Page 102 of Falling for You

She rolls her eyes but a smile plays on her lips.

Her doorbell rings, interrupting our conversation from going any further.

“Are we okay?” I ask, nerves suddenly on edge.

“I’m sorry.”

Well that doesn’t help my nerves. “For what?”

“For thinking that way. I’m overthinking everything, I suppose. But bottom line is, I trust you. And I want this surprise. And you. I want whatever is in store for us.”

“You mean a future?”

She gulps. “Yes.”

The doorbell rings again and I holler, “Be right there!” then to only Chloe I say, “I want to kiss you so fucking bad right now.”

“What’s stopping you?”

So I go after what I want. I kiss her. Even when the doorbell rings again, I don’t pull away.

Even when I hear the front door slam shut and footsteps pound through the living room, I don’t. I can’t.

A throat clears, a female giggles and a third person groans. “You should really lock the door, Chloe, but I see how it is. You were too busy to let your guests come inside from the cold while you were getting mauled by my best friend.”

Ethan’s grumpy voice cuts through the kitchen and I reluctantly release my hold on Chloe.

“Hi everyone,” she says shyly. Her face turns as red as the brightly colored gift bags Olivia’s holding.

“Way to go, Ethan. You embarrassed my girl here.”

“You’re the one who was about to have sex with her in front of the prime rib!”

“I was going to do no such thing. I slaved over that thing all day.”

“You? You’re the one who made the prime rib? Since when do you know how to cook?”

“There are things you don’t know about me,” Rex grins then winks at me.

“Eww. Well, this has been fun.” Ethan makes a disgusted noise and his dad grips him by the back of the neck.

“Stop being so dramatic, you little shit. Chloe, it smells delicious in here. What can I do to help?” Paul gives Chloe a hug by wrapping an arm around her shoulder and squeezing her in close. She looks up at him with a bit of surprise but slowly slides an arm around his waist.

“I think we’ve got everything about ready to go.”

“You sure?”

“Positive. Well, wait. Shoot, I forgot about drinks. I don’t even have glasses out. Want to help get drinks on the table?”

“On it. I’m your man.”

I put a hand to his chest. “That’d be me, old man. I don’t care if you are a silver fox, don’t try to swoop in on my territory.”

“Oh geesh, do not feed his ego by calling him a silver fox, man. He’s already positive he’s God’s gift,” Ethan groans.

Paul rubs over the silver stubble on his chin and winks a bright blue eye at the girls. “That’s because I am. Did you see how that lady at the diner was looking at me?”

Ethan rolls his eyes. It’s a long running joke that Paul could bring in more women than Ethan. For a man in his late fifties, he’s still in great shape and, even as the straight man that I am, can admit that he’s more than just a good looking guy. I’ve been around him enough to see female heads of all ages turn to get a second look at him. And I love giving Ethan shit about it. Which is why it doesn’t surprise me when he grumbles, “Like you were her customer?”

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