"Straight line."Aurei tilts his head.
"The red dress in the closet is nice but not nice enough for all this."
"Hmm, you think so?Because I think it is perfect."He walks to the rack, and instead of picking up the red dress hanging next to his tux, he hits the button.It begins to move, and he stops it on a beautiful ruby red satin evening gown with a plunging square neckline, thick lace shoulder straps, and a thick black sash cinched at the waist.The hem has a cut-out open front, short as a mini, but plunges to the floor in ripples that angle to the rear.
"Oh, Aurei!That dress is exquisite!"I breathe as I walk up to it and reach out to touch it.
He comes up beside me.I grin up into his handsomeness.He leans down and kisses my shoulder, then my neck.
"You cut your hair."I reach up to touch his buzzed sides, and clipper cropped top.
"It was past time."
I study him with my tongue in my cheek, then I tell him."I actually like it better short.It's manly in a military way.Very badass.Very sexy."
"Hmm," He shakes his head and leans down for a kiss, but I lean away.
"No kisses until after midnight."
He laughs, "If you are going to play Cinderella tonight, then we are going to have a problem."
I laugh at the thought."Me?Cinderella?Hardly!I don't need rescuing from my life.But what would be the problem?"
"I'm no Prince Charming."His hand grips my butt cheek and holds me firmly against him while his other hand encircles my neck and strokes my skin, then his lips are smashing mine.My breath vanishes.When he lets the kiss go, he tells me."No lipstick."
I bite my bottom lip."I should wear a little.Red tends to drain the color away from your face.I don't want to look washed out."
His eyes crinkle with his smile."If your lips need color, I'll kiss it into them."
A slow smile spreads over my face."That might require a lot of kissing."I tease him, batting my eyes at him.
"It might."His lips smash mine again, then he leans back and stares at them."That works.See?"
He spins me around and walks me to the mirror.My lips are dark red now.I laugh."That works."
"One more thing, then we have to get dressed and go.Where's your blue mascara?"
I grin at him."Let me go get it."
Riding up to the house in the Lamborghini, I start to get nervous.Aurei cuts his eyes at me."You have a deer in the headlights look.I told you, I got this.Stop worrying."He puts his hand on my leg and slides his fingers up under my beautiful ruby red dress that covers everything but nothing.The tips tease the edges of my Lovers Heart.The feeling of his fingers there does reassure me.
I take a deep breath."I'm sorry."I shift in my seat and smile at him."I don't know why, but my gut is uneasy, and I trust my gut."
"There's nothing to fear.You've met my parents, and they love you.I knew they would."
"Yeah, but …."I think of Mia screaming into the phone and her eyes when she saw me in his bed.
"But nothing.You're my girl.If they don't like it," he laughs, "fuck 'em."
That makes me laugh too."You don't really mean that."
"Yes, I do."
He smiles at me as we arrive, and I drop it, stunned at the number of cars already here."Are we late?"
"No.We are early.The dinner isn't for another hour."
My heart starts to race, and I couldn't talk even if I wanted to.
