Lush Love

Almost Perfect

Elise:

We all sat quietly listening to the light music playing in the limo. Mac is in a black-on-black tux. Mike is wearing a fun tux. When you tilt your head a certain way, his coat looks red but at first glance it's black. As Mac predicted, Juliette is wearing all black. We look good. It makes me think about the impact we can cause as a family had dad not kept us away from one another. Had he just been the dad he was supposed to be.

"You just going to rip dad a new one and dip or are we actually staying?" Julie asked.

"We're staying," Mac cleared his throat. "This is work,"

"I'd like for you all to ignore dad. Pretend he's not there," I smirked. They laughed.

"That's going to drive him crazy," Mike sneered deviously. It is going to drive him crazy and I can't wait to see his reaction.

"I'm in," Julie mused. I text him when we were close.

They all looked over at me when the limo pulled up to the front and Pierce Kingsley walked out of the venue to open the door for me. Us. I meant us. The cameras are on him, all of them anticipating whoever is about to get out of the car. He looks amazing in his tux. It's black but he went with a red tie and vest. It's the same shade as my dress. There has to be someone helping him with this. My money is on Zach and Rissa.

"You're late," he greeted me as soon as he opened the door.

"We had a wardrobe problem," I apologized.

He offered me his hand and I placed mine in it. He leaned in and placed a kiss on the top. The cameras all went off when he pulled me out. My siblings followed suit. The five of us stopped for them to take our pictures before we made our way inside. Questions were fired at us left and right. The ring on my hand kind of speaks for itself. I glanced at it wondering if it was always his intention to do this and if the magnificent ring was meant for me because I love it. I am growing attached to it.

"You look beautiful," he complimented.

"You look handsome," I smiled.

"You look amazing as well, Juliette," he turned his attention to her.

"You can call me Julie. You're part of the family now. Anyone who can make my dad choke the way he did the other day is an honorary Walton in my eyes,"

"Thank you," he laughed.

"I am getting a drink. Operation ignore dad is in order," she walked away. Mike went after her without saying a word.

"You weren't kidding," her voice sent a chill down my back. We both turned to see Hailey making her way over to us with Richard walking up behind her. He's gotten creepier. His hair looks like he hasn't showered in days. Even his skin is oily.

"Hailey," I greeted her. I'm surprised by the fondness in my tone. I think she is too.

"Elise," she's being polite. He did talk to her.

"Ms. Kingsley," my brother caught her attention. "It's always a pleasure,"

"Mac?" she looked him over. She has a good eye. I give her that.

"You remember me?"

"Of course I do. You were the one who flung whip cream across the room in biology and hit Mr. Ashford in the back of the head when he announced what our final was. How can I forget?" she laughed.

"I knew it was you," I mused.

"You never owned up to that? Legend," she complimented him.

"Thank you. There are plenty of things I did in that school that I never owned up to. Who's your friend?" he asked. Richard looked up at him with a glare.

"This is Richard," she introduced him blandly.

"Her fiance," he added. We all stepped back simultaneously when he extended his hand out to my brother. His fingernails are really dirty and way too long for a man. The signs of depression are all there and he needs serious help.

"No, thank you," my brother tucked his hand in his pocket. "Ms. Kingsely. I hear you're interested in the Southerland project,"

"How did you know that?" she asked.

"Walk with me. It's my project," he offered her his arm. She glanced at Pierce who gave her a single nod of encouragement. She took his arm and the two of them walked off together. Richard's eyes turned to Pierce.

"My father will hear about this," he threatened.

"You and your dusty old man can suck my d**k," Pierce scoffed. "Excuse my language, Elise,"

"By all means. Don't hold back for my sake," I laughed.

"Excuse us. We have to be somewhere that isn't here around your stench,"

Everyone is staring at us as we make our way inside. Everyone began to address Pierce professionally. Their skepticism makes sense. Not a lot of people remember me as my father's daughter. I disappeared and fell off the ends of the earth a long time ago and reinvented myself away from him. It was Mr. Lemar Colton who broke the ice. I know he remembers me. I was the reason why he lost eighty billion in profit the year before I went MIA. My dad was pissed.

"Ms. Walton, it's been a while since you've been spotted on this side of New York," he greeted me.

"Mr. Colton, pleasure. I thought it was time to come home," I smiled at him politely.

"I want to talk to you about a project I need to be moved to L.A. I'm relocating," those who were close by briefly glanced at us. Is this our bygones moment? Are we ready to make up and move past what happened all those years ago? I sure hope so.

"Really?" I asked. "That's a big change, Mr. Colton. Are our beaches too cold for you?" I asked. Everyone laughed at my shitty joke. Even Pierce. "What are we talking about? Tech, Pharm?"

