The Seven: Four tales of passion, danger and love by Ciana Stone Page B
Authors: Ciana Stone
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means."
"It means I'm yours."
Tears sprang to her eyes and cascaded down her face. Not long ago she'd thought that making the bestseller list and being on television was the highlight of her life. Now those things seemed frivolous.
"I love you, Augustus and I want to be yours, but honest to god, I'm scared. You're … you – you'll live forever and I won't. I'll grow old and fat and wrinkled and you won't want me. You'll—"
"Love you as long as you draw breath."
She wanted to believe that. More than anything. But how could she? Right now, she wasn't old or infirm so it was easy to fool themselves into believing it could work. When the reality of it happened, could they survive?
"Isn't it worth taking a chance to see?"
Layla swiped at her tears and tugged on his hand to get him to rise. "I want it to but…I'm scared it won't."
"Have a little faith, sweetheart."
She nodded. "I'll try. I promise, but what do we tell Sheila and anyone else?"
"The truth. We're lovers."
Well duh, keep it simple stupid, why didn't you think of that? She'd like to have dropped kicked that little voice for being right. They didn't have to concoct some elaborate story.
"Yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged tight to him. "You're brilliant."
"And your publicist is wearing a path in the carpet outside the door."
"Oh shit. Okay, let's go."
They returned to the sitting room. Sheila was typing away on her phone and Layla suspected she took her own sweet time just to make them wait. "Okay, so here's the deal." She finally looked up at them. "We have you scheduled for a press conference tomorrow morning and then on Wednesday we have you booked on The Afternoon Hour."
"What?" Layla couldn't stop the sudden swell of excitement. Getting on that show was huge. "Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack. And not just you. Him too."
Layla looked at Augustus. "Would you mind?"
"For you I'll do it."
"Thank you."
"Aww, how sweet." Layla didn't miss the sarcasm in Sheila's voice. It shocked her enough that she opened up a bit. It hit her like the old cliché – ton of bricks. Sheila was jealous. She had the hots for Augustus and thought he was crazy for settling with someone like Layla.
The jealously didn't surprise Layla. Augustus was fine with huge letters. And while it hurt her feelings that Sheila's opinion of her was so low, she understood. Augustus, with or without his Vampire skills, could have any woman he set his sights on.
Still, she was honest enough to admit that it stung. The good news was that it brought about clarity. Until now, Layla had thought she and Sheila were not only publicist and client, but also friends. That just wasn't true. It made her feel a little naïve and embarrassed but she told herself to get over it. It was better to know the truth.
Especially now. She wouldn't make the mistake of confiding in Sheila. She'd just tell her what she wanted to be dispersed for public knowledge.
"Okay. So what time tomorrow?"
"I'll have a car here for you at 4:30."
"In the afternoon?"
"Morning."
"Four thirty?"
"You're doing the morning news show again. It's just a few blocks but you have to be ready to go on at six."
"Okay. We'll be ready. Anything else?"
"Yeah, until then do me a favor and stay here."
"At the hotel?"
"In the suite. If you're hungry, order room service but don't leave. We don't want anyone seeing you until the show."
Layla looked at Augustus. "Is that okay with you?"
He gave her a sexy smile. "I think we can find ways to entertain ourselves."
Layla almost laughed at the expression on Sheila's face. Talk about an attack of the green monster.
"Fine. See you at the studio."
Sheila wasted no time with her exit. Once she was gone, Layla turned to Augustus. "You're bad."
"She's an idiot."
"Excuse me?"
"Her opinion of you."
"Not really." She held up her hand as he opened his mouth. "No, seriously, it's okay. I know I'm not a movie star and you're … well damn, you know who you are and how
"It means I'm yours."
Tears sprang to her eyes and cascaded down her face. Not long ago she'd thought that making the bestseller list and being on television was the highlight of her life. Now those things seemed frivolous.
"I love you, Augustus and I want to be yours, but honest to god, I'm scared. You're … you – you'll live forever and I won't. I'll grow old and fat and wrinkled and you won't want me. You'll—"
"Love you as long as you draw breath."
She wanted to believe that. More than anything. But how could she? Right now, she wasn't old or infirm so it was easy to fool themselves into believing it could work. When the reality of it happened, could they survive?
"Isn't it worth taking a chance to see?"
Layla swiped at her tears and tugged on his hand to get him to rise. "I want it to but…I'm scared it won't."
"Have a little faith, sweetheart."
She nodded. "I'll try. I promise, but what do we tell Sheila and anyone else?"
"The truth. We're lovers."
Well duh, keep it simple stupid, why didn't you think of that? She'd like to have dropped kicked that little voice for being right. They didn't have to concoct some elaborate story.
"Yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged tight to him. "You're brilliant."
"And your publicist is wearing a path in the carpet outside the door."
"Oh shit. Okay, let's go."
They returned to the sitting room. Sheila was typing away on her phone and Layla suspected she took her own sweet time just to make them wait. "Okay, so here's the deal." She finally looked up at them. "We have you scheduled for a press conference tomorrow morning and then on Wednesday we have you booked on The Afternoon Hour."
"What?" Layla couldn't stop the sudden swell of excitement. Getting on that show was huge. "Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack. And not just you. Him too."
Layla looked at Augustus. "Would you mind?"
"For you I'll do it."
"Thank you."
"Aww, how sweet." Layla didn't miss the sarcasm in Sheila's voice. It shocked her enough that she opened up a bit. It hit her like the old cliché – ton of bricks. Sheila was jealous. She had the hots for Augustus and thought he was crazy for settling with someone like Layla.
The jealously didn't surprise Layla. Augustus was fine with huge letters. And while it hurt her feelings that Sheila's opinion of her was so low, she understood. Augustus, with or without his Vampire skills, could have any woman he set his sights on.
Still, she was honest enough to admit that it stung. The good news was that it brought about clarity. Until now, Layla had thought she and Sheila were not only publicist and client, but also friends. That just wasn't true. It made her feel a little naïve and embarrassed but she told herself to get over it. It was better to know the truth.
Especially now. She wouldn't make the mistake of confiding in Sheila. She'd just tell her what she wanted to be dispersed for public knowledge.
"Okay. So what time tomorrow?"
"I'll have a car here for you at 4:30."
"In the afternoon?"
"Morning."
"Four thirty?"
"You're doing the morning news show again. It's just a few blocks but you have to be ready to go on at six."
"Okay. We'll be ready. Anything else?"
"Yeah, until then do me a favor and stay here."
"At the hotel?"
"In the suite. If you're hungry, order room service but don't leave. We don't want anyone seeing you until the show."
Layla looked at Augustus. "Is that okay with you?"
He gave her a sexy smile. "I think we can find ways to entertain ourselves."
Layla almost laughed at the expression on Sheila's face. Talk about an attack of the green monster.
"Fine. See you at the studio."
Sheila wasted no time with her exit. Once she was gone, Layla turned to Augustus. "You're bad."
"She's an idiot."
"Excuse me?"
"Her opinion of you."
"Not really." She held up her hand as he opened his mouth. "No, seriously, it's okay. I know I'm not a movie star and you're … well damn, you know who you are and how
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