Love After All Read online

  "We all know the place," Luke said. "It's one of the first places that was built in Hope. It's got to be ... what? A hundred years old?"

  "Why are they tearing it down?" Megan asked.

  "You know the mayor. It's all about newness and progress." Sam rolled her eyes. "But this building is beautiful. Do you remember the one I'm talking about, Reid?"

  He leaned back in his chair. "Yeah. The place has great bones."

  Sam wriggled in her chair. "It does, doesn't it? My Grammy Claire did her banking there. Her parents did as well. She's upset about them tearing it down."

  "I think Dad banked there, too," Logan said. "And Grandad."

  Carter nodded. "Probably generations have. I don't know what kind of shape it's in or if it's even salvageable. The outside still looks good, but who knows what's going on inside. Maybe Reid could take a look."

  They all turned to Reid. He shrugged. "I'll drive over there tomorrow. Since it's Sunday, I can take a look, at least at the outside."

  Samantha laid her hand on his arm. "That would be great. Thanks so much."

  Reid definitely looked back at Sam. "It'd be my pleasure."

  And that, Chelsea thought, as she saw the way Sam's eyes sparkled when she looked at Reid, was the chemistry she didn't have with him. But the way his lips rose when he made eye contact with Sam? Yeah ... right there.

  Chelsea locked gazes with Bash at just that moment, and his lips ticked into a knowing smile. The one that said, Yeah, I got your chemistry right here, babe.

  Or maybe that was all in her head.

  Des gave her a very subtle shrug, but Chelsea just smiled at her.

  It was either there or it wasn't. And with Reid, she'd known it right away.

  It wasn't there. Which was fine. She was content to party tonight with her girlfriends. They all ended up kicking off their shoes and joining Molly, Emma, and Jane on the dance floor. It felt good to release a little tension and not worry about her list, or a man.

  Tonight, she just wanted to enjoy herself and celebrate her friend Des, who ended up in the center of a circle, surrounded by all her girls, while they danced like crazy until Chelsea couldn't breathe. And when a slow song came on, all the guys came out to dance with their women. Chelsea started to make her exit off the dance floor, until a pair of arms encircled her waist.

  "Not so fast."

  Before she had a chance to object, she was in his arms, the two of them dangling at the edge of the dance floor.

  "I was going to get a drink and catch my breath," she said.

  "You can catch your breath in a minute. I'll take it slow."

  Was anything with Bash ever slow? Whenever she was with him it always felt like her heart rate doubled its beats per minute. Fast. Faster. A little out of control, and a whole lot of breathless.

  Why couldn't she have felt this when she talked to Reid, or to Jeff? Why did she have this incendiary chemistry with Bash, who was all wrong for her?

  Maybe that was the problem. It was just chemistry, and she needed to get past it so she could move on. Trying to ignore it wasn't working, because they ran in the same circles. They had the same friends. He was always going to be around, and though they'd known each other for years, there hadn't been this intense ... desire for him before.

  Now there was. And it was getting in the way of her goals.

  Maybe she should just sleep with him and get over it. Get over him. Then she could focus on Mr. Perfect. Who she knew--even Bash knew--wasn't him.

  The problem was, she wasn't a one-night-stand kind of woman. She wasn't into casual sex. She took sex pretty seriously, and it usually came attached to a relationship.

  So could she scratch that sexual itch and then walk away?

  "I'm surprised smoke isn't coming out of your ears right now."

  She tilted her head to the side. "What?"

  "You're staring holes through me, and I can hear the gears turning in your brain. What's on your mind?"

  "You, actually."

  "Yeah? What about me?"

  "I'm pondering having sex with you because you keep showing up on my radar and it's preventing me from finding the perfect man. So if you and I have sex, maybe I'll get you out of my system and I can move on."

  Bash blinked. "Uh ... what?"

  Chelsea gave him a look. "You heard me the first time."

  Chelsea almost smiled at his confusion as he said, "Yeah, but most women I know wouldn't ..."

