𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 | Hotchniss- undercover

Fade into you

"In a parallel universe.
there, we are always in love.
within touching distance of here,
within touching distance"
____

Claire had informed them about the party on Monday, and when Aaron and Emily came to give her the flower Emily had promised, she provided them with more details, including the location and specific date.

Now it was Thursday, and they were supposed to leave in ten minutes if they wanted to arrive on time. Aaron waited outside the bedroom to give Emily some privacy while she got ready. He knew that if she hadn't picked her outfit ahead of time, Emily would be late. However, it seemed she did because he didn't have to wait too long for her.

Aaron seemed unaware of her presence and the sound of her high heels, so she took the opportunity to observe him from the edge of the living room. He paced back and forth, occasionally glancing at his watch. She smiled; he was always impatient.

According to Claire, the party was expected to be somewhere between casual and formal, which meant they had to find the right balance. Judging by Aaron's attire, Emily could confidently say they had succeeded. Unlike his usual choice of clothing, Aaron wore black tailored pants and a long-sleeve dress shirt. He looked stylish yet casual and elegant. The fitted outfit accentuated his body and muscular arms, and Emily couldn't help but stare.

Aaron checked his watch; it was already 6:30 PM. He was about to call her, but she beat him to it. "I'm ready to go" she said, her voice catching his attention. He looked up and scanned her quickly, just as she had done to him.

Emily wore a sleek black dress that fell just above her knees, hugging her curves. Her hair styled down in its usual curly-ends form. She wore black heels that he knew wouldn't make her taller than him, and delicate gold earrings dangled slightly as she spoke with a matching gold necklace adorned her neck, drawing attention to the cleavage of her dress.

"You look beautiful" he said without hesitation, surprising both of them. She smiled at him graciously. "You don't look bad yourself" she replied, not moving from her spot.

Emily was a confident woman, which was one of the many reasons he loved her. Aaron rarely saw her feeling insecure, and he knew she was aware of her attractiveness. Not only because he and others frequently told her that, but because she just was like the she carried herself with that knowledge but the surprise on her face, though not uncommon, left him speechless.

She knew she was beautiful—yes, he was aware of that—but he was certain she didn't fully grasp just how much she truly was. He felt like there was a need for new words to describe her unique, captivating, and addictive beauty.

"We should probably get going" he said with a faint smile, seemingly surprised by his own thoughts.

____

They arrived about twenty minutes later, stepping out of the car and gazing at the grand, bright mansion. Emily hoped it was an indoor party since her dress didn't have sleeves, and the cold wind was killing her.

As they entered the house, they couldn't help but be impressed by the design, it was the perfect mix of modern and vintage elements. Chandelier hung from the ceiling, glasses of champagne were being passed around, and there was a lot of food, drinks, and people engaging in lively conversations. It reminded Emily of the galas her mother was hosting, this party of course was in much smaller scale but the atmosphere was very familiar. Despite the chilly breeze wafting in from the open yard, Emily suddenly felt warm in the welcoming atmosphere.

Locating the engaged couple wasn't difficult. The woman, a brunette, wore a sleeveless white dress with thin straps that fell just above her feet. Her white sparkling high heels completed the look. By her side stood her soon-to-be husband, also a brunette, who matched her radiant smile and held her hand. It seemed that the woman had noticed Emily and Aaron and drew her fiance's attention to them. She waved at them, and the couple politely excused themselves from their guests and made their way over.