Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
“I know, I love how the blue is so blue. Why don’t they make denim in that color anymore?” Her eyes drop down the length of my body and back up to my face. “You look like a hot Twiggy.”
“Mission accomplished.” We continue up the stairs. “Because I do love a hot Twiggy.” We arrive at the top floor and make our way through the double doors to the ballroom. The walls are adorned with giant paintings of different landscapes. People chatter as they wander around looking. “Oh.” I smile, pleasantly surprised. “Look how beautiful these paintings are.” There are moon and stars and oceans and cliff faces, all so different but following the same nature theme.
“Let’s go to the bar,” Helene whispers. “Things look even better after alcohol.”
I giggle. “Sounds like a plan.” We walk over to the bar. “Can I please have two glasses of white,” I ask.
“Of course.” She passes me the two glasses of wine.
“Yesssss,” Helene whispers as she cranes her neck. “Look who’s here.”
“Who?”
“Prescott.”
“What?” I turn so fast that the wine nearly spills over the sides of the glasses. “Where?”
“In the right corner.”
I sip my wine as I casually glance over and I see him straight away, he’s talking to three other men, and while the others all blend into mediocrity, there’s no hiding when you have that stance. Legs wide, gray suit, perfect posture and dominance oozing from his every cell. Edward Prescott is a beast to behold, beautiful and wild…. But a beast just the same.
Instantly my heart begins to hammer in my chest and damn it, why does he affect me so much? I put my hand on my lower stomach as I try to calm myself down, I can hardly breathe when I’m in his vicinity. It’s like I’m orbiting his sun and the power he emits instantly sucks mine away, leaving me powerless, and vulnerable.
Completely at his godlike mercy.
Act cool.
I take in a long, shaky breath and turn my back to him.
“Look at you,” Helene whispers with a smile.
“What?” I act oblivious.
“As soon as you see him you get all flustered and red in the face.”
“I do not,” I scoff, but I know I do and it’s becoming embarrassing that I can’t hide it.
“He’s spotted you,” she whispers.
“What?” I gulp my wine and wince as I look at the glass. “What the hell is this?”
“Arsenic, I’m sure.” She fakes a smile. “He’s coming over.”
“What?” I whisper, please don’t come over…I can’t trust my slutty mouth not to say something inappropriate.
Act. Fucking. Cool.
“Alora,” his deep voice purrs from behind me. I turn and act surprised.
“Edward.” I smile calmly. “How nice to see you.” Seeing this man in the flesh brings out juxtaposed emotions. Bitchy but needy, I should get a T-shirt made with the word Nitchy across the chest. It’s my newest superpower.
“Likewise.” His dark eyes hold mine.
“You remember Helene?” I smile.
“I do, hello,” he replies but his eyes stay locked on me.
The air crackles between us, an electric current of epic proportions. From my peripheral vision I see Helene look between us. “Hi, Edward, it’s nice to see you again. Please excuse me, I’m going to the bathroom.”
Edward sips his drink and then licks his lips and I swallow the nervous lump in my throat. He steps forward and grabs the zipper of my jeans and pulls it up with a sharp snap, he puts his mouth to my ear. “Just helping you get dressed.”
His breath tickles my skin, goose bumps scatter at his close vicinity and his cologne dances around me.
“I could smell your pretty white panties from across the room.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ALORA
“I beg your pardon,” I whisper, outraged. “You could not smell my panties from across the room.”
“Oh, my mistake.” His eyes dance with mischief as he sips his drink. “I meant see…not smell.”
Okay…stop flirting with me.
You may be newly single but I already know I’m not emotionally equipped to be on your rebound roster.
I put my hand down over my zipper to check that it’s up…. Oh, the horror.
“Is that why you came all the way over here?” I act annoyed. “Just to do up my zipper?”
“I’d prefer to undo it…but it will suffice…for now.”
For now.
His words hang in the air between us, bringing with them visions of legs over shoulders and beds being broken.
Focus.
“How are you?” I change the subject.
“I’m well. And you?”
“Never better.”
A trace of a smile crosses his face, can he feel my arousal as it pumps through my veins? Who am I kidding, they can feel it downstairs in the parking lot.
“Next time you’re in Paris I want you to meet my interior designer,” he says matter-of-factly.
“What for?”
“I have a boutique hotel that I want you and my designer to collaborate on. I want eclectic pieces that work with her vibe.”
“Oh.” That sounds interesting, I would jump at the chance for something like this. I’ve thought about tackling the commercial market before but hadn’t any idea where to start. Maybe if this works out it could lead to future work, at the very least it would be good to have a contact in the industry…hmm. I should do this.