He frowned. “You don’t owe Nate any explanation.”
“You’re right.” I slumped. But that was easier said than done.
I hated the fact that we were finally alone together, and we were arguing. I leaned back against the door, flashing him a sultry smile. “Let me make it up to you.”
“I like the sound of that.” Preston inched closer, crowding me. I placed my hands on his chest, smoothing them over his shoulders so I could wrap them around his neck.
“But first,” he said. “Dinner, drinks, and dancing.” He placed his hands on my hips, shifting them from side to side, moving us to a beat only he could hear.
I arched a brow. “Dancing, huh?”
I was intrigued but also anxious. Typically, a fling meant no dates, right? I knew I was kidding myself by calling it a fling, but I wasn’t ready to admit to my feelings. And, as much fun as it sounded, going out together in public was a big step. Our relationship was a secret, and I wanted to keep it that way.
“Mm-hmm.” His eyes were on my lips. “And then, I’ll spend all night making love to you.” He pulled me closer, close enough that I could feel his hard-on.
“Mm.” I hummed. “Maybe we should just order in and then skip straight to sex.”
He chuckled. “Tempting as that is, I want to take you out. On a proper date.”
“I don’t know,” I hedged. “What if someone sees us together?”
“What if I told you we’ll be in disguise? Would that help?”
I nodded, a fluttering feeling in my stomach. Maybe wecoulddo this.
“I want to be more than a fling.” His expression turned serious as he smoothed his hands down my arms, taking my hands in his. “I want to go on dates. I want to fall asleep and wake up next to you. I want to be a family.” He squeezed my hands.
His confession sucked the air from my lungs. I didn’t know what to say. I wanted it too, but…
He placed a finger to my lips. “You don’t have to answer now. Just…give me a chance to show you how good we could be together—and not just in bed. Say yes to one date.”
I’d never had a man treat me like Preston did, never had a man make me feel like he did. He grounded me, gave me a sense of home. A sense of security more than money had ever provided. So, despite my reservations and my fears, I found myself agreeing.
His answering smile was brilliant. “You have no idea how happy that makes me. How happy you make me.”
I pressed my lips to his. “Keep talking like that, and we really are going to skip the date and jump straight into bed.”
When I leaned forward for another kiss and he backed away, I pouted. He gave me a cheeky smirk. “Don’t worry, we’ll still have plenty of time for that. Now—” He placed his hands on my shoulders, spinning me around. “Go upstairs and get ready.” He smacked me on the butt, and I gasped, jumping away with a big grin.
“I have to know where we’re going, so I can dress appropriately.”
He backed toward the glass doors that led to the pool house. “There are two choices, with accessories for you, upstairs.”
My jaw dropped. “What? When did you have time to do all this?”
He smirked. “No more questions. Up you go. I’ll meet you back here at seven.”
I hurried up the stairs to my room, eager to see what Preston had planned. He’d clearly put a lot of thought into this date, and he’d expected me to say yes. I liked a man with confidence, and he certainly had it in spades. But it wasn’t the arrogance or cockiness of so many other men; it was a quiet confidence. And that was one of the sexiest things about him.
In my closet, there were two choices as promised. I’d wondered why he’d been so insistent on selecting my outfit, but I realized the moment I saw the vintage 1920s dresses. They were both so beautiful, so elegant. So glamorous.
I fingered the beading of the black flapper dress, tempted to pick it because it was classic—safe. But something about the gold sequined dress called to me, tempting me like the Hollywood screen sirens I wanted to emulate. And I had the perfect set of lingerie, a lace-trimmed silk bra and matching panties with a garter belt.
I took my time getting ready, watching a few YouTube tutorials for my hair and makeup. When I finally slipped into the dress, I could feel the rightness of my decision settle over me like the silk lining gliding over my skin. When I glanced in the mirror, I almost didn’t recognize the woman smiling back at me. I’d certainly undergone an outward transformation, but it was the inner one that surprised me most.
I was happy—more than happy, I was glowing. And it was all thanks to Preston. He’d given Sophia and me the support we’d been lacking, making us feel more like a family than ever. And he’d given me a confidence boost I hadn’t realized I needed. He made me feel incredible—like I could conquer anything.
I’d told Lauren this was nothing more than a fling, but I knew it was a lie. And that only became more apparent when I descended the stairs, the gold sequins swishing with every step. Preston stood at the bottom, peering up at me with such adoration and love, it had my heart careening down the stairs ahead of me.
