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.
I appreciate it. I’ve never had to deal
echoing his earlier words. “It won’t be the
Something to look
it’s worth, you handled yourself brilliantly with Penelope
“I did?”
poised, professional, and you didn’t take any of her
wanted to dump my coffee on
fact that you didn’t is exactly what
off the engine, but neither of us moved to get out immediately. “You know,”
eyebrow raised. “High praise indeed.
should be. I had very
I’m glad I’ve exceeded
be awkward and uncomfortable, but
awful. I’ll add that
arm playfully.
do,” he admitted, his expression softening. “And for what it’s
at each other in the dim light of the garage. There was something intimate about the moment, not sexual, exactly, but private. A quiet acknowledgment that
“We should head inside.
knew fighting off
to my world.” Alexander climbed out of the car and came around to open my door. “The
word I’d use.” I stepped out, my heels
most of the staff having retired for the evening. Alexander flicked on the lights as we moved through the expansive
the bar in
might start drunk–texting Victoria to tell her exactly what
“Now that I’d pay to
my heels with a sigh
as I
the king–sized bed. The sight of it was too tempting to resist. 1 flopped face–first onto the plush duvet, letting out a dramatic groan of
I mumbled into the
The events of the day replayed in my mind: securing the Thompson Hotels account, the confrontation with Penelope, those nasty
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