If Love Had A Price

“Thanks for coming with me tonight.” Kris smoothed a hand over her skirt. “And for driving me home earlier.”

“Anytime,” Teague said easily. “It was good catching up, and the band wasn’t bad.”

No, it wasn’t. It was actually good. The revelation had surprised and relieved Kris, who’d attended Blue Hair, aka Elijah’s, band practice out of desperation. She’d promised Susan she would find musical performers for MentHer’s summer gala, and the task had proven more difficult than she’d anticipated. Given the event’s entertainment budget—as in, there was none—she’d had to scour L.A. for decent singers who would be up for a gig that offered zero money or exposure to music bigwigs.

Needless to say, the search was a freaking trial, and Susan refused to let Kris pay for a performer out of pocket—not even if she billed it as a donation. Something about ethics and legal complications.

Kris remembered she’d gotten Blue Hair’s number as a backup when she found out he played in a band and, lo-and-behold, The Prophecy Kings—medieval name withstanding—were decent. They did both cover and original songs, and they were up for a free gig. That last point made them the best damn band on the West Coast, in Kris’s opinion.

“I’d invite you in, but I don’t want my dad to get the wrong idea.” Kris rolled her eyes. “He’s in love with you.”

Teague grinned. “Nah, he’s in love with the family business. You know my dad created the animations for your dad’s first video games.”

“Maybe.”

Teague’s family, the Collinses, owned one of the largest animation studios in the country. They’d started out doing small-time stuff for little-known games and videos but were now one of the go-to’s for visual effects in Hollywood.

Kris and Teague saw each other every Christmas in St. Barth’s. Well, except for this past Christmas, when Gloria had convinced Roger to go to Aspen instead. Teague was a good-looking guy—blond hair, hazel eyes, lean muscles—and Kris had made out with him once a few years ago after too many mai tais. It had been a onetime thing. He was too clean-cut for Kris, and Kris was too barb-tongued for him. Teague liked the sweet, bubbly type.

Plus, Kris didn’t do long-distance relationships. Emotional taxation with no physical satisfaction? No, thanks.

That didn’t stop her dad from dreaming about an alliance between the Carreras and Collinses, though. Everything was a business transaction to him, even his daughter’s love life.

“Call me if you want to hang out or need another mountaintop rescue,” Teague said. “I’ll be here for the summer.”

Kris snorted. “You drove me home from Runyon Canyon. You didn’t rescue me from Mount Everest.”

Her stomach twisted when she remembered her argument with Nate earlier. She’d been debating whether to let him drive her home or call an Uber when she’d run into Teague on her way down. It had been a random, shocking coincidence. She knew Teague lived in the city, but he always spent his summers surfing in the South Pacific. She hadn’t thought to hit him up because she hadn’t expected him to be in town.

Turned out, he’d delayed his surfing adventures to help his dad out on a project for a big upcoming movie.

It had been good to see him, especially since she’d been smarting from Nate’s accusations, and she’d invited Teague to The Prophecy Kings’ band practice at the last minute. Watching a local band play in a garage by herself would’ve been just sad.

Teague clutched his chest. “I’m hurt.”

“Please. Your ego’s like Teflon.”

“True. I also know that tone—you’re seconds away from throwing me out of my own car, so before I can suffer the indignity, I’ll take my cue.” Teague kissed her on the cheek. “See ya later.”

“See you.”

Kris got out of the car and waved as she watched the lights of Teague’s Tesla disappear down her driveway. Once they were out of sight, she walked toward the front door and dug for her keys. The one downside of large purses was that it took forever to find small items.

Her fingers had just closed around the metal when a voice growled from the dark.

“Who the hell was that?”

She screamed and instinctively raised her bag over her head, brandishing it as a weapon. The Gucci tote contained her hair products, wallet, makeup, and a change of shoes—more than heavy enough to inflict serious damage.

“Whoa.” The owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows and held up his hands. “Put that thing away before you hurt somebody.”

“That’s the plan.” Kris’s breathing slowed enough for her to note the familiar mess of sun-kissed brown hair, green eyes, and tanned skin. “Nate? What the hell are you doing here? How did you get in?”

