Page 20 of Perfume Girl
“Who are you?”
“I’m a perfumer.” I gave him an accusatory glare. “And a good one at that.”
“Are you here to be interviewed for a job?” A muscle in his jaw twitched. “We only hire superior chemists.”
“Obviously not,” I said. “Because I’m standing here and not in your lab.”
“You really think you’re that good?”
“Yes.”
“Spice or Oud?”
“Both, if muted with jasmine.”
His mouth curled into an amused smile. “Lime basil and mandarin…”
“Goes well with English pear and freesia.”
His gaze narrowed. “Iris, jasmine and…”
“Lily.”
He gave me a smoldering look. “Proves nothing.”
“I’m open to learning new techniques,” I replied, fluttering my eyelashes.
Fuck it.I was all in.
“You want me to teach you?” He stared down at me with burning intensity. “It takes a certain discipline to come under my tutelage.”
A feeling of rivalry came over me and I drew in a deep breath.
He nudged his horse and headed back toward me. “I’m in charge of hiring. You go through me for the privilege of working at The House of Beauregard.”
“Then I was misinformed.” That would rub his ego the wrong way.
“Come.” He gestured for me to follow and I walked behind his horse, wondering if he was going to berate me some more.
When we reached the stables he said, “Hold his bit.”
“Why?”
“I’m going to dismount, and he still might be a tad skittish.” He caressed the horse’s mane. “I’m just climbing off, boy.”
Wrapping one hand around the bit, I held the horse still and caressed his muzzle. I felt calmer, too, as I breathed in the earthy scent of stallion and leather and fresh air, and gazed off at a dazzling sunset.
The stables went on forever and I wondered how many horses he owned, and how much help he’d hired to care for them. To the left was an area covered by a large white dome, which looked like a place where horses were trained.
Astor’s heels landed on the dirt. He moved over to me and took back the reins, his hand brushing over mine, sending an electric shock through my fingers.
“You can make it up to him,” he said.
“What?”
“Help me groom him. We’ll talk.”
“About?”
