“Perhaps your story has a new ending, uncle?”
My gaze flicked back to my nephew. His unreadable expression had me apologizing without thought. “Sorry, Rhett.” If he hadn’t figured out my feelings for Mikaela by now, my request for forgiveness just gave me away.
Instead of the expected disappointment, he patted my shoulder. “Don’t be,” he winked. “Sometimes the right competition forces us to make the perfect choices.” He took my empty glass and walked away.
Frowning at his words, I let my gaze shift back to the entrance, debating whether I should go to her. As if privy to my thoughts, I noticed several heads bounce from one end of the room to the other, trying to guess my relationship with that stunning woman. My smile, slow to form, had the desired effect. Saint whispered something to Mikaela, released his hold, and gently nudged her forward. Her eyes fused to mine, her concentration unwavering, she walked toward me. And like the great parting of the red sea, people stepped back, allowing her unhindered access to me.
If that wasn’t enough to let people onto my feelings for that beautiful girl, The Weekend’sDie For Youspilled through the air, relaying the precise words I wanted to profess to this woman. I had a feeling my son had not only purposefully defied my wishes to bring her down here, he also had a hand in the music choice.
As though she were aware of my internal chaos, Mikaela’s lips curved into one of those rare smiles I craved.
I was so fucked.
Just as she neared me, I snagged my son’s eyes over her shoulder. Even from this distance, the ‘I told you so’ look on his face blazed brighter than the chandeliers lighting the room. He smirked, leading Levana onto the dance floor.
I opened my arms, and Mikaela glided into my embrace. Her eyes merged with mine, her hands went to my shoulders while mine fell to her hips.
“Hi,” she whispered, and I picked up on the underlying hesitancy. “How do I look?” She fingered the dress.
It was safe to say that the most beautiful creature I’d seen in a long time stood before me. “Ella.” I breathed, taking a step back, admiring every contour of her body. “You’re stunning, love.”
She wrinkled her nose, unaware of how cute the gesture made her appear. “You like it?” Her unconcealed admiration of the dress back at the store caught my attention. Now, appreciating how the two-toned color matched the exact hue of her eyes, casting a distinct allure to her features, I knew I’d done well to add it to her wardrobe.
“I love it.” I took her hand and twirled her in front of me, the flare of the dress a gentle brush against my trousers, the soft curls of her long, dark hair fanning out before bouncing around her waist when she stopped. With a light tug, I rolled her into my body. “You, Ella, are a rare jewel.”
Her eyes widened, her breath hitching in her throat before she smiled. “You look beautiful too.”
I chuckled. Her vocabulary had grown tremendously since her arrival. The word pretty, however, remained her choice of descriptor when she liked something. The honor she just paid me earned a mental clap for the confidence floating beneath her shyness.
About to move her onto the dance floor, she paused, glancing around. “I don’t know how to dance.” Her face darkened with disappointment pilfering my emotions once again. I hated seeing anything but happiness in her.
“We’ll take it slow. Just hold onto me and let me guide you, okay.” She nodded, allowing me to move her tense body. “Relax, love.” I drew her tighter into my embrace and leaned closer until our noses were almost touching. “Once you accept your imperfections, the world will want to learn how you did it, and your reply to them would be, ‘I was always perfection. You just didn’t see it.’”
She smiled again, lighting up her entire face. “You’re not angry?” she asked as I swayed her around the dance floor.
“Angry?”
“I disobeyed you. You said this ball wasn’t for me.”
“Are you happy?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m glad you came.” My words eased her worry into a soft sigh. “I have only one condition, though.” Eager eyes lifted to mine, ready to accept. So easily submissive it was painful to ignore. “I need you to stay at my side unless Levana or Saint accompany you around the room. Understood.”
“Why?” instead of disappointment, the hint of defiance in her voice made me smile.
“Because this world is new to you. The men you see here will easily charm you into parting with the vulnerability you wear without knowing it.”
She squeezed my shoulders. “What about you? Does my vulnerability not entice you?”
Christ, her grasp on my heart was incredible. Regardless, I didn’t answer.
Her smile fell. “What about Rhett? Is he allowed to walk with me?”
Despite the despair in her tone, I hated her request’s effect on me and how my heart rate sped up with the knowledge that she enjoyed Rhett’s company. I was a grown man, yet it was becoming increasingly hard to keep my affection for this woman at bay and act indifferent each time my nephew sought her out. I should be happy she was finally comfortable around my family instead of acting like a jealous twit.
Reining in my annoyance, I stopped dancing and tucked her hand into mine. “Come, let me show you around.” I guided her through the large gold doors that opened into a baroque-styled hall draped with black podiums featuring couples performing various scenes.
