________

SEBASTIAN

 

 

It was hard to believe that we were finally done with our store, Ciel Pur, and it was stunning.  We were just fine after I fired Pierre.  An executive named Chantal from one of the completed stores hopped on our team and it was a perfect fit.  I was beyond pleased with what we had done and I was anxious for Mother to see the finished project.  She was flying in that night for the gala, which was the next evening, and I was looking forward to seeing her. 

 

Bryan and I were still being discreet about our relationship because I didn’t want any focus taken off of the project in Paris, and I knew that the second I revealed who I was dating, there would be a whirlwind of paparazzi.  However, my mother knew me very well and I was pretty sure that the minute she saw me with Bryan, she would know he was “the one.”

 

It was the middle of the morning and I asked everyone to gather in the front of the store. 

 

“I want to take this moment to thank all of you for your hard work on this very special project.  All of Paris is waiting for the grand opening in two days and I could not be more pleased with the finished result, and I know that Mother is going to be so pleased with the results of this beautiful facility.  It really does sparkle like a diamond inside and out, and you should all be very proud of yourselves for doing such a wonderful job.  Now, let’s go take a tour!”

 

There were eight cars similar to go carts, but much nicer, waiting inside the mall to take us around to every store.  Each car fit four people so Eva, Chantal, Bryan and I rode in the same car.  I had seen glimpses of the other stores when I would go to the project site, but I had purposely avoided checking them out until everything was complete and it was well worth the wait.  The mall was beautiful and it exceeded my expectations.  Bryan looked over at me with glee as we toured each floor and I was so tempted to reach over and kiss him but I couldn’t, at least not yet.

 

I told Bryan when we got back home we could let people know about us and I couldn’t wait for the day I didn’t have to hide my feelings for him.  I hoped Bryan’s time in Paris had been amazing so far and I was really looking forward to the week alone with him. I wanted time for just the two of us without any outside noise.  That week couldn’t come fast enough.

 

After the tour of the mall, Bryan and I went back to my room because I had a surprise for him.  Bryan was like a giddy kid as we walked into my room and once he saw what was waiting for him, his mouth hit the floor.  There were two full racks of beautiful designer suits in the middle of the room.  His hands flew to his cheeks and he looked at me with a huge smile on his face.  I loosened my tie and settled into a chair, casually waiving my hand in the air.

 

“Pick as many as you want.”

 

Bryan looked at me in disbelief.  “Anything I want?”

 

“Yes.  The only caveat is I want to see them on you and I get to pick which one you’ll wear to the gala tomorrow night.”

 

“Okay.”  He picked a grey suit and turned to go to the bathroom to undress and my words stopped him.

 

“Bryan, where are you going?”  My question was more of a command.

 

“To change.”  His words were soft.

 

“No. I want to see you.  Undress here,” I said to him, my voice filled with lust.

 

My eyes were smoldering as I watched him and he had my full attention as he undressed and slipped into the first suit.  It wasn’t my favorite so he wasn’t going to wear that one to the gala.

 

 “This is not the one. Okay, next.”

 

He tried on four more suits that were cut perfectly for him but I didn’t fall in love with them.  Then he picked a jet-black suit that fit every inch of his body to perfection and I knew that was the one.

 

“That’s it.  You look stunning, Bryan.”

 

“Thank you.  This is perfect.”

 

“Not quite.  Give me a minute.”  I texted one of my assistants and literally 60 seconds later there was a knock at the door.  I opened the door and the bellhop rolled in a cart full of boxes.  Every designer shoe he could imagine was there for him to pick from.  I gave the bellhop a tip and he was gone.

 

“Pick any shoes you want to keep and I will choose your cufflinks.”

 

He looked at me, flabbergasted.  “Sebastian, that is too generous.  I can’t.  I have a pair of shoes I can wear.”

 

“Bryan, please, I want to do this for you.  Pick any shoes you want and they are yours, but I will choose the pair you wear tonight.”

 

“Thank you, Sebastian.  You really are making me feel like a prince.”

 

“Well, you definitely look gorgeous and I know you are probably disappointed that we can’t go to the gala together because I have prior plans with Mother, but I will be by your side as much as I can when I get there. I have a lot of people I have to talk to so I won’t be able to spend a lot of time with you, but I will be there whenever I can.”

 

“That’s okay, I kind of thought that was how it had to be tomorrow night.  I’ll be okay; there are a lot of people I can talk to.  Besides, Eva is going to make a perfect companion for me.  She’s dropping by my room around 7:00 so that we can go to the gala together.”

 

“Oh good, I am really happy that you two get along so well,” I said.

 

“Yeah, she’s a lot of fun.  So, there is no need to worry about me tomorrow night.  I will be plenty busy socializing and talking to new people.  This will be the opportunity of a lifetime to be in the room with so many high profile people.”

 

“One of those people will be my mother.”

 

He looked at me with excitement.  “Do you think I will actually be able to meet her tomorrow night?”

 

“Of course you will. I have already arranged for it to happen. Mother knows all about the wonderful work you have done and she is looking forward to meeting you.”

 

I told my mother how talented our newest employee was and that we rarely found talent like him in someone so young.  He truly was a brilliant designer.  Bryan was talented beyond his years and I could not wait for Mother to meet him.