Chloe (2 page)

Chapter Three

One Republic – Stop and Stare

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA1LYTWtVQ0

Chloe~             

My eyes drift over to where Emma is sitting happy at Aiden’s side. It’s just gone past nine and I’m bored out of my mind. We did all the catching up there was to do and now I’m watching them fawn over each other.

“Bloody hell, no. I can’t do this married life shit. Give me Zac’s address, I’m going to go ruffle his feathers some more.”

Aiden looks mostly surprised, but Emma gives me a cautious look. “Take it easy on the poor man, he’s used to keeping to himself. He’ll come around when the time is right,” she tries but fails to change my mind.

“Bollocks, time waits for no one. I can understand he’s sad, but the more you sit and wallow in your sadness, the worse it gets. The man needs to get out and live a little.”

Emma intensifies her look, giving me one eyebrow popped high. I know she’s not buying a word I’m saying. Emma is worried about me, worried that I’ll party myself to death. But truth be told, I’ve never been better.

“Fine, I’ll take it easy on his arse, but he’s still going out with me. I’m not staring at the two of you all night.”

Their laughter follows me out of the room as I quickly go to put on other clothes. I go with a pair of jeans and a matching jean jacket, zipping it just high enough so it will show a lot of cleavage. I want Zac’s eyes focused on my twins and what better way than to not wear a bra with only the jacket. I finger comb my hair into the way I want it and with a touch of lip gloss, I’m out.

~*~

Emma’s lending her car to me, so at least I can come and go as I please. It was a good idea to get my license to drive over here. I follow the instructions I got from Aiden on my way out and a few minutes later I park outside Zac’s house. I can’t see much of it in the dark, but it’s just as big as Aiden’s. I strut up to the front door, feeling confident about busting Zac’s arse, and ring the bell.

It takes a few seconds before the door opens and I lose my breath. The bloody man has to answer the door shirtless! Abs-a-mania! I realize that I’m staring and wave at his chiseled chest.

“You always open the door dressed like that?” I push by him, walking into his home. I don’t care if I’m invited or not, I want to stir Zac’s life up a little.

“You always barge in on people?”

“Yes, I do. Go get dressed. I want to go out and need a partner in crime,” I answer full of bravado. I twirl around in his living room, taking in the sleek décor of steel and leather. I’m guessing he moved or did a major clean out after Laurie died. The only sign of her is a photo on the mantelpiece.

Zac is still standing by the door, keeping it wide open. He’s shaking his head. “No. No, to all of it, the partner in crime thing and going out. Next time don’t waste your time and call, I’ll tell you no over the phone.”

I stand rooted in the middle of his living room and tilt my head to the side. It’s going to take a lot to get this man moving, might as well pull out the best I’ve got. “You can either get dressed and come with, or I’ll take off my jacket and make myself at home.”

He slams the door closed and stalks toward me, impatience written all over his face. “Take of the jacket and do what you want, I have a date with my bar. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

I start to unzip my jacket and by the time I hit my navel Zac’s eyes are jumping between all the bare skin I’m showing and the zip. “You have got to be fuckin’ kidding me!” he growls, and then stalks away.

I unzip the jacket all the way and let it hang half open, giving him the best view of my cleavage he will ever get. He’s taking on the wrong girl here. I’ll strip to get him out of this house.

When he notices me behind him, he spins on his heel. “Come on, zip it up.” He gives me a dark look and heads for a bar. I watch him pour two drinks and he quickly throws the one back with a few gulps.

I take hold of my jacket’s lapels, pressing down on the twins to give him an even better view. “I’m about to strip down and the only person uncomfortable here is you,” I say, making my voice raspy. “Either you put on clothes or mine are coming off.”

I reach for my belt when he throws a hand out to stop me. “Okay, you win! I’ll get dressed. But I choose the bar and only a few drinks.”

“There now, that wasn’t that hard.” I add a little twirl out of happiness and head over to the bar for my drink.

While Zac disappears to get dressed, I settle on a bar stool and take a sip of the whiskey. I let the amber fluid burn down my throat and start to wonder how I’m going to get Zac out of his shell.

“There, I got a shirt.” He waves a hand in the air across the length of my body. “Now zip up.”

I’ve forgotten that my jacket is undone and make a show of zipping it up, real slow.

“Look, I’m usually a pretty decent guy but for some reason you-”

I put the drink down and get up stopping him from giving me some big spiel. I’m not interested in what he has to say. “I’m a party girl, Zac. There’s not much more about me. I like to have fun.” I walk up to him and run my fingers up his chest. “You need to have fun, so let’s go.”

~*~

Chapter Four

Coldplay – Fix You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY9b6jgbNyc

Zac~

Chloe brings out the worst in me, the absolute worst. There’s just something about her that gets under my skin.

It’s almost midnight and I’m watching her dance. She tried to drag me to the dance floor, but there is no way in hell. Now there I draw the line.

