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This year, Grammy award winning saxophonist Caden Granger--a resident and native of Charlottesville--would be performing. And actor Rob Lowe, another Charlottesville native, would be making an appearance. Hopefully, after tonight’s events, donations would begin to pour in.
She was giving herself a last-minute look over when she heard the doorbell. Glancing out the window, she saw the private car had arrived. She opened the door with a smile for the chauffeur, only to stand there gaping at the man on her front step. Her heart started to pound furiously in her chest. “Mr. Connelly, this is a surprise. I hadn’t expected you to be picking me up.”
“Mattie mentioned you weren’t bringing a date. So I thought, since I was using a private car, it would be more cost effective if we shared one. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” His reasoning made sense. In fact, she thought it would have made more sense for him not to have sent a car for her at all. She took a step back to let him enter. “I just need to grab my purse.”
“Take your time,” he said, glancing around.
She knew what he was probably thinking. His living room was bigger than her entire house. A few years ago, she had seen photographs of his home in a spread of House Beautiful magazine. It was gorgeous. But she couldn’t imagine only one person living there.
Grabbing her purse and wrap off the coffee table, she turned back to him. He was frowning. “Is something wrong?” she asked.
“No, nothing is wrong. Ready to leave?”
“Yes.” He was no longer frowning and when his lips curved into a smile, her heartrate sped up again.
Why did he have to look so good in his tux? It was hard to believe he was almost fifty. Except for a few gray hairs at his temple, the man looked like he was in his early forties. He definitely had the body of someone much younger. But then, she recalled seeing that he’d built a gym in the basement of his house in that magazine spread.
He waited on the porch while she locked up. Then she turned and came to a stop in front of him. “I’m all set.”
He nodded. “And you look very beautiful tonight.”
She wished his words didn’t affect her the way they did. She knew he’d only said them to be kind. “Thank you, Mr. Connelly. You look nice, too.”
He smiled again and that smile stirred something within her. “Thank you, Ms. Danville.”
He escorted her to the Town Car where his chauffeur stood waiting with the door opened. As she settled into the car’s soft leather cushions, she had a feeling tonight would be special, an evening she would remember for a long time.
After all, it had already started off with a surprise.
AS FRAZIER SLID INTOthe seat beside Rylee, he felt as if every part of his body was under siege. But then, he’d known he was in trouble the moment she’d opened her door. The dress she was wearing clung to her body, emphasizing the curves he so admired when she strutted across the parking lot. And it was the perfect length to showcase her long, gorgeous legs.
He shifted in his seat, grateful the car was relatively dark. He didn’t need Rylee seeing just what an effect her beauty was having on him. Still, his reaction to her couldn’t be helped. He’d been fascinated by her since the day he’d first met her. Even her scent, floating through the car’s interior, captivated him.
As the car moved toward the interstate, she looked everywhere else but at him. But if she thought he would allow himself to be ignored all the way to the event, she was mistaken.
“So, what’s on the agenda tonight?” he asked.
His question required that she look at him and he used the opportunity to study her as well, taking in every detailhe could see with the moonlight coming in through the car. He was tempted to turn on the ceiling light to get a better look at her, but he resisted that temptation.
“It should be a great night. For entertainment, we have Caden Granger and Vincent Giles along with his eleven-piece orchestra. Rob Lowe RSVP’d that he’d be there tonight too, as well as a few other celebrities who call Charlottesville home.”
“That’s wonderful. Sounds like you’ve arranged a star-studded night.”
“I’m hoping everyone attending comes with their checkbooks,” she said.
“I’m sure they will. It’s a worthy cause.”
When the car stopped at a traffic light downtown, the bright lights spilling into the car highlighted her exquisite features and he took the opportunity to admire her a little more. In addition to loving the outfit she was wearing, he liked her hairstyle as well. She had a bevy of curls piled high on her head and he thought the style complemented the shape of her eyes and full lips.
“Since we have a little time, Ms. Danville, why don’t you tell me about yourself? Are you a native of Charlottesville?” He knew she was, but wanted to hear it from her. And he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by suggesting they use their first names. That would come later.
She nodded. “Yes, I was born here in Charlottesville. I even went to college here.”
“Any siblings?”
“No, I’m an only child.”
