Cranston. It’s not that I’m trying not to compete with the world’s top chefs. It scares me, but I know I can go head to head with them. It’s just that I think these smaller towns are where people actually care more about having a quality place. When you go somewhere like Seattle, you can find many, many fine-dining options. But I want that amazing place that people will drive an hour into the country to experience. To me that’s success.”
“I think that’s amazing and very doable. And one person’s goals are no less than another’s. We make decisions about what feels right to us. It’s how we feel about what we’ve accomplished that matters,” he told her.
“I guess it could be wrapped up that simply with a nice little bow on top,” Chloe said. Her parents certainly wouldn’t agree with that. But she could think on her own and choose her own path because they’d raised her to do just that.
“I want to know you better, Chloe,” he said, surprising her and warming her heart at the same time. She didn’t want to feel that way. If she opened herself up, she was going to feel things she had no business feeling, especially when she didn’t want a relationship.
“Don’t go there, Brandon,” she told him as she turned. Maybe an ending to this walk was in order. It would be better than fighting Brandon . . . and herself. She’d been starting to relax with him while they’d had this conversation. That had been foolish. She knew what he wanted.
She took a few steps, and Brandon reached for her, turning their bodies so she was forced to face him, his hands on her arms, holding her in place; his face too close; his eyes intense; and his mouth turned down in a small frown.
They were both breathing heavily as they stood in the shadow of a streetlight. She felt the rest of the world disappear as she stood in the same position she’d stood that night in his hotel room. But that night she’d leaned in against him, holding her face up so he could easily access her lips. Would his kiss feel just as good now as it had that night?
Quickly tearing her gaze away, she realized she wouldn’t know, wouldn’t allow herself to find out. That was a path that was too dangerous to even think about going down again.
“I can’t stop thinking about our night together. I can’t get you out of my head,” he said, raising one hand and cupping her cheek. He wasn’t going to make it easy for her to turn away. She might not have any respect for him if he did. Yep, she was a mess.
Though it was cold outside, his fingers were almost scorching hot as they rested against her skin. Chloe had no response as she was forced once again to look into this man’s eyes.
Chloe saw the kiss coming—the kiss she’d just determined she wouldn’t have with him. She told herself to turn away, to tug against his hold, to scream—to do anything other than stand there paralyzed.
But then his mouth was on hers, his lips pressing and pushing, his tongue touching and demanding entrance to her mouth. Chloe wanted to refuse, wanted to push him away, but his kiss took her back to that night she’d felt nothing but pleasure.
Those sparks of electricity she’d felt with him surged through her body and ignited something inside her she’d thought was long gone. He was solid and strong, and when she was in his arms, she felt safe. Even if in the back of her mind she knew it was wrong, she couldn’t stop herself from reaching for him, from getting lost in the moment.
Her traitorous body gave in to Brandon, gave in to his touch. A moan escaped his throat, and his hand wrapped around her head and tugged on her hair. Her body was a traitor, because she didn’t want to pull away from him.
Finally, she accepted that this had been inevitable from the moment she’d seen him a couple of days earlier. She’d have this kiss, and then she’d firmly say goodbye. It would be the kiss she’d never gotten to have, the one she knew would be her last. Maybe that was why she’d been so hung up on him—because she hadn’t gotten any closure.
Chloe’s fingers tugged against Brandon’s thick hair as one of his arms held her tightly, pressing against her lower back and