I shook my head, grinned again, and held up my wine in toast as I began to walk backwards away from my friends. Kevin matched my toast and laughed, no doubt knowing he’d laid some kind of stupid challenge at my feet just so I’d make the move.
“Good luck, Ivan. Prove me wrong.” Kevin called as I disappeared into the crowd.
As I pushed back into the party, music and body heat surrounded me. A song that spoke of the luck a certain lady and the fact that she shouldn’t be blowing on someone else’s dice floated above the noise as I took a final swig of wine to prepare myself.
Maneuvering through the throngs of party goers, I made my way to the center of the dance floor where my girl’s friend danced with her surfer suitor.
“Excuse me, may I cut in?”
“What?” surfer boy asked in a rather unpleasant tone.
“I was wondering if I could cut in and have a quick chat with this lovely young lady about her friend.”
“Ahhh,” surfer boy replied, suddenly understanding the ask. “I’ll go freshen up our drinks. I’ll be right back.”
Turning my attention to a cute little brunette in a blue dress, who looked confused as hell about what had just transpired, I offered her my hand and my shoulder. She accepted them and we began to sway awkwardly back and forth.
“Hello. So sorry for such an abrupt intrusion. My name is Ivan.”
“Umm…Tasha.”
“Again, pardon the interruption but I—I couldn’t help but notice you having dinner with a girl a red dress. I was just kind of curious…” Maybe I wasn’t drunk enough yet, as the question I was burning to ask suddenly escaped me.
“If she’s single?” She giggled as she finished my sentence. Thank God she bailed me out.
“Yes, if she’s single. Just curious.”
Her giggle turned to laughing as her body eased relaxed into the situation. “She might be single—depends on who’s asking.”
“Ah, just some crumb bum from Miami Beach.”
She furrowed her brow. “Interesting. Just so happens she’s from Miami Beach too, and she is single. What a coincidence.”
My heart skipped a beat and I did my best to contain my excitement. I offered a sly smile as we continued to sway with the beat. “Really? That is quite the coincidence. And what might she do in Miami Beach, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Well, normally I would mind, but—and she would kill me if she knew I was talking to you about her—she might have had a few curiosities about who you were when she first saw you.”
Fuck me. She’s killing me.
“She’s a chef,” Tasha continued. “And a damn good one, I might add.”
Come on! Serendipity certainly is having a grand old time at my expense. “A chef, huh? Where?”
“She works at Bianca. In the Delano.”
Wow! I absolutely love it! This is too good to be true. “I heard they’d hired a new chef to spruce the place up a bit. Looks like they chose well.”
“Yeah, she’s damn good.” Tasha giggled again.
“And you? What is it you do?”
“Me? A bunch of random shit thrown together.”
“Oh, come on now.”
“Hello, Dr. Ivan. Great to see you.”
Both our heads turned toward the interruption.
“Barbara, how nice to see you!” I responded, thankful to have remembered her name.
“I don’t want to interrupt your date, but just wanted to say hi.”
Smiling, I semi-waved and turned my attention back to Tasha. “Apparently we’re dating.”
She ignored my joke and returned to business. “Doctor, eh?”
Clicking my tongue against my bottom lip, I chuckled. “Yes, I guess I spent enough time and money earning the title. I might as well go with that one.”
“Interesting...”
“Okay, so back to your friend, who is single, from Miami Beach, and a chef…”
“Yeeeeess…”
“Any idea where she went?”
I scanned the perimeter of the dance floor as Tasha did the same. I didn’t catch a glimpse of her but I did see a rather determined surfer making his way back, separating our bodies with his eyes. Fair enough. No need to be a cock blocker. I wanted to find the chef.
“I don’t know. Maybe you should go find her,” Tasha said with a visual treasure map glance and nod of her head to the left.
Without hesitation, I dropped my hands from her body. “Thank you so much for the intel. Again, I’m so sorry for separating you from such a fine gentleman.” I nudged my chin in the direction of the surfer, who was now within earshot and moving fast to reclaim his dance partner. I kissed her hand and nodded at the surfer as he resumed his place. I’d just turned away from them when a light bulb lit up in my head.
