Crash Into Me | ✓

thirty-one

Ella took a step back, surveying her work on my thick mess of hair. She wrapped her finger around another chunk and twirled it just enough so that it rested on my shoulder.

"You glow," she said. "Like, literally."

"Thank you," I breathed out with a smile. "For all of this, really."

"Oh please," Ella replied with a nonchalant wave. "You're going to give my brother a heart attack, and I can't wait to see that."

"Are you two ready yet?" Ricky's voice came from the other side of the bedroom door.

"You can't rush perfection," Ella snapped.

"I'm not rushing perfection, I'm rushing you," he retorted.

I tried to stifle a laugh as Ella huffed out a sigh. "I guess we have to go now," she muttered.

Ella strode into the common area of the suite, the chunky six inch heels of her satin fuchsia shoes clacking against the tile floor. I followed behind her, in my less impressive three inch gold sandals that Nikki had lent me.

Ricky inched closer to Ella and whispered something in her ear, causing her to scoff and punch his arm. She smoothed down her silky, green emerald dress and popped her glossy lips.

"Brooklyn, you shouldn't keep your date waiting!" she called.

Brooklyn emerged from the bedroom in a grey pants and the navy paisley patterned jacket I had seen in the closet earlier. Anyone else could have worn that and looked ridiculous, but he looked amazing in all his wild, unkempt glory. I smiled so wide I felt my cheeks ache. His face flushed, and he ran his tongue over his bottom lip. He kept opening and closing his mouth, as if the words were on the tip of his tongue but wouldn't come out. We drank each other in for what seemed like hours.

"Wow," he whispered. "Wow. I uh..." He reached down and brushed his fingers over my cheek. "I don't think there's a word in the English language for how good you look."

He smelled like a sweet mixture of vanilla and sandalwood, with the tiniest hint of his tangy cigarette scent. I felt like my heart could burst. Even in heels, I had to lean forward on my toes to kiss his cheek.

"You're amazing," I said with a soft smile.

Ella made a gagging noise in the background.

"Oh my god, you two make me want to barf," Ella groaned.

"You don't want me to talk to you like that?" Ricky asked, bumping her with his hip. She lost her balance and stumbled over, catching herself on a chair. She narrowed her eyes at Ricky.

"Ew, no," she huffed. She and Ricky made their way outside.

Brooklyn offered his arm to me and grinned. "My lady."

I laughed and took his arm, feeling my heart continue to swell in my chest.