This makes me laugh. “Not exactly. My mind has mostly been focused on work these days.”
He snorts. “I understand that.”
Clearing my throat, I avert my gaze to my hands as I move them through the water. “So, what were you dressed as at the masquerade?”
Owen stares at me for a second and then smiles. “James Bond. You?”
James Bond could easily pass as Gatsby. “I was a flapper girl,” I answer. “Some people say I reminded them of Daisy Buchanan from Gatsby.”
Owen’s gaze never wavers from mine. We stare at each other for a few minutes and I keep hoping he’ll say it was him, that he’s my Gatsby, but he doesn’t. Am I wrong? The only other way to know for sure is his eyes. He could easily be wearing colored contacts. Why he would want to cover up his gray and gold colors is beyond me. Then again, I wore blue colored contacts for a couple of years to make my eyes pop. Now I love my green eyes and I’m proud to show them off. All I have to do is get close enough to Owen to see if he’s wearing contacts. There’s usually a light-colored ring around people’s irises if they’re wearing them. It won’t prove he’s wearing colored ones, but it’ll at least, prove he has them on.
Owen’s gaze drops to my lips again. “I hate I didn’t get to see you. I’m sure you were really beautiful.”
“Thanks.” Slowly, I move closer to him and place my hands on his thighs. “I hate I missed you too.” I situate my body between his legs and his arms wrap around me, pulling me in close. It feels like I’ve been in his arms before. When I look in his eyes, I can see the rim around his irises. He is wearing contacts, but so do millions of other people. I want to tell him to take them out, but I don’t want to do it just yet. All I have left is to kiss him. I know his lips, his touch. They’re so close to mine, only a breath away. He closes the distance between us and as soon as his lips touch mine, I know. I open to him, allowing him to taste me and vice versa. It’s all so familiar.
Owen gently pulls away and cups my cheeks. “Will you please be my date to the charity dinner? I’d love to have you by my side.”
His hands slowly slide from my cheeks and I smile. “As in a date?”
He gives me that sexy grin of his. “If that’s what you want. I know I’d like it to be.”
“Then it’s a date.” There’s no denying it now. I know he’s my Gatsby. I just have to wait for the right time to tell him I’m his Daisy.8Owen“Tonight, I will tell Ensley the truth.” I stand in front of my full-length mirror and give myself a pep talk. The charade must end and is going to with one of two outcomes. Ensley is either going to accept the fact I’ve lied to her about who I truly am or she’s going to slap me in my face, punch me in my junk, and spit on my crumbled body. I am really, really, hoping for the former. I can’t imagine not having Ensley in my life right now.
When Ensley kissed me the other night at her house, while we were enjoying the hot tub, I wanted to blurt out I’m her mystery man, I’m the one she’s secretly been involved with. I have no doubt in my mind she’s isn’t dating anyone other than me, even though we aren’t exactly dating. I’m that confident, especially when she invited me over to her house. To me, it was a sign.
A sign I should’ve opened my mouth and told her I’m the Gatsby to her Daisy, but once again, I chickened out. I’m not even sure why. I think it’s because as soon as I’m near her, the only thing I want to do is kiss her and take her to bed.
“Okay, I can do this.” My hands tug at the lapels of my tuxedo. “I can tell the woman who is driving me crazy in the best way possible I’m the one behind the mask.” Even as I look at myself, I’m not sure I’m confident enough to say those things to her. But damn it, I’m going to try.
I take one last look around my apartment, satisfied with how everything looks. Ensley will be coming back here tonight, no masks, and no more secrets if all goes as planned. I’m thankful she had a keen sense of mind to book the ballroom in the same building as my penthouse. Not only is it spacious enough, but the ceiling is glass, and there is an expansive balcony that allows the guests to mingle outside. It’ll be a chilly night but I have a feeling Ensley saw this beforehand and has heaters set up.