Chapter 1
The warm, golden light of sunset poured through the store’s floor-to-ceiling windows, dancing across the polished parquet floor-as if it longed to be part of the scene, not just a silent witness.
David, the centerpiece of this exquisite tableau, breathed.
His open-collared white shirt and dark trousers clung to him as though they were part of his skin.
His loosened tie wasn’t a mark of carelessness, but a deliberate gesture-an unspoken declaration:
I own this chaos.
The light slid across his collarbone, played in the waves of his dark hair.
A sly smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
His gaze locked directly with Lea’s.
The game had begun-one for two players only.
A thought spiraled in David’s mind:
You’re watching because you can’t not watch. And me... I see you.
His voice broke the thick silence, laced with just enough audacity to taste-
a trait he wore like a badge of honor.
“Well, Miss Designer... where do we start? I’m waiting for your lead.”
Lea didn’t look away, as if she were evaluating a design on a living canvas.
With a smile that moved only one corner of her lips, she replied,
“Obviously-from where the masks come off.”
David turned to remove his top.
With that motion, his broad shoulders emerged more defined than ever beneath the thin fabric.
His scent curled into the air-
a blend of sandalwood and earthy notes, warmed by his skin.
It was a fragrance that couldn’t be escaped, utterly unique.
As he draped the shirt over his arm, he asked,
“All of this... it’s yours?”
Lea nodded with quiet pride.
“Yes, all of it. Everything you see here. Every stitch, every cut, every idea.”
David’s eyes swept the room-flawless tuxedos, silk shirts, a row of carefully curated lingerie.
His fingers reached for a pair of black athletic briefs, stretched the waistband, then let it snap back with a soft pop.
His smile deepened, tinged with mischief.
“So, you’ve prepped a full arsenal for me, huh?
Each one a seductive weapon.
Tough choice.”
Lea calmly pointed at three pieces.
“This one, this... and that.”
A gray three-piece suit.
A white, open-collared top.
And a pair of simple, well-tailored black briefs.
David ignored her choices and, without a word, walked toward another rack.
He took back control.
He picked out a charcoal jacket, a dark top, and a silver tie that shimmered under the light.
“How about this? For a top-tier fashion show.
Exactly the kind of thing people expect to see.”
A glint of rebellion sparked in Lea’s eyes.
“But that’s a show for others.
I want something different... simpler, but bolder.
Clothes that show you, not themselves.”
David raised an eyebrow. His eyes lit with mischief.
“Bold? Like what? Street style? Grunge? Or...”
He paused. His smile grew more brazen.
“...maybe no clothes at all?”
Lea didn’t answer with words. But her gaze spoke volumes.
It drifted from his jaw to the buttons on his shirt.
She nodded toward them.
David began to unbutton.
Lea smiled.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the glimpse of skin between the parting fabric-
where his body seemed to radiate heat.
She spoke again, her tone firm, her mind clearly made up:
“Light jeans, with that same shirt. No jacket.
Let your skin breathe...
Some skin is better than any fabric.”
David paused for a moment.
Silently, he picked up a pair of light-wash jeans, threw the shirt over his shoulder, and walked toward the fitting room.
His shadow stretched across the parquet.
Lea stood still, following his steps with her eyes-
drawn in by the rhythm of his confident stride.
And just before the door closed...
before any buttons came undone...
David’s mind drifted.
To a few weeks earlier.
To London.
To that rainy afternoon.




