Irresistible (Seduced by the Celebrity #2) Read online

  Seduced by the Celebrity II

  Irresistible

  Jemma Jones

  Copyright © February 2013 by Jemma Jones

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The material in this document contains explicit sexual content that is intended for mature audiences only and is inappropriate for readers under 18 years of age.

  Adult Material

  ~~~

  Chloe’s mind was spinning as she burst onto the stage. She squinted in the bright lights, not expecting the full stage lights to be on. It only added to her disoriented feeling.

  “Chloe!” Edward exclaimed happily and Chloe remembered that she was supposed to be on stage; she had been planning to bolt out of the theatre. “Thank you, Finn, for finding her!”

  Chloe whirled around to see Finn standing behind her. He had a sheepish grin still on his face, and he ran his hand through his messy hair. At least he had the decency to look chagrined.

  “Alright. Down to business. Let’s take it from Act One, Scene Five.”

  Chloe looked around helplessly, and the stage manager tossed her a script. She smiled weakly and flipped to the page. Finn was standing across from her, script in hand, as his blue eyes studied her carefully.

  Chloe twisted her hair to the side, and took a deep breath. She needed to get herself together and not think about what had just happened with Finn.

  Finn Harrison, famous movie star, kissing her.

  The hot electricity between them.

  And Finn vowing to kiss her again once she pulled away.

  Chloe cleared her throat and began to read from her lines.

  “Professor, I just have one more question.”

  “Yes?”

  Finn moved closer.

  “You spoke about your time in an ashram.”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Did you find the spiritual peace you were seeking?”

  Chloe knew these lines were meant to be coy; her character was flirting with the professor. Finn played right along, moving closer to her, and his were eyes deep and penetrating when he lifted them from his script.

  “What do you think?” His words were low and husky and Chloe closed her eyes, her mind spinning from the heady sensation of being enthralled with Finn and getting lost in the this small scene.

  Finn was beside her, his hand moving along her skin and Chloe shivered, leaning into Finn, remembering their kiss and the way his body felt pressed against her. The heat of him and the hardness of his muscles.

  Suddenly, Chloe’s eyes popped open and she took a quick step away to clear her head.

  “Oh! You were having a great moment! What happened?” Edward called from the audience.

  Chloe knew exactly what happened. She wasn’t acting anymore. The moment had been one hundred percent real and she had freaked out and stepped away.

  “I’m sorry,” she called out apologetically. “I don’t know what happened,” she lied.

  “I do,” Finn said darkly in her ear. Chloe jumped.

  “Alright,” Edward sighed. “It’s been a long day. Let’s end here and I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

  Chloe nodded and gave her script back before quickly descending the stage. She lunged for her belongings and began to head for the door.

  “Chloe! Wait!”

  Chloe pretended like she didn’t hear and hurried into the lobby.

  “Chloe! Dammit! I know you heard me!”

  This time she turned around, knowing she would be staring into a face she had seen on the big screen a dozen times.

  “What?” she asked, her voice harder than she had intended.

  “I’m sorry if I’ve upset you, or confused you, or whatever it is you’re dealing with right now. But I’m not sorry I kissed you. It was real and I know you felt that between us.”

  “Finn, I appreciate your apology but I got lost in the moment and I’m embarrassed. It won’t happen again.” She tried to sound as professional as possible, and she made sure to keep her eyes on the ground.

  “Dammit, Chloe, look at me!”

  She lifted her eyes to meet Finn’s gaze, and she instantly regretted it. His eyes were smoldering and they seemed to look right through her to her very soul. She felt exposed and naked before him, and she quickly looked away.

  “I don’t understand. What is it?”

  Chloe felt an overwhelming sense of frustration and anger. Who the hell did Finn Harrison think he was? Just because he was a movie star, did he think he could come waltzing in and kiss whomever he wanted after mere hours of knowing them? And then to get angry when Chloe didn’t reciprocate the feelings?

