Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
I clutch my bag as I feel their eyes on me. Jeez.
He takes me down a flight of stairs. “Design and materials are on the level down but it’s easier to take the stairs between these two floors.”
“Ah, okay.” We get to the bottom and my eyes widen. Holy shit, this is every design graduate’s dream. The same big tables that are upstairs are in the middle, but there is also huge timber shelving with rolls and rolls of fabric. Mannequins are everywhere with dresses and samples pinned onto them. Feathers and sequins and buttons and… .my eyes can’t take it all in as I look over the magic of this room.
Leather—rolls and rolls of leather in every color of the rainbow. Holy shit!
“Seraphina.” He looks around. “Where is she?”
She comes into view, and her face lights up. “Hello, Olivia,” she says in a heavy accent as she shakes my hand. I feel myself wither under her gaze. Seraphina is gorgeous, with long dark hair that’s styled to perfection. She has a beautiful, curvy figure, and perfect bone structure. She’s the epitome of Italian beauty. She’s wearing a tight leather skirt that hangs just below the knee and a silk deep red blouse with sky high stilettos. She looks like she’s going to a wedding or something, all stylish and glamorous.
Ugh, why did I wear this? I feel the blood drain from my face. I look like her daggy mother.
“Seraphina is transferring to our Rome offices so that she can be with her fiancé,” Fernando says as he picks up her hand and shows me her huge rock.
She fakes embarrassment. “Oh, Fernando. Behave.” She laughs. “You’re such a showoff.”
“Ah.” I smile awkwardly. “Nice.”
Her fiancé lives in Rome?
No, don’t be stupid. Why does everything about Rome have to be about him?
He’s not the only man in Rome, you know, Olivia, you fucking idiot.
“Great,” I push out. “Exciting.”
“You will work with Seraphina for the week. She will show you around and give you a feel for the position, and then next week you will begin training with one of our trainers for a week. In two weeks, you will take over the role,” Fernando explains.
“Okay.”
“Come this way.” Seraphina smiles. “I’ll show you your new office.”
“Great.” I smile as I follow her, but I don’t feel great. I feel majorly unaccomplished. She’s gorgeous, stylish, and she’s moving to start a life with her fiancé, while I can’t even get the courage to put myself on a dating app.
I really need to pull myself out of this dating funk. It’s getting ridiculous.
She opens the door of the office and my eyes widen.
The room has huge burgundy velvet couches in it, a black desk, and a black, leather office chair. There are huge, framed images of models on the runway in exotic clothing on the walls.
“Bella, huh?” She smiles, sensing my admiration.
“Yes, beautiful.” My eyes scan the room.
There’s a brief knock on the door before a man pops his head around it. “Hello. You must be Olivia?” he says.
“Yes.” I smile awkwardly because he is the most gorgeous man I’ve seen in a very long time. He’s beautiful actually. There’s a golden hue to his thick hair, and he has big brown eyes. He’s well-built and a little older. I would say completely and utterly gay, too, damn it. Why do gay men get the cream of the crop?
He walks into the office and shakes my hand. “I wanted to introduce myself to you. My name is Giorgio.”
“Hello.” I shake his hand. He’s wearing a navy-blue suit and a pink shirt. The top two buttons of his shirt are undone, and I can see a scattering of his dark chest hair. Well, that’s a little bit sexy for the office. Very Valentino, I remind myself.
Seraphina’s face falls in surprise. “Giorgio,” she says. “Nice to see you.”
“All ready for the move?” he asks her.
“Yes, very much looking forward to it.”
Giorgio’s eyes come to me. “So, you’re Olivia Reynolds?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.” He smiles as he looks me up and down as if doing an internal assessment., and I feel myself blush under his gaze.
“We must have coffee next week, Olivia. I would love to get to know you.”
“Sure.” I smile. “That would be great.”
A frown crosses Seraphina’s face as she looks between us.
“Okay, got to run.” He smiles. “Happy settling in, Olivia. Good luck with the move, Seraphina.” He disappears out of the door.
Seraphina watches him, and then turns her attention back to me. “Have you ever met him before?” she asks.
“No.”
“Huh.” She shakes her head and drops into her chair at her desk.
“What?” I ask.
“Do you know who he is?”
“Who, Giorgio?” I frown. “No idea.”
“He’s the CEO. He’s never been in my office before in his life. I’m surprised he even knew my name.”
“Really? That’s weird?”
“Very.” Seraphina shrugs. “Oh, well, great for you, I guess. Where were we?” she asks.