Fractured Hearts: A Fractured Rock Star Romance Read online

  That brought her mind back to the offer of working with Fractured. Going on tour with a world-famous rock band would be a good distraction; something completely different from anything she’d ever done before.

  Lexie chewed her lip, debating the pros and cons of the idea. She didn’t know much about Fractured, apart from having heard their biggest hits—they were played on the radio so much it was hard not to—but she didn’t consider herself a fan and didn’t know much about the band members themselves. While she had a vague recollection of seeing a magazine cover with four tall, good-looking men on it, she hadn’t taken much notice at the time.

  Her mind wandered back to the phone call with Connor. His lilting voice had been almost hypnotic, which probably explained why he’d been able to convince her to meet with him on Friday.

  Giving in to curiosity about the man that had been so persuasive on the phone, she opened her browser, pulling up the first fan site she came to and navigating to his profile page.

  According to his bio, Connor had been born in Kilkenny, Ireland. Tragically, his mom had passed away when he was only eleven. Lexie swallowed the lump that came to her throat, knowing from personal experience how hard it was to lose someone you loved.

  Apparently, a few years after his mother’s death, and with no explanation given, Connor ended up living with his aunt in Ohio. At sixteen, after honing his musical talent, he and his three best friends started Fractured. By the time he turned eighteen, the band was playing gigs in bars and clubs across the state. It was at one of those that they were “discovered” and the rest, as they say, was music history.

  Lexie clicked on the Gallery tab and scrolled through various photos of Connor, pausing at one that caught her eye. It was a photo of all four band members and seemed to have been taken at a club. The light was low, and several stunning, barely dressed women surrounded them. The three other band members were oblivious to the camera, but Connor had his head angled toward the photographer, his piercing green eyes staring down the lens. His dark, almost black hair looked like he’d just raked his fingers through it, and his seductively curving lips were tipped up in what might have been a smile, if not for the slight narrowing of his eyes and the tension evident in his chiseled jaw.

  Lexie blew out a breath. With his height and broad shoulders, there was no doubt the man had won the genetic lottery.

  He used it to his advantage too, because in almost every photo, some model-like beauty hung off him—never the same one twice. The website she was on had posted an interview where he’d been asked about having a girlfriend. Connor had replied that he didn’t “do” relationships, and when the interviewer asked why, he’d shut the guy down with a terse “why the fuck would I need to?” then promptly changed the topic.

  Lexie’s nose wrinkled. As charming as Connor had been on the phone, he seemed to be a typical rock star—high on his own sense of self-importance, fueled by the people that threw themselves at him because of his good looks and celebrity status. She couldn’t imagine spending three months with a person like that. Make that four people, she corrected herself. The three others in the band would more than likely have inflated egos too. Well, that was just one more reason to say no to the job on Friday.

  She scrolled through a few more photos, taking note of the ones where all the band members were together; wondering what it would be like spending three months with such imposing men.

  All four of them were attractive, but in every photo, she found her eyes drawn to Connor. Apart from his dark good looks, it was the intensity of his gaze she found so fascinating. Idly she wondered what it would feel like to be the subject of that kind of intensity. A slight tremor passed through her at the thought, but she shook her head, dismissing the feeling. After all, there hadn’t been a man in the world who had caused even a small spike in her heart rate in the last three years.

  Before logging off, Lexie’s eyes were once again drawn to Connor’s photo. She studied his face as if she could somehow tell what kind of man he was through the pixels on the screen.

  Well, she supposed she would find out on Friday when they met in person. Taking a deep breath to ease a sudden bout of nerves, she shut her laptop and tried to think about something else.

  It proved to be harder than she thought.

  Chapter 3

  Connor sat on the couch in Drew’s office, waiting impatiently for his meeting with Lexie. The photographer’s contract was printed and stacked on the coffee table in front of him.

  He was on his own because the other three had decided they’d rather spend the day by the pool than an hour meeting with their potential tour photographer. He wasn’t too annoyed by their lack of interest since he’d only got this involved because he’d been bored. But now he was committed, and he wanted the book to be something special. While he spent most of his spare time writing music for the band, it was satisfying to explore a different creative outlet.

  A knock on the door distracted him from his thoughts, and Drew stuck his head through the gap. “She’s here,” he said, waggling his blond eyebrows and smiling. Now, what did that mean?

  He figured it out soon enough when Drew ushered Lexie into the room.

  Well, fuck.

  He’d seen a small profile picture of her on her website, but it had in no way done her justice. He certainly didn’t expect her to be so gorgeous. She had long, wavy dark chocolate-colored hair pulled back in a ponytail and stunning gray eyes. She was petite, but the professional-looking silk button-down shirt and jeans she was wearing couldn’t hide her lush curves.

  Realizing he’d been staring at her longer than was polite, Connor stood and stuck out his hand for her to shake. “Nice to meet you, Lexie.”

  Since the top of her head barely reached his shoulders, she had to tip her head back to meet his eyes. Up close, he could see she had a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and full, pink lips, which were currently turned up in a nervous smile. “Nice to meet you too Mr. Byrne.”

