To my shock and mild horror, Mr. Paulson blushed like a schoolboy and patted his wife on the arm. “I’m sure you could, darling.”
“Tell me,” she leaned forward to stage whisper. “Would you be willing to paint me like that?”
It took me a few seconds to find my voice again but I could feel Cage and Seb at my back like the warmth from a fire and it filled me with confidence.
“I would be absolutely delighted. And, to tell you the honest truth,” I leaned forward with my hand over my mouth, imitating her dramatics, “I think art can be pretty boring too.”
Terry laughed. “My God, you are a treasure. I’m going to give you my card and you, you amazing girl, are going to promise to call me no later than tomorrow to make an appointment with me.”
“I promise,” I said solemnly though my eyes sparkled back at her.
She nodded decisively and patted Mr. Paulson over the heart. “Good. Well, I’m sorry to pull my handsome husband away but I fancy a dance before we get dragged into another business discussion so, if you don’t mind?”
“Not at all,” Sinclair said, inclining his head.
Terry laughed at him and actually reached up to pat his cheek. “So polite, Mr. Sinclair, but I see the trouble buttoned up under your coat.”
She winked at me as Mr. Paulson said his goodbyes.
We were all quiet for a moment after they left before we turned on each other.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Elena?” Sebastian said, rounding on her with clenched fists.
“Me?” she asked, her eyes wide with faux sincerity. “What did I do wrong? In fact, I think Giselle should thank me. I just secured her a commission.”
Even I gasped at that.
Sinclair dropped her arm as if it were a poisonous thing and looked down at her with cool censure. “Giselle’s grace just secured her the commission as well you know. You tried to make her feel little, non?”
Elena opened her mouth to protest but Cage cut in, “Karma’s a bitch, uh Elena?”
Her lips pursed with delicate displeasure but her eyes flashed as they swept over me, striking me with the force of a tiger’s paw. I stepped back as pain radiated through my chest.
“Daniel, I really didn’t mean anything by it.” She looked up at him from under her lashes. It wasn’t until that moment that fury took root in my heart. Was she really going to try to bamboozle him out of his anger?
I vibrated.
Cage put a hand on my arm to calm me. I was surprised when it helped a little.
“I don’t care what you intended,” I said before Sinclair could completely lose what little resolve he had left to keep calm.
“Either way, it was a thoughtless thing to say. I am not painting sexual perversions and if you feel that way about my work, please keep it to yourself or, at the very least, don’t speak about it with potential patrons.”
She stared at me with storm cloud eyes just a few shades darker than my own and I stared right back. It was the first time I had really stood up to her passive aggressiveness and it felt scary but really good.
Finally, she gave a little nod and said, “Of course, Giselle, whatever you want.”
It wasn’t really an apology but I nodded anyway before turning to Cage and Sebastian. “Well, I think we’ve had enough of tonight, don’t you?”
Sebastian laughed softly and slung an arm over my shoulder. “Hell yeah.”
“We’ll see you Thursday for Thanksgiving though,” Elena reminded us sharply as we began to walk away.
“Oh goody,” Sebastian murmured drolly and we walked out laughing even though we had both left our hearts in the Four Seasons ballroom.
Chapter Eleven.
My heart was beating like a mad thing in my chest, hammering against the ribbed walls almost painfully.