What the fuck is her name, you idiot. Turning on a dime I called back rather boisterously. “What’s her name?” I seemed to have startled everyone within a 10-yard radius of myself.
Tasha mouthed a name that, in my drunken state, I just couldn’t decipher. I could feel all the eyes in the surrounding crowd of paused couples looking at me to make sure I understood her, but I just gawked back with what I’m sure was a totally dumbfounded look on my face.
As the crowd looked back at Tasha, she tried once more at a moderate decibel level, which I still couldn’t hear or understand over the music and party chatter. The crowd looked again in my direction, only see me shake my head. Once again they turned back to her.
Perhaps a touch annoyed, but clearly amused she finally yelled, “Jaden Thorne!”
Jaden Thorne. The name alone nearly got me hard.
I gave her a thumbs up to confirm and received a cheer from the crowd as I set off to chase a destiny I hoped was soon to be reality.
A few minutes later, with eyes peeled, I snuck past the coat check area and perused the line of women waiting for the bathroom. No. No. Hello, but no. Maybe she’s inside. I stalled my surveillance near the ladies’ room by playing my phone. I sent very important texts to some far off imaginary recipient as I waited, hoping I’d find her. Each time the door swung open, my heart made its way closer to my throat, only to fall back at an expedited rate when a blue hair shuffled out of the restroom and back toward a party that seemed to be picking up. I paused to note the song being played. “Strangers in the Night.” How fitting. Back to the search, though.
I stalked through the mansion and couldn’t help but be impressed with the décor, but I was annoyed with its maze of hallways and corridors that had apparently been constructed to confuse guests. Especially those who had consumed a bit too much alcohol. Frescoes decorated the ceilings and marble covered the floor as I came upon a grand spiral staircase at the corridor’s end. Artwork that probably cost more than my medical school education hung on the walls, making the house seem more like a museum than a residence.
Well, she wasn’t in the ladies’ room, not at the coat check, and not in the living room, where I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to be either. If I were a beautiful woman in high heels with alcohol in my system where would I… Gotcha.
My eyes fell on a glass-paneled door that seemed to lead to a garden. As I mentally retraced my path in searching for her, I concluded that this was the only logical direction she could’ve gone. At least that’s what my mind wanted me to believe…so I did.
With an extra dose of hope in my step, I raced to the door and burst through into a still, moonlit night. I stood just outside for a second, allowing my eyes to adjust and my heart to slow. Was it the wine, was it the excitement, or was it just plain anticipation of finding her? This Jaden Thorne…
Breathing in and out slowly, I looked up at a sky dusted with sparkling stars set against a pitch-black backdrop. I smiled. Nerves bubbled inside me, reminding me of high school summer romances that were a dime a dozen, but priceless in their own right. Back then partners changed like dust in the wind but the feeling was constant—one of vibrancy and the self-indulgence of an intoxica
ting love.
The voice of one of my favorite artists floated by on a whimsical breeze and combined with the soft sounds of trickling water from a distant fountain. This called for a closer look. I made my way down a cobblestone footpath, admiring the moonlight as it reflected on the lush plants and shrubs. Without warning, the liquid symphony was interrupted by a soft, feminine giggle that froze me dead in my tracks. I’m not alone…and I like it.
I strained to identify any inconsistencies in the outlines of my surroundings. With the help of the moon, I could find a garden, a small grassy patch of real estate, and what seemed to be a gorgeous fountain. Something about the fountain’s outline seemed askew and mobile. Craning my neck I found what seemed to be a human form sitting at the edge. Could it be?
The butterflies in my stomach turned to dragonflies as the hint of an encounter with the girl in red became a possible reality. My body moved without me willing it to do so, drawing me toward the silhouette sitting at the fountain’s edge. My mind asked it to slow down but my legs refused. Primal desire overcame any reasoning in hopes of fulfilling a promise I’d made to myself. The only thing that impeded my progress was the discovery of a pair of high heels at my feet. I bent down to pick up the dew-covered shoes. It had to be her.
