Kiss and Makeup (16 page)

“Okay, yeah. Sure. Don't stay up too late,” she said.

And just like that, Chloe knew.

The cleaning, the prepping, the not wearing makeup. How many times had she seen her mother do the same thing?

With a flash of certainty that made her knees weak, Chloe admitted the painfully obvious.

She was in love with Ben.

14

“W
HAT
IS
UP
with you today?” Josh asked.

“Nothing. I'm fine.”

Love was making her crabby, but she certainly wasn't going to tell Josh that. She'd filled him in on the real story behind Ben in a moment of weakness during their last shift and he hadn't shut up about it.

“Bull crap. You've got a serious case of bitch-face today and you'd better do something about it because you're scaring the customers. I've helped three women in the last half hour who were headed your way until they caught sight of your sour expression. I say this as your friend and your employee: you're the manager of a store in the service industry. You're contractually obligated to smile.”

Chloe pasted on a fake grin and batted her eyelashes at him. “Better?”

A woman stepped up beside her. “Excuse me, do you work here?”

“She sure does.” Josh backed away with a smug little wave of his fingers, and Chloe readjusted her grimace into a more natural-looking smile as she turned to face the woman.

“What can I help you with?”

The blonde smiled. “Well, I'm getting married on Valentine's Day.”

“Oh, congratulations!” Chloe tried to sound excited, because she knew it was expected, but her fake marriage was such a huge pain in the ass right now she found herself pretty tepid on the whole wedding issue.

“Thanks. But I was just walking by and I realized I haven't thought much about wedding makeup yet. I just love how you did your eyes. They look incredible.”

“Thank you.” Chloe smiled, genuinely this time. Nothing like a makeup compliment to douse the bitterness of falling in real love with your fake husband.

The woman hitched her purse higher on her shoulder. “Do you think you could get the same effect if you used lighter colors?” she asked.

“Yes, you could definitely create a more subtle version of this look. Were you planning on wearing peach shades? Because with your skin tone, I would recommend something like this—” she plucked an eye shadow pot from the display “—with this color on the lid and this color in the crease.” Chloe placed the shadows she'd selected in the woman's hands. “Add a golden highlight and a strong brow, and your eyes will look incredible. Oh, and we've got this great waterproof mascara, too. A definite must for the big day.”

Forty minutes later, Chloe had walked the woman—Joanna, she discovered—through foundation, lips and cheeks, and was handing over a silver Titanium Beauty bag full of all the cosmetics and brushes the other woman would need for her wedding day.

“There you go. Play with it a little and try some of the techniques we talked about. If you have any questions, feel free to call the store.”

“Thanks, Chloe. I'm terrified I'm not going to come close to what you've described. I don't suppose you do offsite makeup applications?”

“Sure, I could do that.” The words slipped off her tongue without conscious thought, and the store manager part of her brain was screaming in protest. She was supposed to say, “I'm afraid all our makeup services are only offered in-store,” but Ben's voice sounded in her head.

Makeup by Chloe could be whatever you want it to be
. His voice had been popping into her mind a lot lately.

“Really? That would be amazing. How can I book you?”

Chloe took a deep breath and committed to putting herself out there. “Let's book it right now. I'm free on Valentine's Day, you just tell me where to be and when. But in the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I'll be doing your makeup as an independent makeup artist, not as an employee of Titanium Beauty.”

Joanna smiled. “That's fine, as long as you say you can do the bridesmaids' makeup too.”

Moments later, Chloe walked back to the counter, her phone number programmed into Joanna's phone, and a trial makeup appointment scheduled for the following weekend.

“Did you just do what I think you just did, Miz Store Manager?”

“Hmm?” She cocked her head toward the sound of Josh's voice, but she was distracted. She'd done it! She'd taken the first step toward turning Makeup by Chloe into something more than a far-off dream. And it was pretty damn empowering.

