Page 81 of Heartstruck at Dawn
I looked down at my dress and said, “It’s a beautiful dress. You said you chose it yourself?”
“Of course, I did. I was presented with a few options, but I was torn between this one and a sexy blue gown, but it had a deep V neckline”—he poked my belly a couple of inches above my navel—“up to here. And damn, I was tempted to see you wearing it. Perhaps some other time.”
There wasn’t going to be another time. I’d learned my lesson. I was making a cross-referenced list of William’s tricks.
He raised a brow and licked his lips before taking another sip of his champagne. “It was fun choosing something for you to wear.”
“William Sjöberg. You have a passion for fashion, don’t you?” I smiled, and he rolled his eyes at me.
It was evident. William was always immaculate, clean, perfectly dressed for the occasion. And even his white t-shirts weren’t just any kind of cotton. They were soft but sturdy. I know because I wore one and remember how it slipped on my skin like butter.
“How did you know my dress size, by the way? Did you ask Lily?” It fit me like a glove. And it was soft, soft, soft.
“Lily?” he asked with a grimace, almost spitting her name. Likehow dare Iask that question. “You forget, I’ve held you in my arms before. When we kissed in the pool, I acquired aprecisenotion about your—size.” His mouth twitched into a wicked little smile. My eyes went wide.
I bit my lower lip and looked away, trying to push back the memories of the pool-kissing scenario. He took another step closer.
Stopstopstop.But I did nothing to stop him. My mind had poached all my energy and paralyzed the rest of my bodily functions.
“You have something in your hair,” he said with a frown. “May I?”
“Um, s-sure.” My eyes followed the movements of his hand.
He pulled on the two pearl-encrusted hairpins that held my updo, and my hair fell over my shoulders.
“William!” I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly. I held my hand out, and he placed the hairpins on it. “Thank you.” I tucked them inside my clutch.
“You insist on putting your hair up.” He smiled like he was enjoying my reaction. Like he planned on doing it every single time he could and didn’t give a shit about it.
My phone buzzed. It was Nathan. I shook my head at William and walked away to take the call. A few people immediately approached William and talked to him. A woman even pulled her phone out for a selfie. William was smiling, but I could tell it was forced. Not the real smiles I’d seen on his face more than a few times by now.
“Murph, I’m sorry I didn’t call you back sooner. I’m finally out. I’m on my way to your flat. So what is it you wanted to tell me? Is everything okay?” A slab of steel fell upon me. He sounded exhausted, and I needed to start explaining.
William stared at me from afar with thislookon his face. The very same I remember when we kissed at the pool. And his bedroom. And the car.Look away!Please?
I cleared my throat and chugged down what was left of my champagne. “Um, so you know how you mentioned something about a surprise?” I was finding it hard to explain—hard to spill it out. I was embarrassed, too, about what happened.
“Yes, love. I’ll show you what it is as soon as I arrive.”
“Well, there was some sort of a mix-up, I’m afraid.” I turned to look at William, and he was still staring my way, even as people talked to him. He knew I was talking to Nathan, but his face told me he couldn’t care less about it.
“When I arrived home today from my errands, Aaron gave me a box with a dress, a letter, and a ticket for today’s Opera at the Met.” I sighed. “I thought it was all from you. I thought it wasyoursurprise.”
“William?” he asked. But I guess he already knew the answer to that question.
“Yes. I’m so, so sorry. I tried calling you as soon as William arrived in your stead, but you were busy, and then Rolando Villazón started singing, and I couldn’t find it in me to leave. But I swear if you want me to, I’ll do it right now. It’s killing me that you’re not here with me.”
“William’s lost the plot,” Nathan said in almost a growl. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but by context, I got that he was annoyed and thought that William was probably insane.
“I’m sorry. I’ll leave okay. I shouldn’t have stayed. I—”
“No. You’re already dressed up and halfway through that thing. William tricked you into it. You should stay. I know perfectly well how he is. I’ll deal with him later.”
“I don’t feel comfortable staying, knowing how upset you are about this. I don’t want to cause any trouble. Believe me. I’m angry too about how it all happened. But I’m just trying to enjoy the opportunity of being here.”
“Have you heard your favorite song? The one you told me about?” He sighed.
“No. It doesn’t come until the end of act two.”
