“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.”
Don’t Miss THE QUARTERBACK ANTES UP, the Next Book in Nancy Herkness’s Wager of Hearts series.
Luke Archer is the superstar quarterback for the New York Empire and a media darling because of his good looks, talent, charm, and longevity. He’s facing the prospect of retirement from the game he has lived, breathed, and loved for his entire life. If he can’t be on the field, he doesn’t want to be anywhere near football, so what will he do with the rest of his life?
He’s contemplating this dilemma with deep depression when he meets Nathan Trainor and Gavin Miller in the bar at the Bellwether Club. There, they make their potentially life-changing wager of hearts: find a woman who loves them for themselves—not their money, power, or fame.
Little does Luke know that his game changer works right in the luxury condominium building where he lives. Miranda Tate is the hardworking and highly ethical assistant concierge, and when Luke nearly gets her fired, he finds he has a lot to make up for before he can win the love of his life.
Coming in summer 2016
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