“I can’t keep these,” I said.
“You don’t have to. They’re rented.” I felt relieved at that and I gave myself permission to take the earrings out of the box. I took off my simple diamond studs and slipped on the dangle-drop earrings. The diamonds almost touched my shoulder. They were the signature piece that enhanced the full get-up. Ryan stood behind me, and an intense quiet engulfed us. I smiled shyly under his all-consuming gaze.“You look breathtaking tonight.”
“I think we established that a few moments ago.”
He chuckled, rubbing his neck. With one hand in his pocket, he offered his arm.
“Shall we?” I looped my arm in his, our eyes meeting at the same time. His beautiful, adoring smile took my breath away. Here I was being accompanied to a gala by one of New York’s most eligible, smart and handsome men. A man who promised to give me a good time tonight. I took a deep breath in and relaxed. I will let this man woo me. Because I want him to.
“My pleasure.”
Ryan had promised me that we would avoid the media as much as possible, and he kept his promise.We strolled into the massive kitchen of the gala hotel, the cooks and waiters in there pausing for a moment to watch us holding hands and passing by as if it was a common thing to do. I was wondering how Ryan pulled this back-door entry off when he waved at a couple of women dressed as staff and murmured a thank you with his lopsided smile. The women returned the smile with brilliant smiles of their own.
As soon as he reached the door, Ryan adjusted his tux and pushed it open. He went back to holding my hand and guided me away from the kitchen and into the crowd of expensively dressed men and women.
“That was an interesting trip. Thank you,” I said, leaning close to him.
“I am glad you enjoyed it. What did you find interesting back there?” We stopped at a sparsely populated area.
“That it was the back entrance for staff with zero media presence, and two women in there seemed completely taken by you. Did you unleash your charming self on them?” One side of his mouth lifted up, and I had an eyeful of what those women back there were subjected to.
“Does that work on you?” I chuckled, biting my lower lip at his blatant attempt to flirt.
I looked around the place, a huge event hall, converted to accommodate about two hundred of the richest people in the city, and draped in the luxury that they expected. I was used to such displays of wealth, but it had been a while since I attended a formal event like this.
Ryan guided me to the seating area and we found our names at a round table with two other older couples. I settled on the satin-covered chairs, which were decked with red bows. A server turned up and offered glasses of bubbling champagne. I politely declined and Ryan took a glass of water. When I raised a brow, he shrugged. Did he...turn down alcohol because of me? My heart beat faster at the realization.
I glanced at him sideways as he engaged the couple on his right in small talk.His long legs stretched under the table while his left arm rested on the table, long fingers curved slightly around the stem of the glass of water. His crisp white dress shirt folded enticingly under the tuxedo. He was smiling at something the man to his right was saying. His full lips turned up slightly, while his eyes gave them their full attention. An unexpected knot of jealousy took hold of me. I wanted that gaze on me, that smile for me.
I touched his arm lightly and he turned to me, the smile unchanging. But he saw something in my face and his smile changed. A genuine smile lit up his face.Not the polite one he gave others. The one that reached his eyes and got butterflies fluttering in my heart again.
“Your date is feeling neglected.” I looked down at my hands, chewing my lower lip and wondering where the burst of bravado came from. He grinned like he won the lottery and rested his arm on the table.
“We can’t have that, can we?”
“I just want to make sure I am keeping my end of the deal here. You wanted a date in return for me staying at your place. So, here I am.”
“You are my date.” The way he stressed on my got goosebumps racing on my skin and I rubbed my arms even as his gaze arrested me. “Let’s get out of here as soon as we can so that we can get our real date started.” I raised my eyebrows at that. “I promised you a fantastic time, didn’t I?”
I shook my head at the giddy laughter that was struggling to break out of me. No one had pursued me with this intensity. Not even the rich boys who thought taking me out was an easy first step to my dad.
Speakers lined up on the small dias and after what felt like hours of speeches, it was time for dinner and dancing.