I nurse the whiskey that was placed in front of me a couple of minutes ago. I watch her toss her hair and tilt her hips from side to side, in the most seductive way. She’s fire and I know I’ll get burned if I stay around her. It’s time to go home. I toss the rest of the whiskey back and then make my way over to her.

When I get close to her, I hear her laughter. She notices me and locks eyes with me. I’m not falling for whatever seduction spell she’s trying to weave around me.

I
lip-sync “time to go” and point at my watch in a very exaggerated way to show how irritated I feel.

She grabs hold of my shoulders and presses her body hard to mine. She slowly moves down the length of my body, before coming back up. Then she leans into my ear and yells, “Just another one.” She lets go of me and holding up her index finger, she indicates one more dance with a mocking smile. I swear it’s become a game to her to see how much she can aggravate me.

I stay standing on the floor, showing her how unimpressed I am with her ‘just another dance’ request. But she couldn’t be bothered. She keeps moving torturously slow to the beat pulsing around us and I have to admit it’s starting to work. I can’t help but let my eyes move down her body and take in the ample cleavage that’s there for everyone to see. Only I know she’s wearing nothing under that jacket.

The thought hits me hard and I feel a surge of lust I’m not prepared for. Upset with Chloe for winning and myself for feeling anything for her, I turn around and walk out.

~*~

Later the night I wake up tossing and turning with a raging hard-on. Fuck the party girl act, that woman knows what she’s doing and I won’t let her win. Laurie was my life and it will only ever be Laurie.

I’m up before dawn and running as if Chloe herself is behind me. How can one woman upset my life this way? I only met her yesterday. I decide to shove her to the back of my mind and head into work. Work has always been there for me. Work won’t leave me.

I make it to lunch time before I’m forced to think of Chloe again. My phone rings and when I answer it’s her voice purring over the line, “Hey there, Mr. Crab, want to come out of your shell and play?”

“I’m at work. Can I help you, Chloe?” I grind down on my teeth.

“Just ringing you like you said I should. Tonight at seven. See ya,” she sings in my ear and then the line goes dead.

“Fuck!” I push my chair back and run a hand through my hair. Not another night with her.

Aiden looks up from his desk. “You okay there?”

“No, Chloe is your guest,” I let him have it. “Why should I be her entertainment?”

He laughs it off as if it’s nothing. “It’s about time you start getting’ out more. I’m not stopping her.”

“Y’all are going to be the end of me,” I growl before forcing myself to focus on the case we’re busy with.

I’m hardly home when Chloe’s knocking on my front door. “I thought you said seven,” I snap as I open the door.

“Well, I’m bored so I came early,” she smiles and breezes into my house. She’s wearing a fuckin’ short skirt and a shirt that again shows too much cleavage.

“Don’t you own any decent clothes?”

“I love my body, why should I hide it?” She quirks an eyebrow at me. “You could love it too, just show the way to your bedroom.”

I wipe over my face. I really don’t have the strength to argue her the whole night. “I need a drink.”

~*~

Chapter Five

Gabriella Aplin – Lying to the mirror

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCTdih-D5Kw

Chloe~

I’ve managed to get eight drinks into Zac and he’s still not loosening up. He’s wound so tight, I’m running out of ideas to get him to have fun.

We decided to stay at his place and I’m bending over the pool table, making a meal of my shot and my body, hoping Zac would take the bait. His eyes start at my legs and travels up stopping at my arse, where they stay for a while. It’s a good thing he keeps checking me out. I think a good shag will do him wonders and I’m all game to feel his hard body against mine.

“What’s the use of having,” I line up for another shot, feeling my skirt ride up high, “a pool table if you don’t use it?”

“I use it. I’m just not in the mood right now.” His eyes make a roadmap of my body wandering the length of me.

I walk over to him and stroking the stick up and down in front of him, I lean into him. “What are you in the mood for?”

His eyes goes a darker shade of blue. I’m just about to think I finally have him where I want him when he says, “Don’t play this game with me, Chloe,” he warns. “I think it’s time for you to go home.”

While I’m leaning closer I take the liberty of kissing his cheek. I don’t beg. “Night, Zac,” I whisper.

I place the stick against the bar and head out. I need to get laid and it won’t be happening at this address.

~*~

I wake up feeling knackered and pop one eye open to glare around me. I’m still in Jason’s bed. Shit. I must’ve really got sloshed to not go home after my one night stand. I drag my arse out from under the covers and start to search the room for my clothes. There’s nothing. I expand my search to the rest of the apartment and find my clothes scattered at the door. Looks like I had fun, it’s a pity I can’t remember any of it.

I get outside and find Emma’s car only to realize I haven’t got the faintest clue where I am. The sun is glaring brightly down on me making me feel worse and there’s no way I’m going back inside. I yank out my phone to ring Emma up for directions.

