Read Just One Night. Part 1 for Free Online Page A

and pink dress back up.
    I grab the sparkly creation and hold the bodice close to my chest. “No. This one is perfect.”
    She smiles. “I had a feeling.” She gestures to the corner of the room. “Fitting room is right over there. Give it go, why don’t you?”
    I walk over, careful not to trip on all the material. A couple minutes later I’m on a round platform staring at myself in the mirror. It fits me like a glove, turning me from attractive, successful businesswoman into Cinderella at the ball. Something is very wrong with this picture, but I can’t stop staring. This is nothing like I imagined this night would be.
    “Simply stunning,” says a male voice behind me.
    I whip around and nearly fall from the small stage.
    William holds out his arms, and I use them to steady myself. Dragging the material around with a free hand, I’m able to face him with more dignity.
    “I can’t accept this gift.” I’m so nervous I’m afraid I sound like a complete fool, but I can’t just say nothing.
    He frowns. “You don’t like it? I think it suits you to a T.” His eyes roam from my feet to my neck and then settle on my face.
    “No, I love it, that’s not what I mean.” I try to find a way to say it and not be rude. “It’s just too extravagant. I mean …” I lower my voice to a whisper, “…you’re never going to see me again after tonight.”
    He grins. “Exactly. So let’s live it up, together. Let’s do things we never normally do and just enjoy it without regret.” He shrugs. “We can go back to our normal, boring lives tomorrow, right?”
    One side of my mouth quirks up in a smile. “Who said my life is boring?”
    “The gentleman trying to talk a protesting woman into letting him purchase a ball gown for her.”
    He has a point. A wild and reckless fun-loving chick would take this dress and run. I can be that person for one night, right? “Fine. I’ll let you buy me the dress, if you let me pay for half of it.”
    He shakes his head and crosses his arms over his chest. “No deal.”
    I pull out the sides of the dress and then let them fall in frustration. “But I can’t accept this!”
    “Surely you can. I’ve already paid for it.”
    My mouth drops open again. I’m not sure whether to be impressed or offended.
    He continues. “If you insist on spending some of your own money, you can buy yourself some shoes. I’m not sure the ones you brought with you will suit.”
    I follow his gaze to my bone-colored heels. He’s absolutely right about that.
    “I have some shoes for you right here, deary,” Claudia says. “Nothing fancy, mind you, but that’s as it should be. The toes are the only thing anyone will see, and we don’t want to outshine the real beauty which is the dress and you, of course.” She puts a box down near my feet and pulls a black pump from inside.
    Sliding my foot in, I find it fits like a glove, which makes perfect sense since tonight I am Cinderella. I’m just a little surprised the shoes aren’t made of glass at this point. “Okay, fine. I insist on paying for the shoes.”
    “Right. Off we go, then,” says William. “I’ll meet you up front.”
    He walks back to the front of the store with Claudia, leaving me to stare at myself in the mirror. The crystals catch the light and set off a mass of sparkling all around me. The shoes make me tall enough to lift the skirt off the ground. It’s like this thing was made specifically for me. I have to shake my head to get it out of the clouds. I can’t believe I’m doing this.
    But doing this, I most definitely am.I wish I could text Mia and tell her what’s happening, but she has no idea I even put up the ad. She thinks I’m working late. I’m totally on my own this time, and I try not to fall into panic mode over that little fact.
    Balling my clothes up and shoving them into my bag, I move to the front of the store still wearing the dress. On the counter is a small clutch that matches my gown. “This goes