Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 104820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. The screen between them and the driver was up and tinted for privacy, so she let herself relax into Arch’s embrace. It would be a while before she got to touch him again in the way she liked to. No… the way she needed to.
Luckily, Erin had packed her off with enough makeup for touch-ups during the event. Besides, he smelled so incredible there was no way she could resist.
By the time their kiss ended, the road had widened, and there were several other limos in the flow of traffic.
“We’re getting close,” Arch said, following her gaze.
She grew nervous again, the bliss of their embrace rapidly fading, but Arch squeezed her hand. “It’s going to be great,” he assured her for about the third time that day.
She swallowed. It was fine for him to say that—he’d been to countless awards ceremonies. But everything about this was new to her. It was unsettling.
And then as the road curved, she spotted the venue—and the waiting crowd—and the red carpet, lined with TV interviewers brandishing microphones and so many photographers she instantly felt faint.
She turned to Arch, aware her eyebrows had shot up to her hairline, and in a high-pitched tone said, “You told me this was going to be a small event. No big deal, you said!”
A flash of concern crossed Arch’s face. “It is a small event. It’s one of the smallest ceremonies I’ve been to. It is no big deal.”
She looked out the window again at the grand building and the huge crowd of people. The flashing lightbulbs startled her, and she feared she was about to seriously freak out.
“Tessa,” he said, his voice suddenly commanding, “look at me.”
She turned back to face him.
His expression was full of kindness and understanding. “I promise you I meant it when I said it’s a small event. But I should have been more thoughtful about your coming to it with fresh eyes. You know I would never want you to be uncomfortable. I’ll be with you the whole way. Can you forgive me if I didn’t think this through properly?”
His words were so sincere, and he was so quick to assume responsibility, that she felt her panic melt. Well, most of it, anyway. As long as she was here with Arch and he stayed by her side tonight, she would be fine.
“Okay,” she said. “I forgive you. If you say this is small-scale, then I’ll believe you.”
He squeezed her hands. “Thank you. Thank you for being here with me. I always feel stronger when you’re around.”
His sweet words touched her heart just as deeply as his kisses touched her body.
As their limo joined the queue of other sleek vehicles, she spotted Roxy Thanton, the Hollywood reporter who had come to the house to interview Arch. She wore a skin-tight turquoise dress, her hair piled high, her lips shining with gloss. She was talking with a film director so famous that even Tessa, who was usually clueless about these things, recognized the woman.
She turned to Arch. “Even Roxy Thanton is here.”
Clearly seeing that she was still nervous, he squeezed her hand again. “I’ll tell you what my agent, Jay, told me the first time I did one of these. Just pull your shoulders back and smile. Works every time.”
She was about to protest that approach seemed a little too simple to work, but there wasn’t time for more. The limo had come to a standstill, and all of a sudden, she realized they were at the red carpet.
Someone opened the door. Arch flashed her his winning smile, then said, “Here we go,” before stepping out.
He held out his hand. This was it—she was about to walk onto her very first red carpet.
Tessa slid out of the car and into a dazzling array of cameras, lights, and people everywhere. She blinked several times, a little stunned.
When her vision cleared, she saw fans cheering and clapping across the street. They were cheering for Arch, and he gave them a friendly wave with his free hand, holding on to the cane with the other. Their cheers turned into whoops, and he waved again before turning back to her.
“You’ve got this, Tessa Taylor,” he said in a low voice and then slipped his arm around hers and led her along the red carpet.
It seemed like a matter of seconds before they were stopped by a woman from an entertainment news show. She thrust her enormous mic in Arch’s face and said, “Archer Davenport, glad to see you looking so healthy after your accident. How’s the leg? And how are you feeling about tonight’s ceremony?”
“Very glad to be here,” Arch replied with a huge smile. “My leg’s healing well, and I’m looking forward to celebrating everyone who is nominated tonight.”