by Low, JA
“I was thinking of taking Chloe up there, so she can finalize the marketing strategy for opening day.”
My brother looks at me, suspiciously. “I’m worried about you.”
“Me. Why?”
“You seem to be getting awfully close with Chloe.”
“No, I’m not,” I argue, but he doesn’t look convinced.
“You seem to be bending over backward for her. Some might say it’s leaning toward favoritism.”
“Some might say or you’re saying?” I question my brother.
“Me…” He arches a brow. “I’m worried that feelings are involved. You have a history with her.”
“What, a kiss at a resort months ago?”
“I heard you rescued her from her ex in Vegas.”
“And, where were you?” Throwing his convenient disappearance with Lenna at him. “You never came home after taking Lenna to her room.”
Logan sits up in his chair—I’ve struck a nerve.
“Nothing’s happening,” he’s quick to add, which totally means something has happened.
“Didn’t say there was.”
Logan glares at me. “You’re not Dad, you know.”
“I know. Because we stick to the rules.”
Fuck the rules! I want to scream at him because I know he’s just as lonely as I am, but I know he will never break the rules because he’s always been the more disciplined twin.
“Just know I wouldn’t care if something happened with Lenna,” I reassure him.
Logan just glares at me. “Noah,” he warns.
Urgh, he’s so frustrating. I just roll my eyes at him.
“Is Chloe going to be a problem?” his tone’s cutting. He couldn’t be more serious if he tried.
“No,” I reply through gritted teeth.
“But you like her?”
“Yes.” I’m not going to lie. “Least I’m man enough to be able to acknowledge my feelings.”
“You have feelings for her?” He jumps on my words straight away.
“Not like that.” I’m not in love with the girl or anything, I just like hanging out with her.
“But more than friends?” he pushes. I shrug my shoulders. “Do you think taking her away to The Hamptons is a good idea?”
“It’s work,” I state loudly.
“I know. Just, I’m concerned after what you’ve just told me.”
“I’m not a teenager with a crush. I know the difference between work and play,” I tell him sarcastically.
“Hey, don’t get pissy with me.” He glares. “I’m just trying to be the voice of reason here.”
“So, you didn’t take Lenna to The Hamptons last weekend?”
He stills, and the room goes quiet. “It was work.” Now he looks pissed. “How did you find out?”
“Anderson told me.”
“Fucking loudmouth,” Logan curses.
“You hid that from me.”
“Because it was nothing… just work.”
“And yet, you think me taking Chloe to The Hamptons is something?”
“You and Chloe have hooked up, and you just told me you like her.”
“So, you don’t like Lenna?” I question.
“Of course, I like Lenna… as a colleague.”
We’re going around and around in circles.
“You’re so frustrating. I’m taking Chloe to The Hamptons this weekend for work. Nothing more,” I tell him.
“Okay,” he finally agrees.
“Good,” I reply while standing then walking out of his office in a huff.
Stomping through the hallway back to my office before closing my door with some force, which shakes the walls when I slam it shut.
Moments later, there is a knock.
“Come in,” I yell.
“You okay?” Chloe pops her head inside before closing the door behind her.
“Yeah. Just…”
Do I tell her what Logan and I spoke about? Maybe I should make sure that we’re both on the same page—that it’s just a work thing.
“I wanted to see if you were free to pop up to the estate in The Hamptons this weekend?”
Her eyes widen for a couple moments. “And Logan doesn’t think that’s a good idea?” She sounds hurt.
“Kind of… he thinks I show favoritism to you.”
An awkward silence fills the room.
“It’s what friends do, isn’t it? I’m new to this whole being friends with the opposite sex.”
“You don’t have female friends?” she questions.
“I do, but…”
“Oh…” she catches my drift, “… they’re more along the lines of friends with benefits.” I nod my head in agreement. “Maybe Logan isn’t used to you having a female friend you don’t want to sleep with.”
But I do.
I do want to sleep with you.
I just can’t, I internally scream.
“Does he forget who my brother is?”
Fuck! EJ. I keep forgetting that she’s my friend’s little sister, and that’s a sobering thought.
“Look, it’s ridiculous, I shouldn’t have said anything,” she says.
“No. It’s a good thing. We have a great working relationship, and I know in the past we’ve gotten close. I guess that would make Logan a little skittish about us. But we’ve put that all behind us.”
“Because I’m not your type?”
A slight flush falls across Chloe’s cheeks, reminding her that I overheard her conversation with her friends.
“Exactly. And I’m not yours.”
Reminding me that she saw me with Laurie.
“Okay, then. Well, I’m glad we’ve gotten that all settled. So, you free this weekend?”
“Yes. I’m free.”
“Great. I was thinking we’d leave Friday lunch to beat the rush, and be back either Saturday or Sunday, depending on how much work we can get done.”
“Okay. Sounds like a plan.” Chloe stands and walks toward my office door. She stops, hesitating for a moment before turning around. “I can find somewhere else to live if it makes things with your brother any better. I don’t want to get in the way of your relationship with him.”
“What? No,” I tell her. “Honestly, I think he’s projecting what’s going on with him onto me.” Chloe eyes narrow, and I can see she wants to say something but hesitates. “I think something’s going on between him and Lenna.”
