Exposed by Sierra Riley Read Free Book Online Page B

he’d read online, it was going to mean working his ass off, but at least he had natural talent. He didn’t have to work at looking elegant.
    Unlike Adam. Jesus, he was a klutz. Somehow he managed to turn that off on the runway, but the rest of the time? He practically tripped over his own two feet. How the fuck had he ever been spotted? Had he fooled them in an open call until he’d been signed? Or was he just drugged up?
    Gabriel pursed his lips in judgment, focusing on that instead of the shuddering of the plane. When it finally felt like it was leveling off, he let out his breath and unfolded his arms, leaning forward to grab his water bottle.
    Those five pounds were gone, his stomach a little leaner and body fat percentage a little lower. He just couldn’t eat a proper meal until the end of the week.
    God, he was sick of salads, but it was worth it.
    “This is your first fashion week, isn’t it?” That was Adam, addressing him now.
    Gabriel turned his gaze to Adam and nodded once. “I have a good idea what to expect.”
    “You’re the last-minute guy, right? You’re replacing the diva who walked out?”
    Gabriel raised a brow. “Or they kicked him out for me.” He preferred to think of it that way.
    “Yeah, from what I heard you’ve got a better walk,” Adam chuckled. “He’s gonna be pissed. He only just got signed for the show, and then when he ran out on the test shoot, Julius moved him to another show this week. He’s walking for someone else. You know Jameson?”
    Gabriel snorted loudly, unable to resist a moment’s sarcasm. “Do I know Jameson?” Duh. The menswear designer who practically set the trend of knitted ties back into motion last season? If he didn’t know him , what the fuck would he be doing in this industry?
    “Just asking,” Adam shrugged, but a smile flickered across his face. Was he testing him? The asshole.
    “I wasn’t born yesterday. I just look like it,” Gabriel told him, reclining his seat and looking down the aisle for the booze cart. It couldn’t come fast enough.
    Adam laughed. “Yeah, I have a suitcase just for my skincare regimen.”
    “Oh, I don’t need one,” Gabriel told him loftily. He’d been blessed with good skin, after all.
    “Really?”
    “Not much of one.”
    “Lucky,” Adam whistled. “I have to get facials weekly.”
    “I bet you do.” Gabriel pushed his tongue behind his teeth, and Adam’s expression darkened for a moment before he laughed.
    Gabriel laughed along, even if he’d meant it more snidely than Adam probably suspected. There was no way Adam had gotten here on talent alone. He had to be fucking someone. Briar, maybe? Julius? Vince? Someone had their dick invested in him.
    “You hear where our hotel is? It’s great. We’ve got a bunch of adjoining rooms,” Adam told him, smoothly changing the subject. Gabriel noticed that.
    “In case we want to have sleepovers?” That sounded like hell. Gabriel wasn’t going to let them see him when he wasn’t ready to walk. Nobody got to see him at night unless he was in their bed.
    He had an image to maintain now, after all. And that image included two vodka shots that were a couple rows away from him.
    Thank God. If Adam was this chatty, he was going to need them.

12
Briar
    T he Strand was busy with commuters this time of the evening. As Briar gazed down from his suite, he wondered how many of them were unaware of one of the fashion industry’s most important weeks happening right beside them.
    Everyone was on edge: photographers, designers, show producers, models, buyers, makeup artists, agents…
    Hundreds of attractive men—and others, of course—in the city for one high-pressure, high-profile week of shows and after-parties and schmoozing.
    Normally, he might have been counting his condoms into his wallet, but he didn’t feel the same stir of interest as usual. He took a breath and let it out, rubbing his face as he moved to grab some anyway, along with lube. Just in