His eyes swept the front entrance. No sign of her. Maybe she was already inside… as the plus one? Christ, he was pathetic. Of course she was on a date. Even blinded by lust, he could read between the lines. Yet, here he was, on point to crash the party.
"Chris Camden!"
Chris spun in the direction of the voice and stifled a groan. The sales guy in him forced a smile, burying distaste for the young man approaching him. "Alex Gardner. Where the hell have you been hiding?"
Alex clapped Chris on the back. "Man, it's good to see you. I hear LazerShark is getting a ton of buzz. Good for you guys. How's Jay doing?"
"He's great, spending the weekend with his girlfriend in Napa. What are you doing here? I thought you were still in New York."
"Nah, I relocated awhile back. New York didn't work out quite as I'd hoped." He flashed a sheepish smile. "I'm at Major League Investments now. We're working with some venture capital firms to raise interest in a new fund. This is the perfect place to bring in a lot of big money investors."
"Sounds like a good plan. Liquor them up first, pitch them second." Javier Lopez strolled past them as the crowd cheered. "No pun intended."
Alex laughed. "Come on, let's get a drink."
Chris glanced around one more time. He needed to ditch this guy… fast. One drink would go down fast enough, leaving him to work the room. James would kill him if he didn't walk away with any prospective partner leads. "Sounds great."
The bar was packed with A-list athletes, publicists, and agents. Chris let out a low whistle. "Not bad. Looks like you're gonna have a pretty prosperous night."
"We'll see. Just because they've got a lot doesn't mean they're willing to part with it. They need to be sold on the upside potential, like anyone else. Fortunately, the fund is made up of great companies that have a ton of backing. Who knows? Maybe one day LazerShark may even find its way into one of these tech funds."
Condescending prick. "No doubt. Pretty soon you'll be pitching for us too."
"Sure thing, man." Something by the entrance caught Alex's eye.
Chris followed his gaze. His breath caught as Mia glided through the crowd. Shiny, dark hair streamed over her bronzed shoulders, a confident look in her beautiful, caramel-colored eyes. She was gorgeous, and, judging by the way all the men in the crowd were gawking at her, it was a generally shared opinion.
"Mia Bradshaw. She's something else, huh?" Chris's fist twitched at his side, ready to punch the wicked grin off Alex's face. Smug bastard. "We've been seeing each other for a couple of months. I'm hoping to see a whole lot more tonight."
"You're dating her?" Impending dread washed over him. Mia and Alex? She was his fucking plus one?
"Is that so surprising?"
The guy was a complete fucking tool. Couldn't she see that? "No. Just coincidence, that's all. She's our new investment manager."
"I should have guessed since she's at Blue Coat now. Business associates, huh? Good thing, I thought for a second we were gonna have an issue."
She couldn't seriously be interested in this clown.
He swallowed hard as she sidled toward them, oblivious to all the blatant stares. A short, black cocktail dress clung to her lithe frame and accentuated every curve. It left just enough to the imagination, and he fought the urge to pull her close and run his hands over her—
"Fashionably late, as usual. You look amazing." Alex kissed Mia's cheek as Chris averted his eyes. Being the third wheel wasn't on his agenda for the evening, and he'd be damned if he'd stick around and watch Alex fawn all over her for hours on end.
"I can't make it anywhere on time. It's a horrible vice." Mia turned to Chris, and a smile lit up her face. "I'm glad you made it."
It was hard to miss Alex's shocked expression. Point, Camden.
He didn't like to lose, especially to a scumbag like Gardner who'd dabbled in gambling and drugs for years until his powerful U.S. Senator father had magically erased all black marks from his record.
"Yeah, Camden and I are old friends, aren't we?" Alex put a strong hand on Chris's shoulder. "I hear you guys are working together now."
"Yes, Alex and I go way back." Far enough to know he was a lying, cheating sack of shit who wasn't worthy of Mia or Chloe.
Mia nodded. "Small world, huh?"
