Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Chloe
I walked around the gallery, making sure everything was in order. The caterers had arrived, and the bar was being set up. Nerves filtered through me, as this was one of the biggest nights of my life, and I had to pull it off to perfection. Failure wasn’t an option. As I took in a deep breath, Connor and Ellery walked over to me.
“You seem to be nervous.” Connor smiled.
“I am. This is a big night, and I’m worried.”
“Do you think you did a good job?” Ellery asked.
“I think so.”
“Then you have nothing to be nervous or worried about.” Connor winked.
“Relax, Chloe. This is going to be a fabulous night and a huge success. Have a drink.” Ellery pulled a glass of champagne off the tray as one of the waiters walked by.
One by one, the people started to enter the gallery. I watched the expressions on their faces as they moved from one area to another, looking at the vast collection of art. As I was talking to one of the artists, Sienna walked up and stood next to me.
“I am so proud of you.” She smiled. “This place looks phenomenal.”
“Thanks. It was a lot of work but well worth it.”
“Are your mom and dad coming?” she asked as she grabbed a hors d’oeuvre from the tray.
“Yes. They should be here shortly.”
As I brought my glass of champagne to my lips and took a small sip, it sprayed out of my mouth as my eyes looked over and saw him standing there with a beautiful tall brunette, looking at the Impressionist art collection.
“Chloe, are you okay?” Sienna asked with concern.
“NO. It’s him!”
“Where?” Her head turned in every direction.
“Right over there.” I pointed.
“Holy shit. The hot guy with the brunette?”
“Yes.”
My belly fluttered at the sight of him but turned sick when I looked at her.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” I asked as I ducked behind a large sculpture.
“He obviously likes art. Talk to him. Maybe you can tell the fake brunette about your little rendezvous in London.”
“NO! I need to go to my office for something. I’ll be right back.”
“Chloe. You aren’t being cool right now.”
I ran up the stairs to the second floor and tried to collect myself. This had to be the worst time for me to see him. Once I calmed down and took in a few deep breaths, I came to the realization that there was no way he’d remember me, and I was acting like an anxiety-ridden child. Perhaps he didn’t have a girlfriend when we hooked up. It had been four months, and a man like that wouldn’t be single for long. Or maybe that was his wife, and he was in London on business and cheated on her with me. Maybe it was something he did when he was away from home. Now, in my mind, he was a total douchebag. I was acting ridiculous, and if we ran into each other by some chance, I would pretend I didn’t remember him. Taking in a deep breath, I slowly walked down the stairs with my head held high. This was my night, and I wasn’t going to let the likes of the stranger from London ruin it for me.
I saw Sienna and my parents standing over by the portable bar. Walking over, I hugged my mom and dad and thanked them for coming.
“Are you okay now?” Sienna asked.
“Yes. I am perfectly fine.” I smiled.
“Good girl.” She winked. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, your mom and dad have some art they would like to see.”
“We’ll talk to you later, sweetie, when you aren’t so busy.” My mom smiled as she touched my cheek.
I carefully scanned the gallery and didn’t see him. Maybe he got bored and left. One could only hope.
“Do you have any Chardonnay?” I asked the cute bartender.
“I sure do. Would you like a glass?”
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked.” I smiled.
As he poured the wine into a glass and handed it to me, Connor walked up from behind.
“Chloe, I would like you to meet someone.”
Turning around, I gulped, and my eyes widened as they locked with the sultry brown eyes of the man from London.
“Chloe, this is Sebastian Bennett. Sebastian, this is Chloe Kane, the talented woman responsible for putting this all together for me.”
The corners of his mouth curved upwards as he held out his hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Chloe Kane.”
Carefully extending my hand to his, the moment our skin touched, I felt a jolt of electricity course throughout my body. A jolt so electrifying that it left me breathless.
“It’s nice to meet you as well, Mr. Bennett.” I was barely able to get the words out.
“Please, call me Sebastian. You did a wonderful job. I was giving all the credit to Connor, and he told me that you were the one who put this all together. I’m highly impressed.” He smiled.
“Thank you.”
Suddenly, the brunette appeared by his side.
“Sebastian, you must come and see this painting over here. It would look perfect in your home.”
My heart was racing a mile a minute, for I knew he remembered me. I could tell by the expression on his face.
“Like I said, it was nice to meet you, Chloe,” he spoke with a sly smile. He placed his hand on the brunette’s back, and they turned and walked away.
The air slowly started returning to my lungs as I went to the bathroom. Sebastian Bennett. After all these months of wondering about his name, I now knew what a sexy name it was. When the brunette walked up to him, I quickly scanned her finger and saw there was no ring. As I was in the bathroom, I pulled out my phone and texted Sienna.
“You need to come to the bathroom now! He remembered me, and his name is Sebastian Bennett.”
“WTF! You met him? I’m on my way.”