“Oh, thank God you said it because I’ve been thinking the same thing.” She rushes back to me, taking a seat.
“Has she said anything to you?”
“No. She’s a vault. But I think something happened in Vegas.”
“Me, too. He’s so straight and narrow he won’t ever do anything that’s against company policy.”
“Same with Lenna, but I guess that goes with the territory of HR Director.” We both nod our head in agreement.
“Has she said anything about him?”
“I’m not breaking girl code.” Chloe smiles.
“Fine. So, what are we going to do about them? ‘Cause I think Lenna would be really great for my brother.”
“Aw… you do?” She sounds surprised.
“Under this hard exterior, I’m really a romantic.”
Chloe gives me a look that she thinks I just spoke utter bullshit.
“You don’t get the nickname ‘playboy twins’ for no reason,” Chloe tells me.
“Don’t believe everything you read in the papers.” She shrugs seemingly unconvinced. “Whatever.” Rolling my eyes, I continue, “Are you going to help me play cupid, then?”
“Of course, I will,” she agrees wholeheartedly. “As long as he isn’t going to fire me over this?”
* * *
“I hear you’re heading to The Hamptons with Chloe this weekend,” Anderson questions me at lunch. Not him too.
“You heard correct.”
Logan has a big mouth.
“Wonder what EJ thinks?”
“He pro
bably thinks she’s doing her job.”
“Someone’s defensive,” he states. “It’s obvious you have a hard-on for the girl. Not sure if you realize that.”
“No, I don’t.” Shoving a slice of sushi in my mouth, it helps to stop any words from escaping.
“Rescuing her from her ex.”
“He had his hands on her. Anyone would have done the same.”
Anderson takes a sip of his beer. “True. You also asked Jackson Connolly to fit out her home with the latest security.”
“It needed upgrading. She’s an employee, and someone threatened her. Of course, I was going to do something about it.”
Anderson’s eyes narrow at me, and I can tell he’s not believing a word I am saying. “You let her move into your rental at a discount.”
“This sushi tastes delicious.” Shoving another bite into my mouth, hoping to change the subject, I quickly grab another.
“Which happens to be next door to you.” He gulps down some more beer. “I bet you’ve even tried to cop a look, too.”
Fuck him.
He’s right, though. I realize if I stand in my back garden, which I never used to do, I can see her in her living room, or I can see her from my living room in her hot tub. Most nights, she likes to relax in the tub with a glass of wine, and it’s the damn highlight of my night.
I’m not a creeper.
Promise.
“I take it from your silence I’m correct?” I ignore him. “Now you’re taking Miss Temptation away for the weekend.”
“She’s my employee. It’s a work trip. Nothing more,” I set him straight.
“Fine. It’s a work trip. With the girl who has your balls firmly grasped in her hands.”
“I’m not pining after her, I’m seeing people.”
Anderson rolls his eyes. “When was the last time you had sex?”
I take a sip of my beer. “I’m not answering that… it’s personal.”
“Was it Laurie?” Anderson pushes. “You took her out.” I keep ignoring him, but his eyes scrutinize me. “Are you serious right now, you didn’t fuck Laurie? She’s always up for a good time.”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I almost yell, trying to shut the conversation down.
“Oh, we’re talking about it,” Anderson pushes. “The fact that you turned down Laurie says everything. You have a thing for Chloe Jones.”
“Stop trying to read more into it. You’re as bad as my brother. Men and women can be friends.” He gives me a look of bullshit. “I’m sorry you’re unable to have a friendly relationship with a woman without wanting to fuck her.”
“The difference is, Chloe’s hot, and I know for a fact you want to fuck her.”
“Are you saying you can only be friends with ugly women?” I question him.
“Yeah. Pretty much.”
Fuck! He’s such a pig.
“No wonder you’re single.” I finish my lunch, my appetite seems to have left me.
“This isn’t about me. It’s about you, and some chick who has you wrapped around her little finger.”
“I’ve got work to do.” Standing abruptly, I cut the conversation short.
“I’ll be your best man at your wedding,” Anderson adds.
I flip him off and head back to my office.
13
Chloe
Being stuck in a car with Noah Stone for the next couple hours is going to be torture, especially when he takes off his suit jacket and rolls up his shirt sleeves giving me a glimpse of his tanned, toned forearms.
Not fair. Totally not fair because that’s this woman’s weakness. Add in his delicious cologne, the tiny bit of scruff on his jaw, and I’m done for.
We sit in silence as he pulls out of the building’s underground parking garage and into Manhattan’s Friday madness traffic. We spend the next few hours chatting away like we’ve known each other for years. Everything’s so comfortable with him. We talk about anything and everything, and before we know it, hours have passed, and we’re pulling up in front of the building site.
“We’re here,” Noah announces as we stop, the temporary fencing blocking our entrance. Noah hops out of the car and opens my door for me. Holding out his hand, he helps me from the vehicle.
“I think I’m wearing the wrong shoes?” I stare down at my heels.
“It’ll be fine. The landscaping starts next week, so that’s why the driveaway is unfinished. Everything else should be fine, and if not, you can jump on my back, and I’ll carry you.”
