Page 85 of Ours

Now if she would just let me pay for her loan, I think she could move forward from that asshole of an ex and live her life like a girl in her twenties should. Guilt that I wasn't letting her live her life crept up on me, but now that I had a taste of her, I was afraid the contract was the only thing keeping her with us. I should let her go to be young and free, but my chest tightened even more at that thought.

23

EASTON

The success of the charity event for Love4all threw us into opportunities I wasn’t ready for. Another charity that helped teens reached out to us about coming to their fundraiser event with the possibility of working together. Networking was a big thing for the charity, so I graciously accepted the invitation even though I would rather have been at home with Vincent and Noemi, naked in bed.

The only reason I wasn’t begging Diane to attend the event is because I convinced Noemi and Vincent to come with me. The thought of seeing Vincent in another tux sent shivers down my spine, but Noemi’s dress almost sent me into cardiac arrest. She had sent us a few photos asking for help. Vincent and I chose the same dress immediately. All day on Saturday, I was impatient to see her dressed up.

Vincent planned a whole afternoon of pampering for Noemi at some posh salon just down the street from him while he brought everything to us. A barber came with a chair and a team of ladies who gave us facials and manicures. Now I knew Vincent didn’t look like he was in his forties because that facial made my face feel like a baby’s ass and the fade his barber gave me was a hundred times better than the guy I went too.

After we dressed, we had a glass of 2013 Taittinger champagne as we waited for Noemi to come out of the bedroom. When she returned from the salon, she ran inside wanting to keep everything a surprise. Since she was wearing a dark maroon outfit, Vincent and I had maroon accents.

The sound of heels coming towards us made me turn toward the hallway. I felt instantly flushed seeing her look absolutely radiant. I loved seeing Noemi in every way, but this was almost my favorite, next to her looking sleep rumpled and her thoroughly fucked look.

A compliment was on the tip of my tongue, but she rendered me speechless. Her hair was up in an intricate design, showing off her beautiful neck with a few loose strands around her face. Her makeup was a little heavier than I was used to, but it only highlighted all her gorgeous features. Her dress was off the shoulder dipping down. It showed off her ample cleavage, flared out at her waist with a deep slit that showed off her amazing legs.

“What do you think?” She spun around biting her red lip when neither of us said anything.

“Gorgeous, I think…you look beautiful,” Vincent said, stumbling over his words making me feel better about my silence.

“Magnificent,” I said, hoping the one word I used was enough because it didn’t feel like it. Unfortunately, my brain wasn’t letting me think too hard.

Her cheeks flushed as she walked over to us, taking the glass of champagne I held out for her. Our fingers touched, sending a light shock through me. She smiled at me shyly.

“I feel like Cinderella at the ball,” she chuckled.

“You look like a naughty Cinderella, ready to lure me into bad decisions,” I smirked.

Vincent chuckled.

“You don’t have to lure me, Noemi, I’ll willingly make those bad decisions.” Vincent clinked his glass against hers.

“To making bad decisions,” I said as a toast.

We drank our champagne quickly before grabbing our coats. I held out a black velvet jacket seeing Noemi eyeing me and the jacket suspiciously.

“I figured you needed a coat to go with the dress.”

I held it out for her.

“The dress was enough,” she said, as she put the jacket on, and I knew it would be perfect for it.

“Be glad I didn’t get you jewelry.” Vincent shrugged on a coat.

“He was ready to make a trip to Harry Winston,” I said, putting on my own coat.

Her eyes grew wide.

“Vincent,” she chided.

“You’d be worth it,” he pecked her softly.

He left her speechless and the entire ride to the venue was silent. If I hadn’t seen her smile a few times I would have thought she was upset. We exited the car at the front immediately seeing a small red carpet. Noemi stilled next to me, looking extremely uncomfortable.

“You don’t expect me to walk through that, right?” Her voice trembled.

“You don’t have to, but unfortunately I do,” I said, hating this part of the event.

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