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She leaned forward and squeezed my shoulders. “I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Are you sure you don’t want to wear any jewellery? I have some you could borrow.”
“No. I think there are enough sparkly bits in the dress. I’m good. Thank you.”
After over an hour of what I’d call fussing and faffing, Jeanie had finished.
“Right, love. Close your eyes and I’ll lead you over to the mirror.”
“All this suspense is killing me.” I almost stumbled with the dress catching around my ankles.
We came to a standstill.
“Open your eyes.”
I did, and my mouth opened and closed like a fish, my eyes wide.
“Oh… Oh,wow.” Words failed me.
She held a hand mirror so I could see the back. Some of my hair had been woven into an intricate plait which went around the hairline, almost like a band. There were a few strands down either side of my face that had been curled. The main body of my hair hung in soft, loose plaits down my back, and the end of the plait around my head had been curled into a knot. It reminded me of how Roman women I’d seen in pictures and on television wore their hair.
“Jeanie, this is amazing.” I turned and held her close.
Her eyes shimmered with tears. “I knew this style would look stunning on you.”
I went back to the mirror and tried to spot any grips holding it together. There were none. Not that were visible, anyway.
“How have you held this together?” I asked, still checking for grips.
“I’ve always had an interest in hairdressing.” She tapped the side of her nose. “Hiding grips and pins is an art form. This long life has given me more than enough time to study different styles.”
I threw myself into her arms and held her close. “Thank you,” I murmured against her. “I love it.”
“Hey, no more crying. I know you don’t have much makeup on, but we don’t want it smudged.”
“Karl is here to drive us to the ball. You guys good to go?”
“Yes. Be down in a minute.”
“Antoine said the car’s here.”
Jeanie patted my cheek. “I’ll go first. Then you come down, so Antoine gets the full effect of how beautiful you look.”
I waited two minutes and then opened the door. My heart thundered in my chest. My legs wobbled as I came down the stairs and headed towards the lounge. When I opened the door, Antoine was alone, staring out of the patio doors towards the sea. He turned, and I felt warm all over at how handsome he looked in his formal black suit, white shirt, and black tie. But that wasn’t what made me almost stagger backwards. It was the way he looked at me. His mouth was open wide, a small groan escaped from his lips, and his eyes darkened with hunger. I wrung my hands nervously.
Slowly, with that sexy, predatory walk of his, he came towards me.
“Turn around for me, babe.” His voice was low and husky.
I did as he asked, and his emotions were transferred to me. They were all mixed up. Love, lust, adoration, pride, and so much more. When I turned to face him again, he was staring at me in almost disbelief.
“Um, do I look okay?” I lowered my head when he still didn’t speak.
He took my face between his hands, eyes fully locked with mine. Tears shimmered in his eyes.
“I…” He licked his lips and cleared his throat. “I don’t know what to say. Fuck, Donna. You’re just too beautiful to convey in words.”
I leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I was thinking the same about you. Well… handsome, not beautiful.”
“Your hair is… amazing.”
