With Me In Seattle: Play With Me Part 34

"This is so awesome," Nat hugs Jules. "I can't wait to hear you."

"And I can't wait to hear you for the first time," Sam says with a grin. "Sounds like it'll be a h.e.l.luva show."

"I'll do my best."

I turn and take one last look in the mirror. "Are we sure about the dark lipstick?" It's a dark raisin color, giving my lips definition and is a stark contrast to my white skin.

"Definitely. It's hot. And it's color-stay, so Will can kiss you all night and it won't smudge or come off." Sam winks at me.

"Okay. Wow, I clean up well, if I do say so." The doorbell rings and I suddenly feel my stomach roll with antic.i.p.ation.

"That's Will." The girls jump up and head out of my room. "Stay up here for a few minutes." Nat kisses my cheek. "Take a deep breath. Let him wait for you. You're stunning. Have fun." And with a smile and a wave, she follows the other two downstairs to let Will in.

I hear his voice and smile. That deep baritone does things to me.

I bet he can sing well.

"Where is she?" he asks.

"She's just finishing upstairs. She'll be down in a second." Sam tells him.

"I'm going up." I hear him head for the stairs.

"No, you won't," Jules laughs. "Be patient. She'll be right down. Have fun tonight."

"Be good," Nat says and then I hear the front door open and close and Will sets the alarm.

What is it with him and that alarm?

Suddenly, I hear him take the stairs two at a time and he's standing in my doorway, staring at me. And I just stare back. He's in a tux, looking all 007, and hot and... mine.

"What happened to you waiting downstairs?" I ask with a raised brow.

"f.u.c.k that, I want to see you." He swallows hard. "Wow."

"Yeah?" I look down at the dress and turn a circle so he can see the whole thing. "You like?"

"Hmm," he murmurs. "You are absolutely gorgeous, but you're missing something."

"I am?" I look down again, then turn to the mirror, making sure my hair is still in place. "I think Jules covered everything."

He moves up behind me and catches my gaze through the mirror. As he leans down and kisses my neck, right below my ear, he wraps an arm around me, palm up, with a blue Tiffany box, wrapped in a white bow, sitting on his hand.

"I think this might complete your outfit," he murmurs into my ear.

"You've already given me so much," I whisper, eyes glued to the tiny blue box.

"I would give you the world if I could, sweetheart." My eyes fly back to his in the mirror and he's smiling softly.

"You are my world," I whisper. His eyes widen, and just when I think he's going to go all mushy on me, he smirks.

"Who's cheeky now?" he asks, reminding me of the cafe in New Orleans.

"Cheeky?" I ask with a chuckle.

"Cheeky," he mouths to me, his face happy. "Open it."

I pluck the box from his hand and he rests his hands on my shoulders as I open it. Nestled inside are the most over the top chandelier diamond earrings I've ever seen. I pull one out and hold it up to the light, watching the light reflect off the diamonds. They're swirly, with a huge princess cut diamond in the middle, set on its side. They are totally my style.

And totally the most expensive things I've ever had my hands on.

"Will..." I try to protest, but he takes the earrings from me and turns me around gently.

"When I saw these," he begins and fastens one to my right ear. "I knew they belonged on your perfect little ears." He fastens the left one and then turns me back to face the mirror so I can see them. "See? Now your outfit is complete."

I push one of the earrings with my index finger, watching it dangle along my jaw line, then turn in Will's arms, loop my arms around his neck and kiss him, softly, thoroughly. He rests his hands on my hips and patiently lets me explore his lips with my own until I back away and grin shyly up at him.

"Thank you."

The ball is exactly what I expected. We are at a posh hotel in downtown Seattle, surrounded by gorgeous people, tall flutes of champagne, tiny bits of food being pa.s.sed around on silver platters and lots and lots of money.

It looks exactly the way it does in the movies.

Surprisingly, I'm not nervous. Jules was right, I rarely have stage fright, and I'm completely comfortable with Will at my side, his hand resting on the small of my back. He's charming, talks easily with everyone who stops him, but makes sure that he always knows where I am, who I'm with, or draws me into the conversation.

Will and I wander through the silent auction room, looking through all of the items up for bid. There is everything from spa days to art work to a week in Italy. When Will sees the week in Italy, he looks down at me with a wide grin.

"Ever been to Italy?"

"Uh, no."

"Wanna go?" He offers me that c.o.c.ky side grin, the one that used to make me roll my eyes, and I laugh.

"Yes, Will, I want to go to Italy." I shake my head and take a sip of champagne.

"Okay," he shrugs and grabs the pen, writes down his name and a very, very large sum of money to place his bid.

