Irresistible (Seduced by the Celebrity #2) Page 2

  “I was wondering if we could go over our lines.” This time his voice was dark and seductive and Chloe felt goose bumps rise along her arms. Finn’s voice was pure sex. Hearing that familiar, sexy voice in her ear made her want to turn around and rip his pants off before taking his cock into her mouth.

  Chloe gasped at our own thoughts.

  “Is everything okay?” Finn asked concerned.

  “Fine! Fine!” she said, her voice too high. “Of course we can do lines. Let me just find my script.” Flustered, she dug through her bag, pushing her hair out of her face as she tried to find it.

  “And would this be it?” Finn asked, a smirk on his face as he held up her script.

  Chloe snatched it from his hand. “Where was it?”

  “You had put it down right next to your bag.”

  “Oh. Well, thank you.”

  “Anytime.”

  Finn began walking to a quiet part of the theatre and Chloe had no choice but to follow him. She hurried after him, not wanting to look back at the others for fear of their expressions.

  Finn sat in a quiet row and pulled out his script.

  “I really want to go over the one scene after we kiss.”

  Chloe gave him a pointed look.

  “This has nothing to do with yesterday!” he said quickly. “I honestly just want to run lines.”

  Chloe sighed and sat down with her script.

  “But you do look gorgeous today,” he said slyly.

  Chloe narrowed her eyes and began reading from her script. She had most of her lines memorized, but she felt naked without it. They read lines without issue, but Chloe couldn’t help but be acutely aware of Finn.

  She was aware of the way his hair was hanging over his right eye, and the way his gray t-shirt crinkled at the hem. She was aware of how Finn smelled, like spices with a hint of orange. She noticed the way his fingers moved across the script and how his nails were trim and clean.

  She needed to get a grip.

  Edward called the cast together and Chloe popped up, mumbling a quick thanks to Finn before heading back to the other cast members. She still couldn’t quite believe that she had just read lines with Finn Harrison. The novelty still hadn’t worn off.

  Jenny and Ni were smirking at her and Jenny mouthed the words “I’m jealous.” Chloe couldn’t help but giggle and she waved them off as she sank into a seat next to Ryan.

  “What’s up with you and Finn Harrison?” Ryan asked.

  “Nothing!” Chloe said defensively.

  Ryan nodded slowly. “He seems really into you.” His eyes slid to Chloe’s engagement ring and she felt her cheeks flame.

  “Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m engaged remember?”

  Ryan gave a small shrug. “As long as you remember.”

  Chloe bit her lip, feeling the sting of Ryan’s innocent remark. She didn’t believe that Ryan had said it to be mean, but she felt horrible. She tried to focus on what Edward was saying about scene work and running the show but her mind kept drifting to Ben. She decided she would surprise him on her lunch break.

  Feeling somewhat better about making the decision to see Ben, she was able to get through most of the morning, and she was completely professional. She still felt Finn’s eyes on her, but she also noticed that he had a very intense personality and she figured that maybe she was reading into things too much. She was sure that celebrities were used to getting what they wanted, and that they probably ran around movie sets and theatres, kissing whoever they wanted.

  “Want to do lunch?” Ni asked after Edward dismissed them.

  “Can’t. I’m going to swing by my fiancé’s office.”

  “Ok. Okay,” Ni looked disappointed. “I was hoping to get the scoop on Finn.”

  “I’ve known him for the same amount of time that you have,” Chloe said, annoyance creeping into her voice.

  “Oh, I know!” Ni said quickly. “I just meant that it seems you two are getting to know each other.”

  “It’s just work. We have a few extra scenes together.”

  Ni nodded. “Right.” She smiled brightly at Chloe. “Have fun at your lunch!” All traces of wanting to gossip about Finn seemed gone.

  “Thanks!” Chloe called as she hurried out of the theatre.

  She decided to splurge on a cab, hoping it would save her a few extra minutes. As it pulled outside of Ben’s downtown office, she hurried out and rushed into the building. She was somewhat breathless as she walked out onto Ben’s floor.

