Page 4 of The Problem with Playboys

Two

Chloe stewed in the car for the entire two-hour trip back into the city. Work was only a small distraction, which told her all she really needed to know—Parker had knocked her off her game. Nothing and nobody was capable of keeping her from her work. But he had. Somehow.

Parker was like every handsome rich guy she’d ever met—an endless supply of unbridled confidence that only served to fuel his good looks. The cockiness just radiated off him, and Chloe was mad at herself for letting it do things to her. Her entire body felt restless, like an abundance of energy was pent up inside her. Of course, she knew what that really meant... It was all sexual frustration. It had been months since she’d been with a man and desire was coiled tight inside her. She longed for the touch of a man like Parker.

Except not Parker. Because that would be wrong. And her mother would go absolutely berserk.

Liam dropped Chloe at the restaurant where she was set to meet Taylor. “Just call me when you’re ready, and I’ll be back to pick you up,” he said after he opened the door for her.

Chloe hooked her favorite Hermès handbag on her arm and lowered herself to the sidewalk. “Actually, if you can just take my laptop and work stuff back to my apartment, I’ll grab a cab. Then you can go home and see your family.”

“Are you sure, Ms. Burnett? It’s my job to be here for you.”

“It’s also your job to be there for your wife. How long until the baby is due?”

“Two weeks.”

“Exactly. Go home.”

“Will do, Ms. Burnett. Have a good weekend.”

“You, too.” Chloe made her way inside, immediately spotting Taylor at the far end of the bar, more than halfway through what Chloe guessed was a dark and stormy, Taylor’s usual drink order. Taylor was a striking beauty, with a dark-rooted, blond chin-length bob and flawless complexion. Her brown eyes were nearly dark as night, and that matched her personality as well. Taylor was smart and kind, but she was also perpetually frustrated, always looking for the thing that might finally make her happy.

“There she is,” Taylor said, hopping down from her barstool to give Chloe a hug. Taylor was wearing a short black peplum jacket with boyfriend jeans and heels, an edgy look Chloe wished she had the guts to pull off.

“How are you?” Chloe asked, sitting on the barstool next to her friend.

“It’s Friday and I’m nearly done with my first drink. Things could definitely be worse.” Taylor slurped the last of her cocktail and rattled the ice in the glass. “Do you want the same?”

Chloe wasn’t hard to please. “Sure. Can we order some food, too? I’m starving.”

Taylor flagged the bartender, who came right over. He was exceptionally tall with a supersexy bald head, and flashed a smile that could cause a power outage. “What can I get for you ladies?”

“Two of these,” Taylor said as she pushed the glass closer to him. “Plus an order of truffle fries.”

“And one of those flatbreads with the mushrooms and fresh mozzarella,” Chloe added.

“Coming right up,” the bartender replied. “Flag me down if you need anything else.”

Taylor returned her attention to Chloe. “What’s your take on Little Black Book? The link I sent you earlier today?”

“What’s your deal? You’re obsessed.”

She shrugged and tucked her hair behind her ear. “You know I love controversy. Especially if it means it might take down some rich and powerful people.”

“That seems a little odd coming from you. Your entire family is rich and powerful. What if they end up in the crosshairs?”

She dismissed it with a wave. “I’m not worried about it. My family’s secrets are boring. Like the affair my grandmother had with her landscaper.”

“Did that really happen? I know everyone jokes about it, but she always seemed so sweet.”

“It really happened. She was getting even with my grandfather.”

Another example of marriage and commitment falling apart. In Chloe’s experience, it happened more often than not. “Wow.”

“Plus, if you saw her landscaper, you would totally get it.” Taylor laughed quietly as the bartender delivered their drinks. “Cheers.” She raised her glass.

“What are we toasting to?”