Page 2 of All the Gossip from Paris (Royal Fashion #2)

CHAPTER TWO

What is it with the Royal sisters? Camille is pretty, I’ll give her that, but Sophie is smokin’ hot.

Liam was doing his best not to keep checking Sophie out, but in the confined space of the elevator it wasn’t easy. She was certainly easy on the eye. And whatever perfume she was wearing, it had him sneaking in a few deep breaths just to get another hit.

He could see the family resemblance to Camille.

But where Camille had blonde hair, Sophie was blessed with long brown locks which fell all the way to the middle of her back.

As his gaze tracked lower, it settled on the silver padlock which dangled from the buckle on the belt of her wickedly short skirt.

For a moment he let his gaze touch on her lightly tanned legs. He let out a shaky breath. It echoed in the deafening silence. Liam snapped his head up. Two light brown eyes met his own. They glittered with mischief.

“Like what you see, Mister Collins?” she purred.

The heat on his cheeks had Liam wishing the floor of the elevator would suddenly disappear. He’d gladly do a Hans Gruber off the Nakatomi Plaza and fall the thirty floors to his death. She’d caught him checking her out.

“Sorry. I just hadn’t seen a lock on a belt like that before,” he stammered.

Her laugh went right to the darkest corners of his soul. “So you’re going with that story, are you? All you were doing was innocently studying my Yves Saint Laurent padlock belt. And here I was, thinking you were giving me a thorough eye fucking. My mistake.”

She was teasing him. Enjoying every second of watching him squirm. Well two could play at that game.

Liam cleared his throat. “And you are meant to be my assistant. Or should I go back downstairs and tell the guy on the front door that I also made a mistake?”

But that clever smile of hers had him enthralled. He’d known this woman for all of two minutes, and he was already a goner.

Sophie moved closer, and Liam couldn’t tear his gaze away. “I don’t think you would do that Liam. Camille told me all about your photographic work. Your insta account looks amusant.”

The way she said that last word in French, almost did him in. “Does it?”

Her finger traced over the collar of his black polo shirt, before coming to rest at the base of his neck, right over the pulse. Liam’s heart was racing. She had to know what this was doing to him.

“Yes, it’s fun. But what I don’t see is a lot of fashion photography on your profile. So I’m thinking that having someone who has worked in fashion all her life as your assistant, would be a good thing for you. I mean I could teach you a few things— if you like.”

I bet you could teach me plenty of things.

But this wasn’t Liam’s first rodeo. Over the past couple of years he’d learned a thing or two about flirting. About boundaries and when to cross them.

He’d also learned that it never paid to mix business with pleasure. Or in this case not to get tangled up with the hot-as-fuck sister of his brother’s employer. As far as he was concerned, Sophie Royal was well and truly off limits.

Life can be so cruel on a guy.

To his bone deep relief the elevator came to a smooth halt, and the doors slid open. Liam took the camera bag from Sophie, then sheepishly followed her out into the exhibition space.

The ride from the lobby to the thirtieth floor had taken all of a minute but in that time, he’d managed to check Sophie out. He’d also got caught doing it.

And what had she done? She’d teased and laughed at him.

And given me a half-boner in the process.

He was already hot under the collar. Another minute alone with this woman and he’d be in deep trouble.

* * *

The Really Big Space. What a stupid name to give to an exhibition room.

Paris had much more elegant titles. There was the Palais de Tokyo, the Louvre, and the Petit Palais. Sophie took in the bare concrete flooring and stark neon lighting overhead. There was nothing French chic or glamorous about this place. She doubted it had ever seen a crystal chandelier.

I wonder if this is what one of those Costco stores looks like inside. Maybe they have some big packets of donuts hidden away somewhere in the back. I could kill a sweet pastry right now.

Huge black and yellow posters of New York taxi cabs hung from the ceiling and were draped around the walls. The runway floor had been marked out like a street scape. The only thing missing was a set of traffic lights and a few hundred New York pedestrians. It was all so very strange.

The authorities who oversaw both Paris Fashion Week, and Haute Couture Week, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode would never allow anything as basic as this at one of their elegant events, that was for certain.

But this is America, and New York City always sets its own rules.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a familiar figure. Camille was headed her way. Sophie found herself instantly fighting back tears.

I miss you.

She gathered her scattered emotions as Camille drew close.

