Crazy for Love

She’d been made.

“Jenn,” he said, as if he weren’t the least bit surprised to see her. With the paper in hand and the creases in his brow as he watched her over his glasses, Elliott looked every inch the scientist. Jenn’s heart shuddered with nervous excitement.

Having rolled to a stop i

n the middle of the lane, she put her foot down and just stood there, afraid to go closer. But Elliott wasn’t as affected by her presence as she was by his. He folded the newspaper under his arm and strolled forward.

“I was hoping to run into you,” he said. “Max invited you and Chloe over for dinner tonight, but I thought they could use some privacy. Maybe we could go out. I hear there’s a good restaurant a few lanes over. We could take a walk.”

The first thing that hit her was alarmed joy. Elliott Sullivan was asking her out. The second thing that hit her was alarmed arousal. They’d be alone.

Then she realized that the motivation wasn’t a desire to spend time with her, but a desire to give his brother some privacy. As quickly as her heart had leaped into her throat, it sank too low in her stomach.

Elliott cleared his throat and glanced up the road. “You’re probably tired after the fishing trip.”

She was tired. It was the perfect excuse to say no, but then Elliott would have to spend the evening alone and she’d be stuck in her cabin feeling guilty. “I think a walk and dinner would be lovely. Thank you.”

Did he want to spend time with her? Or was she just the third-wheel friend who had to be paired up with someone? Still, even that third-wheel friend got lucky sometimes. And she did need some stress relief.

Jenn pedaled off, trying to decide if she should be anxious or excited. She finally settled on both.

CHAPTER NINE

CHLOE RAN THE BRUSH NERVOUSLY through her hair one last time. She was going to do this. She was going over to Max’s cabin for the sole purpose of having sex. Her previous sexual experiences had always been in the context of a relationship. A new relationship, maybe, but it had always been sex with the expectation that it would lead to something else. This was leading nowhere. Max worked on the other side of the world, and she was about to enter into the maelstrom of a scandalous trial.

Yet it didn’t feel meaningless. She liked Max. He made her feel warm and tingly, and not just below the waist.

Jenn stepped up to the mirror to put on her lipstick.

“Are you sure you’re not mad?” Chloe asked.

“No. I’m happy for you. Just be careful and use a condom.”

“Thanks, Mom. You too, by the way.”

Jenn’s face blazed to immediate scarlet. “We’re just going to dinner.”

“Why?”

“Chloe,” Jenn said sharply, obviously trying to put an end to the conversation. She bit her lip, her eyes darting nervously to the mirror as she patted her hair.

Chloe relented and smiled. “Have fun at dinner.”

“We’re walking to a place on the other side of town, so…we’ll take our time.”

“Okay. This is weird, right? Maybe Max and I will just have dinner, too.”

“Sure! That’s why you dug out your one matching set of bra and panties.”

“Shut up. It’s a vacation. I was going for comfortable.”

“Oh, you achieved that.”

“Be nice, Jenn, or I’ll bring up the fact that you put on your nice underwear, too. Are you thinking of expanding your sex portfolio? It could use a new addition.”

“Shut up. He only asked me out because Max wanted to make you ‘dinner.’”

“Elliott likes you.”