Page 31 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

“Uh, thank you,” I said, cutting her off.

Lexi snorted beside me as a loud knock reverberated throughout the room. “Come on, Alden. You’ve had enough time to make yourself pretty. It’s time to go.” Jess called out from the other side.

My feet stayed firmly in place. This felt way too much like a date. Lexi pushed me toward the door and flung it open.

“Finally,” Jess said. Her wide grin vanished as she looked me up and down. She let out a quick breath and lightly bit down on her bottom lip.

I turned to Lexi and growled. “See. It’s too much.” What the hell was I thinking? I should’ve let Gage go to this damn thing and been the one to stay behind watching the cameras.

“No, no. You just surprised me, James Alden. Who knew you could clean up so well?” Jess winked and linked her arm with mine. “I’ll have to fight all the ladies off tonight.”

My cock jumped at the sound of Jess using my first name. It wasn’t just that it was rarely used nowadays. It was that she’d only used it when we were intimate nine years ago. She said it made her feel closer to me.

It made the moment special.

The heat of her body surrounded me. It took everything in me not to reach out and run my hands through her hair. The scent of her favorite perfume lingered in the air and tickled my nose, the sexy, spicy notes so like her.

My eyes grew hooded as I stared at Jess. I needed to thank whoever designed that dress because it looked stunning on her. Her skin called me. A soft, golden glow that my fingers itched to touch, and my lips desired to brand so that everyone knew she was mine tonight. My vision narrowed down to her. Her dress was the shade of a clear Rhode Island sky in summer, and it hugged every curve. The shimmering gold accents, no doubt pricey gemstones, had her glittering more than the sun’s rays reflecting off the ocean waves.

“Jess, you look hot in that dress,” Lexi shrieked from behind me. “Doesn’t she Jamie?” Lexi poked my upper back so hard with her index finger I was certain I’d have bruises.

Jess grinned at her. “Thank you, Lex.”

“You look beautiful.” I really wanted to tell her that she took my breath away.

She slid her hands up my arms and pulled herself closer for a better look. When her eyes darkened, I averted my gaze. “Thanks, Alden. You look very dashing yourself. A haircut and a trimmed beard look good on you. Hopefully you cooperated, and no one had to tie you down for it.”

Fuck!Again I battled with words I wanted to say but couldn’t.

Having her this close, touching me, every instinct screamed at me to wrap her hair in my hand and tug her toward me for a kiss that neither one of us would forget. At her words the image of her tied up in bed was seared across my mind.

I stepped back, a smirk firmly in place so she couldn’t see how her reaction affected me. “You can thank Lexi and Samantha for that.”

She blinked. Like maybe she’d been lost in the moment.

“Ready to go?” I stepped back and gave her a bow, then offered her my arm.

My intention wasn’t to look gallant, but to hopefully trick her into walking beside or ahead of me. My body noticeably responded to her close proximity. I needed time to get that and my thoughts under control.

“Of course.” Jess smiled and blew kisses to Lexi, Clara, and Samantha.

I followed her through the house and to the garage testing the comm unit in my ear with Gage to be sure it was working.

We’d decided I’d drive Jess’s bright, yellowy orange Aston Martin DBS Volante tonight. One she affectionately called Dahlia. I opened the passenger door and held it while she settled into the seat. She turned the music on immediately, and I was grateful. At least this would give us a reason not to talk on the way there.

***

ONE OF THE CONCESSIONSJess had made was not to use the event’s valet system. I didn’t trust anyone to park her car. It helped that she needed to meet with one of the event coordinators ahead of time for a mini photoshoot of her in the dress.

I parked as close as I could to the venue—a three-story, sprawling stone Renaissance structure with a circular driveway—using a nearby lot with self-parking.

By the time she slid out of the passenger door, I was there to offer her my arm. She gave me a tiny smile as she laid her palm in the crook of my arm and curled her fingers. A part of me never wanted her to let go.

“Ready?” I grinned, her beauty causing my heart to take a long pause before it started up again.

“I’m always up for a good party,” she responded with a shake of her hips.

Having her by my side felt natural, right. We walked through the mostly empty lot and up the stone staircase of the mansion. For a moment, I could believe we were a couple out together.

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