Chapter 84 Final Rehearsal.
Tadmit nothing. When I choose to come back has absolutely zilch to do with you. Same goes for whether you hit Elfa Brak’s
none of it’s my problem. So stop projecting.‘
deadline
Violet let out a derisive hum, clearly not buying a word I said.
Fine,‘ she said, looking all pleased with herself. ‘Even if you agree to come back, it’s too late. I’ve already
with
Eliza. She’s gonna blow up at the film festival in a few days, and once she posts about me on social media, I’ll be a star designer. You won’t even be able to carry my bags, let alone keep up with me
I walked back to my desk, letting her ramble on while I ignored her
Violet had no clue.
She was about to find out the hard way that with all her rush and last–minute chap going to hit the mark.
to the designs, there was no way she was
I wouldn’t be surprised if poor Eliza Black ended up looking like a fool at the film festival.
After that little verbal cage match, Violet actually chilled out.
She was too busy fantasising about her big break as a ‘world–famous jewellery designer‘ to bother picking fights with me.
A few days went by without her dragging me into another playground–level shouting match, and that suited me just fine.
Not that I had time for her nonsense anyway–had bigger things on my plate.
The main event I’d been ‘rehearsing‘ for was finally looming.
The night before Edouard Laurent’s 80th birthday, Ashton called me into the living room after dinner.
‘We’ve both been busy,‘ he said, sitting ramrod straight, looking all businesslike. ‘We’ve slacked off on our practice. Tomorrow’s the party, so we’re doing a quick run–through tonight‘
‘Okay,‘ I said, no hesitation.
We’d barely seen each other in the past few days, what with me being up to my eyeballs in jewellery work for Octavia Grey.
It had been kind of a relief, but now… I was nervous.
Tomorrow, I’d be in front of the whole Laurent family with him.
I couldn’t afford to mess up, not with everything on the line.
I stepped forward and–without even thinking–lowered myself onto his lap.
The movement was so smooth, I surprised myself.
My thighs locked around his like muscle memory, and the jolt that shot up my spine was instant.
No way to pretend I didn’t feel it.
Ashton’s hands found my waist like magnets, his palms hot through the fabric, fingers resting just shy of too familiar.
God, I’d been trying hard not to think about him since that kiss in the car, but it was impossible now.
The angle of our bodies, the tension humming between us–it was the backseat all over again, minus the leather upholstery and the eavesdropping driver.
His eyes pinned me down.
Chapter 84 Finot Rühre
+15 BONUS
Blue.
I’d always known that.
But now they looked like Kashmir sapphires–deep, vivid, seductive.
A stone that could mesmerise you into reaching out… then slice you open if you weren’t careful.
Suddenly, I wasn’t so sure another ‘rehearsal‘ was a smart idea.
I felt like I was toeing the edge of something dangerous.
One wrong breath and I’d tumble–straight into territory I could joke my way out of.
‘See? Not bad, right?‘ I forced a grin, coward’s instinct kicking in still got the muscle memory. Tomorrow, no one’ll suspect a thing.‘
I tried to ease off his lap.
‘I don’t think we need another rehearsal. I’m kind of knackered. Let’s skip practice tonight. I promise I won’t embarrass you
tomorrow.‘
I’d handled enough black–tie dinners and cutthroat design comps to hold my own.
Rich snobs, brutal judges, backhanded compliments–I’d seen the lot.
And yeah, not to be vain or anything, but I’ve got a face that doesn’t hurt either.
I was just about to push myself off him when his hand slid around the back of my neck, fingers pressing lightly, holding me in
place.
‘I’m a firm believer in being prepared,‘ he said.
Before I could come up with something clever, his grip tightened, and I pitched forward, right into him–chest to chest, thigh to thigh, heat flaring where our skin met.
Then his mouth was on mine, soft but unyielding, and the contact obliterated every half–formed thought in my brain.
‘Mmm…‘ I tried to speak, but his kiss swallowed the words.
It was like the world stopped.
The only thing I could feel, taste, was him.
His tongue slid against mine, slow at first, before it deepened, tasting every inch of me like he was starving.
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