Anna rounded the corner with a dressing rack with various full-length dresses fitted for someone walking the red carpet. “I don’t believe those are mine,” said Ava. “I’m only here to get something to wear for an evening dinner.”
“Mr. Harrington’s instructions were explicit. A long evening gown fit for a special night.”
“He said those exact words? Special Night?”
Valerie nodded her head.
Ava rose to her feet and browsed through the gowns. There was every brand imaginable, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, and the list goes on. As she went one by one through the clothing, only two caught her eye. She lifted both off the rack. “I would like to try these on.”
Valerie smiled. “Perfect choice. Either one will complement your height and slender frame.” She led Ava into a dressing room. She felt like a princess in a dream. The words special night played in the back of her mind as she slid one dress up her body. I wonder what he’s up to. She stepped out of the dressing room where Anna promptly zipped her up. Ava stood in front of the mirror and smiled. Valerie was right, the dress was perfect. No need to try on the other one because this was the one. It was a black column-styled one-shoulder dress, the bodice was black tulle with a sequined wave design that prevented her breast from being exposed.
Valerie stepped around her, eying the dress with her finger on her chin. “It’s a tad long. Our tailor will need to adjust the hem.”
“But I need it for tonight.”
“We understand. There isn’t a dress here that wouldn’t need an adjustment. Are you sure this is your final choice? There’s much more to try on.”
Ava shook her head. “This is the one.”
“It looks stunning on you. I’m sure this selection will satisfy Mr. Harrington.”
“I know it will.”
Anna marked the bottom of the dress with a tailor’s chalk and advised they will have it ready before closing and delivered to her hotel room. Ava then picked out the perfect pair of black Jimmy Choo shoes to accompany the dress. She exited the dressing room and retrieved her phone from her purse. Before she could send Justin a text, he entered the boutique doors with the man in the gray suit. “Hey, I was just about to text you,” she said, smiling.
He turned to the older gentleman. “William, I’ll be with you in a second.”
The man nodded and ascended the stairs to the men’s section.
“Did you find a dress?”
“Yes, the hem needs adjusting. They’ll have it delivered this evening. Did you tell them the dress is for a special evening?”
“I did.”
“You haven’t said a word to me about this special evening.”
“Every evening I spend with you is special.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
Ava cut her eyes at him and grinned. She knew him well enough to know when he’s up to something. “Fine, keep your secrets.”
“I need to purchase a tie to go with my suit, I shouldn’t be long. You can wait out in the car.” He kissed her again on the cheek before proceeding up the steps. She smiled as she exited the store. Whatever he had planned, she wouldn’t ruin it by badgering him with questions. Instead, she would sit back and enjoy their time together.
Chapter Thirty-seven
After spending the day visiting every tourist attraction San Francisco offered, Ava and Justin retired to their hotel room. Exhaustion had hit her hard, and she was ready for a nap. They’d visited China Town, had lunch near Union Square, and against her better judgment, she allowed Justin to talk her into walking up the famous zig-zag, crooked Lombard Street. Because she doesn’t work out regularly as he does, every muscle in her body ached by the time they reached the top of the hill. However, she had forgotten all about the aches and pain when she saw that view. Incredible doesn’t even begin to describe it. She and Justin documented the moment with a selfie with the view of the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.
“Are you enjoying your day, so far?” asked Justin, he sat across from her in the living area removing his sneakers.
Ava laid across the sofa. “My legs are so sore. If we didn’t have dinner plans, I would sleep until morning.”
“It’s six now.” He glanced at his watch. “Dinner is at eight-thirty.”
“At least I have time for a quick nap.” She closed her eyes and heard a knock on the door. “Who’s that?”
“It’s probably the concierge.” Justin answered the door and returned with two garment bags in hand. The black garment bag had white lettering, while the other was white with black lettering.
“Is that my dress?” she asked, jumping to her feet.
“Yes.” He read the tag on the white garment bag. “This one is yours.”
He handed her the bag. “And that one?” she asked, pointing to the black bag.
“Something I picked up for myself while you waited in the car.”
“More secrets, huh?”
“Go take your nap, and I won’t disturb you or enter the room. I’m sure you want to surprise me with your dress. Just make sure you are ready no later than eight-fifteen.”
“And where will you be?”
“I’ll dress in the small room over there.” He pointed to the room near the kitchen.
“That’s an office.”
“It has all the space I need. I’ll use the shower in the smaller bathroom. I just need my suitcase.”
After Justin retrieved his bag and exited the room. Ava plopped down on the king-sized bed and fell asleep. When she woke, only twenty minutes had passed. Her excitement about the night wouldn’t allow her to sleep any longer. So, she showered and washed her hair. After blowing drying and flat ironing her tresses, she slipped on her dress. She gazed at her reflection, and a smile etched across her face. She wondered to herself how she got lucky enough to have a man like Justin. She could honestly say for the first time in her life she was truly in love. No one she’s ever been with comes close to the depth of love she has for this man.
