by Unknown
That conversation stuck in Satra’s mind for a long time. She knew her parents were right. As much as she tried not to read too much into how Shane treated her and the things he said to her she couldn’t ignore how he made her feel whenever he looked at her, whenever they were in the same room together, and most importantly whenever they touched. The intensity was like nothing she’s ever experienced before in her life. The thing with her and Shane was he didn’t have to say anything to her. How he felt was always in those sexy, brooding eyes of his, or his sexy grin, or the tone of his voice. Deep down Satra knew that Shane was letting her know in his own way that he was interested in her. If her family wasn’t in crisis she’s almost sure he would’ve gone full force. But like a gentleman he backed off and instead was there for her with no expectations and no pressure. She had a feeling things were going to be different at the ball.
“Oh God…please help me. Please help me not make a fool of myself over this man.” She moaned as she buried her face in her hands.
The day is finally here. Satra had an appointment at the spa early Saturday morning to have her legs and bikini area waxed and a manicure and pedicure, and her eyebrows arched. She grabbed a quick lunch with Alinna and then headed to her hair appointment with Amber. Satra brought the dress to give Amber a better idea of what kind of hairstyle she could do for her. What she came up with was a sexy up do with a few curly tendrils framing her face. Amber was also a makeup artist and applied Satra’s makeup. The end result had Satra floored. She had never in her life felt so beautiful and glamorous. When Amber turned around in the chair to face the mirror Satra almost cried.
“No tears! You’ll ruin your eyes.” Amber gently chastised.
“What I love about you and your skin is that it’s so smooth and flawless and you have such beautiful tones to it that you don’t need a lot of makeup. That’s why I went light and played up those big beautiful eyes of yours. Your eyes were the first thing I noticed when we first met and I knew right away I wanted to play those up and add some sexy smoky drama to them.”
“I don’t even recognize myself. Anna was right, you made me look like a movie star!” Satra said in total disbelief. “I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!” Satra yelled excitedly as she bounced in her chair clapping her hands. Amber laughed.
“I’m glad you love it. You’re going to be a knockout at this ball. Be sure to take plenty of pictures, I want to add you to my album of work if you don’t mind.”
“Oh I don’t mind at all! And I’ll be sure to take plenty of pictures. Thank you so much Amber, you did a wonderful, wonderful job on my hair and makeup.”
Satra paid the cashier at the salon and gave Amber a huge tip. She zoomed home and began to get ready for the ball that was in 2 hours. Alinna came over anxious to see the final product, and to take pictures. When Satra came down her winding stairs Alinna gasped out loud.
“Oh my god…I think I’m gonna cry Satra!” She said as she covered her mouth with a hand.
Satra was now standing in front of her friend and she twirled around for her. Alinna began snapping pictures with her digital camera and then she had an epiphany. “You know who you look like? Dorothy Dandridge. Old Hollywood glamor meets sexy, elegant bombshell. You’re boobs are covered, your shoulders are bare, but they are sexy and your skin looks silky and smooth, and that shape. Girl that shape you have is KILLER! That dress is PERFECT on you. The color…everything is just perfect. Wow.”
“Thank you Linna-Binna!” Satra squealed. “I feel so beautiful you have no clue. I never knew I could feel or look this beautiful. I still can’t believe how this dress fit me right off the rack! And Amber…she did an amazing job with my hair and makeup. I truly feel like Cinderella. All of these strangers being so kind to me helping me look my best for my very first ball. It’s like a fairytale.”
“Well when you’re a good person good things come back to you. Now let’s check the clutch to make sure you have everything you need in there.” Alinna said.
“Good. And the limo driver will be here at what time?” Alinna asked.
“He should be here in the next ten minutes,” Satra said as she looked at the clock on her living room wall.
“Wow, I can’t believe this is happening. I wish I could go with you just to see how it all turns out and to see Shane drool all over you!”
