Chapter 5
The day had been hectic, with some of the arrangements for the tables showing up wrong. The colors were off, and they weren’t arranged neatly enough for Mickey’s liking. And now that she’d expended all that energy straightening everything out and assuring new arrangements with the right colors would arrive the next day, she’d had to rush to her room to get ready for dinner.
Mickey strode across the hotel room, her feet seemingly sinking into the plush carpet as she began looking over her clothes. She was so nervous she didn’t know what to think, let alone do. Sure, she had a few nice things she had brought with her, but nothing elegant or formal really, and biting into her lip, she was at a loss for what she would wear.
She glanced at the clock as she hopped out of the shower and toweled off her hair. She was running late, and she only had forty-five minutes to get ready. She didn’t even know what she was going to wear. Stephan hadn’t told her what sort of restaurant they were going to. Did she need to dress casual or wear her evening best?
Flipping through the closet full of stuff she’d brought with her, she decided on a happy medium: a shimmering dress that wasn’t pretentious or exaggerated in elegance. She paired it with a comfortable set of pumps, blew her hair dry and pinned it back, and applied her makeup. She was just packing up her purse when there was a knock at the door. She inhaled sharply, ducking into the bathroom to take one last look at herself in the mirror. She didn’t want to disappoint, but she also didn’t want to look like she’d worked too hard to impress the man who would be standing beyond the threshold.
She opened the door, relieved to see that he was dressed casually in chinos and a button-down shirt that fit tight over his chest and shoulders, showing off the breadth of him. She nearly lost her breath as his eyes seemed to heat, brushing over her from head to toe. He gave a slight nod, whether in approval or greeting she had no idea. And did it really matter?
The dress was one she knew would make her shine, but what came from Stephan’s lips as she made her way toward him made her cheeks singe so red she could scarcely contain her embarrassment.
“Wow!” Stephan murmured. “That dress makes you look like a million bucks!”
“Thank you.” Mickey blushed as he looked into her eyes and took her hand once again and delicately pressed his lips to it.
“Come, our ride is waiting,” he told her, offering his elbow to her. It was a gentlemanly, debonair move that she had never been privileged to before, and she took it, wrapping her hand through it as she closed the door and walked with him down the hall. They made their way down to the hotel lobby, Mickey feeling just like a spoiled rotten princess.
“Thank you,” she told him, wondering where he had learned his manners as he escorted her to the car and opened the door for her. She hadn’t expected a driver, but the man tipped his hat to her as Stephan slid in beside her.
The car pulled away from the hotel, and nerves had Mickey wringing her hands in her lap, biting her lip. It was too quiet, and she needed to fill the space. She had a feeling Stephan was a man of few words, but also that when he spoke, he’d ask a lot of questions. She didn’t want to talk about herself, so she thought she’d turn the tables on him first.
“So, tell me about yourself, Stephan.” She leaned back into the seat to make herself more comfortable as she focused her sights on him.
He shrugged. “Well, I live in Australia with my uncle, and I run Aiyana all over the globe.” Mickey nodded; she was well aware of his influence in the Aiyana Hotel Chain.
“Well, what about any other family? Your parents? Any siblings?” she asked curiously.
“I don’t much like to discuss that,” Stephan began with a frown. “Sadly, I lost both of my parents and my brother in a terrible accident. I’ve never been quite the same ever since,” Stephan admitted.
“Oh…” Mickey felt ashamed now, color flooding her face. “I’m so sorry.” As Stephan lifted his gaze to meet with hers, she could see the sadness reflecting in his eyes and an instant pang of guilt hit her like a ton of bricks.
“It’s alright. It was a long time ago now. I just have to keep my focus on good things,” he said to brighten up her mood. Mickey nodded, taking a deep breath. She smiled slightly as the intoxicating scent of his cologne hit her nostrils. She caught the appealing aroma, and something about it sent a shiver straight down her spine. Spending this evening with Stephan would be intriguing, of that, Mickey was confident.
Mickey’s mouth worked, but nothing came out. Of course her question would have drudged up a nightmare. He was obviously very practiced at hiding his pain. “I moved to Australia with my uncle after that, and we had no idea what to do with the fortune until I met my manager, Liam. We were fast friends, and he had experience in concierge services and the business end of hospitality. It seemed like a good investment, and it just grew.”
He was proud of his accomplishments, she noted, but he was also still sad. She couldn’t imagine having lost her whole family in a single accident, and she understood. No matter how long it had been since they were gone, she’d still feel lost when talking about them. That was what she imagined she saw under the surface on Stephan’s face; the sadness of a lost child.
“I’m so sorry you lost your family,” she said quietly, wanting to reach out and comfort him but feeling oddly awkward about it. This large, muscular man probably wouldn’t take well to being mothered. He was a self-made man, and he was strong and sleek and imposing. So, she clasped her hands tighter in her lap and added, “You made a great decision. Your hotels are extremely successful. And I’m guessing you have tons of events like this wedding.”
He chuckled, his eyes crinkling in true happiness. “Yes, they do. But I’ve never met anyone as beautiful as you while hosting these events.”
Mickey blushed fiercely and had to turn away. How could he say that? He was surrounded by beautiful and rich women all the time. Celebrities basked in the sun at his hotels. And here he was, telling her she was prettier than any of them. It had to be a line. But if it was, he was a good actor. It sounded sincere.
To clear the air, she considered broaching the subject of the wedding, but she had a feeling that discussing work when this was obviously meant to be pleasure wouldn’t go over well. In fact, he was likely to tell her to drop it right away.
It was Stephan who broke the silence. “You’re a beautiful woman, Mickey. Someone should have told you this by now. Several people, in fact. Get used to hearing it. Regardless of how well we know each other, or don’t, I’m an honest man, and I’m going to say what’s on my mind. Even if it makes you turn twenty shades of red.”
She had to laugh softly, even though she was still embarrassed. But from that point forward, conversation flowed easily. They talked about favorite destinations and travel, music, and other random topics.
The hour drive to the restaurant seemed to fly by, and Stephan took her hand to help her out of the car, tucking her fingers into the crook of his elbow again as they walked inside.
Stephan now escorted Mickey though the restaurant, directing her toward their table as he held her arm gently. The closeness of him sent a tremble through her body, and the electric energy it brought her was undeniably appealing and provided her a great deal more pleasure than ever she could have anticipated it would.
Stephan pulled her chair out for her, and Mickey took her seat with a smile. Only after Stephan was confident that she was comfortable did he pull out his chair and take his own seat. The table was nice but small and intimately set, enhancing the closeness the two of them shared, their legs nearly brushing against each other beneath the table. Indeed, it seemed like a magnetic pull existed and the air had been made electric between the two of them, something Mickey had never experienced before. The waiter approached and smiled.
“Can I get the two of you started with a drink?”
