Of fucking course Leonel was the darling of the fashion world right now. He was young, sweet-looking, and hard-edged with a streak of can’t touch this that made everyone want to.

I wasn’t jealous, exactly. I’d known exactly the attention Leonel would attract. That was why I’d picked him as a stand-in. A shoe-in, too.

But I was intrigued by the way he invited attention, flirted with it, and then slipped away from it. I leaned on the bar, glancing across it and half the room.

For the third time in ten minutes, someone approached Leonel on the dance floor while he swayed left to right as if entranced by the lights. He looked worn down, but I only noticed this because I had watched him whenever possible for these few weeks.

I’d been watching after shows and in crowds, where Leonel had every inch the aloof attitude and ego of his peers, if not more. For a moment, I wondered if I’d made a mistake getting him into this industry. But no, it was his natural talent. He was getting a shitload of attention because he’d stolen the goddamn closing show.

Right now, to anyone foolish enough to take Leonel at face value as even I first had, he just looked casually flirtatious. To those hopeful, he seemed to be awaiting approach by the right man.

And who could blame him for being exhausted? I had only been through the wringer of a few years’ worth of fashion weeks as a model before making the jump to the business side. I’d never slept better than when I didn’t have worry about breaking out before I was in the makeup chair the next morning.

Leonel smiled and batted his lashes again, sidling on one foot as he had done for every other guy approaching him tonight. He pretended not to be interested, but this wasn’t even a pretense.

This was genuine.

Still, even if he clearly didn’t want this guy, Leonel was reveling in being wanted. It was easy to tell from the little glow around him despite his tiredness. I knew that exact feeling -- just wanting to be wanted, even if I wasn’t particularly interested in who exactly took an interest.

I bit back a laugh when the other guy turned to scout out the best spot on the floor to dance, then looked back to find Leonel gone.

Instead, he was weaving his way through the crowd in the private club toward me.

I pushed myself away from the bar and straightened out my suit jacket with a tug, then fastened the top button one-handed.

“Don’t bother,” Leonel murmured as he came to lean his elbows on the bar, then glanced sideways at me.

My cheeks heated up for a moment. He was direct about his interest now that he seemed to sense he had permission to be. I liked that straightforwardness.

“Have to keep up appearances.”

“Uh-huh.” He eyed me. “Will anyone stop you? Will anyone even care? You can probably sleep with me all week long.”

“They wouldn’t care for my sake, but yours.”

“Oh.” He winked, turning sideways to lean his hip against the counter. His chest was just a few inches away from my shoulder now. It was easy for me to smell that fresh, faintly fruity scent. What was it? Conditioner? Shampoo? God, I liked it.

He leaned in to whisper, “Looking out for my reputation? How sweet.” Then he scanned the dance floor and seating areas, then shook his head when the bartender looked at him.

I glanced at Leonel from head to toe, taking in his loose print t-shirt and ripped jeans. I loved the extra peeks at his skin, and I itched to slip my finger into one of those holes.

So to speak.

“Had enough to drink?” I teased.

“One glass of champagne, when Asa wouldn’t leave me alone. I’d rather save my calories for a proper meal tomorrow.”

I laughed quietly. “I can order dinner into my room.”

“Now there’s a man who knows how to win me over.” He tugged on his t-shirt, then fidgeted with the loose threads. “I’d better say goodbye to a few important people.”

He didn’t sound very motivated, though.

I winked. “At your leisure. Top floor, door on the end.”

He smirked. “I’ll see how I feel... if anyone makes me a better offer.”

“Salad with steak?”

This time, he laughed. He was too taken aback to hide his amusement, which was greatly pleasing. “And ranch dressing.”

I smirked right back, then turned on my heel to head for the exit.

The hallway outside was cooler, and I strode through the foyer without a glance for those milling about outside. As I took the marble stairs up, I slipped my phone out of my pocket to check for important messages.

Nothing more important than Leonel.

As soon as I unlocked my hotel room door, I tossed the keycard on the side table and kicked my shoes off, then hung up my suit jacket. After removing my cufflinks and unbuttoning the top few buttons of my shirt, I loosened my tie.

Good and comfortable now, I picked up the hotel phone to order room service.

“One steak salad with ranch dressing, please.”

“Right away, sir. Anything else?”

I didn’t know what Leonel liked to drink. “Still and sparkling water. That’s it, thanks.”

I hung up and ran a hand down my face. As gently amused as I was at Leonel’s tiredness, I was exhausted, too. I’d sleep solidly tonight.

I hoped he showed. Surely to God he would, but out of the blue, Alex’s words from earlier that week rattled around my head.

He’ll be mine.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. “Room service.”

The guy dropped off the meal with a neat little tray and utensils and the whole nine yards, and I nodded in thanks, slipping him a tip.

