51. Chloe
51
CHLOE
L ucas stood beside me on the balcony, practically bouncing with excitement as I guided his drone through the sky.
I was still a bit shaky with the controls.
But the way Lucas beamed at me, I was starting to forget about my nerves.
Lucas’s eyes were glued on the little whirring machine above us, his face lit up with pure joy.
I tried to keep my focus.
“Like this?” I asked, glancing at him for approval.
“Yeah! Just like that!” He grinned, pointing up at the drone as it banked left, swooping in a smooth arc.
I could feel Sean’s eyes on us from the living room.
Even without looking, I knew he was watching, probably amused by how serious I was taking this.
“You’re getting the hang of it,” Sean called out, his voice warm.
I shot him a quick smile, my attention still on making sure I didn’t crash the thing.
Lucas laughed, and I couldn’t help but join in.
His joy was contagious, and I loved how at ease he was around Sean now.
There had been a time when he’d been quieter, hanging back, unsure of his Dad.
But now, it felt like they’d found their groove.
I stole a glance at Sean, my heart doing that annoying little flutter it always did when I caught him looking at me like that—like I was more than he’d expected.
His smile was soft, and there was something in his eyes that made me feel like maybe I was becoming something more.
I turned back to Lucas, who was pointing eagerly at the drone again, shouting instructions, and I couldn’t stop smiling.
“Lucas, is it fine if Chloe joins us for dinner?” Sean said, his voice low and smooth as he walked up to us.
His hand grazed the small of my back in a way that sent a subtle thrill through me.
His smile lingered just a moment too long, eyes meeting mine with a heat that I felt in every nerve.
Lucas looked up at the two of us with a curious expression on his face before he nodded.
“That’s fine,” he said.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Lucas.
Would he like me or treat me with suspicion, like Henry had no doubt done to Sean in the beginning?
Lucas brought his drone down and began packing it up while Sean got the dinner ingredients out.
I caught Lucas sneaking glances at us as the three of us worked together on the pizza.
Sean stayed close, his touch lingering every chance he got—an arm brushing mine, his fingers grazing my waist, as he helped with the toppings.
“Need a hand, babe?” Sean murmured, his lips so close to my ear that the warmth of his breath sent a shiver down my spine.
His hand slid over mine, guiding me as I spread the sauce, his chest brushing against my back, his body heat enveloping me.
I chuckled softly, nudging him playfully.
“I’ve got it,” I whispered, but didn’t resist the way his hand lingered on my waist, fingers teasing the fabric of my dress.
I could feel Lucas watching us, curiosity flickering in his young eyes, but I couldn’t help the magnetic pull between Sean and me.
When Sean stepped onto the balcony to take a call, Lucas quickly leaned in, his voice low, conspiratorial.
“Are you Dad’s girlfriend?”
I glanced toward Sean, still visible through the glass door, his gaze occasionally drifting to me, even while on the phone, that soft smile never leaving his lips.
I wasn’t sure what Sean wanted Lucas to know, but I smiled gently.
“Maybe you should ask your dad,” I whispered.
Lucas shook his head, mumbling, “Never mind.” The disappointment in his voice tugged at my heart as he ran off to use the bathroom.
As soon as Sean returned, his hand was back on me, slipping around my waist as if it belonged there.
He pressed a slow, lingering kiss to my temple, his lips trailing just a little too close to my ear.
“Missed you,” he whispered, his breath hot against my skin.
I laughed softly. “You were gone for five minutes.”
“Still too long,” he replied, his hand resting on my hip, fingers lightly tracing circles through the fabric.
He let go when we heard Lucas open the bathroom door, and led me to the dining table.
As we sat down for dinner, Sean’s attention was laser-focused, never drifting far from me, even as we started eating.
Every touch, every glance felt charged, like we were barely keeping ourselves in check.
Lucas, in between bites of pizza, finally broke the silence.
“By the way, Dad, Mom’s birthday is in two weeks. Can you help me buy her a gift, Dad?”
I saw the flicker of conflict pass through Sean’s eyes, just for a moment, before he smoothed it over with a soft smile.
“Of course we can,” he said, his voice gentle.
“That’s a great idea, Lucas.”
Lucas nodded, visibly relieved, his energy picking up.
“I saw this necklace at Macy’s that I think Mom would like.”
He turned to me shyly.
“You’d know the best styles, right? But … is it okay if, this time, it’s just Dad and me going shopping?” His eyes darted between us, hesitant but hopeful.
I glanced at Sean, who was already gazing at me, his hand slipping low on my back, resting just above my hip.
His touch was possessive, sending a ripple of warmth through me.
Leaning toward Lucas, I whispered, “Seeing how your dad is practically glowing at the idea, I’d say it’s more than okay. It’s perfect.”
Sean squeezed my waist and leaned in, his lips brushing against the side of my neck, making my breath hitch.
“Though girlfriends are usually welcome when men go shopping,” he teased, his lips grazing my ear as his voice dropped to a huskier tone, “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to skip this one, Chloe.”
There.
It was out in the open now.
Lucas, wide-eyed, looked between us before finally asking the question that had clearly been on his mind.
“Is Chloe your girlfriend?”
Sean didn’t break eye contact with me, his fingers now tracing soft patterns along my thigh under the table.
“She sure as hell is mine,” he said, his voice low but firm.
Then, as if to prove it, he leaned in, capturing my lips in a slow, deep kiss, one that left me breathless.
His hand stayed at the small of my back, drawing me closer as the kiss lingered longer than necessary.
Lucas giggled, pretending to gag, but Sean didn’t pull away.
His eyes were fixed on me, burning with a hunger that was impossible to miss.
