“Wow,” I breathe. Unable to tear my eyes away, my brain barely registers Javier’s low chuckle coming from somewhere behind me.
She looks like a goddamn dream. The color of her dress makes her eyes sparkle like shimmering emeralds. Smoky eye makeup makes them appear even more striking against her dusky skin. She looks elegant and sexy as hell—like she belongs on a red carpet.
Her lips curve into a shy smile that makes my heart do a weird flip-flop when she finally looks up at me.
“Well?” she asks, her voice a little breathless.
For a moment, I can’t speak. All I can do is stand frozen in place, gawping like an idiot while my brain short-circuits.
“You look...” A search for the right words comes up empty. “Fucking incredible doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
A blush spreads across her cheeks as she fiddles with the small clutch in her hands. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
“Visitor requesting entry at main gate.”
“Looks like your limo has arrived,” Ava says, bustling around us as she shoos us toward the front door. “You two kids have fun. When you get home, it’ll be like we were never here.”
Lizzy spins and wraps her arms around Ava and then Leeza. “Thank you.”
Not one to accept a hug so readily, Ava waves her hand inthe air, a light blush on her cheeks. “No thanks needed, darling. Now go, or else you’ll be late.”
forty-seven
Rowan placeshis hand on the small of my back, guiding me toward the door. The warmth of his touch against my bare skin sends a shiver up my spine.
“How are you feeling about all this?” he asks softly as we step outside.
“Good,” I say, suddenly overwhelmed by the enormity of what we’re about to do. “Nervous.”
The limo waiting for us is sleek and black, with a uniformed driver who opens the door with a respectful nod.
I slide in first, soft leather cool against my bare legs. Even though there is more than enough room, when Rowan follows, he scoots in close pressing our thighs together.
“Why isn’t Evo driving us?”
“Gave him the night off.”
As we pull away from the house, I keep my focus on what’s outside the tinted window.
Seeing Rowan all dressed up had me wobbling in my four-inch black stilettos.
The way his suit hugs his broad shoulders and tapers at his waist makes my mouth water. His hazel eyes glow in the dimlight of the limo; the light stubble gracing his jaw giving him a rugged edge that contrasts perfectly with his polished look.
“What are you thinking about?”
His voice is low, intimate, and I have to suck in a quiet breath before I can speak. “Just wondering what I’ve gotten myself into,” I admit, smoothing my dress. “This is all so... surreal.”
He chuckles, brushing a loose strand of hair away from my face. “You’re going to be the most beautiful woman there tonight. And I’m not just saying that.”
My heart flutters at his words. “You’re biased.”
“True,” he admits with a grin. “But I’m also right.”
The limo glides, taking us from the Hollywood Hills toward the city. As we get closer to our destination, the traffic picks up right along with my nerves.
“So,” I say, trying to distract myself from the butterflies in my stomach. “What exactly should I expect tonight? Will there be a lot of people there?”
Rowan’s hand finds mine, his thumb tracing small circles over my skin. “It’s one of the biggest events of the season. There’ll be celebrities, industry people, art collectors...”
