Free OffshoreSeductions by Patti Shenberger Page B

Holler if you don’t get them and I’ll follow up with Santori Enterprises. Hope you had a great birthday. You deserve it for how hard you’ve been working lately. Call me with any questions. Take care and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Though I guess that does leave a lot of options open for you to explore, doesn’t it?” Her agent ended the call with a laugh.
    Vivi let out a deep breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. It still seemed so surreal to her. She clenched her hands into fists to keep them from trembling. All this time, all the hard work she’d put in and now it was all coming true. Working with Out of Bounds magazine was the crème de la crème when it came to publishing giants.
    Dropping her coat on the arm of the sofa, Vivi headed into the bedroom. She tugged her sweater over her head, tossed it on the bed, then kicked off her shoes and stripped off her jeans. Wearing nothing but her pink lace bra and panties, Vivi stepped into the bathroom.
    With a critical eye, Vivi surveyed her body in the vanity mirror. Her long brown hair hung loose to the middle of her back. She didn’t color or perm it, so it was in great shape. Her entire body was firm and tight, no sagging boobs or paunchy stomach for this girl. And because she exercised regularly, she was toned and fit. In her opinion, she looked damned good for twenty-six years old. Good enough to get asked to do the spread. A shiver went through her body at the thought.
    Had it really only been five and a half years since she practically begged Rafe Santori to hire her as a model? The past came rushing forward as Vivi closed her eyes, and thought back to the night in question. While it hadn’t been one of her finer moments, it definitely counted as one of her best and worst forty minutes in her life.
    She’d accepted an invitation to one of the top industry designers cocktail party, knowing Rafe Santori would be in attendance. When she entered the penthouse suite, her gaze surveyed the room, seeking him out. Vivi was mesmerized by the man, considering the fact she’d followed his every career move and meteoric rise to fame and fortune since high school. But not like she was a crazed stalker or anything. This was different.
    Vivi waited till he was finished with his current conversation and then moved into position, making sure he saw her cross the room toward him. She looked damn good and she knew it.
    “Hello, Rafe, it’s been a long time.”
    “Vivian Bloom? Wow, I guess it has. You look fabulous.” He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek as his gaze raked her body. “Great job on the Mandrel Diamond Jewelers ad in Cosmo. I heard a lot of good buzz about it.”
    “Thanks. Nothing like being covered in diamonds to perk up a girl’s spirit.” Vivi smiled.
    After a few more minutes of small talk that she could barely remember, Vivi took a sip of the liquid courage in her glass. It was now or never.
    “You know I’d love the opportunity to work with you, Rafe.” Vivi hated that she sounded like she was begging the man for a job. But she was, damn it all.
    He gave her the once over and Vivi tried not to blush. “How old are you, Vivian?”
    She straightened her back. “Twenty-one.”
    Rafe smiled and shook his head. “Try again.”
    Vivian sighed. “Twenty.” Damn the man for remembering that fact about her.
    “You know I make it a practice never to hire any models under the age of twenty-five. Never have and I never will. Come back and see me when you’re twenty-five and we’ll talk then.”
    Pissed didn’t begin to cover how Vivi felt. Throw in a good dose of embarrassed as well.
    “When I’m twenty-five, Rafe, you’ll be old news. There’ll be someone new out there waiting to take your place. And willing to step in and scoop me up as well.” She leaned in close and grabbed his tie, tugging him close to her lips. “Just remember, you could have had me but you blew it. Your loss, I’m afraid.”
    Then Vivi