  The receptionist, Ally, smiled once she saw her.

  “Chloe! How nice to see you!”

  “Hi, Ally. I was just going to head back and surprise Ben.”

  “Oh. Didn’t Ben tell you?”

  Chloe frowned. “Tell me what?”

  “He and Lis had a working lunch today. Pretty big deal. It’s at the mayor’s house.”

  Chloe recovered quickly. “Oh, right. I completely forgot,” she fibbed, smacking her head. She didn’t want to seem like the idiot fiancée who had no idea of the whereabouts of her other half.

  “I’m sorry you came all this way. I’ll tell Ben that you were here.”

  “No!” Chloe said hastily. “I mean, it’s just that, I was going to surprise him, so I’ll save the surprise for another day. I don’t want him to be expecting me.”

  “That’s so sweet,” Ally exclaimed, clasping her hands together. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me!”

  “Thanks, Ally.”

  Chloe slowly made her way out of the office, wondering why Ben hadn’t told her about the lunch. She wondered if it was connected to the big project Ben had been working on. But the part she disliked the most, was that it was just Ben and Lis at the lunch. Is that why Ben hadn’t told her? Chloe was not a jealous person; Ben was jealous enough for the both of them. But she couldn’t help but feel put-off by the whole situation. Then again, Chloe kissed other people for a living, of which Ben frequently reminded her.

  Chloe made her way out onto the street and glanced at her phone. She still had a little over an hour before she was due back at the theatre. Sighing, she hailed a cab and went back uptown to the theatre district. She would just get a salad from one of the delis.

  Chloe got out on Eighth Avenue and made her way towards one of her favorite delis.

  “Chloe!”

  Chloe spun around, but didn’t see anyone. Thinking she had imagined it, she started to walk away, but then she heard her name again. Louder this time.

  “Chloe!”

  “What the hell?” she muttered. She peered around and then she noticed a figure sitting at a back table at a restaurant, his brown head down and dark glasses.

  Of course, it was Finn.

  Chloe hurried over and sat down.

  “What do you want?”

  Finn pulled his shades down just enough to show Chloe his baby blue eyes.

  Damn, he was fine.

  “I thought we could have lunch.”

  Chloe figured she might as well. She was going to eat anyway. “Okay.”

  “Okay? Really?” Finn’s face lit up in such a way that Chloe had a hard time believing that he was this excited to be eating with her. Finn Harrison had his pick of almost any woman, and here he wanted to eat with some lowly actress.

  “Okay, Finn. Why do you seem so excited to be eating with me?”

  “Because I am,” he said simply.

  Chloe rolled her eyes and grabbed a menu.

  “I think you’re interesting,” Finn spoke up. “You’re talented as hell, and you don’t seem fazed by me at all. Not to mention, the fact that you’re beautiful.”

  Chloe couldn’t help but feel flattered.

  “You don’t think I’m fazed by you?”

  “No. The other two girls, Jenny and Ni, seem very nice, but they look at me like I’m some kind of freak show. You treat me like I’m just another regular person.”

  Chloe snorted. “You’re hardly a regular person.”

  “But I am
!” Finn insisted. “So what? I’ve made some movies? Had my name splashed across the tabloids? I’m still a normal person. I still go though all the same things as everyone else, all the same feelings.”

  Chloe couldn’t argue. “Okay, Regular Person. If you’re so normal, then I’m buying lunch today.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Why not? Because you have gobs of money?”

  “No, because you’re a lady and it’s only right that I pay.”

  Chloe burst out laughing. “Are you serious?”

  Finn looked offended. “Yes, I’m serious! Call it old school, but the guy should pay.” He saw Chloe’s face and he spoke quickly. “And no, this is not a date! I just think that if a man invites a woman to lunch, he should pay.”

  Chloe opened her mouth to argue again, but instead she snapped it shut.

  “Okay.”

  “Okay? That seemed too easy.”

