Page 124 of Pretend To Be Mine

Oh god.

I let myself believe he might actually be falling for me.

“Breathe,” Annika murmured beside me. “You’re going to pass out if you don’t breathe.”

I hadn’t even seen her coming. I’d been so caught up in my panic attack I nearly blacked out.

“I’m breathing.” But I forced myself to take a deeper breath anyway. “This is really happening.”

“This is really happening.” She squeezed my arm. “And it’s going to be incredible.”

“Elizabeth!” I looked up to see Adrian waving me over.

“Go,” Annika said. “Watch your big debut from the best seats in the house.”

The lights dimmed. Music started, something with a slow, silky rhythm that caressed the senses. Little pulses of bass tickled across the skin. Every note lingered on the skin like fingertips.

Hot damn. I needed a fan. I was either going to overheat or climax.

Or both.

“You okay?” Adrian asked. “You look a little pale.”

“I’m good.”

He took my hand and gently guided me out to our reserved sitting. I recognized several faces. I nearly tripped over my own foot when I saw a real-life princess.

We sat down, Adrian keeping my hand in his, resting on his thigh. It was such a natural position I didn’t even think twice about it. His thumb rubbed little circles over the back of my hand. He didn’t have to say it, but I understood what he wasn’t saying. The man knew how to settle me without saying a word. He knew me so well.

And I didn’t even want to think what that meant.

Dash’s voice came over the sound system, welcoming everyone to Seduction.

The music was still pumping through speakers around the room. The soft murmuring from the crowd quieted a few seconds later. The first model appeared and I was awestruck.

It was so different to see a look on a rack compared to seeing it on a model. And the models Dash had hired were absolutely stunning. They had that exotic look that was sexy and alluring. Bodies that were made for second glances.

The crowd gasped and broke out in a series of soft whispers of approval. I looked over and caught Adrian watching the models but there wasn’t the lustful expression on his face that I saw on the other men in the audience. He was looking at the beautiful women with a clinical expression.

I loved that. I loved that he looked at me like I was a million times more desirable than these women that fit society’s standards of sexy.

Model after model came out, each piece more daring than the last. Tight leather. Transparent lace. Cutouts in places I didn’t know you could put cutouts. This was Dash’s vision of seduction—bold, unapologetic, pushing every boundary.

Then male models started appearing.

“Wait, what?” I turned to Adrian. “There are men in this show?”

“Dash wanted something for everyone.” He said it like it was totally normal. “Equal opportunity objectification.”

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

How had I missed them? I saw some of them, but I assumed they were the boyfriends of the models. I just assumed beautiful women would have beautiful boyfriends.

I didn’t have the good manners Adrian did. My mouth was hanging open.

The male models were as sculpted as Greek statues, wearing pieces that somehow made expensive fabric look like it was barely there. The women in the audience were as enthusiastic as the men had been. The temperature in the opera house seemed to rise ten degrees. Horny men were as common as sunshine in July. But horny women were a totally different vibe.

I could feel the sexual tension in the air. It was like being inside a pile of dry tinder.