by Ramona Gray
“Yep. I should probably take it easy this weekend anyway. I wouldn’t want to start my new job in a haze because of all the boning I did over the weekend.”
Ian laughed and Jackson clapped him on the back. “C’mon, you order the pizza. I’ll even let you get those motherfucking anchovies on it.”
* * *
“Okay, be honest with me…can I pull off pale yellow?” Jane smoothed down her t-shirt.
“Nope.” Amy popped another shrimp into her mouth.
“Amy!”
Chloe laughed as Amy shrugged and said, “You told me to be honest.”
“I know, but still… I really like yellow.”
“Your complexion doesn’t like it. Chloe, have some more to eat.” Amy passed her the bowl of pasta and shrimp.
“I’m good, thanks.” She set the bowl on the table and took a sip of wine. Drinking two nights in a row, damn it was a record for her.
She smiled at Jane when the petite brunette sighed and grabbed her own glass of wine. Jane worked at Dawson Clothing in the finance department. She used to be Luke’s personal assistant, but had switched to finance. Chloe had a feeling it was so that she and Luke could start dating.
“Your brother told me I looked pretty,” Jane said to Amy.
“You’re frackin’ gorgeous but that doesn’t mean you can wear yellow and, also, my brother doesn’t make the big bucks at the company because of his fashion sense,” Amy said.
Jane laughed. “Okay, fine. I won’t wear yellow again.”
“Burn that shirt when you get home,” Amy said.
“Now you’re just being mean.”
“Maybe a little,” Amy said with a grin. She touched the pretty purple choker necklace around her neck, her fingers toying with the heart locket that dangled from it. “Now that we’ve discussed your inability to wear yellow, let’s team up and figure out what’s wrong with Chloe tonight.”
Chloe gave her a startled look. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“Do you believe her, Jane?” Amy asked.
“Nope,” Jane said.
“I get that we don’t know you that well, but you’re being pretty quiet tonight, even for you, and you seem sad. Tell us what’s wrong. We’re excellent problem solvers,” Amy said.
“You’re also kind of my boss, and,” Chloe glanced at Jane, “you’re dating my actual boss.”
Amy made a zipping motion across her lips. “Hey, what you tell us during girls’ night stays between us, and when we’re working, we magically forget all the personal shit about each other.”
Chloe shook her head. “You wouldn’t be able to forget this.”
“Oh, this is juicy,” Amy leaned forward and gave her a look of glee. “Now you have to spill it, Chloe.”
She fidgeted with the stem of her wine glass. She was surprised to realize she did want to tell Amy and Jane what had happened last night. Her lack of any real friends was starting to wear on her, and she realized she missed having girlfriends to confide in.”
“Chloe, I’m serious.” Amy’s lighthearted tone had disappeared. “Obviously you don’t have to tell us what’s going on, but know that if you do, we won’t judge or think differently of you. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I get the feeling that you could use a friend or two, right now.”
Chloe swallowed hard. Amy had the sensitive, intuitive artist thing down to a science and she could feel her resolve weakening. “Okay, fine. But you have to swear not to say anything to anyone at work. Especially Luke”
“We won’t,” Amy said. “Right, Jane?”
“Yes,” Jane said. “I love Luke, but that doesn’t mean I share every personal thing someone tells me with him.”
“She means it,” Amy said. “Hell, she didn’t say a word to Luke about how I like it when Mark spanks me.”
Chloe’s mouth dropped open as Amy said, “Shit. I think I’m a little drunk. Goddammit, wine!” She glared at the glass in her hand. “Why would you betray me this way?”
Jane burst into laughter and Amy gave Chloe an apologetic look. “Sorry, Chloe. That was really personal information and I probably shouldn’t have -”
“I slept with a stranger last night,” Chloe blurted.
Amy blinked at her before holding out her fist. “Nice work.”
Chloe blushed and bumped her fist. “Thanks.”
“Were you safe?” Jane asked.
Amy snorted laughter and Jane shrugged. “What? I can’t help it. You try working at a strip club for years, and not immediately worry about STDs.”
