Her eyes met mine. “Of course, I do. But I know you have Noel, and I know you’re very careful with who you bring in her life, and I know…”
“Do you want to hear what I know?”
“Yes.”
“I know I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I know that both scares me and thrills me. I know I’ve never experienced the feelings I had when I made love to you. I know I want you to spend more time with me and Noel. I know I don’t want to let you slip away from me. I know I made the biggest mistake of my life not going after you that night. Letting you walk out of that hotel room was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, Em.”
“Harrison,” she said on an exhale.
“Whether you want to believe me or not, Emma, I am falling for you, and I really want to see where things go between us. For the same reason you ran, I didn’t run after you. I was scared and confused. The one thing I will never be, though, is regretful.”
“Why me?” she asked so quietly I hardly heard her.
Frowning, I bent down and looked into her eyes. “Why not you? You are beautiful both inside and out. I want to be with you, know more about you. I want my daughter to get to know you as well. I want you like I have never wanted anyone else in my entire life, Emma.”
She slowly smiled and I nearly dropped to my knees at her next words. “What time will you be picking me up this evening?”
Laughing, I captured her mouth with mine and kissed her until we both needed air.
“Six,” I replied, breathless.
“I should be going then. I need to get ready.”
I took a step back and reached for her hand. We walked out of the ballroom and toward the elevator. My mother walked up and stood next to us. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped in first as she said, “It’s about time…looks like I got my Christmas wish.”
As I stood in the mirror and stared at myself, I couldn’t help but smile. The full skirt fell all the way to the floor and was joined at the waist by a fitted bodice. The right side of the bodice extended to the left, giving it a criss-cross appearance. The haltered neck added a touch of sexiness to the gown.
The color was a silver blue that looked good against my dark hair, which had been pulled up and piled on top of my head with curls that hung down and framed my face. Wendy had come over to my house so we could get ready together. The plan had been for me to go with her and her date as a third wheel, but that had changed earlier today when Harrison and I had talked at the hotel.
“Wow, Emma, you look beautiful.”
I turned to see Wendy in a stunning green, strapless gown that was form fitting, but not to form fitting. It was a copy of a dress she had found online and sent to her friend who made it. She had also made my dress. Both where in the vintage style of the 1940s. Her hair was a short bob, so she had insisted on doing my hair. We both did our own makeup.
The doorbell rang and Wendy grinned. “That will be either your date or mine!”
Glancing at the clock, I noticed it wasn’t six yet.
“It’s mine!” Wendy called out as I reached for my clutch purse, then slipped on the silver high heel shoes I had purchased recently. I’d been wearing them as often as I could to work and at home in hopes that I wouldn’t get blisters wearing them to the dinner.
After Wendy introduced me to her date, Joel, they quickly rushed out to the waiting car he had rented for the evening.
I walked to the mirror in my hallway and pulled out the light pink lipstick I had purchased earlier this week and applied it carefully to my lips.
“Okay, Emma. Take a deep breath and just relax. The evening is going to go smoothly, and we’re going to get a ton of donations.”
The doorbell rang and I jumped, nearly twisting my ankle. With another deep breath in, I walked to the door, opened it, only to suck in a breath and drop my mouth open.
Harrison stood in front of me dressed in a black tailcoat with satin lapels that were in a rounded shawl collar shape. He wore a white button-down dress shirt, and a white single-breasted dress vest with a white silk bow tie. His black pants were true to the era with the satin stripe down the outer leg. The handsome package was finished off with polished leather tuxedo shoes.
“Wow,” Harrison said as he looked me up and down. “You look stunningly beautiful, Em.”
“Me?” I said with a laugh. “You look like you just stepped out of a Cary Grant movie.”
He raised a brow. “Cary Grant?” Glancing down at his attire, he looked back at me. “I was thinking more like Humphrey Bogart.”
Laughing, I motioned for him to come in. “Humphrey Bogart it is. Let me grab my purse really quick, then we can–”
I was cut off when Harrison took my hand, pulled me to him, and kissed me. I moaned and placed my hands on his suit as I felt his warmth surround my body. When he slowly withdrew, I sighed like a content cat in a warm lap.
