“You wanted what we all wanted, to get the hell away from him. The business has nothing to do with it.”
Nate didn’t know the first thing about being an oil magnate. Their dad had coveted his company. Put it before his wife, his kids, everything. Byron hadn’t wanted his sons to go into the family business. He’d wanted them to go out and make their own fortunes and to keep their hands off of his. “Honestly, I still can’t believe he left us any of it.”
Carter laughed. “Who the hell else was he going to give it to? Miranda?”
Nate shrugged. “I don’t want this life. I like my house. Where I live and what I’m doing.”
“You don’t have to live the life to take the money,” Carter said. “Why don’t you wait to hear what the lawyers and the board of directors have to say before you start handing out checks?”
Nate stretched his neck from side to side. Eight o’clock was a long damned time away. He didn’t know if he’d make it without blowing off some steam. “Yeah. All right.” He could placate Carter for now. But his mind was made up. He doubted any of them would be able to change it.
“Good. Now get dressed. We’re late.”
*
“You must have made an impression.”
Chloe looked up to find her assistant Hailey smiling at her. “It took him two days to call. Somehow, I don’t think that falls under making an impression.”
“He called. It doesn’t matter how long it took. You’ll have a big fat check in your hands in no time.”
Chloe doubted that. She’d showed up at Byron Christensen’s ritzy memorial service in the hopes of beating the rush of people bound to show up at Nate’s door with their hands out. She’d had a game plan: Find a way to introduce herself. Make a case for the foundation. And pray to god that Nate’s generosity and compassion outweighed his father’s. Instead, she’d fallen into bed with him.
“This is a disaster.”
Hailey clucked her tongue at Chloe. “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
“Was it built in a couple of weeks?”
How could Nate possibly take her seriously now that they’d slept together? How could she even broach the subject of the foundation with him? At best, she’d come off as a slimy opportunist. At worst, a high-priced hooker.
“You’ve already managed to secure a hundred thousand dollars, Chloe. That’s not small potatoes.”
“A hundred thousand might as well be a hundred bucks in comparison to what we need.”
“This is a pessimism-free zone. Your rules, not mine. That sort of talk isn’t allowed.”
It was true that Chloe encouraged positivity at the office. They dealt with at-risk kids who grew up with next to nothing and a good attitude was essential for doing their jobs. It was tough to keep her head up though, especially when the future of the foundation was so bleak. She had a couple of weeks left to raise three million dollars in operating funds. It took a fortune to keep their heads above water, and they’d lost the support of several benefactors over the past year. The foundation was Chloe’s baby. A chance for her to do some good in the world. Giving an opportunity to these kids, providing coaches, and facilities, and equipment—making their lives carefree if even for a moment—meant the world to her. She’d do anything to save the foundation.
Including sleeping with Nate Christensen? What a nightmare.
Only … it wasn’t. Nate had been on her mind to the point of distraction since their night together. Her blood heated with the memories and chills broke out on her flesh every time she thought about the dirty things he’d whispered in her ear. His intensity drove her crazy and it made her wonder what it would take to break through his tough exterior and really get to know the man inside.
“Heeelllooo? Earth to Chloe…?”
She shook herself from her reverie to find Hailey studying her with a knowing smirk.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Hailey asked in a singsong voice.
“Nothing. Money. And whether or not a bank heist is an option.”
“Oh, you’re thinking about money all right. But more to the point, I think you’re thinking about a certain new-moneyed Dallas hottie.” Was it that obvious? Chloe swallowed down a groan. “And I bet he’s thinking about you, too.”
Chloe’s cheeks flushed. “Why would you say that?”
“He was confused when I answered the phone,” Hailey said. “Like he wasn’t expecting to get a business. And he asked for Chloe. Not Miss Benson, not Chloe Benson. Hardly professional.”
She hadn’t given him her last name. God, she was an idiot. A horny, sex-starved fool. “We didn’t get a chance to talk much.” Oh, they talked all right. Just not about the foundation. “It was his dad’s memorial service. I got cold feet mid-ambush.”
“You’re seeing him again, though. That’s why he called, right?”