Maya's POV
Penny lounged against the headboard of my bed, her bare feet crossed at the ankles, watching me with keen interest as I swept the mascara wand across my lashes for the third time. Her presence filled the room with an energy I couldn't quite place.
"Does this shade make me look washed out?" I questioned, angling my face toward the vanity mirror and catching the way the burgundy lipstick seemed to deepen under the warm lighting.
"You look flawless," Penny declared without hesitation, absently lifting one of my gold earrings from the jewelry tray and letting it catch the lamplight. "That color complements your dress beautifully."
The burgundy dress draped across my frame was one Sebastian had selected during our shopping trip months earlier, back when our biggest concern was finding time for dinner dates. The fabric felt luxurious against my skin, sophisticated yet approachable for what I suspected would be a longer evening than Sebastian was admitting.
