Teri was gorgeous in a classic way, with her light hair hanging around her shoulders in loose curls, a heart-shaped face and deep blue eyes. She tried to hide herself behind makeup and a feisty attitude, but that only went so far.

“Let’s see yours,” Teri said, uncomfortable with the attention, but also smiling a secretly pleased smile.

Aria stripped off and wriggled into the dress Clarissa had sent her. It was as long as Teri’s dress and made from midnight blue silk with a neckline that plunged, but not indecently so. Simple and elegant. She had loved it on sight.

Apparently, Teri did too, because she clapped her hands together gleefully and said, “Eli’s going to die when he sees you in that.”

Eli was standing rigidly next to the front door when Therese and Aria emerged from the spare room. After a cursory glance at his sister, he turned to his lover, and his breath squeezed out of his chest as he absorbed the sight of her. The dress hugged her curves and swayed with her hips as she walked. Her cleavage teased him from the narrowly plunging neckline. Her lips were pursed, painted a fierce red, and her hair, which he’d barely noticed earlier, was tamed into an elegant twist that cascaded down the side of her neck. She stole his breath. The outfit was missing something, though. Before he realized he was doing it, he’d crossed to her side and taken her hand in his.

“You look beautiful,” he said. “Absolutely beautiful.”

He pulled a box from his pocket and handed it to her, watching anxiously as she opened it to reveal a blue topaz necklace on a silver chain.

“What’s this?” she asked, turning her shining eyes up to his.

“I wanted you to have something to wear with your dress,” he said. “Since you refused to bring the other necklace, I thought you might like this one. It suits you.”

She picked up the chain and ran her fingers over it.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said softly. “Thank you.”

He let out a deep breath. He hadn’t realized how much it would mean to hear she liked it. Finally, he’d done something right.

“Here.” He took the necklace from her and draped it around her neck, fumbling with the clasp because her nearness flustered him.

“So sweet,” Teri mocked, screwing up her nose.

Eli stepped back and cleared his throat. “Shall we get going?”

Aria chatted to Teri during the long drive across town to the yacht club, imagining what the ball would be like. She hadn’t been to one since high school, and that had been pretty relaxed. Tonight, she expected something completely different.