Lauren (Silicon Valley Billionaires 1)

I started to fidget. “I wasn’t planning on getting very dressed up.”

She’d already subjected me to more eye shadow and mascara than I typically wore over the course of a month. I peered at my face in the mirror as she ran to her closet. She’d done an amazing job. I typically didn’t worry about my looks too much, accepting that I was a woman of average attractiveness. That was fine by me. But the way she’d fixed my hair and did my makeup made me feel special and pretty, as if I were a dusty jewel that had finally been polished.

She came back into the room carrying a black, one-shoulder dress.

I wrinkled my nose. “There’s no way in hell I’m wearing that.”

Hannah set her jaw, and I could tell she was ready for a fight. “Oh yes, there is. Gabriel Betts is a gorgeous billionaire CEO. I also have inside information that you happen to like him. So you are wearing this dress, and you’re gonna look hot, dammit.”

I miserably fingered the thin material. “I can’t wear something like this. I’d look ridiculous.”

My sister smiled. “I promise, if you look anything other than drop-dead gorgeous, you don’t have to wear it. Deal?”

I nodded at her, but I felt sweat start to form on my back.

She shoved a bag at me. “I bought you these.”

I peered in, seeing only small scraps of black lace. “Are you serious?” I wailed, sitting down on my bed.

“I’m only trying to help, I swear. A dress like this needs appropriate undergarments…trust me. Now, get dressed.” She looked at her watch. “I’ll be outside for two seconds. If you can’t figure this out”—she pointed to the bag—“just holler.”

I glared at her. “I was accepted as an early admission to MIT. I think I can figure it out.”

I struggled to figure out which way the thong went and then hoisted myself into the strapless bra. Hannah had been correct…it was more difficult than I’d thought. Once I had everything assembled, I looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror. I looked…different. Sexy.

I swallowed hard, worrying that I was going to be sick, and pulled the dress up. It was snug…actually, it was skintight. I zipped it and admired the way it hugged my curves. I went into my closet and selected a pair of black heels that Hannah had given me for Christmas.

She knocked on the door and came in, her jaw dropping. “Sweet baby Jesus. My big sister is a supermodel CEO goddess.”

“Ha.” I wobbled in the heels in the middle of my room. “I admit this looks nice, but I really can’t wear it. I’m not comfortable. I’ll make a complete ass of myself.”

Hannah came toward me and took my hands earnestly in hers. A worried look marred her pretty face. “Gabriel Betts is a big deal. Almost as big a deal as you. I want you to have fun tonight. I also want you to give yourself the best

chance of being successful.”

I sucked in a breath. “I don’t know what successful means in this context.”

She nodded. “I know. And that’s okay. But if you like him, and you want him to like you back, you have to show him that you’re interested.”

“I’m not interested.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You suck at lying, you know.”

“I know.”

Gabe rang my doorbell a few minutes later, which didn’t give me enough time to change or argue much more about changing.

I opened the door, and he beamed at me. “Hello, Lauren.” His eyes raked over my dress. “Wow.”

I felt myself redden. “Wow?”

He brought his eyes back up to mine and smiled sheepishly. “I mean, you look stunning.”

“Thank you. You look nice too.” In fact, he looked handsome and sexy in dark-rinse jeans, a charcoal jacket, and a white button-down shirt that was open at the throat.

Hannah peered past me. “I’ll say,” she whispered.

I elbowed her. “This is my younger sister, Hannah. Hannah, this is Gabriel Betts.”