Page 6 of Falling for You

“I’m Rex,” I start with, not knowing what else to say.

She offers up a small smile then adds, “Chloe.”

I offer her my hand and she takes it. Hers is so much smaller than mine, a bit shaky and cold. I wonder immediately if she notices the differences between ours like I do. “Nice to meet you, Chloe.”

“You too.”

When she drops my hand, I instantly want to reach out and grab hers again. Instead, I rest against the back of my chair and rub my hands against my thighs. “Now, wanna tell me what’s wrong?”

Her eyes dart away, landing on Ethan’s desk before returning quickly to me. She sighs and her eyes fill with tears, a few immediately making a trail down her cheeks that she angrily swipes away.

“I’ve had a really shitty day.”

Chapter Two

Chloe

“I’ve had a really shitty day.”That’s putting it mildly.

“Yeah? Want to talk about it?”

“Why am I in here? Was I bothering the other guests? I’m sorry if I was, I really didn’t mean to.”

“You weren’t bothering anyone,” he says, leaning a smidge closer.

“Then why?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

I scrunch my eyebrows together and rub my bottom lip with the tip of my finger. His eyes follow the movement and I drop my hand.

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t know,” he admits. “I just know that I saw you out there crying and couldn’t just stand there.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t,” he snaps. He shakes his head and softens his tone when he continues. “Don’t apologize for allowing yourself to feel the effects of whatever is going on in your life. If you need to cry, let it out.”

“Okay?” The entire conversation is confusing me and I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to him. “If I wasn’t making a scene, then why did you haul me back here? Am I in trouble for something? I paid for my drinks and I promise I’m twenty-one. Well over that, actually.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose as if he’s frustrated with me. “No, no. You’re not in trouble. I just…” he exhales loudly and leans back in his seat, threading his fingers through his dark hair. He removes his dark rimmed glasses, scrubs over his face, and replaces them. I take a second to take him in, noticing a hint of dark tattoos peeking out from under his rolled-up sleeves of his dark gray shirt tucked into a pair of dark skinny jeans. Jeans that hug his thighs showing off some serious muscle. While I was following him back to this office, I was too distracted about what was going on in my life — and the fact that he was taking me back here for reasons still unknown — to check out his ass, but I bet it’s incredible.

Luckily when I make my way back up to his face, he’s not watching me, rather he’s staring out the office window.

“I don’t know why you’re back here, Chloe.” He finally returns his gaze to me and I notice his deep green eyes almost the color of emeralds. I’ve wondered many times if my father had eyes much the same. “I noticed you, couldn’t help but notice you, actually, because you’re gorgeous, and then saw you crying and there was something about seeing your sadness that I couldn’t walk away from. If you feel comfortable, tell me.” He pauses and for how gentle his voice was, when he speaks again it’s more demanding. “Tell me what happened.”

“Like I said, it’s been a shitty day.”

“I’m told that I’m a good listener.”

“Really?”

“Well, no. I’m actually told that I can be annoying with how well I can read people, but I assume that’s just their jealousy talking.”

A smile splits my lips. “Jealousy, huh?”

One shoulder lifts. “Pretty sure. Yes.”

---