She narrowed her eyes at him. What had hedone? He was so sneaky. Was this attention to detail one of the reasons he’d been so successful in life? Part of his charm.
She vacillated only a second longer before taking the dress out of his hand. After all, shewantedto wear it. She slid it over her head and sighed with satisfaction. It felt like water on her skin, and it hugged her figure like a dream. The neckline was V-cut, and the thin straps crossed at the nape of her neck. It had a fully open back, which meant she’d had to remove her bra, but the rippling of the material made that less noticeable. The only issue was that it was about four or five inches too long and she only owned Converse.
Beckham held out a pair of shiny gold high heels that crisscrossed up the front, with red-lacquered bottoms.
“Holy shoe porn,” she whispered in awe.
Beckham laughed, that rare unguarded one that made her toes curl. “I never thought you would actually like heels after your fit about them in the penthouse.”
She snatched them out of his hand. “They’re perfect for the right occasion. Not for everyday wear, when I have to…you know, walk and run and kick some ass.”
“Duly noted.”
She slid the shoes on. Beckham’s feral grin was a seal of approval.
“You’re missing something,” he said.
“Am I?”
He withdrew a red velvet box from the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket. “This.”
Her eyes widened. When she didn’t move to take it, he popped the top open and revealed a stunning teardrop-cut diamond pendant on a long chain. He twirled his finger, motioning for her to turn around. She did as instructed as if lost in a dream. She pulled her hair off her back and felt the cool metal touch her skin as it dropped down right between her breasts. He clasped it into place.
“Wow,” she whispered. She was mesmerized by the huge rock. She knew it was a drop in the bucket for someone who could engineer an entire economic collapse, but it was still magical. “This is…beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it. But you didn’t have to get me anything else. My camera was enough.”
“Your camera was returning property that already belonged to you. I should have brought it long ago.”
“Thank you.”
“Merry Christmas, Little One,” he said, dropping a kiss to her crimson lips. Then he held out his arm for her. “Shall we?”
She placed her hand on his elbow and followed him through the secret door. Her mind was racing with the extravagance of this gift. What she had gotten him was nothing compared to this. What could you get the man who had everything? She pushed it out of her mind. It didn’t matter. Beckham didn’t care.
They took the elevator down a few floors and entered the main corridor. Reyna was surprised to find it cleared. Had he done that, too?
At the end of the hall, a set of double doors stood open to reveal the wedding space. Reyna’s jaw dropped. She had sat in meetings with Meghan, Jodie, and Laura for hours the last two weeks discussing the small wedding they were planning and fantasizing about the elaborate affair Laura wanted to have but knew was impossible. That fantasy was now a reality.
The room was no more than a large conference space, but it had been transformed into a stunning rose garden. White, red, and pink roses bloomed on a large archway at the end of a path of red rose petals. White wooden chairs were artfully arranged in a semicircle with flowers on either side of the chairs. Twinkling white lights lit the ceiling, mirroring the stars of the night sky.
And everyone…everyone was dressed to the nines.
Brian and Drew stood by the flower arch in lush black tuxedos. Meghan had on a forest-green floor-length gown, and Jodie wore a dusty pink dress that shimmered in the lights. There were about a half dozen other people in attendance who Laura had gotten to know in her time at Elle, and all of them were dressed in similar attire. It was as extravagant and gorgeous as any ball Reyna had ever been to…maybe more so. Because this was for her…for Brian and Laura.
This was a gift. The real Christmas gift. A real wedding for them amidst these hard times when they had never expected to get anything. Let alone…this.
“You did this?” she whispered.
Beckham plucked a white rose from a high-top table at the entrance. “White roses are for new beginnings,” he said, passing the bloom to her. “This is our new beginning.”
“You’re incredible.”
“I do it all for you.” He swept a lock of her hair behind her ear. “You make it all worthwhile.”
Chapter Thirty
