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“That's funny,” Arianna said. “You look like a model to me.”

“Says the woman who has now professionally modeled for an international corporation.”

Arianna flung herself back against the couch, legs curled up beneath her. “Will you still like me when half the world knows what I look like?”

“Of course. I'm even more attracted to that idea.”

“You want to sleep with the woman everyone else is thinking about?”

“If you're putting it that way… yes.”

“Then again, I might not be the only woman getting that kind of attention. There were two other beautiful ladies with me.”

“I suppose they were also Royal Asia flight attendants?”

“And a pilot! They were both nice.”

“Were they?”

Arianna cocked her head. “You sound like you don't believe me.”

“I've met some pilots. They can be trouble.”

“I don't think this one is. She's very… self-assured,” Arianna said in Mandarin when she struggled to find the word she wanted in English. “Her name was Riley. What woman named Riley is trouble?”

You don't know the half of it. Elle would have laughed her ass off at the irony if it weren't for the eager way Arianna spoke as if everyone she met on the set was her new friend.

“I'm glad you had such a good time,” Elle said.

Arianna rested her head against her girlfriend's shoulder. “I guess your job isn't as exciting as mine now.”

“Guess not. Little excitement happens in the boardroom. It's not what you see on TV.”

“But you're not here for work, are you?”

“No. And you're off work for the next few days, aren't you?”

“We have the whole weekend together…”

This was Elle's time to shine. “Surely, there's something in LA that you've always wanted to do but never had the time to do it.”

“You mean like Disneyland?”

“I don't know if I could get us tickets this last minute…”

Arianna laughed. “I was kidding! I mean… I don't remember the last time I saw the Santa Monica Pier. How about you?”

“It's not all it's cracked up to be.”

“Humor me, American woman. I'm from Singapore. These things are cool.”

“All right, Singaporean woman. Guess I'll see you on the Ferris wheel tomorrow.”

The way Arianna smiled in excitement was worth Elle having to suffer through the crowds at the Santa Monica boardwalk on a weekend. She was starting to think she'd do anything for that smile.

Chapter 16

Two weeks later, when the summer travel season was in full swing, the integration began at Royal Asia. Everyone who had been a twitter about Arianna's “new" modeling career was suddenly mum when whole crew teams were split up and sent elsewhere.