Suddenly, her body stiffened, and she pushed Brandon away, her gaze darting to the side.
Gordon stood there, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"Please, don't mind me," he said, his voice neutral.
"I've seen nothing."
Elise's cheeks burned, she willed her body to relax, but the sting of embarrassment lingered
She moved behind her desk, perching on its edge.
"S-so what exactly are you here for?"
She asked, her tone attempting to reclaim its usual coldness despite the lingering blush.
Brandon sank into the chair across from her, a smug grin playing on his lips.
He ran his tongue over them slowly, as if savoring the memory of their kiss.
"You're cute when you blush," he said, his voice low and teasing.
Elise's facade cracked for a moment, her lips pursing into an adorable frown that she quickly tried to suppress.
Brandon leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Ok I'll stop teasing, I want some custom jewelry made."
Elise blinked, her brow furrowing.
"But... men don't wear jewelry."
A smirk spread across Brandon's face.
"Not yet."
He watched as Elise's eyes glazed over, her mind whirring.
'Men's jewelry... men's jewelry...'
While Elise was lost in thought, Brandon reached for a pen and notepad on her desk. His tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he began to sketch.
After a few minutes, he slid the paper across to Elise.
"Here's what I'm thinking."
Brandon leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he explained, "Diamond grills. It's like jewelry for your mouth."
Elise's brow furrowed, her confusion evident.
"How would that even work?"
"Well," Brandon began, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk, "first, we'd need to make a mold of the wearer's teeth. Then, we'd use that to create a custom-fit gold or platinum base."
Elise's brow furrowed, her confusion evident.
Her eyes were fixed on him, a spark of interest beginning to ignite.
"Once we have the base," he continued, "we'd set the diamonds into it. We could do full coverage, or just accent certain teeth. The possibilities are endless."
As Brandon spoke, Elise's expression transformed. The confusion melted away, replaced by a growing excitement.
Her eyes widened, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"That's... actually brilliant," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Brandon watched as Elise's mind raced, almost able to see the gears turning behind her eyes.
She looked adorable as she bit her lower lip, lost in thought.
'This could bring Regalia to the next level,' Elise mused silently.
'A whole new market, untapped potential...'
Her gaze snapped back to Brandon, a newfound admiration shining in her eyes.
"You might be onto something here!" she said, quickly jotting down notes into her note book.
Elise's gaze moved to the next scrawl.
"And this?"
Brandon traced his finger over the sketch of the blocky "13" pendant, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
"Now, this is where you fully utilize your workshop on the second floor— offer customized jewelry," he explained, leaning back with a confident smile.
"Take me, for example. My artist name is '13', right? So I'd want a pendant that reflects that."
Brandon paused, forming a rectangle with his thumbs and index fingers.
"About this size," he said, holding up the makeshift frame against his chest.
Elise's eyes widened.
"That's huge!"
Brandon chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"That's the point. It's a bold statement, custom jewelry is a form of self-expression. In my case, it needs to be big enough for audiences to see from a distance."
He leaned in closer, and traced his drawing,
"I want my custom pendant cast in platinum. We outline it with round-cut diamonds, then we fill in the rest with baguettes or radiant-cut diamonds for that extra oomph!"
Brandon continued, pointing his finger toward Elise and then himself,
"We're having a design brief now. Once you have a 3D rendering of my idea, 3D print a prototype in wax or resin. I'll give final approval, then you make a mold, cast it in the requested precious metal—platinum for me—and get your artisans to set the stones."
He watched as understanding dawned on Elise's face. Her initial shock melted into intrigue, her gaze flickering between Brandon's hands and the sketch on her desk.
"I see," she murmured, her voice tinged with growing excitement.
"A chance for anyone to design their jewelry..."
Brandon nodded, pleased to see her catching on so quickly. He could almost see the gears turning in her head, imagining the possibilities this new direction could bring to Regalia.
"It isn't just that, think of the marketing… Anyone who spends a few hundred thousand creating a personal piece will definitely show it off as best they can! Think socialites, celebrities, actors etcetera…" Brandon added.
"Brandon, this is... this is brilliant!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with newfound energy.
Elise's excitement overpowered her usual restraint. She moved quickly, almost unconsciously, toward Brandon, her heart pounding with a mix of exhilaration and relief.
In a flurry of movement, Elise pushed away from her desk and rushed to Brandon's side.
Before he could react, she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace, surprising even herself with the warmth and urgency of her embrace.
Brandon froze for a moment, surprised by her sudden display of affection. He could feel the warmth of her busty chest pressed against his head, her heart racing with excitement. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist, savoring the moment.
"You have no idea what this means,"
Elise whispered, her voice muffled against his shoulder.
"These past few weeks have been so stressful. Our growth has plateaued and my competitors… don't even get me started…"
She pulled back slightly, her eyes meeting Brandon's. He could see the relief and gratitude swimming in their depths.
"This could be exactly what Regalia needs," she continued, her voice filled with renewed determination.
"A whole new market, a fresh approach... it could solve everything."
"I'm glad I could help," he said softly, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
"But what's in it for me?"
( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)