“I blew it, right? I just needed to come and show you that I know opportunities like this come around once in a lifetime…”
Getting to my feet, I stalk over to where she stands babbling, and I hold a finger to her heavily painted mouth.
“Shhhh.”
Her gulp is audible, and a smile tilts my lips when she leans into my finger, pushing the flesh of her lips against the ridges there. It’s not my usual way of conducting business, but damn, this girl is special.
“What you did was very rude. Poor Eve isn’t built for chasing naughty little girls around,” I admonish playfully, despite the hunger to discipline her.
Her body vibrates. She’s ready to combust like a wound up jack in a box. I bet she’s never had an orgasm that she hasn’t induced herself.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. Her tongue purposely flicks out to taste my skin.
Fuck!
Hearing her apology and sensing her arousal is making me hard as stone.
I stroke my finger down her mouth as I move it away, making the bottom lip drag down and ping back into place as I do.
“I want to please you,” she breathes, heavy-lidded eyes looking up at me through thick over-painted lashes.
Well, fuck.
“With my singing,” she quickly adds.
I smirk, loving how flustered she is.
“So sing,” I tell her, moving away from her before I lose my control and punish her for bursting in here like a madwoman.
I grab a tissue and remove her lipstick from my finger.
“I didn’t prepare anything,” she utters, frowning.
“Well, you should have thought about that before bursting in here asking for a shot to please me.” I quirk a brow, folding my arms over my chest. I lean against my desk, crossing my feet at the ankle, watching what she’ll do next.
“Okay,” she says, nodding and shaking her arms out as she prepares herself. It’s fucking cute as hell. And then she begins belting out lyrics with no warm-up, hitting every note and transforming us from my office to an intimate concert for two.
She’s animated when she performs, but in the right way. Real, raw emotion. She believes in the words she’s singing—the story she’s telling her audience. She’s sensational and so beautiful to watch.
I’m lost to her when she finally speaks, breaking the spell she’s cast over me.
“Was that okay or should I do another?”
Striding over to her, I take her wrist and guide her over to my private bathroom. I wait for her to question me, but she doesn’t. Instead, she allows me to take her inside and face her toward the mirror with me at her back towering over her small body.
Turning on the faucet, I take a fresh towel and dip it under the water flow. Taking her chin between my forefinger and thumb, I wash her face, removing the makeup she doesn’t need. Her eyes never leave mine as she watches me through the mirror.
“Look at your face. Why would you hide such beauty beneath makeup?” I question, admiring the creamy skin, naturally tinted rose lips, and blue almond-shaped eyes that could bring a man to his knees in worship.
“It’s a mask, I suppose,” she answers, but her tone is unsure like she’s asking the question rather than solving one.
Releasing her jaw, I work at removing the feathers in an array of colors from her hair and push her own dark strands over her shoulders when I’m done.
“You don’t need to wear masks, Sofina. Just be you. You’re magnificent.”
Her chest rises and falls rapidly as she roams my face in the mirror. Her pouty, fat lips are parting with need. I’ve never had such intense, immediate chemistry with a woman before. But there’s this pulsing need like a magnetic pull inside me, anchoring me to her.
“I’ll offer you a recording contract today if you’re ready for it,” I tell her, making her eyes expand.
She spins to face me, a small hand covering her mouth.
“You have to be ready to take your opportunity, though,” I tell her firmly. “To become who you’re destined to be.”
“I’m ready.” She nods rapidly, tears filling her eyes, making them shine even brighter.
“Good. I’ll get a contract written up.”
Because I’m ready, too.
After he takes my phone and inputs his number, he walks over to his safe on the wall behind his desk. I’m frozen in place as I stare at his perfect form. Tall, built, handsome. Every girl’s wet dream.
Focus, Sof.
A man like him doesn’t get with a girl like you.
He’s refined, successful, and drips with masculinity.
I’m a girl who wears makeup to pretend she’s someone better than she is.
Behind the makeup and the mask he wants me to stop hiding behind, I’m just Sofina Russo. A glorified bartender.
I need not get caught up in this fairy tale feel.
He’s not a charming prince and I’m certainly no princess.
Looking down at the wad of cash Mr. Hayes places in my palm, I furrow my brows. “What is this?”