It wasn’t more than thirty seconds before there was another, softer knock.

I opened the door instantly, smiling as Leonel slipped into the room.

“Oh my God, you weren’t kidding,” he gasped, his eyes focusing on the room-service tray.

I laughed under my breath. “I started off where you are, Leo. I remember those weeks.”

The look he shot me was genuine appreciation. He was too caught off-guard to give me the attitude.

I just smiled back, glancing away after a moment and nodding toward the tray.

He collapsed into the armchair and pulled the tray over to him to dig in without another word.

I sat on the end of the bed, hitching one foot under myself and pressing my hands into the bed behind me. “Tonight’s show was the best of them all, I think. All of you got a lot of attention.”

“Mmm,” Leonel agreed, his mouth filled with food.

I spared him having to answer, letting him keep eating by talking instead. “I was talking to a few old friends and they want to see more of you all. You, specifically.”

Leonel didn’t look surprised, but his chest did push out with pride. “Awesome.”

I nodded. “And I have a few leads on jobs back in the city. You won’t have trouble finding work. The runway is yours.”

He cocked his head. “It’s a lot easier than I thought.”

“I told you. You had the natural talent for it.” I smiled. His salad was half-gone already, and he was picking out all the steak strips to eat first.

He shot me another glance and nodded his agreement. A little egotistic already, then. Oh, well. He’d had a week having his ego stroked by everyone around him, so it was to be expected. At least he knew how good he was.

Then, he choked with laughter for a moment, covering his mouth before taking a deep drink of the sparkling water.

He shoved it away from himself and coughed harder, then grabbed the still water glass.

“A little Perrier not to your taste?” I teased.

“I’ve never had…” He cleared his throat and coughed again. Holy shit, seriously? My shock must have shown on my face, because Leonel rolled his eyes. “I never knew people really drank it before I started… schmoozing with this lot.”

Was sparkling water a rich-person thing? I assumed so. Interesting. He probably didn’t come from money, then. “You prefer your sparkles in your alcohol?”

“And all over my body, if need be. Anywhere but my water.”

“What was so funny?” I added once he finished his salad and set the tray aside.

Leonel actually blushed, his eyes flickering across the room before he looked back at me. “It’s March fourteenth.”

I slowly narrowed my eyes in thought as I stood up to approach and grab the glass with the sparkling water. I drank until nothing was left, then set the glass down, leaning on the table next to Leonel. “Pi Day?”

“Steak and Blowjob Day.”

My eyebrows hitched up, then I smirked. Oh, I wanted to blow his mind, and I was never going to get a better segue than this.

I braced my hands on the armrest of Leonel’s chair, then sank to my knees.

Leonel’s expressions were loose and easy as a quick smile flitted across his face and he melted into the bed.

“Hmm?” I hummed.

“S’good,” he whispered, and that was all. He half-closed his eyes, limp on the bed and clumsily raising an arm to cover his eyes, then wipe his forehead and brush his hair back.

I slowly lowered myself onto my side next to him, propping myself up on my elbow. I wiped my hand on his stomach so I could rest my hand on his side.

“Hey!” He laughed under his breath, elbowing me.

“You’re naked, I’m dressed.” I pushed myself up to fix that, pulling off my clothes as easily as that.

Leonel cracked open his eyes to watch and I smirked at him.

“Shower?” I suggested.

He hesitated, then nodded, reaching out behind himself as he stood up.

I caught the implication and took his hand, letting the hot little model lead me to the bathroom and step into the huge rain shower with him.

I loved the green and blue tiles of the shower and the elegant marble of the bathroom, but more than that, I loved that slender, toned body in front of me in the shower.

We were both quiet as we washed up, Leonel taking his time to get all the product out of his hair and off his face.

A minute after I stepped out, he followed suit and I tossed him a towel.

I broke the silence to ask, “What are your plans tomorrow?”

He jerked his thumb toward the clothes still strewn along the bed and floor. “Turn those in after I wake up. Which will be nice and late.”

I grinned. “How about eight? You guys are off until we leave here around noon, right?”

He eyed me and nodded cautiously. He didn’t seem sure what to think.

“I can show you a bit of London.”

That made his expression brighten. “Okay. Should I head back or…?”

“I highly doubt most of your coworkers will be spending the night in their own rooms.” I winked, then gestured toward the bed. It was a super-king or something ridiculous. The kind of bed so big it could fit four guys comfortably.

Not that I’d admit to testing that.

Leonel nodded, gathering the designer t-shirt and jeans I had peeled off him last night and folding them up. Once he had them set aside, he crashed under the covers, his body going limp instantly.

I knew the feeling. With contentment burning through my bones, as soon as my body felt dry enough, I flicked the lights off and slid under the covers.

I remembered nothing after that, sleep whisking me away after the hellish week.