I ran my fingers through my hair. “I know, but you’re disrupting a shoot for me. You’re potentially costing your own company cash.”
He shook his head. “If that’s the case, it’s because we didn’t budget enough money to begin with. You’re a man, not a machine. Meet me by the front door in twenty minutes, please?”
Fighting off a smile, I shook my head. “You don’t know this business at all, do you? I’m only here to be chewed up and spat out. But I like your style. Okay.”
He swiped my hand up in his and brushed his lips across my knuckles. The warm puff of his breath on my skin sent a thrill racing through me that landed right in my balls. Holy Jesus, this man knew how to work me over with nothing but a promise in his eyes. How did he learn to be this way? It wasn’t fair. “See, you’re warm. Definitely a man, not a robot.”
I chuckled as he let my hand go, because seriously, who did things like that these days? “I.... You’re too much.”
His lips thinned and he cleared his throat, and all at once some of that cool façade cracked. “I want you to be happy in my house, not stressed and overworked.”
“Well, I’m certainly not underpaid,” I snarked with a wink.
He smiled.
My body warmed from head to toe. “I’ll go change out of this suit,” I said, gesturing lamely toward the racks of clothes near the double front doors.
He didn’t move.
I shuffled my feet. “Maybe you should let me have some privacy to do that?”
“I just saw you in your underwear,” he said with a smirk. “Lovely women undressing you and all.”
I laughed and heat attacked my cheeks. “That was different.”
“How?” he asked.
Shrugging, I decided not to worry about changing here. I could bring the clothes back down in the morning. With my best flounce, I turned on my heel and raced up the black marble staircase toward the room I’d been given on the second floor, so I could change and get ready to go out. Hell, I didn’t even know what Ruslan wanted to do with me this evening. I sighed and glanced down at the suit.
What should I wear to be swept off my feet?
At the top of the stairs I glanced over my shoulder, and he was still standing where I’d left him, watching me.
I waved, and he waved back, and I’d never felt more ridiculous as I rushed off with a smile on my face to get ready for a night out.
5
RUSLAN
“I’m glad you caught a second wind. This view is worth getting out of the house.” I smiled at Asa.
The lights of New York City sparkled against the backdrop of the night sky. The restaurant I’d chosen to take Asa to was close to the Mid-Hudson Bridge, which glimmered over the smooth black water of the Hudson River. The deck was usually crowded with people, but I’d paid a high price for privacy. Normally I didn’t waste cash for just any reason, but I neither cared nor worried about how much I spent on Asa. To have a beautiful man like him at my side was priceless.
Asa’s eyes were wide as he took in the scenery and his lips popped open in awed disbelief.
“You’ve never been here?” I asked, genuinely amused by his innocent reaction. Every other model I’d met and went out with was overconfident and spoiled. They knew what they wanted and took it without a care for anyone else. Asa’s naivety was sweet, and I felt the need to protect him and give him everything he desired.
His cheeks tinged pink below his black-framed glasses and he shrugged. “I don’t get much time off from work. I’m always traveling, which isn’t something to complain about, I know. But I’m glad I get to stop in one place for a while.”
“You are welcome to stay with me as long as you like.”
His cheeks turned an even brighter shade, almost red. He laughed and closed one eye, turning away from me in embarrassment, and I chuckled. Taking his hand, I led him toward the sole dining table near the deck’s railing. The table was decorated with a deep red cloth and shiny silver cutlery, and a couple of beautiful candles in the center made up the table arrangement. There was also a bucket of ice and champagne.
“This is amazing,” he whispered.
“I only like the best.” I stopped behind one of the chairs and pulled it out for him, and even though he winced in even more embarrassment, he slid onto the seat, and I pushed it back in with his help. “Why are you blushing?”
“No reason.” And yet he ran a hand over his cheek, which was no doubt hot as lava if the color said anything.
