She looked up from her magazine, her legs crossed and a diamond necklace around her neck. “How’d it go?”
“Nicole liked everything. The show is booked.”
“Great.” She closed the magazine and set it aside. “It’s next week?”
“Yep.” I walked to my desk and grabbed my tablet off the surface. Nicole updated my calendar, so I glanced through the schedule for the following week. The show would take place in New York City, to be aired on a major television network. Other designers would be there in the hope of networking with me. There was no doubt that Andrew Lexington would be there too. I would have to keep him away from Muse.
I wasn’t letting anyone take her away from me.
“Will I be staying here?”
I set the tablet down then turned to her, my eyebrows rising in surprise. “To do what?”
She shrugged. “I just wasn’t sure if I was invited.”
I walked to the couch, my hands resting in my pockets. I stopped in front of her and placed two fingers underneath her chin. I slowly lifted her head until her neck was craned to meet my gaze. “Where I go, you go.” My thumb brushed across her bottom lip, and I gently tugged it to reveal her bottom teeth.
Her mouth slowly stretched into a smile. “Will your models like that?”
“I don’t give a damn what they like.”
Her smile widened. “You’re sure you don’t want me in the show?”
“You are in the show—but I’m the only person in the audience.” I dropped my hand from her chin and pulled her to her feet. My arms circled her waist, and I rested my forehead against her, surrounded by her flowery smell. She looked beautiful in everything I picked out for her, and she looked even more beautiful in just her skin. I’d never had a woman in here besides Nicole. But then again, I’d never had a woman live in my home with me either.
Muse was changing my life in drastic ways.
“Ready to go?” I asked.
Her arms rested in the crooks of my elbows. “I like it when you ask me. It’s nice.”
I preferred to boss her around, but I was trying to be a better man. It wasn’t easy. I was used to barking out orders and watching people carry them out instantly. That kind of power was addictive, and it was never easy to wean off it. But a part of me enjoyed watching her want me, watching her choose to be with me. She could be with any other man in the world, but she chose me. “I don’t. But I’ll keep doing it.”
She smiled. “At least you’re honest. And yes, I’m ready to go.”
My hand intertwined with hers, and I walked with her into the hallway. A group of models was huddled together against the wall, talking quietly. They usually worked out and shared their meals together since they had such rigorous routines. I walked by with Muse, ignoring them and the way they stared at our clasped hands.
Muse didn’t look at them, her eyes on me.
When we turned the corner, Nicole emerged. “Conway, I just got off the phone with a fabric distributor in Turkey. He’s in the country and was wondering if you would have dinner with him tonight.”
I kept walking, pulling Muse with me. “Why?”
“He said he can give you a better deal on the fabric—and provide better quality.” Her heels clapped against the hardwood floor as she walked beside us. She glanced at our hands then turned her focus back to her tablet. “Is that something that would interest you?”
I was happy with my fabric and the pricing. “How much of a deal are we talking?”
“He said he can save you twenty-five percent.”
Twenty-five percent wasn’t pocket change. That was a significant difference. I stopped walking, my interest officially piqued. “What time?”
“Seven. Shall I tell him you’re coming?”
If this man could really deliver, it was worth the conversation. “Name?”
“Androssi Beaucount,” Nicole answered. “I looked into him. He’s legitimate.”
I trusted Nicole. “Alright. I’ll be there.”
Nicole nodded and walked away.
Muse and I walked out and headed to my Ferrari, which was parked at the curb. We got inside and headed out of Milan.
Muse’s dress rose to her thighs when she sat down, revealing her sexy, tanned skin. She looked out the window with her hair flowing down her chest, oblivious to just how sexy she looked in that moment.
I kept one hand on the wheel and rested the other on her thigh. Her skin was warm to the touch and so damn soft. My fingers itched to move farther up her legs, to approach the apex of her thighs and get her wet so I could fuck her when we got home.
She glanced at my hand before she looked out the window again. “Am I coming along to this meeting?”