He shook his head.
“Did she recognize you?”
“She did.”
“Then why didn’t she say anything?”
“I asked her that when I realized who she was, and she said she was drunk and wanted to have fun on her birthday with someone she trusted. Who knows what she meant by that? She probably knew I wouldn’t touch her because she’s Ethan’s sister. Thank God I stopped before it went too far.” He wouldn’t mention it had been the heart-shaped birthmark that had given her away. Blake would wonder why he knew about it. “After that night, I didn’t think I’d see her again. She’d left without giving me her number, and you know how big New York is.”
“But then Ethan arranged lunch with us all and convinced you to take her out. Oh, man… this is hilarious.” Blake wiped tears from his eyes. At Theo’s harsh look, his laughter died down. “What are you going to do?”
“What can I do? If I tell Ethan no, he’ll wonder why. How am I supposed to explain that the reason why I can’t keep an eye out for Chloe is because I want her naked in my bed?” Shit, he never meant to say that.
“Even after you found out who she was, you still want to have sex with her?” At Blake’s question, Theo clenched his jaw and nodded. His brother let out a low, slow whistle. “Man, that’s going to be fucking hard, pun absolutely intended. Good luck with that.”
“Yeah, Thanks.” Theo rolled his eyes.
“And how are you going to hang around her without her getting suspicious?” Blake asked.
“I’ll think of something.”
“Honestly, Ethan should be okay with you dating Chloe if that’s what she wants. He’d be a hypocrite otherwise. She’s not a sixteen-year-old girl anymore, and this isn’t the sixteen hundreds. You both get to decide who and how you date.”
“Ethan won’t be happy if I screwed Chloe for the fun of it. You don’t love and leave your best friend’s sister. Especially if you want a best friend afterward.”
“You’ve got a point.” Blake rose, slapped Theo on the back, and chuckled. “Well, good luck. I’m glad it’s you, not me.”
Too bad it was him. And he had no idea what in the fresh hell he was going to do. Maybe staple his cock to his leg to prevent it from making his life hell. It might hurt, but the alternatives were worse.
Chapter Eleven
Chloegaveherselfonefinal look over in her full-length mirror. For date number two, she’d opted for black skinny jeans and a white high-neck satin blouse.
Blair had promised this time her date, Henry, wouldn’t be such a dud. Instead of meeting for dinner and having to sit through another potential disaster meal, Chloe agreed to drinks. Something quick if the date was bad, and if it wasn’t, they could linger longer.
The buzzer to her apartment rang. “Who could that be?” Hazel, Daniela, and Blair were the only friends she had in New York, and they hadn’t sent her a text saying they were stopping over. She rushed to the living area and pressed the intercom. “Hello?”
“Hi.” There was a pause then, “It’s Theo.”
At the sound of his voice, her heart fluttered. He didn’t need to say his name, she knew who belonged to the deep, gravelly voice the moment he said hi.
“Oh, hey,” she said. Why was he at her apartment?
“Can I come up?”
“Umm, sure. I’ll buzz you in.”
Waiting for him to arrive, she paced the small living area of her apartment, tidying magazines on the coffee table and fluffing pillows on the sofa. When he knocked on the door, she nearly jumped from her skin. She knew he was on his way, but jitters bounced around in her stomach at seeing him again. She opened the door, and her heart skidded to a stop. Dressed in a white shirt tucked into gray trousers, the thin fabric enhanced his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His light-brown hair was neatly brushed off his face. God, he was sexy as hell. She’d tried convincing herself she’d exaggerated his good looks in her mind, but with him standing in front of her looking like a gift from God—or more like the devil tempting her with sin—she’d been delusional. He was so much hotter.
“Can I come in?” He smiled, and creases fanned out from the corners of his clear blue eyes.
“Oh, sure.” She gestured for him to enter. “Can I get you anything? Coffee, a drink?”A bed we can have sex on? Stop it! Stop thinking about Theo in that way.When he looked good enough to eat, it was hard to keep her thoughts pure.
“No, I’m good. Thanks.” He slipped his hands in his pockets and glanced around the room. “Nice place.”
And it was. She’d sublet an apartment from a client, and thankfully the actor had good taste—or at least a good interior decorator. It had dark timber floors, a brick feature wall, and a two-seater gray leather sofa. The whole place was smaller than she was used to, but she still loved it. “My apartment could fit into the linen cupboard in your penthouse.”
He swung his head toward her, pinning her with his stare.