“And, how is it coming along? Your novel?” It was easy to tell by Samantha’s goggled eyes, how much she admired Chloe’s work.
Chloe grimaced slightly, to herself. The fact she was still stuck in a slump would be a hard admission. “I’m at a standstill at the moment.” She sipped some wine, twisted her earring, raised a brow. “Actually, Samantha, maybe you can help me with something.”
“Sure. I’ll try my best.”
Chloe went on to explain about the demands of her editor and publisher, hoping that hearing from a real reader would make a difference. “So, with that said, do you feel the characters in my books need to, you know…”
“Have a midnight jockey ride?” Liam laughed out loud at his own words.
They all did, really.
“I’ve honestly never heard it called that before, man.” Dylan hung is head down, laughed some more.
Samantha, freckled cheeks the color of pink roses, punched her unruly husband in the shoulder before she offered Chloe insight. “I may be the wrong person to ask. I mean, I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a prude when it comes tomidnight jockey ridesin books.Personally, I don’t need the details. But you’re talking to someone who blushes when people kiss in movies. Plus”—she glanced at Liam—“since I’ve only had one guy to go on ajockey ridewith, I don’t want to read how others please their ladies.”
“Wait,” Liam began, wide-eyed. “You’ve never had anyone else explore your territory? Not even when we took a break your first year in college?”
Samantha cupped Liam’s jaw, pulled him close, rubbed his nose with hers. “No babe.Thisterritory is and will forever be, all yours.”
Chloe took a mental note of their playful interaction as she held her hand over her mouth, trying hard to stifle giggles. Thatterritorydialogue would definitely make its way into one of her novels. “Thanks so much for your feedback, Samantha. It means a lot for me to know what a reader truly wants.”
“My pleasure, happy to help.” Samantha exchanged a series of frisky looks with her seemingly bedazzled hubby.
“I”—Liam paused, ran his fingers through his mop of hair, starry eyes stuck to his wifey—“I’m feeling kinda turned on right now, knowing no one but me has…”
Samantha shot up from her seat, dragged Liam along with her. “You two mind if we head upstairs for the rest of the evening?”
Chloe’s face turned a beet red.
Dylan’s did, too. “You go right ahead. I’m sure Chloe and I can clean up down here, put the leftovers in the fridge.”
Immediately after his sister and brother-in-law were out of earshot, Dylan looked over to Chloe, who at this point, was feeling highly entertained. “I’m so sorry about their behavior. They usually control themselves when they’re around other people.”
It made her laugh, the way Dylan seemed to feel it necessary to apologize for them, in between his bout of laughter. “It’s quite alright. They’re actually inspiring. Makes me have faith love is in the air, here in Fortune’s Bay.”
Raindrops began to sound like rocks slamming against the ground, as hail began to fall. Dylan came up from his seat, then rushed to the window above the kitchen sink to peek out. “Looks as though it’s getting rough out there. We should hear thunder, see lightning strikes soon.”
Chloe joined him, stood close, catching a peep out the window, her curious side taking full control of her actions. “Oh, look at the size of those. Drops of hail that big don’t fall from the sky back home in San Francisco.”
Balancing on tiptoes to get a better look, Chloe’s shoulder grazed his. The exchange brought her a sudden jolt, made her feel tipsy. Was this a make-the-first-move, opportunity? Pivot to face him, look into his eyes, bring her lips to his?
She’d planned to be the one to go for it, get up the courage, and make the first move, like Samantha suggested.Go on, Chloe. Take the risk. Her conscience was cheering her on, fuzzy pompoms and all. But Chloe froze, stood there, still balancing on tiptoes, watching the avalanche of hail fall from the sky. Dropping. Plummeting.
Just like her courage.
