Page 66 of Overexposed

Being on this side of the camera was terrible. I did a sweep of the room. If there was a corner table or something I could go sit at, then I could just drink and eat in peace. There was no solitude or serenity to be found down here. Not with a constant stream of new arrivals.

After finishing another canapé and snagging another drink, I made my way out of the ballroom. The place had appeared to be a large estate when we drove in. Ascending the stairs, I studied the architecture and the art. It gave a faintly French countryside palace or castle vibe. Everything was in cream or gold, and the art seemed even more opulent than the setting.

I wandered away from the music and the crowd. It was truly beautiful. I should have brought my camera. The way the light played in the halls and flickered from the wall sconces just offered so many perfect shadows to study.

There were doors that opened into new sitting rooms and other doors that were closed. The deeper I went, the moreinteresting the place became. There were large French glass doors that opened to a stone balcony, so I slipped out there.

The cool breeze was welcoming, as was the quiet. A hum from the vehicles arriving and departing drifted over the building, but it wasn’t super loud. As it was, I just enjoyed the view and the low stone wall.

This seemed more Venetian than French but I was not complaining. As much as I wanted to linger, I knew I probably shouldn’t hang out here. But when I tried to go back inside, the doors were locked.

I backed up to look along the building. The balcony actually stretched along it for several feet. Maybe there was another door.

There were two more sets of double doors. None of them were unlocked. I drained the wineglass, then flattened my hands on the top of the stone wall and looked over the edge. It wasn’t that far of a drop to the garden below. I could take the heels off, but I’d probably break an ankle if I landed on the hard stone. I headed for the other end. Maybe there was grass there?

No, but there was scaffolding that had been set against the building. They were replacing some of the siding apparently. Leaving the glass on the railing, I pulled off my shoes. With them stowed in one hand, I swung my legs over and made the short hop to the scaffolding.

It vibrated with my steps more than I liked, and the light was minimal under here. Took me a moment to find a ladder that let me climb down to the next level. There wasn't one to let me go from this midpoint to the ground.

“Fuck,” I swore.

“Snow?” The very last voice I expected to hear drifted out of the dark, followed by the man himself stepping under the draping to look up.

“Ollie?” Surprise and delight curved through me. The alcohol had definitely taken the edge off my nerves. Ollie’s presence blunted the irritation at my current predicament.

“At your service,” he said with a slow grin. “Have I mentioned how fucking fantastic you look right now?”

I glanced down at myself, then at him. Like Seven, he was also in a suit. “Were you at the premiere?”

“Maybe,” he said. “Sometimes I show up, do the perp walk, then head right out the back door.”

My mouth fell open. “Seriously?”

“Yep.” His grin was all mischievous charm. “Nobody really cares if we watch our own films. So why waste the time?”

“I get that…” Though guilt raked across my belly. “I didn’t see you in the movie.”

“That’s cause I wasn’t in it.” His grin widened.

“Oh.” Relieved, I shook my head. “So you went to the premiere for Seven?”

“Sure,” he said with a chuckle. “Let’s go with that. Now, you want to tell me what you’re doing up there?”

I sighed. “I got stuck on the balcony. I went out to look but the doors were all locked and no one else was up there. So then I saw this…” I waved to the scaffolding. “But apparently there’s no ladder down to the ground.”

“Probably put away to keep kids from getting into trouble.”

Oh. Yeah, that made sense.

“Come on, Snow,” he said, moving to be just below me. “Drop. I’ll catch you.”

It wasn’t that far, but still. I frowned.

“Trust me,” he practically crooned. “I won’t let you get hurt.”

I glanced at my shoes and then dropped them. He caught them easier than I expected and then set them aside.

“Good girl. Now come to Daddy.”

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