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The Billionairess by Ann Omasta (17)

20

Selena froze, almost dropping her phone down the museum entrance’s first flight of steps. If she lived a thousand years, she doubted she would ever see anyone as handsome as Hunter in a fitted tuxedo. The enamored look with which he was gazing up at her nearly took her breath away.

Even the disturbance of hearing Millie, Ellie, and the Donovan brothers clamor out behind her didn’t distract them from gazing at each other. Selena vaguely registered hearing Millie say, “I just want to make sure she made it out of here okay.”

“She has her own limo and driver. Why would she not be able to handle…”

Selena wasn’t sure which of the Donovans was speaking, but he stopped short when he saw her. The foursome was quiet for a moment while they took in the scene before them.

“Is that him?” Ellie stage whispered from behind Selena, loud enough that Hunter had no doubt heard her.

Selena nodded her head, never taking her eyes off the gorgeous man standing on the landing below her. The subtle movement was enough to set Hunter into action. He took the stairs two at a time, until he was standing directly in front of Selena.

Neither of them took note of the man huffing up the stairs behind them, until he stopped a few below Hunter. “What are you doing? We need to go find Selen…”

Todd’s voice trailed off when he caught sight of Selena in her new clothes. “OMG. Is that really you?” He climbed the last few steps and circled Selena with his arms crossed, obviously assessing her makeover. “Damn girl, you could almost make me change teams… Almost.”

Selena beamed upon hearing her assistant’s wholehearted approval. His opinion was important to her, and she knew that he would be brutally honest with her. She noted that Hunter’s gaze never wavered from her, and her stomach did a flip-flop at the desire she saw flickering in his eyes.

Hunter reached up to loosen his bow tie. “I hate these things,” he revealed, “But Todd said I had to wear it.”

“Well, you can’t go to a gala without formal wear.” Todd bugged his eyes out as if he couldn’t believe someone would suggest such a thing. At his condescending tone, Hunter looked down and brushed his hair back. Not taking notice, Todd went on. “Speaking of that, this doesn’t look like any of the items I had sent over for you.” He waved his hand up and down to indicate Selena’s new clothes.

“I wanted to toughen up my look because I was heading over to see Hunter at the tattoo parlor,” Selena told them.

At this, Hunter’s gaze snapped up to hers. “You were?” His voice sounded hopeful.

Selena couldn’t do any more than nod before Todd took over the conversation again. “You know what this is, don’t you?” His voice oozed with barely-contained enthusiasm.

Todd’s eyes nearly popped out of this head when he and Ellie exclaimed at the same time, “Grease!”

“Yes!” He clapped his hands together excitedly. “It’s just like Sandy and Danny at the end of one of the greatest screenplays ever written, Grease.” His eyes took on a dreamy expression when he continued. “She tries to toughen up to fit in with his gang, and he earns a letterman’s jacket to impress her.”

“Sandy!” Hunter exclaimed, immediately ready to jump in on the fun.

Not one to miss out, and overly familiar with the movie in question, Selena quipped the famous movie line, “Tell me about it… Stud.” She tried to pooch out her lips in a sexy pout, but feared that she just looked perturbed.

Millie and Ellie were both squealing with happiness behind them. One of the brothers deadpanned, “We’re not going to break into song, are we?”

An idea flashed in Hunter’s eyes. It was as if the other man’s sarcasm had dared him to sing. “I got chills, they’re multiplying.” His voice sounded remarkably similar to John Travolta’s character, Danny, from the movie.

Selena couldn’t help but giggle when he raised his hands dramatically and sang, “…’Cause the power you’re supplying. It’s electrifying!”

She was nervous about joining in, but felt like this was an important memory in the making. She placed a palm on Hunter’s chest and gave him a playful shove. “You better shape up,” she sang to him and was thrilled to hear both Millie and Ellie backing her up on the silly song.

By the end, even the brothers joined in, and they were all singing and dancing to the catchy tune on the front steps of the fancy museum. They all started laughing as they wrapped up the song.

Todd was the first to speak. “Are all billionaires this fun-loving and silly?”

Selena beamed at him before turning to give Hunter a serious look. “Falling in love must bring out the joyous side in us.”

Hunter didn’t hesitate. He climbed the last of the steps, dipped Selena back, and kissed her like he was sharing a piece of his soul with her.

Lost in him, Selena could barely stand on her own two feet when Hunter righted her, placed a palm on either side of her face to help steady her, and told her fervently, “I’m falling in love with you, too.”

They were the words she had been aching to hear for so long, and they made her feel impossibly happy. Stepping in for more sweet kisses from him, she was only vaguely aware of the make-out sessions her two new friends were enjoying with her former foes.

“Well, you guys know how to take a party from fab to awkward in a matter of seconds,” Todd said to the three ridiculously happy, oblivious couples. He sounded snarky, but Selena knew that deep down, he was happy for her.

Once he realized that he was being ignored, Todd stalked to the museum entrance. Although Selena was totally absorbed by her sweet reunion with Hunter, a portion of her consciousness stayed focused on Todd to make sure he wasn’t really angry.

Todd alleviated her concerns when he tossed up his hands and grumbled to himself, “I’m going to go find myself a hot babe to snuggle with tonight. I suddenly have a hankering to re-watch Grease for the ten thousandth time.”

With that, he was gone and Selena was left to adore the smoking hot tattoo artist / massage therapist / camper extraordinaire, who had donned an uncomfortable tuxedo and came to an event he would likely hate, just for her.

“I feel so lucky,” she smiled up at him.

“I’m the lucky one,” he told her, before pressing his soft lips against hers.

When he pulled away and Selena’s eyelids fluttered open, she grinned up at him and realized that she finally really did have it all.