Free High Stakes Seduction - Book 1 by Ami LeCoeur Page A

"or is it the designers themselves?"
    He eyed me shrewdly for a moment, then pulled out his cellphone, tapping away at the screen. "To be honest, the designs are beautiful, but they lack a certain novelty that I would prefer to see in a line that I’m introducing."
    He passed me the phone. On the screen was a website featuring Carlo and Poula’s designs. I scrolled through them as Antonio continued. "However, as you appear to have correctly deduced, it is the designers that I am interested in. They are young, but extremely talented, perhaps even rising stars. What they might be missing now in their designs will come soon enough."
    "I see," I said, nodding. I tapped a link that led me to an image of the twins. They were young, hardly more than twenty-five years old. They both kept their dark hair long and straight, parted in the middle. And, unlike the elaborate outfits they designed, their attire was all about simple lines and muted colors.
    "And my role for the evening?" I asked, handing back the phone.
    "Tonight I will likely be occupied with business details. Forgive me if I am otherwise engaged, but I am confident you can handle yourself, as always. Talk to the twins, gain some insight into their future plans and what they think they want. You and I can talk later about your impressions. You are, after all," he added with a mischievous grin as he tucked the phone away, "more than just eye candy, Angela."

Chapter Twenty- Three
     
    When we walked into the posh restaurant twenty minutes later, it felt as though all eyes were on me.
    I clutched Antonio’s elbow, trying to keep my composure. He leaned in close, patting my hand. "You’ll be fine," he whispered.
    Unfortunately, the warmth of his breath on my ear and his velvety voice only made my heart beat faster; but I was determined not to let my nerves get the better of me. I closed my eyes for just a moment, inhaling slowly through my nose. I can do this, I told myself. I let the mantra play over and over in my head as I opened my eyes and gave a dazzling smile to the first of many people Antonio would introduce me to that night.
    I was glad of his warning about the preferred method of greeting. I thought my cheeks might fall off from all the kisses, sometimes from far too dry or sloppy lips. Hiding my discomfort, I returned each greeting with air kisses of my own, careful not to smudge my lipstick.
    "If you’ll excuse me, Angela," said Antonio. He inclined his head and I followed his sidelong glance to see a sullen-looking version of the young couple he had shown me earlier, seated at a table in the center of the room. Several men and women hovered nearby, presumably vying for the attention of the pair. But, when I looked closer at the group, I noticed that none of them were actually engaging the twins. It was as if they just wanted to be seen near them as photographers from the various high-class magazines buzzed around the room.
    I nodded to Antonio, took another deep breath, and waded into what I tried not to think of as shark-infested waters.
    "Janet," I said, loudly enough to attract attention as I approached. The lawyer, who Antonio had introduced me to earlier, glanced over her shoulder at me. Her eyes flickered with mild derision, as I slipped in beside her.
    I felt a thrill of adrenaline running through me as the man to my left graciously made room for me in the little crowd. I’m not unusually shy, but pressing myself into a conversation uninvited definitely wasn’t my normal style. Maybe it was the gown and the way people were looking at me with either admiration or envy that bolstered my confidence. Or maybe it was that this was my second event with Antonio. Either way, I liked the feeling, and I figured it would help me with what I planned to do next.
    "I understand you visited our store the other day," I said, smiling. "I’m sorry I missed you. I would have loved to help you pick out something to add to your already impressive wardrobe." I cast an