Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 98(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 98(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
A few minutes later, a knock at the door sends a nervous jolt through me.
"That'll be him," Jane says with a grin. "I'll let him in."
Jane disappears to answer the door, and I take one last look in the mirror. The woman staring back at me still seems like a stranger, but for once, I don't hate what I see. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm warming up to the sight of myself.
I hear the murmur of voices from the living room, then footsteps approach. I turn just as Elias appears in the doorway.
Oh. Oh, dear God.
My pulse kicks hard at the sight of him in a suit. He's wearing a charcoal suit that fits him like it was painted on, accentuating his broad shoulders and lean waist. His green eyes are bright against his skin, and his hair is slightly tousled in that way that makes my fingers itch to run through it … again.
I thought I couldn't possibly fall harder, but this suit changes everything.
"Elise."
I swallow, suddenly nervous under his gaze. "Hi."
He steps into the room, eyes never leaving mine. "You look..." He shakes his head and smiles softly. "Beautiful doesn't even start to cover it."
Heat creeps up my neck. "You don't look so bad yourself."
Elias grins, and my heart does a stupid little flip. This man—this gorgeous, gorgeous man—is looking at me like I'm the only woman in the world.
"Come on, ready to make everyone jealous?" he asks, offering his arm.
I take it, feeling the solid warmth of him through his suit jacket. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Jane appears in the doorway, phone in hand. "Picture first. Come on, indulge me."
Elias pulls me closer, his arm slips around my waist. "Smile for the camera, fake girlfriend."
I laugh, leaning into him as Jane snaps several photos. The flash goes off three times before she's satisfied.
"Okay, you crazy kids have fun," Jane says, shooing us toward the door.
Outside, his car waits at the curb. He opens the passenger door for me, and I step in, careful not to wrinkle my dress.
Once he's behind the wheel, he turns to me. "Seriously, are you okay? We don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"I promise I'm fine. A bit nervous, but that's it."
"Good." He reaches over, takes my hand, and brushes his lips across my knuckles. "Because I've been looking forward to showing you off."
The drive to James's hotel should be stressful. I should be a bundle of nerves thinking about facing all those people who either ignored me or made my life hell, but with Elias beside me, it's ... nice. He tells me about how James nearly had a meltdown that morning when the florist delivered the wrong centerpieces for the reunion.
"So there's James, right? Standing in the lobby in this suit, screaming about how navy and cerulean are 'completely different color palettes, you uncultured swine.'" We both laugh, relieving tension and unwrapping my nerves. "James is not big on using expletives, but he did finish his tirade with one."
I laugh. "Oh, poor James."
"Poor James, nothing. He's a tyrant when he's in event-planning mode." Elias glances over at me and raises one brow. "He almost didn't let me leave because, and I quote, 'Just because you're hopelessly in love doesn't mean you get special treatment.'"
My heart stutters. The way he says it—so casually, like it's a given, like he didn't just drop the L word—makes me wonder if there's truth behind the joke. It makes me stupidly hopeful, too.
Love.
"Eyes on the road, King."
His grin widens. "Can't help it. You're distracting, ma'am."
The rest of the drive passes in comfortable conversation, punctuated by moments of charged silence when he catches me looking at him, or I catch him looking at me. It's like we're both waiting to see where the night will lead us.
Too soon, we pull up to the Khan Hotel. It's the nicest hotel in the city if I say so myself, and seeing it lit up at night is breathtaking.
"James doesn't do anything halfway, does he?"
"Never has." Elias's hand finds the small of my back. "You good?"
I give him a smile, even as anxiety begins to bubble up again. There are people milling about in the lobby, familiar faces that make my stomach clench.
Elias must feel me tense because he leans down, his lips brushing my ear. "Remember, I've got you. Anyone gives you trouble, they answer to me."
His proximity, the warmth of his breath on my skin, the subtle scent of his cologne—it all combines to make my head spin, and I lean into him almost unconsciously.
"There they are!" James strides toward us, resplendent in a navy suit (definitely not cerulean … I think), and pulls me into a quick hug. "Girl, you look stunning."
"Thanks, James. The hotel is beautiful."
James beams. "Wait until you see the ballroom. Come on."