“That’s okay, Josh.” She squeezed his hand, forcing him to look at her. “I feel the same way. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized I wasn’t ready to get married, either.”
Josh reached for her other hand, holding both of hers in his. “So, are we, I don’t know, breaking up?”
“No.” Tears welled in her eyes, and they filled his, too. “I don’t ever want to break up with you.”
He frowned.
Chloe added with a smile, “We’re deciding we’re better off as friends. I need you in my life, Josh. I can’t have it any other way.”
She meant every word. Yet she also longed to experience the part of herself that Sawyer had awakened, a part of her soul that seemed foreign, as if it belonged to a perfect stranger—a man she’d met who’d disappeared quickly from her life. Still, his effect remained like a desire she couldn’t escape. With one look, he’d offered emotions, sensations that she couldn’t ignore. The promise in his shadowy eyes had dared her to go after something more.
Josh gave her his boyish smile. “You’ll always have me. Promise.”
Chapter 2
“You, girl, have an iron stomach.”
Chloe glanced up from the file on her modern glass desk and spotted her boss, Porter Marshall, entering the small office. Marshall Investigations was located in the old part of Las Vegas on Fremont Street, and had become famous in its own right for solid investigations. Chloe felt proud to be a part of it.
As far as bosses went, Porter was a hot one. He had a body on him that deserved a double take. He was much taller than Chloe’s five foot four, and he had an enigmatic presence that any woman would notice. The man exuded confidence, and with his chiseled features and stunning light hazel eyes, he was a looker.
Porter passed by the four empty desks in the room. The sun shining through the five large windows along the far wall highlighted the blond in his hair. One desk belonged to his assistant, who had a doctor’s appointment this morning. The three other desks belonged to the other private investigators that worked for Porter.
Chloe grinned. “I can’t help that you drink girly coffee.”
An easy smile grazed Porter’s square face as he dropped into the chair in front of her desk. He was dressed in his typical workwear, a button-down shirt and jeans, and his sandy hair was styled in the usual way. His eyes beamed amusement at her. “Putting sugar in my coffee makes it girly?” He offered her the cup from Starbucks.
She took a big, long sip, embracing the kick of the strong espresso before answering, “Didn’t your father ever teach you that black coffee puts hair on your chest?”
His brows arched arrogantly, in classic Porter style. “What if I don’t want hair on my chest?”
“Keep drinking your girly coffee and you’ll get your wish.” She smiled.
He barked a laugh, shaking his head at her. “What’s on the agenda for this sunny Monday morning, smart-ass?”
She placed her mug next to her keyboard and pulled closer the file that she’d been looking over for the past fifteen minutes. “I figured I’d better start on this infidelity case we got last week.” She tapped the picture of Shawn Torres, CEO of a high-tech company in Las Vegas, who had a taste for younger women. “I’ve met with Shawn’s wife, Melissa Torres, twice now. I’ve got all I need to from her.”
Chloe gathered Mr. Torres’s work schedule and work address, plus his car description and license plate number. Now she needed to hunt him and catch him with his pants down—literally. “I’ll go out today and snoop around at his company. Maybe there’s a spot outside where I can hang around and not be noticed. Who knows, he might be up to no good on his lunch hour.”
Porter nodded. “That’s a good place to start.” He slid a glance around the office before frowning at Chloe. “Has everyone already gone out hunting?”
“Guess so.” She took another sip of her coffee and shrugged. “I got in after nine o’clock and found the office empty.”
“You got in after nine o’clock?” Amusement creased his potent eyes, softening them a tad. “Aren’t you supposed to be here right at nine?”
“Okay, fine. I meant to say, I showed up at nine o’clock sharp.”
His mouth twitched. “I should fire you for insolence.”
She snorted, louder than necessary. “Coming from the guy who breezed his lazy ass through the door after ten.” Which had become typical for Porter over the last month. He’d changed the office hours, which had been eight to four, to nine to five, but he left for the day at four-thirty. He also didn’t show up until before noon most days.
Chloe figured that Porter’s new girlfriend, Kenzie, had something to do with the switch in his hours. Chloe didn’t mind. Porter had found love, and Kenzie rocked as a girlfriend, always putting Porter in his place with her snarky comments. Plus, more often than not, Chloe got to go home early, too. For all those reasons Chloe owed Kenzie a big thank-you.
Porter’s lips spread into a wide grin. “Nope, I don’t need to be reminded. I’m the boss, and I’m allowed to be late.”
Chloe pondered possible comebacks but decided that he had a point. “Fine. You sign my paycheck, so you win. My treat for coffee next time.”
“Deal.” He winked.