  “Who do you think you are?” she asked angrily, balling her hands into fists. “What part of ‘I’m not interested’ don’t you get? I understand that you might be used to getting whatever it is that you want, but it doesn’t always work that way. And incase you hadn’t noticed,” she cried, holding out her left hand, “I’m engaged!”

  Finn’s eyes came to rest on the small diamond. He seemed to lose his confident swagger for just a moment and then quickly recovered. “I didn’t notice that,” he said stiffly. He turned away, and Chloe stared at the back of his leather jacket.

  She felt relief but she felt something else that seemed like disappointment and she did her best to bury the feeling.

  “But you kissed me back!” Finn argued, turning back around and coming close to Chloe’s face. Chloe’s heart rate jumped, and she stared at the handsome face mere inches in front of her. Chloe felt her eyes widen and she tried to calm her ragged breathing.

  “I don’t give up this easily,” he whispered and he lightly squeezed her hand before turning and walking back to the theatre.

  Chloe stared at her hand, which felt like it was on fire from his touch.

  A good fire.

  Chloe knew she was in trouble.

  Wrapping her arms tightly around her, she headed out into the bustle of Manhattan.

  ***

  An hour later, Chloe found herself nestled into a cozy corner of a familiar, sumptuous couch on the Upper West Side.

  “You can’t beat yourself up over this,” Jae-Jae said soothingly.

  Chloe took a swig of her Pinot Grigio. “I’m fucking engaged, Jae-Jae, yes I can beat myself up over it.”

  Jae-Jae shrugged and looked out the floor to ceiling windows that looked over all of Manhattan. “You were supposed to kiss Finn Harrison anyway,” he pointed out.

  “I was supposed to kiss him while acting,” she emphasized, “Not up against the brick wall in the back of the theatre.”

  Jae-Jae nearly swooned. “I’m so jealous!”

  “You’re such a bitch!” Chloe laughed, chucking a pillow at Jae-Jae. He laughed and ducked. It felt good to laugh but she still had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  “How will I tell Ben?” she whispered.

  “That’s easy. You don’t.”

  “I have to!”

  “You absolutely do not. He’s crazy jealous. I know that and you know that. You’re supposed to kiss Finn in the show. Let it go. Don’t tell Ben just to relieve your conscious. Trust me, sweetie. You will do more damage that way.” Jae-Jae paused. “Unless of course you don’t want to be engaged to him anymore…”

  “Of course I do!” Chloe said angrily.

  Jae-Jae held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay! It was only a suggestion.”

  “Do you really think he would break up with me if he knew this?” she asked softly.

  Jae-Jae shrugg
ed. “What do you think?”

  Chloe wiped away a tear and nodded. “Yes, I think he would.”

  Jae-Jae came to kneel in front of her. “Then keep it to yourself, Chlo. You made a mistake. Everyone does.”

  “But I feel so guilty!” she wailed.

  “What is wrong, printsessa?”

  Chloe jumped at the sound of Alec’s voice. She hadn’t heard him come into the room. His sweet Russian endearment, made her only cry harder. Jae-Jae sat next to her and rubbed her shoulder.

  “She kissed Finn Harrison,” he explained matter-of-factly.

  “But Jae-Jae told me you were supposed to kiss him,” Alec said clearly confused.

  “No! I kissed him on purpose. It wasn’t part of the show.”

  Alec bit his lip to try to hide his smile.

  “It’s not funny, Alec!” Chloe protested.

  “My dear, there are much bigger things to be upset about. Where is Ben anyway? Not that I don’t love having you here, but I’m surprised to see you on a weeknight.”

  “Ben had to work late at the last minute,” she sniffed. Actually, Chloe couldn’t help thinking of what a stroke of luck it was that Ben had to work late. After she left the theatre, she took her time going to the subway, wondering how she would face Ben and what she would say. She called him first to find out when he would be home and he had sounded distracted. When Chloe pushed him for a time, he said he really needed to stay late and not to wait up for him.

