Reluctantly Yours(64)

I’m supposed to be focused on my career. Proving to JoAnna that I can handle my current duties while covering for Lacey. And the Books 4 Kids event is this coming Friday. I need everything this week to go well and the event to go off without a hitch.

Beneath the glow of Barrett’s laptop, with Baxter’s wet nose nuzzled into my hand, I fall asleep.





CHAPTER 19





Barrett





We’re back in the city by three.

After breakfast, Lucy insisted on making Baxter gourmet dog food to take with us. She felt horrible about his disappearance yesterday and wanted to do something to spoil him. I think it was a bit much, but I didn’t want to refuse her generous offer. She’d likely be relaying to Fred how the weekend went and I wanted to leave the best impression with her.

While we waited, Chloe lounged by the pool reading her book and I worked on my laptop, my eyes frequently wandering from the screen to Chloe in her pink bikini.

At home, we went our separate ways, but a few minutes ago, Chloe entered my study with Baxter on her heels.

“Are you okay if I read in here?” she asks.

“Sure.” I motion to the sitting area.

Chloe sits down on the sofa, and settles in. She’s quiet for a moment, and I think she’s going to read but then she calls out to me.

“Frankie texted me.”

“Really?” Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. I know Frankie likes Chloe but it never occurred to me that they would spend time together outside of our couples’ activities.

“She reports that her lips are less swollen and she should be sucking Fred’s dick by tomorrow at the latest.”

I clear my throat. I don’t want to imagine any intimate acts between Frankie and Fred but the words ‘sucking’ and ‘dick’ out of Chloe’s mouth have sent all my blood rushing south.

“That was word for word,” she says.

“Glad to hear she’s feeling better,” I say.

“And she invited me to get my nails done. She wants me to try out her press-on nail line.”

“What did you tell her?” I ask.

“I said yes. I thought it would be helpful for you with Fred. You know, a little good will between the girlfriends.”

I nod. “Thank you.”

She turns back to the manuscript she’s reading. “Especially since this weekend was a bust.”

“What do you mean?”

She looks up again. “Oh, just that you didn’t get any time with Fred. I can tell you were frustrated on Friday when he didn’t show up.”

She’s right. I had been livid that Fred would cancel last minute, leaving Chloe and me in the Hamptons with no hope to make progress on my deal with Voltaire. But then I spent yesterday with Chloe and I forgot about Fred and the deal. It wasn’t on my mind when I was playing Scrabble with her or pointing out the various cheeses on the charcuterie board, and memorizing her facial expressions as she tasted each one. And it definitely wasn’t on my mind when she looked me in the eyes and told me no one has ever gone down on her before.

I watch her for a moment, her wild ponytail and baggy t-shirt make her look effortlessly sexy. Damn. I want her. Badly. But I want her to want me just as bad. This weekend was a step in that direction, but she’s not there yet.

Case in point when a minute later she flips a page, then looks over at me.

“Oh, and can we just forget everything I said this weekend?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know, the truth or dare sharing. It was a bit of an overshare on my part. I’d like to rescind that information. Extract it out of your brain.”

I almost laugh. There’s no fucking way I’ll be forgetting that conversation anytime soon. Or the way it felt to kiss her, not because we had to put on a show, but because we wanted to. Thinking about it only makes me want to do it again.

“No,” I growl.

“What? Why not?”

“It was the first thing on my mind this morning and it will be the last thing on my mind tonight when I fall asleep across the hall from you.”

Chloe’s eyes widen at my confession. I can see her cheeks turn rosy from across the room.

I stand and move toward her. When I’m at the back of the sofa looking over her, Chloe has to lean back to look up at me. I’ve found in my business dealings that patience is the key. Waiting for the right deal. Not getting ahead of yourself. Keep the upper hand by not appearing too eager.

None of that seems to be working in my situation with Chloe.

“I’m also going to think about you when I fuck my hand later,” I say.

Her breath catches and her mouth drops open. The sound already has me hard. Yes, I’m definitely going to be thinking about her later.

I lean down and kiss her on the top of the head. It’s a chaste gesture compared to what I want to do to her.

“Goodnight, Chloe.”

I leave her there on the sofa, pleased that it takes her a good ten seconds to call out goodnight behind me.





I’m in a meeting with Carl when Bea buzzes to tell me that Chloe is here. My day has been insane, moving from meeting to meeting, business lunch to conference calls, but any spare second I’ve had to myself, I’ve thought about Chloe. The silver lining to Fred and Frankie not being able to make the trip to the Hamptons was getting to hang out with Chloe, just us. Now, we understand each other better. I’ve made my intentions clear that I want her, but I’m waiting for her to be more comfortable with a physical relationship.