“I know, I wish you could come too. HEY! I should’ve brought you as my date Linna! How stupid was I not to think of that sooner?”
“Oh no missy, I was not about to be a third wheel with you and Shane! This night is all about the two of you.”
Satra laughed nervously at the mention of Shane. She was anxious, nervous and excited all at the same time.
Just then her doorbell rang.
“It’s the limo. It’s time to go girl!” Satra squealed.
Alinna gave her friend a quick hug before she opened the door.
“Ms. Sinclair? I’m Russell, your chauffeur for the evening. Are you ready to go to the ball?”
The older white gentleman said smiling and bowing before her.
“Yes, I’m ready to go Russell,” Satra replied smiling.
“Right this way, Madame. And might I add you look very beautiful tonight.”
Satra blushed. “Thank you.”
Satra turned around and winked at Alinna who was giggling behind her. Satra locked up her condo and made her way to the limo. Alinna snapped more pictures before going to her car.
“Have fun! Call me when you get home.” Alinna yelled.
Satra smiled and waved goodbye to her friend before getting inside the limo. Satra tried to calm her nerves by enjoying the scenery. She had never been to this hotel before. Fifteen minutes later they pulled in front of the hotel. There was a red carpet from the curb to the front door of the hotel. There were photographers milling around trying to get pictures of all the important and famous people attending the ball. Mr. Di Amato knew a lot of local famous people and they were known to make appearances at his galas from time to time. The limo driver came around and opened the door for Satra and helped her out of the car. The camera flashes were going crazy and Satra didn’t know why.
“I’m nobody important, why are they taking pictures of me?” She thought to herself.
She made sure she smiled graciously and even stopped walking to pose.
“Over here! This way Ms…What is your name by the way?” One photographer asked.
“Satra Sinclair.” Satra politely responded. She could see the puzzled looks on their faces as she continued to walk to the front door of the hotel. There the doorman opened the door for her and when she walked inside a beautiful woman who checked the guest’s names greeted her.
“Good evening, welcome to the Tenth annual Di Amato Ball. Your name please?”
“Satra Sinclair.” Satra smiled. The woman found her name and put a check behind it.
“Have a wonderful evening Ms. Sinclair. That dress is divine! Just go through the doors to your right to the ballroom. They are having cocktails at the moment.”
“Thank you,” Satra said smiling.
She could hear the live band playing and many voices talking before she even got to the huge double doors.
“This is where I could’ve used a date.” Satra sighed to herself.
Her nerves began to get the best of her.
She took a deep breath before making her way to the huge oak doors with solid gold handles. Two doormen stood at each door with white gloves on and opened the doors for her. They both smiled admiringly at her. Satra held her head high, stood straight and walked through the doors. There were so many people in the room it almost overwhelmed her. She smiled and nodded as she walked further into the room. Her heart was beating so fast she could hear it in her ears, but that didn’t stop her from noticing the hush that seemed to come over the room when she entered it. She was wondering who entered the room behind her for everyone to get quiet like that. She looked behind her but didn’t see anyone that she recognized as
important. Puzzled she continued to walk and now it seemed as though all eyes were on her. Now her palms began to sweat and her heart began to race.
“It’s all in your head. Just keep smiling.” She kept telling herself.
“God please let me find a familiar face, anyone that I can talk to!” Internal panic had set in and she was ready to run back out of those doors and go back home. “This was a bad idea; a horrible stupid idea to come to a ball alone. You don’t come to a ball alone! She shouted to herself in disgust.
She was looking straight ahead and didn’t bother to look to her left or right. Just then she heard “Satra!” in a familiar Italian accent. Satra turned in the direction of the voice and saw Mr. Di Amato decked out in a designer tux only his kind of money could buy, standing with a group of men and a few women, wives Satra assumed. Mr. Di Amato left them to greet Satra. Never in her life had she felt more relieved to see a familiar face.
“My lord, you look stunning. Bellisimo! I was wondering why everyone stopped speaking and looked at the door. It was because of you!”
