Page 106 of Lovers' Dance

Shit. Matt was a stickler for being on time. I grabbed up my clutch and stuck my powder in, then remembered I needed lipstick. I couldn’t decide on a colour, so ended up using my usual gloss, then got my heels out of their box. I had one on when I heard a car pull up out front.

Five fifty-eight. He was early.

Perfume. I needed perfume. I slipped the other shoe on and fastened it before hurrying over to my dresser. I heard my front door open and slam shut in quick succession.

“Poppet?” came from downstairs.

I spritzed the necessary places and took one final look at myself before calling out, “I’ll be one sec, Matt.”

My room looked like a bomb had gone off in it. Ah, well, it wasn’t like Matt would be sexing me anyway. He wouldn’t need to come up here.

“Poppet, will you hurry up,” Matt yelled. “The car’s waiting.”

I rolled my eyes and walked out of my bedroom. Matt was on the bottom step when I reached the top of the landing, probably planning to drag me along in an attempt to hurry things up.

He stopped—literally stopped—and stared at me. I smiled nervously and came down the stairs, with his grey eyes following my every move.

“Hi,” I said, offering up my glossy lips for a kiss. Matt hadn’t moved from the bottom step. In fact, he looked kind of dazed. I pulled back to look at him. “You look nice in your tux. What’s wrong with you? Why are you staring at me like that?”

He opened his mouth and blinked, then closed his mouth.

“Matt, mmph.” His hello kiss took my breath away.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered when he finally pulled away.

I smiled. “You like?”

“I like very much,” he murmured, before slanting his lips over mine again. I lost myself in the sensation of his tongue sensuously exploring the crevices of my mouth. Matt could French kiss the heck out of anyone.

“Wow,” I whispered, looking as dazed as Matt had moments earlier.

“Poppet, you’re beautiful.”

“You said that already,” I teased.

Matt nodded slowly. “I know, but it needed to be said again. You’ve taken my breath away.”

I blushed and pushed him a little. “Stop being silly, hon.”

The expression on his face made me blush harder and I reached up to fiddle with my side bun. As I brushed my ear, the realization dawned that I had no earrings on.

“Crap,” I muttered. “I’ll be two minutes, Matt. Forgot my earrings.”

“That’s okay,” he grinned, arm tightening around my waist as he led me protesting down the last step. “I’ve got something for you.”

“Nuh uh,” I said, spotting the velvet box on the coffee table that hadn’t been there before.

Matt’s grin widened as he went over and picked up the box before returning to my side.

“Think of it as a pre-emptive move on my part,” he said, opening it to reveal its glittering content.

“A what?” I was distracted. I didn’t thinkblingifiedwas an actual word, but it should be. I’d been blingified.

“I’m sure at some point in the future, hopefully not too soon, I’ll do something which you won’t like.” He took out the necklace and balanced the box on the banister. It wasn’t the same set I had returned. “This is my way of saying sorry in advance.”

“Matt,” I started.

“Poppet.” He stood behind me and fastened the necklace around my neck, pausing to press a kiss to my bare shoulder. “I’m not taking no for an answer. Besides, a beautiful woman such as yourself deserves beautiful things.”

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