Chloe's Secret Read Online Free Page A

smile, but I was glad. He looked into the fog and I followed his gaze. Three shadowy figures approached. The scene was almost like something out of a scary movie. All they needed were machetes or pitchforks.
    “Well, looks like it’s time to get started. You ready for this, Tess?” Colton stood, brushed his hands together and gave me a hand to help me down. “It is Tess, right? Not Tessa or Tessandra?”
    “Just Tess. My brother always called me Tess the Mess growing up.”
    “Mine called me asshole.” He turned and walked toward the group.
    I wondered if the brother still called him that. An hour later I was on a motorcycle and riding it across the parking lot. The sun had cut through the fog and cleared it. I grinned from ear to ear. Okay, Dad, I see what you liked about this. I noted the smell of garlic coming from the Italian restaurant down the street, and cut grass from the yard by the lot. Straddling the motorcycle they’d given me for the class while I waited for the next exercise, I raised my face to soak in the sun.
    “Closing your eyes is going to get you clipped, Tess.” Colton’s low, sexy voice jolted me out of my blissful state of sun worship. I dropped my gaze and caught him watching. His hands were on the handlebars as he leaned over them. I swore his eyes sparkled a little. Odd for eyes that are deep brown.
    “I was just enjoying the sunshine while I waited. I don’t get out much.”
    “I can see that. You might want to put some of this on. Your face is getting a little pink.” He handed me a bottle of sun block.
    I took it and sprayed it on my face, neck, and hands. Everything else was covered since he’d instructed us all to wear long sleeves, jeans, and closed shoes or boots. By the end of the day, I felt comfortable on the bike, but my ass didn’t. I was certain I had saddle sores just as if I’d been on a horse all day and I probably walked abnormally.
    When I limped back to my car, Colton jogged over to hand me water and he almost smiled. Almost. “So, you liked it, didn’t you?”
    “It’s growing on me, and so are the bruises on my butt. I feel like I’ve been playing cowgirl on a trail ride. Do I look bowlegged?” I turned my back to him and after I said it, I realized it wasn’t the right question to ask because his eyes immediately shot to the very sore spot I rubbed just under my back pocket. He seemed unsure what to say next. He opened his mouth, and then closed it again.
    He finally found his voice and answered. “Uh, not exactly, and don’t ask me to rub anything either. Okay?”
    It was my turn to drop my jaw. Hmmm. Hadn’t even gone there, but now that he mentioned it . . .
    “I wasn’t. I didn’t. I shouldn’t have said that.” I tended to say the wrong thing around him. I didn’t plan to, the words just popped out against my will.
    He decided to smile then. “I shouldn’t have said what I did either, totally inappropriate for a teacher. Don’t tell on me, will you?”
    I had no intention of telling. Why would I? It didn’t really matter and what exactly would I say? It wasn’t like it was that bad of a thing. The roll of a motorcycle engine drowned out any further conversation as he started his up to leave. Across the lot, some of the men I’d seen at the store were loading up the training bikes and helmets in a trailer.
    As he gunned it, I realized I needed to find out if he was aware of his grandmother’s past. Did she keep it secret all these years or was it a story he might be able to finish for me? I stepped in front of his bike. Not exactly the smartest of moves. He laid on the brake and black smoke spit from the back when the tires slid to a stop. He grimaced. The shades over his eyes hid some of the expression but the general feeling wasn’t good.
    “Tess, you can’t just jump in front of people like that. I could have hit you, or laid the bike down trying to avoid it.”
    I put my hands on my hips and chewed my lip, nervously. “Geez,