Page 31 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

There is a soft ringtone that sounds in the walls, and Aurei tells me. "Biagio is here. Not a word. You are not in charge."

I follow him to the front door, where he greets a tall, skinny man carrying a large suitcase. Aurei introduces us, and after the pleasantries are said, we go into the dressing room.

As I turn to see myself in the mirror, Aurei opens the door and comes in.

He is sporting a fresh haircut. The sides are buzzed short, and the top has been clipped and shaped.

He looks very handsome, but the expression on his face is priceless.

It tells me Biagio's assessment is correct.

He lets out a long low whistle, and I remember his whistle as I strutted my stuff in my Black and Blue Baby for him.

I smile at him, knowing I look like a million-dollar Diva as I turn to see for myself.

"Wow!" My hair has been pulled up into multiple clips that form a line from my crown down to the nape of my neck, and off those clips, alternating sides, my hair has been given big and small curls.

Throughout, Biagio has woven small strands of rubies and gold threads.

There are wisps of long hair curled loosely that have escaped by design onto my shoulders and down my back.

"Biagio! It's absolutely gorgeous!" I tell him.

"I'm glad you like it." He turns to Aurei. "Does it meet with your approval?"

"It sure as hell does," Aurei tells him.

We all beam at each other, then Biagio asks me. "May I do your makeup too?"

"Yes. Please." I tell him, and we both look to Aurei for his approval and input.

"Light. Nothing heavy."

"She should never wear heavy makeup," Biagio tells us as he applies a feathering of foundation.

"Close your eyes. I'm going to add some green tones to accentuate your eyes and extra eyelashes instead of eyeliner.

You will look natural and completely captivate your audience.

" When he begins to pack his bag, he thanks us "for allowing him the honor of creating such a splendid masterpiece. "

"The honor has been mine, Biagio," I tell him. "If you are ever in Vegas, please look me up. I will let you have the honor any time."

He grins, bows, and holds his hand out to shake Aurei's. "I will see myself out."

As soon as the Bear door clicks closed, Aurei whistles again, "Siri, you are simply stunning!"

I smile at him. "The rubies and gold are a nice touch. They are beautiful, but ...."

He smirks. "There's that word."

I giggle. "But it's too much." I give him an 'eek' look.

He bursts out laughing and asks, "Why?"

"Because," I pause, not wanting to say it now.

"Straight line." Aurei tilts his head.

"The red dress in the closet is nice but not nice enough for all this."

"Hmm, you think so? Because I think it is perfect.

" He walks to the rack, and instead of picking up the red dress hanging next to his tux, he hits the button.

It begins to move, and he stops it on a beautiful ruby red satin evening gown with a plunging square neckline, thick lace shoulder straps, and a thick black sash cinched at the waist. The hem has a cut-out open front, short as a mini, but plunges to the floor in ripples that angle to the rear.

"Oh, Aurei! That dress is exquisite!" I breathe as I walk up to it and reach out to touch it.

He comes up beside me. I grin up into his handsomeness. He leans down and kisses my shoulder, then my neck.

"You cut your hair." I reach up to touch his buzzed sides, and clipper cropped top.

"It was past time."

I study him with my tongue in my cheek, then I tell him. "I actually like it better short. It's manly in a military way. Very badass. Very sexy."

"Hmm," He shakes his head and leans down for a kiss, but I lean away.

"No kisses until after midnight."

He laughs, "If you are going to play Cinderella tonight, then we are going to have a problem."

I laugh at the thought. "Me? Cinderella? Hardly! I don't need rescuing from my life. But what would be the problem?"

"I'm no Prince Charming." His hand grips my butt cheek and holds me firmly against him while his other hand encircles my neck and strokes my skin, then his lips are smashing mine. My breath vanishes. When he lets the kiss go, he tells me. "No lipstick."

I bite my bottom lip. "I should wear a little. Red tends to drain the color away from your face. I don't want to look washed out."

His eyes crinkle with his smile. "If your lips need color, I'll kiss it into them."

A slow smile spreads over my face. "That might require a lot of kissing." I tease him, batting my eyes at him.

"It might." His lips smash mine again, then he leans back and stares at them. "That works. See?"

He spins me around and walks me to the mirror. My lips are dark red now. I laugh. "That works."

"One more thing, then we have to get dressed and go. Where's your blue mascara?"