“You’re in deep shit,” Emma answers clearly upset. “You don’t answer your phone! Is this the time to phone me? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” Emma lets me have it before I’m even properly awake. Her pregnancy hormones must be making her overprotective, so I take her with a pinch of salt. My best mate only means well.

“Sorry, Sunshine. Had fun and got carried away. I’m at some blokes flat and need directions home,” I drop the bomb that’s only going to end up exploding in my face.

“What? Bloody hell, Chloe! Do you know how reckless that is? Give me the address and we’ll come for you.”

“Hang ten, I need to look for a street name.” Emma huffs loudly and I know I’m going to pay dearly for springing this shit on her. I walk to the corner quickly and give her the address, then go back to her car to wait.

The sun is blinding me while I wait and I curse myself again for falling asleep here.

A car pulls up and to my utter embarrassment it’s Aiden and Zac. Once Aiden puts the car in park, Emma climbs out of the back. She scowls at me darkly and I know she’s going to let me have it all the way home.

“Are you bloody mental,” Emma’s voice quivers, catching me off guard. I didn’t mean to make her worry. I feel like shit for upsetting her so badly.

She stalks right up to me and grabs my hand. A tear rolls down her cheek making me feel even worse. “Your parents died and this is your way of coping? I’m here for you to talk about it. Don’t go out and shag every man you can. You’re only hurting yourself more. I’m here for you,” she pleads.

I sigh loudly. “I’m sorry I didn’t phone. I was just having some fun.” I laugh humorlessly and shrug my shoulders. “There’s no need for you to worry.”

“No need to worry?” She heaves an angry breath. “You don’t even know where you are. You’re too wild. What happened to my caring friend, she’s got to be in there still? I love you too much to watch you destroy yourself.” Another tear rolls down her cheek. I can only imagine how worried she must’ve been. Emma never cries and now she’s pulling the love card on me, as well.

“I’m dealing as best I can, Sunshine. Right now having fun works for me.” I walk over to the passenger side of the car. “Let’s go home.”

My eyes jump to Aiden’s car where he and Zac have been listening to our fall out. I hate that Zac is seeing me like this and heard all of that.

Emma opens the driver’s door and still scowling at me, she says, “You wouldn’t just stand by and watch me destroy my life. You didn’t, remember? You jumped in and took over my life. You saved me, Chloe, and I’ll be damned if I’m not here for you.” A sob thickens her words.

I feel like rubbish for putting her through this kind of stress. “I’m not destroying anything. I love you too, Sunshine. Let’s go home now so I can make all of this up to you.” I squeeze out a smile to reassure her that I mean what I’m saying.

“You’re my family,” she says and then she gets into the car.

I get in the car and reach out to Emma. I squeeze her hand. She’s the only one that still matters to me. “I’m going to go freshen up and then I’ll spend the day making it up to you. I promise we’ll have fun.”

~*~

I fluff out the teddy bear and place it amongst the others. My eyes flit around the white room perfect for any baby. Taking in the crib and all the carefully placed items, I feel a sharp jab in my chest. I’ll never have this … a baby … a family.

“Are you feeling better?” Emma asks from where she’s sitting in the rocking chair, folding the last of the baby clothes.

“I should be asking you that,” I sigh and let my fingers trail softly over the sea of fluffy bears. “I’m so sorry for upsetting you, Sunshine. It just gets hard to cope sometimes.” I look at her from over my shoulder and smile brightly. “But, you know me. I’ve always landed on my feet. I’ve always been one for fun.”

“Are you really having fun?”

I look back at the bears so she can’t see my face and the hurt that must be reflecting in my eyes. “Most of the times. It’s what I do best.”

“You can’t be the people pleaser forever. What about you … your life?”

“I’m cursed and you know that. Why should I risk wanting something I can’t have? The same will happen to me.”

“What happened between your parents won’t happen to you. You’ll find someone you can love and trust, if only you allow yourself open to the possibility.”

“All men are liars. I have yet to meet one who isn’t. They all just want one thing from you and once you give it, they are gone. I’d rather be the one doing the using and deciding who gets what of me.” I turn to face Emma. “I really hope Aiden is the exception. I’ll kill him if he hurts you.”

“Aiden is perfect. He’ll never cheat on me. It’s not right that you look at all men the same. They aren’t all cheaters. Take Zac for instance, he is just like Aiden, he’ll never cheat.”

I shake my head. “My mum believed my dad loved only her. She never thought he would cheat on her and he did with two bloody whores. It killed her and it will kill me too if I have to give my heart away only to be cheated on. His whoring around was the end of them both.” My throat grows thick with memories I’d rather forget. Watching my mum die of sadness cured me of the illusion that men could sweep you off your feet and give you the life you always wanted. Watching my dad die because he couldn’t handle my mum’s death, showed me that he loved her. He might have loved mum, but he couldn’t stay faithful to her. If that is love I don’t want any of it.

“You’ll see one day that not all men are like that. Aiden opened my eyes to love and someone will do the same for you.”

~*~