by T. N. King
“Uh?” Ellie stared at her.
“Sugar?”
“Oh, yes three is fine.”
Miss Petra handed it to her. “Now, my dear. I’ve been told you will be wearing the Desaunt, is this correct? In blue?”
Ellie took a sip of the warm brew. It tasted perfect and it smelled wonderful too. I bet this cup of joe cost a hundred dollars. Her gaze shot up. “A der…what?” She looked up at the woman.
“A Desaunt, blue, with diamonds along the bodice?”
“Oh!” Ellie smiled, as she finally understood. “My dress.”
Miss Petra nodded. “Not just a dress, child.” She laughed. “A dress?” She laughed again, as if Ellie had been joking.
Well, up until this part, Ellie thought this lady was different. Not treating her like she was poor trash. Being sweet, serving her coffee, but apparently snobbery can be delivered in different forms. “Well, if you find me this hilarious. I suppose you brought clown make up with you to insure I fit the part!”
Miss Petra’s laughter halted instantly as she blinked her big brown eyes at her. “Oh, my dear!” She rushed over to the bed. “I did not mean…” she huffed nervously. “It is a designer gown. It is worth—well…” She halted and tilted her head at her. “I-I misunderstood. I do apologize.”
Ellie stared at her feeling utterly perplexed. “What did it cost?” Her voice fell low.
Miss Petra looked very troubled and her air of confidence had evaporated. “I-I am not sure of the exact—?”
“What. Did. It. Cost?” Ellie asked forcefully this time.
“Uh—umm…”
“Two-hundred thousand,” a voice came from the door.
They both looked over to see Morgan.
He stepped in and nodded at Miss Petra. “You can go set up in the wardrobe room, Gena.”
Miss Petra nodded then turned to Ellie. “Again, I am sorry. Please know that it would be an honor to dress someone as lovely and unique as you.” She turned and left the room.
Morgan came further into the room.
“Two-hundred thousand DOLLARS?” Ellie yelled the last word.
He looked uncomfortable as he sat on the bed. “Yes, thereabouts.”
“WHAT?” Shocked, she spluttered, “T-that w-would buy my whole block where I used to live!” She shook her head as if cotton had entered her brain. “For a dress?”
Looking upset now, Morgan took her hand. “When I thought of a gown, I did start at the reasonable ones, then my assistant sent me the image of this dress. I immediately could see you in it. I just said yes, that is it.” He shrugged.
“You bought me a designer dress, decked out in diamonds. Y-you…” Yes, this is what he in fact, did. The diner she worked at would not even sell for that much. But look at what he did for that diner. She knew he was filthy rich. She knew this. But to wear a dress with a price tag that could feed all the poor in a small country, just blew her mind.
“Ellie?” he asked softly.
She let out a long breath. “How can I wear a dress that costs as much as a house?”
“I already bought it, Ellie. You know you will look like a dream in it. You know that.”
She raised her coffee cup and her hand shook as she took a sip. “I am dumb. I know it. I mean you even said those were diamonds. Of course, the dress cost as much as my whole family ever made in their lifetimes.”
Morgan hung his head. “I am sorry. I just did not think about it—well, until you saw it and I told you those were not rhinestones. I mean I forget how other people live. I have always been privileged and I never thought twice about it.”
Ellie started to cry. “Until you met poor white trash like me. Like that stupid knock off polka dot thirty dollar dress I wore to your hotel!” She cried hard now. “Like I thought I-I would look good until all those people in the lobby stared at me and that lady looking at me like I was beneath her—”
Morgan stood up. “Who insulted you?” He looked white and his eyes were blazing. He then seemed to lose that anger as he sighed and looked as if he were fighting for control of his anger. He knelt down on the floor and took her hand. “When I saw you at my door in that dress? I nearly came all over myself. You were the cutest, sexiest thing I think I have EVER seen.” He gazed into her eyes. He wiped her tears away with his fingers. “You are not trash. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Her crying slowed as she froze at his words. She blinked her eyes and swiped her tears away. “W-what?”
