“My hair?” Ellie reaches into her hair, holding it up like a pony tail. “Up?” She releases it, and her wavy strands fall right above her breasts. The hard peaks of her nipples poking through the fabric of her dress distracting me. “Or down?”
Yep, she is definitely going to kill me.
I cough trying to clear my throat. “Down. Definitely down.”
“Okay, great! Then I’m basically done. I just need a few more minutes.” I watch as she moves around the hotel room like a hurricane. She shoves her phone and what I believe is a tube of lipstick into her small purse. Grabbing a pair of heels out of her bag, she sits on the edge of the bed to put them on. They are sexy—strappy and black—and have a little clasp around the ankle. As she leans over to put them on, I can see straight down the front of her dress. Delicate lace lines the tops of her breasts, and my mouth waters at the sight.
God, she looks so fucking beautiful.
She looks up at me, her fingers attempting to fasten the tiny closure. “You’re going to have to stay close. I am pretty good with heels, but when there is alcohol involved I don’t have a great track record.” When she stands up, she is glowing, absolutely radiant. “So… how do I look?”
I stare at her, wondering how I'm supposed to answer that appropriately. You look so good that I don’t want us to leave this hotel room? You’re so stunning that I think I might have a heart attack on the spot? You look so hot in that dress that I would willingly suffocate between your legs?
I have to scan through my brain to find a suitable answer, but it takes so long to process through the depraved filth my imagination created that I start to see her smile fade.
Panic hits me quick, overriding my dirty thoughts. I refuse to let Ellie think badly about herself, especially when she looks like she was sent from heaven to torture me. Grasping her hand, I pull her up and make her do a little twirl.
With that perfect smile back on her face, I bend down so we're at eye level. “I think that every single person at this dinneris either going to be jealous that they don’t look like you or they don’t get to be with you.”
She blushes softly, that pretty pink color I love so much.
“Well, you must feel very lucky that I’m leaving with you tonight.” She gives me a wink with a confidence that could knock me off my feet, and I’m convinced that my heart can’t handle Ellie flirting in any capacity when she is looking like that.
I’m grateful to have an excuse to touch Ellie, even if it is just temporary.
My hand rests on her lower back as we walk into the fully decorated hotel ballroom.
ERI continues to outdo themselves in sparing no expense this weekend. In the corner, there is a small group of musicians playing string instruments. The open bar is large and fully stocked, which we will be avoiding for the time being since Greg appears to be camped out there. I manage to snag two glasses of champagne from a wandering waiter and hand one over to Ellie. Her face scrunches as she takes a sip of the bubbly liquid, and it makes me want to kiss her.
There is a six course menu with preset options, chosen in advance, so we don’t have to do any thinking tonight. The room is set up in a way for everyone to mingle and have a good time before and after dinner, but there is some organization with seats being assigned with name cards.
Thankfully, they decided to seat departments together, so when we arrive at the table that has our names on it, we find Wes,Natalie, Tom, and Tom’s wife, Megan, already sitting down. I pull out Ellie’s chair for her and watch as Megan, Natalie, and Wes immediately gush over how beautiful Ellie looks before I even have a chance to sit down.
“Damnnnnn, Ellie. You clean up nice.” Wes gives me a wink, and I give him a look that makes him shut his mouth.
Megan cuts in. “I love your dress! Where did you get it?”
Ellie smooths the fabric over her lap and offers a small smile. “Oh, thank you. I bought it at a store right outside of Walford a few years ago, but this is the first time I’ve worn it out.”
It’s obvious to me that Ellie is a bit nervous, but I am extremely grateful she came here with me this weekend. Reaching out, I intertwine her fingers with mine and sit back while she keeps chatting.
“Well, you look absolutely stunning.” Natalie’s voice butts in. The way Ellie’s face lights up from the compliment makes my heart so full. “You’ll have to take me there some time. Iloveshopping.”
“Sure, I’d like that a lot.” She smiles but looks up to me for reassurance.
I truly wish that Ellie could see herself the way I do. Strong, smart, beautiful. Planting a kiss on her temple, I whisper, “See, El. I told you that everyone would think you looked gorgeous tonight. I feel very lucky that you’re here with me.”
Throughout the night, I watch as Ellie and Natalie start to bond. Natalie and I have been coworkers for a couple years, and she is insanely cool. She is a travel junkie with a million hobbies, but the thing I like most about her that she doesn’t put up withanyone’s shit. She is also selective about who she spends her time with and as genuine as they come.
Ellie’s told me before that it is hard for her to make and keep friends, which makes sense because I only ever see her with Nick. And, I hope that Ellie decides to take her up on her offer to hang out at some point.
When I hear my name mentioned in their conversation, I turn my attention back to the table. “So, Patrick tells me that you’re getting a Master’s in English? That is so awesome! I’ve always wanted to write a memoir about myself, but I don’t think I have the skill. I’d be so down for you to be my ghost writer.”
Realizing the opportunity to get Ellie talking about her dream job, I interrupt. “Actually, Ellie’s interested in becoming a book editor, so if you play your cards right, she might be able to help you after you find the motivation to write it yourself.”
I wink at Ellie and make a mental note to myself to do some research about becoming a book editor. Ellie already told me that she would like to get a more practical job that pays better, but I’ll be damned if I won’t provide some resources for her so she can make an informed decision.
Before Ellie can respond, Natalie’s enthusiasm takes over. “Oh my gosh! That is so cool. You’ll have to tell me more about that.”