“You worked at a strip club?” Chloe said.
“As a waitress,” Jane said. “Part time thing. I don’t work there now. Anyway, this is about you. Go on.”
“We were safe,” Chloe said, “and normally I don’t do this type of thing, like ever, but I just…”
Amy and Jane gave her encouraging looks. She took a sip of wine to buy some time. She never talked about her sister if she could help it. She supposed it was partially because of embarrassment and partially because Lori already took up so much of her time and energy, if she didn’t have to think about her, she didn’t.
But, if she didn’t give Jane and Amy something of an explanation for why she slept with a total stranger, they’d think she was a slut and she didn’t want that. She wanted their friendship, wanted it desperately, in fact. They both knew her sister had trouble with alcohol. She would give them the basics, she didn’t need to go into detail about how Lori had ruined both their lives.
“So, you guys remember that I have a sister who is an alcoholic?”
Jane and Amy both nodded.
Chloe sighed. “She’s…difficult to deal with. She’s been on a real bender since she left rehab, and last night my grandmother called me to come talk to her. Lori is living with her again and my grandma, she, she does this weird thing where she enables her, but she also freaks out when Lori gets too drunk. Then she calls me to come over and calm her down. I went over after work and it didn’t go well. Lori was so drunk, and she said horrible things to me and our grandma. It’s not the first time she’s done that, but it was…”
Amy reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah. Anyway, Lori passed out after a few hours of screaming at us, and then I left. I rarely drink, but I went to a hotel near my grandmother’s house. I needed something to do. I couldn’t stand the thought of going back to my apartment and sitting alone. I knew the hotel would have a bar, so I stopped and ordered a drink.”
She laughed bitterly. “Lori goes there often, apparently. Trades sexual favours for drinks.”
“Oh God,” Jane said.
“Yeah. Lori and I look alike. She’s older than me, but only by eighteen months. The alcohol has done some damage to her skin, but we have the same colour of hair, and our body shapes are similar. A few guys mistook me for her and they-they were asking me for handjobs and blowjobs …”
“Oh gross,” Amy said. “That’s really awful. I’m sorry, Chloe.”
“Thanks. Anyway, this guy sat down next to me and I figured he was another drunk who had mistaken me for Lori. But he wasn’t. He didn’t know who Lori was and he was hitting on me because…well, I don’t know why.”
“Uh, because you’re frackin’ gorgeous?” Amy added more wine to her glass and Jane’s before looking at Chloe. She shook her head and Amy set the bottle back on the table.
“He was gorgeous,” Chloe said. “Way out of my league, you know? He was tall with dark hair and looked like some kind of Greek god. I wasn’t planning on sleeping with him. In fact, I left the bar, but then he…and I… I got us a room at a hotel and we had sex.”
She fell silent and Amy said, “Uh, I’m gonna need more information on the sex part.”
Jane poked her, and Amy grinned. “Oh please, you were thinking the same thing, Jane. Spill it, Chloe. Give us all the juicy details.”
Chloe turned bright red and Jane said, “You don’t have to tell us anything.”
�
�Says you,” Amy replied. “I, for one, would like to know if this tall handsome stranger was amazing or a dud in the sack.”
“Amazing,” Chloe said. “Definitely amazing.”
She took another sip of wine. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was actually dying to tell someone about last night. Apparently when a person had the best sex of their life, they wanted to share the happiness.
“On a scale of one to ten?” Amy said.
“Twelve.”
“Damn. Nice work.”
“I don’t have a lot of experience,” Chloe said. “I’ve only slept with my ex-fiancé before last night, but I’m pretty certain this guy has skills. I had multiple orgasms. I’ve never done that before. He made me come before we had sex, and he lasted long enough that I could come again during sex. How crazy is that?”
Jane and Amy glanced at each other and Chloe frowned. “What? That’s crazy, right? My ex never lasted very long once we were having sex. He said it was normal, said that no guy lasted more than a few minutes.”
“Girl, that ain’t normal,” Amy said solemnly.