Chatter broke all around us as if the crowd was waiting for this moment all along. The time to unwind and finally enjoy the night. I was painfully aware that this meant more conversations with strangers and the risk of being photographed by the selected media attending the occasion.
Just as I expected, the sharp click of cameras sounded in the distance and I tensed. Ryan slipped his hand in mine, leaned in to me. “Come with me.”
We stood together and Ryan pulled me to the dance floor.
“Oh no no no...I am not dancing.” I pulled back a little and he turned to me.
“You don’t have to. Just follow me.” He gave me a boyish grin, turning up the charm quotient high.
“I have two left feet. I will fall and drag you down with me.” His hand tightened in mine as he pulled me to him. I collided softly against him and he put his other hand on the small of my back.
“Then we'll get back up together.” His breath tickled my ear as he whispered. We moved slowly around, hands intertwined and legs in rhythm, taking one small step at a time. Just the way I needed my life to move - one small step at a time. With Ryan holding my hand, it felt possible. Everything felt within reach.
I rested my head on his chest lightly and sighed. His heartbeat was strong and I was tempted to get closer just so I could feel it on my skin.
“Well hello there.” The husky voice of a woman slowed us down even further and I took a step back to find a stunning woman with golden skin draped in a satin red dress. Blonde, goddess-like hair fell in waves around her shoulders, covering the naked skin. Her strapless, sleeveless dress embraced her hourglass figure like a liquid. Her crystal-blue eyes were intelligent, and were trained on Ryan like he was a piece of cake she had been meaning to devour. I felt ugly next to her. I thought any woman would have felt the same.
Ryan laughed at seeing her, surprised at her sudden appearance.
“Zara, I didn’t expect you here.”
Her red painted lips parted to reveal perfect white teeth which she flashed at him and then she bent forward to hug him. I stepped back even further as she walked right into my space, hiding me behind her tall frame.
“I expected you here. Always present for the party.” She was about to lay a hand on his face when Ryan caught her wrist and smiled. He gently pushed her hand away. I almost yelped when his hand found my wrist instead and pulled me to his side. He roped one hand around my shoulder and stuffed the other his pocket. I stood awkwardly as Zara inspected me from head to toe. If looks could kill, I would have been six feet under by now.
“Ah I see the flavor of the season has changed.” She raised a brow at me and sipped her champagne. I stilled, the humiliating comment heating up my ears. I felt Ryan’s grip on me tighten slightly, but outwardly, he let out a low chuckle.
“Actually, you might say I have finally found the flavor I had been looking for,” Ryan said, turning to me. The heat in his eyes was unmistakable and the look on Zara’s face was totally worth it. She bristled and took another sip.
“We should catch up soon,” she said to Ryan with an enticing pout, pointedly ignoring me. No skin off my back. I wasn’t looking forward to her hateful glances, either. Her eyes shone suddenly. “You know what...come to Kaan Center next friday. We are hosting a one of-a-kind design contest for a large non-profit organization. The morning will be busy with the contest but the evening is booked solid w
ith a wild party wild party….and I know how much you love those.” She touched the lapel of his tux and patted him suggestively.
“Sure. Text me the details.” It was my turn to gasp. A triumphant smile graced Zara’s face and she almost smirked at me. I ignored the hurt spreading in my chest and waited patiently as they chatted. The minutes felt like an hour, and when I began fidgeting, Ryan’s hand slipped to the small of my back and I jerked to attention. Warmth and assurance spread through me and I relaxed slightly. “Great catching up,” Ryan told Zara. “Do send the details. Can’t wait.”
A blindingly seductive smile lit up Zara’s face. “I will send it to you right away.”
Ryan and I moved away from her, and fished out his phone to investigate a beep he heard. He smiled at the text and my stomach turned. I looked back to notice Zara still watching us with her eyes set on Ryan. To say my mood soured would be an understatement. I fought my feelings back. Ryan’s friendships really shouldn’t be my business.
