Page 28 of Chasing the Sun

Bryce tipped his head back and laughed. It was a full-bodied, unselfconscious laugh that made her feel better about having asked. Then he smiled and said, “I don’t look at it that way. Things aren’t usually black or white. They’re often somewhere in the middle.”

“The gray zone?”

“Exactly.”

“Hmm.”

“I want Victoria to be happy because then Molly will be happy too.”

“What about you? Are you happy?” She’d done it again, opened her mouth without thinking. This was as open as he’d been with her, though, and she wanted to know him better—as her employer of course.

“I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

Chapter 10

Bryce was still contemplating her question later that evening. After dinner, he and Chloe had gone to their separate ends of the house, which was as it should be. However, after reading in bed for over an hour, he still hadn’t been able to fall asleep. Finally, he’d decided to use the hot tub, hoping it would relax him.

Now he was leaning back with his eyes closed, waiting for the warm, bubbling water to work its magic. He couldn’t stop thinking about Chloe’s question, though, and her concerned expression when she’d asked it.

If she’d asked him a few years ago, he would have answered yes, he was very happy. Now his life was more complicated, and while certain aspects (Molly, his family, and his job) made him happy, he wouldn’t call himself content.

The truth was he was lonely, but he’d never admit that to anyone, especially since he had a hard time admitting it to himself. He interacted with plenty of people at work, and most nights, he came home to Molly, but it still wasn’t enough.

Some men complained about being tied down, but he’d liked being married, and he missed it. He missed the intimacy and knowing that someone else loved him besides his parents and Molly. He missed the feeling of coming home to someone who was excited to see him, and don’t even get him started about sex.

It had been quite a while since he’d been with a woman. After the divorce, he’d dated sporadically, and he’d had sex with a grand total of two women. One was a friend of a friend, and when they’d met, he’d thought he’d felt a spark. After spending a few hours with her, though, he’d just wanted to go home and climb into his own bed. It turned out they didn’t have much in common, and the sex had been mediocre at best.

The second woman was a dentist he’d met at a seminar, but aside from dentistry, they didn’t have much in common either. The sex had been decent, though, and they’d gotten together a few times with the understanding that sex was all it was.

He tried telling himself that he’d eventually find someone special. He certainly had enough people rooting for him and trying to set him up on dates. He preferred to meet someone on his own, though, not be forced into a social situation that might or might not result in a relationship.

So, in answer to Chloe’s question, he could be happier. In the meantime, he tried to be grateful for what he had instead of focusing on what was missing.

Working through his thoughts made him feel better, and the tension slowly drained out of his body. I’ll just sit here for a few more minutes, he decided, and then he heard the door to the lanai creak open.

His eyes flew open, and there was Chloe in her pink bikini with a towel thrown over her shoulder.

“Oh! Sorry!” she said, looking just as startled as he did. “I didn’t think… I’ll just leave.”

Bryce sat up straight and held up a hand. “That’s okay. I was just about to get out.”

He started to rise from the tub, but Chloe was walking toward him, shaking her head. “This is your house. You stay, and I’ll come back later.”

His upper body was already above water, and he saw her eyes drift over his chest. Damn if he didn’t feel a twitch in his swim trunks. If she kept looking at him like that, he’d have to stay; otherwise, she’d see more than she bargained for.

“Trouble sleeping?” he asked, lowering himself back down.

She nodded. “I tried everything, but nothing worked. I figured you’d be asleep and I’d have the place to myself.”

“I had trouble sleeping too.”

They eyed each other for a few beats, and he’d have loved to know what she was thinking. Against his better judgment, he said, “Why don’t you get in? I’ll leave in a few minutes.”

She looked unsure, but then she laid her towel on the chair beside the hot tub and dipped a toe in. The movement drew his attention to her long, trim legs and pink polished toes. She was in excellent shape. Teaching dance had obviously served her body well.

“Whoa. That’s hot.”

He chuckled. “Thus the name hot tub.”