Chapter 132: Civil Conversation

Dorian shrugged Camille’s hands off without making a scene and stepped away from her.

When they were married, Camille had a habit of catching him off guard. Nothing outrageous enough for him to publicly object, but intimate enough that every camera nearby could capture the perfect angle.

She understood media better than most people understood their own relatives.

And Camille always got what she wanted from it. A week of people discussing their marriage. Normally, he wouldn’t have cared much anymore.

Except now he was married to Naomi. And Naomi was skittish. The last thing he needed was Naomi walking into the lobby and seeing Camille hanging off him.

"Don’t you have an event to host?" Dorian asked offhandedly. He didn’t look at Camille as he typed out another message to Naomi.

Where are you?

Camille moved around so she could see his face. "I have a great team."

"I’m thrilled for you."

Her gaze dropped briefly to his phone. "Waiting for the wife?"

Dorian hit send. "Yes."

Camille smiled faintly. "Maybe she got cold feet. This is a huge deal for her. She’s not exactly used to this level of attention." She still believed Naomi didn’t belong in rooms like this.

"I’d like some quiet, Camille. Can we do this some other time?"

"Are you seriously saying we cannot have a civil conversation just because we’re divorced?" Camille demanded.

Dorian finally gave her his full attention. "Fine. Civil conversation. Why did you originally put my wife’s name down as my co-speaker? Was your plan to embarrass her?"

Camille smiled. "Trust me, your wife doesn’t need any help in that department. But, my team made an error, and rest assured, they were seriously reprimanded. I also made sure she has a front-row seat for your presentation to make up for the hiccup."

"There," Dorian said. "Civil conversation. Now leave me alone."

Camille’s smile widened. "You know, Dorian? I look forward to trying again with you." She stepped closer. "You have no idea what you threw away in me." She leaned forward and gently patted his chest.

Dorian saw the satisfaction on her face.

Then he heard the click and flash of a camera a few steps away.

His eyes shifted immediately toward the photographer.

Son of a bitch.

Camille stepped back with the faintest smile playing around her mouth.

He had walked straight into it.

Again.

And now, somewhere before the night was over, there would probably be a photograph of Camille smiling up at him with her hand on his chest while Dorian looked down at her.

Completely harmless in reality. Potentially intimate in a photograph. God knew what she was going to tag this one on Instagram.

Old flames never die?

Dorian looked back at her. "You’re exhausting."

Camille smiled brightly. "You used to find me exciting."

"No. I used to find you exhausting while legally obligated to tolerate you."

Camille huffed and walked away. Naomi still had not arrived.

What the fuck was taking so long?

He had personally rearranged everything so she wouldn’t have to rush around the city. Unless Ginny’s stylist had somehow decided to rebuild Naomi from scratch, she should have been here by now. He waited in the lobby for several more minutes.

Eventually, standing there doing nothing started making him uneasy.

He finally headed back into the auditorium.

More people stopped him along the way.

Dorian answered just enough to remain polite and kept moving. He made sure, however, that he positioned himself close to the door.

Close enough that the moment she appeared, he could immediately help her navigate her way around.

Then Dorian smelled him before he properly saw him. That strong Arabian scent hit first, rich and heavy enough to announce Callum Sterling’s arrival several seconds before the man himself stepped into Dorian’s line of vision.

Did the man bathe in the entire bottle whenever he went out?

"Heathcliffe..." Callum said as he approached.

All he got in acknowledgment was a grunt.

Dorian kept most of his attention on the entrance. He was still waiting for Naomi, and he had absolutely no desire to fill that waiting time with Callum Sterling.

"I hear Naomi is coming to this thing?"

That got Dorian’s attention.

He turned slowly, his expression hardening as he looked at him squarely. "Mr. Sterling, my wife is none of your business. You and I have no relationship whatsoever. We have no rapport, no friendship and certainly no familiarity that should give you the audacity to walk up to me and start a conversation about my wife."

"As a matter of fact, you have not earned the right in any way whatsoever to speak her name without clearing it with me first."

Callum smiled.

The man seemed to have confused Dorian’s restraint with an invitation to irritate him further.

"Of course. I meant no disrespect. Considering she is going to marry me soon, I hope you maintain this energy when you find her on my arm with my ring on her finger."

"Hell would freeze over, Sterling. She is too good for you."

"But good enough for you?" Callum fired back. "See, that’s what’s wrong with you. You think you are high above every—" he stopped completely. His eyes had moved past Dorian toward the entrance. His mouth actually fell open. "Good God!"

Naomi had just walked through the doors.

"No fucking way..."

Dorian turned instantly and found his wife standing near the entrance in a devastating navy-blue pantsuit. He forgot Callum existed.

The suit itself was enough to make a man lose his train of thought. Sharp through the shoulders, cinched perfectly at her waist, plunging just enough at the neckline to make it impossible for Dorian not to look twice.

Naomi looked different and somehow, she still looked completely like Naomi. She hadn’t transformed herself into someone else. She had dressed up, yes, but she hadn’t gone overboard.

A small pair of delicate earrings. A clutch purse. Heels. Soft makeup.

Her hair swept up beautifully.

Nothing about her screamed that she was trying too hard.

She looked comfortable.

Like herself, only somehow elevated.

Dorian had no words for it.

Naomi saw him and her face lit up. She gave him her signature killer smile, warm and completely unaware of what it did to him.

Beside him, Callum started moving in her direction. Dorian reached out and caught Callum by the arm mid-stride.

Callum stopped sharply.

Dorian didn’t take his eyes off Naomi. "You go near my wife tonight and I am gonna land you flat on your ass."