Page 58 of Play of Love
I guessed kissing him on the beach tended to negate that statement, and so did not wanting to stop.
Or, thinking about kissing him now.
I didn’t know what kind of charm he’d worked on me to completely bamboozle me, but it worked and I needed to get it out of my system.
“You’re my boss, and I’m working. We shouldn’t flirt like this at work.”
“Baby, it’s five to nine. I have five more minutes of flirting.” It was indeed five to nine.
Even I had to laugh. “You’re seriously like this all the time?” I thought the drink may have talked most times.
“I’m like thisallthe time.” He nodded.
I rolled my eyes at him and continued to rub his shoulders.
* * *
My work with him took off from that day. The weeks that followed saw me crazy busy, running around all day trying to balance everything and accompanying him to various events and meetings. The events took up the whole day and most times I was with him way past my normal working hours.
Everything was on track, and the best news ever was that Mom now had a date for surgery. An actual date, scheduled for the end of the month. It gave me that sense of accomplishment and hope. I had planned to take that week off to be with her. It would be good for me, too, because we hadn’t seen each other in months.
Things were looking up and I thanked God that Josh was doing well.
I was proud of the way he’d shaped himself up, and how serious he was about focusing on playing again. We spent a lot of time together on these outings and I was pleased to say that he’d been sober for over six weeks now. He was a new man, one who was determined to get his life back in order. I also hadn’t seen Allegra and Cindy, or any other woman coming or going from the house. Everything had turned out better than I’d hoped.
The cherry on top was watching him organize himself and prepare for training. I didn’t realize that when I was being told about training weeks ago that it would be an all-day thing.
I couldn’t begin to imagine what they would do all day, but that was because I wasn’t an athlete or, more specifically, a Gladiator. Josh told me that they trained with the sun, and sometimes long after it set. I supposed that was why they were so good and the leading champions. Other than my morning jog I used to do back in New York I didn’t exercise. I planned to start running again after the showcase. The beach was the perfect location for that and I’d have more time then.
Having some organization gave me the chance to fit in the time I needed to finish off my dress and portfolio weeks before I had planned. I was very happy with what I’d done and thought it kept with the unique qualities found in a Dior designer.
I’d gone with a spring theme and called my collectionMetamorphosis, to represent the changes you could see during the spring time. My style and taste was very European mixed with an air of bohemian chic, so I’d drawn stylish designs that mingled pastel shades with unique accessories.
Dior didn’t just create a look, but a language recognizable in every season and across the world. I wanted to capture that with my designs.
Finishing it made me feel good and I could tick it off my mental list of things to do. It also made my look forward even more to the showcase. Most designers were going in with their models. I was going to be both designer and model. It wasn’t unheard of and I was sure I wouldn’t be the only one. Money and time prevented me from getting a model, but honestly, I preferred it this way.
I heard the front door open. That would be him now. I was in the office finishing up some emails I wanted done before I left for the weekend.
“Baby, are you still here?” he called out from the hallway.
I smiled to myself when I heard his voice.
“I’m in the office,” I answered.
I looked away from the computer screen as he came inside looking delicious in his tight, long-sleeved, black training top. He looked like a walking advert, proudly displaying the Nike swoosh on the side of his chest and the edge of his hip.
He also looked bigger to me, more muscular. I guessed that’s what training all day did. When he smiled at me I noticed a bruise on his left cheek.
“What happened to your face? You have the USA Today shoot next week.”
“Gage hit me. That feral creature. I swear he belongs in the wild.” He came around to me. “Baby, it’s nearly six, pack that shit away.” He grimaced when he realized he swore. “I mean stuff.”
I giggled, appreciating his attempt. “I have to send these emails, then I’m gone.”
“Gone?Now that I’ve seen you I’m not letting you leave.” He gave me a cocky masculine grin. “Come here, your man needs you.”
Anyone would think we were a couple, but it was harmless fun.
