Say You're Mine (The Gallaghers Book 1) by Layla Hagen (comprehension books .txt) 📕

do it. I’d do anything if it meant I could have Brayden in my life.

“When do you think we should do it?” I asked.

“I spoke to Sasha, and she thinks the upcoming promo party for the album is a good moment for us to go public.”

“You think this is the right time?” I said. He’d mentioned the party a few times, but I didn’t remember anything except that it was this Friday.

He nodded. “The press is speculating, and it’s best if we go forward. Knowing how they operate, they might actually get off your back once it’s official. Speculations always attract more attention than declarations.”

His voice still had an edge I didn’t like, like maybe he thought I didn’t want this. But how could he think that?

I put my palms on his shoulders, kissing the corner of his mouth.

“Let’s do it. You want to brag about me, Mr. Clarke?”

“That too. But I want everyone to know you’re mine.”

“Oh, I see. You want to stake your claim publicly.”

Lust flashed in his eyes. “Publicly, privately. Any way there is. And anywhere.”

He feathered two fingers over my mouth before skimming them down my neck.

“I see. Bedrooms are so passé, right, when we have rehearsal rooms and barns to try out, huh?”

“Don’t forget office desks.”

“Oh? Which one?” I asked in a fake tone of confusion.

He patted the wooden surface next to my hip.

“You’re changing me, Clarke,” I said in a teasing tone. “All my life I lived by the motto ‘fries before guys,’ and yet here I am, melting for you.”

I was falling in love with a rock star.

Chapter NineteenIsabelle

Sasha insisted I needed professional preparation for the event. As a result, I rescheduled my clients’ appointments. Brayden’s spare bedroom had been transformed into a beauty parlor for the day when the team of professionals arrived at one o’clock: hair and makeup artists and a nail artist!

I’d honestly assumed I was only going to have my hair and makeup done, but I wasn’t going to say no to pampering. This whole day I felt like I was undergoing one of those “ugly duck to beauty queen” transformations you only saw in movies.

I was a little nervous about tonight. I’d been to a few fancy events, like the Ballroom Galas the Winchesters organized for charity, but those were different. For one, there wasn’t much press. More importantly though, no one paid attention to me.

“Hey, if Brayden wants to come in, just keep him out, okay?”

Toni, the hairdresser, nodded efficiently. “Of course. He’ll only get to see you when you’re ready.”

I wanted to keep him on his toes. Besides, the wow-effect only worked if you saw the whole package, not interim steps.

During the beautification process, I kept texting with Josie. Sis was feeling a little down because she and Sophie weren’t sleeping much lately, and I felt guilty that I couldn’t go over for a girly evening. But I texted Skye, Laney, and Tess, keeping my fingers crossed that one of them could pop over.

I was proud of Brayden for only opening the door once during my ninety-minute massage. I was even prouder of the team, who flanked the door so he couldn’t see inside at all.

“This is ridiculous,” he mumbled.

I barely stifled a laugh, only letting it out when he retreated and they closed the door.

Once Inna, the nail artist, was done working her magic on me, Toni was next. I was sitting in the chair they’d brought in here, and he was circling me, looking at my hair and my face.

“How do you feel about an updo?” he asked.

“I rather prefer to keep it down.”

He nodded. “Okay. Straight hair with a few waves in between for emphasis and volume?”

“Yes, I’d love that.”

“It will frame your face nicely. You have fantastic bone structure.”

Toni efficiently straightened my hair with a brush, then used curlers for a few strands to achieve the wavy effect. He sprayed an array of products during each step, and in the end, I couldn’t believe how glossy my hair looked.

“I love it,” I exclaimed, inspecting it in the dresser mirror. If it didn’t take two hours to achieve this perfection, I’d do it myself once in a while, but using the hot iron was quicker.

“My turn,” Diana, the makeup artist, exclaimed. She’d been silent most of the time, inspecting my dress. I was so proud of it. It was hands down the most beautiful thing I owned. I’d bought it on sale at Nordstrom Rack, but it looked like a million bucks. It was pure black silk with a heart-shaped neckline to accentuate my cleavage and a silver belt just under my breasts. It highlighted my curves perfectly.

Sasha had insisted that Diana was the best she’d worked with over the years and that her skill level was out of this world. On the bed, she’d laid out an array of eye shadow and glosses next to seven jars with creams, two mascaras, and an eyelash curler, and I was a little nervous.

“Diana, I still want to look like myself,” I told her.

“Of course. Don’t worry, I don’t like contouring techniques that make you unrecognizable. That’s not makeup, more like wearing a mask.”

She won me over with that, and I was thoroughly relaxed while she worked her magic on me. Brayden tried to come in one more time, but Toni shooed him right back out.

The moment he closed the door, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I grinned, sure it was from Brayden.

Diana pointed at me. “No smiling. You’re ruining my process.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Brayden: What’s going on in there?

Isabelle: You’ll see.

Brayden: That’s what I’m trying to do and no one lets me.

Isabelle: Even better. You’ll see the whole package at once.

Brayden: Did you put them up to this?

Isabelle: Maybe.

I could imagine his reaction. Maybe he’d even reward me with a little growl.

I put my phone away after that, because Diana was glaring at me.

“I’m all yours now,” I promised.

“Good.”

***

Forty minutes later, I was ready and absolutely stunning. I took a gazillion selfies, then