His kiss this time is unhurried, slow, and passionate, and I know I’ve made the right decision. I’m glad I worked all the anger and hurt out of my system earlier. That I used the time getting ready to wrangle those emotions into a lockbox. Reeve only has the power to hurt me and ruin my life if I give him that power, and I refuse to do that anymore. Tonight is proof I have wrested back control. I’m having a good time, and the night is only getting started.
We move closer to the stage right before Toxic Gods appears, screaming and whistling encouragement as they play a medley of five songs. The crowd is appreciative, and it’s so weird to see people in ball gowns and tuxedos rocking it out on the grass. I’m happy there are no groupies in sight, which eliminates any lingering stress. I thought for sure Jamie would’ve gotten tickets for Aoife and the others. But, if the looks he was throwing Ash’s way earlier are any indication, he has ulterior motives. Ash swears she’s not going near him, but I can see it happening. The attraction between them may not be as palpable as it is between Dillon and me, but it’s there. I’m not going to judge; I just worry about Ash getting hurt, but she’s a grown-ass woman, capable of making her own choices.
“Miss me?” Strong arms wrap around me from behind a while later, and the spicy scent of Dillon’s cologne tickles my nose.
“So much,” I say, turning in his arms. Opening my mouth to congratulate him on his performance, I let the words die on my tongue when I see him in a tuxedo. He was wearing his usual black jeans and T-shirt combo on stage. He didn’t attend dinner, so there really was no need to rent a tux. I know he did this for me, and I fall a little harder in this second. “Wow,” I choke out, “you look so fucking hot.” He really does. He managed to wrangle his messy blond waves back off his face, and his jawline is smooth for a change. He’s still got his piercings in, and the edges of his tattoos creep out from under the sleeves of his jacket, but he looks handsome and sophisticated.
And so very mine.
Producing a long-stem white rose from behind his back, he hands it to me. “For the most beautiful girl at the ball.” My nose brushes against the soft petals, and I breathe in their delicate scent. “White roses represent new beginnings and rebirth,” he explains, offering me his hand. “Will you be my new beginning? And can I be yours?”
Be still my beating heart. This man slays me in all the best ways.
Ash makes a gagging sound, but I ignore her, taking Dillon’s hand and beaming up at him. Our gazes connect, and a zap of electricity shoots up my arm the second our skin touches. My chest heaves as I stare into his beautiful face, and butterflies swoop into my belly, turning somersaults. My heart swells, soaring to dizzy heights the longer we just stand there staring, lost in an intimate moment, despite the noise surrounding us.
A flash pops, and we both turn sideways. “You are sickeningly cute. Mum said I was to take pictures, so get in closer,” Ash says with a happy smile on her face. We pose for several pictures, with our arms wrapped around one another, and I make her send them to me so I can forward them to Audrey and my parents.
Dillon leads me over to a quiet corner, handing me a badly wrapped pink package. “Happy birthday, Viv.” He kisses me sweetly, and my cheeks are flushed when we break apart.
“You didn’t have to get me anything.”
He narrows his eyes. “You’re my girl. I’m pretty sure it goes against the boyfriend code to not buy your girlfriend a present on her birthday.”
His words send an enormous thrill through me. “You already got me a gift. Thank you for breakfast,” I add, having forgotten to tell him previously.
“Open it.” He shuffles nervously on his feet, shoving his hands into the pockets of his black pants.
I tear the pink paper off with zero patience, and he grins. There are two gifts inside. The first is a photo album.
“To make new memories,” Dillon explains, rubbing the back of his neck.
I’m momentarily frozen to the spot. How ironic that Dillon chose a similar gift to Reeve’s. Shaking myself out of my temporary melancholy, I stop overthinking it. It’s not that unusual. Dillon knows I’m documenting my trip through photos. It makes sense he’d give me something like this. “Thank you. I bet I have enough photos to fill half this album already.”
“I look forward to filling the rest.” He smiles, making me swoon again.
My heart is in my throat as I lift the lid on the small black box, and I gasp as I lift the silver necklace from the cushion. “Dillon, it’s beautiful.”