Chris drained the rest of his drink and slammed the empty glass on the bar. "I'm going to walk around. I'll catch up with you guys later." Mingling was never an issue for him. There were always plenty of prospects eager to turn his head, which was exactly what he needed. A distraction with double Ds poured into a skintight dress, parading around in stilettos. Maybe that would help ignore the heaviness in his chest as peals of Mia's melodious laughter floated into the air around him. With fists clenched at his sides, he tore his eyes away from the bar. Anger bubbled to the surface. Couldn't she see the guy was a total asshole?
Not that it mattered. Alex or no Alex, Mia wasn't about to risk her career and livelihood for a fling with him. Sure, their chemistry was palpable, but it wouldn't ever be enough. She wanted stability; he was king of volatility.
"Excuse me, you're Chris Camden, right? I saw an article about your company in The Escapist. Pretty impressive."
Chris met the seductive gaze of an attractive blonde and returned her smile with a halfhearted one of his own. Whatever spark had crackled between them had fizzled. It was never going to ignite.
MIA'S FACE FELT LIKE it would crack from all the forced smiles. A pretty blond girl across the room managed to weave her limbs around Chris's muscular frame. Mia's insides froze as the girl inched closer to whisper something in his ear. Mia unconsciously stood taller and straightened her back. Were fake boobs and bleached-blond hair really the only things that interested him?
The girl took his hand and led him to a secluded corner. It was so dark, if she looked away for a moment, they might disappear, and that knowledge would be unbearable.
"Hey, are you still with me?" Alex waved a hand in front of her eyes.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I was just… um, thinking I haven't called Chloe yet to say good night. Would you excuse me for a minute?" Was Alex buying that lame excuse? Chloe wouldn't be going to bed for at least another couple of hours, but she had to find Chris and… what then?
"Of course. I'll wait here for you."
"I'll be right back." Her stomach dropped as she scanned the room. They were nowhere in sight. Oh God, had they left already? No, no, no! She tugged on a strand of hair. What would she even say to him? Pick me over the bimbo? Forget I'm a single mom and that we work together. Take me home instead!
Enough with the spark bullshit. It was time to grow up and focus on the rest of her life with a reliable, solid partner, at least for Chloe's sake. Her feelings would develop as time passed. Alex was a good guy who deserved happiness as much as she did. With a defeated sigh, she spun toward the bar… and right into Chris. "Oh!"
"Where'd you go? I went back to the bar, and Alex said you took off."
"I, um… was going to, um, make a call." It would be nice if she could at least string together a coherent sentence. "I didn't realize you… I mean, I thought you'd left." Where was Blondie?
"I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. I was just making the rounds."
Hmmm. "I saw." Shit, why had she said that? He didn't need to know she'd been hawking his every move. Had she been out of the game that long, for chrissakes?
An amused look crossed his face. "I've met lots of intriguing people tonight."
Warmth flooded her body as his eyes bored into her. God, what she would do to see what he was thinking at that moment. Blondie was totally his type, but he'd come looking for her. And judging by the weight of his stare, he wasn't planning a rapid exit.
Mia shifted her weight, noticing that, even in her highest heels, Chris was still a few inches taller. Her fingertips itched to trace his chiseled jaw. What would it feel like to kiss those lips? If she tilted her chin the slightest bit— No! Thinking like that would only lead
to trouble. The objective was to keep her distance. Yes, that was exactly what she had to do. Forget kissing him. Ignore that hypnotic stare and what it was doing to the hidden parts of her body. "Um, I guess I should probably find Alex."
"So you guys are dating."
"Oh… um, yes."
"And you're his plus one."
Mia swallowed hard. "Yes." What more could she say? That she'd purposely left out that tiny detail because she'd been desperate to see him again? Was he angry? Would he—
"Can I get you another drink?"
He wanted her to stay! It was impossible to stop the smile from spreading across her lips. "Thanks, but I'm good. I usually limit it to one when I drive. I'm way too paranoid."
"That's very responsible."
"Well, I have more to consider now, you know?" Her voice grew soft, the words hanging between them. It was something he couldn't possibly understand, no matter how much she wanted to make it so.
