Always There

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Chapter Seventy-Seven:

Lexi's POV

"Sweetheart? Are you ready to go? We're going to be late," Bryce calls out from where he's standing in the kitchen.

I'm still in his bedroom, staring at myself in the mirror. I technically am ready, and I also really would hate to be late for our dinner reservation, but for some peculiar reason I'm unable to stop staring at my reflection.

I didn't think I would ever be in this position again. I never thought I would have a man waiting for me in the other room to take me out to a romantic dinner at an expensive restaurant after Bryce and I broke up.

And I certainly didn't think that that man would be Bryce.

It feels bizarre to be standing in front of this mirror in a nice dress again, doing my hair and putting on jewelry to prepare for a night with Bryce. I've done this too many times to even remember, but those times were all before Bryce and I broke up.

I think it goes without saying that this whole situation is extremely bizarre.

I still can't really believe that Bryce is letting me stay with him. I showed up on his doorstep shivering from the rain and crying so hard I felt like I was going to vomit, and yet he still brought my bags inside for me and carried me into his room for a hot shower.

It's so difficult to remain mad at him when he's so kind to me. I know that he doesn't quite realise how much he hurt me when he lied to me all those times, which is why I can't quite forgive him yet, but do I want to run out into the kitchen and tell him that it's all okay right now?

Yes. Of course I do.

I just have to put myself first, for once. My priority has always been my relationship for the past year and a bit, but now I need to figure out how to make myself happy first.

"Yes. I'm ready. Just give me a minute," I respond, hoping that Bryce can hear me through the closed bedroom door.

He doesn't respond, and so assuming that he heard, I turn back to the mirror to smooth my dress down one final time.

It's a baby blue dress that falls to just above my knees. It fits tight to my body and it has a slit that goes dangerously high up my left thigh. Apart from that, it's pretty similar to most of the dresses I own with a sweetheart neckline and thin straps, but there's something about it that makes it a little bit dressier than the dresses I wear every day.

I straightened my hair and pulled it into a low ponytail at the nape of my neck not too long ago. I'm only wearing the jewelry that Bryce gave me, including the diamond necklace from Tiffany and Co. that I'm too scared to google the price of.

I certainly don't look particularly glamorous or anything, yet when I step out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, Bryce's eyes widen so wide that I'm scared he's going to pull a muscle in his face or something.

His eyes roam my body leisurely, moving up and down several times before he finally settles on my face once more. His gaze is hungry and his smile is predatory as he stares at me from across the room.

"Fuck, you look beautiful. You looked beautiful earlier as well, but I love when you wear your hair up because I can see that pretty face of yours. God, you really do look stunning," he murmurs, his voice low and deep and husky.

I open my mouth to respond to him but Bryce has rendered me speechless with his own appearance.

I look pretty average right now, but Bryce?

He looks so sexy that I think I might pass out.

He's wearing a suit. He's wearing a navy blue suit with a white shirt underneath, and his tie is baby blue just like my dress. I don't know if he intentionally chose a tie that would match, but we match perfectly as my navy blue heels match his suit and his light blue tie matches my dress.