After applying her makeup, she removed her black velvet case that held her jewelry. She removed the apology gift Justin had bought her months ago. She always packed it when she traveled. Ava placed the ten-carat necklace around her neck and the teardrop earrings in each ear. She checked her reflection in the full-length mirror and grabbed her black clutch bag from the dresser and emerged from the bedroom. As she turned the corner, she found Justin with his back turned, pouring himself a drink at the wet bar. He turned his head towards the window and appeared deep in his thoughts, seemingly not noticing her. When he turned her way, her breath came to a sudden pause. She scanned him from head to toe. He stood devastatingly handsome in a black tuxedo. His clean-shaven face and impeccable combed hair added to his debonair style. He returned her gaze with his own look of awe.
“You… are… breathtaking,” he said, stepping closer to her.
“And look at you. I’ve forgotten what you looked like without facial hair.”
“You like?” he asked with a grin.
“I love it.” She stroked his smooth face.
He reached for her hand and kissed her palm. “You are incredibly beautiful and the dress…” He shook his head as his eyes scanned the length of her body.
“Thank you. We’re quite dressed up for just a dinner.”
“It’s your first time here, and we’ve had so much going on lately. I thought we would have a special night without any talk of business or complicated family matters. Just you and I enjoying each other company.”
He was right. The past months he’s been busy with business, his dad, and the move to their new home. Before that, it was even more chaotic. It had been a while since they’ve had a night out and enjoyed themselves.
She and Justin rode the elevator to the tenth floor. As the doors opened, a sign stood in the middle of the hall. “It says the restaurant is closed for a private party,” she said turning his way.
“I know.” He took her hand and led her through the
glass doors.
The dimly lit space was empty except for the staff. “Mr. Harrington, your table on the terrace is ready.”
“Thank you,” he said.
With her hand still in his, he led her to a table outside on the rooftop. It provided a magnificent view of the bay and twinkling lights of the Golden Gate Bridge. He pulled back a chair and motioned for her to sit. Ava sat and scooted the chair close to the table. He moved to the other side. “I’m assuming we’re the private party.”
“Am I wrong for wanting privacy?” he asked.
“Not at all.”
He reached for her hand. “Do you recall our first date?”
“Of course. It was at Ivy’s.”
“I’m not ashamed to admit this, but I was pretty nervous.”
“Not the guy who had women throwing themselves at him,” she joked.
“That’s not always a good thing. It’s hard to find substance in a crowd of inferiority.” His fingertips caressed her skin. “It took some convincing for you to agree to go out with me, and I didn’t want to blow it.”
“That night was perfect. There’s nothing you could’ve done to ruin it.” She beamed at the memory.
“I’m not so sure. When I walked you to your car, I wanted nothing more than to take you in my arms and kiss you.”
“I also have a confession.”
“You do?”
“I wanted to kiss you just as much,” she laughed.
“You did?” His brows lifted. “Not the woman who had a list of dating rules.”
“Yeah, I was unlike most people my age.”
“That’s what attracted me to you. You were different in a quirky sort of way.”
A waiter arrived with a chilled bottle of white wine. He uncorked the bottle and poured the golden liquid in their glasses. “Is anyone going to take our order?” she asked when the waiter walked away.
“I had the chef prepare a dinner of your favorites.” He lifted the glass to his mouth. “I want you to have the perfect evening.”
The waiter brought out an appetizer of seared scallop with butternut squash puree. One thing Ava had learned from her introduction to fine dining is every dish was like a work of art. More like a delicate masterpiece, you hate to cut into fearful of ruining the perfection. She placed a bite in her mouth and closed her eyes. She expelled a sigh of approval as the well-seasoned scallop danced on her taste buds.
“I assume it has met your approval?” asked Justin.
“This is the best scallop I’ve ever tasted!”
“Pilar is the finest chef we’ve had at this location. Trent lured her away from a competitor.”
“You guys better hold on to her.”
The couple enjoyed their dinner of butter poached lobster tail and fettuccine. When it was time for dessert, Ava couldn’t wait to indulge in a slice of chocolate caramel cake, and Pilar’s rendition did not disappoint. After she ate the last crumb, she dropped the fork onto the plate and fell back in the chair with a smile of satisfaction.
“Full?” asked Justin.
“Full enough to sleep.”
He rose to his feet. “What if we dance, instead?” He held out his hand.
“I can’t think of a better way to end the evening.”
She took his hand, and he led her inside the restaurant where a three-man band stood on a small stage. One stood behind a microphone strapped with a guitar, the other was on drums, and the third guy played a keyboard. “Did you hire them?”
“They are our house band,” he said. As soon as Justin placed his arms around her waist, the band began. The music played, and before the singer could utter one note, a huge smile took over her face. “That’s my favorite song!” she exclaimed. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran.
“I know,” said Justin.
She rested her head on his chest as they swayed to the sweet sound of the music. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she mouthed the lyrics of the song. It’s been such a beautiful night, one she didn’t want to end. The band played one additional song before Justin kissed the top of her head and whispered in her ear. “It’s time for us to go.”
