Page 136 of Choosing You

Garret puts his arm around me as we turn to face her. She takes a couple photos and hands Garret the phone.

“Have fun tonight,” she says as she leaves.

“You, too,” I say back to her, but she’s already closed the door.

Garret takes a step back and looks me up and down. “Damn, you look incredible, Jade. I thought the dress would look good on you but notthatgood.”

“Thanks. You look good, too.”

He closes the gap between us, touching my bare back as he leans down to kiss me. The feel of his hands on my skin fires off sensations all up and down my body. I kiss him back, breathing him in as he draws me in even closer.

What was supposed to be a quick kiss before heading out the door soon becomes a deep, lingering kiss that I don’t want to end. I just want to keep doing this for the rest of night.

Garret must be thinking the same thing because he slowly breaks from the kiss and says, “Maybe we should skip the event.”

“And do what?” I bite my bottom lip as our gazes meet.

He hesitates, then comes back for another deep, devouring kiss that lasts a few minutes more.

“We should go,” he says, pulling away. “If we do this much longer, I really will skip the event. But when we get there, you’re not leaving my side. Not looking like that.”

“Hey, don’t be one of those possessive boyfriends.”

“I’m just kidding. But Iwouldlike to keep you by my side all night. I can’t get enough of you, Jade.”

I feel the same way about him. We need to get out of here before I rip his tux off. He grabs our coats as I take his hand and drag him out of my room.

On the drive to his house, he gives me a recap of what these things are typically like. Since this a political fundraiser, it’s a different crowd than the usual social events he attends. He says that he probably won’t know half of the people there and that it will likely be an older crowd.

We arrive at his parents’ palatial estate at 7. The long driveway is lined with cars. Garret drives right up to the front of the house. He gets out and opens my door. An older man in a suit comes up to us.

“Hi, Paul. How’s it going?” Garret tosses him the car keys.

“Nice to see you again, Garret,” the man says. “You don’t come around much anymore.” He gives him a look like he understands why.

“Paul, this is Jade. Jade, this is Paul.”

We shake hands. The man smiles at Garret. “She’s a beautiful girl.” He gives him another look, as if he knows I’m not one of the prepicked fake girlfriends Garret’s had in the past.

“Yes, she is.” Garret kisses my cheek. “Let’s go inside, Jade.”

The house is packed with people as well as hired help. Garret is right. With this many people, I doubt anyone will be paying attention to us, other than his dad and stepmom who I’m hoping to avoid as along as possible.

A woman comes up and starts taking my coat off. Actually, it’s Harper’s coat. I didn’t have a nice coat to wear with the dress so she lent me hers.

“Thanks,” I say as the woman disappears with the coat. I hope she doesn’t lose it or give it to someone else at the end of the night.

Garret places his hand on my back and leads me through the room. I still can’t believe how big his house is. I haven’t even begun to see it all. The last and only other time I was here I saw the sunroom and the dining room. But off the foyer there are several hallways that lead to other parts of the mansion. There’s also an entire upper level. Who needs that much space?

A little girl in a white frilly dress comes running up to Garret and hugs him. It looks funny because she’s so small and he’s so big.

“Hey, Lilly. I want you to meet someone. This is Jade. Jade, this is my sister, Lilly.”

She smiles. She’s super cute, with long blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a dimple in each cheek. “Hi. Are you his girlfriend?”

Garret laughs as he looks at me to answer.

“Yes, I am,” I tell her.

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