I smile as I get up and flick the kettle on. “Sure looks like it.”
Natasha, Adrian and I sit on the floor at the back of the ballroom. Natasha has her shoes off and we’re each having a much-deserved soft drink. It’s four in the afternoon, and we have worked our asses off all day long. The stupid coordinator called in sick and then the girl who took her place knew nothing, so we ended up doing the lot. We set one hundred tables, each with ten places. Full cutlery, full table arrangements… you name it, we did it. Adrian had about five meltdowns at the incompetent staff missing butter knives and cutlery. The table flower arrangements were nothing like what Natasha ordered, so her and I did them all again. We both have about a thousand rose thorn pricks on our fingers and have established that we can swear like sailors when forced to.
“I’m too tired to come tonight.” Natasha sighs. “Bed sounds really, really good.”
I laugh and nod. “Same.”
“I’m exhausted. This function coordinating is over the top,” Adrian replies dryly.
I lean my head back on the wall behind me. “If I don’t eat soon, I may faint,” I grumble.
Natasha burst out laughing. “Way to chase you away.” She elbows Adrian as if this is his fault. “Don’t tell Cam we didn’t even feed you.”
I smile. “There was food. I just didn’t get time to eat it.”
“Thank you so much, Ash. We wouldn’t have got it done without you.” Adrian smiles as he takes my hand in his.
We sit for another ten minutes as we try to get the energy to go home and get ready.
“If I fall asleep at the table tonight, it’s that stupid fucking coordinators fault,” Tash sighs as she stands.
I smile as Adrian pulls me to my feet.
Natasha looks at her watch. “Ash, I’ll send my hairdresser and makeup girl down to your room when she’s finished. Should be there about six, is that okay?”
“Oh.” I frown. “That’s not necessary. I can do it myself, but thanks so much anyway.”
“Nonsense,” Adrian snaps. He throws his arm around mine and Natasha’s shoulders as we walk toward the exit. “Both my girls need good hair.”
I stare at the mirror as the makeup girl paints on the last of my gloss red lips. I feel like a movie star. I’m wearing a gold sequin designer dress that is fitted and backless with spaghetti straps. My hair is down and set in Hollywood curls, and my makeup is out of this world. When I knew I was wearing this dress, I even bought matching sexy cream underwear. I’m buzzing with nerves. I’m tired, yet excited, and I’ve missed Cameron today. I’ve seen him for all of ten minutes.
“So, this is your lipstick and then this is the lacquer to put over the top. And here is the powder if you get a bit shiny to reapply throughout the night.” The trendy makeup girl smiles as she hands everything over.
“Okay.” I look around for my purse. “How much do I owe you for this?”
She smiles warmly. “It’s all been taken care of. Nothing to pay.”
“Oh.” I frown. This seems so weird. “Are you sure?”
She nods. “Have fun.” And with one last look at me she smiles and leaves the bathroom. I blow out a breath as I turn and check out my behind, once more. I walk out into the bedroom and then into the lounge area where Cameron is standing at the window in a black dinner suit and tie, a glass of Scotch in his hand. He turns and smiles sexily as his eyes drop down my body.
“You look fucking beautiful,” he growls in that come-fuck-me voice he uses so well.
I try to stifle my goofy smile.
He circles me as he does his inspection, and I wipe my hands nervously on my thighs as I feel the heat from his gaze.
“You know what that dress would look great with?” he purrs.
“What?” I whisper.
“My cock in your mouth.”
I giggle. “Sex maniac.”
He brushes my hair back over my shoulder and kisses my collarbone softly. “I’m an Ashley maniac.” His mouth trails up and over my neck and then kisses my ear. “You look beautiful, Bloss,” he whispers. “I’m so proud to have you on my arm tonight.”
Tears instantly fill my eyes, and he frowns. “What’s wrong?”
I swallow the lump in my throat. Stop it. “I’m just really happy Cam, and I’m scared this is going to end,” I whisper.