He nodded. “You are better than all these people, better than these women I have been with. They were cold, false, and full of themselves. You are a ray of sunshine, everything sweet and real.” He leaned close. “Too good for a playboy like me.”
Ellie sniffled and thought about what he said. It was too hard to believe that he thought this way about her. “Well, I suppose if you feel that it is the dress for me that strongly?”
He smiled at her and kissed her hand. “I do and how about we have it for one of the auctions?” He looked up as if trying to remember something. “There is one charity there that feeds the hungry? That dress could start the bid at 200k then get perhaps 500? Then it would go to the homeless.”
Ellie grinned at him. “That would be perfect!”
Patting her hand he said, “Now, it is almost two and I need to take care of a few things for my job.”
Ellie gasped. “It is two o’clock in the afternoon?” Her voice rose. “Oh, my god! I slept all day?”
He laughed. “You needed it. Now you will be fresh for the ball.” He stood up. “I leave you in the capable hands of Miss Petra. She really is a nice lady.”
Nodding, Ellie let out a breath. “Okay.”
“So, I will call for you to join me in the lobby at six, okay?”
“Yes.”
He leaned down to kiss her forehead.
Ellie suppressed her disappointment at his lack of kissing since this trip started, but she knew what he was doing. If they kissed like before, they would be in bed instantly. Then a voice asked…And so what? You want him, he wants you? She fought it down. And I need to not jump or leap again, she told the voice.
He stood up and walked out of the room.
And did you see that ass? The naughty voice in her head added.
Ellie leaned her head back and laughed.
Morgan
He entered his office at Hunt Towers. He should have just told her in the first place. But who gifted you with something then tells you how much it cost? Her reaction had been a surprise. Well, maybe not. Morgan had hidden it from her, so he did know. He sighed. Honesty. He was an honest person, but in his line of work, it got blurred or there were gray areas.
He’d never been so out of his element. This woman had him turned inside out. But not because she meant to do it. Not on purpose. She was low maintenance in reality. Look how she gave him a second chance. Look at her reaction to what he’d spent on her, when he never gave it a second thought?
“There you are!”
Morgan gazed up. Chance.
“I was wondering when you would show up.” His best friend smiled. “So, ready to go and be bored with the filthy rich?” he asked.
“You mean the charity ball?” Morgan asked and grabbed the file he had come here for.
“Of course that’s…” Chance stepped closer and stared at him. “What is going on with you?”
Morgan looked up. “Nothing, why? Do I look sick?”
Chance laughed. “Hardly. But something is off here.”
Morgan chuckled, trying to play it off. “Oh, really?”
Chance nodded. “I know you are always busy but the last time I saw you. I felt like you were more than distracted.”
Morgan nodded. “Work. Work.”
“No.”
Raising his gaze to his friend, he waited for it.
“Like you have some new ‘project.’ ”
Oh, shit. That was the phrase they used when they met some woman they wanted.
“No, not like that.”
“She is not like that? You mean?”
Morgan sighed and tucked the file under his arm. “No. She isn’t and I am bringing her to the ball.” He stepped close to Chance. “She is also off limits.” He looked right into Chance’s piercing green eyes.
The man pulled his head back. “Whoa, whoa down, there boy!” He laughed. “You act like you’re…” His voice faded away. “You fell for someone?”
Shaking his head, Morgan laughed. “Fell?” Yes, he had, long and hard, plummeting countless floors down to the earth. But in between, there had been a night of heaven.
“Holy Fuck!” Chance exclaimed. “Look at you! You were thinking of her just now, right?” He shook his head looking totally stunned. “Morgan Hunt…caught.”
Wincing at the expression, of ‘caught’ he shook his head.
“Well, damn. This won’t be the boring ball I thought it would be.” Chance laughed.
“Just do not get too excited when you meet her,” Morgan warned as he leaned in close. “And be nice. Not too nice though.” He walked past him.
