Enticing Winter
Page 6
Masquerade + holiday lingerie = a winter wonderland to remember. Dare to indulge. Model call 1pm
@InfernoChicago. #BareSophistication #TRNight
Right after she hit Enter on the tweet, she received another text message from Taheim.
Sneaky, but I like it.
Her heart began beating fast, as if he were voicing the words to her in person rather than text message. She wished such simple words didn’t amuse her, but they did.
@WinterDupree designs are what all MY dreams are made of. See what happens when visions collide for the holidays. @TRNight @InfernoChicago
She was just about to text him when he entered another tweet.
They said one day I’d meet my match. Knew it was true the day I saw her in those black stilettos.
@WinterDupree @InfernoChicago #Modelcall1pm
“Oh, goodness,” she said to herself as her breath caught in her throat. The only day he’d seen her in black stilettos was the day he’d caught her in his bedroom. They hadn’t really talked about it, and of course none of their followers knew what he was referring to, with the exception of Danni, who’d walked in on them, and her sister Autumn, whom she’d told. But his tweet felt personal. As if he was telling the world just how much that day had affected him.
Since they were both planning the fashion show, any indication that there was more going on between them than just fashion would make people talk. As predicted, his tweet began getting retweets and comments started rolling in asking if the two of them were dating.
She texted him and added an emoji of a face that was not pleased. In fact, the emoji was giving him the side-eye and a frown.
You’re a flirt and you’re playing dirty.
She watched the little dots on her iPhone screen appear, indicating that he was replying.
Who said I was playing.
It was quickly followed up by an emoji similar to the one she had sent, but instead of a frown, it was giving a side smile. Before she could contemplate his words, another text message came through.
That’s the only day I can ever recall being speechless. Then again, I’m not sure what guy could find you standing in his bedroom wearing that outfit and not lose his train of thought and ability to speak. You looked beautiful.
She stared at her phone, unsure if she should respond to his text. Then she remembered that she’d always been a bold person who expressed how she felt, so she didn’t see why this moment should be any different.
She started typing her response.
The way you stared at me that night made me feel beautiful. You seemed genuine and approachable despite the situation.
She glanced to the side and smiled before writing the rest of her response and pressing Send.
You’re still cocky as hell. But underneath all that is a man with a story. Hopefully I’ll hear it one day.
Chapter 6
“For those of you who don’t know, Inferno Lounge is opening the second Saturday in December, so this fashion show is in five weeks. We have a lot to pull together in a short amount of time. If you can’t keep up with the pace or have too many holiday obligations, you will be cut.”
Taheim looked toward the slew of model hopefuls, observing the way that Winter commanded the room. It was hard to keep his eyes off her, and judging from the way she had the attention of most of the men in the room, he wasn’t the only one who was under her spell.
“As much as we’d love to have each of you in the fashion show, we aren’t able to hire everyone.”
The social media battle between him and Winter had brought on the largest model call that he’d ever seen. Winter had looped in the help of her Bare Sophistication staff, who had assisted with fashion shows she’d had, and he’d recruited the help of his Collegiate Life team, who specialized in fashion shows, as well. Together they had pulled enough resources and contacts to assemble a great team to plan the fashion show. This gave Elite Events the opportunity to focus on planning the masquerade gala.
Winter glanced over at him and nodded her head for him to pick up the conversation where she’d left off.
“Out of two hundred hopefuls that arrived Saturday at 1:00 p.m., you were the top forty-five. We appreciate each of you for coming out this Monday evening, but we only need thirty to thirty-five models. So a few of you won’t make it.”
He leaned up from the back wall and went to stand beside Winter. “This masquerade gala will be the talk of the town and Inferno is already being predicted as one of the best lounge and club debuts to hit the Chicago scene in decades. Thanksgiving is only a couple weeks away and Christmas is right after, so as Winter stated, we won’t have time for excuses that you have too much going on for the holidays. Remember, there is someone eager to take your spot.”
“You aren’t just representing yourself and Inferno in this fashion show,” Winter said to the group. “Taheim and I are both debuting pieces from our collections, so you’re representing Bare Sophistication, T.R. Night and Collegiate Life, as well.”
Taheim inwardly smiled at the excited looks he witnessed on most of the models’ faces. “I’m also going on a city tour early next year for Collegiate Life and T.R. Night. I have a few openings for a couple male and female models who wouldn’t mind joining to wear my clothing for some of the biggest urban retailers in the country.” A few guys clapped hands and a few of the ladies squealed.
“And, ladies, for you there is even more opportunity,” Winter said, clasping her hands together. “Word has spread that Bare Sophistication’s masquerade lingerie events are the most exclusive events to hit the private party scene in years. We will be expanding that business next year to more cities, starting with places in the Midwest. I’ll need to have reliable models to show my one-of-a-kind pieces, and that will include participation in fashion trade shows, PR events, and many more modeling and traveling opportunities.”
