Catwalk

10. One kiss is all it takes.

Isabella opens the bathroom door just when we've finished cleaning up the mess "Where the hell did you get yourself, Bunny? Malcolm is getting impatient." She rolls her eyes, which, accompanied by her tone of voice, makes clear the repulsion she feels about Malcolm wanting to have me less than two meters away.

I hit a run to the locker room, trusting that Camille has the situation under control. When I open the door Malcolm is leaning on a desk in front of a set of three mirrors, among them, waiting for me are the last three dresses. My dresses.

"Welcome dear." He smiles at me. I've never been alone with him, suddenly I'm not sure I remember how to talk. Even after what I have seen in the bathroom, he continues to impress me more. "I know  is your first costume test and it can impose a little, I hope you can at least trust me." I want that energy that possessed me the day of my first photo session to come back. I want to feel powerful, like the Bowie of those photos. But my whole body trembles and I'm unable to do anything more than stay there, looking at him.

"Where should we start?" I approach the dresses, lightly walking one hand through the fabric of each of them. Malcolm lets me do it, I can't see him because I'm facing away from him but it's like i feel his gaze on me all the time. "The black one?" I ask without really being sure of my choice. "It's an Elie Saab, good choice." I turn around and he has that smile, with his dimple more marked than ever. I quite not understand that he has done for the rest of girls for them to leave in worse state than they entered this room. Maybe the magic will be break when I've to take off my clothes.

I stand there, standing without knowing exactly where to start. Malcolm distracts himself by looking at other parts of the room, but it isn't as if his presence were easy to ignore. I start with the shirt and he nods lightly. I don't realize I was holding my breath until I let it go along with the piece of clothing. Now it seems much easier to take off my pants, too, since Malcolm isn't saying anything about it. "I don't know if I'm going to know how to wear it, I've never worn anything so elegant, nor probably so expensive." I'm afraid of breaking some seam and then the Lawrsons have to pay for it.

"You'll learn how to get in and out of more complicated garments than this ones in just a few seconds, you've a lot of future Bowie." He has shortened the distance that separated us and now he holds my chin with his index finger, leaving our faces at the same height. "You're beautiful." Malcolm whispers and I shudder, without being aware I step back and just throw the clothes rack. "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" I've to stop behaving like an idiot.

Malcolm solves my disaster just before I put on my dress. It has a black silk cape, covered with a blue tulle like the night sky. The tulle is full of intricate silver and gold embroideries that remind me of the sky. It's probably the most beautiful garment I've seen in my life.

With great care I let the dress fall on my shoulders, little by little it is adjusted to my body in the parts that should, leaving the imagination loose from my hips to the feet, the only problem is that I can not fasten it by myself in the back. Before I can say anything, Malcolm's big, firm hands are pushing my hair away from my neck and back.

He has a delicacy that you wouldn't expect to see in someone so firm and serious. Malcom places a hand lightly on my waist while slowly zipping the dress up with his other hand. My back is practically stuck to his torso and before I know it, he is leaning over my neck. His breath tickles me and I feel that my heart is going to come out of my mouth. "I would take you as a companion if it weren't a business matter." He whispers to me with this damn sexy voice. 

What happened next wasn't something I could have expected, his lips tracing alight slightly on my left shoulder and going up with hardly a scrape all over my neck to return to my ear "Only you, Bowie Lawrson." On impulse, I turn around, leaving both us face to face. My arms encircle his neck without my permission, his arms clinging to my waist. "And this ... Is this a business too?" I ask leaning slightly towards him, the tip of my nose is about to touch with his lips. "I'm going to reveal a secret to you, my dear, you'll always be above business, whatever happens, whatever you see, don't forget. Bowie Lawrson, beyond business." Then he moves one of his hands slowly up my back until it sits on my neck. His firmly hand draws me to him and our lips meet. I had never kissed like that. None had never kissed me like that.