Just not his lover.
She scrunched her eyes shut against the memory. Now was not the time to be thinking of one of her biggest failures.
“Go!”
The assistant’s voice banished the last bits of the past. She opened her eyes, squared her shoulders and walked forward. A quick turn to the right after the drapery ended and she was back on the catwalk. Even though the blaring music made it impossible to hear almost anything else, the incessant click of cameras echoed as flashes went off around her.
Then it happened. The heel of the right shoe snapped. Thrown off balance, she stumbled once, twice, then pitched to the side and off the catwalk. In that moment, she heard the collective gasp of the crowd, the frantic clicking of the cameras, her own heartbeat thundering as the wisps of her skirt flew up into her face and thankfully blinded her to her most humiliating moment.
She landed in someone’s lap. She couldn’t see who, but she could feel him.Most definitely a him, she thought as strong arms wrapped around her and steadied her. Despite the severity of the moment, her body registered the muscular chest she was clasped against, the spicy amber scent rolling off her rescuer that simultaneously teased her with its familiarity and comforted her.
“I’m so sorry, I...” Her words trailed off as she pushed the material down and met the glittering brown eyes of the man she’d once loved.
Antonio Cabrera.
The world returned in a rush as the flashes intensified. Her first instinct was to hide her face in her hands, to try to slink off into the crowd and hope the paparazzi wouldn’t follow.
Coward.
She swallowed hard. No matter how tempting, running away wouldn’t solve anything. Plus, it would detract from Kess’s show. And it would prove what Antonio had said all those years ago.
You’re just a child, Anna.
She inhaled deeply and then looked Antonio straight in the eye.
“Could I request your assistance? Please,” she added softly.
His lips quirked. “Other than rescuing a damsel in distress?”
It had been ten years since they’d last spoken. She thought she’d remembered his voice, but memories were nothing compared to the deep velvet that slid over her skin.
Steady. Now was not the time to be indulging in any kind of fantasy. Especially when she had a job to do.
“I need to get these heels off. Could you help me stand?”
Before she could stop him, he fisted his hand in the folds of her skirt and tugged up. Just to the middle of her calves, but the gesture froze her breath in her lungs. Her heart kicked into overdrive as his tan fingers slid over her ankles, undid the strap of the offending shoe with skilled dexterity, and slid it off. He repeated the same process with the other as she sat there like a child, barely keeping her mouth closed even as she wanted to release a sigh at how wonderful the brief grazes of his fingertips felt on her skin.
She should be embarrassed. Humiliated. Petrified as the cameras clicked on and the hum of audience gossip built like bees buzzing furiously.
But she didn’t. All she felt, all she saw, was tied up in that moment.
“Thank you.”
His eyes met hers and, for one second, she saw a mahogany fire flash within the depths.
Then it disappeared just as quickly as it had come. Whatever emotion she’d hoped she’d seen was probably nothing more than a reflection of the cameras capturing her literal fall from grace.
“Anna!”
She turned to see Kess approaching them.
“I’m getting back up.” She shot her friend something that she hoped resembled a smile, aware that the world was watching every moment of her little drama. She started to shift on Antonio’s lap and stand. A grunt escaped his lips.
“Oh! I’m sorry, did I hurt—”
He stood in one smooth motion, an arm wrapped around her back, the other holding her legs as he strode forward and set her on the catwalk.
“You can do this,” Kess whispered from behind her as Anna stood. Anna glanced down at her friend then silently chastised herself as her eyes inadvertently drifted to Antonio. He stared at her for one long moment, his gaze opaque, before giving her a nod of silent encouragement.