He turned to face me, his hands reac

didn't know you were here. And besides,

front door." He snapped

lked back downstairs because if I stayed in that room for one more m

ople had filtered in-some I recognized from the pro

hat was always the first step-you didn't walk into a new social setting and start walking around immediately.

ost unconvincing job of not looking at someone across the room that I h

owed he

of presence that filled space naturally and Sasha was absolute

sy, this is al

aze focused on her as she kept s

ing into the space beside her smoothly enough that she didn't have

r gaze switching to other parts of the room too

"He's kind of hot, you know and he's got wits

smile tucked at my lips. This is going to

e, her eyes gleaming

sed for a moment, letting that settl

, her eyes widening. "Yo

nswered, my tone very re

n the middle of a conversation with two other guys, laughing at

t she had just been told something she'd been hoping to be t

, trying to regai

ay,

g up from my seat. "Look yo

ore she could have the

s the first day. Twenty four people who didn't know eac

e ones who were too quiet, the ones who were already observin

iced t

perator moving through the room trying to look unintrusive, which was a bold

first twenty minutes, I knew which

n't spoken to me since we'd arrived and

same house without acknowledging each other and I

ough, Zarek's

the kitchen doorway, all of them l

up to them

, Za

." He responded smoot

" I asked, my eyebrows raising i

all gave him an approving loo

enough to keep the conversation private but c

g." I paused for a moment, letting that sink in. "She's too shy to come over hers

ing with her legs crossed looking pointedly at he

," he said. "

, clearing the floor for

nd started moving

k here

eeling, genuinely fulfilled,

people slowly exiting the room. I stayed until I could leave without anyone

I was busy reading people, studying the camera angles, portraying the best ve

s the stairs until I f

or open and turn

irst on the floor, my eyes widening

my desk like it was his chair, in his office, an

atingly relaxed, like that of someone who had been

to see him. Hell, he was the last person I wanted to see. All I wanted to do was cras

easantly, like it wasn't really supposed

e gesture to show him that I

ed, unbothered by the fact that I rema

gaze piercing directly into my soul. "You're good with peo

ng-you and him. The audience needs to believe it and right now you'

f you, something real enough to sell, pa

t moved

t sparing me a chance to complete my

been struck hard. I stared at him

rcing its way out of my thro

trongly decline but Vress, having noticed that, r

lled like he knew just how the conversation was going

rl and do what I say." He paused for a mom