“Let’s sneak you out again,” said Ryan. It was hard to remain upset for long when he gave me that lopsided smile. Holding my hand, which made me weirdly giddy with excitement, he pulled me back into the kitchen. Finding our way out was easy, and by the time we walked out into the chilly night, our car was waiting for us.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” He grinned at me when I huffed in impatience.
“So...Zara and you?” He chuckled at my question. “What’s so funny?” I asked.
“I thought you might literally combust if you don’t ask about her soon. You didn’t look very happy back there. Were you jealous?” I refused to give in to the smile pressing on my lips.
“She eyed you as if you were dessert.” I rolled my eyes recalling the stunning beauty that she was. He barked a laugh and his hand found mine in my lap. A small thrill ran up my spine.
“It’s in the past. We haven’t...um...it’s been a long time.” I waited out the pause. “She’s the daughter of a Congressman. She was raised like a princess. Her family owns Kaan center.” I gasped, my mouth making a comical O.
“Kaan center? The largest conference center in the city?”
He nodded, taking his hand back to steer the wheel. I immediately missed the touch.
“We met at one of the million conferences I attended with Arav. She’s nice.” He laughed again. “Don’t look so surprised. She really is a nice person.” I didn’t entirely believe that. Not when she decided to call me Ryan’s flavor of the season.
“Must be hard for you to go to these parties without getting chased by one of your old girlfriends.”
With a small tilt to his lips, he responded, “Keeps things interesting.” He drove in silence for a few moments and then he said, “It’s been close to a year since I had a girlfriend. I’ve gone on a few dates but no one matched up to who I was looking for.”
“Who were you looking for?” He slowed the car down to a stop. He gave me a meaningful look, his eyes screaming do-you-really-need-to-ask-that.
I looked around to find us parked at his apartment building.
“We are back home?” I asked, confused.
“Yes...home.” His gaze softened. “Let’s go.”
We were quiet in the elevator as it rode up but instead of stopping at his floor, we went one floor up which was the last floor and was private to Ryan’s penthouse. The moment I stepped out of the elevator to the sight in front of me, I forgot to breathe. I walked onto a terrace big enough to accomodate a small party of people, but private enough to have an intimate moment.
A table for two was laid out with candles and cutlery already in place, and an electric fireplace was lit next to it, making it enticingly warm in the chilly night. Fairy lights hung above. It was dreamy and intimate.
“Was this where you were before we left?” He grinned in response and put his hand on the small of my back as we moved to the table. The skyline of New York City was a view to hold from up here. No buildings marred the scenery.
“You were mesmerized with the view from my room the first night you were here. I thought this might be perfect.” I realized the terrace was right above his living room. I looked around, admiring the effort that Ryan put into everything up here - from the lights to the food.
“It’s perfect.”
His face transformed to a boyish grin. He dug a lighter out of his pocket and lit the candle on the table. We sat in perfect silence, our faces lit up with the candle glow. His gaze was soft on me. He looked so handsome - the tux fit him perfectly over the strong arms and broad shoulders that made women look at him twice. His well-coiffed hair was a tad wind-blown, and locks fell on to his forehead. The blue of his eyes was lighter in the candle’s glow, but somehow, a lot warmer when they laid on me. It was jarring to think this handsome, romantic man was trying to impress me.
“You look perfect.”
I blushed, feeling a new warmth that had nothing to do with the fireplace. When I removed the metal dome from the plate, our dinner was already served. He took out a bottle of sparkling water and served it to me with as much pose as a thirty year old wine would deserve.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I said, pointing to the water.
“I did. How do you like the food?”
I savored the flavors in my risotto. “You didn’t cook this, did you?” Nothing would have surprised me at that point.
“God - no. That is not the definition of a perfect date.”