  “Connor’s fine.”

  “Right. Nice to meet you, Connor,” she said, still smiling but with a slight hint of color staining her cheeks.

  Connor smiled to himself. Convincing her to sign on as tour photographer would be no problem now they were in the same room. Not too many women could say no to him once he turned on the charm.

  He realized Lexie was still standing, so he ushered her to the couch with a hand on the small of her back. The heat of her skin through her thin shirt warmed his palm—a far too pleasant feeling considering how attractive she was—and he quickly dropped his hand. The last thing he needed was to start lusting after their potential photographer. No matter how sexy she was, she’d be off-limits if she signed the contract. He needed her talent for this project; he couldn’t afford to screw it up by trying to screw her.

  After seating himself on the couch opposite her, he said, “So Lexie, did you get a chance to read the contract Drew emailed you? I’m hoping we can sign the paperwork today and get started on making plans.”

  She nodded. “I did give it a read through, but honestly Mr. Byr… uh, Connor, I really don’t think I’m the right person for the job. It sounds like you’re looking for a professional tour photographer. There are some excellent ones out there that I’m sure would jump at the opportunity to work with the band. I focus more on landscape and street photography, so I don’t understand why you approached me for this.”

  “You and me both, love,” Drew mumbled from the corner of the room where he lounged behind his desk.

  Connor narrowed his eyes at Drew before turning back to Lexie. “Look, I may be a crazy rock star.” He smiled to himself when Lexie flushed bright red at the reminder of the comment she’d made to Drew on the phone. “But there is a good reason. I don’t want this book to be the same old thing the record labels trot out when they think their cash cows have reached the height of their success. It’s not like we need to make any more money.”

  Drew snorted from the corner
and Connor rolled his eyes. “The truth of the matter is, the reason we agreed to do it and why I asked for creative control is that I want this to be something different. Something better.”

  Lexie leaned forward in her seat, eyes fixed on his and a slight crease of concentration between her eyebrows.

  Encouraged by her response, he continued. “I want to take the spotlight off us and shine it on the tour experiences that are usually overlooked. Of course, the band has to be a big part of it. The book needs to show what it’s like for us to spend months on the road. But I also want the story to focus on the people that are actually responsible for making it all happen. The fans, the support crew, hell, even management.” He smirked as he slanted a look at Drew.

  Drew held both hands up in the air. “Hey, I’ll try not to outshine you, but I can’t promise anything.”

  Lexie laughed and shot Drew a smile that lit her eyes up, making them sparkle. Connor could hardly believe it when Drew blushed. Damn, even his cynical manager seemed to be affected by Lexie’s natural beauty.

  Feeling annoyed for some reason, he cleared his throat, and Lexie turned her attention back to him. “At the end of the day, our success is built on a partnership. The people on the other side of it are giving their all to support the vision and to help us realize it. So, that’s one thing I want the book to show.”

  Lexie raised her eyebrows. “What else do you want it to show?”

  Connor hesitated. He wasn’t sure how much to say, particularly in front of Drew, but he needed her to agree to this job, for some reason he couldn’t quite articulate.

  He took a breath and continued in a lower voice. “The other thing I want to show is that we’re not these larger-than-life figures. What most people see of us is a construct, what the label and the fans want us to be, not who we are, or at least not who we want to be. And that’s understandable. Fans want to buy into the fantasy and be taken out of their own lives for a while. The problem is most people will only ever see that. We aren’t human to them anymore, we’re the embodiment of their desires; or someone who means nothing more than a lucrative record deal.

  “I want this book to show the humanity behind the hype, the reality of who we are as people. I don’t want it to be just another product selling the fantasy. I want the reality. The ups and downs, the good times and the bad. As well as the most important things, like the joy of making music with friends, getting to work with amazing talent every day, and being able to connect with people from all over the world. The things that get misplaced along the way but are the only things that make this entire circus act worthwhile. That’s what the focus of this book should be—all the amazing shit that ends up getting lost in the shadows when the spotlight gets too bright.”

  Although he was looking at Lexie as he spoke, he didn’t miss seeing Drew’s head jerk toward him in surprise. He was even surprised at himself for revealing so much of his feelings to a stranger. He wasn’t sure why he’d said all that, except that the way she looked at him—eyes wide and curious—made him want to be honest with her.

  She was nodding thoughtfully, her expression serious, as if she got it. Now he just needed her to know why he wanted her. “With your photos, I feel like you’re seeing everything hidden in the background, looking past the obvious and shining a light on what would otherwise be missed. That’s what I want to see in this book, and that’s why I chose you for this. Your photos were the first that made me feel a connection. That made me want to know the story behind them.”

  Worried he’d exposed too much of himself, he finished with a forced laugh. “But I’m not a photographer, so I’d like to hear what you think.” He drummed his fingers on his thigh as he waited for her response.

  Lexie was silent for a few seconds, her brow furrowed while she collected her thoughts. “Well, first of all, you’re very persuasive since I was pretty much set on turning you down today. Going on tour with a bunch of rock stars was never on my bucket list. But now I’m not so sure. What you said reminds me of a quote by August Sander—he’s a famous German photographer. He said, ‘In photography, there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated.’ It’s a quote that’s always stuck in my mind.”

