High Moon by Aimee Easterling et al

Author:Aimee Easterling et al [Aimee Easterling et al]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-12-19T05:35:38+00:00

Chapter 5

On Saturday night, I stared at myself in the full-length mirror in my bathroom and smoothed the silky fabric draping my thighs. The guests would be arriving soon, and I was due in Arquette’s study in five minutes for a last-minute briefing.

I’d never worn a dress like this before. It was midnight blue, a fitted sheath with a demure neckline but a dramatic slit up the side. Aditi had delivered it to my room this morning.

“What’s this?” I’d asked as she bustled in with a long garment bag folded over her arm.

Aditi bustled everywhere. She was one of those people who seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of energy. Always on the move, always busy. She was Arquette’s right-hand woman. The butler, Harten, was responsible for the day-to-day running of the household, but Aditi ran everything else in Arquette’s life. She was way more than a personal assistant—she was practically vice-president of his little dragon empire, despite being human.

All that, and she still found time to achieve a level of personal grooming that was frankly scary. Her long nails were always perfect, her clothes beautifully styled, and her makeup impeccable. And I was straight-up jealous of her dark hair, which hung in a thick plait down to her butt. Indian women had the best hair.

She laid the bag on my bed. I’d just showered after my morning training session and I was still towelling my hair dry, so it was all over the place, hanging in wet tangles down my back and making my shirt damp. Not a single hair on Aditi’s head was out of place, of course. None of them would dare.

“A dress for tonight.”

“What do you mean? Aren’t I wearing this?” I gestured at my work clothes of black trousers and plain white shirt.

“To a ball?” Aditi tossed her head in disdain. The diamond stud in her nose winked in the light. “Please.”

“But I’m not a guest. I’m on duty.”

“There’s no law that says you can’t look good while you’re working.” She headed for the door at her usual brisk pace, ready to move on to the next item on her agenda. “The hairdresser will be here at five.”

“Hairdresser?” I squeaked, but she was already gone.

Now, as I stared at my reflection, I had to admit the hairdresser had been a good idea. I would probably only have pulled my auburn hair back into a quick bun to keep it out of my way, but she had piled it up in beautiful curls and loops, creating a style that looked effortlessly chic. I’d taken extra care with my makeup, too, and the dark blue shine of the dress brought out the blue of my eyes.

All in all, I was pretty hot stuff.

The dress’s neckline showed my collarbones but nothing else. The slit up the side, on the other hand, just about exposed what I’d had for breakfast. I was all business on the top and party on the bottom. At least it would be easy to run in, if it came to that.

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