Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Ember
“Thanks so much for doing this.” I smiled at Harper as I held up a dress against me in the mirror, tilting my head in consideration. Apparently, Nick had been keeping more secrets — namely, the Hart’s annual holiday ball. An actual, honest-to-God ball.
Suffice it to say, a ballgown hadn’t been on my radar while packing for a casual family holiday visit.
Harper rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe Nick didn’t tell you about the ball. Actually, no, I can. Men.”
I laughed. It was lucky really that Harper and I were about the same size and she had brought multiple options with her, to match her mood on the day.
Harper had opted for a floor-length beaded silvery gown that made her blue eyes gleam and was a gorgeous contrast to her dark hair.
On me, that dress would have washed me out.
“Em, why are you even hesitating? It’s got to be the red.”
She was right, but it was just… So bold. “I guess it’s festive.”
Where Harper’s dress had wide straps that delved into a v-neckline, the red dress was strapless and made of a silky material that draped and folded over itself in an elegant ruched detail across the A-line front. The slit up the side was also a little more daring than I’d normally wear, but…
“Okay, I’ll try it on.”
The material was cool as it slipped over my skin and I worried for half a second about needing a strapless bra before realizing the dress had one built-in.
The black heels were tall and half a size too big, but I would manage.
The more voluminous lower half of the dress needed dramatic heels to match.
“Fuck yes. Tell me you’re wearing that one,” Harper said as she stood back after zipping me up to admire her handiwork. “Nick is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you.”
I giggled, but couldn’t argue with her. The dress fit like a glove.
Now, I just had to work out what I was doing with my hair and makeup.
The mention of Nick made my heart beat a little faster.
Last night had been… different. Sure, we’d roleplayed before, and we liked to have fun and try new things when it came to sex.
But I’d never even considered being shared before and was surprised at how much it turned me on.
Nick had been unperturbed by the whole thing, but I felt almost guilty after what we’d done in the hall.
Like I was cheating on him by fantasizing about his brother while he got me off — despite Nick instigating the whole thing.
I shook my head and re-focused on my reflection, holding my hair up as I tried a few different styles before sighing.
“Leave it down,” Harper suggested. “We can put in a nice wave if you want? Very Jessica Rabbit.”
“Sure, nothing says festive cheer like a sexy cartoon character.” I snorted, but allowed Harper to steer me toward her vanity where she heated up a curling iron. “So what do you normally do for the holidays?”
She shrugged as she set out different sprays and a dozen makeup brushes on the counter in front of me. “Usually I see my folks, but they’re off travelling right now. Australia. So I decided to come and stay with Aunt Rachel and Uncle Lyn.”
Australia. Wow. “Long flight. Are they out there for long?”
“About six months now. They’ll be home in the new year.” Harper smiled as she misted some heat protector spray over my hair and then brushed it through. “What about you?”
In all honesty, the holidays were a bit of a non-event for me.
I loved Christmas, the cold nights and hot drinks and sparkly lights everywhere, but I usually worked all the way up to Christmas Day and then spent the day itself alone watching cheesy movies and eating Chinese food.
“Not much honestly. It’s nice to spend it with people this year. ”
Harper smiled, the expression looking so much like Nick that for a second I stared. “Well, we’re happy to have you here. It’s nice having another girl around, Nick’s never brought anyone home for the holidays before.”
“Really?” That was interesting. We’d been together about a year now, and while we’d said the I-Love-Yous and spent most of our time together, I wasn’t sure how serious we were. Nick was a bit of a vault, slow to open up, and I was never quite sure what he was thinking.
“Yep. Seems like a big deal.” Harper’s grin turned sly and I laughed. “Sorry, just fishing for gossip.”
I held still as she got to work with the styling tong. “There’s not much to say, really. We’re exclusive. He’s met my friends and I’ve met you guys. We don’t live together, but it’s rare that we spend a night apart.”
“How come you haven’t moved in together?”
The question made me pause and think about it. “I don’t know. I guess he never asked.”
“And you never asked him,” Harper pointed out and I nodded.
“True.” Maybe it was because things with Nick seemed too good to be true.
