Wanting Ella ✔ (Blaq Hearts 1)

39. Fairytale

Hey my loves, so sorry for going MIA again... I've been trying to edit the last chapters, and I decided to change a few things so the follow-up books will make more sense... Thanks for being patient.

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Nervousness wracked through her, leaving her palms beneath the gloves sweaty.

She stood in the room alone, ten minutes after her companions had left, their work done. She already missed their company but was glad she had gotten their contacts before they left.

"You look enchanting, Ella." Jackie had told her with a genuine smile as she handed her the little purse to match her ensemble.

She took one last look at herself in the mirror, exhaled deeply, and turned for the door.

For the first time since arriving at the hotel, she was the only occupant in the elevator, and for that she was thankful, it gave her time to think, to prepare... for him.

She wondered what he might think of the dress, of her look entirely. The makeup wasn't extravagant, nor was her hair. And she could only hope it would all meet his taste.

She scoffed. Where was all this coming from? Since when did she need a man's approval on her looks? So much for being a strong independent woman.

She shook those thoughts from her head. She didn't care what Kaiden thought about her dress. She liked it, and that was what mattered. But still, she hoped he would like it.

The elevator came to a stop and her calming heart spiked again as the doors opened slowly to reveal the lobby of the hotel. She took another calming breath, clutched her little purse with all the strength she had, and stepped out before the doors closed.

Her eyes scanned the full lobby, searching for the familiar figure of the man she wanted more than anything to see, and at the same time run away from. Those were just the kind of feelings Kaiden awoke in her.

One minute she wanted to be his, irrevocably his, the next she wanted to run away from his advances, hide from his searching eyes, not because she did not want them, but because she feared them.

Never in her life had she felt as strongly as Kaiden made her feel, and all these within months of knowing each other. The only time she'd felt half as strongly as now, it didn't end well, and she had the scars to prove it.

She waved such depressing thoughts from her mind and took the first step towards the stairs oblivious to the looks she received from both men and women alike.

It wasn't until she reached the last step she saw him, and unable to help it, her heart leaped at the sight of the object of her roaming eyes and racing heart. Dressed in a cashmere cardigan, a crisp white shirt underneath the dark fabric of the cardigan, and a matching pair of dark slacks to complete the ensemble.

She'd never seen him so classily dressed and it warmed her heart. He had his back to her, head low as he spoke to Ricard, his hands in his pocket. His features looked at ease, but she could see from his tense shoulders, he was anything but.

Ricard, nodding along to whatever Kaiden was saying made eye contact with her and froze, his mouth falling open.

Kaiden, perhaps wondering what held the normally stoic man under such hold turned to the direction of his gaze and much like his companion froze to the spot.