"Pharm," he took a drink from his glass. "I'm surprised you know my line of work,"

"Why? I am the heiress of Walton Enterprises. One day, you and I will be talking more than just transport business,"

"You're an ambitious woman, Ms. Walton," he grinned.

"Mrs. Kingsley," Pierce corrected him. This time the chatter around us stopped and they're not just briefly glancing back at us anymore. They're downright staring. Mrs. Kingsly? We haven't even signed the paperwork yet.

"I beg your pardon?" Mr. Colton looked over at him.

"It's Mrs. Kingsley," I confirmed what they heard.

"Elise," my dad's voice cut through the crowd perfectly. Everyone opened up a way for him to walk towards us.

"Is that a problem Mr. Colton?" I asked.

"Of course, not," he shook his head.

"Good. I look forward to working with you," Robin came out of nowhere and offered him my card. She does that all the time. It freaks me out but I expect it now. "This is my assistant. Robin Posner,"

"Mr. Colton," she greeted him formally.

"He's waiting for you," Pierce chuckled. I smiled stepping into him.

"That sucks," I shrugged.

"Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley. This is a very unexpected and very powerful move for the both of you," Mrs. Lavigne came out of nowhere.

This woman is one of the most influential corporate mongrels in the industry. She's the president of an all exclusive club called the Claws Verification Foundation. The CVF is made up of some of the most influential and successful women in the world. There are twenty branches scattered all over major cities. I've wanted to be part of the CVF since I was six years old. My inner fangirl is screaming inside of me. I want to hug her, hound her for information, and post pictures of us all over i********: and Twitter. But I'm not going to do that. I'll frighten her the same way I frightened Elon Musk when I met him.

"Mrs. Lavigne," I greeted her.

"Mrs. Kingsley. You are quite a sight," her accent is cute.

"Thank you. I am nothing compared to you, Mrs. Lavigne. I am honored to know you know who I am," why am I talking like that? Can I get any creepier?

"You look just like Eliza at your age," she smiled cupping my face. Oh no, lady please don't push that button. It's nuclear bad. "You've really come into your own. I've been following your work. Consider me impressed,"

"Do you not hear me calling you?" my dad began to come closer.

"Flattery is my favorite kind of negotiation. Just ask my husband," I ignored him. We all laughed. Yeah, laugh I'm hilarious. Pierce kissed the top of my head. That got the crowd going.

"Walk with me. Let's negotiate some more," she offered me her hand. I looked up at Pierce who stepped away without letting go of my hand. He kissed the top of it again before leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss on my lips.

"Have fun ladies," he excused himself and began to make his way in the direction my dad is.

"Shall we?" I turned my full attention to Mrs. Lavigne.

"It's a brave thing the two of you are doing, Elise. May I call you Elise?"

"I insist," I nodded.

"You need to be careful, Elise. I told your mother this before. The Kingsleys are not the kind of people you want to mess with. If they sense even an instant of weakness you are dead. That boy knows that. Whatever it is he wants, he's willing to sacrifice himself and you to get it. Take it from an old woman, sweetie. You are brilliant and ambitious. I see the fire in your eyes. Don't let them take it away from you,"

"Thank you, Mrs. Lavigne," there's skepticism in my tone. She sounds insane but I know it's not. I know this is dangerous.

"Call me Sahara. I insist," she smiled.

Everyone wants our attention. When my siblings got on the floor, the Waltons were the talk of the Gala along with the two Kingsley children. Questions are starting to form. We need to strategize what comes next for the two of us. We need to really get the paperwork together and start figuring out how we're going to make this possible without dragging the people the work for us into this.

"Do you mind?" Pierce's voice echoed through the crowd. He's by the orchestra. Oh, no. He's going to embarrass me in front of all these people. In front of Mrs. Lavigne. "Good evening everyone. Those of you who don't know who I am, my name is Pierce Kingsley,"

"What is happening?" Juliette and Mike caught up to me.

"Embarrassing couple stuff," I shook my head.

"A couple of weeks ago, I met someone I didn't think existed," he grinned. People are starting to awe. "I don't know how or why we met that night but I'm glad we did. I'm deeply honored that she feels a little of what I do. Enough to have said yes. We were in such a hurry to make it official that I didn't stop to think of the details. For that, I am so sorry, Princess,"

"He's good," Juliette whispered.

"I want a do-over and it starts tonight," he handed the mic to someone and began to make his way over to me. I stepped back until my body smacked against Julie's who placed her hand flat on my back to stop me from running away. My skin broke out in chills at the contact. I stepped forward making it look like I'm on board with this. I hate being touched even if the one touching me is my sister.

"What are you doing?" I laughed nervously.

"Elise Rae Walton, will you give me this dance?" he offered me his hand.

