PARTICULAR TASTE

CHAPTER SEVEN - THE GALA

On the day of the Gala, they made plans to get ready at the same hotel, different rooms, to make it easier for the stylists. They had other rooms booked to stay there as well. Shawn hadn't seen Camila since she had arrived, he wouldn't see her until they caught up to go to the Met together. Anna came to do his hair and the girls all worked like clockwork, a combination of calm and surpressed excitement that he found really fun. He slipped into the tailored hipster flares and silver trimmed boots and then the jewelry and finally the leather jacket. His lightly oiled chest was bare, and although he was well used to it, he still felt on display. He knew that most of the guys would be in various versions of suits and tuxedos, and there would be a few wild looks, but he doubted there'd be many naked chests around.

"Jesus Christ," the stylists said in unison, followed by a giggle. "You look like a Rock Star man!"

He stared at himself in the mirror, his hair tousled, his nails painted black and then hand-chipped. Wow, he felt cool, and Rock and Roll, but he was nervous as fuck, not knowing what Camila would say when she saw him. His stylists insisted he would complement her outfit, thinking that was why he was nervous, but it was much more than that. He wanted her to look at him differently. He knew she liked the bad boys, he knew she liked the look of Will with his long hair and motorbike. She always saw him as the squeaky clean Canadian boy, and he wanted to challenge that image. The theme this year was Film and Photography and his fit was inspired by a famous photographer from the seventies. He had no idea what to expect from Camila but he knew she'd look beautiful, she always did.

The call came down that she was ready, they were meeting in her suite so they could see each other for the first time. He made sure that his team knew to stay out in the sitting room, and he was pleased to see that her team was there too. He entered the bedroom area alone. Like his room, the beds had been removed and replaced with dressing tables and so on. He passed her hairdresser and make-up artist on their way out and closed the door behind them. When he walked around the corner, there she stood, with her back to him. All of her back, right down to the top of her butt. He swallowed. Her gown was red and fully sequined and when she turned he saw it plunged to her waist at the front, then clung to her curves all the way down to the train. Her hair was half up in a beehive kind of thing, the rest fell around her face and her make-up was heavy on the eyeliner with a nude lip that made her look extra kissable.

Her eyes widened when she saw him and they stood and stared at each other in shock for a moment before they both started exclaiming.

"God Camila, you look incredible!" he breathed. "I don't....I can't...."

"Wow, I don't know what to say....you look...Oh My GOD!"

Then they both laughed and he held out his hand. "Come on, let's go shock the pants off these people!"

"Well, that would result in a lot of designers being very upset that their carefully made pants are now off, but OK!"

She placed her hand in his, and she started to walk to the door but he stopped and turned her around.

"Do you have everything you need?" he asked in a croaky voice. "Lipstick?"

"Yes," she frowned at him. "Of course."

"Good," he muttered and bent to kiss her. How could he not kiss this sensual vision on his arm? He couldn't get through the night thinking about it, best to get it over with. He only meant it to be a soft peck but she melted into him, and her bare skin touched his and he ignited like a bonfire. He was conscious of their stylists' hard work but the kiss was deep and passionate and they were both flushed and panting when she pulled away. She turned her back on him immediately to reapply her lipstick, which did nothing to dampen his desire because now he was admiring the curve of her naked spine and the way the dress hugged her incredible bottom. She turned and walked to him with a giggle, reaching up to blot away the lipstick she had left behind.