Only His | (Book 1) 18+

nineteen

KADE
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Four days later, I tried to calm down a hyper Hayden as he talked on and on about the amount of dresses he saw in the last five minutes. I could see Emara standing at the catwalk, slightly hidden by the curtains as she nervously watched each of her models walk out, each one in a dress she had designed and made with the help of her team.

I wanted to give her a tight hug and tell her that, from the people's expressions as they admired every gorgeous, flawless dress on the models, tonight was going to be one of the largest successes in her career.

"Is she coming out soon?" Hayden asked once the last dress of the night walked back down the catwalk, followed by the enormous round of applause from the audience.

"Soon," I mumbled to him with a smile.

One of the models walked out, this time lol
Mom wearing an emerald green jumpsuit with glimmering silver heels. She smiled at everyone just as she was handed a microphone.

"And now for the amazing woman who made this entire night possible," she said into the microphone, "please give a round of applause to Emara Giovanni."

Immediately everyone began to clap, eventually standing to their feet. Hayden copied them and I put him on my chair once I was on my two feet, grinning as I glanced at him before turning to see why the claps were so much louder.

Emara came out in a ivory silk dress that cascaded down her long legs, the material tight around the curves of their body. One giant slit was in the right of her dress, descending from the middle of her thigh down until it was trailing behind her with the ends of her dress.

I remember seeing it in her sketchbook and how nervous she was to see how it would work out. Looking at the dress now made me want to take her right then and there.

Emara began to speak once people sat down, an excited smile on her face the entire time as she scanned the room. Our eyes met and her smile widened as she took a pause in her speech, her lips stained a delicious red wine. When she continued, Hayden wiggled on my lap before turning around to look at me.

"She's doing good so far," he whispered with a toothy smile, "unlike when she was practicing in front of me this morning."

I chuckled. I could hear her rehearsing what she was to say tonight, right in front of Hayden and he would giggle every time she made an annoyed sound when she messed up her lines.

"Yeah, she is," I agreed, running one of my hands through his hair.

When she finally finished, everyone gave her another sound of applause. She smiled widely and left the stage, most likely to see how the tables and food and drinks were looking for the after-party.

I picked Hayden up and rested him on my hip. "Jake's here to pick you up, okay? We're gonna be out late so he's going to keep you at his apartment."

Hayden pursed his lips. "Are there any video games?"

"Duh."

A wide grin grew on his lips. "I'll go then. Just don't leave me there."

I slowly frowned. "We aren't leave you anywhere, kid."