Free Under Her Skin by Alexis Lauren

"I'm nervous, but I'm ready." He held his elbow out to her, which she took right away. They walked to the elevator together, and when they got there, they both looked at their reflection in the floor to ceiling mirrors that made up the elevator doors. For the first time, they saw themselves as a 'couple'.
    He knew instantly that he liked what he saw. He knew that this was his chance to show Marlo that he could be the man that she had been looking for. He knew that he had to give this 'date' everything that he had, to show her that they could be good together.
    Marlo on the other hand started to freak a little bit. Sure they looked great together, but was what she saw in the mirror and actual portrayal or was it all smoke and mirrors? She was determined to find out, whether it be tonight, tomorrow, or next year.
    The ding of the elevator brought them back to the moment of reality, and the doors parted, splitting up the image that they were both carefully studying. In the elevator, they clung to each other, looking for the support to get through the nerve wracking night. Each one felt a little better for having the other there, but also wondering what the night had in store for them.
     

Chapter 9
    Marlo and Tobias were the last to get to the limo that was waiting for them in front of the hotel. They got in and Marlo looked around. She saw Sammy and AJ, semi-dressed up, along with their dates. She knew that Kevin had arranged their dates, in order for them to portray the right image, since neither one had any girls that they wanted to bring.
    Dusty's date however, struck something in her memory. She looked at her brother curiously. It was the same girl from the bar a few weeks ago, and even then she looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on where she knew her from. With all the people that she had met touring, and in college, names and faces tended to blend together.
    "Lola, you remember Carly, right? We went out for a while in high school." Dusty told her.
    The moment of realization hit Marlo hard. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Yes, I remember you Carly. How are you?"
    "I'm great, thanks." She smiled, feeling a little awkward. "You look great, by the way."
    "Thanks, so do you." Marlo returned the compliment. "So, tell me how you and Dusty ended up in contact again." The limo began moving, giving a little jolt to all of them. Tobias reached out to steady Marlo, who wasn't prepared for the movement.
    "Well, I travel a lot for my company. I'm a Business Development Manager for a large consulting firm. So I'm all over the country trying to persuade companies to use our services. I ran into Dusty at a restaurant a couple of months ago. I wasn't sure it was him at first, but then he recognized me and we started talking. Now whenever we are in the same area, we get together and hang out." Carly informed her. She sure wasn't shy, a simple 'we ran into each other a couple of months ago' would have sufficed.
    "Wow, that's great." Marlo said, wondering if she really felt that way. If she remembered correctly, Carly was the girl who turned Dusty loose thinking that he'd never make anything of himself. She turned to AJ and Sammy's dates and introduced herself to them. They seemed rather nice, and she hoped that AJ and Sammy would have a good time with them. They deserved some happiness.
    The limo began to slow, and Marlo looked out the window to see what was happening. The sides of the streets were barricaded, and there was security all around. They sat still for a few minutes, then crawled forward one spot. The cycle repeated until they were at the drop off point.
    Marlo looked at Tobias and nearly laughed. He was chewing on his lip nervously as he waited for the doors to open. "You ready for this?" Marlo asked.
    Tobias turned to her, as if there was a delayed reaction to him hearing her. "I think so, just smile the whole time, right?" He asked.
    "You got it. Piece of cake!" Marlo said cheerfully.
    Tobias reached out and grabbed