could be, he had no idea. He tried calling her on her cell phone, but she wasn’t picking up. She was off the grid, at least for a little while. But he’d find her, he thought as he drove back home. She couldn’t hide out forever.
Chloe wished she could just curl up into a ball and hide for the rest of her life. She wanted so desperately to take back the whole conversation. The look on Sam’s face when she realized that she was still a virgin was horrible. She hated that he thought of her in that way.
Oh, why couldn’t she have just experimented with one of the guys she’d dated? Why was she so odd now? It was back to those college dinners ago all over again, feeling like a little kid wanting to play with the teenagers! But this time she wasn’t going to let him hurt her. She wasn’t some starry eyed college student, eager to show off what she’d learned that semester at college. She was a woman seriously trying to start a business, to grow something she’d dreamed of for years.
Chloe held back the tears for as long as she could but eventually she was able to find a side road and pull off. As soon as she was sure she was hidden from view, she let the tears flow. Why had she said anything? This was ridiculous how she continued to let her mouth run away from her when she was around Sam. What was it about this man that made her sound stupid and look inept?
For a long time, she didn’t move, just let the tears flow. She didn’t try and figure out a solution, just wallowed in self pity. It was the past coming back to repeat itself. Why couldn’t she learn from her mistakes?
After what was probably only a few minutes, but felt like an hour, she looked up and tried to get her bearings. She had no idea where she was, but she started her engine once again and backed out of the area she’d found to park. The road was deserted when she finally reached it and none of it looked familiar. She went in one direction for about five miles, thinking surely she would come across a landmark she recognized. But when nothing came into view except more prairie grass, she thought it was probably wise to turn around and head back in the other direction. She remembered making a couple of turns, but she wasn’t exactly sure where those streets were or which direction she’d turned. She’d been pretty distraught when she’d headed out of there.
She turned onto a road that looked vaguely familiar, but wasn’t sure if it would take her back to the ranch or get her more lost than she already was. She’d been on it for less than five minutes when she started to see houses. Then the smaller businesses appeared. And after another mile, she was in a small city with a bustling town square filled with quaint shops and lots of people milling about on the sidewalks.
There didn’t appear to be any businesses other than small art shops and specialty restaurants but she also saw a theatre, two playgrounds, a pool hall and several night spots that were currently closed because of the daylight hours.
Parking on one of the side streets, she pocketed her keys and pulled her purse over her head, enjoying the moment of freedom away from Sam’s too-knowing eyes.
She wandered through the shops, looking at some of the antiques that were for sale, feeling some lovely, handmade quilts and wishing she could curl up in one of them. There was a pretty white one with various white patterned fabrics that looked both country as well as elegant. She rubbed her hand along the silky fabric and her mind wandered to what it might look like on her bed.
“Dammit!” she muttered when she realized that it wasn’t actually her bed she was picturing the quilt on. It was Sam’s! And Sam was in it. Or more specifically, he was on it. And so was she!
She stormed out of the shop and walked quickly down the sidewalk, trying to get the image of Sam, naked and hot for her, out of her mind. That was never going to happen! Not after today and his stunned reaction to her comment.
Her only salvation was that she hadn’t blurted out her jealousy over the other women. At least now she could face