“No,” I say simply.
Chloe’s face scrunches in confusion.
“What do you mean? I fulfilled my part of the bargain. I attended the business dinner with you. I rubbed your thigh, Barrett! That is like a thousand favors right there. You can’t go back on your word. You promised once I pretended to be your girlfriend at your business dinner that was it.”
“I made no such promise.”
“It was a favor for a favor. We’re even. Done,” she argues, again.
“That’s not how it works,” I say.
“What do you mean? That’s exactly how it works.”
“In order for me to keep my silence about the party you threw at my mother’s apartment, I requested you attend my business dinner as my girlfriend.”
“I know. That’s what I’m saying.” She looks at me like I’m insane.
“I never specified the terms of that agreement. Your assistance is still required until I can close my business deal with Fred Hinkle.”
Chloe scoffs. “Um, no.”
“A piece of business advice…put everything in writing.”
“You’re saying I should have made you sign some document saying you were only eligible for one date?”
“I’m saying without a contract, nothing is concrete.”
“Well, I can’t be your fake girlfriend. I have a date on Wednesday.”
The thought of Chloe going on a date shouldn’t bother me, but it does.
“Cancel it.”
Her lips part in outrage.
“You can’t force me to keep playing along. Besides, there’s no evidence. Wouldn’t it be your word against mine?” She crosses her arms in front of her chest. I ignore the desire to drop my gaze there.
Instead, I pull my phone out of my pocket, and pull up the video I saved from my mother’s apartment cameras Friday night. It was insurance. Now I’m glad I did it.
I move to stand behind Chloe, keeping my phone screen in front of us.
“I’ve deleted the feed from the hard drive. This is the only copy,” I say. “So no, Chloe, it wouldn’t be my word against yours. It would be hours of video footage documenting everything that happened Friday night.”
“God, you’re an asshole.” I can hear the tightening of her throat and the emotion behind her words. I close the video and drop the phone back into my pocket. Standing this close to Chloe, I can smell her hair. It’s sweet and floral and reminds me of the kiss we shared minutes ago. Part of the ruse to convince my mother we’re together, yet when my mouth covered hers, I felt the electricity between us. The need to press further and take more, but I managed to control myself not only because my mother was present, but because this is business. Nothing more.
When she spins around to face me, her eyes are glassy and I can see the lump in her throat she tries to swallow past. I can’t let it affect me. I need her and even if I have to muddy the water to get this deal done, I’m going to do it. It’s worth that to me. But, fuck if her big blue eyes looking at me like I’m a monster don’t make me want to do better. There’s a pinch in my chest that makes me decide I don’t want to be the asshole she thinks I am. While I need her to continue playing her role, I could offer her something in return.
“I’ll offer you a deal.”
Chloe searches my face, and for a moment I see hope in her eyes. Hope that I’m not the kind of guy that would blackmail her into pretending to be my girlfriend so I can close a business deal.
“You’ll continue to pretend to be my girlfriend for the sake of business dealings, and as far as my mother is concerned, we are together, but you can come up with something you want in return.”
Her face falls, and anger pinches her delicate features. “And what would I want from you?”
I shrug. “Think about it.”
I’m shocked to find my body leaning in toward hers again. As if kissing goodbye is what we do now. How easily that one kiss with Chloe upstairs has reset its programming.
She takes a wide step around me to avoid our arms touching and moves toward the door.
“And, Chloe?”
“What?” she snaps, not bothering to turn around.
“Put it in writing,” I call.
The meeting with my mother and Chloe has given me a late start to the day. When I get to my office door, Bea is waiting there with a cup of coffee in her hands.
“Thank you.” I accept the coffee, grateful that I can always count on Bea to get an early start. She’s snoozing in her chair by four, but she walks through the door at seven o’clock sharp every morning.