“What if I’m busy?” Gigi had ethical issues about taking gifts. She didn’t want to lose her job. “The thought is sweet.”
Erica quoted, “School rules state you cannot accept a gift of over twenty dollars per student. This is a combined gift from us.”
The rest of the students filed in. Raphael added, “We know you women want to look hot for men. Now go on.”
Erica covered his mouth, telling him to shush.
Gigi smelled a plot. She opened the envelope and found a gift certificate and an appointment card for a prominent spa for her hair and a massage with body wrapping. “Did Mr. Collins tell you anything about me?”
“No, why?” Kendra’s sweet smile smelled of a setup. “We all know he’s your boyfriend now, because we locked you in the elevator.”
“No. That wasn’t right at all.” Her face warmed and she feared a blush. Best to end the conversation. “Thanks. I’ll get going then, or else I might miss the appointment.”
The students looked congratulatory, but at least getting her hair done presented a distraction.
Her stomach refused to settle.
She left and took the appointment today.
Once at the fancy spa, her nose for a plot went up in droves. She had a four-hour spa appointment before her hair cut? Don’t they close? And then the woman measured her waist and thighs ‘for the body rub. “Did Sean Collins plan this?” Gigi asked her handler.
The woman shrugged. “Would you be upset if he had?”
Gigi must have made a face for the sales clerk said, “Relax and enjoy the spa.”
A few hours later, Gigi came home, spray-tanned, hair cut, massaged, tweezed, and made over in a variety of manners. She called Sean on both his house phone and cellular, but he never answered.
She pressed her lips together and told herself it was one night. She’d survive till tomorrow and their big date. Now she needed to figure out what to wear. It was something to do. And if she didn’t shake off her nerves, the date would have too much overloaded energy flying around. Staying calm, she trusted in love.
Chapter 46
A knock at the door came exactly as the clock indicated exactly ten A.M. Gigi applied the last layer of her lipstick, checked her jeans and shirt for strange stains, then opened the door.
Leaning on her door, Sean took her breath away in his black suit pants and crisp white shirt.
“Come in,” she said. “I’m underdressed.”
He brushed past her and handed her a single red rose. She took the flower to her nose then kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll get a vase.”
Arms snaked around her waist, preventing her from leaving. Slowly she turned back to him. Her skin brushed his body, and he warmed her. She kissed him on the lips. His firm, strong frame on her body flipped on a switch. She eased out of the kiss to say, “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
“Impossible, stubborn woman that you, Gigi. I love you, too. Now let’s get going. We have a busy day.”
Her body tingled. “What’s going on? Let me go change into something nicer.”
“Get your purse, Gigi. I have everything handled.”
She followed directions. Then she rushed off to put the rose in water. Hurrying back, she grabbed her purse and took his hand, then locked the door behind her.
She glanced past his shoulder to the waiting limo. “We’re going somewhere fancy? I do have nice dresses to wear.”
“Get in the limo. Don’t worry about where. Appease me, though, who do you love?”
“You.” She laughed, kissed his cheek, and got in the limo.
When he closed the door behind him, she tickled him. He hadn’t expected her to do that, laughed, and took her on top of him for a kiss. Then he tickled her stomach, causing her to flip back.
The limo took off. She pleaded, “Mercy, cheese head.”
“What did you call me?” He kept tickling her.
“Che . . . ese . . . head.” She giggled uncontrollably, but she squeaked out the word.
“Take it back.” He continued tickling her unmercifully.
“Mercy, please Sean.”
He stopped tickling her. “I can’t believe you said that.”
“You ate thirty pieces of cheese, proving something macho.” She remembered one of the happy carefree days of childhood.
Sean brushed her hair with his hand. “Geegs, I’ve made some decisions regarding us.”
She closed her eyes, letting the warmth envelop her and then laid her head on his shoulder. “Like what?”
“Like I need you to open your eyes.”
A princess-cut two-carat diamond blinked at her, illuminating the darkness of the limo with bounces of color. Gigi blinked. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Marry me.”
“What?” She lost her balance. “Are you serious?”
“I always pictured you when I heard the word ‘wife.’ The police closed their inquiry in Jennifer’s death yesterday, ruling it death by natural cause, meaning my future is clear.”
“Not what I meant.” She sat up and put her hand on Sean’s cheek. “You’ve been planning this day. How did you know I’d say yes?”
“Ahh.” He laughed. “I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”
“Put the ring on me then.”
The limo stopped and people partying could be heard outside.
Sean kissed her, and slipped the ring on at the same time.
She laughed. “I thought we were going to have the day to ourselves, alone.”
“We will. Today is about us.” He opened the door, and the crowd cheered, “Congratulations.”
Sean helped her get out of the limo.
His four brothers were in suits. Then Gigi stared further into the crowd. Sean’s parents were toasting with champagne, and a three-tier white cake sat on display in the gazebo. White chairs pointed in the distance, and a flowered aisle complete with a red walkway overlooked the bluff with the chapel. Realization took her a minute. “Did you plan our wedding?”
“My Gigi has this history of taking off on me, and I can’t keep losing you. So our wedding is today.”
Tears formed in her eyes. Happy tears. “Okay, Sean. You win this one time. I love you.”
“Back at you, Geegs.”
Also by Victoria Pinder and Soul Mate Publishing:
THE ZOASTRA AFFAIR
A hundred years from now, Earth has trading partners with alien beings, mostly humanoid. However, going into space has brought forth an unknown enemy who attacks Earth at will.
The Zoastra are part of the Earthseekers, an organization originally designed to go into space. Its new mission is to find Earth’s enemies.
Ariel, stuck on a Victorian planet, steals Grace’s body in order to get off the planet. Now Grace must get her body back before Ariel bonds with Grace’s husband, Peter. Then there is Cross, the man on a mission to find those who killed his family. Ariel is attracted to Cross, but she’s stolen someone’s life. What can she do?
BORROWING THE DOCTOR
Daniel’s tale, available summer 2014.
And,
ELECTING LOVE
Gerard’s tale, available fall 2014
Chaperoning Paris (Collins Brothers) Page 23