Seduced by the Celebrity (4 page)

“
He’s not a loser!” Chloe said angrily.

“
And how do you know?”

“
I saw him on Ellen!” Saying it out loud made Chloe see how lame she sounded.

Ben snickered. “Well, that settles it.” He gave her a peck on the forehead and headed into the living room. He turned on the Yankees game, and flopped down on the couch.

***

Chloe moved towards the Booth theatre with confidence. She was only yards away and she had given herself a huge pep talk on the subway this morning. She was more than deserving of this part, and she knew that in time,  Ben would be alright with her choices. Luckily, Ben had left early for work so he hadn’t seen Chloe painstakingly blow drying her hair out and applying a little more makeup than normal.

She wanted to make a good first impression.

Chloe stepped into the lobby of the Booth theatre and looked around in awe.

She was in a real Broadway theatre.

And not just to see a play.

She was
in
the play.

Smiling broadly, she pushed open the doors to the theatre.

The set was up in bits and pieces and she saw Andre and Ryan milling around on the stage, talking quietly. Jenny and Ni were sitting off to one side; their eyes focused on someone a few rows ahead. Chloe followed their gaze and her eyes came to rest on the back of Finn Harrison’s head.

At least she thought it was the back of his head.

This person was sitting in the front row, bent over their seat, studying what appeared to be a script. Chloe couldn’t make out any other features. She walked down the aisle, heading for Ni and Jenny, when the mystery person turned around.

It
was
Finn Harrison.

His dark brown hair was slightly outgrown and messy. It looked as if he had been running his hands through it. His eyes were a piercing blue; his trademark feature. He had a strong jaw line that was covered in a slight stubble and he looked effortlessly cool and handsome.

And not only that, but it was as if he had sensed Chloe coming down the aisle. He looked directly at her and their eyes locked. Chloe felt swallowed up his gaze. She stopped dead in her tracks, mesmerized. Something about Finn, pulled her in, and she got lost in the depths of his eyes. She felt a magnetic pull towards him and her heart began to race erratically. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears and she felt a twinge somewhere deep below. A twinge that she knew Ben would never, ever approve.

Gulping, Chloe looked away and tried to move towards Ni and Jenny. But when she looked back, Finn was still fixed on her, his eyes dark and unreadable. Chloe gave a weak smile and moved towards Ni and Jenny. Finn turned back around and Chloe exhaled, she hadn’t realized that she had been holding her breath.

“
What the hell was that?” Ni whispered as Chloe sat next to her. Jenny’s eyes seemed to be bugging out of her head.

So, Ni and Jenny noticed too.

“
I have no idea,” Chloe whispered back, sinking low into her seat.

She felt as if her entire world had suddenly shifted. One minute she was walking into the theatre, feeling the full realization of her dreams coming true and the next minute she couldn’t tell up from down, or her head from her ass.

Why had Finn looked so intently at her? And why had she felt such a pull to him? Chloe had never felt that way about anyone before. She was shaken and confused, but she tried to get a hold of herself, reminding herself that she had never actually seen a movie star in the flesh before. Sure, she had passed some on the streets, and once or twice gotten a glance of someone famous in a restaurant, but it was disarming seeing someone so famous, sitting so casually nearby.

Chloe had to remind herself again that Finn Harrison was her cast mate. They would be working together. Sharing breaks and lines together. Sharing pretend intimate moments. The thought of kissing Finn after that intense moment made Chloe want to throw up.

“
He couldn’t take his eyes off you,” Ni hissed, staring at Chloe with a whole new look of appreciation.

Chloe shrugged. “Maybe I look like someone he knows?”

Ni and Jenny still looked bug-eyed, but finally became engrossed in their own conversation.

A few minutes later, Edward jumped up on the stage and began welcoming everyone to the Booth. He made a big deal of welcoming Finn, which seemed to embarrass Finn immensely. Edward called the rest of the cast down to the first row near Finn, and Chloe forced herself to move down. She, Jenny and Ni sat in the row behind Finn, and once more, Finn turned to look at her. This time, he turned completely around to stare at her.

