Page 33 of Benedict’s Rejuvenation (Dark Patriots #5)

“Yes, we’re going to the Breckridge Gala. It’s such a worthy cause. Friends told us about it, and since we were here, it seemed like fate that we could attend,” Beau said smoothly.

“Oh, that’s a very big event, and people vie for admittance to it.

You were extremely fortunate to get tickets.

You will have a marvelous time. If you need anything else while you’re here, stop in and let my staff know.

And please tell Ms. Gerard-Voss that I said thank you for the referral.

I’ll be sending her a little something as a thank you,” Charmaine simpered.

I walked away before she could tell them the total. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to watch them spend that much, even if it wasn’t their money. When our purchases were carefully put in the garment and shoe bags, we left, clinging to the guys’ arms.

Once out on the street, I thought we’d be headed to the SUV and then back to the rental. Only I was told we had two more things to do. One was to have lunch, and then we had a brief stop to make, after which we could go home and make further preparations.

The place we decided to try was a short drive, a French bistro rather than anything Asian. We had plans for what we would make tonight along those lines. Justin and Heath were tasked with grabbing the ingredients needed for us.

The food was good, and we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and conversation, which mostly centered on the wedding.

We might as well engage in some genuine wedding planning and debating on this trip to make it seem more authentic.

We drove a short distance again, a few streets away, to reach our last stop. I saw it was a jewelry store.

“No way, we can’t add more expense to this,” Keeley moaned.

“It’s not as bad as you’re imagining. We’re simply borrowing them for the evening.

We’re here to make the final selection so they can have them cleaned and ready for pickup on Saturday afternoon.

Hadley suggested this place, too. She was to call ahead and ask them to choose some to present to us.

Those pictures we took of you in your gowns were for more than our spank banks.

We sent those to Hadley to forward to someone here,” Ben informed us.

His “spank bank” remark earned him an eye roll from my sister, followed by a snort. I ran my hand up his thigh to just short of his crotch and massaged his leg.

We were still in the car, so he leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Playing with fire. I can ask them to go inside and give us time in the backseat.”

A shiver of desire at the thought shot through me.

I had to bite my bottom lip to hold in my moan.

Ben’s teeth nipped my earlobe. Wanting to drive him crazy like he did me, I waited until he moved his mouth away, then I got up on my knees.

My seatbelt was off because we were parked.

I slowly licked along his ear, then blew on it.

I’d accidentally found that it did something to him after a shower.

His ears were wet from showering, and I blew air on one. Ben groaned now just as he had then.

“I’ll put that in my spank bank for another time when I’m all alone.” I mockingly pouted.

Before he could grab me, I laughed and dove for the door handle. My sister and Beau were already out of the SUV, waiting for us. I got the door open, but Ben snagged my waist. He gently bit the side of my neck before easing me out. Without an ounce of shame, he stood there and adjusted himself.

“Boys,” Keeley playfully muttered, then winked at me.

We were both smiling and giggling when we entered the store. The amount of shine there should be illegal. I debated putting my sunglasses on. It had to take a lot of work to keep everything so sparkling clean.

An older gentleman, in his sixties, dressed in a sharp, gray, pinstriped suit, greeted us. “Good afternoon. Welcome. I’m Fabian. How may I help you?”

“Hello, Fabian. We’re here to see some sets that you were to set aside for us,” Beau told him.

Fabian smiled. “Would you happen to be Ms. Gerard-Voss’s friends—Benedict, Beau, Kensington, and Keeley?”

“That would be us. I’m Ben, and this is Kensington.” Ben introduced us.

Fabian shook our hands before moving on to my sister and Beau.

When that was out of the way, we were taken into a private viewing room in the back.

There were six large square velvet boxes stacked on the table.

We were offered drinks, which we declined.

With the niceties out of the way, Fabian got to business.

“I saw pictures of the dresses. They are simply gorgeous. Based on the styles and colors, I chose three sets that I believe will complement the dresses magnificently. Of course, if you don’t like any of these, I can show you others.

