other guy and murmuring, “Thanks. I didn’t see you backstage, did I…?”
“I’m with a magazine. I was on the other side of the curtain,” the stranger told him with a grin.
Gabriel laughed. Is this a chance at something? “Ahhh. I’m pleased you remembered me out of everyone who walked today, then.”
“How could I not?”
Gabriel knew when he was being blatantly hit on. He still hesitated, scanning the dark club around him for some distraction.
There was Briar, lounging against a post, his hip cocked and one toe against the ground. He rarely modeled now, except for the rare business or lifestyle magazine as a CEO, but he still stood like one when he wasn’t thinking.
It was a tiny detail that Gabriel loved. Fucking hell, was he stuck on this guy?
The blond magazine guy was saying something and Gabriel had to turn back to him. “Mm?”
Kingston and Paulo had slipped away to talk in a corner nearby, so he had no hope of rescue there.
“I was asking if you have plans tonight.”
“Sleep is one,” Gabriel grinned. “The makeup chair calls at an early hour.”
“Too early to stay up too late? That’s a shame.”
Gabriel nodded, letting his gaze flick up and down. An Armani scent, expensive branded clothes. Not just an intern, then; this guy could be important. He couldn’t brush him off.
He ignored the part of him that said, Holy shit, you stupid asshole, you got into the biz to fuck guys like him and now you’re trying to ditch him?
Instead, Gabriel winked again. “I’m sure I’ll see you around this week.”
“I hope so.”
Before Gabriel even made it to the place he’d last spotted Briar, he felt a hand brush down his back. He recognized the firm touch and the sweet, spicy scent of his CEO and the man who’d hired him.
And his heart lifted with hope.
Gabriel smiled, turning slightly until he met Briar’s eyes. “Hello.”
“Enjoying the attention?”
“I am. Jealous?” It was a bold question, but Gabriel wanted to test the waters between them. Fuck, but all he had to do was look at him for about ten seconds and that chemistry crackled to life under his skin again.
Some guys he fucked once and never looked at again, but this wasn’t like that. He and Briar still had a lot of hot encounters in them.
And Briar felt it too, by the way his eyes fell for long moments to Gabriel’s lips before he shook his head. “No need to be. You earned every moment of attention today.”
And it was true—Gabriel had worked his ass off that day, and technically, he was still working and representing Exposed. Gabriel inclined his head to acknowledge the comment.
“A lot of eyes on us tonight,” Briar murmured, leaning in closer. “And you have to be up and at it early. Saturday night, I expect you’ll be ready to party.”
After the final show—the biggest of all? Fuck, yeah, Gabriel would be ready to get drunk and…
Oh. Wait. That kind of party?
Gabriel grinned broadly. “Oh, yeah.”
Then Briar nodded once to him and was gone, picking his way through the crowd to check in with Adam. Was he making some indecent proposal to him, too?
Gabriel watched after Briar for a minute as he finished his champagne glass and set it down.
He refused to admit that it was his turn to be jealous.
* * *
“ M y lips are fine .”
Gabriel gritted his teeth with irritation as Charlie insisted on putting on another top coat anyway.
He was going to look too fem now with lips that color. But then, he reminded himself, the runway took half of it off. He was seeing up close what was meant to be stage makeup.
“There. Now they’re fine, darling,” Charlie beamed. “A little more on your cheeks…”
Gabriel cocked his head. He had nearly perfect skin already, but Charlie was layering on makeup anyway?
“Just to even your skin tone, make sure the lights show you at your best.”
Gabriel clicked his tongue but straightened out his head for Charlie to have one more go at his
“I’m with a magazine. I was on the other side of the curtain,” the stranger told him with a grin.
Gabriel laughed. Is this a chance at something? “Ahhh. I’m pleased you remembered me out of everyone who walked today, then.”
“How could I not?”
Gabriel knew when he was being blatantly hit on. He still hesitated, scanning the dark club around him for some distraction.
There was Briar, lounging against a post, his hip cocked and one toe against the ground. He rarely modeled now, except for the rare business or lifestyle magazine as a CEO, but he still stood like one when he wasn’t thinking.
It was a tiny detail that Gabriel loved. Fucking hell, was he stuck on this guy?
The blond magazine guy was saying something and Gabriel had to turn back to him. “Mm?”
Kingston and Paulo had slipped away to talk in a corner nearby, so he had no hope of rescue there.
“I was asking if you have plans tonight.”
“Sleep is one,” Gabriel grinned. “The makeup chair calls at an early hour.”
“Too early to stay up too late? That’s a shame.”
Gabriel nodded, letting his gaze flick up and down. An Armani scent, expensive branded clothes. Not just an intern, then; this guy could be important. He couldn’t brush him off.
He ignored the part of him that said, Holy shit, you stupid asshole, you got into the biz to fuck guys like him and now you’re trying to ditch him?
Instead, Gabriel winked again. “I’m sure I’ll see you around this week.”
“I hope so.”
Before Gabriel even made it to the place he’d last spotted Briar, he felt a hand brush down his back. He recognized the firm touch and the sweet, spicy scent of his CEO and the man who’d hired him.
And his heart lifted with hope.
Gabriel smiled, turning slightly until he met Briar’s eyes. “Hello.”
“Enjoying the attention?”
“I am. Jealous?” It was a bold question, but Gabriel wanted to test the waters between them. Fuck, but all he had to do was look at him for about ten seconds and that chemistry crackled to life under his skin again.
Some guys he fucked once and never looked at again, but this wasn’t like that. He and Briar still had a lot of hot encounters in them.
And Briar felt it too, by the way his eyes fell for long moments to Gabriel’s lips before he shook his head. “No need to be. You earned every moment of attention today.”
And it was true—Gabriel had worked his ass off that day, and technically, he was still working and representing Exposed. Gabriel inclined his head to acknowledge the comment.
“A lot of eyes on us tonight,” Briar murmured, leaning in closer. “And you have to be up and at it early. Saturday night, I expect you’ll be ready to party.”
After the final show—the biggest of all? Fuck, yeah, Gabriel would be ready to get drunk and…
Oh. Wait. That kind of party?
Gabriel grinned broadly. “Oh, yeah.”
Then Briar nodded once to him and was gone, picking his way through the crowd to check in with Adam. Was he making some indecent proposal to him, too?
Gabriel watched after Briar for a minute as he finished his champagne glass and set it down.
He refused to admit that it was his turn to be jealous.
* * *
“ M y lips are fine .”
Gabriel gritted his teeth with irritation as Charlie insisted on putting on another top coat anyway.
He was going to look too fem now with lips that color. But then, he reminded himself, the runway took half of it off. He was seeing up close what was meant to be stage makeup.
“There. Now they’re fine, darling,” Charlie beamed. “A little more on your cheeks…”
Gabriel cocked his head. He had nearly perfect skin already, but Charlie was layering on makeup anyway?
“Just to even your skin tone, make sure the lights show you at your best.”
Gabriel clicked his tongue but straightened out his head for Charlie to have one more go at his
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