  She rolled her eyes. "Bash, most of the women--and I use the word women loosely--most of the women you date are too young to have learned to be honest about how they feel. They're still into playing games and using lies and deception to land a man. Like Gemma--"

  "Gerri--" he corrected.

  "Whatever. Like Gerri, who got an actual, live dog to impress you. That's immaturity. Maybe you should consider reevaluating your standards."

  His gaze narrowed, but then he shrugged. "Maybe I should."

  "Good."

  "But back to you hitting on me."

  "Oh, for God's sake, Bash. I wasn't hitting on you. I was pondering a logical way to eliminate this chemistry we seem to have together."

  "That sounds analytical and not sexy."

  "Exactly."

  "Like your list, right?"

  "Hey, there's nothing wrong with my list."

  "So you say."

  He tugged her against his chest and let his hand wander across her back, his fingers dangling dangerously close to her butt. "I can take care of your ... problem. And make it sexy."

  She met his dark, promising words with a challenging glare. "That's not what I want."

  "You don't want it to be hot, Chelsea? You want it to be boring? Because I don't think I can do that."

  That's what she was afraid of. "So sure of yourself, aren't you, Bash?"

  He cupped the side of her neck and brought her mouth within a fraction of an inch to his. "Where you're concerned, I'm fucking positive."

  Before she could take her next breath, his lips were on hers. Right there in the middle of the dance floor, where everyone could see.

  This was so inappropriate. And so damn hot, with his arm wrapped tight around her, his mouth fused to hers.

  Everything within her went haywire.

  His kiss was a beacon to her fogged senses, drawing her in like a lifeline in a storm. She held on to his arms, and nothing existed in that moment except that kiss. She breathed him in, her synapses on overload as she felt the way his muscles tightened under her hand, heard his groan even through the loud music, and wanted nothing more than to lean in closer and take what he was offering.

  Boring? Oh, no. Nothing with Bash could ever be boring. Not the way he kissed, or the way his body felt against hers.

  And when he released her, he still kept that firm hold he had of her as he gripped her hand.

  "Now we're gonna go have a chat. Away from all these people."

  They strolled off the dance floor, stopping only long enough for Bash to grab her shoes.

  Thank God her friends were all out on the dance floor and couldn't see her walking out with Bash, though they'd likely witnessed their hot kiss.

  Not that she really cared at the moment.

  She had no idea where he was taking her and it didn't matter. She was on a mission that had nothing to do with her list.

  And everything to do with what she needed right this moment.

  Chapter 14

  Bash led her out of the barn and toward the house. A house that was too damn occupied for his liking. He stopped only long enough to let her slide her feet into those sparkly, fuck-me shoes she was so fond of wearing, slid his hand into his pocket and grabbed his keys, then led her to his truck.

  "Where are we going?"

  "I don't know. Someplace where there aren't a million people."

  She tugged on his hand. "You need a plan, Bash."

  "I have a plan. To get you alone."

  Now the tug grew harder. "Wait. Let's think about this
for a second."

  He stilled, let go of her hand, and knew right then it wasn't going to happen between them.

  Not tonight, anyway. Probably not ever. Inside, when he'd held her in his arms and kissed her, she'd been right there with him. She'd kissed him back, her sweet, lush body draped against his, every fiber of her filled with passion and abandon.

  He'd felt it, had known right then how good it could be between them.

  Now, that hot passion had fled and she was crunching numbers, or whatever logical thing it was that math teachers did. Whatever it was that had put her back in her head, he knew she wasn't coming with him.

  He slid his keys back in his pocket. "Okay. You'd better go back inside. It's cold out here."

  Her head did a slight tilt to the side, as if she was preparing herself to explain it to him. "Bash."

  "Don't. I'm not some raging, horny teenager you have to let down easily, Chelsea. I can take a simple no."

  Just then the front door of the house opened, and Martha stuck her head out. "Bash? Could you come here for a second?"

  "Sure, Martha." He looked over at Chelsea. "See? There's your out."

  "Bash, I'm not looking--"

  "I gotta go. We'll talk later."

