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He holds a hand over his eyes. "I'm ready."
I flip to the second page. "Okay. You can look now."
Thane opens his eyes, and they gradually widen while his mouth slowly slides into a smile. "You are a genius, Rebecca."
A laugh splutters out of me. "Hardly. This was the obvious choice for an event. I kind of assumed you wouldn't like it."
"This isn't my usual sort of gala, but I love anything you come up with."
We're both studying the mini poster I created as a test. The headline reads, "Thane Buchanan Distillery presents a Valentine's Day to dazzle your taste buds. Enjoy the romance of Highland whisky with a guided tour of the distillery, then join us at an ancient medieval castle for a ball worthy of Cinderella."
"What do you think?" I ask. "The vibrant red background and red rose petals evoke romance and sensuality. The ball will be for adults only, and the dress code will be formal. We're sending out invitations to everyone you know via mail, then I and my army will pound the pavement to offer full-size posters to businesses."
"This is beautiful and sexy, just like you."
"You were the inspiration for the entire campaign. Now that I know you're okay with the ball, let me show you the ads." I flip to the next page and let him drink in the information without me reading it aloud. "What do you think? Are you comfortable with my plans for you?"
He scratches the back of his neck. "Ah, not sure. I am not a professional model."
"That's the point. You are the brand. People need to see you, not some preening, pouting model." I lay a hand on his cheek and gently push him to turn his head toward me. "They want a real man. The kind men will admire and want to emulate. The kind women adore and wish they could sleep with."
"Do I really want lasses feeling that way about me?"
"You know what I meant. I wasn't suggesting women will be ripping your clothes off." I flip to the next page and hold up the portfolio so he can get a good look at the information there. "This is the itinerary for the big event. I've emailed you a copy, so just print that out and study it. You'll feel better about the whole thing if you understand the timeline."
He takes the portfolio and reads every bit of information on the page. I can tell he's absorbing all of it because I watch his eyes moving as he pores over everything. When he's done, he hands the portfolio back to me. "I will memorize the details. You have my word I will do whatever you believe is best for promoting the distillery."
"You'll do anything?"
"Aye." He seems to abruptly realize what he just promised, and he rubs his jaw. "I stepped into that quagmire, didn't I?"
I bite my upper lip. "Are you sure you're ready for this? If you're calling it a quagmire---"
"Relax, gràidh. I won't back out, and I trust you to handle the marketing efforts. Dinnae need to ask me again if I'm sure." He takes my hands, folding his around them. "I am fully committed to your plan---and to you."
"Monday morning, we will shoot all the ads for TV, print, and social media. You'll get to see them before we release the ads and ask for any reasonable changes." I start to bite my lip again but then realize that's dumb. He's all in, and he wouldn't lie about that. "You are about to become a celebrity, Thane. Locally, at least."
"If I can handle rogue spies, I can certainly survive a marketing blitz."
"Yes, you can." I kiss him. "Never imagined that getting a new job would change my world forever and bring new joy into my life. Thank you for showing me what real love looks like."
"No, lass, it was mutual. We taught each other that lesson."
We spend the night in my apartment but then head for his house on Sunday. Thane doesn't like to leave Odin and the chickens alone for too long, especially after the debacle with Holden. That jerk is locked up in England now, awaiting his trial. No bail for him. A convicted double agent who tried to kill a former fellow agent isn't likely to get a commuted sentence. I hope they lock Holden up for good this time.
I love hanging out with Odin and Thane. I've even gotten to like the chickens, and my egg-gathering skills are improving.
Monday morning arrives, and it's time for Thane's big close-up.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Thane
I turn my body to the left and swivel my head to the right while lifting my chin just a touch. For over an hour, I've done this repeatedly. Being a male model is not the lifestyle for me, but this is for my company. That's the only reason I'm enduring this photo session and obeying the ridiculous instructions from the photographer. A moment ago, he told me, "Let your inner light shine through so everyone can see it. Don't be shy."
Dinnae have an inner light, and ahmno shy. That's rubbish.
When I glance at Rebecca, she smiles and gives me the thumbs-up sign.