A few moments later, the bathroom door opened, and Sienna walked in.
“What the hell happened, and where was I?”
“Right after you left to go look at some art, Connor walked up with him and introduced us.”
“Are you sure he remembered you?”
“Yes, he remembered me! It was obvious by the look on his face.”
“So what did he say?”
“That it was nice to meet me, and he was impressed.”
“Impressed by what? Was he talking about that night?”
“NO! He was impressed about the gallery.”
“Oh. Did you let on that you remembered him?”
“No, but I’m sure the expression on my face did.”
She shrugged. “Relax. If he seeks you out again, pretend you don’t know him, and that night in London never happened. After tonight, you’ll probably never see him again.”
“Really? How can you stand there and say that? You’re the one who said that he probably wouldn’t remember me in the first place.”
“Okay. So, I was wrong. Now it’s your turn. Pretend you don’t remember a thing. Act like he’s a stranger.”
“He is a stranger!” I squealed.
“Not anymore. Now you know his name.”
Rolling my eyes, I went back out to the crowded area and mingled with the patrons. Finally, the last guest left, and I was exhausted. The opening was a huge success, and I couldn’t have been more pleased.
“You look exhausted,” Ellery said as she approached me.
“I am. It was an amazing night.”
“It sure was.” Connor smiled. “You did an outstanding job. You should be very proud of yourself.”
“Thank you. But I couldn’t have done it without the help of the staff.”
“Go home and get some rest. We’ll see you on Monday for the public opening.”
I hugged them both, grabbed my purse from my office, and stepped outside.
“Excuse me, Miss Kane,” I heard a man’s voice speak.
“Yes.”
“I have been instructed to give you a ride home.” He stood in front of the opened door of a black limousine.
“Thank you, but I don’t accept rides from strangers.” I turned around and began walking down the street.
“I would hardly call myself a stranger.”
I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly turned my head, only to see Sebastian sticking his head out of the limo.
“I’m sorry, Mr.—” I cocked my head.
“Sebastian. Have you forgotten my name already?”
This was my chance. My chance to play it up as if I didn’t remember him or that night.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve met so many people tonight.”
He stepped out of the limo and stood a few feet in front of me with his hands tucked in his pockets. The way the light of the moon shined down on him made him even sexier than he already was. My body quivered just by looking at him, and my knees buckled at his smile. He slowly walked over and stood in front of me. Removing his hand from his pocket, he lightly ran his finger along my jawline, sending me into a trance.
“Tonight wasn’t the first time we met, and you know it. You remember me and exactly what happened that night in London.”
“I’m sorry, but I?—”
“You do. There’s no use in denying it, Chloe. Now, get in my limo, and I will take you home. It’s the least I can do to thank you for such a beautiful night together.”
“Shit. Shit. Shit,” my mouth spewed out.
“Excuse me?” His brow arched.
Shaking my head, I broke from the trance he had me in.
“What happened between us back in London stays in London. We were never supposed to see each other again. This is very awkward, Sebastian.” I began hurrying down the street to escape him and this embarrassing moment.
“Chloe, wait.” He chased after me. “Why is this awkward? I don’t think it’s awkward at all. And for God’s sake, will you slow down?”
“Of course, you don’t think it’s awkward. You’re a guy and used to doing that sort of thing, but I’m not. I don’t sleep with strange men. I never had until you,” I nervously spoke as I hurried along and around the corner. He kept up with me, and I wished he wouldn’t have.
“I know you never had. I could tell. But don’t think that I think any less of you. Damn it, Chloe! Stop!”
I stopped and looked at him. “What do you want, Sebastian?”
“I want to take you home.”
I looked over at the brownstone. “I am home.” I pointed.
“Oh. Are you lying?”
“Lying about what?”
“Living here? Are you just saying that so I’ll leave?”
“No. I live here. In apartment 8B.”
Shit. Why did I just tell him that? Not that he couldn’t find out anyway. All he had to do was look at the names on the doorbell.
He brought his hand up to my cheek. “You’re so beautiful, Chloe Kane, and I would like a repeat of what happened in London. You’re trembling, and I know you want it too.”
I tried to find the words, but I couldn’t speak. His touch paralyzed me.
“I—I—I don’t think that will be possible.”
“Why?” He smiled.
“Because you’re seeing someone. The woman you were with at the gallery wouldn’t appreciate you talking to me this way.”
“I see a lot of women. She isn’t anyone I see on a regular basis. I like to keep my options open for instances like this one.”
I swallowed hard. “Well, I’m seeing someone.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t care if you believe me. I am.”
He glared at me for a moment, almost as if he knew I was lying.
“Well then, he’s a very lucky man. Have a good night, Miss Kane.”
“You too, Sebastian.” I nodded, walked to the door, inserted my key, and headed up the stairs.
As soon as I entered my apartment, I ran to the window and looked out as he walked down the street.