Chloe Cameron's Guide To Accidentally Dating A Rockstar: A Novel

Prologue

Chloe’s back hitsthe hotel room wall hard, Luke pressing against her with his whole body. His kisses are harsh, pressing firmly first on her lips and then trailing down her jaw to her neck. Chloe gasps and her hands dig themselves into his thick curls, grasping desperately as his lips find the sensitive point on her collarbone.

He nips lightly at the spot, pulling a whimper from her lips.

For just a moment, she’s struck dumb by this situation, and by herself. She’s not normally one to do something—anything—like this. She’s always been called the “goody-two-shoes”, whether it was lovingly by her friends or patronizingly by her bullies. She’s never been one to go outside her comfort zone like this.

But with Luke resolutely sucking on the crook of her neck, she thinks that maybe going outside her comfort zone isn’t such a bad idea after all. Especially when he bites—oh, fuck, she likes that.

‘Luke, please,’ she whines, tugging at his hair. He groans against her skin, and she suddenly becomes keenly aware of his growing arousal. She does it again, and the noises he makes send pleasant little waves throughout her body. ‘Please.’

‘Please, what?’ he asks, a cheeky grin on his lips as he pulls back just enough to see her. Chloe’s cheeks warm under his gaze—her shirt has already been discarded on the floor, and she feels embarrassingly bare in just her bra.

‘Please,’ she repeats, pulling him in for another kiss. He moves easily, his hands falling to her ass and squeezing it as she sucks on his plush bottom lip. Against his lips, she adds, ‘More.’

‘Oh, sweetheart, you’ll have to do better than that,’ he whispers. He pulls back once more, his dark eyes glittering in the dim light of the room. Cold air washes over Chloe as Luke’s body heat leaves her. By the smug smile on his face, he knows this. He teases her some more, pulling his shirt off slowly. ‘C’mon, baby, what do you want?’

In a move entirely unlike her, Chloe shoves him on the bed and climbs until she’s straddling him. Her blonde hair falls like a curtain, and for a long moment they’re the only two people in the world. ‘You.’

GROUPCHAT: JUST GALS BEIN’ PALS

11:21 PM

Chloe

devin where are you??

i’m by the car where the hell did you go

Elena

Did you guys have fun?

I’m still bummed I couldn’t make it.

Chloe

would have been more fun with you!

you know this isn’t my kind of thing

devin wtf answer me

Devin

be there in a sec

there’s an after party and i’m getting the details

Chloe

devin no

Devin

chloe YES

Elena

Oof, have fun, CJ.

Chloe didn’t want to go to the stupid concert in the first place, but she’s never been able to say no to Devin—a fact that Devin is perfectly aware of and frequently uses to her own advantage. Chloe would much rather be at home, curled up with a book or something similar to pass the time. Something safely within her comfort zone, with people she already knows; with absolutely no risks involved.

And yet, despite Chloe’s multiple complaints and requests to go home, they end up inside a record-studio-turned-club in an after party that is somehow more lively than the concert itself. She can already feel a headache coming on.

‘If anyone asks, we’re friends with Mike Jenkins, the music producer,’ Devin yells in her ear, still hardly audible over the music. ‘Don’t tell anyone we’re R3 fans, okay? This is a “no fans” kind of party. Industry members-only kind of thing.’

Chloe wants to point out that she is not a fan of Reckless 3, but it seems pointless. She wants to ask how Devin talked their way into an industry-exclusive after party, but Devin’s always been charming enough to get what she wants. And tonight, she’s got her sights set on?—

‘There he is,’ Devin gasps, squeezing Chloe’s hand tightly. ‘Maverick Carter.’

Maverick Carter, lead singer and guitarist for the internationally famous rock band, Reckless 3. He’s cute, Chloe has to admit, but just looking at him she can see how cocky and full of himself he must be. Very much not her type. But very much Devin’s.

Devin slips her hand out of Chloe’s grip—and just like that, she is alone in the crowd. People mill around her, everyone with a drink in their hand and someone on their arm. The music pulses loudly, vibrating her down to her bones.

Chloe watches for a moment as Devin saunters up to Maverick Carter. Her long, red hair glows brilliantly in the neon lights of the club. She’s striking, really. Maverick Carter doesn’t stand a chance.

Quickly—far too quickly—Chloe gets overwhelmed by the crowd, the music, the lights. Everything. And suddenly, it’s like she can’t breathe. Like the pure energy of everyone and everything in the room is weighing on her chest, pressing until the air won’t flow.

Chloe stumbles back, losing sight of Devin in the crowd. She bumps into a man, then a woman, mumbling an apology to both as she hurries past them. She needs to get out of there, if only for a moment.

The studio-turned-club is on the third floor of the building, so it’s not long until Chloe finds a balcony she can escape to. The second she steps outside, the warm air of late summer blows past and her chest loosens. Breathing becomes easier.

The music fades to a dull thrum as the door shuts behind her and the sound of traffic below fills the air. The balcony overlooks downtown Nashville and the river that cuts through the city.

It’s peaceful, Chloe thinks as she leans against the railing.

It’s the kind of place where a mind can wander, and Chloe’s is more prone to wandering than most. She stares out at the water, at the minuscule people hurrying through the streets, bar hopping or some other tourist activity. Groups of girls—friends on a night out? A bachelorette party?—hooting and hollering as they drunkenly take on the city.

Friends…Chloe’s friends have always been better with people and new situations than her. Devin’s the type of person who can flirt with the right guy and get an invite to a party with her favorite band, while Chloe’s the one who wouldn’t have shown up to the concert in the first place. Elena has her whole life figured out, while Chloe’s stuck with a useless degree and a dead-end retail job.

