Incapable (Love Triumphs 3)

He wrapped both arms around her and hugged her back against him, like he would’ve done with Taylor, only he didn’t feel like he did when he was hugging Taylor.

He didn’t know if it was his heightened state of tension or the way Georgia smelled, or knowing they were very alone up here away from the world. Whatever it was, he liked it much better than the sense of panic he’d felt coming up those stairs into the sightless night.

“This all right?” Her breathing was still fast, so he couldn’t be sure.

She nodded and he felt it and didn’t press her to talk, just held her. Her hands came up to grip his forearm and she took a deep breath. He felt that too. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m. I’m. I’m wearing a red dress.” Her grip on his forearm tightened.

He smiled. “How red?”

“Christmas red. It ties around my neck but leaves my back bare.”

He dropped his head so he could whisper in her ear. “How short?”

“Not short. To my knees. But very fitted.”

“What else?”

“It plunges, the neckline, it plunges to the waist. No bra.”

He hissed. He could see this dress. Not something she owned, but fantasised about wearing, pleasing someone in.

“No other underwear, because you’d see lines.”

“Hot.” Much hotter than the standard scene she might’ve written; suspenders and corsets. She was giving him a vision that pleased her first.

“Am I doing this right?”

“So very right. Shoes?”

“Black, patent leather, heels, high, soles painted red like the dress. They make me taller. They change my posture.”

They’d arch her spine, thrust her breasts out. They made him risk pressing his face to her neck. He couldn’t believe his shy Georgia was leading this dance. If it was show time now he’d be insensible, not from panic but from surging lust.

“My hair is pinned up. I’m wearing diamonds like mini chandeliers in my ears and expensive perfume.”

“You smell amazing enough without that.”

She moved her head; she was giving him access to her neck. He took it, pressing his lips there and holding still. Not quite a kiss, but a taste. Her hand came up to his head, fingers threading through his hair, and he rubbed his nose over her jaw.

“My makeup is faultless and it’s the kind that doesn’t rub off so when you kiss me it doesn’t get messed up.”

Oh fuck, was that an invitation? Her breathing had changed again, it was race ran short, it was heated and calling to his. How did they get here so quickly from her embarrassment in the taxi? Why did he think he’d had to lie to her to win her attention?

“Georgia?” The rest of his question got lost when her head dropped back against his shoulder. He didn’t want to scare her off, make her retreat into the self-consciousness she usually walled between them, but he was going to kiss her.

Footsteps clanging on the stairs. Jace was back. Damon groaned, but dropped his arms, sat up straighter and Georgia shifted away.

A hand on his shoulder. “Cans.” He lifted his hand and Jace put the headset with a mic in his palm. “We’re live in ten.”

He wanted to tell Georgia he wasn’t finished with the red dress, but Jace was close and Ed was in his ear and there was no time. It made him smile, the tease was accidental but damn it was effective. “What can you see?”

“There must be a hundred people, they’re wandering everywhere. They don’t want to stay in the audience area, they keep crossing over the line onto the set and the stagehands have to ask them to step back.”

“Yeah, that’s a bigger problem than we expected,” said Jace.

“The actors are in place. The mum is changing the baby. Oh, she really has to.” Georgia laughed. “You should see people’s faces.”