“Such a gentleman,” I say while elbowing him. Like he could carry me, I’m twice the size of his supermodels. I’ll probably break his back.
Pulling back the temporary fencing, Noah ushers me into the worksite. And, oh my goodness, the entrance is gorgeous with its white columns and gray shingles—
it’s quintessential The Hamptons.
Logan and Noah purchased the historic estate and expanded it. There’s the original manor house, and they have added on little bungalows which are dotted along the coastline nestled in the dunes surrounded by beach grass. I’ve seen the estate via images in presentations and meetings, but never in the flesh, and honestly, the photographs don’t do it justice. Stepping into the foyer of the manor house feels like I’ve stepped back in time, minus the mothball smell. It’s light, modern, and yet they have kept all the beautiful craftmanship of yesteryear intact.
“Noah. Good to see you again.” A tall beast of a man walks toward us.
“Ewan. Great to see you, too. It’s looking good.” Noah shakes his large hand. “This is Chloe, she runs our marketing department,” he introduces me to him.
Chocolate eyes look over me. Is that a spark of interest lying behind them?
He extends a large hand to mine. “Nice to meet you, Chloe.”
He’s handsome, in a rugged, lumberjack, lost-in-the-wilderness kind of way.
“What are you doing up here?”
“Logan said you guys had progressed so quickly that he thinks we’ll be ready in a month?” His words make the giant chuckle, it’s deep and vibrating.
“Glad he has so much faith in us. We will try our best to accommodate his timeline.”
“You’ve always come through for us before.” Noah slaps him on the back. Hope he didn’t break his hand against the pure muscle.
“True. Well, I better show y’all around then.” Ewan gives me a flirty wink.
He takes off in front of us, and I have to run to keep up with them both—stupid little legs and heels.
“Not sure how much you know of the history of this estate.” Ewan turns to me. “It used to be the summer home of an heiress from Europe in the twenties. She lived a life of excess until she was ninety. We wanted to keep her spirit alive with her estate but give it more of a modern twist. The beautiful architecture we didn’t want to lose, but let’s face it, most rich city people aren’t interested in ornate carvings or moldings, are they?” He chuckles. “They’re more interested in if they can get Wi-Fi. Can I arrive by helicopter? Is the food gluten-free, vegan, no-calorie? Are there hot chicks in bikinis by the pool?” He laughs.
“Not all city people are like that,” Noah moans.
“Really? What about that time—”
“Never mind,” Noah cuts him off before Ewan can tell his story.
“Hold on, that sounded like it was going to be a good story.” I look between the two of them.
“It is, but it wouldn’t be very professional of me to continue with it,” he says as if he’s realized where he is.
“Really?” Looking over at Noah, I raise an eyebrow.
“It’s not that good of a story. I promise,” Noah tells me.
I continue to stare at Noah.
“Fine.” He rolls his eyes. “You can tell her.”
Ewan looks between Noah and me with intrigue. “Noah was dating this supermodel,” Ewan starts. Of course, he was. “He took her to a resort in Mexico just before it opened. Anyway, she had a fit when she rea
lized the food wasn’t gluten-free, that there were bugs, and that it was a building site. She said he had promised her a luxury weekend away and brought her to a dump. She complained that they didn’t arrive via helicopter and had to arrive via a car from the airport, which took an hour. Didn’t help that the boys kept finding tarantulas and putting them on her bed.” Ewan’s bursting with laughter while telling the story.
“Best bit was she called some other rich guy she was seeing, and he picked her up down the road in his helicopter and whisked her away.” Ewan’s now doubled over with laughter.
“One of the worst dates of my life.” Noah looks over at me, and I can’t help but laugh. He’s getting no sympathy from me.
“That’s how Noah found out she was cheating on him.”
Aw, that sucks.
“Lucky escape, I guess.” Noah shrugs.
“She’s onto her third husband now. So, I’d definitely agree, lucky escape,” Ewan adds.
“Anyway…” Noah tries to change the subject.
“Right. Let’s continue the tour,” Ewan says with a smile.
We keep walking through the gorgeous estate, Ewan pointing out interesting pieces of architecture.
Ariana would love this. She adores old buildings and preserving history.
Actually, my eyes traveling over Ewan realize he would make a pretty perfect match for Ariana. She loves a big man, especially one who’s good with his hands. Probably not very professional of me if I hand him my best friend’s phone number.
“As you can imagine, the coastal theme has been done to death up here. The guys wanted something reminiscent of days gone by but with a modern twist. The golden, gilded glory days of The Hamptons where you might run into a Rockefeller or the Hearts. Where you can smoke a cigar and women wear diamonds.”
“So, we’re selling to stockbroker douchebags.”
Ewan bursts out laughing, his deep chuckle vibrating right through me. “I like her. She’s not from around here, is she?” he asks Noah.
“California,” I tell him.
“West Coast girl, huh?” Looking me over, a flick of heat radiates from behind his chocolate eyes. “How ya finding the city?”
“Busy.”
He chuckles. “Anytime you want to escape the city, just let me know. I can take you to some quieter places.”