She disappeared.
JhaiNein was gonna kill her.
But the Gala was in two days and she was suddenly swamped with last minute details and unforeseen requests.
And then there was Euriya and Luke.
She was standing in front of a camera (which just a year ago she thought was some kind of incendiary device that took a part of you to another realm and froze you...seriously how else did ye explain all of those mean-spirited models? Pieces of them floating around in other realms and splintered them into skinny, hateful women) getting her picture taken for the magazine she'd never remembered agreeing to, when it hit her. She was gonna be responsible for this huge monstrosity of a public relations event.
Her.
Fiora Shantalaine.
The urchin who was picking pockets a year ago. (Only one! She learned real quick not to do that in RhyDin).
Her stomach had clenched, her skin had paled, and she'd nearly passed out or tossed her cookies all over that high dollar photographer who had continuously been yelling dramatically at her to "look fierce!"
Fierce? Seriously. She'd glared at him and he'd "ooohed" and "aahhed" in delight, the entire time she imagined ripping his pompous little head off his shoulders and using it as doorstop.
Hours later she'd slid into her office and found out her two 'o' clock was Euriya. His apology had sent her into a tailspin.
She'd just finished convincing herself that trying to date two men was a disaster and that Jatari and Dusky were wrong she couldn't do it. Euriya had withdrawn from her when Luke had shown up. And she'd gone on to share a helluva heated kiss with him during their painting session.
And then to have Euriya charmingly apologize, teasingly entice her to lunch and sandwiches...
...within an hour she was laughing at one of their private inner jokes (their conversations were normally odd as he liked to pause to consider his words and she took the pauses to mean--hey more filler from me!) and remembering how good he'd been to her when she had gotten sick.
It wasn't like there wasn't plenty of heat there either. Euriya Shilo could curl toes with a look.
Much less what he could do with those artist's hands.
For a girl who had never dated before, Fiora found herself almost frantic at the decision before her. Did it have to be a decision? Luke's easy charm, rough hands that gentled on her, and eyes that a girl could sink into were counterbalanced by Euriya's smooth elegance, artistic hands, and eyes that made a girl feel like she was the center of his world.
She suddenly didn't want to see either of them. It was a silly knee-jerk response, overwhelmed by the choices before her, the constantly ringing phone or the buzzing by JhaiNein, the incessant detailed list of to-do items....
...she disappeared.
One of the best parts about RhyDin was its diversity. Minutes after trudging through the snow she was stepping through the portal to Twilight Island. Her bag tossed over one shoulder and a deep breath filling her lungs. She took off for her favorite cove, stripping more layers as she went, until she was finally in her bikini with the sand sinking beneath her feet. She found a boat that looked manageable and tossing her belongings in it, she ran it into the surf shrieking in response to the waves as they washed up over her legs.
Rolling over the rim, she paddled out until guaranteed that she wouldn't just be pulled back in...(a metaphor even the flighty realtor could grasp). With a dimpled grin she removed the first beer from her knapsack and settled in the bottom of the boat with her winter coat as a pillow. The sun beat down upon her and the lulling rock of the sea beneath her soothed.
She could do this.
The Gala.
Euriya.
Luke.
She could do all of it and more.
She just needed some private time.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFjdGb3hEeHdsNEJHQWFfeEJBNXZfV1EAAAACaWQKAXgAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg
JhaiNein was gonna kill her.
But the Gala was in two days and she was suddenly swamped with last minute details and unforeseen requests.
And then there was Euriya and Luke.
She was standing in front of a camera (which just a year ago she thought was some kind of incendiary device that took a part of you to another realm and froze you...seriously how else did ye explain all of those mean-spirited models? Pieces of them floating around in other realms and splintered them into skinny, hateful women) getting her picture taken for the magazine she'd never remembered agreeing to, when it hit her. She was gonna be responsible for this huge monstrosity of a public relations event.
Her.
Fiora Shantalaine.
The urchin who was picking pockets a year ago. (Only one! She learned real quick not to do that in RhyDin).
Her stomach had clenched, her skin had paled, and she'd nearly passed out or tossed her cookies all over that high dollar photographer who had continuously been yelling dramatically at her to "look fierce!"
Fierce? Seriously. She'd glared at him and he'd "ooohed" and "aahhed" in delight, the entire time she imagined ripping his pompous little head off his shoulders and using it as doorstop.
Hours later she'd slid into her office and found out her two 'o' clock was Euriya. His apology had sent her into a tailspin.
She'd just finished convincing herself that trying to date two men was a disaster and that Jatari and Dusky were wrong she couldn't do it. Euriya had withdrawn from her when Luke had shown up. And she'd gone on to share a helluva heated kiss with him during their painting session.
And then to have Euriya charmingly apologize, teasingly entice her to lunch and sandwiches...
...within an hour she was laughing at one of their private inner jokes (their conversations were normally odd as he liked to pause to consider his words and she took the pauses to mean--hey more filler from me!) and remembering how good he'd been to her when she had gotten sick.
It wasn't like there wasn't plenty of heat there either. Euriya Shilo could curl toes with a look.
Much less what he could do with those artist's hands.
For a girl who had never dated before, Fiora found herself almost frantic at the decision before her. Did it have to be a decision? Luke's easy charm, rough hands that gentled on her, and eyes that a girl could sink into were counterbalanced by Euriya's smooth elegance, artistic hands, and eyes that made a girl feel like she was the center of his world.
She suddenly didn't want to see either of them. It was a silly knee-jerk response, overwhelmed by the choices before her, the constantly ringing phone or the buzzing by JhaiNein, the incessant detailed list of to-do items....
...she disappeared.
One of the best parts about RhyDin was its diversity. Minutes after trudging through the snow she was stepping through the portal to Twilight Island. Her bag tossed over one shoulder and a deep breath filling her lungs. She took off for her favorite cove, stripping more layers as she went, until she was finally in her bikini with the sand sinking beneath her feet. She found a boat that looked manageable and tossing her belongings in it, she ran it into the surf shrieking in response to the waves as they washed up over her legs.
Rolling over the rim, she paddled out until guaranteed that she wouldn't just be pulled back in...(a metaphor even the flighty realtor could grasp). With a dimpled grin she removed the first beer from her knapsack and settled in the bottom of the boat with her winter coat as a pillow. The sun beat down upon her and the lulling rock of the sea beneath her soothed.
She could do this.
The Gala.
Euriya.
Luke.
She could do all of it and more.
She just needed some private time.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFjdGb3hEeHdsNEJHQWFfeEJBNXZfV1EAAAACaWQKAXgAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg