Page 7 of The Charmer

His dad used to laugh a lot back then, thriving on the thrill of an acquisition, sharing his success with him, enjoying a quiet celebratory beer together after work. Fishing holidays, guy weekends-away. Then Cooper had joined the firm and started to forge his own success in the business arena and his dad had changed. Not in a good way.

“The Docklands deal is almost completed,” Cooper said. “The contracts are with the legal department as we speak. So once I’ve got Ariel Wallace’s go ahead and I wrap up the Brunswick Street deal, I’m done.”

For a second, something akin to anguish flashed in his father’s eyes, but before Cooper could fathom it Eric blinked and his dad’s latent anger quickly replaced anything Cooper might’ve imagined.

Eric’s upper lip quirked in a sneer. “You’ll never make it on your own.”

Cooper stood, keeping a tight leash on a host of fiery retorts, and headed for the door and the sanctity of his own office.

“We’ll see, Dad. We’ll see,” he said, more determined than ever to get the deal done with Ariel Wallace.

Chapter Five

“Ciao, bella. How’s my favourite artist today?”

Sofia Montessori breezed into Colour by Dreams, her plump figure swathed in head to toe crimson, making her look like a ripe tomato. Ariel loved colour and Sofia’s vibrant wardrobe never failed to brighten her day.

“I’m fine. How’s life in the fast lane?”

“I can’t complain.” Sofia shrugged. “You know how it is. Places to go, people to meet, men to impress.”

“Actually, I don’t know,” Ariel said, bracing for the usual onslaught of Sofia’s suffocating hugs and smacking kisses on both cheeks, smiling when she saw the usual matchmaking gleam in Sofia’s dark eyes. “And I like it that way.”

Sofia threw her hands up in the air and looked toward the heavens. “You are young and beautiful. You should be partying, meeting men your own age, dancing the night away—”

“I’d rather paint the night away.” Ariel quickly cut in, knowing that once Sofia got on a roll, she’d be here all day. “Speaking of which, I started your commission last night. Want to take a look?”

“Si. I want to see this life portrait that my sister is so keen on hanging in her house. Can you imagine, a naked man in the dining room?” Sofia tut-tutted. “The thought alone is enough to put me off my ravioli. But it’s Maria’s fortieth birthday and it’s all she’s talked about since she visited the National Art Gallery, and what my baby sister wants she shall get.”

Sofia rolled her eyes and puffed out her cheeks in disgust and Ariel chuckled at her theatrics, knowing full well the rich Italian woman with a reputation as a connoisseur of younger men was excited about this portrait and would probably order one for herself once she got a look at Ariel’s subject.

“I’ve only done a few preliminary sketches but you’ll get the general idea,” Ariel said, pushing through the bead curtain leading to her studio and holding it up for Sofia to pass through, slightly nervous about the woman’s reaction.

She rarely showed anyone her work before the final canvas, but this was different. Sofia was paying her a small fortune and she didn’t want anything to go wrong. She desperately needed the money. Like yesterday.

“The sketches I’ve done are over here.”

Ariel needn’t have pointed. She knew the exact moment Sofia laid eyes on the sketches of Cooper.

“Who is that?”

“That is the gift you’re giving Maria.”

Ariel’s casual wave of her hand didn’t fool Sofia for a second.

“Bella, I know what that is. I want to know who that is.”

Ariel laughed at the predatory gleam in Sofia’s wide eyes. “The model’s name is Cooper. That’s all I know.”

A lie. She knew a heck of a lot more than that; like the way his blue eyes hid a secret, as if he were ashamed of modelling. And the way his muscles rippled when he moved. And the way his deep voice had made her feel: like a woman who didn’t have responsibilities, like a woman who could forget everything after the glimpse of his smile.

Sheesh. She really needed to start wearing a face mask to block the studio fumes from frying her brain.

“Bellissimo. This Cooper is gorgeous, no?”

“No. Yes. You know what I mean,” Ariel said, turning away from her sketches before her cheeks flushed crimson like Sofia’s.

She didn’t like admitting how gorgeous Cooper was. She had to remain objective and view him as a means to an end for her work. That’s it.

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