Chapter 33 - Evania #2
The first thing I did was head to the bathroom. The shower helped clear my mind, the warm water washing away the lingering tension from earlier. By the time I stepped out, I felt calmer and much more focused on the evening ahead.
Once I was dressed again, I sat under the dryer to make sure my hair was completely dry. The last thing I wanted was for it to still be damp when I started taking the rods out later. While the dryer hummed quietly above me, I picked up Emily’s book so I could finish it.
The story quickly pulled me in again.
Eventually, Maria knocked lightly on the door. “Lunch is ready.”
“Thank you,” I called.
I set the book aside and went downstairs. Maria had prepared a simple but delicious meal, and I happily ate while chatting with her for a few minutes. Once I finished, I thanked her again before heading back upstairs.
I returned to the dryer and finished the last few chapters of Emily’s book. By the time I reached the final page and closed it, I felt both satisfied and slightly disappointed that the story had ended, but knowing she was going to show me the first draft of the next book brought a smile to my face.
I glanced at the clock, noting that it was three in the evening.
Time for me to get ready. I began slowly, starting with my hair.
Once that was finished, I moved on to my makeup, carefully applying each product until everything looked exactly the way I wanted.
The process took longer than I expected, but eventually everything came together.
By the time I stepped back from the mirror to examine the final result, the clock read 5:30. I slipped on my dress, rubbed on some body oil, then smiled at my reflection.
“Perfect.”
With a little time still before Callahan arrived, I picked up my phone.
I couldn’t resist teasing him. I angled the camera slightly and took a few pictures.
One standing in front of the mirror. Another from the side showing off the curve of my ass.
And a third where I turned slightly, letting the dress fall elegantly around me.
I scrolled through them, selecting the best ones.
“These will definitely get his attention,” I murmured.
As I prepared to send them, I typed a quick message. Then I paused. My eyes lingered on the words I had just written.
I had referred to him as something other than his name. I briefly stared at the screen. Then a slow smile spread across my face. So that was the pet name I had chosen. He was going to be absolutely thrilled.
I'd been trying to choose the perfect pet name for him, and now it had happened without me even thinking about it.
I walked down the stairs just in time to see Callahan opening the front door.
He didn’t notice me. His back was turned slightly, one hand resting on the handle while he spoke quietly to Charles. The evening light spilled into the foyer, catching the floor and the grand staircase behind me.
I took one more step down, the sound of my heels clicking against the floor alerting him to my presence. The moment his eyes landed on me, he froze.
His gaze started at my feet—lingering for half a second on the delicate black heels—and slowly traveled upward. Over the soft green silk of my dress that skimmed my legs. Over the drop waist that hugged my middle before flaring gently over my hips.
The dress had taken me two hours to choose.
Now I was suddenly very aware of every inch of it.
His eyes kept moving upward, taking in the off-the-shoulder neckline that revealed just enough cleavage before drifting higher—past my collarbone, my throat—
Then higher, until his eyes found my face.
Then my hair.
His expression changed. It softened first, then sharpened, then turned into something so openly awed that my breath caught. And then, to my complete shock, he fell to his knees.
I stopped so abruptly that I nearly lost my balance. “Callahan!”
I gathered my skirt and hurried toward him, my heart tripping over itself in confusion and embarrassment and something dangerously close to delight. “What are you doing?”
He lifted one hand before I could reach him, silently asking me to stop. I froze a step away, staring down at him. He looked up at me like I had personally descended from heaven just to ruin his sanity.
“Your beauty,” he said, his voice low and almost reverent, “made me weak.”
His lips curved into an endearing smile, and then he rose smoothly to his feet.
Up close, he was even more distracting in his perfectly tailored black tuxedo. The jacket fit his broad shoulders flawlessly, and the crisp white shirt beneath it made his dark hair and sharp jawline stand out even more.
“I don't even know how to describe how stunning you look,” he said quietly.
The sincerity in his voice made heat rush straight to my face. "You falling to your knees was explanation enough."
He chuckled as his fingers closed around mine carefully, and he guided me toward the door. The air outside was cooler than the warmth of the house, brushing lightly against my skin as we stepped out together.
The car waiting in the driveway gleamed beneath the lights. What followed was one of the most strangely flustering drives I had ever experienced.
His gaze returned to me again and again, lingering long enough each time that I could feel it even when I wasn’t looking directly at him.
It made me aware of every small movement I made.
The way I adjusted the fabric of my dress.
The way my curls shifted over my shoulder when the car turned. The way my hands rested in his lap.
Every time I glanced his way, his eyes were already on me.
I tried to look out the window for a while, watching the city lights blur past in streaks of gold and white, but the awareness of his gaze never faded. Each time I turned back toward him, he was still watching me with the same quiet admiration.
By the time the car reached the ball’s location, I was still blushing.
The building hosting the event was beautiful, illuminated by rows of warm lights that highlighted the elegant architecture of the entrance. The car slowed to a stop near the front, where several photographers and reporters waited just beyond the velvet ropes.
Callahan stepped out first and offered his hand to help me from the car. The moment my heels touched the pavement, the cameras began flashing.
Despite the sudden attention, the atmosphere remained polite and welcoming.
The reporters respectfully asked for photos, guiding us through a few poses without shouting or pushing.
The flashes of cameras burst around us in quick succession, capturing image after image as we stood together beneath the lights.
Callahan remained close at my side the entire time, his presence steady and grounding as the photographers finished their requests. The brief photo session passed quickly, and soon the reporters stepped back, satisfied with the images they had captured.
Once the last camera lowered, Callahan guided me toward the entrance.
The moment we stepped inside, the press's noise faded behind us.
The venue's interior was breathtaking. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, scattering warm light across the polished floor below.
Guests filled the ballroom in elegant gowns and perfectly tailored suits, the soft murmur of conversation blending with the distant music that drifted through the room.
For a moment, I simply took in the sight.
Then my eyes moved across the crowd, and I froze. "Is that Victoria?"