by Owen Oakley
It was only a few blocks over, but I still plan to drive instead of walking so the southern humidity wouldn’t get to my hair. The tangles would be instant and a fizzy, unmanageable mess.
As I give myself a once over in my four-set full length lighted mirror, I must agree that Aiden had outdone himself.
My skepticism about the Parada burgundy corset bustier and a mid-waist skirt with splits that come a little below my knees looked amazing.
I do a twirl in the mirror and smile. Aiden was about all things designer, and since it was his treat, who was I to decline?
My makeup was flawless, courtesy of Aiden. Contoured for the runway and whatever he did to my hair is gorgeous. I get a glimpse of the side of my head where an orchid was placed beside my high bun, hidden between the several loose strands of hair.
I push as much air into my lungs as I can to calm my nerves that were beginning to get the best of me. I’d never had a party centered on me.
My heart started racing at the thought. “You can do this,” I whisper to myself.
Caught up in my attire, I almost forget the most essential part. No outfit is complete without shoes. The Louboutin shoes will take attention away from the outfit.
Levitagirl, all black, peep-toe sandals, with a comfortable heel, strapped ankle and a full set of spikes across the arch of my foot. Fierce.
This wasn’t my first pair of red bottoms; it’s always Aiden’s go-to gift for Christmases, Birthdays, and Valentine. I always wondered how he paid for them. He was a college educated man true enough, and I presume he has a job.
We're best friends but he’s more involved in my life than I am in his. I had never met his parents. He said they traveled a lot, and I thought he might be a trust fund kid, nothing unusual about it. I was never the prying type and that’s why we worked.
Now I’m ready. With a little more confidence and determination to have fun, I head to my Mercedes Cabriolet.
God only knows why I got it last year, brand new, and it registers only three thousand miles. I suppose it was a gift to myself not just for the many books I’ve published but for surviving and getting to the place fate destined me to be.
Although it’s a pleasant summer evening not too hot with cool breezes, I leave the top-up.
Traffic was busier than usual, and I shift around a bit in my sit. Everything in me hoped these were tourists, site seeing and not guests at the party.
Shit.
Four cars were ahead of me, and I see cameras flash outside the La Louisine, and my mind’s gears churn looking for an escape.
The phone interrupt my thoughts, but relief washes over me when I see Aiden’s name appear on the car’s screen.
“Hello?” I say triggering the phone to answer.
“Park on the back. I reserved a spot for you. The valet is waiting,” he says.
I relax and throw my car in reverse, my eyes focused on the backup cam. “What would I do without you?” I ask, laughing, and fighting back tears.
“Trust me you’ll never find out. See you inside.” When the call ends, I drive down the side of the building where a valet was guarding the back entrance.
After handing over my keys, I smooth out my assemble and place my black clutch purse under my arm and take a stride towards the door.
My mouth went dry, and my stomach was in my throat. I pause, with the sudden urge to turn around, jump back in my car, and text Aiden that I can’t go through with it.
But I can’t let my best friend down. He’d put in time and effort to do this for me, at the least I can do is to be appreciative and pull myself together.
The valet crossed in front of me and opened the door, giving me the push, I needed. I give him a curt nod, smile, and move inside.
I’m sure Aiden had me come through the kitchen to give me some time to get my nerves together.
My mouth watered as soon as I step inside. New Orleans’s favorite dishes laid out buffet style. From Jambalaya, gumbo, to Crawfish, dirty rice, fried drumettes, cheesecake, and every other dish that we Louisianans are proud to call our signature recipe.
Forget the celebration I want to stay back here forever. My greediness is soon forgotten as soon as Aiden rounds the corner looking sexy in his black three-piece Giorgio Armani suit, tailor-made.
Aiden made sure his suits fit him to the T, outlining every part of himself, and to show off his muscular toned body. He chose a black vest with a gold shirt and gold cuff lengths. He was a vision and welcomed sight that held my nerves at bay.