"Yeah…"
The intensity of his stare was mesmerizing, his nearness making her stomach flip around as if she was sixteen again.
"Chloe seems like a great kid. She's lucky to have you."
"Thanks, I feel the same way about her."
"Come on, let me get you something… water, soda?"
"Diet Coke would be great." Mia glanced over to where she'd left Alex. An empty glass sat on the bar, but he was gone. She bit her lip. If he came back and saw her standing this close to Chris… It looked bad, so incredibly bad but she was willing to take the risk if she could spend even just one more moment under his hypnotic spell.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but were you married to Chloe's dad?"
Mia shook her head, a sad smile on her face. "No, I wasn't."
"What happened? Wait, is it okay to ask? If you don't want to talk about it, I understand. You can just tell me how you're going to transform LazerShark into an international conglomerate instead."
"It's fine, really. He died before Chloe was born. We were engaged, and the night before we were going to fly out here to tell our parents, he died in a car accident. Chloe never got to meet him."
Chris's eyes widened. "Jesus, I'm so sorry. Now I feel like a complete ass for asking."
"I guess now we're even." She sipped her soda and smiled. "It was horrible, but it was a long time ago. After he died, I left New York and moved back here. I was so young, barely out of college, trying to start a career. My parents live close by, and they've been fantastic all these years. I think it's the only reason I still have my sanity."
"Wow. I can't imagine how hard it's been for you. How do you manage everything?"
"I try not to think about it. I adore Chloe, but it is ridiculous trying to balance everything. Thank God I have so much help."
"How does Chloe handle it?"
"She's got a grandfather and an uncle who are crazy about her. They've taken on the male role in her life. But it's not the same as having your own dad, you know?"
Chris leaned against the bar. "Yeah. My brother-in-law died about a year ago, and my sister is on her own with my nieces. I'm really close with them, and I hang out there as much as possible. I could never fill the void, but I hope at least being there helps."
Mia's heart ached as Chris spoke about his family. His words were laced with so much pain. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Your poor family…"
He stared into his glass and swirled the ice around. "It was really bad. My sister was a mess and the girls…they're too young to be going through this. It's been a crappy year for all of us."
Instinctively, she laid a comforting hand on his arm, feeling his muscles ripple under the fabric. He slowly raised his head, unmistakable longing reflected in his gaze. "Chris, I—"
"There you are!"
Mia jumped, guiltily yanking back her hand. Oh sweet Jesus, what just happened? She fiddled with her necklace, eyes darting around the room, anything to keep from staring. It was an act of sympathy, nothing else.
Blondie sauntered over to Chris, her blue eyes slightly narrowed as she regarded Mia. With an artificial smile plastered on her heavily made-up face, she snaked an arm through his. "I'm Lexi."
Charming. Was she going to pee on him next?
"I was looking all over for you. Are you ready to go?" She pouted and stuck out her chest, highlighting her ample cleavage.
"Um, actually—"
"Mia! How's Chloe? Everything okay?" Alex came up behind her and wound an arm around her shoulders.
She stiffened in response. "Yes, she's great. I, um, ran into Chris, and we were just—"
Lexi tapped her fingertips on Chris's arm. "I'm ready whenever you are."
A dull ache settled in Mia's chest. "I guess we'll just catch up next week."
"Yeah, sounds great. Um, Alex, good to see you, man. Take it easy." Lexi snuggled closer to Chris, practically pushing him toward the exit.
How could he—? With her? Mia stared after them, her stomach clenched. None of it meant anything to him. He was just passing the time, drawing her in and then pushing her away. It was always a game to him, wasn't it?
"I'm really glad you came tonight." Alex leaned closer, his hands suggestively dropping to her waist.
Mia took a deep breath and fought tears that threatened to fall. Then she did the only thing she could think of to get her mind off Lexi and Chris. She lied, hoping what followed would ease the pain of her aching heart. "Me too."
