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I fiddled withhave you worked for the Brantleys?"

"Three years"

Talkative guy Any s It was too bad His voice had a layer of accent that made it absolutely delicious

"Are they nice to work for?"

His eyesHe had a very direct stare, one that--once established--was hard to break And his eyes … da cars, causing a shimmer across their depths "They’re fine"

It was quiet Three years They’re fine Hell, I’d worked for the Brantleys for six days, and I could fill up a thirty-uy was really co Or he had taken to heart the lengthy confidentiality agreeave up on conversation and leaned back against the seat, watching the city go by, Christhts out, a sea of white and rainbow at every turn It was my favorite time of the year, the New York streets turned into festive art, all of the dirt and grime of the city hidden by a layer of snow Nicole was celebrating New Year’s Eve at an animal charity event, one where she would parade Chanel around for the cocktail hour before passing her back to me At 10 PM, a holiday fashion shoas scheduled, and Chanel would own, then in a dialitter How PETA was encouraging the ethical treat poor Chanel to this, I didn’t know But then again, I wasn’t getting paid to think

The car stopped outside the Brantleys’ ho the Driver-Without-A-Naet my door When he stayed buckled in place, the vehicle settled into park, I sighed, opening the door ht air

The wealthy of the city lived in a different bubble than the rest of us One where there were no worries of minor problems, the majority of which were easily solved by money One co of success heavy in the air, punctuated with diao For the first ti down the back alley of the hotel, a gorgeous old building recently re dock, a flurry of white-coated cooks unloading a catering truck

"Here?" I asked, looking out the ,

"Mrs Brantley said to drop you off here Use your service provider pass to get in" The driver casually tossed the barbs out, unaware of how they stuck in antlydown the seconds as the ball dropped, a handso me backward for a kiss, disappeared A honk sounded behind us, and the driver looked back at rabbed Chanel’s bag and shouldered it, holding her close to ressive than the first "Jeez," Ian irritated look toward the vehicle, the driver raising his hands froesture of asshole drivers everywhere I elbowed the door shut and gingerly made my way around the back of the SUV, htly,me into a snowy spot My heel sank, all the way to asped, half froe it would cause to my suede heels Beside ly unconcerned over any plight to my Atwoods or me

"Need a hand?"

I was frozen in place when the ht still clutching Chanel, ed in slush I liftedinto his face, lost all train of thought

He was beautiful Chiseled masculinity wrapped in a tux, a small smile turned up the corners of his lips, a phone held to his ear as he extended a hand Carefully,asht as his hand firrip, the heat of his skin shocking, theHe squeezedthe sidewalk, then released it, theas his eyes continued the contact, his stare holding me in place before he stepped back He spoke into the phone "I’m here now" He moved the phone away from his mouth "Are you okay?"

"Yes Thank you" I nodded, and he turned away, his voice low and urgent, ed one, before he stepped away, ed up the back steps and toward the event The tux fit perfectly on his strong build Dark, tousled hair, as if he had recently run his hands through it, the scruff of a five o’clock shadow barely visible as he opened the door, the s hidden Those hazel eyes Deliciously playfulslanced down at her, a line of drool dripping off herher velvet dress "Right there with you," I whispered, taking a deep breath before heading in,with every cold and miserable step

7 Canines, Couture & Conversation

I leaned against a wall in the service hall, at the back of the fashion show, a long line of pets beforeChanel and laughing loudly at whatever the wo They’d already e done without incident I shifted,from the tile floor, my arms crossed over my chest, the rooe fireplaces burned I’d gotten only a peek at the roolorious five antic chandeliers overhead, a string orchestra playing discreetly in the background

My stoave ans I should have eaten, but I’d assumed there’d be food at the event It was a correct assu that I would be allowed to eat the food Earlier, I’d tried to reach for a spring roll and was practically tackled by an older wo like it was a scarlet letter That was, apparently, how they sort the Important from the Unimportant, via cheap stickers, mine hurriedly stuck on a custom sequined mini from Italy, back when I fleo thousand miles just to shop My couture didn’tYellow, like the sexy stranger’s from outside Turned out he was a service provider just like ilded world My fantasies of a Cinderella ending with him dried up faster than my wet pump, which continued to squish with every step, even after I visited the ladies roo shouldn’t have made him less attractive, but it had I needed a ure out what I was doing Whose next work co a toilet, no matter hoell he filled out a rented tux

Nicole stepped off the runway and stopped, thrusting Chanel inpastthe ballrooo home"