Chapter 25
Ellie
Katy has been round at my place helping me get ready, and she is as encouraging as ever.
I’m wearing a new dress, and while it’s not quite the red velvet concoction that she last talked me into buying, it is stunning.
It also cost a quarter of my month’s salary—or at least it would if I’d paid for it.
“Girl, I wish I had an expense account like that,” she says, looking on as I examine myself in the mirror. “I need to get me a new job.”
“Really?” I ask, immediately interested. “Because I know how great you are, and if you’re ever looking to move…” I leave it dangling. She really is good, and I’d love to have her on my team.
“No, not really,” she replies. “I actually love my job. And besides, we’d never get any work done, we’d be too busy gossiping. Now, give me a twirl, sister. Shake that ass.”
I laugh and do as she asks. The dress is floor-length, black satin, off-the-shoulder. It’s super-duper fancy, and ordinarily I would never have spent so much money on a dress.
Bizarrely, it was Elijah who suggested I go shopping on the company account.
At first I was momentarily offended and asked if there was anything wrong with the way I dressed.
He quickly reassured me. “Not at all. This is Amber’s doing.
She says that you’re now one of the public faces of Jamestech and its charities, and as such, I have a responsibility to make sure you’re comfortable with that.
And apparently, Ellie, that means buying you a new dress. ”
He shook his head, bemused. “That woman completely confuses me. But I’ve learned over the years that she’s often right. So, if you’re interested, have at it. Or if you’re not, that’s also fine. You always look great to me.”
I could tell he was marginally uncomfortable, so I quickly put him out of his misery and accepted.
Amber’s right. More and more these days, I’m invited to represent the company at events, interviews, conferences, and charity functions. I’ve worn Jessica Rabbit several times already and was planning on another shopping trip with Katy sometime soon anyway. My work wardrobe needs expanding.
In the end, I still went shopping with Katy, we just did it with a Jamestech credit card in my purse.
I was nervous, but Amber took the time to message me.
“Please bear in mind that you’re the best VP that Jamestech has,” she said, so kindly, “and as such, you deserve a little fun at the business’s expense.
Believe me, they can afford it. So know your worth and enjoy.
” She also recommended me a few designer brands that she thought would suit my figure, and she wasn’t wrong.
Katy read the message and sighed. “I have such a girl crush on Amber James. Do you think she’d leave Elijah for me?”
“Not a chance, babe, sorry. Those two are for life.”
We spent an enjoyable afternoon in some high-end stores, and now I’m wearing the end product.
I’ve been to the salon, and my hair has been somewhat tamed and styled in an up-do that makes me look a lot more sophisticated than normal.
Katy helped with my makeup, and I have some killer new heels, so sharp and pointy that you could use them as a murder weapon.
Tonight, I am both an official face of Jamestech and Maddox’s date.
It’s a fundraiser for a charity that’s close to my own heart.
One that supports children entering and leaving the foster care system.
The company is donating several million dollars to the cause, and I’ve been given the role of liaising between Jamestech and the Be Your Best Self organization.
I’m thrilled and excited, and also a little nervous.
It’s a lot of responsibility, especially in addition to my existing work, but I know I can make a success of it.
Katy is spritzing me with perfume when there’s a knock on the door. Fuckbuckets! He’s here already. My heart leaps, because it always does when I think about Maddox. I wonder what he’ll think of my dress.
“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Katy says, smiling at me. “You’re actually blushing.”
She goes to let him in, and they chat to each other as they wait for me to emerge from the bedroom.
As I walk into the living room, Maddox goes silent, trailing off mid-sentence.
He stares at me for a solid thirty seconds, his eyes roaming over my body in a way that has me more than blushing.
It has me hot. I know what he’s thinking immediately—that I look great in this dress, but that I’d look even better out of it.
“Ellie,” he says simply, his voice ragged. “You look beautiful. I have something for you.”
He struts towards me holding a black velvet jewelry box.
He opens it up, and I grin when I see what is inside.
It’s a simple necklace made of a black leather cord, hung with a pendant of silver and blue stone, dangling above a pretty black and white zebra shell.
