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Maia smirked. “If that’s what you want, sure. But if I had David Blake drooling at my feet, I wouldsotake advantage. I mean, what have you got to lose? The press already thinks you’re together.”
“My dignity?” Maia laughed and Rose rolled her eyes, focusing on the margarita jug in her hand. “The only thing I want to do to David Blake is murder him,” she said, and Maia laughed again but gave her a knowing smile as she settled into the cushions and accepted a margarita. If only Rose could forget about Blake as easily.
* * *
“Areyou sure this outfit is okay?” Maia, normally self-assured, confident to the point of almost cockiness, was nervous. Very nervous, if her repeatedly balled and un-balled fists, tense shoulders, and slightly damp palms were anything to go by. Rose squeezed her hand.
“You look great, you’re going to kill it. You always do.” She gave her best friend the most comforting smile she could and then marched through David Blake’s front door. “Hello Lacy, I believe Mr. Blake is expecting us?” Lacy nodded and gestured for them to follow her.
There had been no bullshit on this visit. The gates had opened for her car and Rose had scowled. She’d worn lower heels just in case but it seemed like for now, Blake’s childish games were over. That didn’t help the ridiculous swarm of paparazzi waiting for them as they drove through the gates, a few cameras pressing to the tinted windows to try and get a picture of her before the gates started to close, shutting them out. Gods-damned Blake and his stupid publicity stunt. She wasn’t sure how the press knew she was going to be there today, unless Blake had called in a tip which she honestly wouldn’t put past him at this point. Her phone had been ringing all weekend with press trying to get her to comment about the ‘engagement rumors’ floating around until in the end, she’d just turned it off.
Her and Maia had enjoyed a girls’ weekend of gossip, pampering, and probably a few too many margaritas in between discussing possible themes, décor, and colors for the gala. Blake’s team was handling all the marketing, thankfully – Rose could do it, but it was her least favorite part of the process, maybe thanks to her less than stellar experiences with the media. Though, she was relatively popular on socials as a fashion and lifestyle influencer – whatever that meant. She just posted photos and people liked them, and occasionally she wore something for a brand. When you were already famous, it was easier to stay that way.
Maia had helped her photograph a few cute and comfy looks while Rose posed on the sofa on Sunday, so all she had to do now was edit them and she could post them to her socials later on tonight. It took a surprising amount of effort to look effortless on social media.
Despite her resentment at being forced into this gig and the still slow-simmering rage in her gut whenever she thought back to Blake’s smug face as he spoke to the press, Rose could admit that she was actually… excited about this project. Maia’s eye was amazing, as always, and talking shop with her made Rose strangely eager to get started.
They walked past the staircase Rose had taken the last time she had been there and she curled her fingers into her palms to stop the odd trembling that had taken over them. She’d had a good time with Maia, but when she’d gone to bed that night her words kept floating around Rose’s brain until she could no longer dismiss them.If you have to think about it that hard, it’s probably been too long.It had probably been at least a year since Rose’d had sex. Possibly longer. She was busy, and work occupied a lot of her thoughts, and–
She could practically hear the tut Maia would give her if she knew the excuses Rose was mentally compiling. Rose sighed. The truth was that dating washardand she hated it. Hated meeting new people and wondering if they liked her or just her name, or what rumors about her they’d read in the gossip column. It was part of a game she had no interest in playing. But was Maia right? Had Rose become complacent? Was she missing out?
Her thoughts had become a riot of confusion and self-doubt and, fine,lustas she tried to remember the last time someone other than herself had gotten her off. It was the only reason she could think of to explain the automatic smile she gave to Blake when they finally wound up in what looked like a ballroom. The cocky smirk on his mouth faded slightly and he pressed a hand to the arm of the man standing beside him as if dazed.
Her smile faded quickly, anger mixing with the desire that just wouldn’t go away now that it had finally clawed itself to the surface and Blake’s presence was only more confusing. Her body responded to him even as her mind wanted to shout at him until her throat was raw. It had been a year-long dry spell for her, and Rose couldn’t help wondering, somewhat uncomfortably, what else she might have been repressing alongside her desire for human touch.
The ballroom was huge with dark wood floors, olive green walls with a high glass ceiling, and leafy plants scattered about. Standing in the center of the room was Blake and the unfamiliar man. They were gesturing to random things while they talked and Maia seemed to have regained her confidence by the time they made it over to them, the sway in her hips unfaltering.
