Free Going to the Chapel by Debra Webb Page B

blew out a disgusted breath and grabbed a
bucket of paint and a brush. If she’d only managed not to respond,
the kiss wouldn’t have been so bad. But she had responded. She’d
melted against him, pulled him closer, and welcomed the feel of
him. There was no way he could have mistaken her reaction. Caroline
hesitated before she rounded the corner of the chapel. She closed
her eyes and savored, just one more time, the memory of that kiss.
It could never happen again, of course. But now, for only a moment,
she wanted to relive how it felt to be kissed by Chase. The taste
of him made her long for more. The feel of his hard, muscular body
made hers burn for him.
    It was as if all this time
had not passed...as if it was eight years ago and they were still
truly, madly, deeply in love with each other. How could he command
such power over her even now? Caroline forced her eyes open and
started forward again. There was nothing between them anymore. Just
left over feelings from the past. They’d both been angry last
night. Their anger had overridden their better judgment, that’s
all. Chase probably regretted kissing her as much as she regretted
his having done so.
    Her gaze landed squarely on
him at precisely that moment and the zing of desire that shot
through her belied her words. Clad in his usual attire of jeans and
a t-shirt, he was hammering away at the final pieces of replacement
siding. She watched the muscles in his powerful arms flex and
contract as he swung that hammer. His expression was intent, the
chiseled features of his face even more handsome than eight years
ago. She wondered vaguely how that was possible.
    She shook herself and
turned her attention to the matter at hand. She’d volunteered to do
some of the painting. Now that the damaged framing and siding had
been replaced, all that was required was a couple of coats of fresh
paint. Another crew worked diligently to set the interior to
rights. Next Saturday at 10 a.m. Julie’s wedding would take
place—Lord willing and the creek didn’t rise, as Henri would say.
Caroline smiled to herself. And barring any unforeseen traffic
incidents.
    As she climbed onto the
ladder to begin at the highest piece of newly installed siding, she
considered Julie’s complaints about her husband to be. Caroline
didn’t remember much about Rob other than he was nice enough and
somewhat handsome. She’d learned from Julie that he was the
president of the local bank now. From all accounts, he would appear
the perfect catch. But something wasn’t quite right. Julie wasn’t
happy. Caroline could only hope her friend wasn’t making a
monumental mistake.
    Like you almost did? a
little voice taunted.
    Caroline refused to dwell
on her own mistakes or anyone else’s. She dipped her brush into the
bucket of paint and made one broad stroke. She would put the past
out of her mind as easily as she concealed the raw wood with primer
and gleaming white paint. She had a whole new future to look
forward to that didn’t include the past. Looking back or
reminiscing would be a waste of time and very definitely
pointless.
     
    ~*~
     
    Caroline’s arms felt like
limp noodles by the time she’d finished most of the upper part of
the replaced siding. She moved down the ladder a couple more rungs
and started on the mid section. This area was wider and a bit more
difficult to reach the edges on either side of her since her ladder
was set up pretty much in the middle. Straining, Caroline managed
to reach the right side. But the left proved considerably harder.
The thought crossed her mind that the best solution would be to
simply climb down and move the ladder, but she wanted to finish as
quickly as possible. Knowing that Chase wasn’t far away made her
edgy. She just wanted to do her part and get as far away from him
as possible.
    “ You shouldn’t overreach
like that,” a warm, husky male voice warned.
    Chase. Caroline shivered in
spite of herself.
    “ I’m perfectly fine,”