“The guard recognized me and let me in.” His expression turned sheepish. “I came to apologize for being a dick earlier today and for leaving you at the top of a hill.”

Kris lowered her bag, her heart rate slowly returning to normal. “You were a dick, but you didn’t leave me. I left you. I caught a ride with a friend. And Jesus, don’t scare a girl like that outside her own house. You’re lucky I didn’t have pepper spray on me.”

Note to self: buy pepper spray.

“Friend,” Nate echoed, scowling. “Same guy who kissed you just now?”

Kris brushed past him on her way to the door. “As a matter of fact, yes.”

“Only douches drive Teslas.”

She didn’t dignify that with a response.

Kris unlocked the door and glanced over her shoulder. “Are you coming in or not?”

She should’ve been pissed that Nate blew up at her and stormed off that morning, but it was exhausting, fighting battles on multiple fronts. She already had her hands full with the Gloria situation, and Nate was the only person she could talk to about it. Plus, she had to admit she hadn’t phrased her words in the most tactful manner at Runyon. Nate had his pride, and yeah, she kinda did make it sound like she viewed him as a charity case.

Nate glanced inside. “Is your dad here?”

“No. He and Gloria are having a date night. They won’t be back till late.” Kris almost gagged on the words.

Nate’s shoulders relaxed. Reassured, he followed her through the mansion’s cavernous rooms until they reached the kitchen. She didn’t trust herself enough to bring Nate up to her bedroom.

“Who was the guy?” Nate propped his forearms on the marble-tiled island. His tanned, muscular biceps strained against the soft confines of his green T-shirt, and his brows were still set in a deep frown, emphasizing his dark stare and the hard set of his perfect mouth.

Even angry, he was so mouthwateringly sexy Kris wanted to lick him from head to toe. Hell, maybe she was so turned on right now because he was angry. She wanted someone who wouldn’t be cowed by her, and the guys she’d been involved with in the past had all been different shades of Gentle, Polite, and Boring as Fuck.

That was what she got for dating within the confines of the “well-bred” upper class like her dad wanted her to.

“He’s an old friend.”

“Looked like more than a friend.” Nate’s grumpiness intensified. He swept his eyes over her dress. “Were you on a date?”

“Did you come to apologize or grill me about Teague?” Kris pulled a carton of Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food from the fridge and a spoon from the drawer.

Nate’s lips curled. “Teague? Even his name is douchey.”

She glared at him, and he blew out a sigh. There was a long pause before he spoke again.

“Okay, you’re right. I came to apologize. I shouldn’t have blown up at you like that. I just don’t do well with pity.” Nate’s throat flexed with a hard swallow. “That’s all anyone sees when they look at Sky and me. The kids with the dead mom and alcoholic father. Me, the college dropout who has to wait tables to keep the roof over our head. Sky, the smart, talented athlete who might get stuck in the same dead-end life as me because we can’t afford college. In the first year, people tried to give us clothes and make us dinner or whatever, and I know they meant well, but it was too fucking much. Even now, when we run into someone we know, they give us these sad poor-you eyes and I want to scream.” He shook his head. “We lost so much. We can’t lose our pride, too.”

Kris’s heart ached for the beautiful, strong, resilient man standing in front of her—the one who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, even though he hadn’t asked for or prepared for the job.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel like a charity case,” she said. She couldn’t remember the last time she apologized, and the words tasted unfamiliar on her lips. “I don’t think you’re a charity case at all. I know you can take care of your family—you’ve been doing it for years. And judging by how Skylar turned out, you did a great job. I just wanted to help, and the only way I knew how was to give you money.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “That’s my dad’s solution to everything, and I picked it up from him. I get why you were upset. I really do.”

Nate’s face softened, and somehow that made Kris’s chest hurt more. He rounded the counter and pulled her into his arms, shocking her, but she quickly got over her surprise and buried her face in his chest. His T-shirt was soft against her skin, and he smelled like coffee and warm, sensual masculinity.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “I know you had good intentions. I was just being an insecure ass.”

“And I was being a presumptuous ass,” she admitted. She pulled back and examined Nate’s face. His eyes shone with sincerity and a deeper emotion she couldn’t pinpoint. “Now that we both agree we were in the wrong, let’s put the argument behind us.”