“Already?” she asked, meeting his eyes.
“Yeah. We have to reopen for the late-night crowd.”
“Do you have to?” she asked, with a whine in her voice.
He reached for her clutch on a nearby table. “Come on. We can hang out in our suite.”
With reluctance, she made her way to the elevator. “Thank you for tonight.”
“You’re welcome.” He pressed the number nine button on the elevator. He suddenly fell silent, as if something were on his mind.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Just thinking about a proposition I’d written before we left. I’m going over the wording in my head.”
“Hey…” She playfully hit him on the shoulder. “You said no talk of business tonight. That includes wandering thoughts.”
“You’re absolutely right.” He stepped aside as the elevator doors open to allow her to exit first.
“As soon as we get into the room, I’m taking off this dress, and we’ll chill for the rest of the night.”
Justin remained silent as they approached the door. He pulled the key card from his pocket, dropping it to the floor.
She shot him a quizzical look. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
He entered and held open the door. She paused as her eyes traveled down the long entryway. White candles illuminated the hallway, and scattered red rose petals met her at the door.
“Are you coming in?” asked Justin.
Ava’s heartbeat quickened as she followed the trail of rose petals into the living area, where it formed a giant heart surrounded by more candles. “What’s all this?” she asked.
He took her hand and pulled her close. “You know I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She thought she saw a tear form in his eye.
He kissed her and led her within the rose petal heart. Their eyes met as he held both her hands. He expelled a heavy breath.
“When I fell in love with you, I tried desperately to hide my feelings, but you can’t fight destiny. It made our paths cross and blindsided my heart with an emotion I fought to resist. The fight didn’t last long, because our time apart helped me realize what was missing from my life.” He wiped a tear that had fallen down her cheek. “It was you. I’d come to realize I couldn’t live my life without you.” He stepped back and reached into his tuxedo coat pocket.
Ava’s eyes lingered on the black box in his hand as the pace of her breaths quickened and her legs wobbled like jello. “Justin,” she said in a tiny voice. She’s been here before, but this time was different. She didn’t want to run and hide. There wasn’t a feeling of humiliation or embarrassment. This time her heart brimmed with love.
Justin knelt before her on bended knee. He opened the black box to reveal a glistening emerald shaped diamond solitaire. She couldn’t move her eyes away from the large stone. Every muscle in her face quivered, tears fell from her eyes, and her hand covered her gaping mouth.
He looked up at her with nervousness in his eyes. “You are my best friend, my confidante, and the woman who owns my heart. However, it isn’t enough until I make you my wife. Ava, my love, will you please marry me?”
“Yes,” she said, without a hint of hesitation. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” Her hand trembled as Justin slipped the gigantic diamond on her slender finger.
Justin stood, cupped her face, and placed soft kisses on her lips. Ava pulled away and placed her hand in his. She led him to the bedroom. She removed her earrings and necklace, placing them on the dresser. Justin moved behind her and without an uttered word, he placed quick kisses on her neck while unzipping her dress. Ava pulled the dress down to her ankles, allowing it to puddle at her feet. In silence, she helped Justin undress by unbuttoning his shirt, while he tossed his coat to the floor. Her hands traveled to his pant zipper. His blue eyes met hers and like a fire had igni
ted between them, their lips met full of passion and fever. Their tongues explored and intertwined. Ava felt a desire to be with him unlike she’s had before. Her body and insides ached for him.
Justin lifted her into his arms and placed her on the bed. In one smooth motion, he removed her black lace thong. As if he were about to perform a delicate procedure, he carefully spread her legs. She bit on her lower lip and squirmed as his tongue traveled up and down her inner thigh. The tip of his tongue encircled her bellybutton before moving south. An audible moan filled the room as Justin found the spot that made her body quiver.
“Justin!” she cried, as her fingers formed a fist in his hair. His hands played with her breasts while he continued to pleasure her with his mouth, causing her body to go into overdrive. She couldn’t wait any longer. She needed to feel him inside of her, and as if he read her mind, he turned her over and entered her from behind. A pleasurable moan escaped her lips with each satisfying stroke. Right as she was about to reach a gratifying finish, Justin pulled out and turned her over onto her back. Their eyes locked, and he entered her once more. With her hands placed beside her head, they interlocked their fingers.
“Love you,” said Justin, his eyes still burning through her. Before she could respond, his lips met hers. She removed her hand from his and wrapped it around his neck. She held on for dear life as her pleasure met its peak. Ava’s body stiffened as she cried his name. After several grunts, he collapsed on top of her. He kissed her flushed cheek and rolled beside her. She inched closer and closed her eyes. Falling asleep in his arms.
Chapter Thirty-eight
Lips pressed against her cheek woke Ava from her sleep. She opened her eyes to Justin beaming down on her. She slowly turned his way and lifted her left hand, hoping last night wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t. She smiled at the diamond ring staring back at her.
Deceived by You Page 20