Careless in our summer clothes, splashing around in the muck and the mire.

"You told Ben I kissed you?" Chloe glared at me from the doorway. "Holy shit this is a big office."

"Hello," I stared at her from my desk, tired and frustrated, not wanting to have this conversation right now. 

She walked in and shut the door behind her, "Congrats on the promotion, but seriously you couldn't have kept your mouth shut about an innocent little kiss?" 

I leaned back in my chair and ran both hand through my hair, "I felt like he should know."

She shot me another glare, "About the worst kiss in history? Or were we just swapping embarrassing Chloe stories?" 

I blinked, "It wasn't that bad."

"For you! You got to get kissed by a hot girl!" She kept glaring, "Now I'm in trouble with my brother who despite all my work to better myself? Still thinks I'm kind of a hot mess." 

"And that's my fault?" I asked as my eyebrows shot up. 

"Uh, yes!" She exclaimed and crossed her arms over her chest, my eyes unable to stop themselves from looking at her cleavage. "You weren't supposed to tell him about a kiss that lasted just a few seconds.. it didn't even count!"

I laughed and shook my head, "What is this? High school all over again?"

She narrowed her gaze on me even more, "Why did you tell him?"

"Because he's my friend and had the right to know that you threw yourself at me," I said with a smile, knowing how to annoy her. It was only fair since this conversation was annoying me.

"I didn't throw myself at you," She retorted quickly. 

"No?" I asked, keeping my eyes on hers even though she was still pushing her breasts together. Women were so distracting sometimes. You'd think I'd be immune to women like Chloe, but I wasn't. "Did you not kiss me? Did I imagine that?"

"It was a friend kiss," She rolled her eyes and I laughed, wondering if she was always so damn immature.

"We're not friends Chloe," I pointed out and she sighed.

"Yeah, whose fault is that?" 

"Mine. We work together," I replied as if it was as simple as that. And it was.

"Yeah just as much as you work with Ben and you two are joined at the hip!"

"That's different."

"Okay, so you don't want to be friends, but you do want to gossip about me kissing you, and you have no problem picturing me naked," She kept running her mouth while my eyes shot up to meet hers. "What?" 

"Look, Ben is weird about you coming on to me, I'm his friend, I thought he should know," I said honestly.  

"Did you tell him every time I came on to you? Because compared to some of them that kiss was tame.....or did you tell him because you started to kiss me back and you felt guilty about it?"

"Is everything a joke to you?" I asked point blank, not sure why we were constantly doing the same song and dance with this annoying banter. She blinked at me and looked taken back, so I continued. "Look, I told Ben because it was the right thing to do. I told him that it was nothing but a little kiss and that it didn't mean anything, so if you're worried about him thinking you're a "hot mess?" You're fine. He doesn't care."

She ran her tongue across her top lip and stayed quiet for a couple of seconds. I appreciated that silence. "Why are you such an asshole?" She asked finally and my eyes widened.

"Excuse me?"

"Why are you such an asshole??" She repeated more sternly. 

"Me?" I shook my head, "What did I say that constitutes as being rude?"

"Um, everything that comes out of your mouth!!" She replied like it was so obvious.

"Aren't you the one that just said it was the worst kiss in history?" I asked in a monotone, not wanting to look too invested in this conversation. 

"Because you just stood there Tristan, it was mortifying!" She admitted, running a nervous hand through her hair.

"Says the girl who literally ran away from me afterwords."

She stepped closer and sat down on the chair reserved for clients on the other side of my desk. "I'm sorry I did that," She admitted.

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. Or was rude," I responded softly. 

She sighed and pulled her hair to one side before looking back at me, "Am I totally wrong about this?" 

I stared at her, knowing what she was talking about but not wanting to get into it. "About what?" I said instead.

She leaned in, looking me right in the eye, "Is there really nothing here? Do you not feel it?" She pointed between us while I opened my mouth but she kept going before I could say anything. "Not that I think we should be anything, or could be anything.....but do you honestly feel nothing? Did you hate kissing me? Do you like me at all?" 