He smiles as he takes my lips in his and kisses me softly. “It’s not. Don’t be scared.”
“Promise me if something comes up between us, you won’t walk away,” I whisper against his lips.
His tongue dives deeper and I feel his cock harden against my thigh. “Stop being so fucking gorgeous or you going to be bent over this bed and fucked hard.”
I smile as he wipes my tears and he seems to suddenly remember something. “Oh, I got you something today.”
I frown.
He disappears into the other room and reappears with a small, navy blue, velvet box and hands it to me.
I stare at the box for a moment. “What? Why? I-”
“Just open it,” he interrupts.
I open the box to find a pair of gold, filigree-drop earrings with a teardrop shaped gold stone. My eyes widen. “Cam, I don’t need fancy earrings.”
“I know, but I want you to have fancy earrings.”
My eyes hold his. “You’re spoiling me,” I whisper.
He smiles. “For the first time in my life, I have someone I want to spoil. Let me do it.”
I want to blurt out that I love him… but it’s too soon and I have to tell him about Owen before I can even think of doing that.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
I walk to the dressing mirror and begin to put them on. He walks up behind me and, with his hands on my hips, starts to kiss my neck from behind. I watch us in the mirror and I know that this is my Cinderella moment-d
ressed to the nines with a beautiful prince worshipping me. I’m going to keep this moment in my memory bank forever.
This is how I want to remember us… just like this.
Knock, knock.
Cameron smiles, and with one last peck on the side of my face, he goes to answer the door.
It’s Max. “Time to roll.”
“You ready, Bloss?” Cam asks.
I nod, smile, and walk out into the corridor to see guards on every door and exit of the floor. My eyes flash to Cameron in question. “The children will be here alone with the nannies tonight. Security around them is high,” he murmurs as he takes my hand.
“Oh.” I frown. God, having money is not worth this.
Natasha comes out of the room with Joshua trailing behind her. She’s wearing a navy lace evening gown and she looks amazing.
She smiles broadly as she approaches me. “Ashley, you look fucking awesome.”
I burst out laughing. How is she so normal? Here we are, flanked by security guards and she is just dropping F-bombs in front of everyone.
“You look amazing too,” I whisper as she takes both of my hands in hers to inspect me.
Joshua approaches us, smiles and nods. “Joshua. Look how beautiful Ashley is,” Tash coos.
“Gorgeous.” He smiles as he gives me the once over.
“And all mine,” Cameron interjects with a cheeky smile.
I laugh and Natasha links my arm with hers. We walk down the corridor with the boys behind us, talking.
“How do you deal with all this security?” I whisper.
She shrugs. “It is annoying, but you kind of get used to it.”
“It’s really necessary?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Joshua has some crazies out there and we’ve had incidents in the past. He’s obsessed with the children’s safety.”
I frown in question.
She shakes her head. “God, that’s a whole other Stanton story. I’ll tell you one day.”
We get into the elevator and Cameron takes my hand in his. Joshua is in conversation with the security guard who is staying at the hotel. We walk out into the foyer of the hotel and three photographers appear from nowhere. Suddenly the cameras start flashing and we are shown to a waiting black fancy rented car.
Natasha and Joshua are ushered in first and then I climb into the car as the security push back the photographers. Cameron dives in and slams the door shut.
“Fuckers.” He growls.
“What the hell was that?” I frown.
Joshua rolls his eyes and Natasha smiles. “Photographers.”
“What on earth for? That’s just bizarre. And they were so pushy.”
Joshua and Cameron start to chuckle, while Natasha smiles sympathetically. “Do you have any idea how refreshing you are, Ashley?” She takes my hand in hers.
I smirk as I realize there’s a bigger picture going on here that I don’t know about. “No, not really.” I definitely need to Google these two when I get home.
What is their story?
As the car speeds into the night, I put my hand up to check I haven’t lost my beautiful earrings and Cameron smiles as he gently kisses my face.