C3 Chapter 3

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After two weeks of acting like a psychotic stalker, Adrienne had progressed halfway through her novel. She found time to write in between the pieces she had to submit for Blush.

She was writing a steamy scene between her rebel and her heroine when Jada, who recently returned to work, asked her to come to her office.

She groaned as she stood up from her seat.

What does the Devil in Prada want now?

“You called?” She asked as soon as she stepped into her boss’s room.

Jada handed her a ticket.

Gypsys: An enlightening. Grand Opening.

“What is this?”

“A bar?” Jada said, looking at her like she was out of her mind.

“O-kay. What do you want me to do?”

“Since you’re in-charge of features and events, I want you to go and write about them in our next issue. Or… is that not what you do?”

“Do you think I have something to compare this to? Do I look like I go to clubs?”

Jada stared at her long skirt and knitted blouse. Then she shook her head, “No, sweetheart. You look like somebody who would never be allowed to enter clubs.”

Adrienne bit back a venomous response. What was the point, anyway? There was no arguing with Jada once she puts her mind to something. Adrienne stared at the ticket on her hand.

The caption read, Exclusive Gathering.

“And I have to go alone?”

Jada raised her brow. “Well, I only got one ticket.”

“You don’t expect me to dance, do you?”

Jada shrugged her long straight hair off her shoulder. “Well, I expect you to say something about the dance floor, the lights, the music, the crowd. If you could write about that standing beside the bouncer, then knock yourself out.”

Adrienne let out a frustrated sigh, “You mean, you want me to go to some club and write a very accurate review of my experience, and for me to do that, I should dance…alone, since you only gave me one ticket?”

“There you go. You were always one of my brighter employees. Now, off you go,” Jada said.

Adrienne rolled her eyes and turned to leave.

“Adrienne, dear...” Jada called.

“Yes?”

“If you dress up tonight the way you usually do…” she looked at her from head to feet and added, “You will be dancing alone.”

Adrienne looked down at her clothes. Her long skirt and knitted blouse looked very business-like. Her hair was tidily tied up in a ponytail and she wore her glasses. What’s wrong with looking smart and serious?

“What type of club is this anyway? It’s not a strip club, is it?

Jada let out a sultry laugh. “Of course not, darling. And no worries. I will have Jacob send something for you to wear tonight.”

“It’s not necessary,” she argued.

Jada shook her head. “Come on, Adrienne. I don’t want you to look like you just went there to write an article about them.”

“But I am going there just so I could write about them.”

Jada shook her head. “I want you to blend in. You have to trust Jacob’s taste, darling.”

She rolled her eyes again and dashed out of Jada’s office, shaking her head in disbelief. In her haste, she ran straight into a hard surface that smelled like fresh, masculine aftershave.

“Take it easy, hon,” a male voice said, and Adrienne felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist to balance her.

His brows shot up and then slowly he gave her a crooked smile. “So-sorry.” She said curtly and then she pulled away from him and walked towards her desk.

She felt thankful that she could still walk a straight line. She started shaking and she realized that all her nerves had sprung to life the moment her body touched his and his arms went around her.

She suddenly felt heady. That had never happened to her before. Like she’d been electrically charged. Her pulse was racing and her heart pounded inside of her chest. But at the same time, the memory of his arms around her seemed warm and comfortable.

She couldn’t explain the feeling, but somehow, something suddenly came alive within her.