Page 73 of Pretend To Be Mine

She stopped and turned to look at me. “Yes?”

“I need, uh, whatever Elizabeth was wearing before she put the dress on. Can you have someone bring it here, please?”

She frowned and then her eyes dropped to my bare chest. Then she grinned. “Of course.”

I closed the door and turned back to Elizabeth. She was trying to smooth her hair, looking adorably disheveled and thoroughly kissed.

“I can’t believe we just did that,” she said, laughing nervously. “With thousands of people just on the other side of that wall.”

“Worth it.” I crossed back to her, unable to resist one more kiss. “Completely worth it.”

She melted into me for a moment before pulling back. “You need to go. The press is waiting.”

“I know.” But I still didn’t move.

Another knock, softer this time.

“Mr. Blackwell? I have Miss Laramie’s clothes.”

I opened the door to find one of the assistants holding Elizabeth’s jeans and sweater, carefully folded. I took them with a nod of thanks and closed the door again.

“Here.” I handed them to her. “Get dressed. Take your time. I’ll handle the press.”

I forced myself to finish dressing, checking my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a mess, my lips slightly swollen. Anyone with eyes would know exactly what I’d been doing. I tried to fix it, running my fingers through my hair and straightening my collar.

Elizabeth appeared beside me in the mirror, now dressed in her jeans and sweater, considerably more put together than I felt.

“You have lipstick,” she said, reaching up to wipe at the corner of my mouth with her thumb. “There.”

I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm.

“Thank you,” I said. “For tonight. For stepping up when we needed you. For being incredible.”

“Anytime. Now go. Before Annika breaks down the door.”

“You should go home,” I said. “Get some rest. We’re leaving for London tomorrow. You’ll need your energy.”

“What about you?”

“I need to stay and handle the post-show craziness.” I pressed a kiss to her hair. “It’ll be a few more hours at least.”

“I could stay.”

“You’ve done more than enough tonight. You saved the show. You were magnificent.”

She blushed. “I was scared out of my mind.”

“Couldn’t tell. You looked like you were born to walk runways.”

“Now you’re just trying to get in my pants.”

I winked. “Already did. Go home. Sleep. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at five.”

“I will. Thank you. For everything. For letting me be part of this.”

“Thank you for being part of it.”

I walked her to the stage door where my car was waiting. One more kiss.