Not that she had much of a choice. After tonight's dinner, things were going to change, and she was not going to let her suddenly charmed life turn back into a pumpkin without a fight.

“Look at you go! One minute you're pouting over the eye shadow display and the next you're making sales and breaking rules.”

“I didn't—”

“Yes, you did. You know damn well you just conflict-of-interest-ed all over that situation. And I love it! You are way too talented to be spending your days worrying about the break schedule. I think it's great that you're claiming your rightful place as Queen of the Makeup Jungle.”

Chloe laughed, secretly pleased by Josh's enthusiasm. “You're in a good mood. What's gotten into you?”

He pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow. “I think the question is what's gotten into
you
. And I'm pretty sure the answer is Businessman Ben's penis.”

“
Ugh
. Josh. This is exactly why I don't tell you anything.”

“Chad and I were discussing it, and—”

“You and your boyfriend were discussing Ben's junk? You've met him once, and Chad's never laid eyes on him.”

“I may have snapped a covert photo of him when he came in here to sweep you into this hot, sexy lie you've been living for the past week. But that's beside the point. He's shaken up your status quo. Before him, you would never have put yourself out there like that. Don't argue.” He held up a hand, and she closed her mouth.

“I hope this appointment proves to you that you can be an awesome businesswoman. Because I will quit this job in an instant to come work for you when you get Makeup by Chloe off the ground. At least until the band hits it big.”

“Josh, that was almost a really sweet thing to say. And since you brought up the band, I was wondering...”

“Yeah?”

“Would you guys be interested in writing a riff that I could use at the beginning of my YouTube videos? I'm thinking of upgrading my production value.”

* * *

“I'
M
SURE
THERE
'
S
A
‘Honey, I'm home' joke in this somewhere, but it feels way too obvious,” Chloe announced, pushing through the apartment door with a garment bag and a shoe box. She'd swung by her apartment on the way home from work to pick up a couple of things—namely her favorite black Alexander McQueen dress, her studded Valentino pumps and the pearls she'd received for her sixteenth birthday.

They were the only remnants of her old life that she'd kept, because regardless of their designer labels, they made her feel strong and powerful. And because being ready and appropriate for any occasion was a virtue that her mother had drilled into her from an early age. And if they were going to pull off this business dinner, convince people who knew Ben well that they were a couple, she was going to need all the help she could get.

“Oh, my
God
! What is that amazing smell?”

“Ben Masterson's Famous Mediterranean Chicken.” He glanced over his shoulder at her but there was panic in his eyes. She'd never seen Ben so nervous. She wished he'd taken her suggestion and gotten this shindig catered instead of cooking dinner himself. He was under enough pressure.

“Everything in control?”

“I think so. Salad's in the fridge, chicken's in the oven. What's in the bags?”

“Just my outfit for tonight.” She turned toward the closet, tucking the shoe box on the floor and hanging the garment bag on the far right side.

He joined her in the foyer.

“You look happy.”

She nodded as he stepped toward her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

She put her hands around his neck. “I had a really good day today.”

“Oh, yeah?”

Again, she nodded, pulling his mouth to hers. He looked a little woozy by the time she finally broke the kiss.

“Got a few minutes?”

He glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen. “I think so. What did you have in mind?”

“Well, like I said...” Chloe hooked her fingers in the front of his belt and began tugging him toward the bedroom. “I had a really good day.” She wanted to tell him everything, how she'd finally worked up the courage to take a chance on her dream business. She'd even priced out a couple of laptops when her shift was over. And it was all because of him. All those possibilities he'd painted the other night? She could see them now.

But tonight Ben had other things on his mind, and rightfully so. Tonight it was
his
dream on the line. But at the very least, she could help him relax a little.

She pulled him through the apartment and didn't stop until they reached the foot of the bed. Her fingers made quick work of his belt buckle. She undid the button on his jeans, and pulled his zipper down slowly.