“Well, shit! The moon just turned purple and fucking Unicorns must be running down Fifth Avenue!”
Chances’ laughter followed him down the hallway.
After rushing home to his house, he had dressed there then had his driver nearly fly down the toll road and made it into the lobby to await Ellie. He wanted to see her in that dress, walking towards him as he waited to take her arm and show her his world. And show her off too. No, she was so wrong about herself. She couldn’t see herself like others did. Like he did.
“Sir?” his driver called to him.
He glanced over at Frank.
Frank’s eyes sparkled.
Mmm, I never seen my driver look— Morgan followed his gaze and turned around.
Standing on the top of the stairs, was Ellie.
Or a vision from some heaven where only angels existed. Morgan felt like someone just punched him in the chest.
The blue silk hugged every curve as a bit of thigh flashed when she took a step. And with each step, her blue heels reflected diamond light as well. The diamonds around her chest sparkled under the light of the chandelier and lit up her face.
Morgan couldn’t breathe. He’d never had this reaction to anyone or anything before.
She held her head high as her hair was coiffed up and long chocolate ringlets bounced along her shoulders. Her eyes though were what stood out, the blue reflecting the dress nearly perfectly. As she drew closer, he could see she wore teardrop bluish diamond earrings. She wore no necklace. She didn’t need to.
The lobby grew quiet as all the heretofore activity came to a halt.
Every set of eyes in the place were tilted upward and followed her progress down.
“Sir?” Frank asked from beside him.
Morgan stood transfixed. “Huh?”
“You need to greet her—”
Morgan suddenly realized he was not close enough to grab her hand when she took the last step. “Shit!” he muttered under his breath. He could hear his driver’s chuckle behind him as he rushed forward.
Ellie smiled as he neared. She looked nervous.
He knew she shouldn’t, she should look confident…No, she looked like Ellie, sweet and unassuming. Truly unknowing of her beauty. God dammit, he was hard as he may have ever been in his life. He stopped right at the bottom step and reached for her hand.
Trembling, she placed hers in his.
He helped her down to the marble flooring. Then leaned close to whisper, “Ellie look around.”
Blinking her eyes, she did so and slowly gazed around at the silence in the lobby and at the expressions of awe on all the people there.
The uniformed men at the door bowed at her in sure reverence.
“Oh…” She gasped.
“Yes, they are transfixed by you.” He beamed at her. “As am I.” He walked her across the marble as their audience gave out whistles and gasps.
He leaned in to her ear as the door men opened the doors. “It was worth every damn dime, I spent.”
Her eyes widened and she laughed.
Morgan looked back to see men ogling her and women glaring. Yes, maybe the dress helped, but he really felt like it was Ellie who helped the dress in fact.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Ellie
Ellie thought she might pass out as Miss Petra set her at the top of the stairs. Ellie’s argument about taking the elevator fell on deaf ears.
“You will make an entrance. You shall see. The man will probably faint.” Miss Petra laughed.
Ellie didn’t laugh. She’d never done anything like this. To make a grand entrance like in some movie? No, she wasn’t nearly pretty enough. It didn’t matter if she were decked out in diamonds. Oh! Don’t even think about that. The earrings were a big battle between her and the Fashion Consultant. They were worth at least 50,000 dollars! Miss Petra insisted that she should wear them, saying that they too, matched her eyes.
It had been the shoes that Ellie fell in love with. They were spectacular to put it weakly. She still could not believe they were what Morgan had chosen for her. Well, she could not believe any of this. It was like a dream. Then the reception she got. The people’s faces in that opulent Lobby. It was the dress, she had told herself. Then when she saw Morgan’s expression, she wasn’t so sure. He stared at her like she was a blue cream sickle and he was about to eat her up.
She shivered. Well, that experience bolstered her up for the entrance into the ball. Or so she hoped, she still trembled all over and felt like someone, anyone was going to rush up to her and tell her she didn’t belong in the dress—with this man—in his life.
