Page 60 of The Challenge

“Seriously?” Chloe covered her mouth in laughter. “You could’ve at least chosen something I might actually use.”

“Well, it wasn’t premeditated. I just picked them up out of a pile, not thinking.”

“I’ll use them as a dust cloth.” She laughed.

“That would be the most expensive dust cloth I’ve ever bought.”

“Can’t wait to tell my friend Liz that story.”

“Happy I can give you material to work with.”

She snickered. “Anyway, good on you for taking Effie. She’s happy, and you have that out of the way for a while. Win-win.”

I let out a long breath and admitted the other thing that had really bothered me today. “It should’ve been her mother.”

Chloe’s smile faded. “I know.”

Not sure why that thought suddenly rose to the surface. Chloe had a way of making me want to open up at inopportune moments.

“I almost offered to take her just because I’m female,” Chloe said. “But I didn’t want to overstep.”

“I would’ve let you in this case…” I chuckled. “Believe me.”

“I know you would’ve. But now she’ll always remember that you took her. She’ll remember it forever, Evan.”

“At least she didn’t notice me in the corner wiping my face with a pair of granny panties. That she definitely wouldn’t have forgotten.”

“Probably better that she doesn’t have that memory, yeah.” Chloe cackled.

“Thanks for the push. I’ve yet to regret a single one of your challenges.”

“I only regret one.” Her expression turned serious.

Fuck. She got me. I’d walked right into that one.

Chloe shook her head. “Anyway, you’re welcome.” She turned and went back to her room.

With both Chloe and Effie out of the kitchen, I could finally calm down after this long day. I popped open a bottle of beer and took a long sip, rubbing the back of my neck. The tightness I’d felt there all day started to ease.

I turned my attention to the next task and cooked up a simple meal of pasta and red sauce. Bra shopping had sucked all of my energy, so this was going to have to do.

When Effie went to take a shower after dinner, I stood at the sink doing dishes while Chloe wiped the table. I still hadn’t been able to get our flirty text exchange out of my mind. Rather than fading into the distance, the memory had only gotten louder. And the only way I seemed to know how to combat it was to act like a dick.

At one point, Chloe came up behind me, and I shut off the water before turning to face her. “You really know how to torture me, don’t you?”

“Going bra shopping, you mean? I thought we were over that.”

“I was referring to your texts earlier. And then you bringing out your bra under the guise of showing Effie.”

“Wait a minute.” She placed her hands on her hips. “The texts might’ve been a tease, but showing her the bra wasn’t for your benefit, you cocky bastard. I wasn’t modeling the damn thing. What’s your problem?”

Not sure if it was the sassy way she was speaking to me right now or my slight buzz from the two beers I’d downed, but I had very few fucks left to give at the moment.

I inched closer. “What’s my problem? It’s that I wanted you to send me that fucking photo you cockteased me with. But I’m trying like hell not to encourage it, Chloe. It’s too damn dangerous and not fair to Effie.”

“How is me showing you my boobs in private going to hurt Effie?”

“Because it won’t end there, and you know it.”