He shakes his head.
“There’s a second closet identical to mine.”
I tap an index finger on my lips in consideration.
“How much tennis will I have to play?”
“Only when you want to, but the outfit is required bedroom attire.”
“I was thinking I would take lessons. Frankie said there’s an excellent tennis pro.”
Barrett shakes his head. “I’ll teach you.”
I shrug. “Okay.”
“Sex?” I question. As if it’s going to be an issue. We can’t keep our hands off each other.
“Lots.” He backs me against the counter, his hands cupping my ass. “Are those your only demands?”
“I’m easy to please,” I shrug, “ice cream and orgasms.”
I wrap my hands around his neck and pull him to me. Our kiss turns me hot and needy in five seconds. My fingers are zoning in on Barrett’s belt, but he reaches for his phone. Heck of a time for a work call.
I bite my lip, waiting as patiently as I can while he taps on his phone.
“Here,” he says, turning the screen toward me. I recognize it as the security camera footage from JoAnna’s apartment the night of Lauren’s party. “Delete it.”
My eyes lift from the phone to meet his.
“Go ahead.” He hands me the phone.
I press the delete button on the screen and confirm it when it asks if I want to permanently delete the video. Barrett removes the phone from my hands and sets it aside.
His hands resume their position on my thighs, inching underneath my skirt. His lips trace along my jaw, the featherlight kisses making my clit throb.
“Now tell me you’re mine because you want to be.” His voice is low, a hoarse whisper that sends my pulse skyrocketing.
Without that video there’s no evidence of the party. Barrett’s telling me I could walk away, if that’s what I want.
“Chloe?” I hear the vulnerability in his voice. The uncertainty that comes with showing your cards and waiting for the other person to do the same.
I don’t want to be anywhere but here. With him.
“I’m yours,” I whisper.
Barrett’s lips part in a sexy smile before his hands move to my cheeks and he kisses me breathless.
I press into him, letting my hands wreak havoc on his perfect hair. He pulls away again and I nearly let out a frustrated groan.
“Hold on. Is there something you’d like to ask me?”
“Can we have sex now?” I ask.
Baxter barks to get Barrett’s attention. He puts the ball in Barrett’s hand and leans back on his hind legs, ready for the next toss.
“No.”
He tosses the ball and Baxter goes racing out of the kitchen to retrieve it.
“No to sex or no that’s not it?”
“Chloe.” He shakes his head, but he’s grinning at me.
I wrack my brain. I really thought it was the sex thing. Barrett leans down to pick my bridesmaid dress up off the floor.
“Oh! Do you want to be my date to Lauren’s wedding?” I ask. “As my non-fake boyfriend?”
“Yes.” He punctuates his answer with a kiss, then he scoops me up off the counter and carries me to the dining room. I guess sex is back on the table. Literally.
CHAPTER 29
Barrett
“Everything looks good,” Chloe says, turning over her menu. “How am I going to decide?”
“Who says we have to? Let’s get it all,” I say.
My phone buzzes in my pocket with an incoming call. I reach in to silence it, not bothering to check who’s calling.
We’re tucked into a booth at the back of a trendy brunch spot in Tribeca across from the independent bookstore we stopped in earlier. The large bag of books we purchased nestled next to Chloe on the booth bench.
“That would be crazy. But I guess we already had sex this morning, so it doesn’t matter how full I get.”
“You realize that means nothing. After watching you devour a plate of blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes with powdered sugar on top, I’m going to want to fuck you again.”
Chloe’s eyes widen.
“Barrett,” she whisper-hisses while squirming in her seat. “You can’t say stuff like that in public.”
I shrug. “You mean I shouldn’t say that I want to fuck you all the time?” I place my hand over hers on the table and rub my thumb over her knuckles. “Don’t worry. If you’re too full for sex, I’ll gladly spend an hour with my head buried between your thighs.”