“Then ask someone else.” He shuffled back a couple of steps.
“Nope. You’re the perfect person, and if you don’t want me running to Ethan and telling him your cover was blown in three hours, you’re going to do it.” She looked at him like she’d pulled one over on him, and he had no other choice.
He chuckled. “You said yourself I wouldn’t care if someone was pissed at me.”
She dropped her hands on her hips. “Well, if that doesn’t scare you, how do you think your relationship with Ethan will be after I tell him we almost slept together?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I dare you to tell him.” He wasn’t falling for her bluff. There was no chance she would tell her brother about that night.
She stared long and hard at him, then jabbed a finger at his chest. “Is there nothing that scares you?”
Fuck, yes. What scared the crap out of him was her standing mere inches away from him with her hand on his chest. He was fucking petrified of pulling her into his arms and kissing the hell out of her. Placing a hand on her arm, he said, “Chloe, you’re upset. Let me take you home.”
She shrugged off his hand. “Will you help me or not?”
He let out a long breath and dropped his head forward. He asked with dread, “Help you with what?”
“Finding a husband.”
Chapter Thirteen
Theo’sfacewentblankfor a second before he laughed.Laughedright in her face! Holding her chin high, she glared at him until he stopped.
When he realized she wasn’t laughing with him, he sobered up, but his lips still twitched. “You’re joking, right?”
“No, I’m not joking. Does it look like I am?”
“With you scowling at me, I guess not.” Then his lips curled into a grin. “Glowy wants a husband?”
Pain blossomed through her chest. “If you’re going to make fun of me, I’m leaving. I’ll walk into the next bar and try my luck with someone in there.” Nudging past him, she didn’t get two steps away before he wrapped his hand around her wrist, pulling her back.
“You are not going into a bar to find some random guy.” His eyes darkened and bored into hers.
Her breath caught at his fierce expression. “Why not?”
“Because you don’t know who you’ll meet.”
“Then help me,” she pleaded.
“No.”
“Why not?” she said again. “Oh, wait. You’ll have to get Ethan’s permission first. I hate you both at the moment.” She turned away. “You can both go to hell, I’m not answerable to either of you.”
“How about I drive you home and, on the way, you can tell me why you want a husband.” His tone was gentle, the kind used with frightened animals or small children. She was neither of those.
She whipped her head around to check if he was laughing at her again. His face was emotionless, but mirth still twinkled in his eyes.
Jerk.
“I’m not ready to go home.” She’d only be reminded of another failed date and her time line being pushed back further. “You promised we could dance in your club.”
He held up a hand. “I saidyoucan dance. I don’t dance.”
“You own a nightclub, and you don’t dance?”
“Nope.”
“Well, I want to dance,” she said with a pout. “It’s better than standing here while you make fun of me or going back to my apartment only to be reminded that I’m going to be alone forever.”
