King's Prize (Kissed By The Baddest Bidder)

Chapter 15: Closer

Cards forgotten, we opened the wine I bought him but the others seemed intent to leave us alone; Mamoru left after just one glass, Honey and Soryu minutes later. The intention however wasn't lost on me, my cheeks reddening in embarrassment as Eisuke looked at me quizzically.

"Uhm, so how was it?" I asked when he finished his glass.

"Tolerable."

I laughed. "I guess I chose right, then." He merely looked at me but I had come to learn by now that Eisuke smiling was a rare thing so I wasn't bothered at all.

I took a sip, the taste searing my throat, and when I coughed he moved closer, patting my back.

I felt my heart jump in my chest at the proximity; his face was so close, and if I tilted my head my cheek would come in contact with his.

Eisuke sneered at me. "Stop acting like I'd bite you."

"You don't bother me," I said in an attempt to cover my embarassment yet my voice trembled. I stood up and bowed to him. "I'm going in, Sir. Good night."

I walked towards my room, a little in a hurry to get away.

Once inside I kicked off my shoes, took the CD from my bag and inserted it on the player. Ota had specifically told me to review the show; he insisted I still needed to improve on my walk and posture.

I grimaced when the show started on the screen and I had a first view of myself.
It was indeed, almost nothing, but just like the first time, I smiled at the transformation a good makeup can do to me.

I was halfway through the show when the door opened and Eisuke entered, bottle of wine on hand.

"Sir!"

"Was this Ota's show?" He asked glancing at the screen.

"My first one, yes." Blushing, I moved to turn off the TV but Eisuke pulled me back down.

"I didn't see it."

"Sir, there's nothing unusual..."

"Shut up and watch."

I exhaled slowly. One glass of wine couldn't possibly intoxicate me, could it? Because whatever it did, Eisuke was looking superbly hot in just a shirt as he slumped down on the floor next to me.

"I don't like what they did to your hair," he commented.

"Really? I thought it made me look sophisticated."

He huffed and merely sipped from his wine. "It made you look older."

"But that's the idea. I can't possibly pull off a lingerie looking like a kid."

Eisuke looked sideways at me, his gaze traveling up and down my body that I tensed up. "Who knew you're hiding all that in there?"

"That's an insult if I ever heard one."

He smirked.

The screen showed me in my next set wearing a lingerie skimpier than the first one and fighting down a blush I watched silently, not daring to look at him.

"That is a little too revealing," Eisuke said with a frown.

Yeah. I thought so, too, but as a model I just couldn't complain, could I? Not when Ota designed it exclusively for me. When I turned to face him, though, he was already looking at me and my heart skipped a beat.

"When's your next rehearsal?"

***

I knew I would never be able to take a step with Eisuke standing there, totally oblivious to the whispers and giggles around him. I had protested his coming with me that night of the rehearssal (even if I was so excited all day that I couldn't wait) but Eisuke was adamant and instead made several business calls along the way.

"Satine, you're so stiff," Ota commented, his eyes teasing. He'd been more than shocked to see the two of us together and had been teasing us nonstop since.

"I really can't do this," I said in resignation, walking down the stage. I couldn't quite fathom how, after insisting to go with me, would Eisuke look so displeased, as if his mind was elsewhere.

"Sir, is everything okay?" I couldn't help asking him.

"Why wouldn't it?" Eisuke's lip was curled as I stood next to him. "Ota, we're leaving," he said, pulling me by the arm.

Stupefied, I could only let him drag me. "Where are we going?"