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The material slipped from my hands as my eyes flew open. “You nearly scared me to death.”
“I thought for sure that you’d be getting ready by now. I mean... Walking in on you like this has me feeling like my dad. My mother was always trying to design something.”
“I know. I miss her dearly. If she was here, I’m sure she could help me with my current dilemma,” I told him, knowing she had an eye for these types of things.
“Is there something I can help you with?” he asked as he moved closer.
I shook my head. “No, but give me about fifteen more minutes and I will get ready right after.”
“Very well. I have an urgent email to attend to. See you in a bit.” I smiled and blew him a kiss. Once he left the room, I sighed. “Now, where was I?”
I went to pick up the swatch of tan when I noticed something. As I held up it and the blue striped material it had fallen on, I realized how perfect it looked together. Grabbing a solid color velvet piece, I could already envision the throw pillows, wall art, and curtains for the space. There was a herringbone patterned rug with multiple colored stripes and I knew I’d found my match.
“I want color, but also texture,” my client had said, and I grinned.
“It’s a damn miracle,” I finally said before grabbing my phone and taking photos of each swatch up close, then one of them altogether. I would need to download this to my computer later, and then I could complete the design board I knew would blow her away. I had one person to thank for all of it. If Gabriel hadn’t come in when he had, I wouldn’t have dropped this swatch. It wasn’t him, but something more divine. “Thank you, Ashley.”
It was as if she had been here and helped me with the very thing I was struggling to do. I snapped a few more pictures, mixing and matching the different swatches, before dropping a few paint cards in the bag and sealing them off. I had a few more things to do but it could wait until tomorrow. Tonight, it was all about Gabriel and I didn’t want to keep him waiting.
I stretched once I got back on my feet, then exited my studio. It was located downstairs and that was where I had expected to find Gabriel. Either he had already finished with his email, or else he was working on it upstairs.
I headed to the guest room where my clothes were currently located. By the time I moved my stuff from Portland, there wouldn’t be enough room in this space to accommodate all of my things. He would either need to come up off some of the real estate in his own closet, or I’d have to turn this room into a dream one for myself.
That could, and would, be determined later. Right now, I needed to lay eyes on my dress once more. I removed the bag hanging in the closet and unzipped it. I then pulled out the red gown I would be wearing tonight. I’d gotten it at Mitchell’s and it was a one of a kind design. Charlie had also helped me pick out the perfect heels to wear. I was so excited for tonight, and I couldn’t wait to see what Gabriel was wearing.
Knowing he would likely be in the master bathroom, I opted to use the en-suite in this room. If I joined him, we’d be late for sure and with the importance of this evening, it wasn’t something I was willing to risk.
I shed my yoga pants and T-shirt, then quickly showered. When I had gotten out. I decided to do my hair and makeup first before putting on the gown. Since I planned to wear my hair down in waves, I gathered the blow dryer, brush, and makeup case, before sitting down in front of the small mirror.
Several minutes passed as I worked on getting my hair dry and styled the way I wanted it. By the time I started on my makeup, Gabriel popped his head inside the door.
“I thought you’d be dressed by now, Harper. The limo will be here in—”
“I’ll be ready in ten minutes,” I advised as I finished applying the eyeliner. I only had mascara and lipstick to go before I got dressed.
Thankfully, the bruises and cuts had all completely cleared, so I didn’t need to cake on foundation to hide them as I’d been doing over the last couple of weeks.
I didn’t want to even think about my cousin. I wouldn’t let Jayson ruin what would be a wonderful evening, and one for an even better cause.
Deciding to focus on Gabriel, I turned as he stepped into the room and my eyes drank in the sight of him in his tuxedo. These were the very images I would see when searching the internet for mentions of him.
He was absolutely stunning, and when he brushed his lips over my bare shoulder, I realized he was very distracting as well.
“We don’t have time for this,” I pointed out, then giggled at his growl.
“I could always send a check and we stay in tonight. It wouldn’t be hard to—”
“Eight minutes,” I told him. “Now go away.”
I laughed once more at his look of disappointment, but I knew he was looking forward to this night as much as I was. Sure, we’d been photographed together over the last couple of weeks, but never like we would tonight. We would be plastered across the front pages of every society magazine and publication by morning, and the world would know he was mine again.
“Fine,” he muttered, then kissed the side of my cheek. “If it takes you any longer than that, I’m sending the limo away and staying home.”
I finished with my makeup, then quickly put the dress on. The silk was cool against my skin and as I turned to the side to see myself in the mirror from that angle, I already couldn’t wait to see Gabriel’s reaction to the large slit running up the entire length of my leg to the upper thigh.
I just as quickly slipped my feet into the Jimmy Choo heels. I was smiling ear to ear as I turned and when I spun all the way around, Gabriel was standing in the doorway. His dark eyes were appraising every inch of me, and I almost felt naked under his scrutiny. The way his lip curled into a smirk made me wonder if he was thinking he same thing.
Deciding to give him the same treatment, I nearly swooned at the sight of him in his custom tuxedo. The red bowtie was a perfect match to my dress, as were the cufflinks he’d chosen to wear. His face was perfection, and his thick head of hair made my thoughts turn to naughty in a nanosecond.
