Chapter Thirteen
"Yes sir," said Carmella getting up and going towards him. He stretched his hand to help her out of the aisle with seat on either side. She placed her hand in his and Gilbert cleared his throat. Jaxon glared at him and pulled her out to his side.
"See you later everyone, " he said with a wave, his hand on her back as they negotiated through the crowd. He was wearing a white tee shirt and a pair of denims as usual.
"What? I didn't get time to buy a blue or green tee shirt, " he apologised when she looked pointedly at his white tee shirt. "But you look too beautiful tonight. "
"Thank you. I love this dress," she said, excitedly.
"It seems it's made only for you. Done. This dress is yours," he said softly, staring at her from head to toe.
"I'll pay for it, sir," she offered.
"No, it's a gift, " he insisted, leading her somewhere. The cameras flashed in their faces, reporters kept requesting him for a word or two. There was utter chaos all around.
"They're taking pictures of us together, sir," she muttered.
"I don't care, " he said wanting to be only with her. His arm caught her by the waist and pulled her to his side as he posed for a photograph with her.
Carmella was shocked by Jaxon's desperate attitude. He never appeared in front of the camera and now he didn't care at all about his image. She was shocked by this sudden possessive side of him. He didn't release his hold on her waist.
"Jax, how wonderful to see you again," said a whiny voice. Jaxon groaned but didn't turn around and neither did he relax his hold around her waist.
The woman came around and stood in front of him and glared angrily at her. Carmella saw that she was the same woman who she saw with him in Paris.
"Jax darling is your fever better? We could continue where we left off?" She whined. Jaxon glared at her.
"Lauren, I'm not interested in you. The fever was just an excuse," he growled furiously.
"So this bitch is giving it to you," she remarked sarcastically, her tone dripping with malice as she glared at Carmella.
"Mind.your.language.Lauren," he gritted out. "She doesn't belong to your category. One more word and I'll forget that you're a woman," growled Jaxon, walking away with her.
Carmella was confused by his attitude towards the woman called Lauren. So she wasn't at all special to him? Then who was? Who was the inspiration for his latest designs? She remembered what Gilbert told her. Was he speaking the truth? Was she the inspiration? She couldn't think anymore.
He calmed down and introduced her to his fellow designers as Carmella Parker and not as his PA, which she found quite strange. He led her to the dressing rooms where he met his models. Carmella tried to move away from his side but he didn't allow it. The models tried to flirt with him but he was curt and very professional with all of them. The show had already started but since Jaxon's designs would be showcased last, they went to have the delicious dinner offered only for the special guests.
"Are you excited? This is your first time at a fashion week, isn't it?" He asked her as they sat down to eat.
"Yes, very excited. Maybe one day, my designs would also be showcased here," she said, dreaming about it.
"You should dream and work towards fulfilling it. If you're focussed, it would surely come true," he said, staring at her mouth.
"Hmm," she said, wiping her mouth.
"A little more to the right, you have ketchup," he said indicating with his index finger. Carmella wiped but he shook his head.
He stretched his hand towards her, his thumb wiping the ketchup off the side of her lower lip, touching her entire lower lip in the process. His face was close and his breath was erratic as he brought his thumb towards his lips and licked the ketchup off his thumb while his penetrating gaze never left her even for a second. Her lips were so soft and warm that the wish to kiss her filled his senses.
Carmella shuddered at the touch. "Thank you," she mumbled acutely aware of his gaze upon her lips. She looked up and he gazed back longingly into her eyes.
A throat cleared in the background, "Sorry to be a meddlesome three but I'm hungry too," said Gilbert sitting with them with his food. Jaxon groaned,"Don't you need to be somewhere Giles?" He asked with exasperation.
"Nope," he said shamelessly and started eating.
While Jaxon and Gilbert discussed the designs of all the designers that were being showcased, Carmella sat quietly listening to them. Later Jaxon gave an interview while she sat with her office group.
His designs were about to be showcased and he took her along with him to the backstage to check out the preparations. At last the event came to an end. It was 11 o'clock at night and Carmella was eager to go home.
"Come on Carmella, I'll drop you home, " said Jaxon, coming out of the backstage along with a few other designers. He waved at the others snd led her towards his car.
"Where's Bobby?" She asked him when he helped her to the passenger seat.
"I released him. His duty hours were over and he had to get back home to his children, " Jaxon informed and Carmella nodded. He went around and started his car.
"You don't have an apartment of your own?" He asked her, glancing briefly in her direction.
"No, mom, dad and Tyler won't let me live alone," she sighed.
"You're twenty-one already, why wouldn't they let you live alone? Have you informed them about shifting to New York? We would be leaving next week immediately after the meeting with the council. So start packing, you will be accompanying me," he said as he drove.
"Yes sir. I informed by family. Where exactly is your office? I need to look for an accomodation nearby," she informed him.
"That won't be necessary. I have a vacant apartment nearby. You can stay there," he said.
"Oh, where will you stay then?" She asked and then blushed as he laughed.
"I could stay with you if you want me to," he suggested with a brief sideways glance at her.
Carmella blushed crimson. "No, that's not what I meant sir," she said shyly.
"I know. I live a ten minutes drive away from the office," he informed her.
"Oh," she said taking in the information.
"Come to the office tomorrow for an hour or so at 10 o'clock in the morning, " he said, parking his car before her gate.
"Okay sir," she said and got down from his car and went towards her home.
At the dinner table she informed her family that she would be living at one of the company's residences nearby. Her parents didn't object but Tyler looked at her suspiciously.
The next whole week she was busy attending the fashion week. Everyday Jaxon gave her a new dress to wear from one of his collections. He wouldn't listen to her objections much to her frustration. The entire office teased her to no end when she wore Jaxon's designs everyday. Finally the fashion week was over. With only two days remaining before her shift to New York, she had already completed her packing. Most of the New York team had returned. Only Gilbert stayed back to attend the meeting with the council.
Jaxon wrapped up his work at Las Vegas and was ready to leave. The day of the meeting with the council, Jaxon picked up Carmella and instructed her well on what to note down and what to ignore. The meeting went for an hour and Jaxon released a breath of relief after it was all over. Gilbert's flight was in three hours so he rushed back to collect his stuff.
Jaxon dropped Carmella home." Tomorrow be ready at 7 o'clock in the morning. I'll come to pick you up and we'll head straight to the airport," he told her.
"Yes sir," said Carmella, getting down from the car and going inside her house.
She spent the rest of the day packing her last minute stuff with her very distressed mom, sitting in her bedroom worrying about her.
Carmella hugged her mom who broke down. "Don't cry mom. I'm not going away forever. It's just a two year thing and then I'll come back to you, " she promised.
"I'm worried sweetie. You've never lived alone. Don't skip meals even if your busy. Stock upon cereals, breads, pasta, eggs, things that you can cook in minutes," her mom suggested.
"Yes mom, I know. Don't worry," she reassured. Her dad came into her room with a worried expression on his face.
"Lock your door at all times and don't entertain any guy at home," he said.
"Yes dad," she said with a smile.
She went to sleep excitedly waiting for the next day.
