AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She grabbed a napkin and dabbed at his lip.
“You could have licked it off,” he said, a wicked gleam brightening his gaze.
“In your dreams.” She suddenly realized her own tongue was jutting out. She snapped her mouth closed, cheeks heating with embarrassment. “The tie-breaker,” she squeaked.
Ross laughed, a deep, pleased masculine rumble that transformed her flush from shame to desire.
“We have a venue that couldn’t be more appropriate for Halloween and a high-concept draw.” He took a huge bite and chewed, prolonging the suspense. “Our last and biggest hurdle is attendance.”
“The church should offer plenty of space.” She frowned, confused by where he was going.
“Space isn’t an issue.” He finished the sandwich and wadded up the wrapper before tossing it into a nearby trashcan. “We need to create the perception of exclusivity. I’m thinking in-person attendance is by invitation only. Your friends can probably help generate a list of influencers and celebrities. We set a ridiculously high price for tickets and stress there are very few available.”
“Those are standard tactics for creating buzz and motivating participation.” She nibbled at the soft pita bread, puzzled.
“Once we restrict attendance”—a huge grin unfurled across his face—“we announce the event will be live-streamed. People can purchase a virtual ticket for fifty, a hundred bucks. No limit on sales. My uncle has all the technical equipment and expertise we need to pull this off.”
“We live-stream an after-hours, pop-up, Halloween-inspired lingerie fashion show.” She stared past him at adults and children posing for photographs amid piles of pumpkins and bales of hay, thoughts whirling through her head. “People can’t get a ticket to attend, but they can be part of the season’s most exclusive event via their laptop, cellphone, or tablet. The celebs get tons of publicity, so they’ll be eager.”
“It’ll work,” he said in a firm, confident voice. “We just need to start promoting it on social media. Can we get with Rowena, Sunday, and Elise tonight? We only have four days.”
Macy heard half of what Ross said, her mind jumping to sort through the logistics. His idea was brilliant. It sidestepped all the potential complications and, more importantly, exceeded Beau’s requirements for success. It was original, cost-effective, and offered virtually unlimited attendance.
“I’ll call the girls as soon as we get back to the office.” She stood, excitement flaring as everything fell into place. “You win, Nelson. Best two out of three.”
“You’re being a good sport about losing.” He rose, taller than her by several inches, and stared down into her eyes. “You know what this means.”
“It means I’m attending the fashion show as a barnyard animal or a zombie.” She blinked away the sting of tears, not sure why being humiliated by Ross hurt so much.
6
Multicolored lights strobed through the structure that had once been a 19th century East Village church and was now a venue for public and private events. The stained-glass windows, vaulted ceiling, and stone-tile floor created an eerie setting that contrasted with the modern fixtures arranged for the fashion show. Candlelight flickered off of polished suits of armor, and caldrons filled with dry ice emitted spooky fog. Techno-music echoed off the limestone walls, drowning out the faint sound of conversation.
“Doors open in thirty,” Ross yelled from the end of the runway.
Servers in hooded black robes scurried into the kitchen for last minute instructions. Bartenders costumed as witches inventoried supplies at the bar set up along one wall. The DJ cranked the sound down a few decibels when Rowena, wearing a black thong, matching bustier, and thigh-high boots, strode over to him and wagged a finger in his face. The guy’s eyes remained glued to her ass as she sashayed back to the dressing room, hips rolling with each powerful stride.
A dancer with the world-renowned Radio City Rockettes, Rowena’s body was toned perfection. Ross admired her long legs and full breasts because he was a guy, but his appreciation was objective. The woman whose body he craved and intended to have before dawn was somewhere in the building, hopefully changing into the Halloween costume he’d selected for her.
Elise approached, head bowed over the clipboard resting in the crook of her left arm. She’d dressed up as Alice in Wonderland, the snowy apron over her blue dress glowing in the pulsing lights.
“Everything under control?” he called out.
“Huh?” She looked up in surprise. “Yes. Just doing a final walk-through. Did you hear? We’ve sold more than fifty thousand virtual tickets.”
Ross punched the air. Hell, yeah! Beau would flip when he heard the numbers, and Macy’s promotion was a sure thing when Ross submitted his report on her outstanding teamwork.
For now, he had to remain focused on the execution of their plan. There’d be time to celebrate later. He looked around, squinting to focus against the flickering lights. “Where’s Jason?”
“He’s in the balcony with your uncle doing a tech check. One of the cameras was glitching.” She looked over her shoulder to the back of the building where two silhouettes could be seen moving in the upper level. “I’m pretty sure they got it fixed.”
It was hard to tell in the semi-darkness, but he thought Elise blushed.
“Thanks so much for all your hard work. We couldn’t have pulled this off without you and Rowena and Sunday.”
“We’d do anything for Macy.” Her serious expression brightened. “Just like you would. We think you’re the perfect guy for our friend, Ross, but you need to be patient. She’s been burned. Still, we’ve seen a huge change in her these past few days.”
He gave her a thumbs-up, emotion choking off his words. He’d been encouraged by the shift in Macy’s behavior towards him. A couple of times he suspected she was about to lift her face for a kiss, but she held back. He’d been patient. Tonight, the waiting was over.