"Chloe, you have men all over the world who would bow at your feet and you're wasting your time begging one to like you?" I asked, staring back at her and knowing how fucked up that sounded. Of course I was attracted to her. She was gorgeous... any guy would have to be blind or an idiot to not find her attractive. Everything about her screamed sex. She was fucking sexy as hell. 

"You're deflecting Tristan," She replied, softer than usual.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, wanting to get my words right since I always said the wrong thing to her. I pushed her away constantly, yet somehow she didn't seem to mind the fact that I was an asshole. She confused me, yet she intrigued me. "Look at you Chloe. You know you're attractive," I replied. 

A smile curved on her lips, small but a smile nonetheless. "Still not the answer I was looking for, but thank you," She said and bite into her lip, the move so innocent but sexy on her. 

"Do you take back what you said about it being the worst kiss in history?" I grinned at her.

"I think we could do better," She said in her sultry voice, everything inside of me wanting to groan. Or kiss her again, this time for real.

"Chloe," I replied instead, shaking my head. 

"What?" She widened her eyes and looked lost.

"This whole sexy thing you do?" I shook my head again, "It's not necessary. I know you're sexy, you know you're sexy, everyone who has ever seen you knows it. Just be yourself."

"I'm sorry. You bring out the bad girl in me," She replied as she blushed. 

"Oh really? A kiss is you being bad?" 

She laughed, "Not that way." She grinned and then sighed, "I mean I could probably stand to be less of a bitch to you." 

I raised a brow, "I'm not against the idea." 

She smirked and pulled her hair up out of her face into a no-nonsense pony, "I can get a little bitchy when I'm insecure. I blame it on my mother." 

I leaned back in my chair and looked more closely at the blonde, wondering what on earth she had to ever be insecure about. "It's refreshing to know that Ava Lindsell and her daughter actually get insecure," I replied, a soft grin lighting my face. 

"Ahh that's the Alere in us. If you've noticed, Dad and Ben are always overly self confident," She teased. Ben? For how good looking that man was, he was just as insecure. 

"Nah, your brother is as modest as they come." 

"Yeah sure," She bit down on her lower lip and looked around.

"This is a hell of an office you know. Even Ames's is smaller." 

I grinned, "Maybe, but I'm sure they pay him more." 

"Says the man wearing a new Brioni suit." 

I rose a brow at her and then leaned into desk, "Shouldn't you be in New York for fashion week?" 

She shook her head, "I'm taking the season off to take some classes, try to get my degree in business. I won't be this sexy forever," She winked at me. 

My eyes widened at this bit of information, "Really? Wow."

"You don't have to look so surprised," She narrowed her gaze on me yet the mood between us was still easy. 

"Why business?" I asked curiously, a little intrigued by the whole moment since usually we couldn't hold a conversation for more than five minutes. Not anything real at least.  

"Why not? Worked for my parents."

I nodded, "So you want to run the company?"

She shrugged, "Well I don't expect Ben to do it." I did instead. "But I don't know, maybe. Maybe I'll do something else. Maybe I'll be hot forever and never need it...but it's good to have options."

"I agree."

"Hows the new job?" She asked, my promotion obviously news around the office. It wasn't a new job or position, but somehow my workload had doubled. At least.

"Busy," I admitted. 

She winced, "So you probably don't have time for girls barging into your office, yelling at you for not kissing them."

"It happens a lot actually," I said it with a straight face before breaking into a grin.

"Was that a joke?" She tried not to laugh as she shook her head. "Silly."

 

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly, "Surprised that 'm not always so serious?"

She cracked a grin and nodded her head slowly, "Actually I am a little. It's refreshing though. If you were this nice from the start? We'd probably get along better... Maybe even be friends. I hate to push my luck though."

I stared at the unreadable expression on her face and felt bad instantly, knowing how I'd acted in the past and how she really hadn't done much to deserve it. "You know that I don't really hate you, right?" I asked and her eyes widened slightly.

