Page 53 of Tempting All The Way

I walk over and wrap my arms around her. “Babe, it’s fine. I had a dress delivered to the penthouse for you. I have a makeup artist and stylist meeting us there as well.”

“What?”

“Everything is taken care of. All you have to do is get dressed, let someone do your hair and makeup, and attend a gala. With me.”

“I’m not… I can’t. What if I fail?” she asks. “I’ve never been to a gala, Xavier. I’m not from your world,” she says, her voice strained. Panicked.

“Shardonnay, you are my world. If you really don’t want to go, then we won’t go. I’ll make up an excuse,” I offer, and mean every word.

“You’d do that for me?” Her eyebrows draw down.

“I’d do anything for you.”

“Okay, I can do this, but I’m going to apologise now if I do something to embarrass you.” She smiles.

“There is nothing you could do to embarrass me, Shardonnay. I will be fucking proud as punch to have you on my arm.”

“So I’m just the arm candy?” she asks.

“No, I told you. You’re mine.”

I grab hold of Shardonnay’s hand. We’re in the back of a limo, on our way to the gala. It’s a charity fundraiser for homeless youths. Something our firm is passionate about. Not many people know this, but Nathan was homeless as a kid. He put himself through school on scholarships and by working two part-time jobs.

“You look fucking stunning,” I tell her, bringing her fingers up to my mouth. And she does. She’s absolutely breathtaking in a white silky dress that hugs all of her curves.

“Thank you.”

“I have something for you.” I withdraw the folded piece of paper from my pocket. I was going to wait until the sale was complete, but I want her to have this now.

“What is this?” she asks, unfolding the paper.

“It’s a contract for sale. For your apartment,” I say.

“My apartment’s being sold?”

“No, we bought it,” I tell her.

“What do you meanwe bought it?” she asks.

“I mean, we bought the apartment. The sale isn’t settled yet, but that is the contract of sale. The apartment will be in your name solely,” I explain.

Shardonnay looks at me in shock. Then her shock turns to anger. “I can’t believe you did this to me,” she says.

“Did what?”

“You just bought my apartment because I wouldn’t move in with you? You can’t buy me, Xavier. I’m not for sale. Take it back.” She drops the document on my lap.

“I didn’t do thistoyou, Shardonnay. I did thisforyou. I did this because I never wanted to see that look in your eye again. The one you had at the thought of never being in that apartmentagain. I did this so you don’t ever have to say goodbye to a space that holds so many memories of your mum. I didn’t do this so you’d move in with me. If you don’t want to live in my apartment, that’s fine. I’ll move into yours.”

“Stop, you’re going to make me cry and ruin my makeup,” she says. “No one has ever done anything like this for me before. I don’t know what to say, or do, or think. But I do know your closet won’t fit in my apartment.”

“Probably not. But we don’t need clothes. We’ll just become nudists,” I suggest with a grin.

“I love you.” Her arms wrap around my neck, and her mouth lightly touches my lips before she pulls away again.

“I’m gonna need more of that, babe,” I tell her, leaning towards her face.

“Nope, you can’t ruin my makeup.” She settles back into her seat.

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