Kat
“You almost ready?” Jackson calls out from the living room.
Taking one last long look in the mirror, I run my hands down the front of my dress and bite my lip. It’s the red dress that Thea had barely gotten a glimpse of me in, during our shopping trip, but insisted that I buy it.
Since it’s already in the high eighties, I favored one of my old favorite updos that I haven’t had a chance to do in a couple years. My mom always told me it drew too much attention to my chest, so like other things, eventually I stopped doing it.
My dark hair is pulled up to the top of my head in a braided bun, with a couple wispy curls framing my face. Glancing at the deep v of the dress… My mom wasn’t completely wrong. It makes me pause when I think about the fact that a year ago I wouldn’t have pulled a dress like this off the rack.
Only now, I actually admire how I look in the dress.
There’s a drastic change from how I looked seven months ago. No longer sunken and thin, I’ve gained back healthy weight in my cheeks and you can no longer see every single rib indentation. A few weeks ago, I even noticed the slight muscle definition on my legs from all the walks Jackson and I have been doing.
I smile, finding myself appreciating how I look.
“Yeah, just um, one more minute!” I call back, biting my bottom lip before I can stop myself. Cursing, I dig the tube of red lipstick back out and touch up my makeup. This time, I keep it out to tuck into the small black clutch that Thea let me borrow.
I turn my back to the mirror, despite my love for the dress and how it makes me feel, I can’t help but wonder if I should have picked something a littlelessrevealing.
The front cuts down to where my ribs meet and the back is a mirror image, showing off my shoulders and spine. The fabric around my ribs and the top of my stomach is bunched up and tight before it flares out, falling to my feet. There is a cut that runs up my thigh on the right side, exposing my leg when I walk.
Thea also picked out a pair of nude heels that are only a couple inches high. Which is something I am grateful for since the nerves dancing through my veins leaves me feeling a bit uneasy on my feet.
Sucking in a deep breath and squaring my shoulders, I head out of the bathroom, dropping the lipstick into my clutch before heading out to find Jackson.
His back is to me as he stares out the balcony door. Slowly, I make my way across the suite, setting my clutch on the table when I pass and take a moment to appreciate him from behind. The black suit jacket clings to him, drawing my attention to the muscles along his shoulders and arms. His black pants fit just right, teasing just enough of the muscle to remind me that I know what is hiding beneath them.
Jackson plays with the cuff of his sleeve, shifting from foot to foot while I step up to him.
“Ready.” I announce, stopping a couple feet behind him and fidgeting with my teardrop earrings. He turns to face me as he starts talking.
“Okay, Ma said to follow the signs—”
His jaw drops open for a moment while his gaze trails slowly down the length of my body. When he doesn’t say anything after a few more seconds, I drop my hand to smooth out the side of the dress.
“Is this okay? I brought a black dress that I can change into if you think this is too much.”
I’m about to chew on my lip again when I remember the lipstick. My heart thuds heavily in my chest when Jackson snaps his mouth shut and steps toward me.
He stops directly in front of me and thanks to the heels, I only need to tilt my head slightly to hold his darkened gaze. Reaching out, his hand trails up my arm. Goosebumps follow in its path yet every inch of my body feels like an inferno. He continues up until his palm cups my cheek and his fingers rest on my neck.
“Don’t you even dare think about changing. You’re beautiful.” He leans in to kiss me and I pull back slightly. His brows furrow as he watches me, but he stays hovering a few inches from my face. I smile softly up at him, reaching up to smooth out the worry lines on this forehead.
“I have lipstick on.”
“Is that the only reason?” He questions with a single brow raised.
“Well yeah, I don’t want to get lipstick on—”
My words are cut off by his mouth pressing against mine, softly at first before he deepens the kiss. I melt into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and tangling my fingers into the hair at the back of his head. My lipstick is long forgotten the moment his tongue tangles with mine.
By the time he pulls back, I’m gasping for breath. My eyes open slowly, immediately dropping to his lips. I can’t hold back the laugh that escapes seeing the red smeared all over his face.
The smile that spreads across his face as he watches me while still holding me to him makes my heart skip a beat. He’s been anxious all morning, worry lines painted across his face while he stress ironed his suit.
“You are breathtaking. For the first time since being here, I’m actually kind of excited.”
“Why?” My voice is a whisper, but his words confuse me.
