“Okay. I’d like to model then.”
“Thank you, Elena.” I smiled widely at her. “It means a lot to me.”
“Well, I was hoping we could do a sort of trade? I’d love to commission you to do a painting of Daniel. His parents anniversary is coming up and I know it would make the perfect present.”
“Um…” I tried desperately to analyze if it was a good idea or not. “I’m not sure if I’ll have time with everything I have to do for the show.”
“It means a lot to me,” she echoed with a pretty smile, and I heard the trap catch around my ankle.
Cosima stifled a laugh at Elena’s manipulation.
“Touché,” I murmured.
“This is good. You should model for Giselle; you need to be more comfortable about sex. As the only one of us getting it regularly, Lena, I’m surprised you aren’t more confident.”
My heart stopped and stuttered at the restart.
She blushed, actually blushed. “He is insatiable.”
A metallic taste flooded my mouth and I realized that I had bit clean through my lower lip.
Cosima laughed. “It’s good to hear that you two are still going strong after so much time. Gives a girl some hope.”
I swallowed back the nausea and focused on soothing my torn lip.
“Last night he came home and practically accosted me,” she admitted with that stupidly pretty blush. “He hasn’t been like that for ages.”
I stood up before I could help it, the pencils in my lap clattering to the ground.
“Bathroom,” I squawked, before scurrying out of the room.
I pressed myself to the closed bathroom door and squeezed my eyes shut so tight they pulsed. I felt like a sickening swirl, circling the drain, full of dirt and debris.
Breathing heavily, I focused on reducing the thudding pace of my heart and tried to clear my mind.
Elena and Sinclair lived together. Of course, they were going to have sex. They belonged to each other; it was only natural.
A sob broke through my silence and I clapped both hands over my wounded mouth.
Rational thought at the moment was definitely out of the question.
Before my thoughts could catch up to my actions, I had pulled out my cell phone and pressed his contact information.
“Faire Developments, Daniel Sinclair’s office, Margot speaking.”
Shit, I only had his office number.
“Hello Margot.” I cleared my throat. “This is Giselle Moore, I was hoping to speak with Mr. Sinclair about a recent development at DS Galleries.”
There was a long pause as she digested both my name and my stupid excuse to speak to her boss. “Any inquiries about the gallery can be made through Mrs. Rossi.”
“I was told to speak to Mr. Sinclair specifically about this matter.” Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. Please buy it.
Another long hesitation ended in a sharp sigh. “Please hold.”
My breath seemed grossly loud in the small bathroom and I worried briefly about what my sisters would think I was doing. I thought about going out to tell them I was taking a call, or maybe just hanging up before I embarrassed myself further, when his voice came over the line.
“Miss Moore, how may I be of assistance?”