Page 90 of Twisted Temptation

"When was your last trim?" Benny asks, horrified.

"Define trim."

"Oh, honey."

Charles drinks tea as he supervises from a respectful distance, occasionally issuing instructions. Softer around the eyes. Leave her hair loose, Mr. Di Zaro prefers it down.

The last one makes me feel warm and stupid in my chest.

With enormous rollers in my hair and my face half done, I see my reflection in the mirror and start laughing.

"What?" Charles says.

I gesture to the style chaos around us with my teacup. "I'm literally Cinderella."

"You are considerably better dressed than Cinderella," Charles says. "Her gown was the work of rodents. Yours is couture."

I grin over my teacup. "So in a way, you're like my fairy godfather?"

“If I must be,” he says with fake weariness.

I give him a soft smile. “Thanks for doing this for me.”

"Of course, Mrs. Di Zaro." Not a single muscle in his face moves. "Isn’t this what any bff would do?"

I stand in front of the full-length mirror and fall hopelessly in love with the dress Irina made me for tonight. It is the softest yellow, like the color of early morning light, and it slides down my body like liquid sunlight.

The back is plunging, the bust line simple, and it is without a doubt the most elegant dress I've ever seen.

I do a half-turn in front of the mirror.

Marigold and Benny have created magic, transforming me into a princess. My blonde hair falls in waves down my back, and my makeup makes me look like I’m photoshopped.

I take a moment to breathe in the quiet of my bedroom before I see Dante. I don’t know what to call it, but things are changing between him and me, and it makes me feel like I’m freefalling toward something wild and reckless and so damn exciting.

There’s a knock on the bedroom door. “Mrs. Di Zaro? I’m beginning to wonder if you’ve escaped through a window.”

Laughing, I cross the room and open the door.

When Charles sees me, his face lights up in a way I've never seen before.

"Mrs. Di Zaro," he says quietly. "You are a beauty."

"Thank you, Charles," I say.

His eyes hold mine for another moment, and something about the warmth in them makes my chest squeeze.

“You know, I’ve grown rather fond of you,” he says matter-of-factly.

“Awww, Charles…”

“Now don’t go making a big deal out of it.”

I chuckle. “Too late. I’m going to treasure this moment forever.”

“I feared you might.”

I reach out and squeeze his hand. “I’m rather fond of you, too, Charles.”