Chapter 22 #3
We didn’t get back to our hotel until close to eleven o’clock.
After a shower and a quick conversation with Russ, I fell soundly to sleep.
Friday morning, I jumped out of the bed and got myself together.
After hair and makeup, I carefully put on the cream-colored fit-and-flare minidress.
I styled it with brown booties and a matching brown bag.
The blue denim jacket was heavily distressed and the perfect cropped length.
When I took a step back, I checked myself out in the mirror and smiled.
I took a picture to send to Russ and then left to catch my ride to the first stop.
Russ: You are so fucking beautiful.
Nina: Thank you. Send me one of you.
The image that came back was Russ’s sexy ass sitting at his desk. He was holding the phone from a low position, so it showed him at an upward angle. Every time I’d seen him from that angle, I was under him. I shifted in my seat as I complimented him.
Nina: What I wouldn’t do to be under that desk…
Russ: Don’t start. I have a meeting in a few minutes, and I don’t need my dick hard thinking about you under my desk.
Nina: Or on top of your desk. Or bent over your desk.
My phone rang and his name flashed across the screen. Grinning, I answered, “Hello?”
“Just the thought of you is all it took. You happy?” he demanded good-naturedly.
I giggled. “A little bit, yeah.”
“You want my dick hard while I’m trying to get these people to understand my vision and execute it within the budget?”
“I want your dick hard all the time,” I whispered, hoping the driver didn’t hear me over his radio.
“You would say some shit like that.” He let out a light chuckle. “How are you? Are you ready for today? You need anything?”
I smoothed down the skirt of my dress. “I don’t know what to expect, but I’m looking forward to it.”
“You do you. There’s no precedent for this. You and the others are the first to do this for us so you can make it whatever you want it to be. Part of the reason you were selected was because of your personalities. So just wow them like you do everyone else that crosses your path.”
My cheeks heated under his praise. “Thank you,” I murmured. “How are you? Are you ready for your meeting?”
“We have a lot to do today and a lot of decisions to be made. We probably won’t get done until late because it’s crunch time. The Fashion Week meeting is in five minutes. The show coordinator from New York that I’ve been working with comes in today, so it’s a lot going on. It’s… a lot.”
“And you have it under control,” I assured him.
“You literally built this brand and this company from the ground up. You got enough sponsors to make this show a thing. You’ve invited the right people to give it enough buzz.
Everything RLF is, is because of you. And now you’re doing a runway show in New York during Fashion Week.
It’s a lot but you’ve already done a lot and you will continue to do a lot.
” I paused, hoping the truth of my words comforted him.
“You got this. What you were doing is what got you here, so keep doing it. Don’t change up because you’re going to a new level. ”
“You either.”
I smiled, feeling his encouragement. “I know you’ll be busy all day but talk to you tonight?”
“Let me know how things are going. And let me know when you’re done.”
“I don’t want to interrupt if your meeting is running—”
“I’ll always make time for you,” he interrupted. “Hit me up when you’re free. I want to know how it’s going.”
My belly fluttered. “Okay.”
We said our goodbyes and I put my hand to my chest and exhaled. The warmth of his words eased through my body and reminded me of how much affection I had for him.
I love that man.
I didn’t even have a chance to shake off the thought because the driver pulled to an abrupt stop. I looked around and realized I was at the first store.
“Thank you,” I told the driver as I stepped out of the car.
With my bag in one hand and my phone in the other, I double-checked the itinerary to make sure I was in the right place.
“Here goes,” I breathed as I plastered a bright smile on my face and walked through the double doors.
Over the next forty-eight hours, I visited six different stores. I interacted with the staff, styled customers, created social media content, and became a live mannequin. It went by fast and even though it was fun, I was looking forward to getting back home and seeing Russ.
After grabbing my luggage, I waved to the other models as I headed toward the door. I’d only made it two steps before I realized they were on my heels.
“Anyone heading uptown and want to share a car?” Jacqueline asked.
“I’m parked in the deck,” Jonah told her. “I can give you a ride if you want.”
She bounced on the balls of her feet. “Yes, please! Thank you!”
He pointed at the rest of us. “Anyone else need a ride?”
Matias nodded. “Yeah, man. Good looking out.”
“I have someone coming, but thank you,” I told him, stopping just before the exit. I rolled my luggage to the right and stood in front of the large window to get out of the way. The afternoon sun was shining bright in the sky and the heat was evident as soon as the sliding door opened.
“Me too,” Taisha answered, slowing to stand next to me.
After we said goodbye to the three of them, she turned to look at me. “You know Jonah is in love with you, right?”
I shook my head. “He isn’t. He’s just a flirt.”
