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.

29. Barrett

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.”

“You’re ridiculous.” She shakes her head.

My phone starts buzzing again.

“Do you need to answer that?” Chloe nods toward the buzzing sound.

“No. It’s fine.”

“Barrett. You can answer the phone. It might be an emergency.”

“I don’t want to answer the phone.” But, when I take it out of my pocket and see Carl’s name on the screen, I give in.