Ellie
Ellie thought she might pass out as Miss Petra set her at the top of the stairs. Ellie’s argument about taking the elevator fell on deaf ears.
“You will make an entrance. You shall see. The man will probably faint.” Miss Petra laughed.
Ellie didn’t laugh. She’d never done anything like this. To make a grand entrance like in some movie? No, she wasn’t nearly pretty enough. It didn’t matter if she were decked out in diamonds. Oh! Don’t even think about that. The earrings were a big battle between her and the Fashion Consultant. They were worth at least 50,000 dollars! Miss Petra insisted that she should wear them, saying that they too, matched her eyes.
It had been the shoes that Ellie fell in love with. They were spectacular to put it weakly. She still could not believe they were what Morgan had chosen for her. Well, she could not believe any of this. It was like a dream. Then the reception she got. The people’s faces in that opulent Lobby. It was the dress, she had told herself. Then when she saw Morgan’s expression, she wasn’t so sure. He stared at her like she was a blue cream sickle and he was about to eat her up.
She shivered. Well, that experience bolstered her up for the entrance into the ball. Or so she hoped, she still trembled all over and felt like someone, anyone was going to rush up to her and tell her she didn’t belong in the dress—with this man—in his life.
“Ellie?” Morgan spoke close to ear her again.
Goosebumps rose up along her arms. Just look at this man! He looked like one of those models on a magazine cover and he was on a date with her! She wished he would quit with the sexy whispering, it wasn’t doing her nerves any good at all. “Yes, Morgan?”
He bowed toward the limo door.
“Oh!” She had been standing there daydreaming about him in fact. She got into the car.
Morgan slipped in after her and the car was moving instantly.
He reached for her hand.
Staring down at it, she thought it felt damp. She then looked up at him. He had looked like a dream himself of course, in his tux. Damn, a god wearing a tux...is what she thought when he had rushed forward to greet her. She had also wondered what in the hell was wrong with him. Why did he want a poor girl from the slums? She knew the dress made her look good, but she was still just Ellie, a waitress at The Liberty Bell diner.
Morgan chuckled and removed his strong hand from hers.
Ellie turned to look at him.
“God dammit. I am sweating, even my palms. I am so sorry Ellie.”
She scrunched her brows at him. “What?”
He smiled. “You made Morgan Hunt break out in a cold sweat.”
Her eyes rounded.
He nodded. “You just do not know how absolutely perfect you are. You actually burn me up.”
“We are here sir,” the driver said through the speaker.
Ellie now felt a little bead of sweat herself running down her neck. “Dammit,” she whispered as her hands shook.
Morgan chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about.” He looked up and saw a man standing at the huge glass doors and his smile faded. “But maybe I do.”
Leaning forward to follow his gaze, Ellie stared. She blinked, then looked closer. “Oh.”
Morgan bristled next to her. “Oh?” he asked with an edge in his voice.
Ellie looked over at him. “Is he a doorman too?”
Morgan halted and stared at her. Then he laughed hugely.
Startled, she gasped.
He grabbed her face gently in his hands and asked, “You think he is—do you think he’s hot?”
Batting her lashes in confusion, she leaned her head around him and looked again. Yes, the man was handsome. He was tall and well built too. But he didn’t have any redeeming features that really caught her eye. “He’s…” She shrugged. “Okay, I guess?”
Morgan stilled. “Okay?”
She nodded. “Why? Is he someone important?”
Morgan grabbed her hand as the limo door swung open. “Not anymore.” He stepped out and leaned in to take her hand.
She smiled and suddenly felt calm. No nerves as she looked up and the lights from the front of the building glowed around Morgan. My angel man. She grabbed his hand and swung a leg out as it flashed from the blue silk.
Morgan pulled her up and tucked her arm under his.
Ellie felt like she was walking on air. Something in Morgan’s eyes seemed to buoy her up.
He led her to the doors where the man in a tux stared at her. His emerald like green eyes never left her.
Who is this man? Oh, god is he Morgan’s brother or something? Is he like someone close to Morgan? Oh, wow. She never thought of this.
Morgan stopped at the doors. “Be a good man and open the doors will ya?”
The man blinked and opened his mouth to speak then seemed to think better of it and shut it. Then he gave a sweeping but rather sarcastic bow and opened the doors.
Oh, so he wasn’t anyone in the family, he must be an employee as Morgan had said good man?
Morgan swept her through them with a little bounce to his step.
The man stared at them, then broke out into laughter.
Ellie turned her head to glance back. “What an odd doorman.”
The man looked stunned by this statement as his laughter slowed.
Morgan started to laugh as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Dammit, you are perfect!” He then held his head high and led her into his world.
Morgan
Men and women alike, turned their heads to stare at them.
Morgan knew she would do this, even when she argued that she wasn’t anything special. Damn, he loved this woman. He knew it for sure now. Her reaction to Chance seemed to be the last hurdle. Every woman he’d been with would stop and stare at Chance and then the game would be on. But not with Ellie, she thought he was just okay. But that wasn’t why he felt he could admit to being in love with Ellie. It was everything about her. He now desperately wanted to make sure he did not lose her.
The whole night went well. Ellie spoke very little but everyone gravitated to her and insisted they be introduced.
Then finally, Chance made his suave way over.
Her it comes. Morgan thought wryly.
“Morgan.” Chance nodded at him.
“Chance,” Morgan replied.
Chance shook his head as he smiled and focused his sole attention on Ellie.
Yes, it was one of his best and most dazzling too. Morgan recognized it. The killer smile. Next, would be the charm.
As if on cue, Chance reached out and grasped Ellie’s hand then bent low over it and kissed it sweetly.
Ellie’s eyes rounded and she stared.
“I’m Chance Givens,” he stated proudly.
Ellie’s expression looked blank. “Are you one of Morgan’s employees?” she asked innocently and pulled her hand from his grasp.
Chances eyes widened as his gaze shot over to Morgan. “Is that what you told her?”
Morgan shrugged. “I didn’t tell her anything.”
Chance smiled at her. “I am on the board of Hunter Industries. I am also…” he paused and glared at Morgan. “…Morgan’s best friend.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh. I am sorry. I thought you were the doorman.”
Morgan could not help it, he bent over with laughter.
Chance couldn’t help it either, as he chuckled. “Well, if you ever need a door opened and held for you. Just call me.”
Morgan’s laughter slowed. There it was. The line. He knew Chance would bring one.
Ellie just stared at him and no, she did not get the innuendo apparently. “Umm, well. I am not used to all of this anyway and I am used to opening my own doors.”
There! He swiveled his gaze over to Chance. No go, buddy!
Chance looked stunned for a second. Then he glanced over to Morgan. He tilted his head at him in puzzlement. Then he took a really good look at Ellie. He seemed to see something all the sudden. He then turned to Morgan. “I have to congratulate you, Morgan. You found it.” He bowed, turned then walked away.
Morgan felt stunned. This was the last reaction he’d expected out of this man.
“Congratulations for what? You found what?” Ellie asked from beside him.
Morgan turned toward her. “For finding you. The woman made for me.” He grasped her face and kissed her. He delved his tongue into her sweet warm mouth.
Her body instantly melted against his.
She belonged to him, with him and he intended to make sure it stayed that way.