She shakes her head as the familiar feeling of worthlessness creeps in. This is not the time or place to be thinking about her life, and how she doesn’t know what to do with it. Quickly, she rubs at her eyes to rid them of any tears.

A cough breaks her from her reverie. Chloe jumps a little, finally noticing that she is, in fact, not alone on this balcony.

‘Oh, sorry, I—’ Her breath catches in her throat when her gaze lands on the man in the corner of the balcony. Dark, curly hair flopping into his deep brown eyes. Sleeveless T-shirt with holes cut artfully around the neck, the front and the sides. Smooth brown skin with beautiful tattoos filling up his left arm in a half-sleeve.

Luke Waters. Bassist for Reckless 3. Even if she hadn’t just attended his concert, his face was well-known enough that she would have recognized him anywhere. She can’t pass the magazine section at work without seeing his band plastered on every front cover.

He’s settled in on the corner of the large balcony, just out of the path of the lights from the club.

‘I just needed some fresh air,’ she responds weakly. He raises an eyebrow at her. ‘It’s just a little…much in there.’

He nods in understanding. Then he leans forward on the iron bar of the balcony and fiddles with an unlit cigarette between his fingers. ‘Clubs not your thing?’

Chloe tries not to look surprised that he’s actually talking to her. ‘Parties in general aren’t my thing,’ she admits softly. ‘But my friend wanted to come, so here I am.’

‘Hiding out on a balcony,’ Luke says wryly. Chloe huffs.

‘So are you.’

Luke tilts his head in agreement. ‘Trust me, if it were my choice, I’d be anywhere but here.’ He pauses for a moment, looking her up and down easily in a way that sends heat straight to her cheeks. ‘Well, I suppose right here is okay.’

She mirrors his position, leaning on the bar, her arms hanging forward. Her rings catch in the light, shining for just a moment. Despite her flush and her embarrassment, something compels her to ask, ‘Just okay?’

Chloe’s blonde hair blows in the breeze, towards Luke. He slides closer to her, and for a moment Chloe swears she feels electricity.

‘I’m Luke, by the way,’ he says after a moment, as if there’s any possibility that she might not know who he is. He isn’t looking at her, but at the water in the distance. The light dancing around the current. ‘I’m only here for the night.’

‘Chloe,’ she responds. As a joke, she adds, ‘I’m always here.’

He pauses, glances at her like he’s waiting for something. Chloe bites her lip, then points to his still unlit cigarette.

‘You gonna light that?’

His eyebrows go up, as if he was expecting her to ask this question. He leans closer to her, holding it out for her to take.

‘Why, you want one?’

Chloe shakes her head, wrinkling her nose, and pushes his hand away softly. ‘No, just—you’re gonna unravel that one if you keep playing with it like that.’

‘Huh.’ Luke slips the cigarette back in his pocket. ‘So, you’re not gonna?—’

‘Gonna what?’

‘Ask about the band or for an autograph or something?’ Chloe sees it then. The guard he has up, waiting for her to turn into some rabid fangirl. To cling to his arm and beg for a picture. Ask him to follow her on Twitter—or whatever else fangirls tend to do when they meet their celebrity crushes.

‘Nah,’ she says lightly. Hesitating only a little, she bumps his hip with her own. ‘No offense, but your music’s not really my thing.’

Luke’s jaw drops a little, but the corners of his mouth pull up into a smile. ‘I’m completely offended.’

‘Well, that’s just not fair, because I said “no offense”!’ Chloe says with a laugh. ‘By law, you’re not allowed to be offended by anything I say after.’

‘Oh, really?’ There’s something playful in his eyes now, and he leans into her. Their shoulders bump, their noses mere inches from each other. ‘Well, no offense, but you’re really pretty.’

Chloe wrinkles her nose, nudging him a little. ‘I don’t think you know how “no offense” works.’

Luke chuckles. ‘Well, are you offended?’

‘No.’

‘Then I think I did it right.’ He brushes some of her hair back, tugging softly on the blonde strand. He pursed his lips, musing. ‘You wanna get out of here?’

Chloe pauses, staring up at his dark eyes. Her breath hitches in her chest. It feels like a precipice—one answer leads back to safety, to her comfort zone and her boring normal problems, while the other answer—one she really wants to give—leads far away from normal, from safe, from boring.

Towards Luke.

GROUPCHAT: JUST GALS BEIN’ PALS

12:19 AM

Chloe

hey uh quick question

Elena

What’s up?

Devin

cj!! where are you i can’t find you?

Chloe

about that

uhhh

i’m kind of…on the way to luke waters’ hotel room right now

with him, i mean

Devin

CHLOE JAAAANEE!! YES GET IT GIRL

i’m not even mad you ditched me holy shit!!

Chloe

to be fair, you ditched me first

Elena

Wait, what was your question?

Chloe

uh

what do i do

Elena

What do you mean, “What do I do”???

Chloe

idk!!!

this has never happened to me before!!

Elena

Have you thought this through?

Chloe

not really

shit we’re here gtg

take the car dev, i’ll catch an uber home

Devin

god she’s so fucking lucky

Elena

Chloe Jane, you’re going to give me a stroke.

Please be safe.

Devin

she’s a smart girl she’ll be safe

Elena

She’s basically a groupie now, I don’t know if I trust her judgment.

Devin

hey no hating!!

if i had my way, i’d be doing the same with maverick carter rn

i wanna climb him like a fuckin tree

Elena

Why am I friends with you again?

3:41 AM

Chloe

i’m home

Devin

oh mY GOD CALL ME I NEED DETAILS