Page 32 of Midnight Whispers

I look in the mirror at myself in wonder. “You three are miracle workers.”

They all laugh, and Jaycee squeezes my shoulder from where she stands behind me in the mirror. “We had a great canvas to work with. Mr. Voss is going to be bowled over when he sees you.”

My cheeks heat, and I look away from her gaze in the mirror.

“Don’t worry, we all had to sign NDAs and hand in our phones. Unless we want our grandkids to still be paying off a judgment, we’re all going to keep our mouths shut. Your secret is safe with us,” Jaycee says.

I don’t know whether she’s referring to the fact that I obviously live here, or if she thinks Nero is my lover or maybe my sugar daddy. Maybe she knows I’m a stripper somehow and realizes how bad it would look for Nero to be tied to me publicly. Who knows?

I smile at her in the mirror.

“Is there anything you need before we get going? Do you want me to help you get into your dress?” Serena asks.

“I’m okay to do it on my own. Thank you so much for your help, everyone. I had such a fun day. I’ve never done anything like this before, which I’m sure you could tell.”

“We hope you have a lovely evening,” Serena says.

I do too. But it doesn’t matter what happens for the rest of this night because one thing is for sure—this is already the best birthday I’ve ever had.

Chapter

Fifteen

NERO

Ismooth down the front of my black silk three-piece suit, walking toward Cinder’s room.

I’m nervous for the first time since I proposed to Maude over a year ago. Almost to the point of being jittery.

A lot is riding on tonight. At least it feels that way. I want Cinder to enjoy herself and remember this birthday for years to come. I want her to want to stay at the manor. She hasn’t mentioned leaving again, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. And I want her to see what it could be like between us if we both allowed ourselves to fall into this attraction we feel for each other.

I knock on her bedroom door and wait for her to answer. As soon as the door opens, and she’s standing in front of me, all the air leaves my lungs in a rush. I stagger back, so struck by her beauty, I can’t stop staring.

“Cinder, you look like a queen.”

Her hair is down in waves, and the blue silk dress reveals a decent amount of cleavage, but it’s her right leg sticking out of the slit in the dress that draws my attention. I want to run my hands up her leg, trail kisses up her inner thigh until I reach the apex of her thighs, then I want to make her scream with my mouth. I want to unravel this beautiful package in front of me until she’s a begging, wanton mess—for me.

I shift my stance to hide the evidence of how my body reacts when I see her.

“Thank you.” Her cheeks pinken, and it’s fucking adorable. Amazing that giving her a compliment makes her blush, but dancing naked in front of a bunch of horny men doesn’t do much.

“Are you ready for your surprise?” I hold my arm out to her, and she loops her arm through it.

“Do I need to bring anything with me?” she asks before we leave the room.

“Just yourself.”

She smiles, and I lead her through the manor. If she has any idea of where we’re headed, she gives no indication, but when we head down the hall with the ballroom, her hand twitches on my arm.

Music is already playing at a low level inside. I put together a playlist that I thought she might like and one we can slow dance to after dinner.

“We’re going in here?” she asks.

I push open the door and lead her inside. She stops on the spot when she sees what awaits us.

I’ve had the entire room decorated for a birthday party. Spared no expense between the flowers and the balloons, the ice sculpture, and everything else the event planner suggested. The room appears as if we’re expecting five hundred guests, but it will just be the two of us tonight.

She walks in front of me, twirling around, her eyes scouring every nook and cranny. “Nero… I have no words.”

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