Page 24 of Can’t Fight This Feeling

“Thank you.” He glances at me in reflection. “You look lovely today.”

My face heats, and I nearly choke on my gum. What are words? I can’t seem to string two of them together. He complimented me...I’m wearing a white leather skirt and a hot pink top. I grabbed them in a rush, and I look like a fucking mess with big hair and sparkly eye shadow. Granted, I’m supposed to look that way. It’s all the rage right now, but it doesn’t scream sex appeal to me.

Judging by the way Vic is drinking me in, I’d say it does scream that to him. And I’m not completely wigged out by it either.

“You’re quite good at your job.” Vic flashes a disarming smile. “Do you enjoy it?”

“Totally.” I snap my gum and try to play it cool. I’m a thirty-five-year-old woman spazzing out over a hot actor giving me a compliment. What the hell is wrong with me? “I mean, I’ve always been into fashion. Why not make it a career, right?”

“Absolutely. You should do what you love what makes you happy.”

“Well, it didn’t start that way. It was more about paying the bills.” I glance at the numbers above the door to distract me from his charming presence.

“I can understand that.” He chuckles, and the sound ripples through me. “I wasn’t always the successful leading man you see before you.”

“Get out of town. I never would have guessed.”

“It’s true.” He sighs dramatically. “But I’ve been fortunate to turn my passion into my livelihood. Something we have in common.”

The elevator reaches the twelfth floor, and the doors slide open. A vague connection doesn’t mean anything, does it?

“I guess I’ll see you later.” I step from the carriage.

“I look forward to it.” Vic gives a jaunty little salute and heads down the hall.

A cluster of people surround him, and I’m left staring after him in confusion.

Was Vic flirting with me? Or am I just a hotbed of lust-fueled coals left simmering after my dance with Rob? I shake off the lingering tension and weave my way through the studio to the dressing rooms.

Liana glances up when I walk in the door. “Finally! I’m freaking out here.” She bustles around me with five hangers dangling from her fingertips. “I wasn’t sure which ones we would—”

“Honey.” I take the clothes and put them on the rack. “Take a breath. We got this. Okay?”

“I know. I just hate when we spread ourselves this thin.” She bites her lip. “Do you know who we’re styling today?”

“I haven’t seen the list yet, but Vic Simmons is here.” I waggle my brows.

Liana’s eyes widen, and I swear there are hearts dancing in her pupils. “He’s a dreamboat.”

“He is easy on the eyes, I won’t deny that.” I skim through the selections and make mental notes on what we have on hand. “Plus he’s charming. I ran into him in the elevator.”

“You were alone with him?” Liana grabs my arm. “Tell me everything.”

“Not much to tell, honestly.” I warm from the inside out. “Although, I think he was flirting with me.”

“Whoa.” Liana gapes, her crimped hair falling across her eyes. “Did he ask you out?”

“No.” I wave my hand and laugh. “Like I would ever date a client. You know me better than that.”

“Yeah, I know all about your rules, but this is Vic Simmons we’re talking about here.”

“You act like that’s supposed to mean something to me, Liana?”

A knock at the door interrupts us. It’s the stage manager with the list of clients. I take it and tell him to send the first client in when they arrive.

Liana snatches the list from my hand. “So back to Vic. You gonna give him a shot or what?”

“For the hundredth time, I don’t date clients. Period.”

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