“Now?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“What for?”
“There's a problem with one of our projects that can't wait.”
I nodded slowly.
“I’ll be getting ready at the office,” he continued. “I’ll pick you up at six.”
"Okay."
He gave me a final look before standing. “I’ll see you then. I'm looking forward to seeing your hair.”
I watched him as he walked toward the door and disappeared from the room. Once he was gone, the house felt noticeably quieter. I sat there for a moment longer before finally standing.
“Well,” I muttered softly, “I guess I should start getting ready too.”
The first thing I did was head to the bathroom. The shower helped clear my mind, the warm water washing away the lingering tension from earlier. By the time I stepped out, I felt calmer and much more focused on the evening ahead.
Once I was dressed again, I sat under the dryer to make sure my hair was completely dry. The last thing I wanted was for it to still be damp when I started taking the rods out later. While the dryer hummed quietly above me, I picked up Emily’s book so I could finish it.
The story quickly pulled me in again.
Eventually, Maria knocked lightly on the door. “Lunch is ready.”
“Thank you,” I called.
I set the book aside and went downstairs. Maria had prepared a simple but delicious meal, and I happily ate while chatting with her for a few minutes. Once I finished, I thanked her again before heading back upstairs.
I returned to the dryer and finished the last few chapters of Emily’s book. By the time I reached the final page and closed it, I felt both satisfied and slightly disappointed that the story hadended, but knowing she was going to show me the first draft of the next book brought a smile to my face.
I glanced at the clock, noting that it was three in the evening. Time for me to get ready. I began slowly, starting with my hair. Once that was finished, I moved on to my makeup, carefully applying each product until everything looked exactly the way I wanted. The process took longer than I expected, but eventually everything came together.
By the time I stepped back from the mirror to examine the final result, the clock read 5:30. I slipped on my dress, rubbed on some body oil, then smiled at my reflection.
“Perfect.”
With a little time still before Callahan arrived, I picked up my phone. I couldn’t resist teasing him. I angled the camera slightly and took a few pictures. One standing in front of the mirror. Another from the side showing off the curve of my ass. And a third where I turned slightly, letting the dress fall elegantly around me.
I scrolled through them, selecting the best ones.
“These will definitely get his attention,” I murmured.
As I prepared to send them, I typed a quick message. Then I paused. My eyes lingered on the words I had just written.
I had referred to him as something other than his name. I briefly stared at the screen. Then a slow smile spread across my face. So that was the pet name I had chosen. He was going to be absolutely thrilled.
I'd been trying to choose the perfect pet name for him, and now it had happened without me even thinking about it.
I walked down the stairs just in time to see Callahan opening the front door.
He didn’t notice me. His back was turned slightly, one hand resting on the handle while he spoke quietly to Charles. Theevening light spilled into the foyer, catching the floor and the grand staircase behind me.
I took one more step down, the sound of my heels clicking against the floor alerting him to my presence. The moment his eyes landed on me, he froze.
His gaze started at my feet—lingering for half a second on the delicate black heels—and slowly traveled upward. Over the soft green silk of my dress that skimmed my legs. Over the drop waist that hugged my middle before flaring gently over my hips.