"Hate? That's a strong word," She shook her head and leaned back in the seat to uncross and then recross her legs. Goddamn. Her dress hitched up her thighs and whether she'd noticed it or not, she didn't care to pull the thin material back down. "I know that you don't hate me Tristan. But am I your favorite person? Definitely not. I probably wouldn't even make the short list," She winked at me, not flirting but being playful. I enjoyed this version of Chloe much more - she was being real finally.

I let out a small laugh, "What are you doing this weekend?"

She let out a sigh and shrugged again, "Sitting at home and catching up on Game of Thrones. I know, my life isn't as exciting as everyone assumes."

"Are you free for dinner on Saturday?"

"Why do you have a job to talk about?" 

I gave her an amused look, "No, I mean we could have dinner. I could prove I don't hate you a little more." I

Her blue eyes widened as she stared back at me, almost making me regret asking. "Um. Sure," She nodded slowly. 

I smirked and then gave her a mock hurt look, "That wasn't exactly the enthusiastic." 

"I'm trying not to faint of shock instead," She teased, biting her lip to keep from laughing. 

I shook my head, "I told you I'm a busy man Chloe I don't have time for any more girls fainting in my office." 

She did laugh this time, her cheeks blushing for some reason. "I'm free on Saturday," She responded finally, straightening out her skirt. "But no kissing. We're no good at it," She grinned and I leaned back in my chair, taking a moment to look at her with a more than amused expression on my face. 

"Haven't you noticed that you're usually the one trying to kiss me?" I said finally and grinned, my cocky grin, the one she usually complained about. 

Her mouth fell open and she shook her head instantly, "Once!! That was a one time thing and it's not going to happen again!!"

I laughed and kept my eyes glued on hers, they were so intense and blue. Shrugging my shoulders, I kept my grin in place, "I've heard that I'm not such a bad kisser... One might even say I'm good at it."

"Are you hurt because I don't want to kiss you anymore?" She faked a pout, leaning against my desk with her breasts perched against its top. Dear god. This Chloe? The fun and carefree one? She was dangerous, regardless of trying or not. "You are one confusing man. No wonder I'm doomed to be single forever. Men suck."

I laughed again, "I can guarantee that won't be the case."

"Oh no, trust me, men suck," She grinned back at me.

"No," I shook my head. "I meant the doomed to be single forever part. Look at you. Any man would be insane not to want you."

She cocked an eyebrow and her gaze didn't leave mine, "It almost sounds like you're flirting with me, Mr. Not Interested In Kissing Chloe. Ever."

"I never said that I was sane," I winked at her, not sure if I was flirting or coming off as an ass now. Sometimes I didn't know what to say around her... it seemed like I was always getting it wrong. "So Saturday?" 

"Okay," She bit down on her lip. "It's a date. I'll tell Ben so you don't have too." 

I laughed as she wiggled her eyebrows, "Deal." We sat there in silence for a few seconds, it wasn't awkward....which it should have been. It was more like...tension filled.

"So you know Ames is dating Cami's sister now?" She asked, changing the subject away from us. I was thankful for that.

"Really?" I smirked. "Do all your friends fall for your relatives?" 

She laughed and shrugged, "Right? I can't even live vicariously through them because I just don't want to know." 

I laughed as she made a face, "You're cute when you make that face."

"Am I not always cute?" She asked, tilting her head to the side and batting her lashes innocently.

"Not always...." 

"Around you I'm probably more bitch face," She admitted. "Oops." 

"The bitch face is kind of cute too actually," I laughed.

"Cute isn't the look I'm going for when I'm yelling at you," She sat back in the chair.

"Oh sorry. You're very scary instead," I tried not to laugh and she grabbed a crumpled up paper from my desk and chucked it at me. I grabbed it and rose a brow at her, "How old are you again?"

"Old enough to know better and not care," She winked. "I should let you get back to whatever it is you do when you're not casting me."