  He walked toward the house, leaving her standing there. And maybe that was a shitty thing to do, but she was safe out there, and he needed to get away from her before he did something really stupid, like go back there and kiss her until she changed her mind.

  Chelsea stood outside in the cold for a few minutes, needing the chill in the air to evaporate the heat that still surrounded her. She needed to clear the confusion from her head and the feel of Bash's body from every cell.

  She looked toward the barn, hearing the sounds of partying and people laughing.

  She didn't feel like partying anymore, but this night wasn't about her or how she felt. She owed it to Des to be by her side, so she headed back to the barn to join her friends.

  She was immediately surrounded by Megan and Sam, who grabbed her arm and hustled her off to a corner.

  "What was that kiss all about?" Megan asked her.

  "Oh, nothing."

  Samantha shot her a look. "Don't nothing me. It was definitely something."

  She'd hoped they hadn't noticed. "Okay, it was something, but it ended up being nothing because, as you can see, we're not together. Nor will we ever be."

  "And why not?" Megan asked.

  "You know why not."

  "Because of your list?"

  "Yes."

  Sam took a deep breath and sighed. "Honey, that list--"

  "Is important to me," she interrupted. "Please don't tell me it doesn't matter. I'm tired and frustrated from spending years chasing after all the wrong guys. I want the right one."

  Megan smoothed her hand over Chelsea's back. "And you're sure Bash is the wrong guy for you?"

  "Positive. There might be a lot of chemistry between us, but trust me--he's all wrong for me."

  Samantha nodded. "Okay, then. We'll double our efforts and find you the right man."

  She felt better knowing she had her friends on her side. They went back to their table, and Chelsea sipped on a glass of wine, determined to enjoy the rest of the night.

  She even danced with Reid and with Jeff and with a few other guys while trying her best to avoid Bash, who obviously was doing the same, since he didn't come near her the rest of the night. And maybe there was no electricity with these other men, but at least she didn't feel like a wallflower, either. And if Bash's kiss still burned hot on her lips, well, too bad. She knew the difference between chemistry and choice.

  She was still young and attractive and desirable, and she was going to find the right man.

  Just not tonight.

  Chapter 15

  After a long, sleepless night at the ranch, Chelsea was awakened way too early the next morning by Sam and Megan, who decided she just had to join them on their drive into town with Reid, who was going to look over the old mercantile building.

  "No." She pulled her pillow over her head.

  "Oh, come on, Chelsea. It'll be fun."

  Nothing about wandering around looking at a dusty old building in town sounded like fun to her. Especially not at whatever early o'clock in the morning it was.

  "You have fun. I'm sleeping in."

  "You can't sleep in. We neeeeed you."

  She opened one eye at Sam's pleading tone, then rolled over, tossing the pillow aside. "You do not need me for this."

  "Sure we do. Besides, everyone is going. And Martha said she's got breakfast on the table, so we're all going to eat first."

  She smelled coffee downstairs. Martha made great coffee. She had also probably baked something, and Chelsea was a sucker for Martha's blueberry muffins. In response to the thought, her stomach grumbled.

  Besides, it wasn't like Megan and Sam were going anywhere. They currently sat on the edge of the other bed, staring her down.

  She threw the covers aside. "Fine. Give me a few minutes to get ready."

  Megan grinned. "Awesome."

  Sam and Megan left the room and Chelsea took a fast shower, dried her hair, and slipped into a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and her canvas shoes, then headed downstairs.

  The kitchen was filled with people, some already seated at the table, some gathered around the island deep in conversation. The scent of food made her stomach growl even louder than it had upstairs.

  "Good morning, Chelsea," Martha said, coming over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

  "Morning, Martha. I see you were here early."

  Martha grinned. "Of course. I had to make sure everyone had a decent breakfast. Megan was up early as well, so she helped bake a few things."

  Megan sipped from a cup and leaned into Martha. "It was fun baking with you. You know I'm always trying to figure out your muffin recipe." Megan turned to Chelsea. "Unfortunately, she already had them in the oven before I made it into the kitchen."

  Martha laughed. "Secret recipe. Handed down from my grandmother. And your blueberry muffins at the bakery are outstanding, Megan."

