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An awful uncertainty swirled in her stomach, and despite her best efforts, the self-assured smile on her lips faltered. “But as you’ve seen, I have the invitation, the envelope with my name on it, and you have
my ID to confirm my identity.”
He shook his head as he handed the paperwork back to her. “I can only let in guests who’ve RSVP’d ahead of time. It’s a security issue. No exceptions.”
Elle’s stomach dropped and she could feel her face heat with humiliation as she put everything back into her small clutch purse. So much for Penelope’s brilliant idea. And now, with curious people watching, including her stepmother and sisters, she was being publicly banished from one of the most exclusive events of the year. God, could this moment be any more awkward and mortifying?
She turned to go, but not before she saw Helena’s gleeful smirk over the situation.
A myriad of emotions sliced though Elle, and she hated the tears of frustration that burned the back of her throat, but managed to keep them at bay and as much of her pride intact as possible. She’d only taken a few steps away from security and started reaching into her purse for her cell phone to call an Uber, since her driver had already left, when a man’s deep, commanding voice cut through the awful embarrassment surrounding Elle’s departure.
“Wait.”
The one word, spoken in an authoritative tone, reverberated through Elle’s entire body, and she instinctively obeyed the order and stopped, then turned around—and not just because she was a good girl who would never ignore someone with such obvious influence. No, her reasons for complying were inherently female and directly connected to something far more fundamental located at the very core of her sexual being that instinctively prompted her to respond to that strong, compelling male tone.
The sight of a devastatingly gorgeous man in a tuxedo striding toward her had Elle’s body flashing hot in awareness, but the downward pull of his full, sensual lips quickly doused her attraction like a bucket of cold water. Whoever the man was, he had an air of importance about him, which was solidified by the way the security guy regarded him with respect and a professional stance.
“Michael, is there an issue here?” the tuxedoed man demanded to know before shifting his direct, piercing golden-brown eyes to Elle.
Elle swallowed hard against the fluttering in her throat. The man was incredibly good-looking, with thick dark hair, chiseled features, and that intensely sexy gaze that should have made her nervous but instead made her weak in the knees. God, could this situation get any more demeaning? Was he going to berate her, too, before tossing her out? She wasn’t sure she could stand a double dose of being shamed.
“There is no issue, Mr. Wilder,” Michael said, providing Elle with the realization that the other gentleman was, indeed, very important. As in, one of the hosts of the Wilder Way ball.
The man’s gaze took in her face, then boldly flicked down to the soft swells of her breasts rising above the bodice of her gown before he returned to his conversation with Michael. Just that one brief look had her nipples tightening and aching against the fabric of her dress.
While Mr. Wilder’s expression had softened a bit, he was still blunt with his employee. “Then what is the problem? Why didn’t you let her through?”
“She provided an invitation and her identification, but her name wasn’t on the RSVP list, so I had to turn her away, which has always been standard protocol for these yearly events, sir.”
Elle was actually starting to feel bad for Michael, who was just trying to do his job, and she tried to smooth things over. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Wilder,” she said, and the mention of his name drew those seductive eyes back to her, making it difficult for her to think, let alone breathe properly. “There was a mistake with the invitation and the RSVP card,” she tried to explain. “I don’t want to cause any trouble for anyone. I’m leaving.”
Before she could turn to go a second time, he stopped her once again.
“No,” he said, his tone uncompromising. “You’re staying.”
Shock rippled through Elle at the unexpected request. Or was it an order? Either way, she was stunned by his decision.
Michael sputtered. “But sir—”
Wilder waved a hand in the air to cut off his security guy. “She’s staying, Michael. As my guest,” he insisted, and that was that. Michael said no more.
Elle’s Prince Charming stepped forward until he was standing right in front of her, so close she could breathe in the scent of his woodsy cologne, could see the darkening of his golden eyes and the captivating smile now curving his lips that did crazy, arousing things to her female hormones. Authoritative and intense was an incredibly hot look on him, but this charismatic version gradually emerging had the ability to sweep her off her feet.
“I’m Hunter Wilder,” he introduced himself and tipped his head curiously. “And you are?”
So incredibly smitten. Elle’s tongue suddenly felt tied, and while he was the epitome of confident male sophistication, she had to struggle not to swoon like a Disney princess in front of him. “My name is Elle.”
He raised a dark brow. “And your last name?”
She bit her bottom lip in debate, which didn’t go unnoticed by him as he candidly looked at her mouth like he wanted to devour it. The thought sent a jolt of lustful need pulsing deep and low, settling in all those dormant places that had forgotten what it felt like to be wanted and desired.
There was something incredibly magical about this moment, about tonight and this enigmatic man who’d made the decision to stop her from leaving when he easily could have watched her go. This evening was all about fairy tales, where anything could happen, and she wanted that enchanted, mysterious feeling to remain, because tomorrow, her less-than-appealing reality still awaited her. And she was fairly certain that an affluent, dynamic man like Hunter Wilder wouldn’t be interested in a woman who had a wealth of issues and problems currently plaguing her life.
With that thought in mind, she kept her reply coy and flirtatious and her full identity anonymous. “Tonight, it’s just Elle.”
“Okay, Just Elle,” he teased, his voice infused with amusement as he extended his bent arm to her in a gallant gesture. “Will you be my date for the evening and accompany me to the Wilder Way ball?”
Determined to have fun with this man and enjoy her evening, wherever it might lead, she nodded and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. “It would be my pleasure to be your date for the evening.”