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHRIS LAY STILL ON HIS BACK, breathing heavily. He flexed his wrists and gripped the bar, grunting as he stretched his arms overhead. Ten more reps.
Nine… eight… argh.
How could she be with that jackass?
He paused with the bar on his chest.
Seven… six… shit.
He squeezed his eyes shut to erase the image of Mia's face. The same thing had happened the night before at a very inopportune time. Lexi had stripped out of that skimpy dress in one slick motion, but all he'd seen was Mia. It hadn't ended there.
Five… four… three.
When Lexi jumped on top of him, his body had withdrawn. He'd been limp as a wet washcloth. No amount of rubbing, tugging, or sucking had helped. For the first time in his life, his mind had taken over, and the half-naked body writhing on top of him had done little to divert his attention from the one woman who'd managed to captivate him.
Two…
If that wasn't bad enough, the worst-case scenario had struck. Mia's name had escaped his lips. Talk about a buzzkill for Lexi. She hadn't been able to get away fast enough, but that was only after unleashing a string of expletives similar to the ones he'd heard from Kate earlier that day. He was lost with no clue if he'd ever be found.
His iPhone rang on the floor. Saved! "Camden."
"Hey, where are you?"
Chris wiped his face with a t-shirt. "I'm at the gym. When did you guys get back from Napa?"
"I just dropped Jess off, and I'm headed home. We need to talk about the Atlas Media deal. I think their new game is a really great fit with the celebrity fantasy leagues. They already have a few other partners lined up, and we need to discuss them with Blue Coat. Does every decision we make need to go through Emerson?"
"I'm not sure. We'll have to ask." Chris guzzled the rest of his water. "I'm done here, so I'll see you in about half an hour."
Just enough time for a shower. He stood up, stifling a groan as an image of Mia soaped up next to him accosted his mind. Better make it a cold one.
"WHAT DID YOU DO this weekend?" James flopped onto the couch with a bottle of Coke.
"It's funny you mentioned the Atlas deal. I actually met a few guys last night who work with them." That was a safe opening. Maybe he wouldn't be suspicious after all.
"Where'd you go?"
"There was an event at Broadway Studios in San Francisco. Major League Investments was hosting." He shifted on the chair, toying with his soda bottle.
"That sounds cool. How did you find out about it? You didn't
tell me you were going."
"It was kind of a last-minute thing. I, uh, ran into Mia yesterday, and she thought it would be a good chance to meet some investors." Chris slowly raised his eyes. Was James ready to lunge at him yet?
"Where'd you run into her?"
"Jamba Juice. She was there with her daughter. Cute kid."
A look of relief quickly replaced his leery expression. "Oh, she's got a daughter? I didn't know. Is she married?"
"Nope. He died before she was born."
"That's too bad. Wow, I'd have never guessed."
"Yep."
"You're being very evasive. What's up?"
"Nothing." James was a lot of things; stupid was not one of them. He knew Chris better than anyone. How much longer would it take him to see through all the deflections?
"How was the event?"
"It was pretty good. Guess who I ran into? Alex Gardner."
"Gardner? I thought he was in New York."
"Not any more."
"Did he say anything about…?" James pulled out some papers from his laptop bag and tossed them at Chris.
"Nope, and I didn't bring it up. You know Senator Gardner got everything sorted out for him. He's working for Major League now, so I guess he's clean and away from all of that other crap. Things got really bad for him, at least from what I'd heard. He said he's past all that shit, but I still don't trust him."
"What do you mean?"
"He's, uh, dating Mia now. Weird. I pegged her for a different type."
"You barely know her. How would you know what type she goes for?"
"I just thought she'd want someone more genuine, that's all. He's such a slimeball. How could she miss that?"
"Okay, first of all, why are you getting so defensive? And second, maybe he's changed. He had a really rough patch before. Maybe he's over the hump and just wants to get his life in order. She'd be a good influence on him."
The glassy eyes and dilated pupils early in the night had suggested the opposite. "I'm just concerned for her, that's all. She's a nice girl. She deserves someone better." His gaze fell on the papers scattered on the table.
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