Read Online Crazy About You by Katie O'Sullivan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Katie O'Sullivan
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face. She realized how that last statement sounded and waved her hand in protest, as if to erase her words. “No, no, no, it’s not what you’re thinking. Really! We’re only going to be roommates.”
“Just roommates? With that hunka cheesecake ?” Chase threw Kallie’s words back at her with a big dose of sarcasm.
Her throat felt thick. Why was he looking at her that way? “We aren’t dating.”
“But you live with him.” It was a statement, not a question.
She stood up straighter. “If you don’t believe me, I guess we’re done.”
He opened his mouth to retort, but closed it without saying another word. He turned and walked into the crowd, around the corner and out of sight.
Damn . A heavy sense of regret weighed her down and Emma fought the urge to run after him. That one accidental kiss was heaven. Talk about chemistry! But between all the science and NOAA stuff, and slandering Tony because he’s Italian…and not believing her. She hugged herself around the waist, taking a deep breath. Did she want him in her life if there wasn’t trust between them?
Yes! He’s the one , screamed the voice in the back of her mind.
“No,” she argued. “I don’t need more complications in my life right now.” And a kiss like that…well, it sure tasted complicated. Especially coupled with the fact he’d only be in town a few days. Not worth it.
Straightening her back, she tugged Hershey’s leash and started down the sidewalk toward her mother’s store. She needed to focus on the task at hand. Helping her parents get through this difficult stretch, until Sean got out of the hospital. She owed them that. Then she’d go back to New York, and figure out what was next. She certainly didn’t need Chase Anderson complicating those choices.
Chapter Seven
It was seven o’clock by the time Emma locked the shop’s front door. A steady stream of artists and tourists kept her on her feet all afternoon. Several shop doors along the street were still propped open to attract foot traffic, but her mother believed in shorter workdays than some of her neighbors. Unfortunately, she knew the cell phone store also closed early, and added it to her list for the morning. Lunch with Chase lasted longer than anticipated, but she had no regrets. Well, maybe one or two. But the phone store wasn’t anywhere on that list. She could trade in her phone first thing the following morning.
“C’mon, Hershey.” The dog wagged his tail, happy to stretch his legs after sleeping in his usual spot behind the counter for most of the afternoon. “I’ll bet you’re ready for dinner.” His tail wagged into overdrive, and Emma smiled. Easy to make a dog happy when their wants were so simple. Eat, sleep, walk, play…Hershey always seemed content with life.
She wished her own life could be that simple.
On the walk home, her thoughts wandered back to Chase. He’d been crossing her mind on and off all afternoon. How could he think she lied about Tony? Men and women could be roommates without being sexual partners—didn’t that kind of thing happen in New York all the time? Could he really be so old fashioned? And how could he walk away without a word? Not even goodbye.
The dog stopped to sniff around some bushes along the sidewalk, and Emma took a moment to picture those stormy grey eyes, looking serious and sexy at the same time. Gah, since when did I start liking serious science geeks?
The mapping mission Chase outlined at lunch sounded important. Emma wondered why she’d never even heard about a giant elliptical mass of floating debris in the Atlantic Ocean. Granted, she’d heard of the Pacific gyre from that story about the guy finding the shipment of yellow rubber ducks washing up on California beaches. She had no idea such a thing existed in the Atlantic. The agency funding Chase’s research needs a better PR team.
She flipped the lights on as she walked through the house. The white of the painted kitchen cabinets
“Just roommates? With that hunka cheesecake ?” Chase threw Kallie’s words back at her with a big dose of sarcasm.
Her throat felt thick. Why was he looking at her that way? “We aren’t dating.”
“But you live with him.” It was a statement, not a question.
She stood up straighter. “If you don’t believe me, I guess we’re done.”
He opened his mouth to retort, but closed it without saying another word. He turned and walked into the crowd, around the corner and out of sight.
Damn . A heavy sense of regret weighed her down and Emma fought the urge to run after him. That one accidental kiss was heaven. Talk about chemistry! But between all the science and NOAA stuff, and slandering Tony because he’s Italian…and not believing her. She hugged herself around the waist, taking a deep breath. Did she want him in her life if there wasn’t trust between them?
Yes! He’s the one , screamed the voice in the back of her mind.
“No,” she argued. “I don’t need more complications in my life right now.” And a kiss like that…well, it sure tasted complicated. Especially coupled with the fact he’d only be in town a few days. Not worth it.
Straightening her back, she tugged Hershey’s leash and started down the sidewalk toward her mother’s store. She needed to focus on the task at hand. Helping her parents get through this difficult stretch, until Sean got out of the hospital. She owed them that. Then she’d go back to New York, and figure out what was next. She certainly didn’t need Chase Anderson complicating those choices.
Chapter Seven
It was seven o’clock by the time Emma locked the shop’s front door. A steady stream of artists and tourists kept her on her feet all afternoon. Several shop doors along the street were still propped open to attract foot traffic, but her mother believed in shorter workdays than some of her neighbors. Unfortunately, she knew the cell phone store also closed early, and added it to her list for the morning. Lunch with Chase lasted longer than anticipated, but she had no regrets. Well, maybe one or two. But the phone store wasn’t anywhere on that list. She could trade in her phone first thing the following morning.
“C’mon, Hershey.” The dog wagged his tail, happy to stretch his legs after sleeping in his usual spot behind the counter for most of the afternoon. “I’ll bet you’re ready for dinner.” His tail wagged into overdrive, and Emma smiled. Easy to make a dog happy when their wants were so simple. Eat, sleep, walk, play…Hershey always seemed content with life.
She wished her own life could be that simple.
On the walk home, her thoughts wandered back to Chase. He’d been crossing her mind on and off all afternoon. How could he think she lied about Tony? Men and women could be roommates without being sexual partners—didn’t that kind of thing happen in New York all the time? Could he really be so old fashioned? And how could he walk away without a word? Not even goodbye.
The dog stopped to sniff around some bushes along the sidewalk, and Emma took a moment to picture those stormy grey eyes, looking serious and sexy at the same time. Gah, since when did I start liking serious science geeks?
The mapping mission Chase outlined at lunch sounded important. Emma wondered why she’d never even heard about a giant elliptical mass of floating debris in the Atlantic Ocean. Granted, she’d heard of the Pacific gyre from that story about the guy finding the shipment of yellow rubber ducks washing up on California beaches. She had no idea such a thing existed in the Atlantic. The agency funding Chase’s research needs a better PR team.
She flipped the lights on as she walked through the house. The white of the painted kitchen cabinets
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