Page 95 of Boyfriend of the Hour

“It’s a very good thing.” Lord, I could barely feel my lips. Or the cheek that he was currently stroking. “It’s perfect.”

More, the rest of my body cried out. Like an addict, every part of me was screaming for the rest of where that came from.

“Well, I pulled several things that you might like, dear—oh, how sweet.”

We sprang apart at the sound of Andrea’s voice. She smiled at us as if she was keeping a secret right along with us.

Lord. She hadno idea.

“Ah, thanks, Andrea,” Nathan said as he stepped to the side, though his hand lingered on my waist.

“Good to see you happy, dear,” she murmured to Nathan as he took a seat.

He didn’t answer. But when his brown eyes met mine again, they shone as bright as stars. Just like I was certain mine were doing too.

“Just tell her what you like and what you don’t,” Nathan said from the sofa while he stretched his arms across the back as if preparing for a movie marathon. “Then you can try things on while she looks some more. I’ll help.”

I blinked at the rack of dresses. A glance at one tag told me each cost more than I made in a month at Opal. Some of them, two or three times that much.

“I think Karlie Kloss wore this one,” I murmured with a glance at Nathan. “I saw it on POPSUGAR.”

I sounded like an idiot, bumbling about like I hadn’t just had my face kissed numb in a room full of couture.

But neither Nathan nor Andrea said a word about it.

He just shrugged and pushed his glasses up his nose. “I’ve only met the Kushners a few times.”

Well, it was close. In the same world.

The thought was actually kind of uplifting. If Karlie Kloss, the model who grew up in St. Louis, could make herself at home in this world, maybe there was hope for me.

“This one too,” I said, pointing to a slinky green number that would undoubtedly match my eyes. “And that one. Ooh, that’s nice.”

Andrea smiled and set the ones I’d indicated into a dressing room. “That’s a good place to start. Try on a few more, and then we’ll really have some fun.”

SEVENTEEN

HOW TO MAKE MONEY FAST

#9 Stripping. Dammit.

“It’s just an interview,” I told Rochelle for what was probably the tenth time since I’d shown up at Diamonds that afternoon. “And I don’t see why I can’t go to one of the actual pop-ups for a trial instead of doing it here. Kyle knows I’m not planning to get on the pole, right?”

On Monday morning, I’d woken up to a call from one of the lobby doormen, who’d informed me about a delivery coming up from Bergdorf’s. But instead of the two dresses I’d picked out with Andrea, a messenger had rolled in two full racks of clothing, plus more bags, shoes, and accessories than I could count.

Nathan didn’t pick up the phone when I’d called—he had back-to-back surgeries all morning. He had, however, responded with his typical straightforward literalness to my texts once he was out.

I don’t know if you are aware, but it looks like all of Bergdorf’s was just delivered to your apartment. And charged to your credit card. You may be a victim of identity theft.

Nathan: It’s not the entire store, only the things you said you liked. I also told Andrea to add any other accessories she thought were necessary, so if something is missing, just let her know, and she’ll have it sent over.

I don’t know what to say. It’s beyond generous. And way way way too much.

Nathan: It’s necessary.

He reiterated that he was serious about this arrangement of ours and wanted me to be prepared for anything.

I didn’t know what to think of it. Of him being so generous. Of how he didn’t seem to think it was generous at all. Or of how much money a person had to have to feel that way in the first place.