“Ellie?” Morgan spoke close to ear her again.
Goosebumps rose up along her arms. Just look at this man! He looked like one of those models on a magazine cover and he was on a date with her! She wished he would quit with the sexy whispering, it wasn’t doing her nerves any good at all. “Yes, Morgan?”
He bowed toward the limo door.
“Oh!” She had been standing there daydreaming about him in fact. She got into the car.
Morgan slipped in after her and the car was moving instantly.
He reached for her hand.
Staring down at it, she thought it felt damp. She then looked up at him. He had looked like a dream himself of course, in his tux. Damn, a god wearing a tux...is what she thought when he had rushed forward to greet her. She had also wondered what in the hell was wrong with him. Why did he want a poor girl from the slums? She knew the dress made her look good, but she was still just Ellie, a waitress at The Liberty Bell diner.
Morgan chuckled and removed his strong hand from hers.
Ellie turned to look at him.
“God dammit. I am sweating, even my palms. I am so sorry Ellie.”
She scrunched her brows at him. “What?”
He smiled. “You made Morgan Hunt break out in a cold sweat.”
Her eyes rounded.
He nodded. “You just do not know how absolutely perfect you are. You actually burn me up.”
“We are here sir,” the driver said through the speaker.
Ellie now felt a little bead of sweat herself running down her neck. “Dammit,” she whispered as her hands shook.
Morgan chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about.” He looked up and saw a man standing at the huge glass doors and his smile faded. “But maybe I do.”
Leaning forward to follow his gaze, Ellie stared. She blinked, then looked closer. “Oh.”
Morgan bristled next to her. “Oh?” he asked with an edge in his voice.
Ellie looked over at him. “Is he a doorman too?”
Morgan halted and stared at her. Then he laughed hugely.
Startled, she gasped.
He grabbed her face gently in his hands and asked, “You think he is—do you think he’s hot?”
Batting her lashes in confusion, she leaned her head around him a
nd looked again. Yes, the man was handsome. He was tall and well built too. But he didn’t have any redeeming features that really caught her eye. “He’s…” She shrugged. “Okay, I guess?”
Morgan stilled. “Okay?”
She nodded. “Why? Is he someone important?”
Morgan grabbed her hand as the limo door swung open. “Not anymore.” He stepped out and leaned in to take her hand.
She smiled and suddenly felt calm. No nerves as she looked up and the lights from the front of the building glowed around Morgan. My angel man. She grabbed his hand and swung a leg out as it flashed from the blue silk.
Morgan pulled her up and tucked her arm under his.
Ellie felt like she was walking on air. Something in Morgan’s eyes seemed to buoy her up.
He led her to the doors where the man in a tux stared at her. His emerald like green eyes never left her.
Who is this man? Oh, god is he Morgan’s brother or something? Is he like someone close to Morgan? Oh, wow. She never thought of this.
Morgan stopped at the doors. “Be a good man and open the doors will ya?”
The man blinked and opened his mouth to speak then seemed to think better of it and shut it. Then he gave a sweeping but rather sarcastic bow and opened the doors.
Oh, so he wasn’t anyone in the family, he must be an employee as Morgan had said good man?
Morgan swept her through them with a little bounce to his step.
The man stared at them, then broke out into laughter.
Ellie turned her head to glance back. “What an odd doorman.”
The man looked stunned by this statement as his laughter slowed.
Morgan started to laugh as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Dammit, you are perfect!” He then held his head high and led her into his world.
Morgan
Men and women alike, turned their heads to stare at them.
Morgan knew she would do this, even when she argued that she wasn’t anything special. Damn, he loved this woman. He knew it for sure now. Her reaction to Chance seemed to be the last hurdle. Every woman he’d been with would stop and stare at Chance and then the game would be on. But not with Ellie, she thought he was just okay. But that wasn’t why he felt he could admit to being in love with Ellie. It was everything about her. He now desperately wanted to make sure he did not lose her.
