Never Say Never (The Price of Fame Series) Read online

  She turned to him, not knowing what to expect. Another sexy grin, some hint he wanted her? Chloe didn’t know which she’d prefer, but she braced herself for either. The question was could she take this further than pretend with Sander? Did she want to get tangled up with another man, especially when her mum needed her? Not to mention a man as busy as he was. When she met his gaze, the heat in his stormy eyes made her breath hitch and her stomach quiver. She lost the ability to think.

  * * * *

  Sander’s whole body was rigid with need. Barely a few hours ago, he’d known what it was like to have Chloe’s soft, slender curves molded to every inch of him. Felt her tremble, heard her soft sigh, tasted her sweet lips. Heated blood still pounded through his veins.

  But the look in her eyes now, hot and needy, but also confused and worried, froze him to the spot. She wanted him, her earlier response to his kiss proved it, but she bore a broken heart. Messy emotions weren’t his thing. Christ, he didn’t do emotions himself. Or so Sienna had told him, but what he had with her wasn’t supposed to be about love. Sienna knew he couldn’t give her a family, and the supermodel in her had insisted she didn’t want kids. It seemed love was a different issue, but Sander had no idea what love was.

  He had to back off from Chloe, stick to the deal before it took a nose dive and he was left to face the happy couple on his own.

  Sander took a reluctant step back. Her sigh of relief solidified his determination. “I better take you home. Your interview’s at ten in the morning.”

  Chloe nodded. Linking her fingers in front of her, she licked her lips. “Sander, I’m going to be judged on what I can do, not your recommendation, right?”

  “Yes, I told you that.”

  She bit her lip and nodded warily.

  “Do you want me to call in a favor, ask them to give the job to you?” Maybe he’d had it wrong before.

  When he’d dangled the interview in front of her, he’d thought he caught a spark of anger in her eyes. Like he’d done something unacceptable. Then seen relief in her expression when he’d said she had to prove herself. He respected her for that.

  “No, of course not,” she replied.

  He couldn’t doubt the sincerity in her eyes.

  “I just want to know if I get the job, it’s because I’m good at what I do. Because they like me.”

  She dipped her head. Sander tilted her chin back up so he could read her eyes. The defeat in her expression made his heart squeeze. He dropped his hand immediately. Dammit, he never got heart squeezes.

  “Why wouldn’t they like you, Chloe? You’re amazing.”

  Why else would he be going out his way to help her mother so he could pretend to date her? He’d never gone to so much effort for a woman in his life.

  Chloe’s smile could have blinded him. It lit up her honey eyes as a blush scored her high cheekbones. Sander felt another squeeze, but thankfully, it wasn’t in his heart this time.

  “Thank you,” she said simply.

  “Come on, I’ll take you home.” He held out his hand, worried he’d give in to the need burning through him and do something he might regret later.

  They managed to reach his car without interruption from the press. He was grateful for the break. The picture of them kissing would be all over the tabloids tomorrow, and he didn’t think he could do it again for a reporter’s benefit. Not without dragging her back to his place for the night.

  Kissing Chloe made him weak, made him want too damn much. Tangling sex with a pretend relationship wouldn’t be smart. He’d seen the pain in her eyes earlier, saw the confusion in them now. She wasn’t ready for a no-strings relationship, and he couldn’t offer her more than that. Hell, he’d be all over the place with Do You Have What It Takes? tour in a few months and recording with the band later in the year. Indignation heated his blood and he pulled the car door open with too much force.

  “Are you okay?” Chloe’s worried glance eased some of the irritation welling up inside.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  He needed to remember to keep his face blank, his dick in his pants, and the fact he was pissed off at his manager to himself. With a concerned look, she made him want to talk about how he felt, share his thoughts. Girl stuff.

  Even if he knew how to open up, Sander knew that way lay trouble.

  Chapter 6

  “Spill it. Everything.”