“Oh.” Chloe sat back in her chair. “Maybe he doesn’t have skills then. Maybe he’s typical and I only thought he was incredible because apparently my ex sucks in bed.”
“Maybe,” Jane said. “I mean, I don’t have that much experience either, but I think if you found it amazing, then that’s all that matters. Right?”
“Yep,” Amy said.
They were silent for a few minutes before Amy said, “So, are you going to see him again?”
“No. I woke up before he did and I kind of, maybe, snuck out of there,” Chloe said. “I was feeling weird and self-conscious, and… I don’t normally do stuff like this. Only, I’m regretting it now. Isn’t that stupid? I wanted a one-night stand to help me forget about my messed-up life, I got what I wanted, and now I’m wishing I could have another night with him.”
“Not that surprising,” Jane said. “If all you’ve ever known is bad sex and suddenly you find out how awesome it can be, it’s addicting. Your sexual experience and mine are pretty similar, and trust me, trying to resist Luke after finding out how good he was in bed, was impossible.”
“Gross and also, good for you, honey,” Amy said.
Jane laughed and clinked her wine glass against Amy’s. “Maybe you could look him up. He’s gotta have a Facebook account at least, everyone does.”
“I don’t even know his name,” Chloe said.
“Not even a first name?” Amy asked.
Chloe flushed. “No. I told him I didn’t want to exchange names or any personal details, and he agreed.”
“Well, that might make it more difficult,” Amy said. “Any distinguishing marks or scars that could help identify?”
Jane laughed again. “How is that going to help her find him, Ames?”
“I don’t know, I’m throwing out ideas here. When my friend wants to find the mystery man who gave her the best sex of her life, I’m here to help.”
Chloe felt a surge of warmth. God, it was stupid to be so happy that Amy called her a friend, but she couldn’t help it. The woman she had admired for years, thought they were friends.
“I appreciate that,” she said to Amy, “but I don’t think there’s any way that I can find him again.”
“You could go back to the bar.”
Chloe shook her head. “My grandmother lives on the outskirts of the Badlands and that hotel/bar probably isn’t all that safe. Besides, he didn’t look like the kind of guy who goes to a bar like that on a regular basis.”
“Was he, like, a business guy or more of a blue-collar type of guy?” Jane asked.
“He wasn’t dressed in a suit, just jeans and a t-shirt, but his leather jacket looked expensive. Oh, and,” Chloe paused, “he knew that I was wearing a Dawson suit. Even knew it was one of the ones from our more expensive line.”
“Seriously?” Amy said.
“Yes.”
“He must be in the fashion business then,” Jane said. “The average guy wouldn’t recognize a Dawson suit.”
“Oh my God.” Amy leaned forward, her eyes wide and her cheeks a little flushed from the wine. “Do you think…no, it can’t be.”
“Do I think what?”
“Maybe he’s your new co-worker.”
“What?” Chloe said.
“Maybe the guy is your new co-worker, what’s his name…oh shit, Jane, what’s his name again?”
“Jackson something,” Jane said.
“Right! Jackson Black.” Amy gave Chloe an excited look. “Oh my God, maybe you banged your new co-worker!”
“I didn’t,” Chloe said.
“You don’t know that,” Amy said.
“The odds of her unknowingly banging the guy she’s going to be working with are astronomically low,” Jane said.
“It happens all the time in romance books,” Amy replied.
“This is real life, not a romance book,” Chloe said. “It wasn’t him.”
“Could have been.” Amy refused to give up. “He knew what a Dawson suit was. What guy knows that unless he works for Dawson Clothing?”
“No, he – I mean, you’re a popular designer. He could have dated someone who only wore Dawson suits,” Chloe said. “There are a ton of reasons for why he knew what brand my suit was, and none of them involve him being my new co-worker.”
Amy shrugged and sipped her wine. “I guess you’ll find out on Monday.”
Chloe stared at Jane. “It wasn’t him. Tell me it wasn’t him.”
“It probably wasn’t him,” Jane said.
“Probably?”
