“What offer?”
“A ride on my bike. Maybe dinner?”
“Max, I don’t want to get involved with anyone right now. I hope we can be friends. That’s all I’m looking for.”
“Why?” he looked really put out, beady eyes squinting in the bright sunshine. A drop of sweat sliding down the side of his face drew my attention.
“I can’t explain.” I really couldn’t, and I didn’t even want to try, mostly because I wasn’t sure what was going on. The fact that I wanted Zack to be something other than my stepbrother was a little hard to deal with.
“Does it have to do with your supposed boyfriend?” He was getting to me, grating on my nerves. For a moment I wanted to stop being so polite and say it plainly. I don’t like you. But that would be mean, and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.
“Maybe…it’s just complicated.” I tried to slip past him. He cut me off. I stared at his chin, biting my bottom lip to keep it from quivering. There was only so much more of this I could take. Between him, Lana, and Zack I was on overload. I couldn’t push Max away like I did with Zack. That would give him the wrong idea before I got my point across. “Come on, let me pass. Don’t be this way.”
“I can’t figure you out Chloe.” He crowded closer. Having masked some of his odd smell with cheap cologne of sorts. Still, my lips curled like I was preparing to inhale curdled milk. “You let me think you were with your brother, which is disgusting. Now I know there isn’t another guy in the picture, and you still aren’t interested.”
“Like I said, it’s complicated…and Zack is not my brother.” Why didn’t Max understand that I wasn’t into him? Not attracted in the least? I didn’t want to touch him with a stick, even if it was to poke him in the eye.
“I like you, plus you’re single. Lets have some fun? No pressure.” God, he had sweat stains in his armpits now. The burnt rubber smell started to overpower the cheap body spray.
“See, that is exactly what I’m feeling from you—pressure.” I said, fisting my hands on my hips and holding my breath.
“Only because I like you.” He came closer, bending down, his nose within an inch of mine.
“You don’t know me!”
“I want to know you.” He didn’t give me any space, not when I scampered back. Max wasn’t like Zack. I’m blatantly uncomfortable, and he didn’t even notice. Zack would have backed off long before.
“I’m not feeling what you’re feeling, Max. I am not attracted to you. I don’t like you.” I groaned. “Don’t make this difficult. Just let me go.”
“Hey, this is all you, babe.”
I shoved past him. “I am not your babe.”
Chapter 16
Zack
Regina gave me a headache. Her perfume made my eyes water. She had long, red nails that embedded in my arm every time the boat went just a little too fast. I sat on top of a picnic table and let my legs dangle over the side. Regina was on her sparkly phone, jabbering with someone super important. She winked at me. I glanced away. Out of the corner of my eye she pouted, taking the hint. Good. Now, the one person I wanted was…
I glanced around the park area, looking for trouble.
And there she was.
Chloe, very enticing in a little pink tank and shorts, stomped out of the heavily treed section, looking like she wanted to hurt someone.
I know I wasn’t the one she was mad at, at least, not right now.
I tried to sit next to her earlier on the boat, but Max weaseled his way into the seat. Regina sank her nails into my arm before I could say anything. I didn’t want to make a scene, and was forced to wait until an opportunity presented itself.
I pushed off the picnic table, locked on my target. Out of the trees behind her Max emerged. Hands shoved in his pockets, head down. The guy was angry, but there was something else… As Chloe came toward me, Max met my gaze. His eyes seared with jealousy. I didn’t blink, didn’t break eye contact. He shifted, looked to the sky, cursing, and walked away.
Warren-1 McFarland-0.
It was going to stay that way.
When I first saw Max on the dock behind Carlos’s house I debated making an excuse and leaving. I had trouble seeing why he and Carlos were friends, until I found out his mother had married Max’s father. Carlos didn’t like Max or his dad. He tolerated them, barely. Turns out Carlos was my kind of guy, so I decided that staying would be in my best interest…and Chloe’s.
“Hey, Stella, where did you put the sunscreen?” Chloe asked.
“I left it on the boat.” She said.
Chloe headed for the dock. She might need an extra hand. I followed. Even if she didn’t, I could see if she was willing to talk about what happened between her and Max. He had orders. If Chloe hinted that he blinked at her wrong, I’d kick him into next week. No way was he pursuing Chloe because he liked her. Max was testing me. See if I stayed true to my word. If I backed down and didn’t follow through, he’d never take anything I said seriously again. No one would.
I shut the fence behind me. Chloe had left it open. She stopped at the edge of the dock, eyeing the large gap between her feet and the boat.
“Want some help?” I asked.
“Thanks, I’m not keen on jumping.” She didn’t turn around, but nodded.
I grabbed the ropes, pulled, the boat drifted closer and we climbed on. While she searched for the sunscreen, I slipped up to highest seat and eyed the controls. The radio crackled a couple times. I adjusted the volume, trying to hear what the person was saying. It faded out.
“Are you having fun?” Chloe asked, her voice distant and polite.
