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“I just told him it would be better. You know, goddesses and old European buildings kind of go together.”
Brandon gives Stephanie a grin like there’s some kind of inside joke I missed before saying, “Well, let’s make sure we keep this contract. I heard Europeans love American accents.”
“Yeah, but it’d have to be a mighty enormous love of your accent to get over your terrible hair,” Stephanie says.
He gives her the bird, but his smile stays put. Until we all see Emery walk onto the plane. The energy doesn’t fade at all, but everyone turns to face him. Just like every day, he’s dressed in his suit, the muscles I know so well are hidden under the coat and silk shirt.
His hair is perfect. His smile is dazzling. And I don’t want to look at him. I hand the bottle of champagne back to Stephanie and lean back on the couch to look at the ceilings as though I’m tired, even though every nerve in my body is on edge.
“Partying already,” he says as he pours himself a glass of orange juice and sits in a chair across from me and Stephanie.
Even though I’m doing my best to ignore him, it’s impossible. It’s like ignoring the sun on a clear day or wind during a hurricane. Emery Brooks is not a man that can be forgotten.
“What else are we supposed to do on a nine-hour flight?” Brandon asks.
Emery chuckles, and I can hear just the slightest bit of exhaustion in his voice. He must have had a late night. “Well, you could think about work for a few minutes. This campaign is kind of a big deal.”
Shonda, surprisingly, jumps into the conversation. “Emery, we were ready for this on Thursday. I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready to shoot an ad.”
He shrugs and leans back, his arms out wide as though he has a woman resting on either shoulder. “I hope so. It’s not every day you’ve got Aspire’s reputation resting on your shoulders.”
Shonda pales a little, and all three of them grow quiet. Not me, though. “You mean you’re depending on us because you don’t know how to do what we’re doing, right?”
All three of my team look at me with shock in their eyes as I say something negative about their cult leader for the first time. I’ve kept my mouth shut until now, but today, I’m just not in a good place. The fact Emery is staring at me only makes it worse. I’ve had that image of him and Ariana Russo in my head ever since I went to sleep last night.
“Basically,” he says. “I’m no ChitChat expert. That’s what I pay you for.”
He doesn’t bat an eye at the fact that I just insulted him in front of his employees. He lets the comment roll off him like water. There’s still a sparkle in his eyes and his body language is still just as confident as ever.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly before taking a sip of the champagne. I have nothing to say to Emery Brooks. At least not here with other people around.
Emery sips his juice and stares at us for a few moments before standing up. “Well, I think I’m going to take advantage of the cabin and catch up on some sleep. Remember that as fun as going to Barcelona is, you still have a job to do while we’re there. Don’t let yourselves have so much fun that you fuck it up.”
“On it, boss,” Brandon says playfully, but it’s in direct conflict with the atmosphere of the room. There’s a seriousness that wasn’t there before Emery got on the jet. This isn’t the idea room, and we all know it.
Stephanie pulls out her phone and starts scrolling through ChitChat, and Brandon and Shonda follow suit.
This is going to be a long flight.
Chapter 31
Madison
I was right about yesterday’s nine-hour flight being exceptionally long because of Emery. I tried to go into the cabin and take a nap after he got up, but the rest of my team was wired. The somber tone evaporated only a few minutes after Emery went to sleep, and it was back to drinking and partying.
Brandon was the worst, and I’m surprised he stayed awake the whole time. He must have finished three entire bottles of champagne by himself. I don’t know how he was still standing when we finally got off the plane in Barcelona.
I took Emery’s advice to heart, and as I prepare to get onto the elevator to the top floor where we’re shooting the campaign, I’m glad that I’m not hungover. Today, I need to be at my peak, mostly to make sure we do everything we can to make the shoot perfect, but also because I have to deal with Emery again. This time, it’ll be around models, and that makes my chest hurt already.
I didn’t know how quickly he’d get his hooks in me. The way he looks at me still makes me quiver a little. It’s not like I can simply forget the way he made me feel. Both when he was using my body and when he was holding me. The way we clicked so perfectly, like two puzzle pieces that had never fit with anyone else in the world.
He has to stay off limits, though. Only pain and heartache lie at the end of that path, even if we do seem perfect together.
I try to remind myself that I’m in Europe in a wonderful hotel. The roof and top floor of the Hotel Antigua is where we’re shooting the ad campaign. Ivory-colored plaster that covers so much of it will be perfect to film against. The columns that aren’t found anywhere in the US will help the branding. Everything about the hotel is perfect for what we need. A blend of the ancient world with modern luxury.
The backdrop just isn’t enough to push away the fear of watching other women flirt with Emery. Or to watch him flirt back. I don’t know how I’m supposed to stay professional as I watch it happening.
When the bronze doors of the elevator slide open, I step inside and hear a voice call out, “Hold the door!” Instinctively, I put my hand on the metal to keep it from closing.
