Chapter 7: In Which She Had to Attend a Wedding

His warm breath tickled the tip of her nose. A wave of goosebumps washed across her limbs and her fingers started to numb. Move away, Aurora. Keep things professional. But his face inched closer. She stopped thinking. Her insides fluttered like crazy, her breasts rose slowly until she finally stopped breathing.

His lips were a hair’s breadth from hers.

Just the slightest movement and they will dive into a valley of honey bliss.

Clang!

Aurora looked down and realized she had dropped her fork.

Theo was as startled but swiftly recovered and glared down at the dumb fork. What the hell. He inhaled slowly to steady his racing heart. Great job, fork. That was a perfectly good chance and you ruined it.

"So what's your favorite food?" she asked breathlessly.

He blinked twice at her sudden change of topic then chuckled lightly when he noted her flushed cheeks. Hell, he growled silently, her blushing is driving him crazy. He gripped his fingers tightly to stop them from reaching out to touch her.

"Churros." Darn. He groaned silently. It was the first thing that came to him and it sounded like the silliest thing ever.

"But that's a dessert." Aurora was confused.

Theo shrugged. "I like sweet things."

Aurora saw the glint in his eyes and leaned forward. "Were all those women sweet then?"

Suddenly, loud music blared in the background and snapped them back into the kitchen.

"I'll be right back." Theo smiled and left.

Aurora observed her hot and sexy boyfriend standing near the couch, phone attached to his ear. Startled, she fished out her phone and a string of texts greeted her.

Trish texted: Hey girl, holler if you nee anything.

Madame Zoya texted: Audrey Walters. Tomorrow, 6pm.

That woman made a last-minute appointment for tomorrow? Aurora read the text again and pondered why.

Theo returned with an answer to her question.

"I forgot to tell you." He sat beside her again and smiled a pleasing smile at her. "There’s an event I need to attend. The Gill Slate and Kate Wilkinson wedding."

Aurora straightened with an alert look. "The Gill Slate?"

Theo nodded. “You’re coming with me.”

“It’s tomorrow, isn’t it?”

Theo nodded again. He was impressed with her again. What else does she not know? “6 pm.” He added quietly. Then, she looked nervous. Theo stepped toward her. "Is there a problem?"

"Can I skip this? Since Audrey won’t be there. "

Theo was puzzled. "She’ll be there. She's the Maid of Honor."

"But she made an appointment at Madam Zoya for tomorrow?" Aurora waved her phone at Theo, who squinted back, equally confused.


******


“Just go for the wedding.”

Aurora looked doubtful at Trish. “But I have to work.”

Trish rolled her eyes. “Girl, you promised that man to help him. Then on the first ‘date’, you bailed out on him. Doesn’t that sound a little bit mean to you?”

Aurora was speechless again. Her phone buzzed and she glanced at it.

“That’s the tenth time it buzzed. Seriously, just go. Tell Madame Zoya to stand in for you.”

“Tell the boss to stand in for me?” Aurora looked horrified. “No. I can’t do it.”

Trish snatched over her phone. “Oh God girl, you need a new phone. D*mn, these scratches are going to tear my skin off! Okay, Madame Zoya.” She tapped on the name then cast an irritated look at her ginger hair friend and added, “I’m going to pretend to be you and tell her that I’m sick.”

Aurora lunged over. “No!” She grabbed her phone and slotted it into her pocket. “Madame Zoya’s my savior. I can’t do that.”

Trish exhaled heavily at the ceiling. “Oh my f*cking Lord! Godd*mn it, Rory! Seriously. Why can’t you just take a day off? You’ve already gotten the money for this month - although I have no idea how you did it--.”

“Madame Zoya gave me three months’ pay in advance, I told you!” Aurora retorted and then the guilt surfaced in her chest.

She had lied to her best friend. Aurora didn’t want to, but she had no choice. What would Trish think? She’d be upset, of course! Her best friend had refused to take her money but gladly accepted it from a stranger. Worse, the money was for an escort service - the one job that Trish made her swore never to take.

Trish mouthed an 'O' and sighed. “Then tell the man you can’t go.”

Aurora inhaled deeply and frowned in vex. “I just have to do that. I mean, there’ll be other chances, right?”

“But this is the event of the century. The marriage between a tech tycoon and a princess - it’s going to go on every print in the city and every website all over the world.” Trish crossed her legs, hugged her pillow and attended to an imaginary scratch. “If I’m not wrong, your boy wants everyone to know that he’s taken -- by you.”

Aurora swallowed hard.


******


“Thank you, Madame Zoya. Thank you! I will do as you say.”

Aurora nodded solemnly. “Get a makeover, show more care for yourself, and he will notice you. Follow the signs.”

The eighteen-year-old customer with the thickest black-rimmed specs, in an oversized grey sweatshirt and baggy woollen pants, bowed profusely and disappeared behind the black curtain. Once her footsteps faded into the distance, Aurora exhaled with a contented smile.

Then, she glanced down and frowned at her phone. What excuse can she give Madame Zoya if she wants to go for the wedding ceremony? It was all Audrey’s fault. What the hell is she up to? Why did she make the appointment? Clearly, she can’t make it; she’d be at the ceremony.

“You have to tell me what’s going on, Aurora.”

Aurora jumped at Theo’s voice. He stepped in and Aurora couldn’t help but notice how dangerously attractive he looked in a tux. His hair was loosely raked to the back and he was showing his forehead today. She noted a loose strand that had fallen over his handsome forehead and reached up to push it back over his head.

“You look dashing today.”

Theo took her hand into his and repeated his question.

She pulled her hand out of his grasp and turned from him. “I told you - I have work.”

“I’ve settled it on your behalf.”

Aurora spun around. “What! What did you do?”

“I called Madame Zoya and explained that you needed to attend a wedding with me. She completely understood and is on her way.”

Her eyes grew with indignance. “You can’t do that!”

“We have a deal, Aurora. In case you’ve forgotten.”

That was a harsh reminder of her circumstances. A wake-up call from reality. Why did she think she has a choice? She stared at the handsome giant before her.

He’s not your boyfriend, Aurora. He’s your boss. He hired you for a job and you do it. You have no choice.

She would have to find a way to make up to her savior Madame Zoya.

“You’re right,” she breathed in densely. “I’m sorry.”

Theo reached for her hand again. “Let’s go then.”

But Aurora backed away once more. “Wait. There’s something else you need to know.” She looked nervous again.