She gave me a knowing look before she pulled out her phone. “He likes you. And if anything changes with you and your boyfriend, keep him in mind.”
I let out a confused laugh. “Are you supposed to be his wing woman or something?”
“No. I just know how hard it is to be in a relationship and do this job unless you’re with someone who understands the business.”
“I can imagine. But I’m good.”
She pulled her sunglasses out of her bag and slid them onto her face.
“I loved my ex and I wanted to make it work. But he didn’t understand the nature of the job.
He would get jealous at every message, every comment, every dumbass emoji under my pictures.
Then he became suspicious of everything I did, everyone I hung out with…
He broke up with me because he accused me of cheating on him with this guy I did a photoshoot with.
” She pulled out her phone and showed me the photo in question and it was a sexy yet professional shot.
“So now, I only date models, actors, musicians, professional athletes.” She twisted her lips.
“But I really did love that accountant.”
“The man for you is going to love everything about you.” I put my hand on her shoulder. “Including your job and your passions.”
She smiled. “Is yours in the limelight?”
“He’s very supportive of what I do,” I answered, shifting my gaze to the cars pulling up on the other side of the window. “Supportive, encouraging, respectful.” Realizing I was gushing, I put on my sunglasses and stopped talking.
Taisha bumped me with her hip. “You sound like you have a good one.”
My lips curled upward even though I tried to fight against it. Fortunately, my phone vibrated in my pocket, and I had a reason to distract myself from the giddy feeling talking about Russ gave me.
Russ: I’m pulling up in a white Jeep with dark tint.
“Look at that smile!” Taisha teased before giggling. “I’m happy for you, girl.” She checked her phone. “My sister is here. I’ll see you Wednesday.”
“See you Wednesday!” I called behind her as she exited the airport.
Nina: Taisha just walked out so I’m going to wait a minute and then head out to you.
Russ: Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.
Grinning, I put my phone in my bag. There was no one around so I didn’t even have to mask it.
Pulling the suitcase behind me, I swept my eyes up and down the pickup line until I saw a white Jeep with tinted windows.
As I approached, Russ slipped a baseball cap on and hopped out.
Wearing jean shorts and a white T-shirt, he stepped onto the curb and grabbed me around my waist. Holding me in his arms, he lifted me from my feet and buried his face in my neck.
I squealed, holding him around his neck.
A horn honked and I happened to look up just in time to see Taisha in the passenger side of a blue sedan. I froze, my body tensed, as she pointed at Russ’s back and gave me a thumbs-up before the car continued out of the airport exit loop.
Sliding me down his body, Russ placed me on solid ground and crashed his mouth into mine.
The kiss took my breath away and cleared my mind.
Everything faded away except him, his hands, his kiss, and his passion.
I gripped his T-shirt and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.
We didn’t say anything to one another. But what we communicated was full of emotional words and declarations that gave me butterflies.
“You can’t park here,” a gruff voice yelled at us. “Move it along.”
We pulled apart abruptly and I saw a police officer angrily gesturing.
“Move it!” he yelled louder.
“Okay, okay,” Russ replied, putting his hand on the small of my back and opening the passenger-side door for me.
After getting me into the car, he grabbed my bags, put them in the back, and then climbed into the front seat.
“It’s good to see you,” I told him.
He turned the car on and grinned. “You missed me?”
I nodded. “I did.”
As he pulled off and headed toward the highway, he grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “Good. I missed you, too. I’m glad you’re back.”
“I’m glad to be back.”
We talked about my trip and what he did over that morning. As we turned into my neighborhood, I dragged my fingers over the dashboard and took in the luxury features of the Jeep.
“Did you rent this for our date?” I wondered.
“Yeah. I knew I wanted to be the one to pick you up, but I didn’t know if the others knew what my car looked like.”
My eyes widened. “You rented this just to pick me up?”
“Well, I wanted to be the one to pick you up, so I made a way to do it and still keep us safe.”
My stomach flipped. “Russ…” I waited until he parked to finish my thought. “You didn’t have to do that.”
He swiped his thumb across my cheek. “There was no way I wasn’t going to be the person to pick you up.” He leaned over the middle console and planted a sweet kiss against my lips.
“That’s so sweet. I was trying to figure out what the surprise could be,” I murmured between kisses. “But honestly, I don’t know if anything is topping that.”
He pulled out of the kiss and stared at me. “There’s been a change of plans.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”
“The plans I had for us had to be rescheduled because you have an early morning tomorrow.”
Confused, I frowned a little. “I don’t have anything tomorrow. I have a nail appointment on Tuesday.”
“You have a fitting at six o’clock tomorrow morning.” He searched my face for a moment. “You’re walking in the show.”