  Rachel didn’t even let Chloe step into the coffee shop. Her friend stood at the back door, one hand on her hip and the other blocking the entrance. Chloe groaned, knowing full well Rachel’s up-close-and-personal interrogation must be because last night’s kiss had hit the headlines.

  “Can I at least get in out of the rain first?”

  She tilted her chin to scowl at the heavens. The sky, black and gloomy, threatened to open up and drench her any second. It looked more like dusk than midday.

  “Anyway, isn’t the shop busy today? Who’s out on the floor serving?” Chloe and Rachel usually worked alone midweek. It wasn’t until the weekend that the other staff came in.

  Rachel stepped back to allow her entry. Chloe brushed past her to the line of hooks on the cyan colored wall. They’d painted it with emulsion left over from the remodel of the café last year, but the paint ran thin. Parts of the wall were still white. She thought again about buying a similar color to touch it up. It would make the start of the work day less depressing if she could come and hang her coat up in a nice, bright place.

  “I saw you coming, so came back here to get the goss.”

  “Rachel!”

  Chloe darted through to the shop floor with Rachel on her heel. Her gaze anxiously scanned the tables to see if anyone needed served. There were only six customers, and they all looked engrossed in their papers. She breathed a sigh of relief. The shop was never to be left unattended. The interview went well, but she wasn’t sure enough about her chances to risk being served her P45.

  “I’m waiting.”

  Deciding to play it cool until she found out the true extent of the headline, Chloe made her way behind the counter and removed her pinafore from the docket below.

  “Waiting for what?” she asked as innocently as possible.

  Rachel darted over to a nearby empty table, lifted a discarded newspaper, and returned. She slapped it, front page up, on the counter with no finesse. Chloe’s gaze was drawn to the picture of a woman in the throes of passion, wrapped around Sander as tight as cling film. Thankfully, she looked different at work. She made a point of disguising herself, hiding behind the shield of makeup to ward off unwanted attentions. Although Sander apparently never got the memo.

  “That,” Rachel stated, pointing to the picture of Chloe who had her hands fisted into blond silky hair and her lips welded to his.

  She shivered as she remembered how she’d felt pressed against all that glorious muscle. Chloe sighed and told Rachel the truth about their arrangement.

  “Oh.” Rachel’s face fell slightly. Chloe frowned. “It’s just…it looks so real, you know. Do you like him?”

  Chloe was about to say yes, when her heart skidded to a halt. It was more than like. She didn’t know what exactly, but she was beginning to enjoy Sander’s company a lot more than she should. Pretend was the theme of what they were doing, but she had to admit the kiss didn’t feel pretend. Nor did the protruding length of him pressed against her stomach. Her core melted at the memory.

  Rachel’s laugh snapped her out of her thoughts.

  “What?”

  “You really like him.”

  At Chloe’s scowl, Rachel held her hands up. “Hey, he’s gorgeous. No woman in their right mind wouldn’t notice.”

  Chloe’s scowl didn’t leave her face. Merely commenting on his looks felt like an injustice. He’d helped her find her mum and lent her his strength when all hers had fled under the panic. He’d taken her out and made her smile, laugh, and feel more alive than she ever had. There was no doubt he was pushy, high-handed, and she still wondered at times about his sanity, but he was more than a slab of melt-your-knickers-off muscle.

  “He’s a good man and spending time with him isn’t a chore.”

  Intent on ending the conversation, she rose from the table and stopped dead when she saw the man in question in front of her. Jaw slack, her mouth swung open.

  How much did he hear? A warm flush crept up her neck, despite the arctic temperature outside.

  Rachel turned to see what Chloe was gaping at, and quickly excused herself when she saw Sander. His hip rested against the counter and a wry grin curved his lips.

  “Hi,” she said. Her cheeks warmed. She felt like a child being caught doing something naughty.

  He pushed off the counter and stalked toward her until he was so close she could feel the waves of heat pounding off him. Fighting the urge to lean into him, to inhale his clean, musky scent, she stepped back.