Standing under a magnificent sky, in a beautiful garden, the breeze at my back and with the sounds of Frank Sinatra and trickling water egged me on. I was faced with a decision: approach this dream and take a chance on the gorgeous unknown or turn around and walk away, protecting my pride and ego.
Suddenly skittish again, almost every muscle in my body burned to run away. But the most important and most fickle one stood its ground and beat feverishly into my mind the answer I needed. Go for it! One-hundred percent of the shots you never take are one-hundred percent of the shots you never make.
I took a few steps closer and breathed in a most enchanting smell…lavender rolled in vanilla topped with…something. God, it was delicious.
In the glow of the moon, I studied her form. She sat on the edge of the fountain with her head tilted back and midnight locks of hair falling over her shoulders. Her feet were submerged in the fountain’s bubbling waters. Perfection.
Gathering courage from a depth I rarely find, I exhaled my introduction. “Excuse me, Miss. Are these your shoes?”
Startled, she whipped around, nearly losing her balance. Even in the shadows of the night I could tell her beauty was unmatched. My heart pittered, and my stomach pattered.
“Yes?” she replied after a moment, sounding almost as if she wasn’t sure.
The sound of her voice gave me shivers.
“I wouldn’t leave these lying around if I were you.” Extending my hand I dangled the heels from one finger as I slowly approached her, hoping to appear non-creepy. But then something overcame me and I found myself sitting down beside her. I succumbed to some internal physical command and sat closer than one would expect a stranger to, but it felt right.
I visible shiver danced across her arms, and I removed my jacket and placed it around her beautiful shoulders.
“Thank you.”
I looked into her eyes and tried to make sure she was comfortable.
“Are you still cold?” I asked straightening the lapel and brushing aside a strand of ebony hair that had escaped from the rest.
“I’m fine,” she said, a bit nervously. But it wasn’t a this-guy-is-creeping-me-out nervousness. It was more a what-do-I-do-next-not-to-ruin-this-situation nervousness.
“Why are you here?”
“I’m here on business, networking.”
“That’s not what I meant. Why are you here…now…with me?”
I knew exactly what she meant, but I needed a second to think. “I saw you wander off in this direction, and when you didn’t return, I started to get worried.”
“You were watching me?”
“No, I was watching you watch me. There’s a difference.”
“Oh.”
Jackass. Really? You’re gonna call her out when you were the one desperate for her to look in your direction? What I wanted to say was that I thought she was the most enchanting thing I’d ever seen, and I’d wanted to talk to her all night but was embarrassed because I didn’t know if she’d give me the time of day.
As she turned away I lifted my finger to trace the curve of her cheekbone. She shivered under my touch. “A man would have to be blind not to notice when a beautiful woman like you looks his way.”
My touch turned to a caress as she shifted closer to me on the ledge and let her head fall to the side, exposing her neck. The urge to taste her was too powerful. Closing my eyes, I indulged in her flavors as her aroma engulfed me. A floral taste danced across my tongue as the smell of cinnamon and vanilla wandered through my mind. I let my hand trail down her back and rest at her waist. I could feel the outline of a skimpy thong hidden beneath her dress.
Without warning her fingers entangled my hair and ripped my head back. As I stared into her eyes, she cast a spell on me that I knew I would live with till my heart lubbed its last dub.
The romance of the situation seemed to overtake her, and she crushed her lips to mine to share our first kiss—the type of kiss that’s written about in romance novels and fairy tales, one that needs to be lived and not dreamed. I felt her body quiver as mine shivered. It was perfection.
We explored each other’s bodies in raw, physical excitement, much of which my pants were not doing a good job concealing. God, she was my living, breathing fantasy.
“Why don’t we go somewhere a bit more private?”
“I… I don’t even know your name.”
“Ivan.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” she whispered in a voice stained with regret.
