Make Me Over_ Getting Real - Leslie Kelly [56]
Tori gave her a slight nod of understanding and Jacey met her stare evenly. Though the woman was part of the crew and couldn’t show any favoritism, Tori knew in her heart that Jacey was rooting for them. Not just for the sake of ratings. And not, she believed, just for the sake of friendship, either. Jacey seemed to have something more personal at stake in this, though Tori couldn’t imagine what.
Finally as ready as she’d ever be, Tori exited her room and made her way downstairs to the foyer. As she walked down the sweeping, curved staircase, she saw Drew standing there at the bottom, gazing up at her.
Her heart started rolling around in her chest. Oh, the man was glorious. Dressed in a black tux, freshly shaven, his hair still slightly damp from his shower, he was like a fantasy man out of a magazine. The kind Tori had never in all her days expected to meet, much less have.
But the best part was the look on his face. The hungry, appreciative look that she’d loved from the minute they’d met. Again, directed solely at her. Tori thought she could live her whole life on that look, if only she had the chance.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
She took his arm. “Thank you.” Then, lowering her voice to a whisper for his ears alone, she added, “You looked like Rhett Butler staring up at me from the bottom of the stairs. All wicked smile and wickeder eyes.”
“Speaking of wicked, I hope you know I had to go take another one of those rotten cold showers this morning after I left you in the sunroom.”
“You started it.”
“Yeah, I plan to finish it, too.”
“Gonna bribe the cameraman?”
“Maybe we could drug him.”
“Or just run like hell?”
His low laughter caught the attention of the camera operator, who immediately stepped closer and zoomed in. He’d obviously noticed them whispering.
“Well, Professor, I’ll try not to say any more silly things like that when we’re out in public. I don’t want to embarrass you,” Tori said, speaking loudly for the audience’s benefit. Of course, for all she knew, there were microphones hidden in the flower pots that probably caught every naughty word they’d said.
“Tori, you could never embarrass me,” he replied, his tone almost stern.
Again, she figured, for the audience’s benefit. But it was still awfully nice to hear.
W HILE WITH ANY of the other women from the show tonight might have been an agonizing chore, with Tori, the evening was remarkable. Perfect. From the moment he drew her long, borrowed cape over her beautiful bare shoulders, until now, three hours later, when they stood swaying together on the dance floor, using the soft lighting and the music as an excuse to keep their arms around one another, they’d been inseparable.
Tori seemed to have grown more beautiful as the evening went on. She was easily the loveliest woman in the place. The changes in her over the past two weeks had never been so markedly noticeable before. She’d always been pretty, but her newfound confidence and elegance put her above any other female here.
She held herself proudly, yet smiled with genuine warmth whenever she met someone new. The soft Tennessee twang in her voice merely accentuated her charm, and she chatted easily with everyone from the chauffeur and the valet to the club president who’d come over to welcome their celebrity guests upon their arrival.
Tonight was like a perfect first date between two people who were wildly attracted to each other. Even though they’d certainly already progressed far beyond first-date stuff physically.
For her part, Tori seemed utterly delighted to see evidence of the fast-approaching holidays. The club was bedecked with greenery and red velvet bows, and an immense Christmas tree stood in one corner of the ballroom. It twinkled with lights and sparkling ornaments, none of which, he realized, were as dazzling as Tori’s dress.
Drew hadn’t given much thought to Christmas, since