“
I’m Finn,” he said to Chloe, extending his hand.

As if Chloe didn’t know who he was!

“
Chloe,” she said quietly, shaking his hand. His hands were large and his grip was firm. Chloe imagined what those hands would feel like against her body and then she internally admonished herself for such thoughts.

But she had to admit that Finn Harrison was even more handsome up close. Chloe guessed that Finn was in his early forties, but he easily could pass for thirty-five. If he had abused his body with drugs and alcohol, it was impossible to tell. Whatever he was doing now was working, because he looked fantastic.

When Finn turned back around, Jenny was staring at her flabbergasted and Ni was shaking her head in amazement.

Chloe shrugged.

Edward then called the cast onstage, but let Finn stay in his seat. The cast was going to go through the show onstage, but Finn could stay in his seat and read his lines.

“
I have a lot of them memorized already,” Finn offered.

Edward beamed as if Finn had just announced that he had created the earth.

“
Wonderful! Wonderful! The others are nearly off book, so that will be marvelous!”

Ryan and Andre rolled their eyes and Chloe stifled a giggle. The sooner Edward stopped kissing Finn’s ass, the sooner everyone could relax.

They began rehearing and Chloe was caught off guard by the intensity behind Finn’s voice. With Edward reading the part, she had never realized how much significance was behind some of the professor’s lines, and Finn gave the lines much more meaning.

The banter between Chloe and Finn’s characters felt real and when it came to the part where they were supposed to make out, Finn stopped.

“
Is something wrong?” Edward asked.

Chloe blushed. Clearly, Finn realized that she was the one he would be kissing. He was probably sorry that it wasn’t Jenny or Ni.

Finn didn’t respond, his eyes boring into Chloe. Feeling exposed, she ducked her head and took a step to the side.

“
No. No, problem,” Finn said hoarsely.

Chloe felt her face flame even brighter and she wanted to sink through the floor. She could not remember ever being more embarrassed. Clearly, Finn did not want to kiss her, and now she was even more nervous and anxious over it.  She wished desperately that she had been cast in Jenny or Ni’s part instead.

The rest of the rehearsal went by painlessly but Chloe was self-conscious the entire time. When they were given a break, Chloe hurried off the stage and all but ran out of the theatre. As soon as she burst outside into the busy New York street, she speed-dialed Jae-Jae.

“
Hey, Chlo. Can I just say how freaking jealous I am of you! I can’t believe Finn-’’

“
Finn Harrison is the biggest ass!” Chloe burst out, cutting Jae-Jae off.

“
What?”

“
You would not believe what he just did?”

“
Ohh – celebrities behaving badly! Tell me!”

“
It’s not funny. First, when I walked in, he turned around and stared at me like I was some kind of freak show. Then when I had to sit near him, he stared at me again and introduced himself. And then when it came to the part where we are supposed to kiss, he just froze! He froze! He didn’t say anything! Didn’t say his lines! And the director had to ask him what the problem was! He just sat there, staring like he couldn’t believe that he had to kiss me! I was so embarrassed! It was so mortifying!”

She stopped to catch her breath and felt hot tears sting her eyes. She angrily wiped them away, mad at herself for getting this emotional.

“
Hey, hey, calm down. You’re really upset.”

“
I felt like such an ass, Jae-Jae. I feel like I don’t belong here,” she admitted.

“
You earned it, Chloe. Don’t feel that way. So what if you have to work with some hotshot prick? He’s going to bring in droves of people, and everyone is going to know your name!”

Chloe nodded even though Jae-Jae couldn’t see her. “You’re right. This is my big chance. I can’t let him intimidate me.”

“
That’s right. You go in there and be your badass self. He’s lucky he gets to kiss you.”

Chloe was glad she had called Jae-Jae. He always cheered her up. It was so strange how she and Annie had once been so close and now Annie was practically a stranger. And here Chloe was, best friends with Annie’s cousin, who she had hardly known before moving to the city.

