She didn’t show any reaction, keeping her thoughts to herself. “Have you ever done what we just did with any of them?”
I didn’t spare her feelings. “Yes. There’s nothing I haven’t done.”
“Can I ask you something else?”
I was letting her ask whatever she wanted, and that wasn’t like me. I was a mysterious man, and I was protective of my privacy. I didn’t share my thoughts or feelings. I’d never had a meaningful relationship with a woman in my entire life. They were just flings, one-night stands. But Muse had become my woman, my friend. “Yes.” I forced the answer out because I thought she deserved a response. I thought she deserved more than just being coldly shut down.
She pressed her lips together tightly, taking her time before she worded her question. “Have I meant more to you than all the others? Or do you just see me as…a good lay?”
I was surprised she needed to ask the question at all. I thought the answer was staring at her right in the face. “I’ve never had another woman live with me before. I’ve never been monogamous with one woman, and that was by choice. I’ve never brought a date to one of my shows. In fact, I’ve never been photographed with a woman romantically. You’ve met my family, been in their home, and now you’re here with me. Not to mention, I’m out a hundred million dollars because of you. So, if you have to wonder if you mean something to me, don’t. Because you do.”
6
Sapphire
We sat in the backseat of the limo as we moved through the streets I used to walk down every afternoon. The bar where I used to work was just a few blocks away, and I walked to my house after work every single night. I never took a cab because I needed to pinch every penny I had.
Now I was sitting in a limo—Conway Barsetti beside me.
His knees were apart, and his hands rested in his lap. He wore black on black, his collared shirt matching his sleek jacket. His vest had three gleaming buttons, and his shiny watch contrasted against the dark colors he wore. He’d shaved that morning, so his jaw was clean, making the hard lines of his face more noticeable.
He was perfectly calm, like he wasn’t about to step foot into a crowd of photographers. He’d been quiet all day, spending time in a different room to handle all his phone calls and emails.
I was left to entertain myself.
The limo turned right at the light, heading toward the auditorium where the show was being held. Conway pulled out his phone, checked the screen, and then slipped it back into his pocket.
I moved my hand to his on his thigh, my fingers resting across the veins of his knuckles. I could feel his pulse, which was steady and slow. He was warm too, like always.
His eyes shifted to me.
I held his look then smiled. “You look really handsome, Conway.”
His expression didn’t change, his gaze hard and piercing. It didn’t seem like he was going to say anything, not when his gaze was that intense. Then he turned his hand over and wrapped his fingers around my palm. “You outshine me, Muse. You outshine everyone.”
The limo pulled up to the sidewalk, and waiting outside was a sea of reporters and photographers. People were filing into the auditorium, each dressed in their best dresses and suits. They must be fashion gurus.
We stopped at the curb but didn’t get out.
I looked to him, waiting for an explanation.
He spoke quietly. “If you’re important, people will wait.”
Thirty seconds later, the driver came to the back and opened my door. The sound had been confined outside the car when the door was shut, but now that it was open, I could hear the screams from frantic girls. I could hear reporters immediately shouting out questions. The driver gave me his hand and helped me step out without stepping on my dress.
Conway had given me a beautiful gown, deep purple with a high slit in the side. With a sweetheart top, it was simple, showing lots of skin without any diamonds or rhinestones. My hair was down, my deep brown curls hanging loose. A diamond necklace hung around my throat, and a bracelet decorated my wrist. Everything I was wearing was more expensive than a dozen cars. I hardly felt worthy to wear such luxurious things. I thought I would get used to it by now, but I knew I never would.
Conway came next. And when he did, the lines of people on the street immediately cheered, screaming for him like he was a movie star. He stood upright, tall and proud, his shoulders broad and powerful. He flattened the front of his suit and didn’t flash a smile to the crowd. Instead, he wore his usual intense gaze, a smolder that made every woman wish he was hers.