Read Online Beneath Beautiful by Allison Rushby - Free Book Online Page A

a little, but actually, it's this bit that makes me a lot less worried,” she said, pointing to something on the paperwork. “It's an open return. You can come home whenever you like. Despite how much money Cameron Callahan's led you to spend on crack and male prostitutes.”
     
     
    “I wasn't entirely sure you were coming.” Cameron stood up from his armchair near the door, immediately abandoning the text he was writing on his phone.
    Cassie finished making her way up to the top of the flight of stairs that wound their way from the entrance to the interior of the airline's lounge. “You do sound eager to see me. Isn't that incredibly uncool?”
    “Probably.”
    “Do I look first-class enough?” She had borrowed Jo's mandarin-colored Anya Hindmarch handbag and wore it over one arm. She twirled, showing off her cobbled together outfit of taupe jeans, cream oversized jumper, and a yellow- and green-flowered Orla Kiely scarf (also pilfered from Jo), that somehow brought it all together.
    “You look lovely. I hate those people who have no imagination whatsoever and wear black all the time,” Cameron deadpanned.
    “Why do you wear black all the time?” Cassie frowned, surprised at herself that she hadn't actually asked him yet. “Is it some kind of artistic statement?”
    Cameron laughed. “No. It's because I'm completely lazy and have absolutely no idea about what goes with what. I used to spend ages staring like an idiot into my wardrobe, and now I don't think about getting dressed at all. It's very freeing.”
    Cassie considered how long she and Jo had spent picking out an outfit that very afternoon, trying on hundreds of combinations of things. “I might try that sometime.”
    Cameron glanced around them. “Now. We have a bit of time to spare. What takes your fancy? A drink? A snack?” He gestured toward the end of the room where Cassie could see some food stations.
    “Maybe a . . .” She jumped as, just beyond the large plate glass windows, a plane took off. “. . . juice. Wow, that is really close.”
    “I know. It's one of the reasons I choose this airline. I love sitting here. The planes take off about every three minutes. It's insane. Well, that and I also love the showers. On the plane. I'm afraid that once you've had a shower on a plane, you expect them for life. However pathetic and first-world that sounds, it's also true.”
    One of the club's waiters passed by at this point, and Cameron ordered Cassie some sort of odd concoction that sounded like a juice, and himself a double shot of espresso before directing them over to sit up at the stools that bordered the window so they could watch the planes.
    “A double shot of espresso. Planning on staying up late tonight?” Cassie asked as they settled in.
    “I'm planning on doing some work. Getting some thoughts down.”
    “About . . .?” Cassie trailed off, not wanting to suggest his every waking thought might be about her sitting for him.
    “Yes, I'm talking about your piece. Don't seem so surprised.” He paused for a moment and looked out at the view before his gaze moved back to her again. “You said I was eager. And I am eager. When I get excited about a piece, I get excited about a piece. Trust me on this. I do want to do this. Very much. But also, I need you to know that you don't owe me anything. At any time. You can leave whenever you like—you have a return ticket. You can stay wherever you like—with the friend you mentioned, at my place, at whichever hotel you want to. If you give Marianne the details, she'll fix that up for you. All I need to know is that you want to sit for me.”
    “Okay. That sounds . . . fair.”
    “It can be an incredibly intense experience.” His gaze didn't move from hers for a second.
    “So I hear.” Cassie forced her eyes to remain on his. “And I do want to sit for you. It's an exciting prospect. But maybe I . . . need to know exactly what you mean by that. In this instance. What I mean is, define