My head was buried in my phone as I was sipping on a scotch when a throat cleared. I looked up, and all coherent thought left my brain. Speaking of magazines, she looked like she stepped off the pages of one. Absolute perfection. I appreciated Audra always, but it was evident how much she put into looking like this for this evening. I tripped over the chair leg as I tried to move towards her, spilling some of my drink on the floor.
“I have never seen someone more beautiful than you,” I said as I spun her once then I pulled her into me. “Audra, did you have that custom-made?” Her hair was up in some kind of fancy bun on the nape of her neck, leaving her shoulders and collarbone exposed. I must have unlocked some kind of new kink because I was hot for it. The fabric hugged her chestperfectly and gave me a little glimpse of cleavage while it crisscrossed across her ribs and waist. Then it fell halfway down her thigh. It was everything. Elegant. Sexy. Beautiful. I’d had access to every gala in this town years ago, and no one I ever saw lit me up like she did right now. Holy shit.
“I got it at that new boutique in town,” she managed to get out before I took her lips in a fervent kiss, not caring that I was smudging her lipstick all over the two of us.
“Please buy one in every color,” I said against her lips as I pulled slightly away.
She giggled against mine, and that sound traveled into my mouth and straight down to my heart. I wanted to bottle that sound up to replay at will.
“You look fantastic too, Van. And we match again tonight too!” She shimmied her shoulders and pulled me over to the oversized mirror in the living room so we could look at ourselves. We looked like someone had styled our outfits to complement each other.
“We look good, don’t we?” She looked at me in the reflection as she said it.
Putting my arm around her, I rubbed my thumb over her silky skin. “We look better than good, Chaos. We look pretty fucking perfect.”
With my draped arm, I tipped her chin up to me to kiss her again. I had to put a leash on it, or we would never leave. And as much as I was dreading it on the whole, I didn’t want to let my sister down. Miles was waiting for us at a more discreet door at the back of the building.
When we settled in to the car, I pulled her hand into my lap and laced our fingers together, “I want you to know there will be photographers at the restaurant. Seeing as my parents tipped them off about me being here in the first place,they will have undoubtedly told them about our dinner tonight, including the reason we are celebrating. Even though we are getting there early, these people have nothing better to do with their lives. Just prepare yourself.”
Just prepare yourself.
That was the motto I was walking into this with as well. And my preparation had nothing to do with getting my photo taken.
41
AUDRA
Just prepare yourself.Man, did that phrase have implications at that moment. Prepare for the relationship? Prepare to be swept off your feet by an amazing man? Prepare to sit with his parents, who sounded like they weren’t my cup of tea? Prepare. It seemed like the whole photograph thing really put Donovan on edge. I didn’t quite understand it, but then again, I’d never been harassed like that, nor had stories run about me that weren’t written with the best of intentions in mind. Still, his hand was gripping mine as if it was anchoring him. The playful banter and flirting were gone; it was just silence and the sound of the city around us. I couldn’t imagine how he was feeling. Ready to come face-to-face with his parents after years. He still hadn’t gotten into the nitty gritty of why he was estranged, but I knew he’d tell me when he was ready.
“Hey,” I felt compelled to say, turning to him and meeting his eyes. “Whatever happens tonight, you’ll be okay. We get on a plane in the morning and you never have to come back hereagain. Or maybe shit doesn’t hit the fan and we come back every six weeks for these bagels you’ve got me hooked on.”
At that, he smiled, and I squeezed his hand. “I know we don’t have much of a history, Van, but I’m here now, and I support you with everything.”
“Thanks, Chaos. That means the world to me. I’m just nervous right now,” he admitted.
I pulled his hand up to my lips and kissed it to show my support.
Pulling up to what had to be one of the fanciest restaurants in the city, Donovan got out, turned around to help me, and before I was even out of the car, the click click click of a camera was going off. He wasn’t joking; the photographer was all over him. Shit, I hope I didn’t flash my crotch upon exiting or anything. Donovan held his arm out so I could hook onto it, and so I did. He didn’t drag me along like last time; it was almost like he had resigned himself to the fact that this was going to happen, so although he didn’t stop and pose or anything, he just let the guy snap his shots as we walked in arm-in-arm.
McKenna was already there, and she was show-stopping. She was wearing a long, satin, emerald green dress that had a high slit up her thigh, and it fit her perfectly. His sister was something else.
“Audra! Donovan! I’m so glad you’re here!” she exclaimed as she hopped off her stool to hug us. “Audra, oh my God, where do you shop? That dress is made for you. Wait, was it made for you? Has Van introduced you to the dark side of custom clothing?” Her eyebrows lifted in a teasing arc and I saw Donovan smirk in my periphery.
“No, it’s from a neat boutique that just opened back in Savannah Springs,” I said smoothing my dress, “but thatdress had to have been made for you. My goodness, McKenna.”
A tiny blush rose on her cheeks. “Guilty. I blame Van. He bought me a gift certificate to get some custom clothes made when I graduated from high school. It’s been hard to look back. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like all my things are custom. I just like special occasion things made for me,” she said as she gestured down her dress, “and tonight is a special occasion.”
“Well, it certainly works for you! So, Donovan, is that custom-made?”I turned to him.
A guilty smile sprouted slowly across his lips. “My jacket is. It is so hard to find clothes that fit my measurements because of my shoulders. I have to get everything tailored anyway, so I just started to get custom stuff. It’s a guilty habit.”
“Well it works,” I said. “Both of you look great!”
The three of us sat, McKenna and me next to each other and Donovan on the other side of me. We fell into a quick and comfortable chat, just like we had in the car. Time flew, and I ordered a second glass of wine and a Macallan for Donovan.
“So, New York has been good to you, Audra?”McKenna asked as we settled in.
“We’ve had a fantastic time,” I said, squeezing Donovan’s knee. “I’ve seen some bucket list things, some things I didn’t even know existed, and had some delicious food.”
