Muse in Lingerie (Lingerie 1)

The next acts emerged, all highlighting a different theme for the show. Lingerie had many distinct purposes, and they were rolled out in unique scenes. Different colors were used, sometimes blood red and orange. Others were more neutral, like black and white. Then we got into the brilliant colors, like blue, green, and teal.

There was a loud round of applause for every act.

Nicole made notes beside me. “I can tell everyone is impressed.”

I heard what she said, but I cared more about what was coming next.

The props on the stage changed, and an ethereal glow was cast by the lighting. The music became slower, more royal. The other models disappeared, leaving the entire stage to a single woman—to a single queen.

Smoke billowed across the stage, the music increased in pace, and out of the fog emerged the sexiest woman on the planet. Strutting like she owned the opera theater and everyone inside it, her heels hit the floor with purposeful strides. Her hips shook perfectly, her posture was elegant, and she eyed the audience like she had every right to be there.

I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across my face.

She stopped at the first mark and posed. She flipped her hair and extended her leg. Then she pivoted the other direction, showing off her endless curves in the sparkling material. Her eyes were blue, but they burned as if they were on fire. That sass I first met in the audience was unleashed.

She walked forward again.

A sea of cameras bathed her in their light, photographers fighting to capture the better picture. People would argue that they only cared about the luxurious piece of lingerie she was showcasing, but I knew that wasn’t the case.

They only cared about her.

She posed again, flipping her hair once more and regarding the audience with her cool demeanor. Then she turned around and strutted back toward the back of the stage as the music played. The rest of the girls came out to end the show.

My eyes went to her ass.

Instead of wearing a thong like I had planned, she wore bikini panties that covered most of her ass. But it didn’t take away the gorgeous appearance, the perkiness of her cheeks. It was the most beautiful ass to grace the stage that night.

Possibly the most beautiful ass in the world.

The rest of the girls came forward and made their final poses for the cameras. Silver confetti felt from the sky as they wrapped their arms around each other and smiled and giggled. The music changed again, and One returned, the girls parting the way to give her a special place.

That’s when everyone stood and applauded.

A standing ovation.

I stayed in my seat, my fingertips partially covering the smile I couldn’t wipe away. Pride overcame me, pride for the woman that owned that stage without an ounce of experience. She was a natural, the most fascinating woman ever to be in my lineup.

And she was all mine.

* * *

The after party was held at my villa in Verona. I had acres of land, a three-story villa with a fountain out front, and walls covered with deep ivy. The valet took care of the cars, and people streamed inside my mansion and explored the grounds in the rear. I had an enormous patio that overlooked the hillsides. It was flooded with olive trees, flowers, and a perfectly manicured lawn.

The girls attended in the same lingerie they wore during the show. They were queens at my party, advertising that extended long after the curtain was dropped. They mingled with my guests, executives from fashion magazines.

But there was one queen everyone was particularly interested in.

One captured the hearts of everyone at the fashion show. She was the center of their focus, surrounded by a group at nearly all times. Whenever she moved across the property, she was immediately followed.

I hadn’t prepared her for this.

I moved through the crowd that surrounded her and wrapped my arm around her waist. The second I touched her, she moved closer into my side, sticking to me like she didn’t want us to get separated again. “Excuse me, we need a moment.” My hand stayed at her backside as I guided her away. She did a great job plastering a smile on her face and being the center of attention for the last few hours, but she couldn’t keep up the act indefinitely. I took her into my office on the second floor, a place no one went unless they were one of the maids.

The second the door was shut, she rolled her head back and sighed. “Damn…”

Her movements were incredibly erotic. She rolled her head like she had a kink in her neck. There was nothing I wanted more than to press my big hands against her shoulders and caress her.

I moved into her and gripped her hips underneath the shimmering top. My forehead immediately went to hers, and I held the star of my show like she was all mine. I looked down into her face and watched her breathing slowly return to normal. She felt the same comfort I did, felt the same ease wash over her. When I kissed her, it made her heart pound erratically. When I held her softly, all the stress in her life seemed to fade away.