"You d**k. You scared me," Julie shouted from behind me. Everyone laughed. He scared me too. I thought he was going to do something much worse. Like getting down on one knee in front of all these people. I would have run and he would have received those divorce papers in the morning.

"Yes," I laughed placing my hand in his.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley for the first time," we were introduced by Mister Furgeson. They're friends. Of course, they are.

He pulled me into him gently as we greeted one another for a waltz. The orchestra began to play a slow Viennese song. We began to dance. His eyes are on me and I'm a little scared to look up at him. I rather face the scrutiny of the judgemental ass holes staring at us wondering which one of us is probably going to get killed first than look up at him right now.

"You look nervous," he whispered into my ear. I grinned and fought the urge to look up a lot more. My entire core is clenched up tightly. Tight enough to make me feel like I'm going to throw up.

"I've never been spotted with a boy before and all of a sudden I'm in the arms of the man these vicious harpies would kill each other for and they have no idea where the hell I even came from," I laughed. "Yeah, I'm a little nervous. What happened to the contract? We had a plan,"

"Oh, pillow talk already?" he smirked. I laughed finally looking up at him. It turned his smirk into a smile. I don't know if it's genuine. I know nothing about this man but he's gaining ground rapidly and is about to meet the force I like to call my defenses. "It will be ready for you in the morning. Along with our prenups and other legalities,"

"Who's pillow talking now?" I laughed. He pulled me closer before spinning me around. I didn't expect the dip and grabbed onto his arms tightly. His big hand gripped my thigh holding it against his hip as he leaned into me.

"Is that really what does it for you? Business? Money?" he asked amused by my reaction. He pulled me up keeping me pressed up against him. We continued to dance. Others joined us. Why am I not reacting to him the same way I react to others?

"Intelligence," I answered, wrapping my arms around him.

"You're a sapiosexual," he whispered resting his hands on my lower back, keeping me in place.

"Correct,"

"You'll find plenty of that here," he looked down at me. I can't take my eyes off his chest now. I am afraid to. This has never happened to me before and I can see why I was swept up when I blacked out. "I guess my question is, has anyone ever been able to keep up with you?"

"Never," I swallowed the knot forming in my throat. He tightened his hold on me.

"Never, not once?" he asked.

"That kiss on the terrace. It was my first," I admitted. We stopped dancing. He didn't let go but he did pull away.

"That's a lie. Look at you. You're the most beautiful woman in this room. There's no f*****g way," he shook his head with disbelief.

"Kissing has nothing to do with me and everything to do with me. It all depends on the person in front of me. I have a list and they have to meet the requirements. No one really ever does,"

"So, this romantic gesture was wasted on you?" he asked.

"No, not in the slightest. This is a magnificent step forward in our private partnership. They're eating up. They hate us for taking what they wish to have. Strategic plays are in my top five favorite things to do,"

"Good, because that was my intention. The PDA is going to be frequent. Lunches, dinners, dancing, trips, all of it is essential to keep up appearances," he smiled. I felt my face heat up. My body. All of it is responding. "Yes, it is in the contract. Every little detail. Everything I want from you and how it needs to be played out,"

"This is not the place to be talking about this, Mr. Kingsley," I cleared my throat. "Galas are for dancing,"

"We aren't dancing anymore. It looks like we're fighting," he smirked. I laughed. He pulled me into him again and we began to dance. I didn't fight it this time. I haven't felt this kind of rush since Zach convinced us to go sky diving. This is equal to that. The thrill of not knowing if I am going to survive this jump but a part of me wants to see if I am durable enough to withstand the challenge.

"What's your thing?" I asked. "I bet I can guess,"

"Oh, by all means. Guess," he grinned.

"The night we got married, you were upset and you saw that same vulnerability in my eyes when I walked out of the restroom. It wasn't until Zachariah said my name that you recognized me. The connection was almost instant for you. It was like something clicked into place. You didn't plan on taking things as far as you did but you did. Not because you wanted to save your family, no. You didn't think of that until later. You, Pierce Kingsley, are a demisexual. You are only attracted to someone with who you can form an emotional connection and I haven't given you what you want. The connection is there but my refusal to give in to it has you hooked,"

"Why would you accept anything that comes from me knowing that?" he smiled. "We both know I am going to become obsessed with trying to win you over,"

"And who is to say that you won't? As long as you give me what I want you'll have what you desire," I shrugged. "Our compatibility is almost perfect. Things like love aren't important to people like us. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You're a romantic and romance is necessary for our plans. I find romantic gestures a form of intelligence. Men don't often care for romance once they start a relationship. It's why they burn out. Why they lose their value,"

"Why do I want to you the way I do?" he whispered. "I can have whoever I want without the work,"

"Pierce. You are an intelligent man. I am the challenge you've always wanted. You don't do easy. It's the hard way or no way and I have to admit that I find that incredibly sexy,"