I give him a coy smile, no doubt my cheeks had gone red at the sight of him, allowing him to wrap his long arms around me. I inhaled his fantastic scent, a place I could always stay forever.
“Nervous?” He asks with a grin.
I pull back, meeting his eyes. “That obvious?”
He laughs, giving me a once over, making sure I didn’t mess up his creation on my way here.
“Other than the obvious and me knowing you better than you know yourself, and your heartbeat racing.”
Embarrassed, I hug myself looking at the floor. This all is foreign. I don’t know anyone here, other than Aiden and I don’t spend enough time around people to engage with them.
Aiden is the only person I talk to, and he’s the only one who understands anything about me, from my odd sense of humor, bad temper and my sassiness, courtesy of my childhood.
“You’ll be fine,” he assures me as he throws his arm around my shoulders. If only I could believe it.
My energy about tonight had been off ever since I woke up this morning. Aiden dismissed it as nerves, but I was very much in tune with vibes as well as my own.
We entered the main room, and I was giddy, from the decorated venue. This must-have cost a fortune.
The venue La Louisiane is expensive by itself, well add on a real-life mystical theme, and I’m talking ten grand or more.
My recent fantasy novel has many magical creatures that live in a beautiful realm. Aiden took my description and recreated it.
Now I stand in the decorative version of it. Evergreen vines ran from the ceiling with lights intertwined in them. Someone dimmed the overall lights with two large fountains that contain lights making the water glow.
How he found an abundance of fireflies is beyond me. Everything is mesmerizing — my mythical forest with light trees and potted plants and flowers embedded in fertile soil.
Aiden continue to lead me to a table he set up, and my eyes drift to the enormous poster behind it, and my jaw drops. Immediately I began to look around to see if anyone had noticed. Attempting to cover it up was simply impossible.
There I hung, massive as life itself, with a bright smile, loose curls holding my book beside my cheek.
Oh. My. God. Aiden was busy laying books in front of me to notice my haunted expression. I send a quick jab at him with my fist, making him scowl at me.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” He asks, clutching his ribs.
“I could ask you the same thing,” I whisper-yell as I point to the poster behind me.
His face lights up at the sight like he’s just noticing it for the first time.
“When did you take this?”
He shrugs. “Remember when you first received the copies for the book?” I nod with my hands clenched ready to administer another hit. “You pretended you won an award, and you did that pose,” he gestures to the poster, “and I snuck in a picture.”
“I was pretending, not posing for a picture! I didn’t even notice a phone or anything in your hand.” He smirk.
I tap my foot and take a few more huffs that promise punishments later.
When I discontinue giving Aiden the stink eye, I notice people filtering in, and I become the center of their attention. They take in the themed decorations and the oversized poster behind me.
My mouth goes dry, heart begins racing in my ears and the lump I attempt to swallow doesn’t budge. After my vision becomes blurry and my breaths comes in slow gasps. I know it
was a panic attack, of all places to have one.
So many eyes on me is too much. I glance over at Aiden, and his frown tells me he knows what’s happening.
“Hold on. I’ll get you a bottle of water,” Aiden says, as he strokes my back and takes off.
I close my eyes, not caring how weird it may be. This needs to stop now.
Aiden returns with a bottle of water and a small white pill. He has a stash of my prescription on him just in case. I give his hand a small, appreciative squeeze. The clutch he begged me to sport is only big enough for my iPhone and keys.
He shields me from prying eyes so I can slip the pill into my mouth. The water was refreshing, and, I’m better within minutes.
I smile at Aiden and he returns one of his own. Maybe I’ll call it even for his picture poster. Maybe.
After that, no one paid much attention to the little incident; most were too busy intrigued by the decorations; and the others were searching for VIP sections before they were all taken.
Watching the many people scramble around looking for seats that were in front of me and VIP sections was amusing, and it’s also when I saw them.
