Nothing Ventured Read online

  "Did you really have a chance at going pro after you graduated?"

  Those eyes could melt her into a puddle if she let them… if being the apropos word. "It wasn't the right direction for me. I didn't want to be a professional athlete. I had other, um, aspirations."

  Chris nodded, eyes still locked on hers.

  Alison let out an impatient sigh. "Mia, I think I'm going to join the rest of the team at the bar. Want to come with?"

  "Oh, sure." Mia smiled at Chris. "It was really nice meeting you. I'll be in touch. We've got plenty of strategizing to do. LazerShark is generating a lot of buzz right now. We need to capitalize on it."

  "Yeah, looking forward to it. Have fun celebrating. See ya, Ali."

  "Bye, Chris!" Alison turned to Mia with an incredulous look. "He's totally into you, if you didn't already catch that."

  "You're insane. He's just cozying up to me because he knows we hold the future of LazerShark in the balance. It's really not what you think."

  "Think what you want. Chris Camden is hot for you."

  "It doesn't matter anyway. Not like it can go anywhere. It's a huge conflict of interest. I'd get fired. There would be exposure for the firm. There might even be some legalities to consider. In any case, it cannot be done. So, whether or not he's hot for me is irrelevant." Um, yeah, and don't forget about Alex… again.

  "Jeez, Mia. Get defensive much?"

  "Oh, um, I just meant it's not appropriate behavior and—"

  "Oh my God, you like him, too!"

  Heat crept down her neck, flooding her insides. "I don't at all. You're misreading—"

  "Am I?" Alison narrowed her eyes, making Mia recoil slightly. The look disappeared almost immediately, and her bright smile was back. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to give you a hard time. I was just playing around. Anyway, he's got quite the reputation. Not exactly the boyfriend type. More like the revolving door kind, if you get my drift." She snickered, with a finger pointed at two bleached blondes escorting Chris to the parking lot. "See what I mean? Come on, let's go toast to our big V! Paul's going to love you even more now!"

  Mia glanced at their retreating backs and shook her head.

  Ick. Revolving door, indeed.

  CHAPTER TWO

  JANA FROWNED AT THE SALAD IN front of her. "So unappetizing."

  "Why do you torture yourself? Just order the freaking burger. You know you get food envy. Give yourself a treat. You're pregnant, for chrissakes." Mia bit into a fried dill pickle chip. "Mmm, I love this place."

  Jana rubbed her swollen belly. "If I have any hope of getting back into my size six clothes after this baby is born, I need to go easy. Not all of us were born with a body like yours. You can thank your pain-in-the-ass mother for those fabulous genes. She may have the tongue of a viper, but she has thighs like a thoroughbred."

  "Stop being so hard on yourself. Your body will snap back in no time. By the way, I love that top. Does it come in a non-maternity version?"

  "Like this one?" Jana pulled a plastic bag from her tote and dangled it in front of her.

  "Oh my gosh, I can't wait to wear it!"

  "Consider yourself lucky. It won't be hitting the boutiques for a few months."

  "Awesome. I love being ahead of the fashion curve." Mia pointed to the copy of InStyle magazine on the table. "You know you're famous now, right? An interview in the style bible is a guarantee you've made it. My sister-in-law, the next Coco Chanel."

  "When I was getting coffee this morning, a girl in line asked for my autograph. Isn't that crazy?"

  "I'm so proud of you. Your designs are going to light up the runway at Fashion Week."

  Talk about hitting the marriage jackpot. Jana had really lucked out with Sean. Having a husband who encouraged her to do what she loved, to take a chance on fulfilling her dreams for the future, to be her ally — supporting her, inspiring her, and cheering her on every step of the way. She'd had that with her fiancé Brandon, her forever… or so she thought. He'd been her biggest champion, but life had interfered and taken him away from her and their unborn daughter, Chloe, much too soon. Having what Jana and Sean shared… it was what Mia wanted for her future, but desiring something and having it become a reality were two very different things.

  "Sure, I only need about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to make it happen." She popped a cherry tomato into her mouth. "Pocket change."