“Sure,” I sat in the captain’s chair and watched her apply the sunscreen to her arms and legs. It was mesmerizing. The way she slicked it over her lightly tanned skin. I had to remind myself it wasn’t polite to stare. Although the image of her smoothing the creamy lotion all over was going to be burned into my memory forever with the purple bra and panties. I focused on the horizon, noticing a dark line of clouds and flashes of white light coursing through them.
“Crap.” Chloe cried.
I tore my gaze from the clouds and grinned. She’d pulled her tank up to reveal a purple bikini top with ruffles. She struggled for a minute and frowned at me.
“Something wrong, Baker?”
“I’m stuck.” She wiggled her arms above her head.
“Do you want me to help?” I asked, noticing the bottom half of her bikini had ruffles too. They stuck out over her shorts. I’m thinking purple was her favorite color.
“Ouch, yes!” she met me half way and spun so I could see the back of her neck. Her bracelet was tangled in her hair. I unhooked the clasp and peeled the shirt off her, tossing it onto the chair. She reached for the sunscreen. I beat her too it and began the wonderful task of her applying it to her back.
I told myself I was just lending a hand. That it wouldn’t be a big deal. But it felt so good to touch her I wanted to groan. My hands slid up her shoulders, settling at the base of her neck. Her muscles were stiff. I worked my fingers in, rubbing away a knot.
“Please don’t stop. That feels amazing.” Her head fell forward.
“I bet, why are you so tense?”
“Oh, you know.”
“Sure don’t.” I put the sunscreen away, kept massaging her shoulders, digging in. I could have done it all day. Touching her skin was like heaven. So warm and soft. The smell of the coconut sunscreen mixed with her sweet scent made my mouth water. “Why don’t you tell me?”
Chloe turned abruptly and stared up at me, teeth sinking into her bottom lip. She looked exhausted. Not just because of the sun, I decided, when her eyes started to tear up.
“I’m stressed out.”
I swallowed, hating seeing her so upset. “That’s all, stress?”
“No, I’m just…I am not looking forward to the ride back.”
I wrapped my fingers around her arm and pulled her closer. “Is this because of Max?”
“I
don’t know.” She covered her face with her hands, shaking her head.
“Yeah you do. Come on, let me have it.”
“I can’t. It’s more than one thing.”
“I’ve got time, babe.”
“Fine,” she sniffled, rubbing her eyes, making me nervous. I didn’t have any experience with tears. “I’m having a…disagreement with my friend, Lana. So there’s that. And then there’s you, and Max.”
“Hold on, rewind to the part about me.” What have I done now?
“Zackary Andrew Warren, you are making me crazy!”
“Really?” wow. She must be upset to say my full name like that.
“Yes, one minute you’re nice and the next, I-I don’t know what I’ve done wrong.” Now there were real tears. The big fat kind that shot terror into every man’s heart. Honestly, I didn’t know what to do with her. Do I say something? Give her a hug? Tell her to suck it up and be a…woman? “I’ve s-started to think you’re okay, you know? That I don’t really h-hate…er, dislike you. But then…then it’s nothing but a cold sh-shoulder from you. You smile, and then you frown. Sometimes I think you don’t like me. And then you do. But then you don’t again. I c-can’t keep up.”
I swallowed, harder. Never, not in a zillion years, would I think my behavior had affected her so. “I’m sorry, Chloe.”
“For real s-sorry?”
“Yes, very. I never wanted to hurt you.”
“Th-thanks,” she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “It still doesn’t explain wh-why you bounce between personalities and moods.”
“I’ve had a few problems settling in,” understatement of the year. “All we ever did was argue before.”
“True.” She didn’t seem convinced, squinting at me with too wary eyes.
“But I promise from here on, I won’t act like that again.”
“Like what? Mean? Ignoring me? Being nice? Ignoring me again?”
“All of the above, except for the nice part.” I brushed my fingers across her cheek, catching the last tear. She had more patience than most people. I was part of the reason she was so stressed out. Not just Max. Knowing she was upset, I couldn’t make myself keep her at arms length for fear of what our parents would say. It was too nice touching her, so I pulled her closer, hooking my arm around her shoulders. “I hate it when you cry.”
“I’m sorry. It’s not pretty.”
“Has nothing to do with pretty, and don’t apologize. It just makes me feel terrible.” I leaned against the chair next to me. “So, the third problem. Tell me about how Max is adding to your stress.”
She snorted, playing with the hem of my shirt. “He’s really getting on my nerves. Then there was that big alligator, and I didn’t like being so close to him. Max kept pressing closer. I kept sliding away from him. But that meant getting closer to the gator.” She blinked furiously. “He ate a dog!”
“Max?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
“No, the alligator.” She gasped, “I’m being such a baby right now. Crying and complaining. You must think I’m a total head case.”
From this moment on it would be different between us if I pulled her any closer, except I wanted things to change. We’d deal with our parents one way or another. “Come here.”
“Why?” She hesitated, taking a step back, but I kept my hold on her.
“Because I said so.” I tugged her against me, settling my chin on top of her head, locking my arms around her. She went limp, burying her face in my chest. “Let me be your friend, Chloe.”