  “I’m glad to hear spending time with me isn’t a chore.” He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes glittering with humor. “I hoped you had some fun last night…”

  Mortification burned in her cheeks. “I did have fun,” she insisted. “Last night was amazing. Thank you.” His thumb brushed her bottom lip and she shivered all over.

  “I’m glad.” Looking down at the table, a frown marred his brow.

  Oh no, the picture. Chloe made a grab for the newspaper, swiped it up, and promptly shoved it behind her back.

  He raised his brow. “What are you hiding, Chloe?”

  She swallowed. Her gaze sought out Rachel for some faux support, but she was busy clearing a table at the far end of the room. The burn in her cheeks crept down her neck, and she realized there was no escaping it. She had to show him the picture.

  Handing him the newspaper, she looked everywhere but directly at him. The rustling of the pages was drowned out by his whistle.

  “No wonder you’re embarrassed. It looks like you’re mauling me.”

  Indignation burned through her mortification and she glowered up at him. His eyes sparkled with humor and that bloody Hollywood smile almost split his face in two. It didn’t melt her panties this time though.

  “It was you who mauled me if I remember correctly.”

  “This picture says otherwise.”

  Sander held the photo up for her further inspection. She gritted her teeth together as she realized he was right.

  “At least no one will doubt you’re crazy about me.”

  Chloe huffed out a breath. Her heart pounded double time. It had been years since she’d felt so flustered, and she couldn’t find her cool, polite persona if she’d tried. “More like you make me crazy, you big…oaf.”

  He burst into a fit of laughter, dropped the paper on the table, and grabbed the back of a chair for support. Anger still flared in her stomach, but she cringed internally at the childish comment. He did make her crazy, and stupid, and wanton. The man was messing with her head.

  Not willing to be tormented further, she stalked by him to the counter. She’d been in for almost ten minutes and hadn’t lifted a finger. Richard wouldn’t be pleased if he knew she’d been slacking off.

  “Aw, Chloe. Wait.”

  She heard his footsteps on the wooden floor behind her. Chloe turned. She could see he was making an effort not to laugh at her, but somehow in her agitation, it made her anger hotter.

  “Don’t you think I know how desperate I look in that picture? I don’t need to be reminded, Sander.”

  The amusement slid from his face.

  “You’ll get a slap on the back from the guys, but women will look at me like I’m a cheap slut, throwing herself at a star.”

  Until now, she hadn’t cared what other people thought. But coming from him, the ribbing hurt. Her anger drained away, leaving her deflated and empty. She closed her eyes. Last night had been the best night she’d had in forever, and today was the price she paid. Wasn’t that the way her life was though? She scored a fancy job, got a dream man, then just at the peak of her happiness, it all shattered around her, leaving her broken and vulnerable.

  “Hey, I was joking.”

  Sander gripped her hips. Her eyes flew open, and she saw the pity in his expression. She didn’t want pity, not from him. Pulling his hands from her waist, she backed up.

  “Leave it, Sander. I’m not in the mood to joke around.”

  He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. It was me who kissed you. The photographer probably took a rake of pictures and picked the juiciest. I know you’re not crazy about me. You agreed so you’d have a chance to give your mother a better future.”

  “I’ll never, ever do more than kiss you for the camera. Ever.” Chloe didn’t know if it was herself she was trying to convince or him. “And yes, getting this job would help with my mum, and applying makeup is something I love—” She stopped, too scared to jinx the interview.

  “Never say never.” Sander winked. “I forgot to ask, how did the interview go?”

  His comment hinted that maybe something more would happen between them, and heat pitched in her tummy. She studied his face. A knowing grin curved his lips and his baby blues shone with barely concealed excitement, distracting her. The big kid. Chloe fought back a smile.

  “I’m sure you know more about it than I do.”

  He shrugged, the smile never leaving his face. “What do you say to dinner at The Ivy tonight?”

  Chloe blinked in rapid succession. “Excuse me?” There was no way they would get into the Mitchelin star restaurant without going on the three month wait-list.

