Lip Service (Private Relations 2)

“Your travel experience is sadly lacking. Ordinarily, I’d suggest you see everything you can, while you can, but in this case, I really do feel like it this is close enough.”

Chris pulled his phone out of his pocket and said, “We should get moving. We’re going to be late.”

“Kay. One more minute,” Chloe said as she straightened the straps of her black tank top and the dark gray gauzy skirt she wore. Pushing the makeup back into its bag, she added, “I just need shoes, my sweater and purse.”

A few minutes later, they made their way out to the car. They had agreed to meet Deacon and Sara at a small Italian restaurant just outside the promenade in Santa Monica called Il Pescatore. She hadn’t been there before, but she trusted Sara about all matters concerning food, so she was willing to chance it.

Once they were on the way, Chloe reached over and put her hand on his thigh. He moved his hand briefly off the shifter to squeeze hers before he went back to driving, which made her smile.

When they’d gotten home from the beach, they’d rinsed all the sand off, then gone to take a nap. Even though she’d been awake for a little while now, she was still feeling incredibly relaxed. Maybe relaxed wasn’t the right word. Content? She thought about that for a moment when Chris spoke, breaking into her thoughts.

Chris glanced over at her and said, “You’re quiet all the sudden. You okay?”

“Yeah,” she said, glancing at him. “I’m fine. Just zoned out. I’m so relaxed right now.”

Nodding, he said, “Me too.”

The rest of the drive passed in comfortable silence, both of them apparently lost in thought as Chris navigated them through the stop-and-go-traffic of Downtown Santa Monica.

As they were turning onto the street where the restaurant was, Chloe said, “Sara said they had a private parking lot. No street parking required, at least.”

“Thank Christ,” he grumbled. “I’m feeling much less relaxed now.”

When they pulled into the lot and parked, she grinned and said, “If you’re still tense later, I’ll give you a rub down.”

Tilting his head, he asked, “Oh really?”

Sliding her hand up his thigh she said, “Yes, really.”

Unbuckling his seat belt, he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. Sighing, she allowed him to deepen the kiss. When he slid his hand into her hair, she angled herself toward him, trying to press against him.

The moment his hands began to drift lower, her phone rang. Breaking the kiss regretfully, Chloe reached into her bag and said, “Sara.”

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Answering, she said, “Hi. We just pulled into the lot. We’ll be in in a second.”

Pausing, she said, “Kay. See ya.”

Looking at Chris, she said, “They got a table. And you’re wearing pink lip gloss now. You should fix that.”

Sighing, he said, “See. That’s what I meant. No need for that stuff.”

Eyebrows raised now, she smirked and said, “I see what’s going on here. I thought you were being all sweet to me, but really it was about not having to wear my lip gloss.”

She passed him a tissue from her travel pack and said, “Here.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” he said, holding up his hand.

Curious now, she waited for him to speak.

“Do you really think I’d even entertain the possibility of destroying multiple friendships if there was any way I could have resisted you? The looks are part of it,” he said, reaching out to touch her face, then shaking his head, “But you just really have no idea.”

Her heart fluttering wildly in her chest now, she leaned forward and said, “Sorry, but you’re going to have to wipe off my lip gloss again in a minute,” then pressed her mouth to his.

Though the kiss was brief, her heart continued to pound.

He rested his forehead against hers and said, “So could we have a no lip gloss rule, please?”