  "Thank you, Martha. But nothing matches yours."

  Chelsea shook her head at the two bakers complimenting each other, then made a beeline for the coffee, grabbing one of the available cups. She leaned against the counter and took several sips, letting the caffeine infuse her system and wake her up like nothing else could. As she drank her first cup, she surveyed the activity in the kitchen.

  Des and Logan sat at the table, practically glued to each other while they ate. Logan was absently brushing his hand up and down Des's back. It was kind of nauseatingly sweet the way he touched her all the time, and the way Des leaned into him. Then again, Luke and Emma were the same way, always finding ways to hold hands or touch each other. So were Jane and Will.

  And now that Molly and Carter were madly in love, they couldn't keep their hands off each other, either.

  There really was nothing like a couple in love. As she surveyed the couples, she waited for that pang of envy to strike, but it never did.

  It never had where her friends were concerned. While she'd always wanted that for herself, she never resented her friends being happy. In fact, she'd pushed them toward their happily ever afters, even when they'd balked.

  That's what friends did. Sometimes love was blind, and her friends hadn't seen it when it was right in front of them.

  That was never going to happen to her. When the right man for her came along, she'd know it.

  "Are you gonna just drink coffee all mornin', or are you gonna sit down and have breakfast?" Martha asked, pinning her with that motherly look.

  She pushed off the counter. "I'm going to sit down and have some of those blueberry muffins you and Megan were talking about."

  "Good luck with that," Carter said. "Because we've just about eaten all of them."

  Chelsea wedged her way into a spot between Molly and Megan, then glared at Carter. "Don't you dare eat the la
st one."

  "Not to worry," Megan said. "There's another batch hidden away for those who decided to sleep away the morning."

  Chelsea rolled her eyes. "It's like eight o'clock."

  "Half the day is gone already," Logan said. "We've already milked the cows and fed the chickens."

  She grabbed for a muffin from the fresh batch Martha set in front of them. "You're so funny, Logan, in no way whatsoever."

  "Yeah, I can't imagine Chelsea getting in the mud with those high heels she wears."

  That came from Bash, who sat at the other end of the table. "Fortunately for you, I'm way too much of a lady to throw my shoe at you. Which, by the way, is a tennis shoe today."

  "Color me shocked," he said. "Maybe you are intending to feed the chickens."

  She bit into the muffin and sighed at the burst of blueberry flavor, deciding not even Bash could ruin her high. "Not on your life. I'll leave that to the experts."

  "The chickens are adorable," Des said. "And you're welcome to come feed them with me anytime."

  As she poured a glass of orange juice, Chelsea graced Des with one of her thanks-but-no-thanks smiles. "Aren't you so sweet. But I'll take a rain check today since I guess we're all headed into town to check out that old building. Right, Reid?"

  "I've been told there's a field trip this morning," Reid said. "Samantha has already called the city to get keys to the building."

  "Ever the resourceful one, aren't you, Sam?"

  Samantha nodded at Chelsea. "I figured if we were all going to go out to take a look, we should also get a peek inside. And my grandmother is a close friend of the mayor's parents, so he couldn't refuse my request."

  It seemed as if they had a plan, and Chelsea had to admit she was curious about the old mercantile, which had been closed up for a couple of years now. It was a shame for it not to be used. It was a gorgeous old building, and she'd hate to see it torn down.

  After breakfast she went upstairs to pack her things. She wouldn't be coming back, so Chelsea said her goodbyes to Martha and Ben, then they all loaded up in the cars and made the trek into Hope.

  It was a caravan of vehicles, since Colt and Tony and their friends Callie and Sarah had wanted to make the trip as well.

  So when they parked on the street, Chelsea counted at least ten vehicles.

  It looked like a parade.

  She got out of her car and walked nearly a block to meet up with everyone else. She was so used to driving into the main part of Hope and seeing the old mercantile that she never paid much attention to it. It had just ... always been there on the corner. But now she studied it, since they had to wait for Sam, who was stopping off to get the keys.