I was told you’re attending the Breckridge Gala.

I’ve supplied several women with their jewelry for that event over the years, so I have a good idea what others will be like.

Simply put, they gild the lily, and most go overboard.

However, to be seen as a peer, one must compete but do so with more class. ” Fabian smiled.

“Your faces were kept out of the photos, so who had the purple dress?” he tacked on.

After Keeley held up her hand, Fabian rearranged the piles. He sat one in front of each of us and then opened Keeley’s first, then mine. They were gorgeous sets, both composed of all white diamonds, but in different designs. They shone like stars. There was a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet.

We admired them. Fabian asked that we wait to try them on until we’d seen all the sets.

My next one was mostly diamonds mixed with strategically placed rubies.

I knew immediately that I loved the added color.

My first and second ones were in platinum settings.

When Fabian revealed my last one, I gasped.

Lying on the bed of black velvet was a gorgeous trio of mainly rubies, with a few white diamonds placed here and there.

To make it even more eye-catching, the setting was gold, which would match the gold embroidery on the dress.

I almost touched them before I snatched my hand back.

Beau was talking in my sister’s ear about her choices. Ben turned my face to his.

“Do you have a favorite, as if I have to ask? I think you should try all three of them before you decide.”

“Absolutely. Sometimes when a woman puts them on, they don’t strike her as much as they did,” Fabian advised.

So that was what we did. Fabian and an assistant he called to the room helped us put them on.

They were admired from multiple angles in the trio mirror setup, before being removed and moving on to the next one.

By the time we were done, I was certain I knew what I wanted, but the thought of how expensive they were played in my head. What if I lost something?

“Alright, before you make a decision, I want to be sure you understand that these are being rented. The money for those will be held until you return them. The amount not agreed upon as our fee will be refunded to you when they are returned. And I can assure you, they are insured. Therefore, if they are in some way damaged or lost, we will be covered,” Fabian explained. My anxiety decreased knowing this.

“Which do you like the most?” Ben asked.

“They’re all beautiful pieces, and I never thought I’d get to wear anything like them.

However, based on the dress, the evening’s intention, and my gut reaction, I prefer the third one.

The gold setting makes it appear as though it was designed to complement the dress. Which one do you like the most?”

“I knew you’d say the last one. I say it was my first choice for those reasons, and then the other ruby one would be my second choice. There’s something about those rubies that I love.”

There was some talk between my sister and me before we settled on which ones we’d take.

We promised to return on Saturday to pick them up.

When I heard the amount that had to be left when they picked them up was fifty thousand dollars, I almost fainted.

There hadn’t been any tags on the pieces to indicate their cost. Fabian escorted us to the door and promised he’d have them ready and waiting.

I was suddenly exhausted, and I was thankful we were headed back to the rental. Yes, we were planning to make dinner for everyone later, but I could do that. I think I was just done spending money for the day, even if it wasn’t mine.

“Stop stressing about the cost,” Ben whispered to me.

He knew me so well. I lay my head on his shoulder. I sat in the middle seat to be next to him. He held me with one arm, the entire way to the house. Anxiety mixed with a thrill was building in me at the thought of Saturday night.

???

I jerked awake and scanned the darkness surrounding me.

My heart was pounding like a war drum. It was extra dark since there was no moon tonight, and the stars outside didn’t emit much light.

It took a few moments for it to register what woke me up.

I’d been having a nightmare about Vadzim and one of the times he’d “played” with me.

There had been nothing playful about what he did.

I eased out of bed slowly. I didn’t want to wake up Ben.

We’d fallen asleep with one of the window doors, as I called them, open.

The sound of the ocean put me to sleep after Ben and I had made love.

I had no fear of becoming too cold. If I became chilled, I’d snuggle up to him. He was always giving off body heat.

Since there were others around, I slipped into the satin robe on the settee at the foot of the bed. I kept it handy in case I had to answer our door. It hit me mid-thigh and was a favorite of mine. I liked how it felt against my naked skin.