Amy laughed. “Oh God, if it was, you two are totally gonna start banging in your office. Am I right, Jane?”
“We won’t be banging in the office!” Chloe said. “I don’t date co-workers.”
“There’s no office rule against it.” Amy snickered and nudged Jane. “Obviously.”
“Yeah, well I am not getting fired because of my libido. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The guy I slept with isn’t this Jackson Black. Stuff like that doesn’t happen in real life.”
“Like I said,” Amy gave her another grin, “I guess we’ll find out on Monday.”
Chapter Three
Chloe smiled at the blonde woman sitting outside of Luke’s office. “Hi, Mary. How are you?”
“Good, thank you. How are you?”
“I’m good. Enjoying the new job?”
Mary nodded before picking up her phone. “I am. It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I think I’m getting a handle on the day-to-day stuff.”
“Glad to hear it. Mr. Dawson emailed me to come to his office.”
Mary punched in the four-digit number to Luke’s office. “Mr. Dawson? Ms. Matthews is here.”
She hung up the phone. “Go right in, Chloe.”
“Thank you.” She knocked briefly on the doors to Luke’s office before opening one and stepping inside.
He was sitting at his desk. A large, dark-haired man was sitting in the leather chair across from Luke’s desk and he didn’t turn around when Chloe shut the door. She stared at the back of his head, her heart beginning to pound. Oh shit. He was the right size, the right broadness across his shoulders, and his hair was same dark shade of brown.
Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh fucking shit.
Amy was right. She had fucked her new co-worker. She was living in a goddamn romance novel.
“Chloe, thanks for stopping by,” Luke said. “I wanted to personally introduce you to Jackson.”
She walked forward on feet that felt like wooden blocks as both Luke and Jackson stood. Her stomach was in knots, sweat was sliding down her back and she knew her skin was currently the same colour as her hair. She thought she might pass out as Jackson turned to face her with his hand held out.
So sure was her certainty that Jackson was the stranger from Thursday night that, for a moment, she actually did see his face. As his big hand surrounded hers, she swallowed compulsive
ly.
“Chloe, are you all right?”
She swung her gaze to Luke. He was hurrying forward. “Are you going to faint?”
The hand holding hers tightened and a deep voice said, “Maybe she should sit down.”
Her breath rushed out of her and she stared mutely at Jackson. It wasn’t him. It wasn’t the stranger. Her mind had been playing tricks on her, that’s all. Cursing herself in her head, she said, “I – no, I’m all right.”
“Sit down, Chloe,” Luke said.
Jackson was still holding her hand and she had no choice but to follow him when he tugged her toward the empty chair next to his. She sat down, smoothing her skirt and trying to smile normally at him.
“Are you feeling all right?” Luke sat on the edge of his desk next to her chair.
“Yes, I’m perfectly fine. Sorry.” Chloe brushed her hair back from her face and tried to sit straighter. “I, uh, I skipped breakfast this morning and was a little lightheaded for a second.”
“I can get Mary to grab you something from the café downstairs.” Luke reached for his phone and Chloe shook her head.
“No, no, I’m fine. I have an apple at my desk. I’ll eat as soon as I’m back in my office. Sorry, really.” She gave Jackson an apologetic smile.
“It’s fine. It’s nice to meet you.” He smiled at her and her damn pussy actually fluttered.
Stop it! She snapped inwardly to her crotch. Are you kidding me right now? What is wrong with you?
She supposed there was nothing wrong with her. Now that she’d gotten over her mini heart-attack, she could focus a little better on Jackson, and holy hell, he was delicious. She had no idea why she’d seen him as her mystery man for even a second. Sure, they had the same big build and dark hair, but the similarities ended there. Instead of chocolate coloured eyes, Jackson’s eyes were a brilliant blue, and he projected an easy-going and relaxed nature that her mystery man definitely didn’t have.
Her sexy stranger had been sweet and he’d been kind to her, but she couldn’t fool herself into believing there wasn’t a hardness inside of him. Not after what she witnessed him do to the drunk in the bar who had touched her.