The Chatsfield Short Romances 6-10. Carol Marinelli

for was Chloe’s – aka Candy Lane. Married or a pseudonym? He hadn’t had a minute to himself all afternoon to find out. ‘Thanks, man.’ He nodded. ‘Say, you got the time?’

      Preppie swayed on his feet as he pulled his phone from his pocket. ‘Quarter past twelve. Hey man, we should totally do a selfie.’

      Liam obliged and pasted a smile on his face. He was learning to manage the fame aspect of his life and he certainly didn’t resent having fans. It was just that the more people who wanted to be around him because he was famous the more disconnected he felt from them.

      And now he was ridiculously close to feeling sorry for himself and – there she was. Standing just inside the main doorway looking like a vision. The sight of her made Liam’s entire being rise to full alert. Damn she was pretty.

      His eyes skimmed over her curvaceous figure in a pale dress that clung in all the right places. Her hair was loose and rippled down her back like a thick blanket, the overhead lights making it look as if it was on fire.

      No, she’d never been plain and if his friends pinned that corny banner up now asking her to marry him everyone in the room would think it was real.

      God, he had to apologise for that. But first he had to get rid of his suddenly sweaty palms, get her a drink and just talk to her. Find out why she’d changed her name to something that sounded like it belonged to a pop star and whether she was single.

      For some reason that information seemed vitally important as he crossed the room to her before some of the other men checking her out got there first.

      Her eyes widened as he approached and he glanced at her ring finger. Bare. That meant she was single because he instinctively knew she wasn’t the type to play games with men. The type who thought loyalty meant dumping someone right after they’d slept with someone else. And he only just realised how sick of that type he was. ‘I’m glad you could make it.’ He grinned. Somehow he felt like a weight had been lifted now that she had arrived.

      She nodded but didn’t catch his eye. Okay, so this wasn’t going to go as easily as he had hoped. ‘Champagne?’ he asked.

      ‘No thanks.’ She smoothed her hands down her skirt. ‘I’m not really thirsty.’

      Liam felt his grin widen. The last time he met a girl who drank because she was thirsty he’d been in grade school.

      ‘Oh, you mean alcohol.’ She blushed as she realised her gaffe and something inside his chest pulled tight. ‘Um, I probably shouldn’t anyway. I’ve already had some wine.’

      Unfortunately that bit of information made his mood instantly darken. ‘So you’ve been out already?’ He knew his voice sounded sharp but he wanted to know where she had been and who with. The bite of jealousy as deep as it was unexpected.

      ‘No, not really.’ She glanced around and he realised he’d made her nervous. Way to go, Casanova. ‘Great crowd you have here.’

      Liam scowled. He couldn’t give a damn about the crowd. If he had his way he’d clear it at once. No doubt that would piss off his PA who had worked her tail off at the last minute to put it together. Right now he didn’t care. He just wanted to be alone with Chloe.

      ***

      Chloe pretended rapt interest in the milling crowd to try and steady her nerves. She still didn’t really have a plan as to when she was going to reveal her big ta-da moment but Cara had proposed that she lead up to it. ‘Flirt with him first. Flatter his ego and flash your amazing cleavage and make him so hot that when you deliver your “not interested” punch line it takes him a moment to register it. Then turn away and swan out the door.’

      Easy peasy, Chloe thought. Only when you had paddles for feet swanning wasn’t really something you could do that well – it would be more like clomping – and she wouldn’t know how to flirt if instructions magically lit up above Liam Hunter’s head.

      There was also the not so small problem that she found him so incredibly attractive in a black shirt stretched over his torso and denim jeans riding low on his lean hips; the casual slouch in his broad shoulders that had been there even before Hollywood had scooped him up adding to his sex appeal.

      He’d always been too cool for school and it made her blush just to think that she could have imagined that someone like him could have ever been interested in someone like her.

      ‘I didn’t think you were going to turn up.’

      Chloe’s eyes cut to his. Was that apprehension she heard in his voice? For a moment she couldn’t think how to respond and then her head said ‘Flirt, flirt’ and she said, ‘Oh, really?’ and ran her hand oh-so-casually through her hair.

      ‘Yes,’ he said gruffly.

      Wondering at the sudden roughness in his voice, Chloe decided it was a lot easier to look at the crowd than at him. ‘Why wouldn’t I? You’re a famous actor.’

      ‘Is that why you came? Because I’m famous?’

      No, she had come because he was horrible and needed to be taught a lesson, but she could see that her attempt to lull him with flattery had fallen way short of the mark. ‘I’m here because you asked me.’

      Frustration shone from his green eyes. ‘Tell me about Candy Lane.’

      Chloe blinked. Tell him about Candy Lane? ‘Well, she’s a journalist and she lives in London.’ All true. ‘And she went-’

      ‘I meant what’s behind the name.’

      He sounded churlish and Chloe had a moment’s fear that he knew who she was. ‘Do you think I could have a glass of water?’ she croaked. ‘I am quite thirsty come to think of it.’

      Liam hesitated and her smile felt frozen as she waited for him to tell her that the jig was up. ‘Of course.’

      Chloe felt her shoulders sag as she followed him toward the makeshift bar against the back wall. Lucky she’d never wanted to be a double agent, this whole lying business was far too stressful.

      And it was lucky that Liam was interrupted by every person he walked past either with a pat on the back or an attempt to engage him in earnest conversation because it gave Chloe a chance to pull herself together. She was completely out of her depth trying to play some sexy seductress who could handle a man who was so potently, so dangerously, male he made every one of her feminine hormones sit up and beg for his attention.

      He turned towards her as she was berating herself for being so affected by him and handed her a highball glass. ‘Sorry about all the interruptions. Maybe we should go somewhere more private.’

       Oh, yes, they definitely should.

      ‘No.’ Chloe cleared the squeak out of her voice and sipped her water. ‘I love parties.’

      His gaze was penetrating. ‘Really? You don’t look like you’re enjoying this one. You look like you’re waiting for someone to pounce on you.’

      Chloe swallowed and tried to come up with some witty repartee about him pouncing on her when she was jostled from behind. Her hand came up as she tried to stop herself from falling and somehow it managed to mould itself to his hard, muscular chest. She could feel the outline of his powerful pecs and a flat male nipple beneath the fine fabric of his shirt and when she brushed over it she heard his swiftly indrawn breath and felt her own body tremble in response.

      The beat of his heart was like a jungle drum beneath her palm, matching her own, and in an instant the world shrank to the tiny space they occupied in the buzzing room. When her eyes rose up to meet his she completely lost her train of thought at the fierce expression she found there. Sexual desire hummed between them and in that instant Chloe knew for sure that Liam Hunter wanted her. The knowledge was heady. Intoxicating.

      Who was to say she had to dump him before she’d seduced him anyway?

      His hand clamped around her wrist,