“I don’t understand you, Zack,” she murmured.
I chuckled. “Yeah, that makes two of us.”
She tipped her head back and my heart did summersaults. I’ve wanted to hold her for a long time. I felt as if I were dreaming. “Let’s not fight anymore. This is much nicer, being friends.”
“Sounds good to me,” her lips were so close, and kissing her seemed to be the perfect end to our nautical encounter. Just as I leaned in, the radio crackled to life.
“This is Ramous Perez. I repeat, this is Ramous Perez. Carlos Perez, come in Carlos Perez. Over.”
I grabbed the radio. “This is Zack Warren. Can I deliver a message? Over.”
“This is Ramous Perez, please notify my son, Carlos, that we are in the path of a severe storm. I advise immediate action. Possible hail, wind gusts, and water spouts. I repeat hail, wind, and water spouts. Over.”
“This is Zack Warren. I hear you. Over.” I put the radio back.
“Look,” Chloe pointed at the horizon where I saw the thunderclouds earlier. They were closer, and nasty. Black. Lighting shot from the sky and a beastly thunder rumbled low in the distance.
I nodded, “I see it.”
“What are we going to do?”
The right side of her head was resting against my chest. I laid one hand over her exposed ear and brought my other hand to my mouth, letting out a whistle that brought everyone on shore at the picnic table to a stop.
“Storm.” I shouted, pointing at the clouds.
Carlos took one look at the sky and jumped up from his seat. He had everyone packed, on the boat, radio in hand, within a couple minutes. I passed out life vests.
Before the engine started, Carlos spoke above the thunder. “We can try to make it back to the house, or take cover in the restrooms.”
“How long would that be for?” Stella asked.
“Probably till early evening.” He snapped his own vest on. “So, what’s it to be, stay or go?”
“Go,” everyone replied.
Max resumed his original seat and glanced back at Chloe, who was standing next to the railing. Her eyes were locked on the horizon, both hands tightly clutched to her life vest. She didn’t appear eager to sit at the very front of the boat.
I sat in the back and pulled her down next to me. “I’m right here if you need me.”
She looked incredulous at my offer. “What if you need someone?”
“I’ve got you, right?”
“Yeah,” she said, visibly relaxing.
The boat started with a thunderous roar. My head jerked back as we flew forward. Chloe squealed, covering her eyes. I tucked her against my side. Like puzzle pieces, we fit together perfectly.
The ride back wasn’t as nice or scenic, but it was a lot better with Chloe at my side. Rain sheeted, hitting us like thousands of tiny needles. Chloe was practically in my lap. She had her arms locked around my middle and her face pressed into my shoulder. The boat rocked violently a few times. I kept my hold on Chloe no matter what. I wasn’t letting her go for anything.
When we finally pulled up to the dock behind Carlos’s house I let out a breath I’d been holding for what seemed like hours. We were safe. Chloe was safe. I couldn’t make myself stop touching her either.
“It’s slippery.” Carlos said we helped people off the boat. I hung back just to make sure he got it tied up. Max raced for his car, the pussy. He was the only other guy with the strength to see things finished and give Carlos a hand, but he wasn’t feeling helpful. Little rain never hurt anyone.
I watched Chloe hover near the dock, waiting for me of all people. She was pale, even under her sun pink skin. Scared enough to scare me.
I climbed out of the boat with Carlos.
“Zack, you’re good people.” He shook my hand.
I nodded. “Thanks, so are you, man. We’ll see you later. I want to get Chloe home.”
Carlos winked at her. “Yeah, she’s looking ready to bolt. Too much fun for one afternoon.”
I ran up to the porch where Chloe hurried to huddle under the awning. She was soaked like me.
“How you doing?” I asked, grabbing the only dry towel from the bag at her feet. I wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Hungry, tired.” She grumbled.
I nodded. “Home?”
“Yes, please.”
“Zack, you want me to drop you off?” Regina asked as she walked to her car.
I shook my head,
wondering where she’d found an umbrella. “Nah, it’s only a couple blocks. We’re already wet. I figure we’ll walk.”
Chloe glowered at me. “Are you serious?”
“Fine, I’ll walk.” I turned around and knelt in front of her. “Hop on.”
“Your back?” she sounded shocked.
I glanced back at her. “If you’d rather go with Regina…”
She wrapped her arms around my neck and locked her legs around my waist. “This is good.”
With a satisfied grin, I grabbed her bag and started down the driveway. I wasn’t really tired. In fact, I might jog part of the way if Chloe didn’t mind. She wasn’t heavy. When I worked out, sometimes I weighed down a backpack with bottles of water. Having a girl on my back wasn’t much different, weight wise. Feelings wise though, I was having a blast.
Regina passed in her car us as I began the short jog home, her face a mask of disbelief. I knew she was wondering why I’d rather have Chloe, and the answer to that was simple.
I loved her.
Chapter 17
Chloe
The rest of spring break went by in a blur. I spent the most of the week with Stella, a couple days helping mom paint. On my last day of break, I finally spent time with Lana. But all she wanted to do was talk about was Zack.
The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club Page 11