“With you?” Ellery asked with a quirked brow.
Arthur rolled his eyes. “No. Together. Tiffany had planned to go to Selina’s like we do every year, but Tiffany isn’t feeling up to it, and we don’t want to waste the reservation. I was going to ask Sam and Rachel if they wanted it, because Sam always talked about going. But when I went to their door… well…” he trailedoff, his face pinking. “Let’s just say there’s some things you don’t want to hear from your brother.”
Ellery shivered, but I had to cover my laugh with my hand. “Are you sure?” Ellery asked. “I know you need to make those like a year out.”
My eyes widened. “A year?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yeah, she’s not up for it. If you could bring back some of the bread that would be great.”
“Sure, we can go, right?” Ellery asked me.
“Sounds great, if you need to wait a year for a reservation.”
“It is,” Arthur said, sounding a bit wistful. “Anyway, it’s under my name, and I’ll let them know you’re coming. Reservation is at seven.”
“Thanks.”
He nodded then left.
Ellery flopped down on the bed, checking his phone.
“Can I use the bathroom?” I asked.
“Go ahead.”
I grabbed my makeup bag, a dress, and a little something else rolled up into it, then headed to the bathroom.
I paused as I realized he was still sitting there. “Ellery,” I said.
He looked up at me.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but will you have time to get ready? If it’s nice you probably want to dress nice and do your hair. Which will take you at least twenty minutes. And the drive down will take another twenty. Meaning we only have thirty minutes to get ready before leaving.”
He blinked at me, as if doing his own math. “Then I can just sit for ten then will get up.”
I chewed on my lip. “Why not get ready first? Then you know you’ll be ready and can relax after.”
He stood, walking towards me. I was pressed to the bathroom door, with his large frame looming over me. “Are you trying to keep me on time?” he asked.
It was a slightly sensual way he asked, but also there was something so genuine about it.
“Just trying to help,” I said. “Everyone in my family was chronically late until I broke things down for them like that. It’s part of the reason we added such intensive project management into the app, to really understand the time things will take and put it in a realistic timeline.”
I was rambling now, but it was all true. It seemed like Ellery wasn’t intentionally late to things, but like many others, he just didn’t realize how much time things could take.
“I appreciate it,” he said. “I’ll get ready now while you’re in the bathroom.”
I nodded and slid behind the door, clicking it shut behind me.
There was no way I would have time to dry my hair and do a full face.
I was sure the door was locked before calling to my magic, whipping a strong wind around the room to help dry my hair faster. As it moved, I made up my face, deciding on a full face for a night like this, since my hair was practically drying itself.
I unrolled my dress and looked down at what was in the middle. It was that royal purple set of lingerie. It was a purple bra with extra lace on the bottom and straps running across the cleavage, and a matching lacy thong.
I didn’t know why I grabbed it. This wasn’t a date. We weren’t going to hook up just because we were going to a nice dinner. And I certainly didn’t need to wear something I knew was his favorite color for it. But here I was, putting it on anyway.
As I pulled on my dress when I heard the door jangle and suddenly open. I spoke the words and the wind stopped.
