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“I’ll handle it; don’t worry. What do you like?”
“Henry likes Ital—” she began, but I shook my head.
“What doyoulike?” I asked her.
She sighed and closed her eyes. “I hate to be demanding, but since you asked, I ought to let you know that I’d love some pad thai.”
“Done,” I said, planting another quick kiss, this time on her cheek. “It’s not one bit demanding at all.”
I wanted to ask her out, to take the next step, but now wasn’t the right time.
“Chloe, there’s something you should know,” I said, speaking fast before I could change my mind. “The flowers I asked you to have deliver for me … they were for my mom.”
Confusion flicked across her face as she tilted her head at me, strands of her blonde hair falling loose from her hair tie.
“When I said earlier that my parents weren’t around—well, my dad passed on, but my mom is still alive. But I’ve distanced myself from her, Chloe, for reasons I’ll tell you about later. She brings back too many unhappy memories of my childhood, ones where I was left alone and neglected. It isn’t pretty, and someday, I’ll give you the entire story. But I want you to know that I’m not harboring thoughts of any other woman except you.”
Her lips extended in her signature pretty smile, the genuine one that made my heart swell with happiness. She nodded.
“Thank you for choosing to be honest with me. But also, Sean,” she began just as I was about to pull her closer, “I don’t want to go so long without hearing from you again.”
I loved hearing that it was too long for her because it had been too long for me too.
“When I realized you’d met with Will, I felt even more jealous than I had known I could be. So, I agree,” I said gruffly. “It won’t happen again.”
“You were jealous?” She sounded and looked incredulous. And a teeny, tiny bit pleased, too, if I was reading her correctly.
I nodded. “I’m jealous that you got to spend time with him when it should have been with me. And if I’m being honest, I didn’t know I could feel that way.” I ran a hand through my dark brown hair as I looked away for a second. “The idea of anotherman getting you flowers—well, that makes my blood boil. And especially because that man is Will. I hate him for standing you up on your date, and I hate him even more for thinking he could just show up days later and get a second chance with you. You’re special, Chloe, and I’m not the only man who sees that.”
She reached up and pressed her palm against my cheek. Heat rushed through me.
“Oh, Sean,” she whispered, her lips parting as her eyes darted around my face, searching me. She finally took a deep breath and met me at eye level. “When I went for a walk with Will,” she began as my throat tightened at her words, “I felt nothing. I was restless, if anything, because he couldn’t make me laugh. He didn’t infuriate me either, like you do. We talked for an hour, and in that time, I realized I didn’t care about him at all. When I’m with you, you draw me out and make me talk about myself—heck, you even make me forget about my troubles. One minute with you is worth more to me than an hour with him. He doesn’t compare to you one bit.
“So, my answer to your question from a couple of days ago isyes. I’d love to go out with you, Sean. Even if it’s the craziest, stupidest thing to do as your personal assistant?—”
My breath caught in my chest at those words.
I cut her words off with a passionate kiss, and her warm, soft lips met mine. A shiver ran down my spine, and I placed my hands on her hips, pressing her body to mine. The kiss intensified, and she parted her lips for me as my tongue stroked hers. I brushed my hands up her arms, finding the base of her neck and tilting her head to deepen the kiss. I wanted to kiss her neck, to move lower, wishing I could get her to a bed and undress her.
A distant noise from her apartment woke us to the notion that we didn’t have much time. Henry was calling her name. I lifted my head regretfully, my erection hard and strainingagainst my pants. Chloe took a step back, and I let my arms fall to my sides.
She looked dazed, her cheeks flushed, and her big blue eyes were staring back at me with genuine admiration.
My body felt hot, and my clothes felt too tight. I could see the desire in her eyes, mirroring my own.
“I need to get back,” she said regretfully with a look over her shoulder.
“I understand,” I said, even as my need for her thrummed in my veins. I wished she didn’t have to.
It was better this way though. The two of us were too engrossed in our own lives—her with her brother and me with my decision to never get serious.
I stepped in for a quick goodbye kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow. At work. And if you can slip away from home tomorrow evening …” I stopped, and Chloe held her breath, lips parting. “I’m taking you out, sweetheart.”
The happiness I saw on her face made me feel like I was on top of the world. When I got into my car, the logical part of my brain noted that I wasn’t usually this thrilled about seeing a woman again. Something was different this time around.
I had no reason to worry though because she had a life that revolved around her brother. We’d never get too serious about each other, and I preferred the safety net that our busy lives gave us.
All of life was a transaction, I’d realized long ago. With wealth and power, even more so.