I’d been waiting for the other shoe to drop and it just…
hadn’t. Sure, he could be a little closed off sometimes, but he showed his love in other ways.
Like bringing me lunch or coffee while I was at work, or packing snacks for the drive to his parents’ place.
“There.” Harper placed the tool down and spritzed my hair with holding spray. “Very sleek.”
“Thank you.” My hair hung in a blonde sheet, a subtle wave running through the strands and transforming it into an elegant look rather than untouched. “You’re amazing at this.”
She shrugged. “Fashion and beauty is just a hobby.”
“Some hobby,” I mused. “Want to do my makeup, too?”
Her eyes lit up. “Yes! Oh, don’t worry,” she added when I made to stand up and retrieve my makeup bag. “I have disposables.” She rummaged in a large back and came back with sealed spoolies for brows and mascara. “This is going to be so much fun.”
By the time Harper was done with me, I barely recognized myself. The woman in the mirror was a bombshell. Elegant, expensive, untouchable. She’d painted my lips the same shade of red as my dress and given me a silvery smokey eye that I never would have attempted myself.
“You’re an artist.” I hugged her, careful not to mess up my hair or makeup. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.” She’d done her own makeup in less than ten minutes, every line and stroke completed with a measured confidence and ease that showed her skill. “Let’s get downstairs, shall we?”
It spoke to the size of the estate when I’d first arrived that it hadn’t really phased me when the Hart’s had told me the ball was hosted on-site. Because of course they had a ballroom. Who would expect anything less?
The second we stepped out of Harper’s room, the sound of music trailed up the stairs. Strings and piano that made me suddenly nervous to go down there. Like I was playing dress up in a world I didn’t belong in.
As if she could sense my rising nerves, Harper slid her arm through mine and guided us down the hall where the music grew louder. I sucked in a shaky breath and Harper squeezed my arm lightly as we reached the bannister.
Waiting at the bottom of the staircase were Oakley and Nick in sharp dark suits, pressed to perfection, their shoulders broad and defined in their outfits.
The air left me as our eyes locked and I had to look away to find the first step without stumbling.
Their eyes were heavy on me as I walked, making my pulse race, and it wasn’t until I reached the bottom of the staircase that I realized I’d forgotten to breathe during the descent.
Nick’s smile melted me, the light in his eyes taking me in like it shone just for me as he lifted my hand to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it. Tingles spread across my skin from the contact and I could feel a blush working its way across my face.
“You look absolutely stunning, Ember.”
“Thank you,” I murmured. “You look nice yourself.”
He tucked my arm into his and when we turned, Oakley’s eyes were watching us. His eyes darkened, tongue darting out to wet his lips before he swallowed hard and looked away.
“Let’s party,” Harper sang and the tension broke, leaving a warmth in its place.
Oakley
That red dress would be the fucking death of me.
Harper and I walked behind Ember and Nick, the music washing over us as we entered the ballroom to an instrumental cover of You Belong With Me and honestly it felt like the universe was fucking with me.
Why else would it dangle this woman in front of me, looking like that, and not allow me to touch her?
Plus, I couldn’t get the way she’d moaned last night out of my head. She’d been thinking about me. But what was I supposed to do with that? Screw over my brother? I forced out a long breath, trying to ignore the way my chest ached as I watched them together.
Nick twirled her and Ember laughed, head tilted back, hands looped around his neck. They fit together perfectly. Her light hair complementing his darker tones, his smile wider than I’d ever seen it, and it hit me then. He was in love with her.
A lump rose in my throat and I turned in the other direction, desperate to scrub the memory of his smile out of my mind.
The table along the far wall had been set up with glasses of champagne and finger food.
I grabbed two glasses and cursed under my breath when I turned around to find Nick behind me.
“You getting one for Harper, too?” He clapped me on the shoulder and I gave him a strained smile before tossing back both drinks, one after the other. “Oh, getting started on your holiday hangover.”
I snagged another glass and tilted it to him. “You know it.”
He chuckled and stayed standing next to me as we observed the room. Mom had gone all out, like she did every year, and it looked incredible. I probably would have been enjoying myself if it wasn’t for…