  "We just need to get someone famous to appear in one of your designs, and the paparazzi will take care of the rest. A smoking hot picture in InTouch Weekly is guaranteed to go viral."

  "Great plan. I'll get on the horn with all my celebrity friends." Jana snickered. "How's everything going with Alex?"

  Mia took a large bite of her cheeseburger, ketchup and cheese oozing onto the plate. "Mmmm… you sure you don't want some?"

  "Oh come on. You need to get laid. Why can't I ask how things are going? I don't understand why you insist on this secrecy."

  Mia choked on her Diet Coke as a few onlookers turned their heads with interest. "Would you keep your voice down?"

  "Quit avoiding the subject." Jana shoveled in a forkful of lettuce. "Now can you please let me know what the hell is happening with your love life?"

  Mia speared a french fry. "It's going well, I think. He's really nice and smart and respectful. We have fun together. But it's still early days, you know?"

  "Sounds like a dream."

  "Mom is shoving me down the aisle, but I want to take things slow."

  "Yeah, she's a big fan. I'm surprised you agreed to go out with him in the first place. I would have thought you'd have run in the opposite direction."

  "Please, I'd do just about anything to get her off my back. If going out on a date would pacify her, why not? Luckily, he turned out to be a good guy."

  "And he's cool with Chloe?"

  "Being a single mom is a deal-breaker for a lot of guys our age, but Alex is genuinely excited to meet her. We're going out to dinner together tonight. It's a big step for us and I'm nervous, but I think it's time to take things to the next level."

  "That's really great." Jana flashed a devilish smile. "But let's turn the conversation back to you getting laid…"

  "We're nowhere near there yet." Hell, third base wasn't even in sight.

  "Why not? What are you waiting for?"

  "I guess…" Mia shrugged. "I don't know. I'm still waiting for the right time. It's been a while, and I want it to mean something." Or maybe she still wasn't convinced she'd found the right guy. An image of Chris Camden popped into her mind. Sexy, smoldering, and way too dangerous.

  "Screw that, sweetie. Just do him already. It'll be good for you." She winked. "Maybe it'll loosen you up a little."

  "I know. Work has been pretty stressful. One of the associates is a real prick and has it out for me. I'm having a hard time balancing everything with Chloe. Her schedule is almost as crazy as mine, and she's only in fourth grade. Besides all that, my mom has been relentless. I feel like I'm… floundering."

  "Your mom is never going to change."

  "Tell me about it. I'm so torn all the time. I love my job, but Chloe's my top priority. Part of the reason I work so hard is to make a great life for her. I hate to depend on anyone, but I can't do it all on my own. And my mom just lays on the guilt every chance she gets."

  "I know." Jana chewed a cherry tomato, a thoughtful look on her face. "Sometimes I think she's jealous."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "You're so successful and perseverant. Maybe she's just a little resentful, since she never accomplished anything career-wise. She stayed home with you and Sean but never ventured out when you got older. Maybe she's envious. You've done so much on your own, and you have a lot to be proud of."

  "I can't believe she'd condemn my lifestyle because she's resentful. She's been this way forever. Not with my dear brother Sean by the way, just with me."

  "Well, be grateful your dad doesn't give you a hard time."

  "Is it any surprise
he hasn't retired yet?"

  "So that's where the workaholic mentality comes from. Your mom wants you to settle down for Chloe's sake, and the fact that you're so strong-willed drives her bananas."

  "Settling down is just not in the cards for me right now. Plus, we really don't need to revisit the whole Greg-scenario, do we? I mean, my mom just loved him, and look how well that went. God, I can't believe I was about to uproot our lives and move us to London so he could take that job. I was such an idiot for swallowing his lies." Mia chewed another french fry and shook her head. "I have to look out for Chloe's best interests. I can't do that to her again."

  "Not every guy is going to be like Greg. Don't you want to find what you've been missing all these years? You owe it to yourself to be happy."

  "Enough. I told you, I'm good with how things are." Mia looked at her watch. "Oops, gotta run. I have a meeting with Paul to go over details for the kickoff meeting with LazerShark, and I need to make a quick pit stop before that."