It’s very obviously Moroccan, influenced by their long traditions.
“Oh Maddox, I love it,” I exclaim, clapping my hands together.
He shrugs, looking sheepish. This huge man can be so confident and dominant one minute and look like a nervous boy the next. “Really?” he asks. “Because looking at you now, I feel like an asshole. I should have brought you diamonds.”
I lean up to kiss him. “This means more to me than diamonds ever could. This represents where we began. Will you put it on for me?”
“Are you sure? You don’t have to wear it tonight if it doesn’t go with your dress.”
“It’s perfect.”
I spin around, and the touch of his fingers brushing my skin is intoxicating, sending shivers down my spine.
He drops a soft kiss onto my bare shoulder, and if not for Katy being in the room, I wouldn’t have minded getting out of this dress right away.
She’s grinning when I turn back to her, and Maddox disappears off to use the bathroom before we leave.
She admires the necklace and wraps me up in a hug. “You know how I always say you could do better?”
I nod, feeling euphoric and free.
“Well, I take it back. This time, I don’t think you could do better. He is so right for you, Ellie. Seeing you two together is almost enough to make me want one of those for myself.”
“Sorry, my friend, there’s only one Maddox James.”
“Any cousins?” she asks speculatively. “Secret brothers who aren’t loved up?”
I laugh at her silliness, and she leaves the apartment at the same time as us, heading off for a drink with Josh.
There’s a car waiting for me and Maddox outside, and I’m secretly relieved.
I have my sneakers on right now, my heels in a bag, just in case we decided to walk.
It’s another warm night and there’s a severe risk that if I overheat, my makeup will melt off.
I would turn up looking like the Joker, and nobody wants that.
He holds my hand for the entire ride to the theater where the event is taking place, and neither of us can stop smiling. “You happy, baby?” he asks.
“I couldn’t be happier,” I tell him truthfully.
Once we arrive, both of us are busy. I have work to do, people to meet, and he has family duties.
We reluctantly say our temporary goodbyes, but not before he leans down and whispers to me, “I hope you’re not too attached to that dress, Ellie.
Because later on, I’m going to rip it off you and fuck you until you’re lying in a puddle of cum and screaming my name. ”
After dropping that bombshell into my panties, he disappeared, a picture of sophistication in his vintage tux, into a crowd of smartly dressed people sipping wine and munching on canapés.
I was left gaping, hot and bothered in ways that did not go with the civilized event.
I shook my head and went off to find the guests I needed to talk to.
I help to organize media passes and assist the TV crew that’s in attendance, hoping to get some soundbites from the celebs we’ve invited. I’m super excited to see a couple of players from the Yankees.
The real stars of the evening for me, though, are two siblings from Brooklyn, Laurence and Michelle.
They were orphaned at the age of three and four and spent years bouncing around the foster system.
Michelle is dyslexic, and Laurence had behavioral issues that made him a tough proposition.
It’s only when they came into contact with Be Your Best Self that things started to turn around for them, and now Laurence is doing well in high school, and Michelle is starting at Brown next year.
They’re great young people, a little nervous being the center of attention, but I seem to put them at ease as we chat about everything and nothing.
I spend a lot of time with them, making sure they’re totally comfortable with being interviewed by the press and having their photos taken.
I love the fact that my work allows me to make a difference,—not just to Jamestech’s profits and public image, but in ways like this.
Maddox and I cross paths at various stages during the night, and he’s always affectionate, always attentive, but also always respectful of the fact that I need to work.
In short, he is the perfect date, and after one brief encounter where he brings me a glass of champagne and gives me a luscious kiss on the neck, I simply stand in awe of him.
I can’t get the stupid grin off my face.
How did I get so lucky?
The goddesses must have been smiling down on me when I applied for this job. It didn’t just boost my career; it changed everything in my life. I finger the pretty necklace he got me, which means more than diamonds or pearls ever could. My heart is so full I feel like I could cry with happiness.
Distracted, I don’t initially notice the sniggering behind me. And when I do, I don’t automatically assume it has anything to do with me. I’m not that paranoid. Eventually though, I can’t ignore it any longer.