to breathe, to think. When his scent, pine wood and man, wraps around me I can’t think straight.

“I can’t talk about this right now, Samson. I’ve got a lot going on. I can’t deal with our situation.”

He moves closer to me again and I suck in a deep breath of him, feeling my head spinning, my body leaning into him. His body is so warm and tempting. I just want to give in.

But I have some unfinished business that needs taken care of before I can come to him free and unburdened. Something that I need to take care of by myself.

My phone pings and I glance down at the screen, my eyes closing and my whole body going numb for just long enough for Samson to grab the phone out of my hand.

I open my eyes quickly and try to grab the phone out of his hand. He just holds it up and I’m standing there jumping around like some yappy little chihuahua.

“What the hell does this mean, Chloe?I’ve got my eyes on you. You’re mine and you’ll never get away from me.” His icy eyes leap to mine and he snarls, “Who the fuck is this and what’s going on?”

I sink to my heels and wrap my arms around my body. “It’s nothing. Just an ex.”

Samson’s dark brow lifts and he eyes me quizzically. “If you think I’m going to buy that you’re not as smart as I think you are. What the hell is going on, Chloe? I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what the fuck this is!”

I stamp my foot and glare at him. “I can handle this myself! I don’t need your help, Samson!”

He steps closer and then he leans down until we’re face to face. I’m drowning in his alpine blue eyes and he sighs. “Chloe. What affects you affects me. Hell, it affects all of us!”

I grasp onto his hand and groan. “You cannot tell my parents or yours, Samson! Not one word! I’ve got a restraining order against him so if he actually shows up here and violates the order he’s going to get arrested.”

He stands back up to his full height, towering over me as he snorts. “Well, isn’t that great! They can arrest him after he’s already hurt you! Perfect! I’m glad you’ve got this all thought out! Perhaps you don’t remember what happened to Wren and her editor.”

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