  "Make all the excuses you want. I'm not going to stop bugging you about this. Now get your ass back to work and I'll see you later. Chloe and I will be working on a very special, scrumptious project after I pick her up from school."

  "Thanks again for helping me out. I'll see you later." She grabbed her bag and gave Jana an air kiss. "Love you!"

  "Love you, too. Even though you're leaving a full plate of fries across from me. Bitch."

  CHRIS PASSED AISLE AFTER aisle in the drugstore to jog his memory. What else did James want? Why the hell wasn't Jessica running his errands? A tall brunette standing in front of the facial moisturizers silenced all internal grumblings. He licked his lips, eyes glued to the tight skirt stretched over her perfect ass.

  "Are you kidding me? The one thing I needed, and you're out of stock?" She huffed and slammed her basket onto the floor.

  Despite himself, Chris chuckled. He couldn't see the girl's face, but the view from behind elicited plenty.

  A loud sigh escaped her mouth, and her voice dripped with sarcasm. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I had an audience."

  "Sorry, but you're a little difficult to ignore."

  The girl spun around, poised to attack. Recognition washed over her features, and she flashed a sheepish smile. "Looks like we're having some issues with first and second impressions, hmm? And we haven't even officially met inside the office yet."

  "Seems like. Just for the record, I didn't mean to interrupt your tirade against skin care. Please, proceed." Christ, what he wouldn't do for a tube of whatever face stuff she wanted. How far would she go to get it away from him?

  A deep red blush colored Mia's cheeks. She cleared her throat and pointed to the space on the shelf. "That is the one product I absolutely needed to pick up today. Maybe my frustration was a bit misdirected, though. I mean, what is the shelf really going to do for me — magically restock itself? Looks like I'll be hitting every drugstore in town until I find it."

  It was hard not to gawk, impossible almost. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed himself to think of anything other than the stirrings that jolted him as she bent over to grab a bottle of shampoo. Nope, nothing could possibly compete with that ass.

  She straightened and smoothed back her hair. "I guess that'll do it for me. Time to get back to the office."

  "How's everything looking for the kickoff?" Finally, something else to think about.

  "Oh, everything is moving along really well. Alison got in touch with you about the venue, right?"

  "Yeah, it's got Emerson written all over it. Guy can never do things in a conference room. What's up with that?"

  "He's a little unconventional at times, but I think this will be a really good chance for us to have a team-building experience. It'll be fun, I promise."

  "I'm sure it will be."

  Mia's phone buzzed, and she let out an impatient sigh before answering. "This is Mia." Her voice softened almost immediately, a dazzling smile lighting up her features. "Hey there, how are you?"

  He stiffened. Boyfriend? He wasn't about to ask… didn't really want the suspicion confirmed. The idea of her with another guy made him feel… well, unjustifiably jealous, if he was being honest, and that was disconcerting. Why should he care about Mia's love life when he could easily pick out ten girls who'd do just about anything to command even a slither of his attention?

  She twirled a strand of glossy, brown hair around her finger. "Yes, we're really looking forward to it." Pause. "Great, see you at seven. Bye." Smiling, Mia tossed the phone in her bag. "I've got to get back to the office. I'll give you a call if I have questions." Her amber eyes sparkled, making his heart rate quicken. Dammit, who had been on the phone with her?

  Oh hell, he needed to get a grip.

  "THANKS FOR WATCHING CHLOE this afternoon." Mia followed Jana into the kitchen. "Mmm, something smells amazing."

  "I've been testing recipes for the trunk show and—"

  "These are so adorable!" Mia grabbed a high-heeled stiletto cake and matching handbag from the serving tray. "Can I?"

  "Knock yourself out. Chloe and I've been sampling them all afternoon."

  Mia popped the pink-and-black frosted handbag into her mouth and moaned. "Oh Lord, this is so delish. And there's jelly in the middle!"

  Jana laughed and pulled another baking sheet out of the oven. "You know I love to channel my nervous energy into yummy treats."

  "You must have been really freaked out today." She selected a bright orange stiletto and bit into it. "I've been thinking about potential investors for you. My friend Avery would be interested. She's a total fashionista. I bet she'd love your collections."