He then took her by the arms and kissed her on both cheeks. Satra was blushing and said, “Oh you’re too kind. I see a lot of beautiful women in here besides me, Mr. Di Amato.”
“Clearly you don’t see what I see,” Mr. Di Amato said with one eyebrow raised.
“I’ll take your word for it.” Satra laughed nervously.
“Come, let me introduce you to some friends of mine,” Mr. Di Amato said as he led her by her elbow.
Shane was standing to the left in a corner of the large room, but he saw the moment Satra elegantly walked into the room and she took his breath away. Never in his life had he seen anything so beautiful. That dress, the way it hugged her beautiful, sexy curves and the way the bright color looked against her beautiful brown skin - it was all breathtaking. And Shane noticed the hush around the room as well, and then the whispers of people asking one another “Who is she? Where is she from? I’ve never seen her before. She’s beautiful!”
It took all he had not to go to her and put her at ease…and claim her as his. He could tell that she was nervous, especially not knowing most of the people there. What he admired the most was how regal she was. Her head was high, her back arrow straight, and she kept smiling. She was a trooper through it all. Coming to a ball alone and not knowing anyone takes courage, and Satra Sinclair had a lot of it. Right when he was about to make his way toward her Mr. Di Amato had called out to her and Shane eased back into the corner he was standing in, half listening to a boring conversation about the stock market. Shane watched the men, married and otherwise stare at Satra, especially at her beautifully shaped body. He watched as Satra warmly met Mr. Di Amato’s guests and smiled that beautiful dimpled smile of hers. The men in the group were extra vocal, laughing when there was nothing funny, attempting to crack jokes while their dates shot daggers at them. It took all Shane had not to laugh, but his eyes could never leave Satra.
The entire time Satra spent having small talk with Mr. Di Amato’s guests, she felt like someone was watching her. In a room with hundreds of people it could’ve been anyone. But it was something about this person’s stare that felt very familiar and it made her seek him or her out. She turned her head and looked around the room briefly a few times before joining the conversation. Shane’s eyes were zeroed in on her and this time when Satra turned to see who it was staring at her their eyes locked. He watched as her eyes widened in surprise and her beautiful smile slowly took over her face. Shane couldn’t help but think that in a room full of hundreds of people that smile she gave was for him only and no one else. It made his chest swell.
Satra’s breath caught in her throat and her heart began to beat frantically. Shane looked so dashing, elegant, refined and beautiful. His muscled body filled out that tuxedo like only Shane Evans could. He reminded her of an old Hollywood leading man, so debonair and dashing. Cary Grant always came to mind when she looked at Shane, even when he was in regular suits. It was how he carried himself, so confident and classy but oh so manly. Satra suddenly felt hot with nervousness. For that short moment, all she saw was Shane, and all Shane saw was Satra. She could see in his eyes that he was happy to see her and pleased with what he saw, and it made her insides melt.
When he finally reached her he did something that she was not expecting at all. In one smooth move he slid his arm possessively around her small waist and gently pulled her close to him as he leaned in and dropped a tender, lingering peck on her cheek. Shane didn’t plan on kissing her, but the moment he saw her he had to touch her. He had to feel her in his arms. Everything seemed to move in slow motion even though Shane’s gesture happened in a matter of seconds. Satra’s nerves went into overdrive and her entire body became very aware of him. The feel of his lips on her skin coupled with the intoxicating smell of his cologne was so erotic. For that brief moment the world consisted of only them. In the blink of an eye the energy between them changed.
Shane didn’t know what came over him. It wasn’t his intention to put on such a possessive display with Satra but he couldn’t help it. She was so breathtakingly beautiful, and he saw how all the men in the room were drooling over her. There was no way in hell he was going to leave room for anyone to think they had a chance with her. Call it ego, perhaps an overload of testosterone, or just a simple need to claim what he felt was his - he had to make sure it was known that Satra Sinclair was off limits. When he planned on telling her that was another story.
