mean?”
“You’re an attractive young woman.” His smile nearly split his face. He’d gone back to staring at her boobs. “I’ve set you up with a makeup artist and a professional photographer. Those shots will be part of the package.”
“I can’t afford—”
“Let’s just call it my investment in you,” he interrupted. “Believe me, Mala, I know what I’m doing. You want to succeed, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Then let’s pull out all the stops, stack the decks in our favor. You should feel flattered that you’re a marketable commodity.”
Much as she hated peddling herself, he had a point. Given the competition, she couldn’t just sit back and let her creations speak for themselves. He told her the time and place for the photographs, and she jotted that down.
“And wear something that emphasizes your attributes.” He glanced up at her, then returned his attention to her breasts.
“What a slime!” Mala exclaimed once she and Sandy were outside. “Why didn’t you warn me?”
“Because I was afraid you’d back out.”
“I wish I could, but he’s right. It’s either play in his ballpark or—why do things have to be like this? I just want to make jewelry.” At least that had been my number one priority before he stormed into my life.
“We’ve had this conversation before. Do you really want to go at it again? Look.” Sandy pointed at a small cafe. “Why don’t we pop in there for some coffee to celebrate? Unfortunately, it’s a little early in the day for getting drunk.”
Mala was wired enough that she didn’t need coffee, but after everything Sandy had done, the least she could do was buy her some of the mocha she was addicted to.
“So you don’t think you’re going to take that dirty old man up on his not-too-subtle offer to let you jump his bones?” Sandy teased once they’d placed their order. “He’s rich.”
“He also gags me. That cologne—”
“You’ll notice there weren’t any bugs in the room. The smell knocks them dead.” Sandy turned serious. “You can handle him, can’t you?”
“No sweat. I can outrun him.” She shuddered. “Does he think he turns me on?”
“Guys like him don’t think beyond their penises.” Sandy sighed. “Still, I can’t help but feel sorry for him.”
Mala nearly told her she’d lost her mind, then wound up agreeing with her friend. “Is he married?”
“It didn’t come up. Look, I’d hate thinking I’ve gotten you into something that’ll make you uncomfortable.”
“I’ll steer clear of him as much as possible. Besides, something…”
“Something what?”
Mala set down her cup and met Sandy’s eyes. She frantically searched for a way to start what wouldn’t sound like she’d gone over the edge, then decided she had no choice but to jump right in. “Something’s happened. I don’t know how to explain, how to start—how not to sound as if I’ve lost my mind.”
“You’ve met a man.”
“What?”
“A man. You know. Opposite sex. It’s about time. I was delighted when you decided not to tie the knot with mister so-considerate-and-boring-he-makes-me-want-to-scream, but I was concerned you’d sworn off the aforementioned opposite sex.”
“I did. At least I thought I had.”
“Hm. Past tense here. What changed your mind?”
Careful to keep her voice low so no one could overhear, Mala told Sandy nearly everything. What she seriously downplayed was Laird’s decidedly carnal impact on her. She said nothing about her heart, in large part because she didn’t understand what was happening to it.
“I seriously don’t know what to say,” Sandy muttered when Mala ran down. “Can’t think where to start.”
“Do you think I’m crazy? That I’ve made it all up?”
“If I didn’t know you as well as I do, I’d have already called the men with the butterfly nets. All right.” Sandy raked her hand through her hair, picked up her cup, then set it down again. “All
“You’re an attractive young woman.” His smile nearly split his face. He’d gone back to staring at her boobs. “I’ve set you up with a makeup artist and a professional photographer. Those shots will be part of the package.”
“I can’t afford—”
“Let’s just call it my investment in you,” he interrupted. “Believe me, Mala, I know what I’m doing. You want to succeed, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Then let’s pull out all the stops, stack the decks in our favor. You should feel flattered that you’re a marketable commodity.”
Much as she hated peddling herself, he had a point. Given the competition, she couldn’t just sit back and let her creations speak for themselves. He told her the time and place for the photographs, and she jotted that down.
“And wear something that emphasizes your attributes.” He glanced up at her, then returned his attention to her breasts.
“What a slime!” Mala exclaimed once she and Sandy were outside. “Why didn’t you warn me?”
“Because I was afraid you’d back out.”
“I wish I could, but he’s right. It’s either play in his ballpark or—why do things have to be like this? I just want to make jewelry.” At least that had been my number one priority before he stormed into my life.
“We’ve had this conversation before. Do you really want to go at it again? Look.” Sandy pointed at a small cafe. “Why don’t we pop in there for some coffee to celebrate? Unfortunately, it’s a little early in the day for getting drunk.”
Mala was wired enough that she didn’t need coffee, but after everything Sandy had done, the least she could do was buy her some of the mocha she was addicted to.
“So you don’t think you’re going to take that dirty old man up on his not-too-subtle offer to let you jump his bones?” Sandy teased once they’d placed their order. “He’s rich.”
“He also gags me. That cologne—”
“You’ll notice there weren’t any bugs in the room. The smell knocks them dead.” Sandy turned serious. “You can handle him, can’t you?”
“No sweat. I can outrun him.” She shuddered. “Does he think he turns me on?”
“Guys like him don’t think beyond their penises.” Sandy sighed. “Still, I can’t help but feel sorry for him.”
Mala nearly told her she’d lost her mind, then wound up agreeing with her friend. “Is he married?”
“It didn’t come up. Look, I’d hate thinking I’ve gotten you into something that’ll make you uncomfortable.”
“I’ll steer clear of him as much as possible. Besides, something…”
“Something what?”
Mala set down her cup and met Sandy’s eyes. She frantically searched for a way to start what wouldn’t sound like she’d gone over the edge, then decided she had no choice but to jump right in. “Something’s happened. I don’t know how to explain, how to start—how not to sound as if I’ve lost my mind.”
“You’ve met a man.”
“What?”
“A man. You know. Opposite sex. It’s about time. I was delighted when you decided not to tie the knot with mister so-considerate-and-boring-he-makes-me-want-to-scream, but I was concerned you’d sworn off the aforementioned opposite sex.”
“I did. At least I thought I had.”
“Hm. Past tense here. What changed your mind?”
Careful to keep her voice low so no one could overhear, Mala told Sandy nearly everything. What she seriously downplayed was Laird’s decidedly carnal impact on her. She said nothing about her heart, in large part because she didn’t understand what was happening to it.
“I seriously don’t know what to say,” Sandy muttered when Mala ran down. “Can’t think where to start.”
“Do you think I’m crazy? That I’ve made it all up?”
“If I didn’t know you as well as I do, I’d have already called the men with the butterfly nets. All right.” Sandy raked her hand through her hair, picked up her cup, then set it down again. “All
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