The clatter of a door opening shattered the cocoon of sexual enthrallment, and Chloe started. Nathan gave a growl of frustration and released his hold on her. “Ten seconds later and I would have been inside you when she walked in.”
Chloe felt the heat of his words lick up the inside of her thighs as she snatched her panties and bra off the floor where Nathan had dropped them. “You’d better get out of here.”
He crossed his legs and lifted an eyebrow. “Not that easy right now.”
He looked so out of place, perched on the tiny curvy chair in the pastel dressing room. She gave a little snort of laughter as she hooked her bra and wrapped herself in the robe Saks provided for its customers. Nathan took out the small black box and aimed it at the camera before palming it and returning it to his pocket.
Faye bustled into the lounge area, making far more noise than necessary. Chloe was rehanging the dress as the personal shopper tapped on the dressing-room door.
“Come in,” Nathan said, making Chloe scowl at him. As Faye walked in, laden with wisps of lace in various shades, he gave Chloe a bland look before saying, “Unfortunately, we have to cut our shopping spree short. We’ll take all of those.” He gestured toward Faye’s armload. “And whatever of these Chloe liked.” He waved toward the clothing rack. “And have them delivered.”
Chloe started to protest. “Just the—”
Nathan silenced her with a look that said he had no time for arguments because he had something else on his mind. It was a look that set her on fire.
“Yes, sir,” Faye said, unloading the lingerie onto a shelf. “I’ll be outside if you need me.”
“I like that woman,” Nathan said when the outer door closed behind Faye. He stood and came up behind Chloe as she shrugged out of the robe.
“You can’t buy all that,” Chloe said, nodding to the lingerie. “It was just an excuse to make her leave.”
Nathan kissed the side of her neck. “You’re going to need a change of panties when I’m done.”
She caught his gaze in the mirror, and he gave her a slow smile. As soon as she was dressed, he took her elbow and steered her swiftly through the store and into the waiting Rolls.
He was right. Her panties came apart at the seams thirty seconds after the car door closed.
Nathan lounged on the seat of the Rolls as it hummed along the highway back toward Manhattan. He remembered the soft, warm feel of Chloe curled in his lap in the dressing room, wearing nothing but sparkling high heels. Leaning back, he stared at the car’s roof and let the memories of the afternoon spool through his mind. He felt a smile twitching at the corners of his lips.
The truth was he’d never intended to make love to her in the dressing room. Even with his video-camera trickery, it was a risky thing to do. But her half-shocked, half-daring responses to his teasing had kept him pushing until he couldn’t stop himself.
If he got blackmailed for every penny he had, it would have been worth it.
He moved on to what they’d done together in the car in the rush-hour traffic when his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. His pulse bounded as he anticipated seeing Chloe’s name on the screen. Gavin Miller’s name appeared instead, and he almost ignored the call in favor of returning to his daydream. However, the man would just pester him until they talked.
“Miller, I was cursing you earlier.”
Gavin laughed, a dark sound. “Already losing the wager?”
“Your strategy is backfiring.”
“Did I mention a strategy?”
“You suggested using all the resources at my disposal.” Nathan remembered Chloe’s look of consternation when she picked up the tag on the first dress. He’d been afraid she would refuse to even try it on.
“You shouldn’t listen to anything I say about women. I’d been drowning my sorrows long before I called you that night.”
“I thought your problem was writer’s block.”
“Cause and effect, my boyo, chicken and egg. Which came first? The betrayal or the block?”
“You’ve been drowning your sorrows again,” Nathan said, hearing the slight slurring in Gavin’s speech.
“It’s after five o’clock, so that’s socially acceptable.” Gavin spoke with careful precision. “Who is this unusual female?”
Suddenly, Nathan didn’t want to expose his relationship with Chloe to Gavin’s harsh cynicism. “Why did you call me?”
“Ah, off-limits, I see. That’s promising.” Gavin sounded amused rather than annoyed. “I was just checking in on your progress, but I have my answer.”
“Do you bother Archer too?”
“Archer is hard to bother. Or at least to gauge whether I’ve bothered him. That’s why they call him the Iceman, I imagine. He seems focused entirely on football right now.”
“What about you?”
“All I do is sit in my chair and stare at a blank computer screen. It’s not conducive to romance. Nor am I in the mood for it.”