  "Avery… she's the one who does Internet Idol?"

  Mia giggled. "Not Internet Idol. CrowdRok."

  "Same difference."

  "Make fun, but she's in LA and rubs elbows with all the A-listers. That's exactly the kind of business partner you need — someone with a huge network in the entertainment industry who is constantly stalked by the paparazzi."

  "You know how obsessive I get about my designs. I don't want to answer to anyone. I like being the master of my own destiny."

  "Okay, just think about it. If you change your mind, I can always make a phone call…"

  Chloe ran into the living room, long, blond hair streaming behind her. A toothy grin lit up her pink-tinged cheeks. "Hey, Mom!"

  "Hi, baby. How was your day? Did you finish your math homework?" Please, please say yes. Fourth-grade homework was killer and not high on her list of fun things to do.

  "Yep! We baked too, and then I gave Aunt Jana a back massage."

  Jana winked at Mia. "Your little girl is a master masseuse, just in case you weren't already aware. She has magic hands. Your brother's massages pale in comparison."

  "Oh, I'm sure Sean would just love hearing that. Where is he, anyway?"

  "He's at some client meeting. He'll be home in a couple of hours. What time is Alex picking you up tonight?"

  "Seven o'clock." Mia smoothed the front of her skirt and picked off an imaginary piece of lint.

  "This is a pretty major step." Jana narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you seem more excited?"

  Mia shrugged and lowered her voice so Chloe wouldn't hear her response. "I know I should just relax. He's nice and sweet—"

  "But he doesn't get your blood pumping. He's not going to break the dry spell, is he?"

  "We'll see how things go."

  "What's the problem?" Jana frosted a chocolate handbag and bit into it.

  "Sometimes I think he tries a little too hard. He's always on. It almost seems forced."

  "Maybe he's nervous and is trying to put his best foot forward."

  "I guess so." The tingling between her thighs certainly wasn't a forced reaction to seeing Chris Camden at the drugstore. Things would be so perfect if Alex could elicit the same response.

  "Why are you being so noncommittal? Did you meet someone else?"

  "No, I — I just… I mean, there is a guy, but it's not what
you think. He's my… Well, I'm assigned to his account at work. I'm his company's investment manager."

  "Stammer much, Mia?" Jana rolled her eyes. "What's this guy like?"

  "He's ridiculously hot, has an insane body, a great sense of humor and… he's a total man-whore."

  "How do you know that?"

  "Alison from work told me. But we're colleagues, and I'd never do anything to jeopardize my career. Paul would probably fire me for even thinking about him."

  "Hmm. Sounds like you're kind of into him."

  "He's a good-looking guy who happens to be very personable. That's all."

  "You are such a bad liar. You're practically turning purple. Just admit you like him."

  "Jana!" Mia hissed. She widened her eyes and nodded to Chloe. "Keep it down. I don't need her hearing any of this."

  "Okay, fine, I'm done embarrassing you. I just haven't seen you react this way about a guy in a long time."

  "It doesn't matter. It's a dead end, even if Alex wasn't in the picture."

  "Too bad."

  "Alex is a good guy."

  "But he doesn't make your blood simmer like that Silicon Valley heartthrob."

  "Trust me, I don't need all the drama. Alex is… just fine."

  "Sounds like an insanely lukewarm affair."

  Hmm… basically, yes.

  "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, pumpkin. Sleep well." Mia kissed the top of Chloe's head and pulled the bedroom door closed.

  She tiptoed into the dimly-lit living room and settled into the plush couch cushions. Alex turned to her and smiled. "I had a great time with you guys tonight. Chloe is a terrific kid."

  Oh shoot, he was totally going to make a move. What the hell? Why couldn't she be at least a little excited at the prospect?

  "Thanks, it was a lot of fun. She loves getting dressed up for dinner, so this was a big treat for her."

  "I'm so glad I met you," he murmured, his hand stroking her cheek. "I feel like we were meant to be together. I think about you all the time."

  So much for taking things slowly. Her back stiffened, but it wasn't enough to deter Alex's roaming hands.