Danny (Models On Top #1) by S. L. Scott Read Free Book Online Page A

speak, “Excuse me?” I cough again and try taking a deep breath to relax my throat to get control of my breathing.
    He’s laughing. At me. “I rest my case.” Sipping his champagne, I see one perfectly styled eyebrow rise in a clear, I told you so arch.
    When my breathing evens out, I say, “I don’t know what you mean.”
    “You sure about that, Candy?”
    “Candy?”
    “I see beneath that hard sugar coating of yours. I get vibes from people and yours are good. A little damaged, but whose aren’t, so let’s drop the deep and dive into the shallow. The sparks flew between you two. I stepped back to make sure I didn’t get burned.”
    I scoff and turn so I’m facing forward, unable to hold eye contact with him. Anyway, he’ll see right through me if I don’t. “We barely said two words to each other.”
    “No words would have sufficed. Fire I’m telling you. On fire! So this whole campaign is just a ruse? You know, to get the man?”
    “No,” comes rushing from my mouth. “I would never do that.”
    “Oh, calm down, Candy.” He waves me off. “I’m teasing about the set up. I’ve seen you in action for months now working on this project. I know how dedicated you are to the finished product.” Eyeing me devilishly, he smacks my arm playfully and leans in. “But he was hot, right?”
    “So hot.” Fine. I admit it. Danny Weston is hot.
    Refilling my glass, he looks up. “Super hot. Now I understand why he’s a supermodel.”
    “I think he’s going to make the menswear line look amazing. Not that it’s not amazing on its own, but on his body…” I swoon a little inside. Damn him and his incredible body. My mouth dries as I try to remember if his shoulders were that broad in college, but I struggle to push down the pain that comes with the memories.
    “You can keep trying to change the subject, but I’m really great at dragging us right back to Danny and your connection. You felt one, right? It looked like you did.”
    The speed of his words, mixed with thoughts of Danny, make my head spin. Maybe it’s my emotions that feel like they’re spinning out of control. The story of us… “Not all fairy tales end with a happily ever after.”
    “Tell me more.”
    Drunk.
    This is what drunk feels like, though I’ve only had the two glasses. “I’m not feeling well.” I put one foot down to ground me and then level my eyes on something still—my Fitbit.
    Hooting and hollering distracts him and Vinnie rushes to the railing to get a better look at the men at the party next door. As he fans himself, he proclaims, “Good Lord, have mercy on my soul, this is what fantasies are made of.”
    “Maybe you should join the party,” I suggest, enjoying his reaction to the buff men. Until I sit up and get a better gander. “Whoa!” I stand and join him at the railing. “I guess I wasn’t paying close enough attention. My oh my.”
    “My oh my is right.”
    Another minute passes, then he turns to look at me, lifts his sunglasses to the top of his head, and really looks at me. “You’re really pretty.”
    A blush floods my cheeks from the unexpected compliment. “Thank you.”
    “What are you wearing to dinner?”
    Ten minutes later I walk out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, and then twirl for him. “I only have this dress with me.”
    “I love it. Fits you perfectly. But I don’t want you dressing for me.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “This dress is great for functions—business, cocktail parties even, the theater,” he says, switching his accent to mimic upper social circles of Manhattan. “I want you to dress to knock socks off.”
    With a hand to my hip and a look that backs my attitude, I say, “And let me guess. You have just the someone in mind that you want me to knock the socks off of?”
    He nods enthusiastically, and answers with a huge grin, “Danny.”
    “I don’t think that’s in the cards.”
    “Sparks. Fireworks. You two have them. The chemistry between you is