Smiling down at her Shane said in a low deep voice “You look absolutely beautiful.”
Those four words now shook her more than his kiss. It was the way he said it and how he looked her in the eyes when he said it. He meant every word. He wasn’t trying to flatter her and that made it all the more special to Satra. Trying to shake off her nerves and appear unaffected by his kiss or closeness, Satra smiled back and said, “Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”
She wanted to wrap herself in his embrace and nuzzle his neck with her nose and press her body into his until they touched from head to toe. She wanted to get lost in his embrace and feel those strong, warm arms wrapped around her body. How could not seeing each other for two weeks bring on these kinds of feelings? Were these feelings always there and they both just ignored them until now?
Regardless, there had to be a law against a man like him looking so good in a tuxedo.
“Thank you,” he said with a small smile on his face. He took his time looking at her from head to toe and loved everything he saw. His observant eyes warmed her skin as he continued to slowly admire her. He didn’t care that the people Satra was talking to had stopped speaking and now were closely watching their intimate interaction. Shane was oblivious to his surroundings the moment he laid eyes on Satra.
“I see you’re mingling and meeting people. What do you think about the ball so far?” Shane asked, trying to distract his need to kiss her again, and this time on those sexy plush lips of hers.
“I think it’s wonderful. This room is so beautiful. It looks like how I pictured a ballroom to look, big, elegant and beautiful,” Satra said as she looked around.
“Mr. Di Amato was one of the first people to greet me when I walked in. I was so grateful for him because I was so nervous not knowing anyone. Then I started to feel even more out of place because people were staring at me like I was some kind of outsider.”
“Believe me, that’s not why they were staring at you. Let me introduce you to some old friends of mine over here,” Shane said as he gently put his hand at the small of her back to guide her in the direction he was heading in.
She could feel the warmth of his hand through the thin fabric of her dress and she longed to feel his bare hands on her skin. His hand felt so good there yet it made her a bit nervous. His touches made her want him more than she already did. Along the way Shane got many adoring looks from all kinds of women - old, young, single and married. Some were looking at him with so much lust in their eyes it made Sat
ra feel uncomfortable, but she couldn’t blame them either. A part of her felt giddy that she was the one who had his full attention.
“Shawn, how have you been old friend?” She heard Shane boom as he embraced a middle aged man with the greenest eyes Satra has ever seen. He had salt and pepper hair and was quite handsome. On his arm had to be his wife. She was beautiful with long wavy dark brown hair fashionably brushed over one shoulder like an old Hollywood vamp. But it was her eyes that Satra gravitated towards. They were so warm and welcoming.
“Shane, man it’s been too long!”
Shawn said as he returned the hug and shook Shane’s hand.
“Miranda, you look beautiful as always,” Shane said as he kissed her on the cheek.
“Hey handsome,” Miranda said after hugging and kissing Shane back on the cheek.
“I’d like you all to meet Satra Sinclair, a colleague who works for Lucas and Daniels as the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Advertising and she’s also an attorney specializing in corporate law.”
“It’s very nice to meet you Satra. I’ve worked with Grayson many times over the years. He’s a good man and great to work with.” Shawn said smiling warmly at her.
“It’s nice to meet you too, and Grayson is great to work with,” Satra said as she shook Shawn’s hand.
“This is my lovely wife Miranda.”
“It’s very nice to meet you Miranda. Your dress is so beautiful,” Satra said.
“It’s nice to meet you too. And I think you have it all wrong because you are definitely the star of the evening. You made the whole room go quiet when you walked through the door.” Miranda said begging to differ.
Satra blushed and it made Shane smile. Satra knew she felt all eyes were on her but she thought that was just her being her usual self-conscience self. Miranda just confirmed her fear.
“Oh you’re too kind. I see a lot of beautiful people and dresses in here.”
Satra said as she nervously smoothed her hands down the front of her dress.