“Why can’t you? Is something wrong?” I can’t let this opportunity slip through my fingers. I have to be with her. It’s all I want. To know everything and anything about her.
She distanced herself from me. “You should go back to the party, Ivan. Your girlfriend is probably waiting for you.”
“What girlfriend? What are you talking about?” I asked, suddenly confused.
“The blond woman who couldn’t keep her hands off you?”
“Who—the blonde with me earlier?” I wracked my brain as to who she was talking about. Oh, Jesus! Stacey. “She’s not my girlfriend. She’s a business acquaintance.”
“That’s not what it looked like.”
Someone’s jealous. “Are you jealous?”
“Why would I be jealous? I don’t even know you.”
She began to wriggle out of my jacket, and I helped her free herself. I laid it across my lap. I had one shot to make her see I wasn’t trying to sweet talk her into a night of casual sex. I drew on the feeling I’d felt the second she stepped onto the dance floor, in that magical moment.
“It’s funny how a feeling can take a few seconds or a few years to surface. When I first saw you, I knew there was something there, something I couldn’t put my finger on. It drove me wild.” I paused to adjust my hair, which she had thankfully taken the time to mess up. “Whether you want to deny it or to embrace it, the choice is yours. But I know you felt it too. I could tell when you kissed me.” I spoke from my heart, regardless of how corny it may have sounded
“Ivan, I—”
A not-so-far-away uproar diverted our attention from the situation at hand. “The Way You Look Tonight” rang out across the night with its tell-tale orchestration. God, I love this song, and apparently so does she. I watched her face as an unsure look morphed into a for-sure grin, and I just knew.
“You like Sinatra?”
“Maybe. I do love this song,” she said with the same giggling laugh that had drawn me closer to the fountain minutes before.
“If you love listening to him, you must also love dancing to him.” I reasoned, breaking my proclamation of no dancing tonight. “You’re practically dancing already.” I stood. “May I have this dance?”
With sli
ght hesitance she stood, took my hand, and followed me across a dew-covered grass dance floor. With her body pressed to mine, I indulged again in her smell…her essence.
Suddenly I was overwhelmed by the need to serenade such a woman. Soft hums turned to whispered lyrics as I couldn’t stop myself from singing along. To my surprise, her angelic voice soon melded with mine. We skated across a dance floor that God must have created for this exact purpose. Our bodies undulated in harmonious mobility, fluid yet firm. It was flawless. She was impeccable.
As the song wound to an end, I cupped her cheek and gazed into her eyes. “Come back to my hotel with me.”
Without hesitation she replied with one perfect word. “Okay.”
I closed my mouth over hers as my inner self rejoiced at the realization that I would get to spend additional moments with this perfect entity. Our tongues explored, tasting and savoring each flavor as if we were paying for it by the second. Drawing back I asked if she was ready to go.
“I have to find my roommate and let her know where I’m going. Where are you staying?”
“The Windsor Arms.”
“Give me five minutes. I’ll meet you back here.”
“You’re joking, right? There’s no way I’m letting you out of my sight.”
“I have to tell Tasha I’m leaving. She’ll kill me if I just run off.”
“Your friend already knows you won’t be accompanying her back to the hotel tonight. Besides, I think she has plans of her own.” Luckily I was able to point out Tasha and the surfer moving gracefully across the floor in the distance.
“All right. Lead the way.”
A rush of excitement burned through me as we tore off through the estate and out to the waiting limo, laughing like teenagers. After all, a teenage romance is the purest form of uninhibited infatuation—an appetizer to an emotional feast humans are programmed to seek. We were consumed by it.
Random rays of light escaped the house as we ran by, casting glimmers across her angelic face.
Without words we slid into the back seat. My heart thumped as the orange glow of the overhead lighting projected a warm brilliance across the face of the first woman I have ever taken a real chance on. Her eyes glistened, a bouquet of sparkling greens. They mesmerized me, making my soul happy.
The Winemaker's Dinner: Amuse Bouche (The Winemaker's Feast) Page 2