I grin at him. "Let me go get it."

Riding up to the house in the Lamborghini, I start to get nervous.

Aurei cuts his eyes at me. "You have a deer in the headlights look.

I told you, I got this. Stop worrying." He puts his hand on my leg and slides his fingers up under my beautiful ruby red dress that covers everything but nothing.

The tips tease the edges of my Lovers Heart.

The feeling of his fingers there does reassure me.

I take a deep breath. "I'm sorry." I shift in my seat and smile at him. "I don't know why, but my gut is uneasy, and I trust my gut."

"There's nothing to fear. You've met my parents, and they love you. I knew they would."

"Yeah, but …." I think of Mia screaming into the phone and her eyes when she saw me in his bed.

"But nothing. You're my girl. If they don't like it," he laughs, "fuck 'em."

That makes me laugh too. "You don't really mean that."

"Yes, I do."

He smiles at me as we arrive, and I drop it, stunned at the number of cars already here. "Are we late?"

"No. We are early. The dinner isn't for another hour."

My heart starts to race, and I couldn't talk even if I wanted to.

When Aurei opens the front door, he looks at me and says, "You look simply stunning, Siri."

"You are the sweetest man." I tilt my head and tell him. "I mean that."

We enter the foyer, and I can hear people talking in the living area. He offers his arm. "Shall we?"

A flash of TD saying the same thing pops into my brain, and I remember the shocked looks the Swingers gave me when I surprised them at their Cock and Tail party. If that can turn out all right, this surely can too. "Yes."

Right before we enter the room, he reminds me. "Remember this afternoon, when I said, 'Tonight when our eyes touch, I want you to see us fucking to our own music?'

"Yes."

He takes my hand and kisses my branded spot, then runs his fingers along my choker. "What we have is too special to let anyone in this room, or in the world for that matter, interfere."

I smile at that truth, then chant under my breath so only Aurei can hear me as we enter the room and every head turns to look at us, and all conversations end. "Aurei Moore, Aurei Moore, Oooo Fuck, Aurei Moore."

He chuckles and stops just inside, then says, "Hi y'all. This is my girl, Siri Wright. Siri, this is my family."

Several people answer back, "Hi y'all." Some say, "Hi Siri." But there aren't any dramatic intakes of breath or tomatoes thrown at me. Most go back to their polite conversations and only eye me from a distance. A few stare, but that is all.

I can't help but giggle. "I wasn't expecting a southern welcome from Italians!"

His eyes dance into mine. "Big Al always said that when he came in a room. He loved America."

A waiter comes up with a tray of champagne, and Aurei takes two. He hands one to me. He offers a toast to the room. "To Big Al."

"To Big Al." Everyone replies, and we clink our glasses.

Several people come up to us as we sip the toast, and Aurei introduces them to me.

They are distant cousins, and I don't recognize their names, but I make a point to remember them.

While we make small talk, my eyes scan the room.

I count about 25 people so far, and more are filtering in.

All the men are dressed in either suits or tuxedos.

All the women are dressed in either cocktail dresses or formal gowns.

Mostly muted hues, but some are bright, but no one has on red.

Zita and Bob come in, and she makes her way to us. She gives me her cheek to kiss. "You look stunning, my dear. Red is your color!" She tells me.

"Thank you. You do too." She is dressed in a dark green velvet evening gown that fits her slender figure.

Her hair is teased and sits high on her head.

Around her neck is a beautiful necklace of emeralds and diamonds.

Bob wears a black tux and tails with a matching dark green bowtie and cummerbund.

His physique is as exceptional as Aurei's, and I know Aurei will age deliciously well.

Aurei's fingers slip between mine, and he cinches us together.

He pushes our hands onto my ass, turning my body to him.

My eyes touch his, and boom, I feel his love.

Just like that, my heart fills to overflowing, and my eyes dart back and forth, reading his.

The world vanishes for a moment as he leans in for a cheek kiss too.

His breath caresses me with his words as he tells her.

"Actually Zita, blue is her color." My eyes close with the ecstasy his seduction gives me and the softness of his clean-shaven skin that smells of his cologne as it touches mine.

The gentleness of his lips as they nip my warm cheek, then the rush of cold air as he withdraws his presence, makes my pussy lurch hard for him, and when our eyes meet again, both of my hearts melt completely with his beautiful smile.