Chasing Love

Lex flies back to London for an important client meeting. He worries about his and Charlie’s relationship throughout the flight. At the office, Lex looks up Charlie online. Her photos and social media confuse him. He can’t understand who Charlie is now. Suddenly worried that she might stay with Julian, he tells Kate to “book the next flight to New York” (266). He texts with Charlie but doesn’t tell her he’s returning.

Back in New York, Lex arrives unannounced at Charlie’s office. He finds her standing at her window.

Charlie texts with Lex. She insists she’s in love with Julian and that she and Lex can’t keep fooling around. Standing at her office window, she’s shocked to hear Lex’s voice behind her. Unable to resist, Charlie gives in to his kiss. Then they have sex on Charlie’s desk. During intercourse, Julian calls Charlie, and Lex demands she pick it up. Lex is furious when Charlie tells Julian she loves him. They finish having sex. Afterwards, Lex notices Charlie’s phoenix tattoo. They have sex a third time before Charlie leaves to hang out with Adriana.

Charlie and Adriana meet at Charlie’s apartment. They chat about their pasts. Charlie opens up about living with her grandmother and grieving her grandmother’s death. Adriana fills Charlie in on more details surrounding Samantha’s pregnancy. She also tells Charlie about her and Elijah’s engagement and upcoming wedding. Charlie agrees to be her maid of honor.

The next day, Samantha shows up at Charlie’s office. She apologizes for the past and encourages Charlie to give Lex a chance. Afterwards, Charlie decides to get back at Lex for his office visit.

At work, Lex chats with Kate about the woman he’s seeing. Kate doesn’t know it’s Charlie but is surprised by Lex’s passion. Afterwards, Lex heads to his other Manhattan office. On the way, he receives word that Preston Enterprises declined his tender because he missed the London meeting. He blames Victoria Preston, the executive director. She’s wanted to be with Lex since they started working together, but Lex has repeatedly turned her down.

At the office, Lex is shocked to see Charlie waiting for him. They have sex in his office. Afterwards, Charlie reminds Lex that they’re just “[f]riends with benefits” (298).

During a meeting with Kate about Preston, Lex receives a call from Samantha. He’s upset to hear that she visited Charlie and hangs up on her. Afterwards, Victoria and her team arrive. They’ll agree to work with the Lexed Group if Lex commits to being in London long term. Lex is reluctant to commit because of Charlie.

Charlie goes for a run and encounters the British woman again, who introduces herself as Kate. (Charlie has yet to learn that Kate is Lex’s assistant.) The two sit and chat about their complex love lives. Afterwards, Charlie heads to work. She, Nikki, and Eric chat about Samantha and Charlie and Lex’s past relationship. Her friends wonder if she should be with Lex now.

Julian arrives unannounced, eager to talk about the wedding. A reluctant Charlie agrees to dinner plans. Shortly thereafter, Lex arrives. He’s furious that Charlie has forgiven Adriana and Samantha but not him. Charlie demands that he leave. Afterwards, she studies her engagement ring, determined to marry Julian.

Alex wakes up from a dream where he’s playing the piano. He realizes he needs to return to his music. He plays for an impressed Charlie one day. Shortly thereafter, Adriana and Samantha arrive. Charlie and Adriana head out. Lex and Samantha start having sex, but Adriana barges in for her bag and interrupts them. Lex fears that Charlie will be upset when she discovers he and Samantha have been together.

For Charlie’s birthday, Eric arranges a party at a Spanish restaurant. Charlie is shocked to discover that Nikki, Rocky, Adriana, Elijah, Emma, Julian, and Lex are there, too. Throughout dinner, Charlie notices Lex watching her and Julian. Both men seem especially uncomfortable when everyone starts sharing how they met Charlie. Lex tells the story of comforting Charlie when her parents were fighting and giving her a Batman comic book. An emotional Charlie excuses herself from the table. She and Lex end up in the bathroom. Charlie gives in to his kisses, unable to resist her desire.

Charlie and Lex have sex in the bathroom. Afterwards, Lex tells her that she belongs to him and that she’ll never see Julian again. Charlie is furious and insists he can’t tell her what to do. Back at the table, she hopes Julian doesn’t notice her strange demeanor. Then she opens her gifts. She’s overwhelmed when Lex gives her a necklace with a diamond-encrusted phoenix pendant. Julian takes Charlie aside, demanding to know what’s going on between her and Lex. She insists that Lex means nothing to her and that she loves Julian. A doubtful Julian hands Charlie a box and leaves, insisting Charlie take time to work out her feelings. Inside the box, Charlie finds a key to Julian’s apartment.

Charlie and her friends sing karaoke. Charlie realizes she should sing a song to communicate her feelings to Lex.

At Charlie’s party, Lex struggles to control his anger at watching Charlie and Julian. Finally, he gets her alone, and they have sex. Afterwards, he gives her his gift. Once Julian leaves, Charlie and Eric sing karaoke. Lex muses on everything he and Charlie have shared.

After the party, Lex shepherds a drunk Charlie home. He tucks her into bed, wishing they could be together. He feels upset when Charlie receives several texts from Julian. Charlie briefly wakes up and tells Lex she loves him and doesn’t want him to give up on their relationship. Worried he’ll hurt Charlie again, Lex returns to his hotel. He stays up late drinking and concocting a plan to remove Julian from Charlie’s life.

Charlie looks through Adriana’s magazines in her room and discovers photos of Alex and Samantha together. She asks Adriana about their relationship. Adriana explains that he hasn’t fully been himself since getting married. Then Finn arrives, and the friends get ready to attend a concert. Alex arrives and is upset to see Finn. Charlie demands that he return to Samantha. He continues texting Charlie for the rest of the night.

Alex appears unannounced at the club. He finds Charlie and apologizes. Adriana interrupts their intimate conversation to introduce Charlie to another guy, David. Charlie wonders if she should sleep with him to get back at Lex.

Alex gets into an argument with Samantha and storms out. He heads to the club to find Charlie. He, Charlie, Adriana, Elijah, Finn, and David go to a restaurant afterwards. Alex is furious to see Charlie and David flirting.

Later that night, Alex goes to see Charlie and apologizes. Charlie admits she’s afraid to pursue a relationship. He promises not to hurt her. She lets him in, and they have sex together for the first time. Afterwards, they agree to keep their relationship secret.

Alex sneaks out the next morning. When he returns home, his house feels strange and foreign to him.