To my right, two otherworldly gorgeous men sat behind a rope at a VIP booth with women clambering for their attention. Neither one of them seem interested, no, their eyes were locked on me.
My cheeks heated, and I tear my gaze away from them, which proves to be the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.
I wanted to get another eye full, but my intuition told me they were still staring and if I were to take another peek, breaking away again would be impossible.
After Aiden’s rather long, but inspiring speech which included some ego-boosting, my many accomplishments and calling me a Creole goddess and sensation on the account of my mocha skin, hazel eyes, waist-long hair, creole heritage, and curvy body. His words not mine.
Trust me, I’ve asked him several times not to do it, but I must admit it has a beautiful ring to it.
I sign a lot of books and even took selfies with my readers. It turns out it wasn’t as bad as I imagined it to be and the questions asked weren’t overwhelming.
They asked the standard things, some about my writing process, inspirations, future projects, and favorite book and character. Not one personal question, and that was a relief and it also calmed my nerves.
I enjoyed it.
Somewhere around nine-thirty Aiden tells everyone that the book signing portion was over. He informed me there was a line out the door and around the building.
There was no way I’d survive that many more autographs and yet guilt filled me because I couldn’t get to everyone. I know Aiden was looking out for me and that’s why his family.
The party is in full swing but my body’s pleading to go home and I was ready to satisfy it.
My journey to find Aiden was short lived, it was only a second that a strange sensation washes over me, as though there was magnetic energy pulling me.
“Sabine.” A voice whispers.
I do a full three-sixty turn like a crazy person and my eyes land back on the two gorgeous strangers, who still peer at me even as Aiden talk to them.
Why is Aiden conserving with them? Does he know the two? I walk in their direction, my gaze still on them, and before I can call out to Aiden, his head snaps in my direction.
The closer I get to the strangers, the flusher I become, and euphoria erupts within me. My hips begin to sway a little, and my hand grazes down my neck, lingering at my collarbone.
What the hell is going on with me? My body is screaming for me to devour both strangers and a magnetic pull within beckons me closer.
“Are you okay?” Aiden asks, snapping me out of my sensational trance. His brows pinch together, and face is overtaking with concern.
“Yes,” I swallow. “Listen, I’m about to leave,” I say to Aiden, but my eyes were still on the perfections that have captivated me.
“Before you go, I want you to introduce you to two of my friends.” Without a moment to object, he grabs my hand and pulls me over in their direction.
With only a few feet apart, I realize that my earlier assessment of the two men was off. These men weren’t gorgeous but had the face and body of Gods.
Damn.
3
W ith even more women at the two strangers’ table than I could count, I was out of place, awkward, and a slight hint of jealousy niggling at me. A snap of a finger made the woman disperse, before I could question the emotion. What in the...
Aiden no doubt notices my furrowed brow and confused expression and waste no time with introductions.
“Sabine, this is Roman.” Roman, the man who snapped away the flock of women, looked more like a warrior. Rugged features but still sexy as hell, with smooth sun-kissed tan skin, and oh God he has a man bun! His blond strands of hair fell in his face like a halo, but his body promised nothing but forbidden sin.
Take me now. I’m a sure sucker for blondes anyway, add that feature to it, reckless. When Roman stood, I felt small in front of him. It didn’t take much, but this man was every bit over six foot six.
He’s a magnificent man and his bright cobalt blue eyes with thick dark lashes drowned me, and I’ve never wanted to focus into someone’s eyes as much as I did now.
There was muscles everywhere on this man, and even though his midnight blue suit hugged him just right and his V line shirt sank into his board and ripped chest was on full display from his shirt. I could only imagine him with nothing on.
This man was everything, and when he smiled down at me, he could get me to do anything without asking.
He extended his hand, and I placed mine in his without reluctance. My small hand was no comparison to his large, calloused one, but his touch sent heat over my skin.
