"No."
"Why not? I would have. That man is sex on legs," she took a sip of her coffee.
I laughed at her, "Yes he is, and dangerous."
"Why dangerous?" Cate frowned.
"He leaves me in a tailspin. I don't know if I'm coming or going with him. I swear he is the most frustrating, demanding, obstinate, alluring and sexy man that's ever walked the planet." Cate nodded in sympathy. Just then the doorbell rang. Cate's eyes shot up.
"I’ll get it," I slid off the bar stool and headed for the door. Standing on the other side was a man holding a black garment bag.
"For you, Miss Austin, from Mr. Morgan," I frowned. He placed the bag in my arms, nodded his head and walked away. I closed the door with my foot and walked back into the kitchen, tossing the garment bag on the kitchen island where Cate was sitting.
"Again?" Cate set her cup down and reached for the bag. I shrugged and waited for her to open it. She unzipped the bag and a beautiful black gown lay within. Cate gently pulled it from the garment bag and gasped as she held the dress up.
"Eva…" Cate's eyes danced over the dress taking it in. It was a black gown with a delicate lace overlay, cap sleeves and a scalloped neckline. The gown was slim through the waist and then gently flared out into a pool of fabric on the floor. I approached the dress and my fingertips gently traced the lacy neckline.
"It's Marchesa. This dress just walked the runway last week," the air whooshed from my lungs.
"Here, there's a note," Cate passed a folded piece of paper to me. I opened it and found a note sprawled in Carter's slanted hand on his personal letterhead.
Evangeline,
It would be a great pleasure if you would accompany me to the Boston Children's Fund Charity Ball tonight. Be ready at 7.
Carter
"He wants me to go to a ball with him tonight," I looked at Cate.
"Eva!" Cate saw the worry in my eyes and gave me a tight hug. "I’ll help you get ready. You'll be stunning." I sat down on the bar stool and laid my head on the island.
"I don't fit in his world, Cate."
"You will be great, Eva. You are smart and beautiful, and Carter obviously thinks you will be perfect," Cate rubbed my back. "Now come on, let's do a spa day to get you all polished and glossy for tonight," Cate bounded off into her bedroom to get ready.
Cate and I had just returned from being waxed, plucked, and buffed within an ounce of our lives. Cate had given me a sexy smokey eye to go with the black lace gown and my hair was in soft waves down my back. She helped me into my dress and let me borrow a pair of black peep toe Louboutins for the night.
Butterflies flitted around in my stomach as she held my hand and walked me to the floor length mirror in her room. "You look stunning, Eva. He won't be able to take his eyes off you," she smiled proudly.
My eyes turned to the reflection in the mirror. The gown hugged my curves like a glove; my waist looked impossibly small, and just the slightest hint of cleavage peeked out from the scalloped lace neckline. The gown skimmed along my hips and then slowly floated away from my knees down to the floor.
"Here. This is perfect," Cate softly pulled a section of my hair back and pinned it with a single sparkling black clip just behind my ear. "Do you love it?" Cate looked to me for approval.
"Yes," I whispered. There just weren't words to describe the feeling of wearing such a beautiful dress. Just then there was a soft knock at the door. I glanced at Cate. It felt like the butterflies had jumped into my throat, making it hard to breathe.
"Hey, you're going to be great," Cate hugged me. "Now go meet your prince charming," she smacked me on the bottom as I hustled out of the room to get the door.
"Evangeline," Carter stood at my door dressed in a black tux with a crisp white shirt and bow tie. It looked like he had tried to tame his hair but it was still wavy and sexy and just slightly too long. His steel blue eyes gleamed as they took me in from head to toe. "You look stunning."
"Thank you," I whispered. "So do you," my eyes held his and I could feel the sparks coming to life between us.
The corners of his mouth lifted up in a grin and he held his arm out for me. I gave one last glance back at Cate, who gave me a beaming smile, and then looped my arm in Carter's and headed off to my first ball.
Five
We stepped into the elevator and as the doors closed the sexual tension between us became nearly unbearable. My heart was thumping in my chest so loud I was sure Carter could hear it. I squeezed my hand on his arm reflexively and he turned to look at me. My gaze held his and I bit down hard on my bottom lip to focus on something other than the butterflies that were threatening to choke me. Fire flashed in Carter's eyes and he reached his hand up to pull my lip out of my teeth with the pad of his thumb. My tongue darted out to lick my lips and briefly caught his finger. His eyes widened and my breathing hitched as a dangerous lust clouded his steely gaze. Just then the elevator doors breezed open and Carter pulled his hand away to escort me out of the elevator. He placed his hand on the small of my back to steady me as I stepped into the limo, then followed behind me. After we'd pulled away from the curb Carter's eyes met mine.