chapter 109

Alana’s point of view.

I paced around the room, clad in nothing but my underwear. My makeup was done, mostly kept simple to make it easier to remove later when I was tired. I couldn't resist applying my signature red lipstick, though. I had finished styling my hair, tying it up in a sleek high ponytail.

The only reason I wasn't fully dressed yet was because Alec was being unusually secretive about our date, refusing to reveal our destination or much about my outfit. He had inspected my closet twice, pondering his choices.

"Okay, this will be perfect," Alec finally decided and pulled out a black dress with ruffled, flowing ends. It was simple with a touch of elegance, but it didn't give away any clues about our planned outing.

"I haven't worn this in..." I examined the dress, noticing the tag was still attached. "Ever," I realized with surprise. It was a lovely dress, probably a gift from my mother, and I couldn't believe I hadn't worn it before. I made a mental note to wear it more often after tonight.

"No need for much jewelry, perhaps just some rings and earrings," Alec suggested as he continued to browse through my closet. He picked out a sweater, socks, and shorts.

"What are you doing?" I inquired as I slipped into the dress.

"A backup outfit for when it's time to get comfortable," Alec explained, neatly packing my clothes into a bag. I watched him select sweatpants and a plain black shirt, his go-to comfortable attire.

"Are you planning to keep me out all night, Mr. Fisher?" I teased while putting on my diamond earrings.

"Mhm, don't worry, I know you have work tomorrow, so I won't tire you out," Alec assured me. He came over, pressing himself against my back, his hands resting on my hips. "Unless you want me to," he whispered in my ear.

"Mr. Fisher, our friends will be waiting for us," I replied in a hushed tone, rubbing against him, sensing his growing desire. "You're insatiable, aren't you?" I teased, looking at his reflection in the mirror before turning to face him. He looked stunning in his black slacks and neatly tucked-in button-up shirt.

"This might be the first time I've heard you complain about that," Alec pouted, his hands on my hips, gently caressing the side of my face.

"Oh, I'm not complaining, just teasing," I said playfully, trailing my hands down his firm abdomen. For a moment, I almost forgot the purpose of our initial conversation. I cleared my throat and broke eye contact.

As Alec and I got ready, the anticipation of the evening ahead filled the room. I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement mixed with curiosity about what he had planned. Our relationship had always been filled with surprises, and Alec was a master at keeping me on my toes.

Once we were both dressed and ready, Alec took a step back to admire me in the black dress. His eyes gleamed with appreciation as he offered a charming smile. "You look absolutely stunning, Alana."

I blushed slightly, feeling a surge of confidence from his words. "Thank you, Alec. You clean up pretty well yourself," I replied, gesturing to his dashing attire. "Now, as much as I'd love to continue this, we should get going."

"Yes, fine, come on," Alec sighed dramatically as he reached for the bag on the floor. Anticipating he'd tell me which shoes to wear, I quickly grabbed my essentials – my phone, lip gloss, bag, and a bottle of water.

Alec led the way and gallantly opened the car door for me. He placed the bag in the back and then fetched a pair of sliders and a stunning pair of red high heels. They weren't too tall, but they added that touch of elegance. Kneeling by the car door, he helped me put on my shoes.

"How do you keep getting better and better?" I whispered, intending for it to be an internal thought. But the words slipped out, and I didn't regret saying them out loud.

"Improvement is part of life, isn't it?" Alec replied humbly, placing my other foot on his thigh and sliding the shoe on.

"I didn't know you could improve on perfection." I smiled.

"I'm not all that perfect, Alana," Alec stood up and leaned in for a slow, sensual kiss.

"You are to me," I whispered into the kiss before pulling away.

"Come on, let's get going, my love," Alec said with a smile, circling around the car.

—

When we stopped driving, I realized we were outside a building. Inside, I spotted couples dressed similarly to us, though in various colors. I also noticed Killian's car, and my best friend, Izabel, with her fiancé. We got out of the car and joined them on our way inside.

"What exactly are we doing here?" I asked, taking in the surroundings.

"Salsa classes," Killian answered, and Izabel gasped.

"Oh my god, you're taking salsa classes for me?" she said with pouty lips.

"You wanted to learn for the wedding," Killian shrugged.

"Alana and I used to take so many classes back in college," Izabel revealed, her face lighting up with memories. We loved those classes; they were like a quick escape from the world.

"I'm no pro, but I'm willing to give it a shot for you," Alec said and kissed my cheek.

"This is incredible! I haven't danced in a long time," I exclaimed with excitement. We chatted for a bit until the instructor arrived, and it was finally time to dance. I had discovered something Alec wasn't perfect at – dancing! I mostly led the way, and with each movement, it was as if my body came back to life. Alec was slowly catching on and managing to follow me. It was incredibly fun.

"That was so much fun!" Izabel said as we left the studio.

"I definitely need more classes," Killian sighed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you stepped on me four times," Izabel mumbled.

After the dance class, the next item on the agenda was to visit Killian's place. But first, we stopped at a store. Izabel and I were in need of snacks, so the men pulled into the nearest store. We went our separate ways when Izabel checked out the wine selection, and I busied myself picking out an assortment of delicious doughnuts.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Suzanne’s voice filled my ear and I looked over to see her and her boyfriend standing there.

"Hello, Suzanne, Daniel," I hummed. Daniel had his arms crossed, a scowl on his face.

"Good thing we caught you here. Listen," Suzanne stepped forward when I tried to walk away. "We're kindly asking you to reconsider the movie with Daniel," she put on a fake smile and narrowed her eyes at me.

"And I'm kindly telling you that won't be happening," I replied firmly, looking between the two of them. What did they expect? That I'd agree?

"Don't do anything you'll regret, Alana," Suzanne gritted her teeth.

"I regret ever suggesting him for the movie," I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

"You can't replace me with some young face," Daniel finally chimed in.

"I'm simply looking for someone with exceptional acting skills," I informed him with a slight smile.

"Listen, heed my final warning," Suzanne stepped closer to me, attempting to be intimidating. "Let Daniel act in the movie, or you'll regret dropping him. You know exactly who my family is."

"I'm not sure who you think you are, but you hold no power over me," I said simply and kindly, keeping my composure. "Move along."

"I suggest you do that too. I've got most of it on film," Izabel appeared with a bottle of wine in one hand and her phone in the other. "Wouldn't want your fans to know how much of your persona is actually fake," she smirked.

Finally, the two left, and Izabel and I checked out and then headed straight to the cars. When we arrived at Killian's, I immediately changed into the comfortable clothes Alec had brought for me. We returned to Killian and Izabel, who were on the back patio. Killian had set up a movie theatre outside and the perfect grill. Izabel and I got comfortable on the couches, watching a classic 00s movie while the men were busy grilling food for us. It was the perfect night, and for once, I absolutely loved this double date night. It was far better than I had expected it to be.