Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
I. Was. Wrong.
CHAPTER 27
Elizabeth
SANTA BABY
“Are you almost ready?” I look up from the side of the bed as I tie the strap around my ankle. The smile fills my face instantly as he stands there in front of me wearing a black suit with a white shirt. The top of his button-down shirt open, showing you a hint of his neck and the top of his chest. His hair is combed to the side, but the top of it falls onto the front of his forehead. His greenish-blue eyes are more gray than anything. “Wow,” he says when he sees me, “you look stunning.”
“You haven’t even seen my dress yet,” I point out to him as I move to the other ankle, doing the strap, and all of a sudden, he’s squatting down in front of me. His hands move to replace mine as he buckles my shoe.
“Is that too tight?” he asks me and all I can do is shake my head side to side. The lump in my throat has come out of nowhere. No one has ever done something like this for me before. Sure, sometimes my mother has helped me out, but for a man to do it, it just stuns me. Especially this man. The man who I’ve loved for longer than I’ve hated him. The man who maybe I’ve just been comparing everyone to. The man who, in eight days, will still be here while I get on a plane back to home. “There,” he says when he’s done, but again, with Nate he shocks the shit out of me when he lifts my leg and kisses the inside of my ankle softly. The lump now sinks to my stomach as it’s joined with the little fluttering butterflies. “Now you’re ready.” He puts my foot down gently. “Now, can I say you look beautiful?”
“No,” I say softly, scooting forward, my hand coming up to cup his cheek, “but since I’ve seen you, I can say without a shadow of a doubt, you will be the most handsome man there tonight.” I move my head to touch my lips to his.
“I hope not,” he teases once I let go of his lips and wipe off the lip gloss, “I would hate for Macy to cancel the wedding to try and get me to run away with her.”
My head goes back as I bust out laughing. “Can you imagine Joshua’s face?”
“No.” He gets up to his feet and holds out his hand for me. I slide my hand in his as I stand up. He doesn’t let go of my hand as he takes a step back. “Okay, now I see all of you.” He gives me an up and down. “I was wrong.”
“Excuse me?” I say as he holds my hand up and spins me around so he can see the back of the dress.
“You don’t look beautiful,” he declares once I’m standing facing him, “you look breathtaking.”
I try not to look him in the eye while I blush, looking down at my shoes instead. The shoes that are the same burgundy color as the dress I’m wearing. He pulls me to him, the hand that was in mine is now wrapped around my waist. “I don’t think you are supposed to look better than the bride.”
“Well, it sucks for her, then,” I retort as I place my hand on his chest, and it rumbles under my hand from his laughter.
“We should get going,” he urges, “so we aren’t late.”
“I just have to put the final touches on,” I tell him as his hand moves from my waist and then down to my ass, where he squeezes it before he steps away.
“I’ll go let Whiskey out one more time.” He bends and I think he’s going to kiss my lips but instead he kisses my neck, exactly where my heartbeat is. “I’ll be waiting for you downstairs.” He turns and walks out the door, giving me a chance to catch my breath. I put my hand on my stomach and take a deep inhale. The softness of the velvet dress under my hand makes me look into the long mirror that is in the corner of the room. I wasn’t sure about the dress when I got it, but after seeing Nate’s eyes on me, I know it was the perfect choice. It’s long-sleeved, which I took into account in case she wanted to take pictures outside. It goes high to my neck and is tight all the way down until my knees, where it flares out in a mermaid style, but ends at my midcalf. I turn around to see the back that dips to the middle of my back. I snatch up my gold purse that is big enough to just fit my phone in it and my credit card. Even though there is no reason for me to even bring my credit card since I’ll be there with all my family.