Chapter 60
Chapter Sixty
You will crush today, just like you always do.
—From Remy’s Affirmations for a Badass
Remy
Knots. Remy’s stomach was in knots. She was quite certain if someone called for an X-ray, they’d see her innards twisted in a coil of nerves.
She didn’t get nervous.
But, to be fair, she’d also never been about to step on a red carpet before.
Sebastian squeezed the hand he’d been holding since they’d settled into the limo. “You doing alright?”
“Outstanding,” she lied, annoyed by the waver in her voice.
Gentle brown eyes assessed her. “You can back out, Arabella. If it’s too much—”
“No!” she blurted, then took a deep breath. “No,” she repeated, this time calmer. “I want to. I want to experience this part of your world.”
“It can be chaotic and overwhelming.”
“You and Melody have more than managed my expectations, Sebastian.” Remy forced herself to sound calmer, more sanguine than she really was. Sebastian didn’t need to be worried about her. This was about him, and she would not take away any of his joy.
Plus, Melody had told her more than once that Sebastian came alive on the carpet in a magical way. She wanted to witness that magic with her own eyes.
In other words, suck it up, buttercup.
Remy inhaled a bracing breath through her nose and released it slowly. “Let’s do this, Sebastian.”
A wide smile spread across his face, his eyes twinkling. She could almost sense his adrenaline ramping. Not unlike what she experienced before a particularly challenging case.
“Sounds good, my queen. Just stay by my side. Melody will be guiding us along. Follow my cues, and we’ll be inside in just a few shakes of a wooly lamb’s leg.”
Remy huffed a small laugh, her insides slightly unknotting.
“Sir?” their driver called from the front. “Anytime you’re ready.”
Sebastian handed her the untouched glass of Krug Clos d’Ambonnay, which he’d poured for her as the limo had pulled away from their hotel.
She’d been too jittery to enjoy it earlier, but he’d calmly finished his flute on the twenty-minute drive from the Beverly Hills Hotel to the TCL Chinese Theatre—never letting go of her with his other hand.
“Have a couple sips. It’s delicious and it’ll settle your nerves a bit. ”
Remy complied, hand shaking. She was a freaking surgeon, for heaven’s sake. She’d always had steady hands. She took a healthy swallow. Then another. Ok…that was tasty.
“I know I’ve said it a dozen times, but you look stunning.”
Remy looked down at her gorgeous navy floor-length gown, feeling truly glamorous. It was a startling change for a forty-seven-year-old woman who generally lived in scrubs or athleisure and never bothered with makeup.
She’d gotten ready in their suite, a stylist and makeup artist arranged by Jared attending to her like she truly was a queen.
The Badgley Mischka dress was strapless, but the corset was structured, with fine boning running vertically.
Draping at her waist made her feel like a curvy goddess.
The back of the dress dipped low, to just below where her bra line would be…
if she were wearing one. Intense shapewear—squeezing and containing her wobblier bits—accomplished the feat of smooth lines.
The gown’s fabric was supple and decadent, and Remy had to stop herself from brushing her fingers over it.
It was a sensory pleasure. Tiny navy Swarovski crystals accented the bodice, the Grecian waterfall of fabric, and the mid-thigh-high slit.
She wore strappy sparkling heels, insisting on nothing higher than two inches.
The image of her twisting an ankle or, God forbid, falling on the red carpet was too visceral for anything otherwise.
The hairdresser had twisted her hair into a chignon, leaving some wispy pieces framing her face.
And in a scene straight out of Pretty Woman, Sebastian had bestowed on her an astonishingly sparkly and elegant sapphire and diamond jewelry set.
She’d gasped when he presented the velvet boxes.
The necklace was an open design, the earrings gentle teardrops of sapphires surrounded by diamonds, and a cuff bracelet took her breath away.
Remy didn’t know how much money she was wearing, but it had to be well into seven figures.
Oh. And she was wearing her engagement ring.
Sebastian had decided to hold off on an official announcement, letting the rock on her left hand speak for itself at the premiere.
So, no pressure or anything tonight.
She placed her flute back in the designated spot, relieved her hand was back to its customary steadiness. Muscle memory for the win.
“Thank you. And may I also say again, you look incredibly handsome too, Sebastian.” Understatement of the century.
She took him in, resplendent in a dark navy velvet tuxedo that complemented her dress.
He still wore his beard, but it had been groomed to tantalizing perfection.
Remy fought a sudden desire to run her newly unoccupied hand along his jaw.
Oh screw it. YOLO and all that.
She reached out and scraped her fingertips along the soft bristles.
Sebastian inhaled a stuttering breath and closed his eyes, leaning into her caress. Slowly he opened his eyes, and she lost herself in the plethora of emotions dancing in the intoxicating deep brown.
“Thank you for coming with me tonight. I’ve never had a red carpet date who I,” he halted and swallowed convulsively, “who I love. Someone I’m so proud to have on my arm.”
“Sebastian,” she whispered, rubbing her thumb along his cheekbone.
“Sir,” came the driver again. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Melody said it’s time. She needs you out on the carpet.”
Sebastian sat up a little straighter, a wry smile tilting up one side of his tempting lips. “Duty calls.” He moved toward the door. “I’ll head out first and then reach for you. As you exit, turn fully to the side, and I’ll help guide you out.”
Remy nodded automatically, confirming the instructions Melody had already hammered into her brain.
“Oh,” he added over his shoulder with a devilish grin, so softly only she could hear him. “Tonight, I’m fucking you with just that jewelry on. And I have toys.”
Heat pooled between Remy’s legs, her jaw dropping. But, even out of her element, Remy could recover with the best of them. “How soon can we get out of here?” She lifted her chin in what she prayed was a sultry, come-hither challenge.
“Not soon enough.” He winked. “Now stop. No giving me a boner on the red carpet.”
“Why not? You just gave me a lady boner,” she breathed out, intending that for her ears only.
Sebastian paused and faced her fully, backing out of the limo with a wide, heart-stopping grin.
“Your liege man stands at the ready.” He motioned to the front of his pants, which was thankfully discreetly covered by his tuxedo jacket.
“Let’s do this, my queen.” He held out his hand to her, star power blazing around him.
Holy fuck. Red carpet Sebastian wasn’t just dashing. He was…magnificent.