“Go on your own or cancel. I don’t give a fuck.”
Lost for words for an instant, Blake gaped at him like a fish, his mouth opening and closing in shock. “But…but…you never miss a meeting. Or leave work. What the hell is going on with you?”
Theo didn’t give a shit about work. He needed to get to Chloe.
Chloe was finishing up with her client—a young, up-and-coming romantic comedy actress—when her apartment buzzer went off. Before she could get off her sofa to answer, it buzzed again.
Putting her coffee cup down, Chloe said, “Excuse me, Emily, I’ll see who that is.”
“No worries.” Emily smiled and poured herself another glass of champagne.
Racing into the living room, Chloe pressed the intercom button. “Hello?”
“Chloe, let me up.” Theo’s voice crackled through the speaker.
What was Theo doing here? Was there a sense of urgency in his voice? “Is everything okay?”
“It will be when you let me in.”
She glanced over her shoulder toward Emily. “I’m with a client. Can it wait?” She wouldn’t have even given him the option if she and Emily were in the middle of a negotiation.
“No. Get rid of them.”
It must be serious. Was Blake okay? “Okay, come up.” She pressed the button that opened the foyer door.
Back in her living room, she said to Emily, “I’m sorry, something urgent has happened. Let’s meet for lunch later this week to celebrate season two—no more having to return to DJing pop-up raves!”
Sounding like she was suppressing a giggle, Emily asked, “Is everything okay?” She set her glass down and flung her bag over her shoulder.
“I’m not sure. I hope so. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
As she led Emily out, they were met with a loud knock at the door. What the hell was wrong with Theo? As soon as she opened the door, he barreled inside. She said a quick goodbye to Emily and closed the door behind her.
Taking in Theo’s disheveled appearance, she asked, “What’s wrong? Has something happened?”.
He paced in front of her, loosening his tie even more to flick open another button. “Why didn’t you tell me Owen was an asshole?”
She didn’t know what she was expecting, but it wasn’t that. “What?”
“Is what he said true?” He stopped in front of her, his face hard.
“What did he tell you?” From his stone-cold expression, she knew exactly what he was talking about. Owen had told him about her virginity, the louse.
“He told me you’re a virgin. Is it true?” Why did Owen have to tell him?Shit. Next, he’d probably put it on a billboard in Times Square. The little snake. God, she wanted to run to her room and lock the door. Hide. Would Theo’s reaction be as bad as Owen’s?
When she didn’t respond, he asked again, “Is it true?”
Her heart pounded against her ribs, and her palms grew sweaty. She glanced down at her feet. “Yes, it’s true. I’m a thirty-year-old freaking virgin. Pathetic, huh?”
She waited for him to laugh. When he didn’t, she lifted her head. His face was devoid of any emotion. Well, that was better than disgust.
“How is that possible?” Disbelief laced his words.
Chloe blew out a long breath and dropped to the sofa. “I’m not waiting for marriage, and there’s nothing wrong with me physically like Owen assumed. Maybe I’m just a freak.” Because she really felt like one after last night. It didn’t matter what her friends said, at the end of the day knowing something and feeling something were two different things. And while she knew that there was nothing wrong with her still being a virgin, Owen’s reaction sure made her feel wrong.
Theo dug his hands into the pockets of his trousers, a vein ticcing in his jaw. “You’re not a freak. Owen has a lot to answer for.”
It was good hearing him say it, even if she still didn’t believe him. She gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”