Even more women squealed and a few appeared to be praying for the opportunity to be chosen.
“You will each be judged in four categories by the panel you see before me.” Taheim pointed to the team he and Winter had put together. “You were each told to bring tasteful lingerie and nightwear. We hate to sound harsh, but if you didn’t come prepared or don’t think you can give us the look we need, this fashion show isn’t for you.”
He wasn’t surprised when three people got up and left.
“We understand how nerve-racking this can be,” Winter started. “But if you want to make it in this industry, these are typical expectations. Keep in mind that we are judging you on your walk, personality, style and overall look.”
“And please don’t forget to place the number we assigned you on the top of your résumé. I hope each of you brought ten copies, as specified,” Taheim added.
Taheim and Winter split the models into six groups of seven, and then they took their seats at the table placed near the temporary runway that was set up for practice. Based on what he’d seen on Saturday and what he’d read on a few of the models’ résumés, he was confident they had their top thirty or thirty-five models in the room.
Since they were the main designers and people planning the fashion show, it seemed natural that he and Winter sit next to each other. When the first two groups took the stage, he did a great job of concentrating. But when the lead Elite Events planner for the masquerade gala, Cydney Rayne-Miles—who had informed them that she would be late for judging—finally arrived, everyone seated at the table had to scoot closer to one another to make room.
Moving closer to Winter shouldn’t have been a problem for him—except it meant that occasionally they would bump elbows.
“I didn’t know you were left-handed,” he said, noticing it for the first time.
“Yeah, sorry. I know we keep bumping into each other. Hope it’s not too difficult for you to take notes.”
“No, you’re not making it too difficult,” he lied. It wasn’t that he wanted to lie. But saying As a matter of fact, being this close to you makes me want to drag you to the nearest bed and dive into your sweetness with my tongue wasn’t exactly appropriate.
“You look stressed about something,” she whispered close to his ear.
“I’m good.” His voice sounded strained even to his own ears. When she leaned back, he could feel her eyes on him, and slowly, he felt the mood change.
He looked at her and noticed a sneaky smile on her face. Before he had a chance to ask her what she was up to, she placed her hand on his thigh.
He shot upright in his chair, barely stopping himself from standing up completely. Her laugh lightened the sexual tension.
“You find this funny?” he whispered back to her, keeping his eyes on the runway this time.
“A little,” she said with a laugh. “Only because I could tell you were lying to me. I’ll scoot over a little to give you more room.”
As her hands went underneath her chair to scoot it over, his hand flew to her wrist.
“Don’t move,” he whispered.
Her eyes trailed from his hand on her wrist to his face. When she met his eyes, all laughter was gone from her gaze. They didn’t say anything for a few seconds. He was too intrigued by her expression to say anything further. His eyes dropped down to her lips despite the fact that his mind warned him not to look. She’d covered them with a red tinted gloss. The shiny layer catching in the light was enough to make him think of several naughty ways he’d love to wipe all the shine off.
She must have sensed the direction of his thoughts, because her lips slightly parted and a breath so faint he would have missed it had he not been so close escaped.
“If you two are done with whatever you’re doing, group four is coming onstage soon,” Autumn whispered as she leaned over Winter. “If you missed the last couple models, I’m sure you can look at the panel’s notes, but I liked them.”
Taheim looked on either side of him at the curious glances coming from the team, not surprised to see he’d even gotten the attention of Cydney, who had quirked her eyebrow as if to say I told you so.
When he felt someone’s eyes on his back, he turned to find his brother standing near the main bar with a knowing gaze on his face.
He’d been pretty vocal when he’d discussed the fact that he would never be interested in Winter after they were set up on that blind date. But now that a few of their mutual friends were seeing them blatantly flirt with one another, it felt as if the joke was on them.
* * *
You will not flirt with Taheim. You will not flirt with Taheim. Winter chanted the words over and over again in her head as she made her way to his condo.
Even though she’d been there before for the bachelorette party that his sister had thrown, it felt different knowing that he was on the other side of the door waiting for her arrival. Back then he was just a guy she despised. Now he seemed to be the only man on her mind.
It should help that she wasn’t visiting him for a date or anything too personal. She was there to get down to business. Today was her first day waiting on him hand and foot, since she’d lost the social media bet.
She hated to lose and from the social media results that she calculated, she’d only lost by a small percentage. She never backed down from a bet. Even though she had the feeling that Taheim would be holding this one over her head.
As she made her way up the stairs, she tried her best to slow her heart rate. “You can do this,” she said to herself as she lifted her hand to hit the buzzer for the back door of his condo, as he’d told her to do the day before.
