Page 85 of Hate To Be Mine

“I don’t know how to model.”

“And that’s why you’re exactly right,” I said. “It’s natural. Women will identify with you. It’s not posed and fake.”

“That.” Elizabeth nodded. “When I saw those photos, I knew immediately you were the vision he had. Because I can see it now.”

“It would mean a lot to me,” I said quietly. “This shoot is important. You know that. And you’re the only one who can make it what I’m envisioning.”

She looked between me and Elizabeth, clearly torn. “If I say yes—and that’s a big if—I’m not doing anything that would be considered provocative. No bikinis, no wet T-shirts, nothing that would compromise my professional credibility.”

“Deal. Elizabeth’s dress is beautiful and tasteful. You’ll look amazing but completely appropriate.”

“And this is purely artistic? Not personal? Like you think you owe me something?”

The question hurt more than it should have. She thought I was trying to buy her silence about the sex? I would deal with that later.

“This is about creating something beautiful. I want to capture what I’m trying to say with this campaign. Natural beauty is all around us but people don’t see it. What’s that saying?” I snapped my fingers trying to find the right words. “People can’t see the forest through the trees. We go about our daily lives feeling like we’re the main characters in our story and we miss the beauty that surrounds us.”

It was personal. Incredibly personal. But I couldn’t say that.

She took a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Thank you,” Elizabeth said, squeezing her arm. “You won’t regret it.”

“I hope not,” Bernadette muttered.

I had my Venus.

And I was going to make damn sure these photos were unforgettable.

30

BERNADETTE

Standing in the wardrobe tent in just my underwear while Elizabeth and Annika fussed over which dress would work best, I questioned every decision that had led me to this moment. There were less than ten people on the planet that had seen me this naked.

I was shy at first, but they didn’t seem to notice the state of my undress. I knew Annika had probably seen thousands of mostly nude bodies. Maybe even fully nude, given some of the outfits she dressed the models in.

To them, it was just another day at the office. They weren’t looking at the scar on my thigh from when I fell off the swing when I was eight. They didn’t seem to notice the little pouch just below my belly button that would never go away no matter how many sit-ups I did.

They were too busy putting dresses on me, studying them and then taking them off me like I was their personal Barbie doll.

And once again, I thought about how insane the whole thing was. I was the insurance representative. I was supposed to be monitoring the shoot, not participating in it. My father would lose his mind if he found out. He would probably fire me. And yet, when Sebastian had looked at me with those blue eyes and asked for my help, I couldn’t resist.

Of course I’d said yes. I’d been doomed from the moment he said please with that perfect mouth that had been on me just last night. I was pretty sure no one said no to him. It was impossible.

He asked me to be Venus. The goddess of beauty. Which was flattering in a way I couldn’t even process. I wasn’t beautiful—not like the models, not like the women Sebastian usually surrounded himself with. But he looked at me like I was.

I wasn’t made of stone. I couldn’t just ignore his attention. It was a very large dose of self-esteem. I probably could have picked up the whole damn island with how powerful he made me feel in that moment.

“This one,” Elizabeth said, pulling out a dress in shades of cream and pale gold that seemed to shimmer in the light. “It’s from the collection but hasn’t been photographed yet. It’s perfect.”

The dress was gorgeous, flowing and ethereal with a Grecian-inspired one-shoulder neckline. The fabric was lightweight and whisper thin. It wasn’t revealing but definitely more romantic than anything I’d ever worn. The high neckline meant there would be no cleavage showing. It went all the way to my ankles with a high slit that would only be shown if there was a breeze. Truthfully, it was very conservative but it made me feel like a seductress. It was sensual and alluring.

“It’s beautiful,” I admitted.

“You’ll be beautiful in it,” Annika said firmly. “Now hold still while we get you into it.”

Getting dressed felt like being prepared for some kind of ritual. Elizabeth and Annika worked together adjusting the draping and making sure everything sat perfectly.