Page 59 of A Taste Of Darkness

“It is designer,” he replied, his voice low and raspy. “It’s Sterlie Adams. The greatest designer in the whole fucking world.”

I liked the sound of it. Perhaps I liked the sound of it a little too much.

I never thought of myself as some huge designer. Sure, I had dreams of becoming one, but I didn’t believe I’d ever get there.

It was a very competitive industry, and the way my boutique was going, let’s just say my chances were slim.

After I turned around, my hand instantly collided with his shoulder as I nudged him. He moved a little, but I didn’t think it was because of my strength but because he just wanted to make me believe I was strong enough to shove him away.

“Don’t say that. It’s rude to play with someone’s dreams.”

“My apologies, cuore mio. But I wasn’t playing.”

“How were you not?” Last I checked, nobody had even heard my name before.

That wasn’t true seeing as my family was sort of known to the public. At least in some odd way. My father used to be the CEO of a well-known beverage company. It had been in our family for decades, but neither Flora nor I were ever going to take over.

Especially now that we no longer spoke to our father.

We had an older brother, but I had never seen or spoken to him before. He moved out at eighteen—which was the same year I was born—and took over the company as soon as Dad retired a couple of years after Ryke finished college.

I wasn’t even sure I would’ve been able to pick him out of a crowd of people. His image didn’t exist in my mind.

Nobody ever showed me a picture, so if it weren’t for Flora telling me about Ryke, I’d never even known he existed.

So, anyway, some people might’ve heard my name before, but that wasn’t going to help my career.

Milo moved in even closer, his head hovering over mine.

Why did he have to be so awfully tall? The top of my head barely even reached over his shoulders. I had to lean my head back into my neck to really look at him right now.

“Because in my eyes, you’re already a superstar,” he said softly.

31

GETTING BUTTERFLIES

Sterlie Adams

Had it been physically possible, I was sure my heart would’ve busted out of my chest from beating so heavily.

Because in my eyes, you’re already a superstar.

Sometimes, I wasn’t even sure my father believed in me—not that it was important anymore anyway. Flora supported me like my number one fan, but she kept it realistic.

How come a random guy from Italy saw me shine brighter than anyone else in my life? How could he of all people see a side to me that didn’t exist?

Me. A superstar.

“Can I touch you?” Milo asked to which my eyebrows drew together.

Admittedly, I kind of expected Milo to want to keep his distance from me for a while. After yesterday, I wouldn’t even have blamed him for it.

I deserved silence for what I did, for what I ruined.

Still, I nodded.

If he was anyone but Milo, I would’ve run the other way a long time ago, especially at that question.

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