After signing the check, Alexander stood and pulled out my chair. His hand found the small of my back as we navigated through the restaurant, and I was acutely aware of the warmth of his touch through the thin fabric of my dress.
Outside, the valet promptly brought Alexander’s car around. The cool night air was a refreshing change from the restaurant’s warmth, and I took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of night–blooming jasmine from nearby planters.
“Successful evening?” Alexander asked as we settled into the car.
“Very. I think we showed whoever was watching that we’re completely unbothered by their petty gossip.”
“And we ate extremely well in the process.”
“A win–win situation.”
As we drove through the quiet streets of Beverly Hills, I found myself reflecting on the day, from the triumph of securing the Thompson Hotels account to the unexpected confrontation with Penelope and the nasty gossip article.
“Alexander?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you for handling the legal side of things today. With the article, I mean.”
He glanced over. “No need to thank me. It’s what any husband would do.”
The word “husband” still felt strange to hear, even after our weeks together. Strange, but not unpleasant.
appreciate it. I’ve never had to deal with public gossip
said, echoing his earlier words. “It won’t be the last
to
get used to it. And for what it’s worth, you handled yourself brilliantly with Penelope
“I did?”
were poised, professional, and you
to dump my coffee
that you didn’t is exactly what I
soft mechanical whir. Alexander parked in his usual spot and turned off the engine, but neither of us moved to get
eyebrow raised. “High praise indeed.
should be. I had very low
exceeded your
awkward and uncomfortable, but it’s been… I don’t know.
add that to
his arm playfully. “You know what
“And for what it’s worth, I feel the same
the garage. There was something intimate about the moment, not sexual, exactly, but private. A quiet
broke the silence first. “We should head inside. It’s been
gathering my purse. “I’m exhausted. Who knew fighting off gossip columnists
my world.” Alexander climbed out of the car and came around to
I’d use.” I stepped out, my heels clicking
retired for the evening. Alexander
asked, heading toward the bar in the
not. Any more alcohol and I might start drunk–texting Victoria
laughed. “Now that I’d
heels with a sigh of relief. “I’m going
me as I
a warm glow across the king–sized bed. The sight of it was too tempting to resist. 1 flopped face–first onto the plush duvet, letting out a
I
the day replayed in my mind: securing the Thompson Hotels account, the confrontation with Penelope, those nasty gossip articles. Despite the victory,
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!