Zuri Day - Lavish Loving

“There isn’t a woman here. Surprising for the Ace I remember. What’s up with that?”

While he’d come here to get away from work, Ace welcomed the change of subject. “Right now my woman is a new line being unveiled at fashion week.”

“Next month? In New York?” Ace nodded. “What’s the line?”

“It’s a secret.” London fixed her mouth in a pout. Sexy, luscious, but Ace didn’t budge. “You know how the industry works. It’s all about the big reveal.” He paused for a drink of water, gazed at her over the rim as he drank. “I really want to tell you, though. Maybe I will soon.”

“If not, I’ll just make sure to attend your show.”

“How many shows are you doing?”

“I don’t know yet. I hadn’t planned to do any, but...those plans have changed.”

“Because of your breakup with Max?”

“Partly. We were supposed to be filming his movie right now. But it’s also to take a break. I’ve lived overseas for years and promised my parents I’d spend time with them.”

“Coming on to me the way you have makes it seem you’ve gotten over him. But that could be an act, like your being hurt when I didn’t call you back. Are you okay?”

“Max didn’t want to let go, but I’m okay.” London finished her soup and reached for the chilled Chardonnay the waiter had poured them. She took a thoughtful sip. “And just for the record, I was hurt that you didn’t call me back. A little bit.”

“You had plenty of guys lined up behind me. Wasn’t there even a stalker for a while?”

Now it was London’s turn to be surprised. “How’d you know about that?”

“Insider information. You know we run in the same circles, or used to.”

“My people signed confidentiality agreements regarding this. We didn’t want it leaked to the public and give some other troubled soul ideas. So who told you?”

“It was Trent Corrigan. He told me in confidence and I haven’t shared it further.”

“Quinn’s best friend. She’s one of my sisters-in-law.”

“So it was true.”

“Unfortunately, yes. A guy I’d met casually while living in Paris. He interviewed me for his website. That’s how he got my number. After a series of interviews, he asked me out. When I declined he got crazy. I got a restraining order. He violated it several times before they finally put him in jail.”

“That had to be scary.”

“At first it was just annoying. But when he followed me back here to the States...”

“He came over here?”

“Right up to my hotel room door in New York City.”

“That’s insane. It’s a wonder you don’t walk around with bodyguards.”

“For a while I did. Guards named Terrell, Niko, Warren and Ike, otherwise known as my older brothers.”

Ace laughed. “How’d that go?”

“It didn’t last long. They wanted me to hide out in Paradise Cove, my hometown, but I refused to live in fear. With him in jail, I went back to Paris, where I lived at the time. Thankfully they have lives, wives and careers, and couldn’t follow me. Until then, I was shielded by a wall of Drakes.

“Has that ever happened to you? The whole stalker thing?”

“Yes, but not to the same extent as it did to you. My stalkers got the message before law enforcement had to be involved.”

“Stalkers plural, huh? I’m not surprised.”

Ace was. Not at her comments, but at the feelings bubbling in his heart for the woman he now drank in with his eyes.

“Why do you keep staring at me?”

“You should be used to people staring at you. Ready for the entrée?”

“I’m starving for it.” Though the pecan-crusted lemon swordfish smelled heavenly, the look she gave suggested her comment was not about that at all. Ace understood. He felt the same way. But he couldn’t give in to the desire for physical pleasure. Not now that he’d decided she was the one, the perfect model to anchor the OTB Her line. He’d conduct himself professionally. This was about business. Or so he told himself. Time would tell.

Chapter 6

He wasn’t expected back until Tuesday, but Ace strolled into his office on Monday morning at eight o’clock sharp, motivated, excited and ready to work. Seeing London had brought all his thoughts about the runway show together around a cohesive concept and had inspired an idea for a showstopping final piece. He now knew exactly the type of woman the new line represented. He’d spent the day with her. London was his muse.

After a trip to the break room to fortify himself with a cup of java, Ace returned to the office, rolled up his designer shirtsleeves and pulled out a sketch pad. The pencil fairly flew across the paper as lines, swirls and varied strokes brought Ace’s vision to life. The sketch was detailed and specific. Lucien, the TV design show winner who’d sent in his portfolio just last week, would have no problem bringing his vision to life. Ace was sure of it.

“What the heck are you doing here?”

Immersed in sketching the intricate design he envisioned on the stand-up collar of the London-Clarisse trench coat–inspired finale design, Ace hadn’t heard Tyler come down the hall or enter his office.

“Dent! My man!” Ace rubbed his palms together like an excited young boy. “Have a seat.”

Tyler eyed Ace with skepticism as he sat down. The toned, tan blond with mystical gray eyes and a dimpled smile was the company’s CFO and Ace’s good friend for the past five years.

“You aren’t due back until tomorrow.”

“I know, but I couldn’t wait. I found the star model for our runway shows. Or rather, she found me. And you’re not going to believe who it is.”

“The way your eyes are shining I’d say either Mariah, Rihanna or Michelle Obama.”

“Close. London.”

Tyler’s eyes narrowed. “Frida said you were at a vineyard near San Diego.”

Frida was Ace’s executive assistant, named after the talented, outspoken Mexican artist, and she was equally unreserved.

“I was.”

“But working, obviously, instead of taking our advice to do anything but that. Thanks for the email on Lucien, though. He’s definitely our guy.”

“You’re welcome. But I actually met her while doing exactly what you guys suggested.”

“London was at the vineyard?”

“Her family owns it.”

“Get the hell out of here. Are we talking about the same London, the gorgeous international supermodel and the darling of Europe?” Ace nodded. “Her family lives in... What’s the name of the town?”

“Temecula.”

“Her family lives there?”

“Her first cousins do.”

“And London just happened to be there visiting them. Why don’t I believe this?”

“If the tables were turned, I wouldn’t, either. But she was there. Our meeting was coincidental.”

Ace told Tyler about London’s relative Papa Dee and why the family had been there last weekend. “The moment I saw her,” he finished, “I knew she was the one to bring this line to life, to make it the hit we want it to be and so much more. Get her on our runway and we’ll be all everyone is talking about from New York to Paris and from London to Milan.”

“What did she say about booking her?”

“I didn’t ask.”

This elicited the famous Dent scowl Tyler’s family was known for. “Have you forgotten that fashion week is a month away? She’s probably already booked up. Breaking up with Max Tata has made her even more popular than when she was dating him. We’ll be lucky if we can get her.”

“We’ll do everything it takes to make that happen. I want to pull out all the stops.”

“Why didn’t you just ask her yourself?”

“I did, indirectly. Not about working our runway but about whether or not she was totally booked. She isn’t. But there were other reasons. I didn’t want to make a decision based off a gut—or loin—reaction to seeing her so unexpectedly. London is one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Period. But everyone in the industry knows she can be temperamental and scandalous. Plus, she commands a hefty fee. We need to weigh the pros against the cons.”