Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 112892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
I blinked at the sudden darkness. All I could make out were rows of cars. Rows of very expensive looking cars. “What are we doing here?”
“We have to change.” He said that like it should’ve been obvious.
“Yeah, but I thought we’d do that in a gas station bathroom.”
He laughed. “Trust me, the condo’s much nicer.” He pulled into a marked slot and shut off the engine.
“Whose place is this?” I really didn’t want to meet any of his family while wearing my oversized sweater and leggings.
“No one’s. It’s empty.”
I froze, hardly realizing that he’d gotten out of the car until he came over and opened my door. “Your family owns an extra condo that no one ever lives at?” And something told me it was an extremely nice condo, too, judging by the exterior of the building and the cars parked down here.
“No, it belongs to the law firm. They sometimes have out-of-town guests stay here.”
I climbed out, stretching my legs while Aaron got our things from the backseat. “And who owns the law firm?”
“My grandpa and two of my brothers.”
I nearly rolled my eyes. “So, as I said, your family owns an extra condo that no one lives at.” I couldn’t imagine the expense of that. “Are only the men in your family lawyers?”
Aaron’s eyes went unfocused for a moment, as if he was running through the careers of a great number of people. Jesus, how many siblings did he have? “Practicing, yes. But my sister Katie was a lawyer. She’s a judge now.”
I stilled again, and Aaron had to tug on my arm to get me moving. He kept his hand on my arm as he guided me toward the elevator. “Your family has lawyers and judges and mayors?” The disbelief was evident in my voice.
“A former mayor,” he clarified. We stepped into the elevator, and he pressed the button for the highest floor. “Relax, they’re all really eager to meet you.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
As the elevator glided smoothly upward, he leaned in, his voice lowered. “If you want to worry about something, worry about how I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off you when I see you in your dress.”
My jaw dropped and my skin flushed as I gaped up at the smirk on his face. His words shocked me, but once my brain kicked back into gear, I realized he’d been trying to distract me from worrying about meeting his family.
And it worked.
“I’m, uh, looking forward to seeing you in your tux, too.” His smirk resolved into his usual smile, and just like that, I felt better.
Even when the elevator opened directly into the family condo, and it looked like a penthouse in a five-star hotel. Even when Aaron escorted me to a suite that had a bedroom, a small living room, and a huge bathroom.
Everything was marble, glass, or gleaming bronze. There was an actual makeup table in the bathroom, and I sat there while I fixed my hair, half up and half down like a picture Tori had sent me.
I took my time with my makeup. Then the sparkling earrings that Hailey had lent me. Then the high-heeled strappy shoes I’d bought at a boutique a few days ago. And then… the dress.
It felt so damn good when the smooth, shimmery fabric dropped down my body. It clung to me in a good way, and when I struck a pose in front of the mirror, my leg poked out of the slit. The high heels, while not super comfortable to walk in, sure made my legs look better.
I hoped I’d knock Aaron’s socks off when he saw me.
And maybe I did, because when I entered the living room, he turned from the fireplace… and his mouth literally dropped open.
“Jesus, Mia.” He looked stunned. “You look… holy shit.”
He was frozen for another ten seconds before he slowly moved toward me. “This is the understatement of the year, but… wow. You’re stunning.”
His black tux fit as if he had a team of tailors in the other room. The black made his eyes look darker, except for the gold flecks. His short beard was neatly trimmed, and his hair was slicked back.
Aaron looked like a million dollars—and then some.
He walked toward me as if in a trance. Those tawny eyes swept up and down my body, but I didn’t mind. I’d done that a lot, looking in the full-length mirror in the bathroom.
The dress was definitely the most beautiful thing I’d ever worn. If it weren’t for the color, I’d want to get married in it. It was this gorgeous rust-red color, kind of like a mix between burnt orange and deep rose, and it shouldn’t have worked with the red highlights in my hair, but somehow it did.
Tori had called the color sienna, and Hailey had called it Marsala. Whatever it was, I loved wearing it. The fabric was super light and soft, kind of chiffon-y, so it moved with me when I walked. It somehow felt like it floated around me while at the same time clinging to me.