“Hello, it’s Winter,” she said into the speaker. Within seconds, the door buzzed and she made her way up the narrow stairway and was surprised to find him standing by the elevator.
“The back entrance is closer to my condo, but I figured since there aren’t many people who take this way unless we live here, I’d meet you halfway.”
“Thanks.” She stood by him in silence when they stepped in the elevator car. It was Tuesday night and although they had just seen each other for the final auditions last week, she felt like a nervous teenager visiting a boy’s house for the first time.
“I’m glad we found thirty-five models eager to be in the fashion show,” he said, breaking the silence.
“Me, too.” She ran her fingers through her curls as she watched the numbers slowly rise with each floor they passed. “I’m glad we chose some models with experience and some fresh faces, too. I think this is a great opportunity for them and I’m really eager to see who would be good for future Bare Sophistication projects.”
“Same here. It was nice to have so many people excited about my city tour for Collegiate Life and T.R. Night.”
“What you’ve accomplished is impressive. There were a lot of young men at the model call who really look up to you.”
“Yeah, I like working with the younger generation. I remember some of them from when they were kids and used to come into one of my parents’ first restaurants on the South Side of Chicago.”
“That’s right,” Winter said, snapping her fingers. “Your parents own a chain of soul food restaurants in the Midwest, right?”
“They sure do,” he said as they stepped off the elevator onto the twenty-fifth floor. “One of their newest restaurants isn’t a soul food restaurant, though. Remember the place we had our first date?”
As if she’d forget. “Of course. I remember. They own that restaurant?”
“The previous owner was a friend of my dad’s who passed away. He also told my dad if something happened to him, he wanted him to take over, so he did. Now it’s one of three steak houses that my parents own. The one here in Chicago, one in Indianapolis, and another in Saint Louis.”
“That’s awesome.”
He opened his door and motioned for her to step into his condo first. “I meant to tell you that your condo is gorgeous. Very tastefully decorated and spacious. I haven’t seen anything like it since I’ve been in Chicago.”
“Thanks, but you can thank my sister, Kaya, for putting her interior decorating degree to good use. And the reason it seems like one of a kind is because it is.”
“There’s that cockiness you hide so well.”
“I’m serious,” he said, motioning for her to follow him down the hallway. When they reached a set of sliding doors, just like the closets in his bedroom, they opened on their own.
“You must really like motion sensors, huh,” she said with a laugh.
He looked over his shoulder and gave her a smirk. “Why open doors when you can place motion sensors in the floor?”
“Of course—why not?” she said as she threw her hands in the air. They were both still laughing as he took out a book and opened it to a picture collage.
“What is this?” she asked.
“It’s a collage of how this building was originally going to look. The owners wanted to build a condo similar to those that they’d built in Miami, Atlanta and Phoenix. But when they bought this property, they realized that Chicago was unlike the other territories. Our weather is unpredictable and our city isn’t like the others they’d built in. So when they came to R&W Advertising to create a marketing campaign for the property, my partners and I couldn’t let them go through with it without offering some advice.”
“How did they take your advice?”
“Bad
at first,” he said with a laugh. “But you know Daman Barker right?”
“Yeah, he’s married to Imani with Elite Events and he’s one of your partners at R&W Advertising, right?”
“Yes, he is. He also owns his father’s company, Barker Architecture. I had set up a meeting with the owners of this building and Daman and his staff, and that’s where the concept of this building was created.” He flipped through a few pages in the book. “Each condo is different and for the condos that were sold at the start of this project, we were able to pay extra to create them to our liking.”
Winter glanced at the pictures taken during the development of the condo and was impressed by everything she saw. “Let me guess,” she said as she glanced up at him. “You were the first person to purchase one of the condos?”
“Second, actually,” he said with a laugh. “We’re on the east wing and there is no penthouse on this side, so I’m the top condo. But Jaleen Walker, my other partner at R&W Advertising, beat me to the penthouse in the west wing on the twenty-sixth floor.”
She laughed as she glanced around his office and looked down the hall. His condo was even more beautiful than she’d remembered. Especially since she hadn’t really gotten a chance to admire everything in detail, since she’d been working.
I wonder how many women he’s had here. She shook her head at the thought. It wasn’t as if they were dating or anything. She was there to allow him to collect on the bet they’d made, not to fantasize about having sex with him on top of his massive desk.
“So,” she said, clasping her hands together and standing up from the chair she had been sitting in. “What’s on this list of things to do?”
He closed the book they’d been looking at and placed it back on his bookshelf. “You hate that you lost, don’t you?”
“Well, you cheated,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “You made it seem like there was more to our relationship than just business, so of course people started commenting on all our social media sites about it...including our friends.”
He walked around his desk to stand in front of her. “Was I wrong in my assumption?” he asked in a husky voice. She took a step back. Studying her eyes, he took another step forward. “Isn’t this more than just business?”