Chloe hung up with Jae-Jae, took a deep breath and went back into the theatre. The regular cast mates were sitting together in a cluster and Finn was off to the side, studying his script. Chloe held her head high and went towards the group. Just as she was about to approach them, she heard her name.

She turned around slowly, disbelieving who had called for her.

Sure enough, Finn Harrison was standing, his ocean blue eyes fixed intently on her.

“
Yes?” Chloe asked slowly. She could feel the eyes of everyone on her. She could just imagine Jenny and Ni’s expressions.

“
Could I speak to you for a minute?” His voice was soft, yet deep, the tone soothing and attractive all at the same time.

“
Sure,” she squeaked, moving towards him.

“
Great outfit,” he complimented as she came to him.

Chloe wasn’t sure if he was serious or not, but she saw no traces of disingenuity.

“
I just wanted to tell you that I’m really looking forward to working with you. I hope you won’t feel intimidated.”

Chloe stared at him with disbelief. Had he really just said that to her?

“
Chloe?” Finn asked. He stared at her as if she were simple.

No wonder.

She was standing there like a moron, not responding.

“
Umm, yeah, sure. I’m looking forward to it too. And yes, I’ll try not to be intimidated.” She allowed herself a small smile.

Finn grinned back at her, the smile boyish, charming and alluring all at once.

Shit. He was hot.

Chloe tried to get a hold of herself. Something about being in Finn’s presence sent her hormones out of whack. Her entire body was humming, nearly pulsing, and the closer she was to Finn, the stronger the pulsing.

Finn studied her, the look on his face one of interest and amusement. Could he feel it too? The air seemed charged and Chloe felt like she needed a large, cool glass of water.

She took a small step back, shaking her head slightly. Finn smirked at her and Chloe cocked her head to the side. Was he messing with her?

“
Alright everyone! Places! We’re going to do a few scenes and then I’m going to let some of you go!”

Edward’s voice broke through the moment, and Chloe quickly scurried back to her friends.

“
What the hell?” Ni hissed. Again, Jenny looked floored. Chloe shrugged and quickly went up on stage with everyone.

“
Looks like you got some real chemistry,” Andre teased.

Chloe looked up in alarm. Chemistry? Is that what was happening between them?

As they ran scenes Chloe could feel Finn’s eyes on her, and once again she was incredibly self-conscious. Edward had to remind her of her lines more than once, and by the end of the scene work she was feeling completely frazzled and on edge. She gratefully took a seat when she was no longer needed and watched Ni and Ryan run through some lines. Even though Finn was sitting five rows over, Chloe could still feel his presence. She had never been so acutely aware of another human being. Ever.

Edward dismissed the others, but asked Ni, Ryan, Finn and Chloe to hang around. Chloe had a feeling that Edward was going to want to discuss the relationship between Chloe and Finn’s character. She decided to go backstage and explore for a few minutes to kill time. She also needed a distraction.

She slipped behind the wings and wandered around, aimlessly examining discarded props and set pieces. She moved behind a large piece of dry wall and nearly screamed.

She was face to face with Finn.

“
What-what are you doing?” Chloe stuttered.

“
What are
you
doing?” he countered.

“
Nothing!” she said defensively. “Just exploring.”

“
Edward said we were up. He was going to come looking for you, but I offered.”

Flustered that Finn had come in search of her, she moved towards the stage but Finn blocked her way.

“
You feel it, don’t you?” he murmured.

Chloe stood perfectly still, not breathing. This wasn’t real.

In one quick moment, Finn moved his body towards her, pushing her up against the brick back wall of the back of the theatre. If Chloe gasped, Finn’s lips muffled it when he crushed them against her. He was warm and smelled like mint and aftershave. He ran his hands along Chloe’s arms, moving his lips against her with soft yet hungry need.

Chloe felt herself melting against him, her mind suddenly blissfully blank. She kissed back, parting her lips to let Finn’s probing tongue slide inside her mouth. Chloe pressed against Finn’s firm, muscular frame, feeling his hard biceps beneath his shirt. She had never really paid attention to what he was wearing but as she kissed him, and ran her hands over his buttery leather, she remembered.