8
Leland
I’d been waiting for this night for so long, I could hardly believe it was finally happening. If I’d thought I could get away with it, I would have married Olivia a few days after I met her and moved us into an apartment off campus. But I knew our parents would loudly and vehemently object, and I’d been plagued with the niggling reminder that getting married when I hadn’t come clean would be a massive fucking mistake.
Now though, the air was finally clear between us. I had her dad’s blessing, and the ring I’d had custom made for her was burning a hole in my pocket.
I heard movement on the stairs and turned, only to be practically knocked over at the sight before me.
My breath caught in my lungs as my eyes scanned Olivia from the top of her head to her sparkly gold fuck-me heels. I would definitely be doing that later. I’d booked a room at the hotel where we were going to a New Year’s Eve party.
Her gorgeous hair was swept to one side, clasped with an emerald clip and the rest hung over her shoulder in soft red curls. Her eyes were smoky, her lips red, and the strapless gold dress hugged every curve of her body until it hit her knees, where the material flared out. She had a sheer black shawl in one hand and a black clutch in the other. With every movement, she sparkled and shined, not only from the dress but also from the beauty inside her.
When she reached the last step, I finally managed to draw in a breath, but I choked on it as she did a little spin. The back of the dress, or lack of back, nearly had my head exploding. “No,” I rasped. “No fucking way. Go change.”
Olivia laughed and patted my shoulder patronizingly. “I don’t think so. I bought this dress a year ago and have been dying to wear it. I saved it just for tonight, so the only way you’ll get me out of this dress is to rip it off.”
I snaked an arm around her waist and yanked her back against me, putting my lips next to her ear. “If you insist on wearing the scrap of material you’re trying to pass off as a dress, that’s exactly what’s going to happen,” I warned. I was going to add something dirty, but her parents walked into the entry, also ready to go to the party. “This isn’t over,” I growled before nipping her earlobe and releasing her. I took her shawl and draped it over her shoulders, wincing when it barely covered anything. A hand clapped on my shoulder, and I glanced up to see Olivia’s dad staring at me with sympathy. “I tried earlier.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, sullenly following Olivia out to the driveway. We were driving separately because Olivia and I wouldn’t be returning with them. Her dad didn’t say anything when I mentioned it to Alice in front of him. He just pretended I hadn’t said anything and had been acting ignorant of the whole thing ever since. I wanted to laugh because eventually, he would have to pop that bubble he lived in, but I also couldn’t blame him. I imagined I would be the same way if I had daughters. Then again, he was probably cutting me more slack than usual since he knew my plan for tonight and had given me his blessing.
After a long-suffering sigh that made Olivia giggle, I turned my thoughts back to my plan for midnight. I helped her into the passenger seat, then rounded the car and got in. The hotel was only a ten-minute drive, so we didn’t have much time to talk before I was waving off the young guy who stepped up and jogging around to help my girl. Once she was on her feet, I went to the trunk and grabbed a bag, then tossed the keys to the valet. She glanced curiously at my luggage, her lips curved in a seductive smile, but she didn’t say anything as she looped her arm through mine, and we entered the building.
We stopped at the front desk to check in and have our bag sent to the room, then made our way to the event space on the top floor.
People were just finding their seats for dinner when we arrived, and we weaved our way through the tables to Olivia’s parents. We’d chosen to sit at different tables, so we said a quick hello before heading to one where some of our college friends were waiting.
“Olivia!” Leigh—one of her sorority sisters—exclaimed. “You look amazing!”
“Yeah...wow,” her twin brother, Anson—a recent pledge in my frat—agreed quietly, staring a little longer than I liked.
“Eyes to yourself, Kearns,” I growled. To his credit, he flushed guiltily and looked away.