Page 74 of Say You Remember Me
Unable to argue when he asked like that, I took the dress and stepped into the fitting room, closing the door behind me. My fingers trembled slightly as I slipped out of my clothes and into the gown, the cool silk sliding over my skin like a whisper.
When I turned to face the mirror, I stilled, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me. The deep navy color made my skin glow and brought out the brightness of my eyes, and the way the fabric hugged my figure was nothing short of magical. I’d never worn anything so expensive, so refined in my life, but for some strange reason, I felt like I belonged in it.
A quiet knock on the door broke my thoughts, and Ian’s voice drifted through. “How’s it going in there?”
“It’s…good,” I managed to say, my cheeks heating as I smoothed my hands over the fabric.
“Can I see?” he asked, his tone curious.
I hesitated for a moment, butterflies stirring in my stomach, but then I took a deep breath and opened the door. “Okay,” I said, stepping out slowly.
Ian’s reaction was immediate, his gaze sweeping over me with an intensity that made me feel rooted to the spot. His eyes darkened slightly as they traveled from the plunging neckline to the flowing skirt, and his breath seemed to hitch for just a fraction of a second.
“You…” He stopped, his voice thick, before he cleared his throat and tried again. “You look stunning.”
“You think so?” My cheeks burned under his unwavering stare. “You don’t think it’s too much?”
“No,” he said, stepping closer, his hand brushing my arm. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”
My heart stuttered at his words, the sincerity in his tone making it impossible to dismiss them as part of our act.
Was he pretending? Or was this something more?
Before I could figure it out, though, the clerk reappeared with another dress, a sleek black piece with a dramatic slit up one side. Ian didn’t even wait for her to suggest it before nodding toward the fitting room. “That one too.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Dress after dress, Ian’s reactions left me breathless. Each time I stepped out of the dressing room, his gaze would sweep over me, slow and deliberate, as if he was raking in every detail—taking in every single inch there was to see, like he couldn’t get enough.
And dang, I’d thought the man was sexy before. But the way his eyes lingered… The look of hunger and approval in them…Well, I didn’t think I’d ever had anyone look at me like that before.
“Turn around,” he murmured after I tried on an elegant red dress with a low back. His voice was soft but firm, and when I hesitated, his lips quirked into a reassuring smile. “I just want to see the full effect.”
I turned slowly, feeling the silky fabric glide against my skin. His silence stretched, his gaze practically a touch of its own, and when I peeked over my shoulder, I caught him rubbing his jaw, like he was trying to keep his thoughts in check.
“You’re going to break hearts in that,” Ian mumbled, his voice rough, lower than usual.
The words hit me like a ripple of warmth, spreading through my chest and down to my toes. I felt my cheeks heat, and I clutched the soft fabric of the dress, trying to ground myself.
“We’re just trying to break Margot’s heart, remember?” I tried to joke, but my voice wavered, betraying the unsteadiness I felt.
Ian didn’t laugh right away. His gaze held mine, steady and searching, and something unspoken flickered in the dark depths of his eyes. The kind of thing that made my chest tighten and my heart pound in a way I couldn’t control.
When he finally spoke, his voice was softer. “Honestly, Maddie,” he murmured, the vulnerability in his tone cutting straight through me, “I’m starting to worry you’ll end up breaking my heart before we’re done with all of this.”
What?His words hit me like a lightning bolt, leaving me momentarily stunned.Did I hear him right?
Did Ian Hastings—the man who had the world at his feet—really thinkIcould breakhisheart?
It didn’t seem possible. The idea that I could matter to him, that he could care enough about me for his heart to even be at risk—it didn’t compute. Not when he was so far out of my league.
Not when I was just…me.
“I…” My voice faltered, my throat tightening. “I wouldn’t want to do that.” The words were barely more than a whisper, but the moment they left my lips, I realized how deeply I meant them.
The thought of hurting Ian in any way sent a dull ache through my chest. He’d been nothing but kind to me—thoughtful, patient, even protective. And the way he looked at me sometimes, the way he’d been looking at me this afternoon…felt like he saw something in me I wasn’t sure I even believed in myself.