  Normally Chloe would have come back with a sassy line, but instead she found herself being completely honest. “That’s actually really refreshing. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem picking up the bill or treating, but there aren’t many men out there who think like that.”

  Finn smiled at her. “That’s because I’m older and wiser.”

  “True,” Chloe smirked. “Geezer,” she added.

  Finn pretended to look hurt.

  “How old are you, anyway?” Chloe asked curiously. “Do you mind me asking?”

  “Not at all. I’m forty.”

  “You look younger.”

  “Thanks, I like to hear that. I’ve really been trying to take care of myself over the past couple of years. I aged pretty badly, though,” he said darkly, and Chloe assumed he was talking of his substance-abuse days.

  It still seemed surreal that she was hanging out with him.

  The waiter came and they quickly ordered their meals.

  “And you?” Finn asked. “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-five.”

  Finn winced. “You’re just a baby!”

  “Haha,” she said dryly.

  Surprisingly, the conversation flowed well and Chloe was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to talk to Finn. They talked about their love of New York City, and Finn talked about how relieved he was to get out of LA.

  “A bunch of fake idiots who are perpetually starving themselves,” he scoffed and Chloe couldn’t help but laugh.

  It turned out that Finn grew up in New Jersey, not too far from where Chloe had lived in Pennsylvania and they talked about places in Philly and the Jersey shore.

  Finn had visited Avalon Beach while Chloe’s family visited Ocean City.

  “But there’s no alcohol in Ocean City,” Finn argued.

  “You could bring your own. And besides, what does that matter to you now?” Chloe clamped her hand over her mouth immediately, feeling mortified. “I am so sorry! I can’t believe I said that! So inappropriate!”

  Finn recovered quickly and laughed. “No, it was refreshing,” he said. “This is exactly why I like you. You’re being completely normal around me.”

  “Well if you mean having no filter, than yes.”

  Finn glanced at his watch. “As much as I’m enjoying your company, we need to get back.”

  Chloe had completely lost track of time. Finn paid the bill and they made their way back to the theatre. Just as they were approaching the door, someone came running at them.

  Freaked out, Chloe ducked into Finn, thinking they were being robbed. She heard loud clicking sounds.

  “Come on, guys!” Finn pleaded.

  “Who’s the girl?” someone shouted.

  Confused, Chloe looked up and saw people taking pictures of them. Stunned, she stared back at the camera.

  “She’s one of my cast mates, and I think you just scared the shit out of her.”

  “I-I thought we were being robbed,” she said feebly.

  The photographer laughed. “Welcome to the spotlight, honey. You hang around with Finn, you’re going to see yourself in the glossies!”

  Finn rolled his eyes and ushered Chloe inside.

  “Sorry about that. I thought I was doing good today.”

  “It’s okay.” It then hit her that Ben would see those photos. She wobbled on her legs as panic took hold.

  “Are you okay?” Finn grabbed her under her arm.

  “Where will those pictures be?”

  “Not sure. People, US Weekly, the internet.”

  Chloe didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. She knew once the show opened that she would be getting press. She nodded. “Thank you for lunch.” She moved stiffly to her seat and tried not to think about what would happen when Ben saw those pictures.

  ***

  Once rehearsal ended, Chloe stepped out of the theatre and looked at her phone. There were six missed calls from Ben.

  “Shit,” she muttered under her breath.

  She quickly called him back.

  “What the hell were you doing today?”

  Chloe knew he had seen the photos.

  How the hell were they online that fast?

  She kept her voice calm, not wanting to make a big deal out of things. “Do you mean the photos?” she asked.

  “Yes, the fucking photos!”

  “Well, calm down, it’s not what you think. We were walking into the theatre and these photographers ran up to us. I got scared, thinking we were being robbed, and I turned towards him. Then I realized what was happening.”

  “It doesn’t look like that! And why were you walking back to the theatre together?”

  “What else could it be?” Chloe asked angrily, her voice rising. “And we were walking back together because I bumped into him over lunch break and I sat and had a salad with him!”