“And now I want to make sure that you're having a good day, too. How does that sound?” Maintaining eye contact, she lowered herself to her knees in front of him.

“That sounds incredible,” he managed to answer. His eyes never left hers, and Chloe loved the intensity of his gaze as she drove him to the edge. She dragged his jeans down his thighs, revealing his straining muscles and white boxer-briefs. “Is this for me?” she asked, running her finger along the length of his very impressive bulge, and Ben made a strangled sound in his throat.

He had such a beautiful body, and she wanted to see more of it. “Take off your shirt.”

He obliged, shedding his white T-shirt in a matter of seconds. His entire torso was so damn incredible; she couldn't help but lean forward and press a kiss to his stomach, and his hips jerked in frustration.

“You're killing me, Chloe.” His voice was strained, rough, and she loved that he loved what she was doing to him. It turned her on.

She took pity on him, divesting him of his underwear so that he stood naked and proud. With a Cheshire smile, she leaned forward and ran her tongue along the length of his shaft. His groan of pleasure made her stomach clench.

“More. Please. Don't stop.”

She held the base of his cock, her lips engulfing the tip, pausing for a moment before she took as much of him as she could handle into her mouth. She sucked her way back up to the top before lowering her head again, this time taking him so deep her lips touched her hand.

“That feels amazing.” Ben curled one big hand into her hair, but he let her set the rhythm. She read the reactions of his body, speeding up and slowing down in response to his groans and the slight undulation of his hips.

“Chloe, I'm— I can't hold back much longer.”

She engulfed the length of him one final time, working her way back to the tip slowly and with more pressure. His hand tightened in her hair. She released his cock, staring up at him to find his head back and his eyes closed, his muscles straining. With a satisfied smile, Chloe got to her feet.

“Did you like that?” she asked, because she needed to hear him say it.

He opened his eyes, let go of her hair and put his hand to her cheek. “It was amazing.” He caught her mouth in a rough kiss that reminded her that she wasn't nearly done with him.

“Well, there's more where that came from,” she promised. “Just lie back and let me do all the work.”

“How can I say no to that?” He climbed onto the mattress and lay against the pillows. She could feel his eyes on her as she peeled off her clothes, dropping them piece by piece.

She crawled onto the mattress and inched toward him, planting one hand on his chest and squeezing his hips between her thighs as she straddled him. Then she reached between them and guided him inside her, right where she ached to feel him most. She loved the way he filled her. And then, staring into his eyes, she began to move.

* * *

H
ELL
,
YES
.
T
HERE
WEREN
'
T
enough curse words to accurately express just how blown his mind was at this point. Chloe had driven him wild with her mouth, and now, watching her use him for her own pleasure, feeling her tight, slick heat consuming him, well, he could get used to this kind of torture.

He loved the way her breath caught in her throat when she rubbed against him just the right way. Hell, he loved it all; the bounce of her breasts, the undulation of her body as she rode him, it was so damn erotic.

“Chloe, tell me how good it feels for you.”

“So good,” she breathed. She planted both hands on his chest and began rocking back and forth, and the change in pace swamped him with unexpected pleasure. He drove his hips upward, trying to get higher, deeper inside her, and she shuddered.

“Oh, my God, Ben. Do that again,” she begged, and he was powerless to disobey. Grabbing her by the hips, he pressed his thumbs into the bird tattoos at her hips and drove himself high inside her once, twice. Then she cried out, her muscles contracting around him, and he let himself drown in a sweet, hot wave of ecstasy.

* * *

C
HLOE
SNUGGLED
CLOSER
to his big body, deliciously spent, and was just nodding off when the screech of the smoke detector startled them both out of their dreamy haze.

“Oh, shit! The chicken!”

Ben was out of bed and into his boxers so fast that Chloe barely had enough time to register what was happening. She pulled on his discarded T-shirt and rushed toward the kitchen, only to be greeted with a smoky haze.