shirt, too. And you brought tacos for dinner?” Violet smirked and said, “Isn’t your taco on the menu every night?”
“Ohmygod.” Chloe’s cheeks flamed, and she covered her face.
“Vi, come on. That’s enough.” Justin glared at her.
“I’m sorry,” Violet said through her laughter. “I couldn’t help myself. I love seeing Chloe blush.” She schooled her expression. “Seriously, though. I’m happy for you and Justin. Be good to him, Chloe. He’s the best friend a girl can have.”
“I know he is.” Chloe put her arms around Justin and said, “How’s Honduras, Vi? How’s Andre?”
“The area is great, and Andre is about to have his clothes torn off.” Violet looked to the side and smiled as Andre leaned into the frame to kiss her.
“Hey, Justin. Hi, Chloe,” Andre said. “So, you’re finally a couple?”
They caught Andre up on their new relationship and talked a few more minutes.
“We have to go if I want time to have my way with my man,” Violet said. “But we’re coming home in July, so we’ll be there when Desiree has the baby. She wants me in the delivery room in case Rick passes out.”
After they ended the call, Justin put his phone in his pocket and his arms around Chloe. Her sweet smile cut straight to his heart. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I’m sorry for barging in. I was just so excited about the pictures and—”
“Uh-huh. So you didn’t stop by because you missed me?” She didn’t need to say a word. The answer was clear as day in her hazel eyes. “I like that you missed me, sweet cheeks.” He pressed his lips to hers and said, “Want to know what I like even more? Knowing that you think of me as your Prince Charming.”
Her mouth twisted into a sassy smirk, and she said, “I don’t really believe in the whole white knight rescuing the girl thing, but they didn’t have a shirt that said boyfriend instead of Prince Charming.”
“Aw, come on, darlin’. Let me be your white knight and slay your dragons.”
She wound her arms around his neck and said, “How about I let you be my Dark Knight and eat my taco instead?”
“Oh, baby. I’m in the mood for a feast.” He threw her over his shoulder, and she squealed, giggling as he grabbed her bags and headed out the door.
Chapter Seventeen
CHLOE’S IMPROMPTU TACO dinner with Justin had led to her staying at his place for a fourth consecutive night. She’d gotten up at the crack of dawn to go home and get ready for work, but neither she nor Justin wanted to be apart. What started as a few steamy kisses ended with them tangled up in each other’s arms. Chloe had to rush through her morning routine and made it to work in the nick of time for her first meeting. She was swamped all day and had stayed late to pitch the puppeteering trial to Alan. He seemed enthusiastic, and Chloe was keeping her fingers crossed, hoping for his approval. When she finally got home after work, she felt like she’d been gone a month, despite having been there to race through her shower that morning.
She set her things down in the kitchen and looked around at the pictures she’d left spread over the table and the counter. She studied a picture of Justin and Shadow. He’d sent her flirty texts several times that afternoon, and though he hadn’t sexted, he’d definitely skirted that line. Every time his name had flashed on her phone, her heart had skipped a beat.
There were no two ways about it.
She already missed him.
He was at church tonight, and she had plenty to do. Besides everyday chores like catching up on laundry and mail, she’d totally forgotten about cleaning up the patio from the sand, and she wanted to work on the album for Joey. But even with all she had on her plate, her mind still lingered on Justin. He was never far from her thoughts. She thought of the sweet things he said and did and the way he touched her tenderly one minute and possessively the next. He was so damn sexy she got tingly just thinking about him.
She needed to stop daydreaming about him. She refused to become one of those girls who lost her mind over a man, like her mother. She could go one night without seeing him.
She slipped off her heels and changed into shorts and a comfy shirt, trying not to think about him. She carried a basket