  “The Ivy. Tonight at seven.”

  She opened and closed her mouth several times, but nothing would come out but puffs of air. He must have pulled some serious strings to get the reservation, even with his celebrity status. But when she wondered why he’d done that, her heart sputtered with excitement.

  “Did I get the job?”

  He grinned, but merely shrugged again. The way his eyes danced, Chloe guessed she did. Why else would he be taking her there? Without thinking, she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She didn’t care that she was at work, couldn’t give a toss how many questions Rachel would badger her with. His arms banded around her waist, and he pulled her closer. Eyes watery, she chanted her thanks against his black shirt.

  “Don’t thank me. They hired you because of your talent.” He stroked her back.

  She pulled away, released her hold, and gazed up at his sky-blue eyes. Wiping her happy tears away, she shook her head. “If it wasn’t for you, they wouldn’t have given me the time of day. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

  His thumb grazed her chin. “Just don’t back out on me, and we’ll call it even.”

  She grinned, knowing she’d never back out. What he’d done for her—and not just getting her the interview, but hiring Freda—meant she’d go as a way to make it up to him. But she didn’t want to argue. He was actually taking her to The Ivy, and she had her dream job. Everything inside her froze. What was she going to wear?

  Sander must have read the panic in her eyes, because he led her over to a table and pulled out a chair. She slid into it in one stiff movement.

  “Chloe, what’s wrong?”

  But she couldn’t tell him, he’d done enough. She knew the press stalked The Ivy and there was no way she could wear the same dress as the night before. It was payday, but bills came first so buying a dress fit for the restaurant wasn’t an option. She could kick herself for not bringing the dresses back from LA. All but one. Her chest tightened, but she ignored it. It had been a reminder never to be so stupid again. To remind her to hang onto her heart. And now she didn’t have another option. She’d have to wear Dane’s dress.

  Forcing a polite smile, she said, “It’s nothing.”

  Sander’s penetrating gaze made her wonder if he could see right through her skull. She froze her features into her best stoic expression and hoped he wouldn’t push.

  “Bullshit.”

  She’d forgotten who she was talking too. Of course he’d push.

  “If this is because you have nothing to wear—”

  Mortification cracked through her facade. “Sander, I have something to wear.”

  Anger leaked into her tone, but anger was good. Anger kept the shame at bay. His eyes set with determination again and she had to stand up to him. He’d given her enough.

  “Don’t worry. I have something fit for a catwalk.” She rose from the chair, towered over him. “Do you want me to meet you at the restaurant?”

  He rose to tower above her, but not to intimidate. His baffled expression made her want to laugh. “I’ll pick you up at six-thirty.”

  Chloe nodded. “I need to start work.” Thank God Richard hadn’t made an appearance, or she really would get sacked.

  Leaning down, he brushed his lips against hers. She stepped closer, but the contact was brief and he straightened just as she would have pounced. Taking a huge step back, she wished again her body didn’t ache with need every time he touched her.

  “Any chance of a quick espresso?” he asked.

  Chloe smiled and nodded. She stared at him for a minute before turning back to the counter. Every customer and Rachel stared at her with curiosity evident in their expressions. With hot cheeks, she ignored everyone and pulled out a cup for Sander. She had enough to worry about, like figuring out how she was going to get herself into a dress she could barely stomach to look at.

  * * * *

  Sander sipped at the hot, bitter liquid and watched Chloe work. He really should get to Radio Buzz, but the temptation to spend more time in her company kept him there. Plus, she’d been so embarrassed about the picture in the newspaper and he’d almost fucked the whole thing up by teasing her. Making sure she was okay was more important than preparing for a show he could improvise his way through. Besides, if he ran out of things to say all he had to do was play a few extra songs.

  A woman entered the shop carrying a baby bundled in pink on her hip. Chloe’s friend was running up a customer’s bill, so Chloe grabbed a pad and made her way over. She took the woman’s order, but the baby squirmed in her mother’s arms and burst into pained cries that echoed through the shop.