Page 7 of Theirs to Treasure

“It’s too much, too soon.”

He gave a half-smile. “Well, you have to at least agree that we’re not brother and sister, right?”

She smiled back. “I agree. I definitely don’t have a single sisterly feeling. So, are we friends now?”

“Can I convince you that we can start out as friends, with an eye toward being more than friends?”

She bit her lip. He couldn’t be for real. None of this could be. It was too fast, too soon. She’d just arrived. He must have seen something on her face.

“You’re special Josie. Counting you as a friend would mean a lot.”

She sighed in relief as he backed up a step. She held out her hand and he shook it.

His blue eyes amazed her.

Friends. I need friends! I’m not cut out for anything more.

He stroked the back of his knuckles against her cheek, and Josie leaned into the caress.

He opened the door for her and walked her to her car. He frowned when she took a little bit of time getting situated into the driver’s seat because of the pain. She was relieved when he didn’t mention it. Before she could reach for it, he had already grasped her seat belt and was buckling it around her. She looked up, wide-eyed.

“It’s the least a gentleman friend would do, Zee.” His expression was all innocence, but she wasn’t buying it.

“Do you know your way back to the harbor?” he asked as he straightened.

“I’ve got my phone’s navigation, if I can’t find it, then I’m one of those heroines who are too stupid to live,” Josie said with a laugh.

Chance chuckled. Then he frowned. “How are you getting all of your stuff unpacked? That’s quite a load.”

“The movers are due to arrive tomorrow with my stuff. I’ll have them unpack the car then.”

“And tonight?”

“I’m staying at the motel with the one suitcase. I’m not stupid and I’m not a bit of fluff.”

The seatbelt thing was kind of hot. We’re just going to be friends. Friends!

Chance held up his hands in surrender. “Got it,” he smiled wide. “It was a pleasure seeing you again. I must admit, I’m addicted to your treats! Expect to see me in your Sweet Dreams real soon.” He stood up and closed her door.

All the way back to the bakery and the small apartment that was nestled over the shop, Josie thought about her time with Chance Reynolds. She couldn’t believe the man the boy had grown into—amazing by all standards. She circled back to that almost-kiss again and again. She’d been kissed by three other men in her life, and she’d never experienced anything close to the heat she’d felt in Chance’s arms.

But that just proved he was totally out of her league. She’d done the right thing by keeping them on the friendship track. The one and only time she’d been intimate with a man had proved she wasn’t cut out for relationships.

Chapter 4

Sam was less than thrilled to be driving his truck to the local yoga class. It wasn’t that he had anything against yoga. He knew it was a powerful form of relaxation and exercise that would very likely help his recovery. Hell, all his doctors said as much. What bothered him was that when he signed up, there was not one other male name listed on the class roster.

This was going to be a disaster. When he’d told Chance, his friend only laughed and said that Sam was looking at things from the wrong perspective. This was a golden opportunity to meet women. That was easy for Chance to say. He wasn’t thirty pounds underweight, plagued with migraines, and dealing with PTSD. Yeah, he was a perfect candidate for some woman looking for companionship. Hell, any woman who he might want to have even a casual hookup with would probably take one look at him and run the other way. Maybe he should just take that investment money and travel the world for a year.

Yeah, that would help my ass out. Now suck it up like a good Marine and get your ass into class.

He smiled at his rhyme. Hey, at least he could do something. Maybe now he could sing The Wheels On The Bus Go Round And Round.

Sam gripped the steering wheel and breathed in deeply, hoping for a migraine to come on so he’d have an excuse not to go into the small building that contained the yoga studio. No such luck. His head wasn’t hurting, he just had really stiff shoulders, which was one of the reasons his doctor suggested this in the first place. He grabbed the towel and yoga mat from the passenger seat and headed toward the building. The evening air felt good against his T-shirt and sweatpants, and he was once again struck with the beauty of this part of the country. He was glad that Chance had talked him into moving up here. Southern California had its perks, but there was something soothing about the crisp Northwest air.

When he got to the classroom, he was relieved to find he was the last one there—he didn’t have to figure out where to set up his mat since there was just one spot left.

Dammit, Booth, you’re really stressing over that kind of shit? What has the world come too? He positioned his mat in the back corner and sat down like the rest of the students.