“Why not?”
“I have more than enough reasons why I’m not going to a redeployment ball with your new boyfriend, where—”
“Rafe will be?” she interrupted.
Dammit.
Fallon sighed. “Exactly. I closed that door with no intention of opening it back up. I appreciate your attempt at whatever it was that you’re strangely trying to attempt, but no.”
“Well, that’s too damn bad,” she egged on.
Fallon took the bait, if for nothing else, just to appease her. “And why’s that?” she asked.
Jade grinned. “I ordered that sexy little red Valentino dress we both love. You know the one that rests slightly off the shoulders with the plunging, ruffled neckline and the—”
“Slit up the center,” Fallon finished, her eyes popping open wide. “You ordered it?”
“Yes. In your size. Call it a thank-you for, you know . . .” Clearing her throat, Jade jumped up from the chair. “But you only get it under the condition that you get your sexy ass to that ball and make nice with the handsome soldier.”
“You’re seriously bribing me with Valentino?”
A wry grin pulled across Jade’s otherwise innocent expression. “Yes. I had to find your weakness.”
Except, Rafe had become her weakness . . .
“I don’t understand why it matters so much to you that I go to this thing,” she said, feeling her resolve beginning to waver.
“Look, Fallon. You picked me up when I didn’t think that was even a remote possibility anymore. You gave me a kick in the ass when no one else would. Consider this your kick, honey.”
“Dammit! Go get the dress.” She caved. She didn’t know who she was trying to fool. Rafe was the second person in her entire life who she truly missed, and the thought of seeing him, if only for a moment, and if only for him to tell her to go to hell for walking away from him, made her burn with an ache . . . with desire.
The appeal of him in his dress uniform and her wearing a Valentino dress didn’t hurt either.
Getting up from the couch, she sat down at her vanity and pulled the small gold chain from its designated spot. She ran her thumb across the delicate charm before clasping it around her neck.
She’d go and see Rafe. Hopefully it wouldn’t break her heart any more than it already was.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
There was something to be said about a woman wearing Valentino. One of the very few things Fallon’s mother instilled in her that she was actually grateful for was the knowledge that it didn’t matter how beautiful you were, if you didn’t feel beautiful, no one would believe it. Confidence. Her mother had given her confidence.
But there was so much truth to her mother’s words that she didn’t realize. A woman always felt better—prettier—after leaving the salon or after soaking in a pedicure chair or after finding a new lipstick she loved. The little things that made a woman feel beautiful.
When a woman feels beautiful, she exudes beauty.
And every woman should experience the way it feels to slide her body into a red Valentino dress.
“I do believe I just became the luckiest son of a bitch to walk into this place.” Graham beamed, offering his elbow for Fallon to take.
Shifting her head to the side, she smiled at him, grateful for the way he eased her nerves as she cupped his bicep with her hand, allowing him to lead her into the room.
Walking into the ball, she felt like she’d stepped into an adult version of the prom. Every set of eyes turned to her like some horrifying eighties movie. The staring didn’t bother her, and much to her amusement it didn’t seem to bother Graham either. If anything, she’d say he was enjoying his bout of attention.
But what bothered her was that she didn’t feel the set of eyes on her that her body was craving. She didn’t see the velvety depths finding her through the crowd the way they’d always had.
Rafe wasn’t here.
She looked to Graham for some sort of explanation. He shrugged, thankfully understanding her indecipherable expression. “I don’t know, Fallon. Not sure why he’s not here yet. He better get here, though—cocktail hour is over and the company commander will be starting his speech and the awards soon.”
Inhaling a breath, she nodded and straightened. Why was she so eager to see him? She’d be lucky if he’d talk to her, let alone listen to her apology. But at the end of it all, an apology wouldn’t change anything between them. It couldn’t.
Oh god.
Damn Valentino dress and Jade’s uncanny ability of persuasion. What the hell had she been thinking, coming here? Apparently, she was a glutton for self-inflicted punishment. Because seeing him again was going to hurt.