"Holy s.h.i.t!" I whisper to him.

"What?" His eyes are wide, brows raised. "You said you want to go."

"Well, of course I want to, Will, but I didn't think you'd actually bid on it."

"You confuse me," he frowns down at me. "If you want to go to Italy, I'll take you."

"Just like that?" I ask.

"Just like that." He places a chaste kiss on my lips and guides me down to the next item up for auction. We come to a signed jersey of Will's and I gasp.

"When did you donate this?"

He shrugs and looks down at the bids, then smirks. "I don't know, not long after they sent the invitation. Some idiot has bid ten grand on this thing already."

"I wonder how much I could get for the ones I sleep in on eBay?" I ponder, taking a sip of my champagne, making Will laugh.

"Gonna start selling all my s.h.i.t now?" he asks and leads me out of the room. He's bid on the trip to Italy, a weekend in Mexico, and another week in Hawaii. Apparently he plans to travel a lot this year.

"Maybe," I shrug. "Could be a good side business."

"Now I'm just a side business. You wound me, babe."

He leads me laughing out into the main ballroom where there is a band playing cla.s.sic hits, like It Had To Be You and Fly Away and Will sweeps me into his arms and across the dance floor, holding me close, looking down into my eyes.

Wow, he's a good dancer.

"You move very well," I remark. He just shrugs and smiles and pulls me closer.

"You fit well, right here."

"Hmm," I agree and smile up at him, lost in his blue eyes. It's as though we're the only two in the room. "This is fun."

"Do you know any of the people here from the hospital?" he asks.

"No," I shake my head and look around. "I know some of the faces, but these people are way above my pay grade."

"You do look beautiful tonight," Will murmurs.

"Thank you. So do you."

"I hate dressing up," he grins and shrugs. "But if I get to have you with me looking like this, it's worth it."

"Cheeky b.a.s.t.a.r.d," I mutter and kiss his chest through his white shirt.

"Ladies and gentleman," An older man takes the stage, looking distinguished in his formal tux, gray hair slicked back. "Before we wrap things up for the night, I want to announce the winners of the silent auction."

We stop where we are on the dance floor, arms wrapped around each other, and listen to Mr. Richards, the CEO of Children's read the highest bidders. The winners whoop and applaud excitedly. When he gets to the trip to Italy, he announces Will's name.

"Holy c.r.a.p!" I look up at him with wide eyes, and he winks down at me.

"Looks like we're going to Italy in the spring," he says with a grin.

We're going to Italy in the spring!

Will also wins the weekend in Mexico, but the week in Hawaii goes to another of his teammates.

"Thank you, everyone for bidding," Mr. Richards continues. "And, it's my honor to announce that you have raised more than three million dollars tonight for our hospital."

The room erupts in applause and I can't help the wide grin on my face. This is fantastic! Oh, the things we can do with that money.

Will is smiling down at me, enjoying my reaction. "I think this just became an annual event for us," he murmurs.

I look up in surprise. He's plans on being with me in a year!

"Are you ready to get out of here?" He asks.

"Yes." His eyes heat. He takes my hand in his, laces our fingers and leads me to the doors. "Don't you have to say goodbye to some people?"

"No."

"Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?" I ask with a breathless laugh.

He stops and turns to me, pulling me against his hard body, and leans down so he can whisper in my ear, "I'm in a hurry to get you home, out of this s.e.xy as f.u.c.k dress, and bury myself in you for the better part of the night. Is that okay with you?"

"Um, yeah. That works."

He leads me out to the valet, hands the man his ticket and we're quiet while we wait for the car.

"What are you humming?" Will asks.

"I was humming?"

"Yeah, what was it?"

"I didn't realize I was." I shake my head and smile up at him. "It was probably the song Jules asked me to sing at the reception."

"You're singing at the reception?" His eyebrows climb into his hairline in surprise.

"Yeah, she begged. It was embarra.s.sing. I put her out of her misery." I wave him off and laugh. "It's hard to tell her no when she gives me shoes like these." I pull my skirt up so he can see my amazing Louboutins.

"Dear G.o.d, those have been under there all night?"

"Yep," I smile smugly.

"What else do you have under there?"

I purse my lips and tilt my head like I'm thinking really, really hard. "It's hard to remember. I'm p.r.o.ne to amnesia these days."

The valet pulls up with the car, and Will holds the pa.s.senger door open for me, then hops in and takes off toward home.

G.o.d, I effing love this car.

I reach over and untie his bowtie, letting it hang onto his chest, and unb.u.t.ton the top two b.u.t.tons of his shirt.

"Thank you," he sighs. "d.a.m.n monkey suit."

"You look hot in that monkey suit," I remind him.