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“I take back what I said before. I like this guy,” Beth says, nodding her approval. “He had Cavalli make this for you. This once-off masterpiece sewn specifically for you and no one else.”
I feel a lone tear run down my cheek and quickly wipe it away. I’ve come too far to fall apart again now.
“You don’t like it? It’s beautiful,” Beth says, comforting me.
“It isn’t the dress, Beth. It’s that he thought of me like this. No man has ever cared this much about me,” I confess. But it’s a truth we both already know. “It’s the time and the effort it must have taken to do this, the fact that when he looks at me he really sees me despite where I am in my life right now.”
I recall all the sweet little gestures Ethan has made to show me he really is interested in me, the carefully planned dates, the thoughtful gifts and the way he makes me feel simply by being close to me. I know there is no way I can stop myself from falling in love with this man.
10
Ethan
Ispeak to Cassidy throughout the drive across town to her apartment talking about everything and nothing, the sound of her laughter ringing through the phone until I’m right outside.
I come out to meet her at the door and even though I had seen the dress before seeing her in it, it gives me a tingling feeling I’ve never felt before.
Every cell of my body dances while I stand perfectly still and for a moment I can’t even speak.
“Wow!” I finally say. I can hear my breathing is hard and heavy. I try to silence it.
“Ready to go?” Cassidy smiles. She’s dazzling and leads the way to the car. I trot behind her and open the door watching her slide in. The slit of her dress widening a little and blessing me with the sight of her bare thigh.
I clutch my chest walking behind the car and catch my breath before climbing into the car beside her.
I usually scoot across the seat to be close to her, but when I climb in she’s already in the middle of the seat leaving me no choice but to be thigh to thigh with her.
“I didn’t think you could possibly get more beautiful,” I whisper, taking her hand then motioning for the driver to start driving.
The car starts moving and Cassidy lays her head on my shoulder, “I’ve never been to the theater,” she confesses.
I rub my thumb on the back of her hand, “If you don’t like the theater we can go somewhere else,” I suggest.
“No,” she says, moving her head to look at me. Her face is so close to mine and it takes all my strength not to move forward and press my lips to hers.
“I’ve always wanted to go, I just never got the chance. I saw a play once in high school,” she laughs and puts head back on my shoulder.
“It was a noticeably low-budget beauty and the beast and all I could think about the whole time was that the beast looked more like a grizzly bear,” she giggles.
Her laughter makes me laugh too, not because of the grizzly bear, but because I just want to laugh with her.
What is this girl doing to me?
This isn’t a date, not for me anyway. It’s a means to an end. I’m here to prove a point.
“I promise this will be different,” I say, kissing the top of her head.
Her hair smells like coconuts, I had not noticed before. I didn’t even think I liked the smell of coconuts, but now, smelling it on her, it’s one of my new favorite scents.
Cassidy sighs relaxing, I feel her body heavier on mine and know she’s comfortable. She feels safe and for some strange reason this makes me feel good. Not because I’m a step closer to winning the bet with Edward, but in a wholesome way I can hardly get my head around.
“I really love this dress,” Cassidy says. “How did you get it so right? Are you an undercover fashion guru or something?” she laughs again.
She’s full of laughter today, her guard is down and she’s opening up more without me having to prod her.
“I’m a jack of all trades, baby,” I laugh, too self-conscious to tell her that every curve of her body has somehow engrained itself in mind.
“Thank you,” she smiles.