Unhelpfully, Rose couldn’t help but notice how perfectly Blake’s suit matched his blue eyes. Damn her mother for putting unwanted thoughts in her head. Maia too, because now all she could picture was what lay under that suit as Blake pulled off his blazer, leaving him in averywell-fitting white shirt. Mentally shaking herself and cursing her treacherous re-awoken hormones for her reaction, she strode across the room to meet them in the middle. Her long brown leather skirt was form fitting but still professional, as was the cream turtleneck she’d paired it with, a deliberate attempt to tone down from her previous bright-red suit. Not that the press would care. For all the effort she made, they’d probably just spin the plain outfit as domestic happiness likeInfamous DuLoe So Comfortable in New Bliss, Wears Off the Rack.
“Mr. Blake,” she said when she finally stood in front of him, pretending that her earlier gut-instinct smile had only been sheer professionalism. “This is Maia Katz. She’ll be working with us for the interiors at the benefit.”
Blake stared at her in silence for a beat longer than was necessary as he wet his lips and cleared his throat and finally dragged his eyes from hers to greet Maia.
“It’s lovely to meet you. Any friend of Rose is sure to have excellent taste.” He turned to the handsome dark-haired man next to him and recognition finally lit inside her. “I’m sure you remember Christopher, Rose. He works with me over atHorizons.He’s my second-in-command at the company and will be participating in the auction. He’s just here to oversee things, maybe add a few suggestions if he feels it’s necessary.”
Rose gave a polite, disinterested smile to Blake and let her eyes linger on the fullness of Christopher’s lips as Maia murmured her hellos and shook both their hands. Rose hadn’t seen Christopher in years, and he was much less prevalent in the press than Blake, so she hadn’t really seen so much as a photo. She’d always thought he was cute and the years had been kind to him. He was attractive, effortlessly embodying tall, dark, and handsome. Maybe she’d found the answer to her dry spell sooner than expected.
Rose smiled widely at Christopher as she discreetly checked his hand for a ring –not full-proof, but a good start. At the very least, he might make an excellent distraction for both her and the press from the cocky, infuriating man standing next to him, staring at her.
“Let’s get started then, shall we? Is this where you’re planning on holding the event? How many can this room hold? 200 people? Three?” she asked, still assessing Christopher rather than their surroundings. He was broad and had dark brown eyes that were watching her with something like amusement.
“Yes, around 300 people can fit in here. We’re only looking for around 200, maybe 250 invites though. Don’t want it to be overcrowded.” Blake’s voice interrupted her musings, and he sounded a little… put-out at her interest in Christopher. Good. She had no intention of giving into the matchmaking their mothers had schemed into motion, and Blake deserved a little payback for his stunt with the press. When she glanced at him, his blue eyes were searching her face, his mouth pulled down slightly at the corners, but most telling of all was the hand he suddenly thrust through his hair and then scrubbed over his jaw. Rose knew from personal experience that Blake only did those things when he was particularly frustrated. This was quickly becoming a very interesting visit. Maybe it was cruel, but she wanted to see just how much she could make him sweat. God knows he seemed to spend most of his time trying to irritate her whenever they were together. Or even apart, as the interview had proven, as well as the flowers.
“Maia, why don’t you take Blake around the room and start telling him what you think you’d like to do with the space?” Maia smiled and nodded, bouncing over to Blake and immediately talking about how amazing the room was and raising her phone to take photos of the space. Maia was a highly visual person and Rose knew she’d need the photos to come up with a theme design that made the most of the room. Blake’s low voice carried across the room as he answered Maia’s questions and Rose quickly tuned them out.
“It’s good to see you again, Rose.”
She blinked. “Oh, so youdoremember me.” She gave him a small smirk. “It’s nice to see you again, Chris.”
Christopher arranged his face into a very charming grin. “How could I forget? I mean, it was you that once dumped a bowl of punch over Blake’s head in the middle of your graduation party, and am I right in thinking you were also the one who pushed him into the pool once at New Year? It was both spectacular and extremely memorable.”
Rose let out a startled laugh, having forgotten about that particular incident. “Itwasspectacular, wasn’t it?”
Christopher stepped a fraction closer and gazed into her eyes. “So, you and Blake, huh?”
She raised a brow coolly. “I thought you’d know better than to believe the things you see on TV. There is no ‘me and Blake’. Just his attempt to irritate me, and another of my mother’s plans to marry me off. Anyway, what do you think of this project? Maia is so excited to get to work with you guys atHorizons.”
Christopher laughed a little and looked off in the direction of Blake and Maia at the other end of the giant room. From here, they could see Blake’s head nodding intermittently while Maia gesticulated wildly and enthusiastically. “Well, I think it’ll be great for charity, and the business. I think it could be even better for your friend, if she does a good job, and possibly good for you and Blake. If you’ll let it be.”
