Page 58 of The Arrangement

“Go on,” she says. “Have fun. Have lots and lots of sex.”

“Mimi!”

“I’d be riding that man like a pony, Chloe.”

My eyes are wide, and I don’t dare look at Jason even though I know he’s looking at me.

“Can we not do this right now?” I ask, fanning my face. “Besides, we can’t leave you alone. I don’t want you to fall.”

“Yes, you can. I’m not going to fall here. And I love you, Chloe, but I think I’m going to like having a bit of time alone for a change. And I can go sit outside.” She rests her head on the back of the recliner. “Greta isn’t here to drive me crazy. I can watch my shows in peace. You go marry that stud and work on babies and let me relax.”

I steal a glance at Jason. He’s looking at the floor, chuckling softly.

“I can’t just leave you,” I say, my stomach stirring at the thought of having Jason all to myself.

“My housekeeper, Mara, could check on you,” Jason offers, lifting his chin. “She’s worked for me for ten years. She’s practically family. I can even ask her to stay while we’re gone.” He looks at me. “She does that sometimes for various purposes and usually doesn’t mind. I can ask.”

“Ask.” Mimi says it too quickly for me to get a word in. “I want you two out of here.”

“Mimi, he’ll have to pay her. Let’s not be too quick to ask for things.”

She laughs. “Sweetheart, he has the money. And if you haven’t noticed how he looks at you, I’m pretty sure he’d sell the moon to have you all alone.”

Jason’s grin knocks me sideways.

“Chloe, I’ve wanted your pussy since the day I saw you in Coffee and Cream. Every day, I climb into that shower and jack off while imagining your mouth covering my cock, and I climb into that bed and think about how you’d feel stretched around me.”

With that visual in my head, there’s no way I can say no.

So I shrug. “Ask her.”

Jason takes his phone out of his pocket and makes a call.

Chapter 14

Jason

“Will advise when I have the weather. November-Four-Four-Five-Whiskey-Xray,” I say before taking my thumb off the radio button.

Chloe giggles, and the sound is like music through my headset. “In English, please?”

“I’m telling the guy on the approach frequency that I’ll let them know when I’ve listened to the radio broadcasting the weather.”

Her face is lit up, as bright as it has been since we arrived on the tarmac earlier tonight. The previous couple of hours were hectic. Mara’s excitement over my engagement was palpable. She offered to come immediately so I could whisk my fiancée away. I started to decline her offer, figuring Chloe and Mimi had had enough excitement for one day. But Mimi interjected, something I’m discovering happens often, and Chloe held her breath. I took my chances and here we are.

On our way to get married.

I fight against the smile tickling my lips as the thought runs through my mind again and again.

This situation is against everything I am in so many ways. Yet … here I am.

Chloe peers into the night sky, more relaxed than I’ve seen her in a long damn time. Her skin is smooth and her shoulders slack. I kick myself for not noticing how stressed she must’ve been lately. While she was worrying about me—scheduling massages and ordering me dinner to arrive once I was home—she needed someone to be worrying about her.

I tell myself it was because I had no reason to believe she was struggling. But that’s just an excuse.

And it’ll never happen again … although it seems I have a habit of not seeing what’s in front of my face.Thanks, Dad, you fucker.

“Are you doing okay over there?” I ask.