  Chloe couldn’t have been more relieved.

  She called Jae-Jae right away and he told her to come over immediately and he would make them dinner. So far there had been no dinner, but there had been half a bottle of wine.

  Alec noticed the half empty bottle of wine. “Have you eaten yet?”

  Jae-Jae and Chloe shook their heads.

  “Come on,” Alec said, pulling them up. “I just stocked the fridge. I’m cooking for you two fools.”

  Chloe giggled and followed Alec happily into the kitchen. Alec and Jae-Jae had a part-time cook, but every once in a while Alec would cook authentic Russian dishes that were out of this world.

  Jae-Jae and Chloe helped Alec in the kitchen and the rest of the night flew by. Chloe didn’t feel right about not telling Ben, but she decided that for now, it was the best choice. She couldn’t bear the thought of Ben breaking up with her and she promised herself that she would stay far away from Finn. Or at least, as far away as she could while still having to work with him.

  ***

  Chloe hopped out of the car and hurried up the steps to her and Ben’s apartment. She hadn’t realized that it was ten-thirty when Jae-Jae asked if she wanted more wine. She had freaked out when she realized she had lost track of time. She had checked her phone, but hadn’t heard from Ben, which she thought was unusual.

  Alec had insisted on sending her home in his car, and Chloe felt silly. Jae-Jae agreed, saying that Chloe wasn’t getting on the subway this late at night. Even though Chloe had taken the subway hundreds of times late at night, she relinquished, and enjoyed the luxurious ride home. At least, she enjoyed it the best she could. She was worried that Ben would be home already and wonder where she had been, or that he would be home and she would have to try not to tell him what had happened between her and Finn.

  To her surprise, she walked into an empty apartment. Ben never worked this late. She pulled out at her phone and called him.

  “Hello?” Ben sounded distracted and on edge.

  “Ben? Where are you?”

  “I told you I was going to be late tonight, and not to wait up. We’re working on a big campaign piece here.”

  “Oh, okay. Well I just didn’t think you would be this late.”

  Chloe could hear more voices in the background. She wanted to ask who else was with Ben, but she didn’t want to sound like a nutty, jealous fiancé. And she really had no business feeling that way after her day.

  “Get some sleep, Babe. I’ll be home when I finish up and we can have an early cup of coffee.”

  “Okay. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  Chloe hit the end button on her phone. Something didn’t feel right, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. She chalked it up to her crappy day and the bottle of wine.

  Sleep couldn’t come fast enough.

  ***

  The next morning Chloe woke up to an empty bed. She bolted upright and looked at the clock. It was six-thirty in the morning. Where the hell was Ben? Had he somehow found out about her and Finn?

  She stumbled out of bed, walking into the living room like a zombie.

  “Hey, Babe.”

  Chloe looked up to see Ben standing in the kitchen, making coffee, dressed in seriously low-slung sweat pants.

  And no shirt.

  “Hey,” she said, her voice groggy. She pushed a wild piece of hair out of her face. “Why weren’t you in bed?”

  Ben gave her a playful smile and rolled his eyes. “You were hogging the entire bed. And you were snoring really loudly.”

  Chloe felt a tidal wave of relief wash over her and she ducked her head in embarrassment.

  “Did you drink last night?”

  Shit. Ben always seemed to know when she drank too much because she snored more than usual.

  “I had some wine. I went to Jae-Jae and Alec’s for dinner.”

  “I didn’t know you were planning to go there.”

  “I wasn’t. But when you said you wouldn’t be home, I decided I felt like company so I sort of invited myself over.”

  Ben nodded to himself as he poured two steaming cups of coffee. He carried them to the small kitchen table and motioned for Chloe to sit. Chloe took a seat and noticed that Ben had dark circles under his eyes.

  “So, when did you get in last night?” she asked as casually as she could.

  Ben gave a little shrug. “I think it was around two-thirty.”

