“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.