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“Thank you,” I say, taking the drink delicately. We look at each other for a few seconds, time slows to eternity. Then he winks, and takes a sip of his drink. It reminds me to drink too.
“Are you here with friends?” he asks, as we move away from the bar.
“I was,” I say. “But she’s left me. It’s okay, I have plenty of dresses to look at. I’m just inaweof the designs this year.”
“You’ve been keeping a sharp eye on us then?” he asks.
“Only all the time.” I cringe inside, am I always this awkward? He looks so much older, it’s not like he’d be interested in me. I realize I’m not talking. “But you know, not like a stalker or anything. I just really like the designs. And well, Nathan’s shop here in Miami Beach always has the latest dresses. I tried on the new sundress today. The—”
“Valentina,” he says. His eyes light up and I can’t tell if he’s impressed or amused. “You have connections,” he says. “Nathan only uniforms a select few of what he has. He must like you.”
“Oh don’t get me started on Anthony,” I gush. “He’s got everything! And his taste is amazing. He doesn’t have everything, of course. He doesn’t like everything.”
“I could be listening to him right now,” the man says, closing his eyes.
I shut up, suddenly turning red.
“Oh don’t stop,” he says. “I like Nathan. I personally dropped that dress off today. It’s nice to know that something so beautiful I have touched has also graced your beautiful body.”
He stares into my eyes as he says it. I swoon and feel my face burn. “I, um—” Begin to say something, anything, but can’t find the words …
Does he like me?
“Now,” he says suddenly. “I think I’ve kept you from your evening long enough. If you’re still around at the end, or if we see one another, please don’t hesitate to say hi.” He smiles, and again it’s the most heart throbbing thing I’veeverexperienced. I can’t even tell how much older he is than me really … But he obviously felt the need to make me feel like I’m not an idiot. I swoon even more.
But before I can thank him he turns and leaves. His suit-dressed, god-body cuts through the crowd. People move aroundhimas he makes his way to the VIP area.
Mimi appears out of nowhere, fanning her face. “Holy shit, Soph! That guy was fucking hot!”
We both stare after him as he climbs the stairs and begins shaking hands.
“It was definitely something,” I say.
“Something?” Mimi splutters. “He couldn’t keep his hands off you. They were holding you so delicately too …”
We’re staring openly. I swallow again. I take another sip and realize the warmth that I’d been feeling around my shoulders was his arm. It had felt so welcoming, so at home there, that I’d forgotten all about it.
“If anyone is going to swipe your v-card, Soph, it better be him,” Mimi says.
“I agree,” I say before I can shut up.
Mimi bursts out laughing and spills her drink on some nearby girls. We both start giggling like idiots.
“You think he liked me?” I ask innocently, more in disbelief than a true question. “Oh he wanted to fuck you. Even those out in space with fucking telescopes saw the fuck eyes he was giving you.”
I begin burning up again.
“Forget these dresses,” she says, pushing me along. “Go after him!”
“He said he could introduce me to Tommy Lippee,” I say, pushing back and holding us on the dancefloor. The heat of all the bodies has created a humidity. Through it all, I glimpse the models strutting up and down the catwalk. “How crazy is that?”
“Crazy?” Mimi splutters. “No, what’s crazy is that you’re thinking about some designer who only likes dudes when the hottest fucking man on the planet wants to dick you down!”
The music drops again, just after Mimi’s joke. We look at one another, and for a few heartbeats, it doesn’t even seem true. Then the music returns, and I can’t help but burst out laughing again. We both do. With our arms around one another we double over, barely able to breathe. I’m so happy. So nervous and excited, embarrassed and in pure disbelief that I’m at a Piovere fashion show.
We end up getting more drinks and watching the show. Except the whole time I feel his eyes watching me. And I openly watch him back. I barely pay attention to the show now. I barely pay attention to Mimi. In the end, as he descends down onto the dancefloor, I feel Mimi lean in close against me. “Good luck,” she says, and then disappears.
I turn to find her, but only see the face of the man as he appears from nowhere. He stands before me, his jacket off now. I can see his rippling muscles and his chest hair is visible under his tight shirt. It’s made of linen.Linen.Can he get any hotter?
