I Heard A Rumor by Cheris Hodges

headed for the historic Folly Beach Pier. “This is beautiful,” he said as they got out of the car.
    â€œAnd strong,” she said. “My grandmother and I used to come here and fish over there.” She pointed to a corner of the 1,045-foot-long pier.
    Zach gave her a curious glance. “You fished with your grandmother?”
    â€œYes. Much to my mother’s chagrin. I’d come home covered in fish scales and dirt underneath my nails, and she’d nearly have a heart attack. I think Elsie Mae did it just to get a rise out of my mother.” They walked among the tourists until they found a spot where they could look out on the ocean.
    â€œMust have been nice growing up around all this beauty.”
    She shrugged. “You take it for granted until you move away from it.” Chante leaned against the wooden railing and inhaled the salty ocean air. Zach leaned against her, pressing his nose into her hair. Damn, she smelled good. Sweet like a Carolina rose. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist. He expected her to push him away, but she fell into his embrace. Silence enveloped them as they watched the ocean waves.
    Chante’s thoughts troubled her, made her think of past mistakes—namely Robert. But something about Zach’s touch put her mind at ease while making her body tremble with anticipation. It occurred to her, as they stood in the sun, that in the time they’d spent talking over breakfast and the walk up the pier, he knew more about her than Robert ever did. Not once during their courtship had she thought about bringing him to Charleston or telling him about Elsie Mae. Maybe if she had introduced Robert to Elsie Mae, things wouldn’t have gone straight to hell. Her grandmother probably would’ve sniffed out that self-serving son of a bitch the moment she laid eyes on him.
    Chante turned around and lost herself in Zach’s brown eyes. What would her grandmother make of him?
    â€œWhat?” he asked.
    â€œI want to show you something special,” she said.
    â€œI’m already looking at it,” he replied with a smile.
    Chante rolled her eyes. “Are you always like this? I mean, if I didn’t want to drive your car, I’d push you over the edge for being so damned corny.”
    â€œYou sure know how to hurt a brother,” he said, then feigned a pout. “This is your show; whatever you want me to see, I’m down for it.”
    â€œGood,” she said, still basking in his touch. Zach felt his erection grow as she licked her lips. He wanted this woman more than he should have since he’d told himself he was taking a break from the opposite sex. But her lips drew him in like a magnet to metal. Kissing her softly, he slipped his tongue between her pillow-soft lips and reveled in the sweetness of her mouth. Chante moaned as his hands traveled down her back, resting right above her ample behind. She broke the kiss and looked up at him.
    â€œWe’ve got to stop doing this,” she said.
    â€œWhy do you like to deny yourself pleasure?”
    â€œLet’s go.”
    â€œAnswer the question.”
    â€œEver think that people get into bad situations because they move too fast?”
    â€œMaybe people miss out on a good thing because they don’t live in the moment. We have a moment, Chante. Right here and right now. We don’t have to look five or six years down the road. You want me and I want you.”
    She shivered, unable to come up with a rebuttal to him. Did she want him? Yes. Could she live in the moment? She didn’t know. It wasn’t her style. She was a planner; she did weigh her options and look toward the future.
    And what has planning gotten you so far? You planned to be a partner at the firm by now. You’re not. You planned to be married by now. You’re not.
    â€œChante?” Zach asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Can we have this moment, no matter how long