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Her lips tightened at his continued silence, and a shroud of concern clouded her eyes. “Jordan, please tell me if you don’t like it. You won’t be offending me if you tell me the truth. Is it not formal enough? I’ve been worried about that.”
He cleared his throat and forced his mouth to work. “It’s perfect, Jess. Absolutely stunning.”
And so was she.
* * *
She had to be in the middle of some kind of fairy tale. Jess sat in the backseat of the stretch limo, trying to process the moment she was living. A devilishly handsome man in a custom-tailored suit sat next to her as they drove through New York City in a chauffeur-driven limousine. When she’d first gotten the request to attend this ceremony in her mother’s place, she’d never dreamed that she’d be arriving to it in such a fashion.
She’d fully expected to take a cab downtown from her low-key motel just outside the city—the only kind she could afford in this part of the state. Then she’d expected to walk in, sit at a table surrounded by a bunch of strangers and count the minutes till she could leave.
Instead, here she was, about to enter the ballroom on the arm of one of Manhattan’s most eligible bachelors whose penthouse she was staying in. How could all of this be happening in one day?
Though she was trying hard not to think about why exactly a man like him would have a credit at a women’s boutique. Only one explanation made sense. Jordan must entertain women often enough that he felt the need to secure a retail service on standby.
That prospect bothered her more than she cared to examine.
“Nervous?” Jordan asked next to her.
Yes. For all sorts of reasons. “Maybe a little. Particularly about the walking on stage part,” she admitted.
He reached over across the seat and took her hand in his. Then he proceeded to brush the faintest of a kiss along her knuckles. Jess felt her insides turn to jelly. Heat swam through her core. Full-blown kisses from other men had evoked less of a response.
“You’ll be fine,” Jordan reassured her.
“Easy for you to say. You’re quite accustomed to this kind of thing.”
He chuckled. “I admit to having given a speech or two at various charity events.”
“I’m sure you have. And that you were both charming and inspirational.”
The strong, masculine hand around hers tightened ever so slightly. “Is that how you see me?”
The air suddenly grew heavy with his loaded question. How was she supposed to answer that?
Thankfully, Jordan spared her from having to. “Just focus on me and where I’m sitting. And think of how I’ll be silently cheering you on,” he added and gave her hand another squeeze.
As if she could focus on anything but him. The same way she had been pretty much since the first day they’d met.
“Thank you. That just may work.”
He didn’t let go of her hand and Jess was in no rush to do so, either. The contact was helping to reassure her in a way—about the award acceptance, that was. As far as her emotions regarding Jordan, his touch only seemed to be pushing those to the forefront and wreaking havoc on her equilibrium.
She didn’t feel any more steady when the car finally pulled up to the front of the banquet hall. On shaky legs, she let Jordan lead her out of the vehicle and up the stairs. A handful of photographers snapped a few photos as they entered the building but she was much too nervous to so much as smile, let alone stop to pose for pictures.
A well-heeled doorman in a dark suit met them at the ballroom doors and showed them to their table. The two couples already seated greeted them with warm smiles and brief introductions. Jess let out a sigh of relief as she settled into her chair. Wouldn’t be long now before the whole thing was over. Only about two or so hours to go.
“I think you may need a drink,” Jordan declared and motioned for a server.
“That might not be such a good idea. What if it goes to my head and I trip up the stairs?”
He laughed out loud at her potential embarrassment and she gave him a playful punch on the upper arm. “Then I shall gallantly come help you up and brush you off.”
She hadn’t expected to be quite this anxious. Jess cast a grateful glance in Jordan’s direction where he sat next to her. Thank heavens he was here with her. He was truly a godsend or she’d be a quivering mess sitting here all by herself with the chair next to her remaining empty if it wasn’t for him.
