and her burgundy boots off to the side, attending. Something struck him as odd about it, but he ignored it for putting on his social airs.
"Ah, Bash, I know ya too well," Bernard said, giving him a sly look.
"What do you mean?"
"I know when you're putting on for a woman. Who is it this time, eh?" Bernard looked around and caught sight of Mariss, his eyes suddenly bugging from his face. "No, not 'er."
"Bernard, I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about." He knew he couldn't bullshit the old man, but he didn't really care.
"She's married," Bernard said. "Besides, she's as big as you are. That's not a good idea. People love and value 'er work. If you ruin what that woman 'as it could ruin you."
Sebastian frowned. Though the man was trying to talk sense into him, he was doing exactly the opposite. Now, more than ever, he wanted to know her inside and out. That was more than he could say about most women. Mariss Red was a challenge to be eliminated.
Perhaps eliminated was a harsh word. He certainly had no intentions to ruin her, nor was he interested in owning her fortune. But she had his attention, the one thing no one else did. That not only made her rare, but valuable and Sebastian cherished rare and valuable things.
The lights were hot. Sebastian had chosen to work the "Reading is Sexy" shoot because it was Mariss' newest large-scale campaign since he'd met her at the club. It came at the perfect time, just when he was ready to make his move.
When the camera's started clicking, he fell into the groove. All of his training was second nature by now. He turned, he moved, he looked, he blinked, he flashed his signature smile, he smoldered. Every now and then a woman would come and fix his hair or dust a shiny place with some powder.
"I can't take it anymore," a deep, agitated female voice said. A moment later, Mariss marched up to him. Her stiletto's beat a staccato rhythm as her hips swayed toward him. She reached out, her soft hand taking his in hers. "What the fuck is this?" she asked. Her eyes shot daggers into his and he frowned, confused.
"I don't understand what you're talking about. What is what? It's an iPad."
"Why do you have an iPad?"
He blinked, then chuckled. "Well, sweetheart, many people now-a-days carry books on these so they don't have to carry so many paper books around. It can hold-"
"Don't you dare patronize me. I know what an iPad is," she growled and it was infinitely sexy. The corners of Sebastian's mouth twitched as he fought the urge to laugh.
"I specifically said no iPad."
"Well, what's the difference," Sebastian asked, trying to diffuse the situation, "if we do half of the shoot without?"
Mariss shook her head. "I understand what you're asking, but it's not what I want. It's not the look I want. Now, half the shoot is blown and I'm going to have photos that I'll feel obligated to use because I've paid for your time."
Sebastian cocked his head to the side. "Aw, now. Don't say it like that." He winked and flashed his most charming grin. Mariss rolled her beautiful eyes. They reminded him of a brown zircon necklace of his mothers as they caught the light. "If you need to make up the shoot we can schedule that," he told her seriously. "I'll make time for you."
Sebastian chuckled at the disdainful look she gave him. Beneath it was a shadow of veiled desire.
"Thank you, Mr. Boa, but let's see what kind of shots we get in the library and go from there."
She walked away from him and he almost reached out after her. He'd have to play it cool with this one, reel her in nice and slow. She would have to think it was what she wanted. It had to be her idea.
Sebastian followed her into the next room, of the library. "Do you always attend engagements like this alone?"
Marissa nodded and explained, "It comes with the territory. I started out independent, so I guess I'll always be independent. People assume that because you choose to go that route you want to be a loner. I don't suppose
"Ah, Bash, I know ya too well," Bernard said, giving him a sly look.
"What do you mean?"
"I know when you're putting on for a woman. Who is it this time, eh?" Bernard looked around and caught sight of Mariss, his eyes suddenly bugging from his face. "No, not 'er."
"Bernard, I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about." He knew he couldn't bullshit the old man, but he didn't really care.
"She's married," Bernard said. "Besides, she's as big as you are. That's not a good idea. People love and value 'er work. If you ruin what that woman 'as it could ruin you."
Sebastian frowned. Though the man was trying to talk sense into him, he was doing exactly the opposite. Now, more than ever, he wanted to know her inside and out. That was more than he could say about most women. Mariss Red was a challenge to be eliminated.
Perhaps eliminated was a harsh word. He certainly had no intentions to ruin her, nor was he interested in owning her fortune. But she had his attention, the one thing no one else did. That not only made her rare, but valuable and Sebastian cherished rare and valuable things.
The lights were hot. Sebastian had chosen to work the "Reading is Sexy" shoot because it was Mariss' newest large-scale campaign since he'd met her at the club. It came at the perfect time, just when he was ready to make his move.
When the camera's started clicking, he fell into the groove. All of his training was second nature by now. He turned, he moved, he looked, he blinked, he flashed his signature smile, he smoldered. Every now and then a woman would come and fix his hair or dust a shiny place with some powder.
"I can't take it anymore," a deep, agitated female voice said. A moment later, Mariss marched up to him. Her stiletto's beat a staccato rhythm as her hips swayed toward him. She reached out, her soft hand taking his in hers. "What the fuck is this?" she asked. Her eyes shot daggers into his and he frowned, confused.
"I don't understand what you're talking about. What is what? It's an iPad."
"Why do you have an iPad?"
He blinked, then chuckled. "Well, sweetheart, many people now-a-days carry books on these so they don't have to carry so many paper books around. It can hold-"
"Don't you dare patronize me. I know what an iPad is," she growled and it was infinitely sexy. The corners of Sebastian's mouth twitched as he fought the urge to laugh.
"I specifically said no iPad."
"Well, what's the difference," Sebastian asked, trying to diffuse the situation, "if we do half of the shoot without?"
Mariss shook her head. "I understand what you're asking, but it's not what I want. It's not the look I want. Now, half the shoot is blown and I'm going to have photos that I'll feel obligated to use because I've paid for your time."
Sebastian cocked his head to the side. "Aw, now. Don't say it like that." He winked and flashed his most charming grin. Mariss rolled her beautiful eyes. They reminded him of a brown zircon necklace of his mothers as they caught the light. "If you need to make up the shoot we can schedule that," he told her seriously. "I'll make time for you."
Sebastian chuckled at the disdainful look she gave him. Beneath it was a shadow of veiled desire.
"Thank you, Mr. Boa, but let's see what kind of shots we get in the library and go from there."
She walked away from him and he almost reached out after her. He'd have to play it cool with this one, reel her in nice and slow. She would have to think it was what she wanted. It had to be her idea.
Sebastian followed her into the next room, of the library. "Do you always attend engagements like this alone?"
Marissa nodded and explained, "It comes with the territory. I started out independent, so I guess I'll always be independent. People assume that because you choose to go that route you want to be a loner. I don't suppose
Similar Books
Touch the Wind
Janet Dailey
Seduced by a Spy
Andrea Pickens
Cat on the Fence
Tatiana Caldwell
A Fairytale Christmas
Susan Meier
Frightful Fairy Tales
Dame Darcy
Finity's End - a Union-Alliance Novel
C. J. Cherryh
South By Java Head
Alistair MacLean
With This Ring
Amanda Quick