Chapter 53 Dinner at the Kingsleys
Isabella’s POV
“Alexander.”
“Mmm.”
“Alexander.”
He didn’t answer.
Because his mouth was currently pressed against the side of my neck, warm breath brushing my skin while his hands rested very deliberately on my hips.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror and tried not to laugh.
“You are the reason we’re going to be late.”
His lips moved slightly higher, grazing the sensitive spot under my ear.
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
I swatted his arm.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
I tried to pull my dress back into place, but it was difficult when a six-foot-three distraction was standing behind me, looking at me like I was the only interesting thing in the universe.
Forty minutes ago, I had been calmly getting ready for dinner.
Hair done.
Dress on.
Makeup finished.
Everything perfect.
Then Alexander walked into the bedroom.
And somehow my dress had ended up on the floor.
I turned slightly and narrowed my eyes at him.
“You literally undressed me while I was getting ready.”
He looked completely unapologetic.
“You looked beautiful.”
“That is not an excuse.”
“It is to me.”
I laughed despite myself and tried to smooth the fabric of my dress back into place.
“We’re supposed to be leaving.”
“We could call my mother,” he suggested casually.
“Oh no.”
“Tell her we can’t make it.”
“Alexander.”
He leaned closer, his voice dropping with a mischievous grin.
“I could explain that I need to stay home and keep you all to myself for the rest of the night.”
“You are absolutely not calling your mother and telling her that.”
He grinned wider.
“Why not? Honesty is important in families.”
“Finish getting dressed.”
He leaned in again, clearly not done trying to distract me.
“You’re very bossy tonight.”
“And you’re very distracting.”
“Good.”
I finally managed to step away from him and grab my shoes.
“If we don’t leave soon,” I warned, “your mother is going to think we’re avoiding her.”
“My mother already knows exactly why we’re late.”
I paused.
“…She does?”
“Probably.”
“Oh my God.”
He laughed softly as he grabbed his jacket from the chair.
“Relax, Isabella.”
Easy for him to say.
The man looked like he had stepped straight out of a luxury magazine every time he put on a suit.
Meanwhile, I was still trying to recover from being thoroughly distracted twenty minutes before dinner.
A few minutes later, we were finally in the car.
The city lights slid past the windows as the driver pulled away from the building.
Alexander rested one arm along the back of my seat, his fingers brushing lightly against my shoulder.
“You’re quiet.”
“I’m thinking.”
“That’s dangerous.”
I nudged his leg with the heel of my shoe.
“Sarah told me something earlier.”
One of his eyebrows lifted slightly.
“Oh?”
“She said James keeps texting her.”
Alexander’s mouth curved into a knowing grin.
“That definitely sounds like James.”
“She says it’s constant. And completely pointless. Last night, at one in the morning, he texted her asking how much salt he should put in his soup.”
Alexander blinked.
“Soup?”
“Yes. Soup.”
He laughed under his breath.
“Why the hell would he be cooking soup at one in the morning? That man doesn’t even know how to turn on a stove. He has people who cook for him.”
“That’s exactly what I said.”
“And then yesterday he asked what time dinner starts tonight,” I added.
“He already knows that.”
“And today he texted her asking if your mom prefers wine or champagne.”
Alexander smirked.
“He absolutely knows the answer to that too.”
I crossed my arms.
“That’s what Sarah said.”
Alexander leaned back in his seat, clearly entertained.
“He wants to sleep with her.”
I stared at him.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“What?”
“You say that like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.”
“It is.”
“Alexander!”
He shrugged.
“He’s looking for excuses to keep talking to her. That’s all it is.”
“You’re assuming a lot.”
“No, I’m understanding male behavior.”
“And that behavior is…?”
“He probably woke up in the middle of the night thinking about her and needed a reason to text.”
I shook my head.
“No, he wouldn’t. He barely knows her. He met her once at our wedding.”
Alexander glanced over at me.
“First of all, you can absolutely dream about someone you’ve only met once.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Really?”
“Yes. I had a dream about you the day after we met.”
My head turned toward him slowly.
“You did?”
He nodded casually.
“Woke up hard as a rock.”
“Alexander!”
He looked completely unbothered.
“Second of all,” he continued, “why did you give him her number?”
I frowned.
“Because he said he was going to text her your mom’s address.”
“That was your mistake.”
“What do you mean?”
“You should never have given him her number.”
I crossed my arms again.
“Why?”
“Because now he won’t stop.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“You’re that confident?”
Alexander smirked.
“I’ve known James for fifteen years.”
He paused.
“Trust me.”
Then he added calmly,
“That man isn’t going to rest until he sleeps with her.”
The car slowed as it turned down a long private drive lined with trees.
Lights glowed ahead in the distance.
Alexander’s family home.
I felt a small flutter in my stomach.
He noticed immediately.
“Nervous?”
“Maybe a little.”
His hand slipped over mine, warm and steady.
“My mother already likes you.”
“How do you know?”
“She told me.”
“When?”
“The first time she met you.”
That made me relax a little.
“Well… that helps.”
He squeezed my hand once.
“And Sarah will be there.”
I smiled.
“That definitely helps.”
Alexander leaned closer, lowering his voice slightly.
“And if James tries to flirt with her too much,” he added, “I’m going to enjoy watching him panic.”
I laughed.
“You’re a terrible friend.”
“No,” he said calmly.
“I’m an honest one.”
The car rolled to a stop in front of the massive house.
Lights glowed warmly through the windows.
Inside, the entire Kingsley family was waiting.
And tonight was about to get… interesting.