Page 11 of Make You Stay

“Let me guess. Everyone wears suits and ties in New York, right?”

“No, we have lumberjacks, too. They’ve never held a damn ax, but they play the part.”

Then she laughs, and it’s by far the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. Her laugh puts Betsey’s to shame, and that’s saying something.

“You sound so much like your mom.”

“You’ll have to tell me about her one day.”

“Gladly, but not today. Today, we’re discussing you.”

“I thought we were discussing lumberjacks,” Chloe responds with a wink as a server strolls over to take our order.

Our server, Barbara, has long had the hots for me and judging by her cool countenance toward Chloe, she’s none too fond of the fact that I have a dining partner. She takes Chloe’s order, but the smile barely registers on her lips.

Until she looks my way.

“How about you, handsome?” Barbara’s face brightens as she plants her hand on her hip, a saucy smile at the ready.

Barbara is beautiful, and I’ve danced around the idea of dating her, even though I doubt it would go much beyond a few fun encounters. But right now, I want to up the ante on flirting with Barbara for no other reason than to get a rise out of Chloe.

Why? No idea. Perhaps the fact that the gorgeous woman across the table from me seems immune to my appeal is the deciding factor.

I cross my arms and lean on the table, shooting Barbara a grin. “Barbara, do you like lumberjacks?”

Chloe snorts her coffee while Barbara narrows her gaze in confusion. “Beg your pardon?”

“Men like me. Beards, flannels.”

“Absolutely. Who wouldn’t?”

Swinging my gaze to Chloe, I shoot her a self-righteous stare. “See?”

“Any woman would be a fool to turn you down, Aidan Reid. I know I’m still waiting for my dinner invitation.” With a last glare in Chloe’s direction, Barbara heads to the kitchen, some extra hip shake thrown in for my viewing pleasure.

“Thanks, she’s going to spit in my food now.” Chloe releases a sigh, but I see she’s trying hard not to laugh.

“No, she won’t.” Okay, I can’t be positive about that fact. “I had to prove a point.”

“Which is what?”

“Men like me are in high demand.”

Chloe leans forward, close enough that I can see every freckle dusting her nose. “You had to stroke your own ego, is that it? Seems to me, if you were humbler, women would line up to stroke something else.”

I sputter my tea, shocked by the words flying from her mouth. Her absolutely gorgeous mouth.

“Bet you never had a conversation like that with Betsey.” Leaning back against the seat with a wink, she grins, biting her lower lip for effect.

Yep, Chloe Strickland is beyond tantalizing.

“You’d be surprised.” Sitting forward, I motion toward her. “Start talking, Chloe. I want to know everything about you.”

Thirty minutes later, I’ve learned three things about the beautiful woman sitting across from me: she’s got a wicked wit and sense of humor, she’s a successful writer, working for several high-end magazines, and I desperately want to screw her. Not a quick fuck either, but a long and leisurely exploration of her body. I bet money she’s a screamer.

At least my money is on the fact I’ll die trying to bring her to that level of excitement.

Unfortunately, sex isn’t a possibility, and it has nothing to do with Chloe’s less than enamored opinion of lumberjacks.

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