“You seem to have put in some serious practice at dating.” I was teasing him, but I hoped he really didn’t have much practice wooing women. No one else had put in so much effort for me before. He chuckled, glancing at me from under his lashes.
“Some, but I have never been this nervous about a date. I know the girl I am trying to impress has pretty high standards.”
“She would be a fool to complain after all this.”
“And she is no fool.” His hand touched mine on the table, a shock that tingles down my spine. I reveled at the sensation. “In fact, she is smart enough to go on a second date with me.” His thumb rubbed my palm and it took effort to focus on his words.
“I heard she already moved in with you. Doesn’t seem that smart to me.” I whispered.
“That’s exactly why she’s smart, sweetheart. She’s got it all figured out.” I pinched his finger at that--a gesture that ended up entwining our fingers. It was odd to be feeling this happy, and yet, Ryan made it possible. “By the way, I accepted Zara’s invitation because I wanted to find more about the event at the center. Not because I wanted to meet up with her.”
I quieted at that little bit of information.
“Why are you telling me that?”
“Because that jealous girlfriend face you had put on back then was very cute,” he said, smirking. He held my hand tighter as I tried pulling it out.
“I did not have that face.”
“You so did. I was worried you would gouge her eyes out in a few minutes.”
“Don’t be so dramatic! But why was the event that important to you, anyway?” I asked, trying to deflect from that topic. He took the bait.
“You really weren’t paying attention to what she was saying. She mentioned a design contest.” When I looked at him blankly, he continued. “I looked it up after she texted me the date and event name. Blue Lives has decided to hire a marketing design startup for their nationwide Christmas mega donation drive. So, they’ve created a contest for entrepreneurs to demonstrate their ideas, and the winner would be their chosen vendor for the multi-million dollar deal.”
My heart beat faster with the utter possibilities of what that contest would mean to me.
“It’s not late to apply, but we have to get on it right away. Three weeks is not nearly enough time.”
“There might be thousands who apply…”
“Possibly. They are going to invite twenty final contestants after they review the submissions, which should go in two weeks.” I nodded, with Christ
mas already on my mind, and design ideas making a riot in my head already. Two weeks was too short, but I would have to work with it. I fidgeted in my seat and found him chuckling.
“Want to go downstairs and pull out the laptop?” I bit my lower lip, chiding myself for my selfish motives when this beautiful man had organized such a perfect date. He stood up and walked to me. Pulling me to his side, we stood only inches away, his warm breath on my forehead. His thumb grazed my cheek, pushing errant locks of my hair off my face. “Do I get a second date if we wrap up now?”
“I will have to think about it.”
He sighed dramatically. “I even threw in a potential multi-million dollar gig for you. You are tough, woman.” My body shook with laughter and when I looked up at him, his eyes seemed to revere me. A shot of excitement ran through my body and I swallowed.
“Maybe in two weeks. If...you behave.” His hands moved to my arms, caressing them. Goosebumps raced on my skin. We moved closer, his breath a whisper in my ears. He placed a tender kiss on my cheeks. His lips were soft on me. We stood like that for a moment, the intimacy too seductive to let go of. But then, he stepped back. His eyes were hooded with desire and I missed his touch so badly.
“Let’s go,” he said hoarsely. I gave him a simple nod because I didn’t trust my voice then. He took my hand in his and we walked to the elevator together. As it closed on us, I took one last look at the perfection that this man brought to my life.
19
Ryan
For the rest of the week, Anshi and I talked about nothing but Christmas. I was starting to get sick of red, green and gold colors. And if Anshi mentioned the word “muse” one more time, I was sure to throw up.
I munched on popcorn while watching Anshi watch the movie Elf for an umpteeth time to trigger her “muse.” That muse went to hibernation after I gave a tepid response to Anshi’s initial drafts. I didn’t expect my review of her designs would have such an impact on her. If I had known, I probably would have used more charitable words to describe it.
Love by Surprise Page 11
