Page 174 of Sinclair Duet

Damien nodded as he stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, peering at us in the reflection. “You’re gorgeous, Ella. That dress makes your eyes shine.”

Spinning in his grasp, I undid his tie. “I saw a blue tie in the closet that will match.”

Damien’s grin grew. “Are you dressing me now?”

“Currently, I’m undressing you.” I pulled the tie from his collar. “But yes, I like dressing you, too.”

As we were about to go into the garage, I paused and opened my small purse. “I have something for you.”

“A gift?”

“Yes, celebrating your annulment.” I handed him the lace panties I’d taken off after work, not replacing them for our night out.

Damien lifted them to his nose. “Good girl. These have been worn.”

I shook my head. “I thought that in case you were going to make inappropriate demands, I’d let you know, I’m okay with them.”

He reached for my elbow. “Let’s get dinner and come back here. I have some very inappropriate suggestions.”

“Celebrate first.”

“Oh, you’ll be celebrating, I promise.”

So cocky and confident.

Damien

“I’ve never eaten here,” Ella said as we walked up to the 1920’s Mediterranean-style villa in the Meridian-Kessler area of Indianapolis.

“It’s one of my favorite restaurants.”

“Mr. Sinclair,” Evelyn, the hostess, greeted as we entered. “When I saw your name on our reservation list, I saved your favorite table for you.”

“Thank you, Evelyn,” I said with a bow. “This is Ella, my soon-to-be bride.”

Evelyn extended her hand and Ella shook it. “Welcome, Ms. Ella. You have quite a man.”

As Ella looked up at me, I was the one to respond. “I have an amazing woman.”

“Come this way,” Evelyn said.

“She likes you,” Ella whispered.

Placing my hand in the small of Ella’s back, I softly laughed. Evelyn was older than my parents. With her rhinestone glassesand fancy dresses, she enjoyed hitting on all the wealthy men dining at Mama Carolla’s.

And Dani thought men were sexist.

Evelyn led us through the hallway of what had once been a home and out onto a paved patio. Lights were strung overhead and romantic music filtered through the air. The table Evelyn saved was a table for four nestled between a vine-covered hedge and a large fountain.

I pulled out the chair near the hedge for Ella and took the one to her side.

Once Evelyn was gone, I turned and whispered. “I have thought of nothing but your gift since we left home.”

Ella’s smile grew as she sat taller. “You don’t make me disappear, Damien. You help me shine, and I see that now. You make me see the world differently, and I’m seeing you differently.”

“Look over there,” I motioned with my chin. The lights in the fountain changed with the music coming through the speakers.

“It’s beautiful.”