  She glanced down at her hands for a second. When she looked back up, her eyes were clear and unguarded. As her gaze tangled with his, an emotion he couldn’t name washed through him.

  “I love the idea of what you want to do, the concept of trying to show what’s happening in the shadows around the spotlight,” she said.

  Her focus seemed to turn inward then, and he imagined she was picturing in her mind how the photos might look. Her vibrant gray eyes went hazy, and her soft lips parted slightly as she thought.

  An image of her naked in his bed with that same soft expression on her face popped into his head, shooting a bolt of lust straight to his cock. He shook his head to clear it. That was not what he needed right now. This had to stay professional; he needed to shut those thoughts down fast.

  He leaned forward in his seat, the movement bringing Lexie’s focus back to him. “So, does that mean you’re interested in being a part of this, then?” He gave her his most charmingly seductive smile. The one that always worked to get what he wanted from women.

  Rather than returning it, Lexie cocked her head to the side, her eyes clear and appraising. Connor had to restrain himself from shifting in his seat. He felt stripped naked, and not in an enjoyable way. Her expression seemed to say she could see straight through him, and the feeling was uncomfortable. He wasn’t used to women making him feel that way.

  As if she’d suddenly decided, Lexie gave a sharp nod and stated, “I’m in.”

  Then she aimed her brilliant smile in his direction, and Connor’s heart thumped heavily in his chest. He had a bad feeling he might have bitten off more than he could chew.

  Chapter 4

  Drew escorted Lexie out of the office. Nervous energy thrummed through her veins when she thought about what she’d signed up for. Although she had to admit, part of her shakiness had to do with the man she’d just said goodbye to. The memory of his warm hand on her back as he’d walked her to the door still played on her mind. She had wondered before what it would feel like to be the subject of Connor’s intense gaze, and now she knew. It had felt… good. A little too good.

  The way his green eyes had lazily perused her from head to foot should have had her hackles up. Instead, an unexpected warmth had flooded through her. She hadn’t been even remotely attracted to any man since her husband’s death, no matter how good-looking he was. That she’d felt the stirrings of it then had thrown her off-balance for the rest of the meeting.

  He’d also surprised her when he’d started talking about the project. The sincerity behind his words and the soft lilt of his Irish accent had drawn her in. She’d been able to picture how the photos would turn out, and that had made her want to be the one to bring the concept to life. Still, she couldn’t quite believe she’d ended up agreeing to go on tour with them. Now she had three weeks to organize herself before it all kicked off.

  Drew led her out to the car waiting to take her to the airport. She realized that while she’d been thinking about Connor, Drew had been filling her in on everything she needed to know before joining the tour. Luckily, he finished by saying he’d email her all the details, so she didn’t feel too bad for tuning him out. After shaking his hand, she got into the car for the drive back to LAX.

  Lexie spent the return trip thinking about what she needed to organize over the next few weeks. She didn’t typically do event photography, but that didn’t mean she had no experience. She’d done a couple of music festival shoots before and helped some friends with their band’s promotional photos. Sitting on the plane on the way home, she pulled out her phone and made notes of the techniques she’d have to use and what equipment she needed.

  Lexie realized she was nervously chewing on a nail as she thought. She was usually confident of her skills, but this project had her feeling all kinds
of nervous. She forced herself to relax into the airplane seat. Now she’d signed on, there wasn’t much she could do but trust her instincts, and hopefully not screw it up.

  * * *

  After she got home, Lexie made herself dinner and then curled up on the couch to call her best friend, Piper, who also happened to be Damien’s sister. She’d known Piper since high school; the two of them had been friends even before Lexie and Damien started dating, and Piper had even been Lexie’s maid of honor.

  While she waited for Piper to pick up, Lexie looked at a framed photo that hung on the wall. It was a picture of her and Damien dancing at their wedding. They were standing close together, heads tilted toward each other. The light had caught the gold of Damien’s hair and reflected in Lexie’s eyes as she looked up at him, highlighting her happiness. Love radiated from their broad smiles, and Lexie had to close her eyes and turn her head away before the tears came.

  Still, her sister-in-law’s exuberant greeting when she answered made her smile. “Lexie, it’s so good to hear your voice.”

  “Hi, Piper, it’s good to hear your voice too. I’m sorry for not calling more often, work has been so busy these last few months.”

  “No problem, honey. I know things have taken off for you, and I’m glad. You deserve it.”

  Piper’s warm tone made Lexie smile. She could always rely on her friend to cheer her up. Even in the darkest days after Damien’s death, Piper had been her rock. Her shoulder to cry on. And she’d returned the favor when Piper’s own pain had become overwhelming.

  Together they’d managed to get through the grief. Even though Piper had moved to Arizona a year ago, they kept in touch regularly, although Lexie wished she had more time to visit her friend.

  “So, what’s up?” Piper asked.

  “Well, I’ve just signed a contract for a really big job.”

  “Ooh, intriguing. What have you got yourself into this time?”