“Front row?” Chloe squealed.
“This job does have its perks,” she teased, weaving her arm through Chloe’s and linking elbows.
“Have I told you I love your new job?”
Olivia rolled her eyes, steering Chloe toward their reserved seats. “You may have mentioned it once or twice.”
The lights flashed briefly as they settled into their chairs, signaling the crowd to be seated. She smiled and checked her watch. Natalia had warned her the show wasn’t likely to start on time and she’d been right. No surprise there. She scanned the crowd, nodding to a few of her coworkers as they waited.
A hush fell over the crowd as the lights died down and the runway came to life. Spotlights danced across the stage, keeping time with the loud techno music pumping through the speakers. She snuck a quick peek at Chloe, who was awestruck. It was hard to blame her. The videos she had watched of prior Vixen shows hadn’t done justice to the real deal. The music pulsed through her body, making it impossible not to get caught up in the mood.
When Natalia finally stepped onto the runway, the crowd was silent. She gave a brief introduction to the fall line, her usual wit and charm winning over the crowd. By the time she was finished, they were eating out of the palm of her hand, and Olivia had no doubt orders would be pouring in from the select group of buyers who’d been invited to attend the show.
The DJ cranked the music up as the models began strutting down the runway in some of the sexiest lingerie she had ever seen.
“Oh my god,” Chloe whispered, eyeing a lacey gold bustier and matching panties. “I’m in love. Look at those undies! They are killer! Please tell me you negotiated free samples as part of your compensation package?”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Olivia promised. After all, it wasn’t like she’d be in need of sexy underwear any time soon.
“Seriously, Liv. This job is so much cooler than working at PBA. You are so lucky!” Chloe swore. “Well, it wasn’t luck so much as hard work, but you know what I mean.”
The rest of the show passed in a blur as they whispered about their favorite pieces and how great the models looked. By the time Natalia returned to the stage, she was grateful for the reprieve from the earsplitting music.
“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Natalia started, smiling warmly at the massive crowd. “Once again our designers have outdone themselves, delivering an amazing collection guaranteed to bring your inner vixen roaring to life. Please join me in giving these lovely ladies another round of applause!”
The models paraded back onto the runway amid thundering applause, reminding her fleetingly of her own time in the spotlight. The women fanned out on the runway, as Natalia started her closing remarks.
“Spring has always been my favorite time of year. And not just because it means the launch of a fabulous new Vixen line,” she teased, winking at the crowd. “I may be a hopeless romantic, but for me, spring always brings with it the promise of new love, new beginnings and, of course, new lingerie. At Vixen, we believe anything is possible when love is in the air, which is why I’ve invited a dear friend of mine to join me on stage today. This is his first time on the runway and he’s a little nervous, so be gentle!”
The spotlight shifted from Natalia, settling on a tuxedo at the back of the stage. As the suit stepped from the shadows and into the bright light, revealing the face of the man wearing it, Olivia nearly fell off her chair.
“You didn’t tell me Cole was going to be part of the show,” Chloe whispered, raising a questioning eyebrow. “Did you know about this?”
She shook her head, completely speechless. What was Cole doing onstage? It was too soon to reveal the new campaign. It wasn’t ready. So what then?
He walked down the runway, looking hella nervous and completely out of his element. The usually cool and confident Cole Bennett clutched his microphone in two hands as if it were a lifeline and he was two seconds from becoming shark bait. As he closed the distance between them, anxiety pierced her calm, reminding her of the pain he’d caused. She was also reminded of how much she missed him, and how good they’d been together.
While it lasted.
“Good evening,” he began, giving the crowd one of his dimpled smiles—and no doubt melting a few panties in the process. “My name is Cole Bennett, and I guess you could say I’m a bit of a runway virgin. The truth is, I’m probably in over my head today.”
The audience laughed good naturedly. How could they not? The man was a natural born charmer. And he looked damn good in that tux.