“I’m the luckiest man alive,” Sean said softly, his thumb brushing along my jaw as he finally pulled back, though his gaze never wavered.
Lucas, watching us intently, seemed to absorb the shift in his dad’s demeanor.
“Yeah,” he said thoughtfully, “you seem … different.”
Sean grinned, wrapping his arm around me as we settled back in our chairs.
The room suddenly felt warmer, more intimate.
In that moment, I felt completely wrapped in his love and attention, as if the rest of the world didn’t exist.
After dinner, as we cleared the plates, Sean caught my hand, pulling me close, his lips brushing my forehead.
“Anne has come over to take care of Lucas for a bit. Are you ready to head out?” he asked in a playful, secretive tone that made my heart skip a beat.
“Where are we going?” I asked, smiling as I looked up at him, already trusting wherever he was leading me.
“You’ll see,” Sean said with a wink.
We said good night to Lucas.
Sean gave him a quick hug, ruffling his hair, before he retreated to his room, his mind buzzing about plans for his mom’s birthday, and then we slipped out of the penthouse.
Later, as the car finally came to a stop, Sean hopped out and hurried around to open the door for me.
I stepped out, the cool night air brushing my face, and glanced around, curious about our destination.
We were in SoHo, and nestled between a vintage bookstore and a cozy coffee shop was Erin’s Taxidermy.
Ah, now, I understood.
The storefront had plush velvet curtains framing the dark display windows.
Inside, colorful birds were posed mid-flight, their feathers vibrant and delicate.
I spotted a few lizards, quickly averting my gaze with a quiet laugh.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, my brow raised, amusement in my voice.
Sean smiled, slipping his arm around my waist. “You’ll see. Trust me.”
Sean opened the shop’s heavy wooden door.
A bell chimed as we entered, and the scent of leather and chemicals wafted through the air, creating an atmosphere that was strangely inviting.
“Erin,” Sean called out into the empty room, and I looked around, wondering where Erin would pop out from.
I was both nervous and excited to meet her.
Sean had met my brother a while ago, and I was aware that today was a big step for him.
I’d “officially” met Lucas as Sean’s girlfriend, and now, I was meeting his half-sister.
I looked around at the taxidermy animals decorating the space.
They were posed artfully, and their glassy eyes seemingly watched over us.
I gulped as I took in the rest of the shop.
A life-sized alligator was on display, and I wondered if there were any other stories of odd animals a pet owner wanted to preserve.
Off to the side were books on animal and bird anatomy, and the empty shelves had posters of animal skeletons.
“We won’t be here long; don’t worry,” Sean added at my side, a smile on his face as he looked at me.
I nodded. I had just spotted a cobra mount, head raised and its fangs bared, and I had temporarily lost use of my tongue.
Through a side door, a woman hurried in.
She had the same striking features as Sean, but with piercing green eyes and raven-black hair in a pixie cut.
She wore a folksy blue dress that suited her eclectic style, and she had a smile that was genuine and wide.
Her gaze fell on Sean first before she turned to me.
“Chloe, meet my half-sister, Erin Wallace,” Sean said.
“Erin, this is Chloe?—”
“Nichols, yes, I remember,” Erin said, turning warm eyes to me.
“He mentions you every time I speak to him, so I’ve been badgering him to let me meet you. I’m glad we’re finally meeting.”
“Same here. And your shop looks out of this world. You have a fantastic collection,” I said, looking around.
“Erin is obsessed with her job,” Sean explained.
“She was desperate to show you the shop.”
“Do you have pets?” Erin asked me, a hopeful look in her eye.
I opened my mouth to respond when Sean gave Erin a look.
“Erin, I will not have you treating my girlfriend like a potential customer.”
“It’s a bad habit of mine.” She grinned at me with ease.
“Come on. I’ll give you a tour.”
In the next half hour, I saw an otter mount—which she claimed was her best model yet—and an Airedale terrier that looked even more doglike than its photograph, and a grinning hyena with a mischievous appearance.
“How do you like it here so far?” I asked her, remembering that Sean had told me a little about her recent move to New York.
“It’s been great. I’m glad I let Sean convince me to move here because I’d been complaining about how lonely I was in Florida.”
I angled my head sideways to look at Sean.
Did he know how considerate that made him sound?
“When Sean learned that this storefront was available, he sent me a picture of this place and also said that he could help me with a loan for the down payment if I moved here. The location was too good to refuse, even if I haven’t been able to pay Sean back as fast as I’d like.”
“She’s too proud to let me waive it off,” Sean said while Erin nodded with an easy laugh.
She turned to me. “So, tell me, how did the two of you meet?”
I grinned.
“We met at a café, where I flung a cup of coffee on him, after my fiancé dumped me.”
“Over the phone,” Sean corrected in a manner that suggested he would never forgive Bruce for it.
“And Sean held me while I sobbed my heart out on the sidewalk.”
Erin gave Sean a happy look before nodding at me.
“I see that kindness in him all the time, by the way,” she added.
“Over the past month, he’s come over to help me fix things in my shop, and if it’s something he can’t fix, he makes sure he gets someone who can.”
I turned to Sean, amazed at this touching detail of him being a caring elder brother.
He gave me an awkward shrug and looked like he wanted to change the subject.
“He’s taken great care of me as well,” I said warmly.
“Though at times, he can be a bit?—”
“Of a know-it-all?” Erin asked good-naturedly.
“Possessive? Blunt?”
I nodded, giving her a wink while Sean looked taken aback.
“I’m not any of those things,” he grunted.
“Don’t worry,” I said, pulling him close to me and wrapping my arms around him.
“Those are the things I love about you.”