  “Oh, great! So now you’re eating lunch with Finn Harrison? That’s really fucking great, Chloe!”

  Chloe felt something snap inside of her.

  “Oh, really Ben?” she asked savagely. “And who were you with during lunch today?”

  The other line became quiet and Chloe’s heart sank.

  “What kind of question is that?” he asked quietly.

  “A very simple one, Ben. Who. Did. You. Have. Lunch. With?” she asked slowly, as if speaking to a child.

  “I had a working lunch.”

  “Where? Who were you with?” Chloe was on a roll now and she wasn’t backing down.

  “What do you mean? I was with colleagues at the mayor’s house.”

  “Wow! That’s a pretty big deal,” she said nastily, “Why didn’t you tell me you were having lunch at the mayor’s?”

  “I guess I forgot.”

  “Sure. Now, why don’t you answer my original question.”

  “What the hell, Chloe? I was with colleagues. What do you think?”

  “You were with a colleague,” she spat, “As in one! And why not just come out and tell me it was Lis!”

  “Jesus Christ!” Ben yelled, “Big deal! I had a work lunch with Lis! And what, are you following me?”

  “No, you asshole! I came down to your office today to surprise you for lunch and Ally told me where you were. I asked her not to tell you I was there because I was going to try to surprise you on a different day.” Tears of hurt sprang to Chloe’s eyes and they mixed with her guilt over kissing Finn.

  Ben was quiet on the other side. “I’m sorry, Chlo,” he said softly. “I didn’t realize.”

  “Obviously,” she said bitterly. “So, instead I took a cab back uptown and when I got out at a deli, I saw Finn. I would have stopped and eaten lunch with any of the cast members, it just so happened to be him.”

  “Look, Chloe, I’m really sorry.”

  “It’s fine. I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t tell me about your lunch.”

  The phone was quiet again and Chloe didn’t like the feeling.

  “Are you still working late tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  “Who else is staying late?”

&n
bsp; “Jesus, Chloe! I don’t know! Whoever decides to stay late!”

  Chloe sniffed but remained quiet. She suddenly felt deflated and she didn’t have the energy to argue anymore.

  “I won’t wait up,” she said quietly.

  “That’s probably best.”

  Chloe hung up and looked around. She was glad that the paparazzi shots had been dealt with, yet she felt uneasy over Ben’s strange behavior.

  “What are you still doing out here?”

  Chloe turned around to see Finn and she couldn’t help but grin at him.

  He smiled widely back. “Now there’s a nice smile!”

  Chloe felt flattered.

  And reckless.

  “What are you doing now?” she asked.

  Finn’s eyes widened in surprise. “Nothing really. I was going to go home, order take out and run lines.”

  “Want some company?” Chloe asked, not quite believing herself as she said it.

  “Absolutely.”

  Chloe smiled and moved in step with Finn.

  “This is quite an unexpected surprise.”

  “Well, I feel like being unexpected.”

  Finn stopped in front of a black town car and Chloe looked confused.

  “My car,” he explained, “Hop in.”

  Grinning, Chloe climbed into the car with Finn right behind her. He pulled the door shut and the reality of what Chloe had suggested sank in.

  She and Finn were alone together, in a small space, and suddenly the energy between them shifted. The light and witty banter seemed to have gone out the window and now Chloe was aware of Finn’s every muscles, the blueness of his eyes, and his strong jaw line which had just a hint of five o’clock shadow.

  Finn shifted in his seat, his hand accidentally grazing against Chloe’s thigh and she jumped.

  “Sorry,” Finn said huskily and Chloe laughed nervously.

  How had the mood suddenly changed between them?

  “So, we don’t have to do take out,” Finn said awkwardly, “My fridge is stocked if we want to make something.”

  Chloe could smell the mint on his breath and she squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to get in control of her senses. “Sure,” she said softly, “We could cook.”

  “Are you okay, Chloe?”

  Chloe opened her eyes to look at Finn. He was studying her with a smoldering look of both concern and desire.

  Wordlessly, Chloe shook her head.