The CEO Buys In
Page 110

All the teasing went out of Nathan’s expression. “Let’s go somewhere more private.”
He led her down the hall to a small hexagonal room furnished with a round, leather-topped table surrounded by four dark wooden chairs upholstered in matching leather. A circular gold-and-wine-patterned Oriental rug covered the floor. Closing the door, he pulled out a chair to seat Chloe before turning another one toward her and sitting down himself.
“We agreed to wager something that was not only valuable in and of itself, but which would cause us pain to lose.” He crossed his arms on his chest. “I considered the pair of paintings in my bedroom. They would bring a lot of money at auction, but I could replace them with different ones. Another possibility was the first battery I invented. That had significance to me, but it wasn’t intrinsically valuable, except maybe to a computer geek.”
He uncrossed his arms and leaned forward in his chair. “So I wagered the family sword.”
Chloe gasped. “You must have been really drunk.”
“It was desperation that drove me. I knew there was something wrong with my life and I needed to make a change.” His gaze burned with intensity. “You didn’t just save the family sword. You saved me.”
“Love saved you,” Chloe said. “I was just lucky enough to be the one you gambled on.”
He stood and drew her up against him before he lowered his head and kissed her. She understood he wanted to do more than just say he loved her. He wanted her to feel it deep down in her bones.
“I love you too,” she breathed against his lips.
For a long moment, they stood pressed together, absorbing the emotion swirling around and through them. Then he slid his hand down to the curve of her behind.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you all night,” he said.
She looked up to find a devil in his eye. “What’s that?”
“Are you wearing anything under that dress?”
“Just my skin,” she said, injecting a little seduction into her voice.
“That’s what I thought.” And then both of his hands were cupping her bottom, rubbing the silk against her. “I want to tear this dress off you and have you right here on the Oriental rug.”
“You did that last night, only on a different Oriental rug,” she said, her breath catching as his fingers traced lightly down between her buttocks.
“Damn Miller and Archer for stopping me,” he muttered before opening the door and gesturing toward the stairs. “Let’s get this over with so I can have you naked in the car.”
Anticipation rippled through Chloe. She slipped her hand under Nathan’s tux jacket and gave his muscular butt a quick squeeze. He grinned, but corralled her hand to steady her up the elegant staircase.
At the top of the stairs, he led her into a room that was so stereotypically “men’s club” she nearly laughed out loud. “I can’t believe Frankie decorated this place,” she said.
“She did it as a swipe at the other clubs that wouldn’t let her in. She decided to out-club them, as she puts it.” Nathan swept his gaze around the room. “There they are.”
The two men stood as they approached the table set by a tall, arched window. Luke sported a blue blazer, white button-down shirt, and khaki slacks that gave his well-muscled, athletic frame an elegantly tailored look. The black turtleneck and slacks Gavin wore under his tweed jacket made him appear lean and slightly piratical.
Gavin stepped forward first, giving her a peck on both cheeks. “A pleasure, Chloe. I see you made the entirely wrong decision to tie yourself to Trainor here. How much did he have to pay you to wear that ring?”
“You’re contradicting yourself,” Chloe said, amazed as always that the writer could make his insults sound so charming. It was something about the self-mocking light in his dark eyes.
“Or maybe it’s merely an oxymoron,” Gavin said with a wink.
Luke offered his hand and said in his Texas drawl, “Best wishes on your engagement.” He shook Nathan’s hand as well. “Congratulations on winning your fiancée. You’re a real competitor.”
Chloe always liked Luke’s straightforward courtesy, but she caught the hint of steel when he called Nathan a competitor.
Gavin waved his hand at an ice bucket. “We’ve ordered a 1928 Dom Pérignon to celebrate this happy occasion.”
“My favorite,” Chloe said. She had a feeling she didn’t want to know what the bottle of champagne cost.
The glasses were filled and distributed as they stood. Gavin lifted his flute in the center of their circle. “Here’s to Nathan drawing a queen into his royal flush. We wish you health, happiness, and a long life together.”
Luke brought his glass up. “Here’s to putting seven points on the board on the opening drive. I predict a championship season.”
Since she was next to Luke, Chloe put her glass into the cluster. Despite the rocky start, she’d gotten fond of Nathan’s two friends. “Here’s to burning all three envelopes by the end of the bet.”
Nathan touched his flute to Chloe’s, looking into her eyes and saying, “The true prize in this wager was not my heart. It was yours. Winning your love makes me the luckiest man in the world.”
Chloe couldn’t speak past the emotions squeezing her throat.
Nathan tossed back his champagne in one gulp and removed her half-empty flute from Chloe’s grasp. Taking her hand and interlacing his long, powerful fingers with hers, he nodded to Luke and Gavin. “I wish you both good luck. And now I’m going to take my fiancée home and show her just how much I mean what I said.”