  “Two-thirty?”

  Chloe could only remember Ben working late a handful of times, and even then it was usually only until ten or eleven.

  “I told you, Chlo. We’ve got this new campaign angle that we’re working on and everyone is being asked to put in longer hours. I got the group to work out a lot of the details last night.”

  “So, everyone was there until two in the morning?” she asked with disbelief, not being able to hide a small bite of sarcasm.

  Ben picked up on it and his body immediately stiffened. “No, not everyone. Some people have families.”

  “So, who was working?”

  “What does it matter?” he asked, aggravated.

  “It doesn’t. I’m just curious who else was there until two o’clock in the morning.”

  “Eve and Rick stayed for a bit. And Russ, Lis and I stayed the latest.”

  Chloe nodded, vaguely remembering the names Ben mentioned.

  Except, Lis.

  Chloe remembered Lis because she was incredibly attractive and she always hung on every word Ben said.

  She sighed to herself, realizing she had no reason to be upset. After all, Chloe had made out with Finn Harrison the day before.

  Guilt crept over Chloe and she took a long sip of her coffee, hoping the warm liquid would wash away her feelings of shame.

  “So,” Ben began, his voice with a hardened edge, “How was your day yesterday?”

  Chloe knew exactly what he was asking.

  “It was fine,” she said carefully. “Finn Harrison was there, obviously. He seemed nice enough, but was a little aloof.” She carefully watched Ben’s face.

  “Did you kiss him yesterday?” he asked bluntly.

  Chloe choked on her coffee. “Jesus, Ben!” she exclaimed, trying to cover her nerves. “They wouldn’t make me kiss him on the first day! We just ran lines.”

  Ben looked mollified. “Ok. Well it’s going to be another late night for me,” he said, standing to clear his coffee mug.

  “Again? Don’t you think you should take a night to catch up on your sleep?”


  “Can’t. I need to get this shit done. But I think I’m only going to go in for a few hours tomorrow, so how about we go out to dinner?”

  Chloe couldn’t help but think how strange it was that Ben was working another late night. “Sure. Dinner sounds great.”

  Ben disappeared into the bedroom and a few seconds later Chloe heard the shower start. Chloe didn’t have to be at the theatre until nine, so she curled up on the couch with a blanket. She noticed Ben’s work shirt crumpled on the floor. Without thinking, she picked it up and smelled it.

  “Get a grip,” she whispered to herself, dropping the shirt to the floor. “Just because you’re a terrible fiancé, doesn’t mean Ben is too.”

  She flipped on the TV and watched morning television until Ben kissed her goodbye. Once Ben left the apartment, she forced herself to get up and get ready for what was sure to be an awkward day.

  ***

  For the first time, Chloe was dreading go to rehearsal. As she walked toward the Booth theatre, her stomach churned and she wondered what she could expect from Finn today. Part of her never wanted to lay eyes on him again, while another part of her was desperate to see him again. A small part of her wanted to prove that there was nothing between them. But what upset her more was that a bigger part of her wanted to prove that there was something between the two of them.

  Chloe had tried to dress carefully that morning, not wanting to look like she put too much effort into her outfit, but also not wanting to look like a slob. She had finally settled on a low-key red mullet skirt, crisp white shirt and flat sandals. It was unseasonably warm out and Chloe couldn’t help but opt for open-toed shoes.

  She walked into the theatre and she felt his eyes on her immediately.

  She scanned the room, seeing Andre and Luc and then looking further to the right where she saw the familiar brown head of hair.

  Finn grinned at her and Chloe felt her insides melt.

  He was seriously bad news.

  She walked slowly down the aisle, her eyes fixed on Andre and Luc but Finn intercepted her.

  “Good morning, Chloe.”

  “Hi Finn,” she said professionally, striding past him and putting her bag down. She could imagine Jenny and Ni reading her the riot act for blowing him off like that.

  But Finn Harrison was undeterred.