A while later, Eric had finished making dinner and went upstairs to find Emma. He opened the bedroom door to find her on the bed, holding the bouquet of red roses he had bought her. She was in the middle of counting them, her cheeks flushed, and her lips moved slightly as she counted. “She’s ravishing,” Eric thought.
Emma looked up as he walked towards her. “I’ve never received so many flowers!” she exclaimed.
“Eric, I’m so surprised,” he looked at her beaming expression and crossed his arms playfully. “Why are you so easy to please? A few flowers should make you this happy. There is so much I want to give you, but you never tell me what you want. Why aren’t you like other women who ask for diamonds and jewels or even fame and success?”
She laughed gently. “I already have your entire person. Isn’t that enough? I have your hand in marriage, I have half your assets, and I even get to spend the rest of my life with you. Diamonds, fame—I can get those things for myself. What could please me more than you?”
Eric’s heart lit up as he leaned over and kissed her. “Your lips are so sweet, I can’t help but taste them.”
Emma grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled him onto the bed with her, kissing him passionately. Less than a minute later, she found herself pressed under his body, with her shirt lying on the floor. The dinner they had made was the last thing on their minds now. Emma couldn’t resist her urges; she mirrored Eric’s moves and started to unbutton his shirt. Seeing the glowing bronze skin of his chest right in front of her, Emma’s cheeks grew an even deeper crimson, and she quickly turned away.
He laughed gently, touching her cheek and bringing her gaze back to meet his. He asked softly, “Do you want it?”
She threw his question right back at him. “Do you?”
“You know what my answer is, Emma. If you say it, I will,” he leaned into her ear and whispered, “make you stay in bed all night.”
She knew what he meant and nervously replied, “I don’t know if I’m ready, but I do know I want to be with you for the rest of my life, Eric.”
Eric felt closer to her than ever before. As their relationship grew, he knew it would only be a matter of time before they consummated their marriage, and he didn’t want to wait any longer. He wanted her to experience the ultimate intimacy and feel the pleasure she deserved. But if she’s not ready, there are other ways to please a woman, he thought.
After a heated embrace, the couple found themselves lying still in each other’s arms. Eric was stroking Emma’s back gently, his eyes closed. A moment later, she pressed her hand against his chest and looked at him intently. “I saw the thing you hid in the roses. You got it?”
“One thing?” he asked.
She reached under her pillow and pulled out the condom. “This thing. I thought you were ready to have me. I even went and took a shower. How embarrassed!”
Eric took the small packet in his hand and scrunched up his eyebrows, seeing that Luke had made good on his promise. “This thing wouldn’t fit me anyway,” he said, smiling. “Stop talking about it.”
She cried, “No need to be embarrassed.”
He laughed; his smile made his face even more handsome. “I’m finding your reaction adorable.” She hid her face under the blanket.
“No more,” Eric placed his hand on her shoulder. “Okay, let’s talk about business instead. You already said yes to Secret Magazine’s photo shoot, right?”
Emma uncovered her face and looked at him. “Why are you afraid Amber will upstage me? When your itinerary to Mexico is finalized, give me the details right away,” he said mysteriously.
“What are you planning?” she asked. His eyes gleamed, but he said nothing. “This is perfect,” he thought. He’d been meaning to buy insurance for Emma’s legs, and Mexico would make a great destination for him to entertain potential insurance agents and secure the best deal.
“Didn’t we already agree?” she continued. “Outside the house, you’re the CEO of Kaleidoscope, and I’m a model for Global Pictures. We can’t interfere in each other’s lives, Mrs. Roberts.”
“Have I ever interfered with you?” Though it broke his heart to watch Emma get bullied by Global, he hadn’t gotten involved because she didn’t want him to. But given the chance, he could destroy a person like Nathan without lifting a finger.
Emma looked into Eric’s eyes and could see that he respected her completely. “Nathan wants to use me to boost Amber’s popularity,” she said. “That’s why he put us on the shoot together. He also thinks it’ll keep me from causing trouble for Amber since any bad press about her could affect me too.”
“But,” Eric chimed in, “with your talent, even if the two of you were on the cover side by side, you’ll still be the star, and she’ll just look like your prop. You have that much faith in me?”
“I believe in you,” Emma smiled and closed her eyes, cuddling up in Eric’s warm embrace. She slowly drifted off. When she was asleep, Eric got out of bed and called Luke. “Find out Secret Magazine’s shooting schedule,” he ordered. “I need to know when Emma will be in Mexico and clear my calendar for those dates too. Then I need you to schedule some phone calls with a few insurance companies.”
Early the next morning, Emma, Lisa, and Ashley arrived at Global Pictures together. As they walked in the door, they saw Amber and Gary had just arrived as well. Amber looked arrogant as usual. When the other staff members saw Amber, they all welcomed her in respectfully. But when they saw Emma, they didn’t bother with greetings. Some of them didn’t even look up as she passed.
Amber looked at Emma and then at Ashley. “Emma, with a manager like that looking after you, you’d better be careful. I’ve already dealt with a mistress who stole my fiancé. Why should I be afraid of a manager who betrayed her last client?”
Emma smirked. “Admit it, you’re not doing so bad for yourself right now. But no matter how popular you get, you’ll still be a mere prop to me at the shoot. Did Nathan tell you the whole purpose of the secret shoot is to help me win the top 10 model awards? Then allow me to wish you the best of luck with that, Amber.”
Emma shot back. Then she looked around at the rest of the staff. “Yesterday, my lawyer clarified my contract with Nathan. Global has agreed to treat me the way I deserve to be treated. Amber and I are both models here, so when you see me, you should act the same way you do around her from now on. You must respect me, and I’ll respect you back.”
Emma’s words were neither too timid nor too aggressive. They were confident and powerful, just like she felt in that moment. The staff members could see that she was not a woman to be messed with. They all stood up and greeted her respectfully, their voices even louder than when they had greeted Amber.
Looking satisfied, Emma turned back to Amber and began walking towards her. “Me, Amber’s prop,” she thought. “She must be dreaming.”