“What’s with the giant taxi posters, mon amour?”

Camille grinned at her. “Would you believe, Cinderella in the City? And our Prince Charming is a cab driver.”

As Sophie scanned the space once more, the Cinderella theme began to make clearer sense. Her sister’s ready to wear collection was designed for the modern working woman. New York City was the epitome of the concrete and glass world which that sort of woman inhabited.

“Wow, that actually sounds fun. Has it really sunk in yet, that you’re being featured in New York fashion week?”

“Maybe it will tomorrow, when this place is full of people.” Her sister glanced behind Sophie, and her brows furrowed. “Is it just you here tonight? No Mama or Papa.”

“Mama and Papa are resting up with Uncle Edward and Aunt Alice at their estate. I couldn’t think of anything worse than sitting and listening to the four of them reliving their glory days.

So, I told them I was coming into the city to go clubbing.

It was only after the Royal Resorts drivers dropped me off out front of the building, that I realized my phone’s battery was dead. ”

When Camille’s brows furrowed in confusion, Sophie was forced to confess.

“While we were on the jet, I watched Emma 2020 for the hundredth time. I drained my cell.”

A grinning Camille simply shook her head.

Sophie turned and pointed at Liam. He was standing a few feet away, busy messing around with his camera. “And that cute guy let me follow him through the door and into the elevator.”

“That’s Ryan’s brother, Liam. He’s handling the photography for the runway show,” explained Camille.

“Yeah, I know. I’m beginning to see why you couldn’t keep your hands off your assistant. The Collins brothers are something else, aren’t they?” She leaned in close. “He was seriously checking me out in the elevator, and I have to admit, it wasn’t all one way traffic.”

Sophie’s gaze took in Camille’s belly, and its tiny baby bump.

These guys really ought to come with a warning sign.

“I caught a peek of a tattoo on Liam’s chest when he took his satchel off his shoulder. And you know me, I’ve got a bit of a weak spot for guys with ink.”

She wasn’t going to mention that she’d already had her hands on his skin, and that’s when she’d really spotted Liam’s tattoo for the first time.

Camille laughed. “That could be dangerous. You might want to watch yourself. From what Ryan has told me, his brother has built up quite an impressive list of women who he’s had a one night stand with in the past couple of years.

Let me make formal introductions before you start undressing the poor man. ”

“Ok. But before we do that, do you have somewhere I could charge my phone? I hate being unable to use it,” said Sophie.

“Yeah. Come with me,” replied Camille. She led Sophie over to a nearby work bench which was covered in cables and cell phones. Sophie grabbed the first spare charge cable that would fit her precious cell, and plugged it in.

Her sister waved Liam over. He hurried across the floor to them. “Thanks for helping Sophie get into the building Liam. I really appreciate it. Formal introductions. This is my sister Sophie, she’s just arrived from Paris. Sophie, this is my assistant Ryan’s, older brother Liam.”

Sophie caught the message hidden within Camille’s words. Liam wasn’t aware that Camille and Ryan were together. That they had taken their relationship well past the bounds of employer/employee.

He’s going to be in for a bit of a surprise when they announce their news.

Liam embraced Camille. “Good to see you again, Camille. It was pure luck that I arrived when I did. The security guy downstairs wasn’t going to let Sophie into the building.

I’m just glad we got it sorted.” He nodded at Sophie.

“Good to see you’ve managed to find somewhere to bring your cell phone back to life. ”

When he turned those brown eyes her way, a rush of heat raced down Sophie’s back. She couldn’t recall the last time that a man had had this sort of physical effect on her. Twice in a matter of minutes.

Tread carefully Sophie. You don’t need to go doing anything stupid. Don’t embarrass Cami on the eve of her big fashion week launch.

“It’s lovely to officially meet you, Sophie. Paris hey? You must be tired after the flight. Paris is one of my favorite cities.”

Sophie arched a brow. “After I killed my cell phone, I pretty much slept the rest of the flight. And Paris is one of your favorite places? Really. I find its dirty, noisy, and full of far too many tourists most of the time. But it is home.”

Paris might well have its shortcomings, but there was no place like it anywhere else in the world.

Liam set down his camera bag. “I’m thinking that if the photo work from this runway show is well received, I’ll talk to my agent. See if they can look into getting me gigs at other fashion weeks around the world. I might just take you up on your offer to give me some fashion show tips, Sophie.”