Every inch of my body exploded the moment his mouth brush against my gloved hand. My lips part, and I released a low moan.
“Pleasure,” he says in a smooth, but deep, seductive tone that sent electric chills through my body.
My chest lifted a bit which I shouldn’t have done because of my endowed boobs. But my body wanted him to see the thing he had done to me.
“The pleasure is all mine,” I purr back at him. Oh God, what am I, a cat?
Aiden clears his throat as a reminder they were still there. He glared at Roman before eyeing the next man. “And this is Demetri,” he says keeping the introductions flowing.
After I pull myself together from the effect of this man, I peek over at the guy sitting next to Roman; almost certain I’d receive the same spark as I did with Roman, only I find myself disappointed.
Not only did Demetri not stand to greet me; he allowed his eyes to invade my body, letting his greedy gaze settle on my chest and say nothing in return. Asshole.
Although Roman was significant in stature, so was Demetri, and a fantastic dresser. I could see how they were all friends. Pushing aside the fact he’s an asshole, he’s just as beautiful. Where in the hell do, they make men like this?
Cold black hair, short in the back and on the sides and long in the front. It reminded me of Neo in the Matrix only better. His mesmerizing pale grey eyes were hypnotizing, with a golden skin tone that almost glowed— muscles everywhere from my view.
Since Demetri refused to try, I choose not to be that woman who forgets her manners. This is the south, where Southern Hospitality isn’t a myth.
“Nice to me you,” I say with the politest tone I could muster given his rudeness.
He skim over my extended hand, survey me once more, and grunts. A full-on grunt like he was a brute, and I wasn’t sure he wasn’t.
I’m surprised I can see his handsome features for the deepened scowl he refuses to release.
Why are the jerks always the good-looking ones? And why do I still find him attractive?
He must be from the North, but it sure as hell doesn’t stop my eyes from devouring him. He too has thick lashes and brows, along with a strong jawline and chiseled cheekbones.
&nb
sp; Although Demetri’s shirt didn’t show off his board chest, the way his muscles strained against his shirt told me everything.
Just like Roman, Demetri has the body of a warrior but where Roman is seductive, smooth, and sexy; Demetri eludes more of a handsomeness and timeless picture, and exudes wealth, power, and intimidation.
Other than his rude behavior, it’s clear he may have a bit of a romantic side. Maybe.
Sabine, you can’t afford to window shop, your condition doesn’t allow it. Thanks for busting your own balls girl, you’re a ray of sunshine tonight.
“It was a pleasure meeting you both,” I say before I turn back to Aiden. “I’m tired,” giving my best friend a long hug. I hope it’s enough to show my appreciation for his help and hard work. “Thank you for everything,” I whisper in his ear.
He holds on tight, not wanting to let go.
“Are you going so soon?” Roman ask with a cocked brow, as he takes a drink from a waiter passing by, while watching Aiden and me. It’s the way he says it, seductive like and his deep voice caresses me like silk.
“Yes, it’s been a long day.” An accurate statement. But because these two unnerve and excite me at the same time. I’m drenched and not in sweat either. They both seem unearthly. I rid myself of the concern and focus back on them.
Demetri continues to search me like a puzzle he’s piecing together is enough to scare me shitless though. The best decision was to get far away, and forget about these two, and although my mind was telling me to leave, my body pulled against it.
“Please stay,” his velvety voice says, “I insist.” At those words, that’s how I find myself in the booth inches away from Roman’s mouth.
What the hell am I doing? I’m not that woman, remembering I’m unable to get close to anyone. But he’s pulling my strings in all the right places.
He pushes a blond strand of hair from his face, giving me a better view of his stunning blue eyes. I gasp.
“Roman,” Aiden warns with a howl.
Roman gives him a cheeky grin but never breaks eye contact from me. I’m hoping he’ll pull me into his arms and stroke my skin and make me wetter than I already am. He breaks focus from me, pulling his gaze to Aiden.