like he should have been perfect for you.”
“That’s what everyone else thought!” she said with exasperation.
“Why not you?”
Chloe frowned. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Oh, that’s a sure sign that it does. Come on. Who do you think I’m going to tell?”
“I want to make my own choices. That’s all.”
“That’s reasonable.”
“He was choosing the venue for the wedding, planning when we’d have kids and where we’d take vacations. I hadn’t even accepted his proposal! He thought I should give up my job and organize his life instead.”
“While you want your career.”
“I didn’t get my MBA just to have an MRS.”
Hunter grinned. “I can see that. And he’s coming Friday?”
She nodded again. “Because my mom invited him.”
“So, he has expectations, since she invited him. She probably told him you’d be in town. He must still be single, then.”
“Undoubtedly.”
“And you need a hunk with a tux in self-defense.”
“It sounds pathetic, doesn’t it?”
“No, it sounds like he really is the right guy for you,” Hunter said, to her surprise. “Sounds like it’s just a question of his information management style.”
“What?”
“Maybe having a little competition will make him lift his game. You might like the result.”
Chloe shook her head. “No, he’s not right for me.” Then she glanced up at Hunter. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Who’s your ideal match?”
Hunter laughed. “I don’t have one.”
“Seriously. You can’t be planning to stay single forever.”
“Why not?”
“Because no one wants to be alone all the time.”
Those eyes twinkled. “I’m seldom alone.”
“But who do you confide in? Who knows your secrets?”
“No one,” Hunter said, his tone surprisingly hard. He stood up. “And that’s exactly how it should be. So, am I locating a tux or not? You can email me the list of rules.”
“Why are you doing this?”
He leaned closer, his blue gaze boring into hers with an intensity that stole her breath away. “Because I’m looking for a project and I think you need to have some fun.”
“And you’re the one who can provide that?”
His smile was quick and wicked. “Absolutely.” He lifted one dark brow, which made him look even more like trouble. “Or are you scared?”
“I’m not afraid of you!”
“Are you afraid of fun?”
“No.”
His gaze dropped to her lips. “Of sex?”
“No.” Chloe’s protest was a little more breathless. “But you and I aren’t going to have sex. I have rules...”
“And I’m going to break them all. You have to know that.” His gaze was searching. “The only question is: are you in or not?”
The strange thing was that Chloe wanted to surprise Hunter Tate more than she’d wanted to do anything in a long time. She knew he expected her to pass on his offer. She told herself that she could manage the party alone, even though she didn’t want to.
The simple fact was that going to her mom’s fundraiser with Hunter did sound like a lot more fun.
“I’m in,” she said firmly, smiling when his eyes lit with surprise.
Of course that wasn’t enough for Hunter.
“And just how—” he murmured, leaning closer “—are we going to celebrate that?”
Chloe folded her arms across her chest before eying Hunter with obvious reservations. He could practically read her mind, and it was fascinating.
She’d actually agreed.
And now she was...wondering, about pretty much all the same things he’d been wondering about since he’d caught a look at her earlier. He eased closer on the conference table, well aware that everyone else had left the office. “Any suggestions?” he invited, ensuring that his gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered there.
She licked her lips, quickly and swallowed. “I thought you were the one with all the ideas.”
He met her gaze again and smiled. “Guilty as charged, but I thought you’d prefer to have a plan.”
“What’s wrong with plans?”
“Nothing, unless they keep you from the good stuff.”
“Maybe the plan is the good stuff.”
He scoffed a little. “Not in my experience.” He watched her catch her breath. “Impulse is definitely where the action is.”
She took a deep breath and got to her feet. “Just tell me the truth: why are you offering to do this anyway?”
“A favor for a friend.”
“Is that what we are now?” She shook her head, clearly not expecting an answer. “Is it true that you have a tux?”
“No, but I’ll get one. Trust me.”
She laughed a little, a husky laugh that got him right where he lived. “I don’t.”
“Big surprise.”
“And totally justified.”
Hunter grinned. “Maybe.”
“It doesn’t have to be a tux. It’s not black tie. A dark suit will be good enough.”
“I don’t have one of those either, but fear not: I’ll fix it.”
Chloe