Sirenz - By Charlotte Bennardo Page 0,52

runway show.

“How long does it take you?” He poked at a towering stack of envelopes. “You don’t want Mr. Arkady to look ungracious! You could have been working on these before the show started, and then at the show!”

You mean, while we were busy redesigning the star dress, then trying to send Mr. Arkady down a rabbit hole?

Reynaldo shook his head and clucked his tongue as he cat-walked away. I picked up a pen and started to address an envelope when my phone vibrated. I flipped it open and read:

What r u doing now?

Jeremy. I texted back:

T-Y’s for the show, Reynaldo cracks whip!

I kept the phone open and set it to silent. Another message popped up two seconds later:

Haha. Feeling better?

I looked at Shar, who was busy addressing envelopes. I typed:

Still no voice. But not contagious.

His next message came up almost instantly.

Cool. Think u can get away 4 a sec?

I snuck another peek at Shar. Was it fair to leave her? It would only be for a couple of minutes. I told him yes.

Come 2 the exit stairs 2 left of elevators :)

I snapped the phone shut and jumped up, startling Shar.

“Bathroom!” I yelped, and dashed out without looking at her; the guilt might make me reconsider.

I could feel my heartbeat speeding up as I walked past the fake Fabergé eggs and into the beige reception area. Out the double doors. Down the hall. Past the elevators. No one was there to hinder me.

As I grasped the cool metallic handle of the stairwell door, visions of Jeremy and me on Coney Island zipped through my mind like a flickering slideshow. I’d been robbed of my moment—there had been no kiss, only the brush of his lips on my cheek, his breath in my ear, but no more. I had no idea what his experience had been; we’d never talked about it.

I pushed the stairwell door open with resolve and burst through. It was empty. I stepped into the stairs, my breathing shallow, my heart still racing. I closed my eyes as the door swung shut. Hearing the soft click of the latch, I shook my head; this was a Hades trick. He’s furious that I won’t deliver Shar to him, and now he’s going to mock me.

Behind me, someone cleared their throat. He’s here; he actually had the nerve to come to confront me. I spun around, ready for a fight.

“You—” I started, then stopped.

It wasn’t Hades.

It was Jeremy.

In the half second that I turned to face him, his expression changed from a soft stubbly grin to wide-eyed confusion. I must’ve looked deranged.

“I’m sorry,” he began to apologize, but I strode over to him, shaking my head. I put a finger to his mouth. His lips parted, letting out a short breath that tickled my finger. I moved my hand to his cheek; he felt real, warm.

“It’s really you,” I mouthed.

He quirked an eyebrow. “Expecting someone else?”

I blushed—nowadays I could never be sure.

“No.” The word came out in a whisper.

He pushed himself away from the wall and, slipping an arm around my waist, spun me around so our positions were reversed. Brushing the hair away from my face with a finger, he bent down so that his face was mere inches from mine.

“I like your hair,” he said. “I like your eyes. No, I think I love your eyes.” His lips brushed my forehead, nose, then hovered above my mouth.

Here we were again—the moment, the exquisite anticipation. Never taking my eyes off his lips, mine parted. No interruptions.

Gently, he pressed me against the wall, his warm palms guiding my face closer. I could feel the feathers prickling against the skin of my back. He was still holding my face in his hands, but he pulled away slightly and stared at me for a long moment. So close …

“Is something wrong?” I whispered.

“No,” he said, resting his forehead against mine. I inhaled deeply, losing myself in the mingled, spicy scents of patchouli and sandalwood—his scent. “It’s just that … I feel like we’ve done this before … haven’t we? I try to remember”—he squeezed his eyes shut—“but I can’t.”

I raised my right hand and smoothed his brow. His eyes fluttered open.

“We’re here now,” I said, my voice neutral. I lifted my face closer to his and he descended toward mine. His lips were warm and soft, and his teeth tugged gently, teasingly, on my bottom lip. I closed my eyes. As the kiss deepened, he started to move his hands down