The Love From Vengeance

323: FASHION FLIRTATIONS

ARIEL’S POV

I stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my body, and I was getting ready for work. Yesterday, Andre agreed with me to take my spot back at his company. He was such a wonderful friend. If it were some folks, they’d go ahead to do something that was not on the right side.

Luke was walking around the room, making a phone call. I just stood, watching him until he was done. He let out a sigh since his talk on the phone was more of an argument than a conversation. But staring at me, he smiled.

“Is it just me, or do you look absolutely pretty whenever you step out of the shower?”

He walked closer to me.

“Oh really, you think so?”

“You haven’t noticed?” he raised an eyebrow. Oh, right, I forgot. You can’t look at yourself unless you go and stand close to a mirror.

“There’s a mirror right there.” I gestured towards the mirror fixed on the wall in the

room.

“Go take a look at yourself then.” Luke grinned at me.

I sighed and moved towards the mirror. The cool air of the room contrasted with the warmth still radiating from my skin. Luke followed closely behind, his presence a

comforting fervor at my back.

Standing in front of the mirror, I caught our reflections. The contrast between my towel–wrapped form and his casual, everyday attire highlighted the intimacy of the

moment.

Luke’s hands found their way to my shoulders, his touch gentle. Our eyes met through the mirror; his gaze was soft yet intense, making my heart flutter.

“See?” he said quietly, his voice soothing to the fullest. “Absolutely stunning.”

across my

523 FASHION FLIRTATIONS

the mirror does add a special touch,” I teased,

the small space between us. “It’s not the mirror,” he insisted, leaning in so

with the affection in his eyes, wrapped around me like a baronial embrace. Our reflections

capture more than just the physical aspect of us

depth of our connection, the

gaze shifted from our reflection to meet my

air. The world seemed to narrow down to just

morning light casting a

me, his hands on my shoulders, I felt grounded, as if everything in my life had led me to this point of

the compliment but for the comfort, the love, and the shared life that seemed to promise

promise of his own–to be there, to support, to cherish. As

was needed to see the beauty of what we had together. It was right there, in the way we stood, in the way we looked at each other, and in the silent promises we

to choose a dress for work today, and guess what! It didn’t take

see what we have here,” he muttered,

up for inspection.

eyebrow. “Please tell me you’re not

offending dress over his shoulder.

223: FASHION FEIRTATIONS

pulling out dresses of varying colors and styles,

my head in

a grin, holding up a sequined monstrosity that seemed to glitter under the room’s fluorescent

at

dress out of his hand. “I’d blind everyone within a ten–mile

Let’s aim for something more subtle, shall we?”

“Fine, fine. But where’s

underneath the

inspecting it with a critical eye. “Now we’re talking,” I declared, holding it up against myself in the mirror.