“Good idea.” A small grin teased his lips. “Does this mean we can kiss and make up now?”

She swatted his arm while he laughed. “Seriously?”

“It was worth a shot.” Nate shrugged before he grew serious again. “But that guy earlier. Was he your date?”

“Sort of,” she hedged.

He shot her a dark look. “What do you mean, sort of?”

“It was a non-date date. It wasn’t romantic or anything.” This time, Kris was the one who shrugged. “I ran into him in Runyon Canyon and invited him to this music thing because I didn’t want to go alone.”

“I would’ve gone with you.”

“Uh, hello? We weren’t speaking to each other.”

“I still would’ve gone with you. Tesla Teague could’ve stayed the fuck home. And hopefully, home is far, far away.”

“He lives fifteen minutes away,” Kris informed him, suppressing a laugh. “It’s cute that you’re jealous, but we’re not dating. You don’t have a say in who I see. You don’t have a say even if were dating. I do what I want.”

Nate’s eye twitched. “If we were dating, no other man would dare touch you.”

Okay, the possessiveness was strangely hot, but they were going around in circles. “But we’re not.”

“We should.”

Everything went silent except for the quiet hum of the refrigerator in the background. Condensation dripped onto Kris’s hand, and she realized she was still holding her pint of ice cream. Phish Food had probably become Phish Puddle by now.

“You can’t be serious,” she said, a swarm of butterflies taking nervous flight in her stomach.

“I am serious.” Nate leaned against the counter. “Everyone thinks we’re dating already.”

“Not everyone. Only my dad and Gloria.” Kris wrinkled her nose. “If this is your romantic idea of how to ask a girl to be your girlfriend, you need more help than I thought.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Nate solemnly. “How about this instead?”

Before she knew it, her ice cream was on the counter, Nate had pushed her up against the fridge door, and he was kissing her in a way that made her toes curl and stomach clench. He tasted like mint and coffee, and every hard ridge of his body molded against hers like they were made for each other. Two pieces in a puzzle.

She didn’t know how long the kiss lasted. A minute? An hour? A century? All she knew was that it ended too soon.

Nate drew his head back and smiled down at her with smug male satisfaction. “How about that? Kris Carrera, will you be my girlfriend?”

“That’s not fair.” Kris resisted the urge to yank his mouth back to hers. “You cheated.”

“Never said I wouldn’t. I’m a complete scoundrel.”

She fought back a laugh. “We said we wouldn’t put a label on things.”

“We can change our minds.” Nate searched her face for the answer to a question she didn’t know. “Look, I know we haven’t known each other for that long, but I know that you have a good heart, and it’s made better by the fact you don’t flaunt it. You’re beautiful and smart and funny. We have fantastic sex. And—” He paused dramatically. “You have great taste in clothes.”

Oh, he was good.

“You’re correct. I’m all of those things, and I do have excellent taste,” Kris affirmed. She was wearing a next-season Valentino, wasn’t she? “But FYI, tell anyone about the ‘good heart’ part and the ‘fantastic sex’ part goes away. The acceptable explanation is that I have split personalities. Sometimes the good twin sneaks out and I have to lock her in her room again.”

A laugh broke out of Nate’s throat. “Got it.”

“Good.” Kris listened to the hum of the fridge, wondering if she was doing the right thing or setting herself up for heartbreak down the road. Not that it mattered. She couldn’t walk away from Nate now if she tried. “So we’re doing this, huh?”

“Yeah.” The smile lingered in Nate’s eyes as he curled a palm around her cheek. “I’m game if you are.”

“How would it work? We date until I leave for Seattle?” The thought of not seeing him again sent a sharp jolt of pain through her chest. “Full disclosure, I don’t do long-distance relationships. They never work.”

“I agree. Neither do I. But let’s cross that bridge when we get there.” Nate stepped closer, his scent filling her senses as he caressed her cheek. “For now, let’s enjoy the time we do have together.”

Yep, she was definitely setting herself up for heartbreak down the road.

“Okay,” Kris said softly.

His smile could’ve lit up all of Los Angeles.

“So, now that we’re officially dating…” He lowered his head. “I have a few ideas for how we could spend our first night as boyfriend and girlfriend.”