“Oh, you’ll love this. Melissa took her shopping and to lunch today to help her pick out something. Can you just imagine what that woman will pick out for her to wear?”
“Oh, my God! This is going to be a disaster. Michael will be a laughingstock.”
“Actually, that’s where I need your help.”
“Oohhh, I feel something sneaky coming on. What did you have in mind?”
“Just a little help to make sure Cupid’s arrow hits the right behind.”
Veronica laughed heartily. “All right, I’m in as long as it doesn’t get me in trouble with Peter. What do you want me to do?”
Chapter 7
The night lights of Houston created a breathtaking view for Michael as he lounged on his balcony waiting for Ariane to finish dressing. The last few days had been some of the best of his life. His days had been spent working on new projects, while his nights were filled with passion in the arms of his beautiful woman. He hadn’t been happy about leaving her alone when he went to the office, but she’d insisted that he needed to concentrate on his work.
Ariane had explored the city during the day, which had alarmed him in the beginning. He could just imagine the kind of trouble that a country girl like her could get into in the big city. Michael snorted as he remembered her argument. She’d informed him that she’d be perfectly safe considering she could let her wolf loose on any danger she came across. He’d been appalled until he noticed the twinkle in her eyes and realized the little minx had been teasing him. Hell, he hadn’t even had to worry about her getting lost. Her wolf’s sense of smell had led her back to his home every day.
“Well, what do you think?” Ariane’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.
Michael turned his head to look and froze in his chair. Holy shit! His shy country girl lover had turned into some type of sex goddess. The dress she wore barely covered her, and the parts that did clung to her like a second skin. Tiny straps between her breasts held the damn dress together. God, with a flick of my finger I could break one, and her breasts would pop out for everyone to see. Her long, silky, blond hair hung down over her shoulders in waves, while the green of her eyes was more pronounced since it was the exact same shade as the dress. He let his eyes wander down her body all the way to the matching strap heels on her dainty feet. “Baby, you’re breathtaking,” he replied.
Smiling, she spun around to let him see the back. “You really think the dress is okay? It’s not too revealing?” She sounded shy and a little nervous.
Michael found himself staring at her nearly-naked back. The dress barely reached around her sides, held together by another pair of those thin straps. It dipped down low enough to expose the upper curve of her ass. He felt his cock harden painfully in his dress pants. It’s going to be a long fucking night! “Baby, the dress is beautiful, and you’re gorgeous in it.” He gave her a sexy smile. “Yeah, it’s revealing, but it’s hot. Every man there is gonna wish he was me.” He walked over and took her in his arms, letting his hands slide down the naked skin of her back all the way to her ass. Holding her tight against his erection, he took her lips in a rough kiss. “We’re gonna have some dinner, say hello to a few people, dance a couple of dances, and then hightail it back here as soon as humanly possible.” He nipped the side of her neck and then laved it with his tongue. He enjoyed the feel of her shivering in his arms. “I can’t wait to see how easily this thing slides off.” As he caressed her ass, he suddenly realized something. “Are you not wearing any panties?” Just the thought made his cock even harder.
Ariane blushed and looked away. “I couldn’t. Every pair I tried on, even the thongs, showed through the dress since it’s so tight.”
Michael growled deep in his throat and then almost laughed when Ariane jumped at the sound. “You stay close to me tonight, woman. I don’t want anyone within touching distance of you. Do you understand?” He was surprised at this possessive streak but didn’t stop to question it.
“I understand. I’ll stick by your side tonight.” She reached up on tiptoes and pressed her mouth lightly to his before she licked across the surface of his lips.
Michael smacked her lightly on her ass and returned the kiss. “Let’s go, baby. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get home.”
* * * *
Veronica’s family’s home was brightly lit in honor of her engagement party. Michael relinquished his car to the valets hired for the evening and escorted Ariane into the house. Peter and Veronica met them at the door.
“Michael, Ariane, welcome. Ariane, you’re looking particularly lovely tonight.” Peter’s warm welcome appeared to put Ariane at ease.
“Thank you,” she replied.
“Thanks, Peter.” Michael turned his attention to Veronica. “Congratulations on your engagement, Veronica. I hope you and Peter will be very happy together.”
“Thank you, Michael,” she replied a little formally.
“Veronica, I’d like you to meet someone very special to me. This is Ariane Blue Hills. She’s staying with me for a while, visiting here from Wyoming.”
“A pleasure.” Veronica nodded but offered no friendly overtures.
“Thank you for inviting me to your party. I’m honored to be here, and I wish you much happiness in your coming marriage.” Ariane seemed in awe of Peter’s fiancé.
There was an uncomfortable silence when Veronica didn’t respond, and then Peter took up the conversation. “Thank you, Ariane. We’re very happy that you could join us tonight. Are you enjoying your visit? Have you been able to see much of the city?”
Ariane gave him a warm smile. “Oh, yes, I’m having a wonderful time.” She laughed merrily. “Actually, I’ve been all over the city, much to Michael’s dismay.”
Peter smiled and looked a little quizzical. “Why to Michael’s dismay?”
“He’s been terrified that I would get lost or something would happen to me if he wasn’t with me.” She grinned up at Michael. “I finally convinced him I’m a big girl and can handle myself in the big, bad city.”
Peter and Michael both laughed but before either could say anything, Veronica broke into the conversation. “Cynthia is looking for you, Michael. She says it’s very important that she talk with you tonight.”
Michael was extremely annoyed and surprised to see the angry look that Peter gave his fiancé. He felt Ariane tense beside him and could almost swear he heard a little growl coming from her direction. He focused his attention back on their hostess. “This is a party, Veronica, not work. Cynthia will just have to wait until Monday.” He smiled down at Ariane who was practically beaming at him. “We’ll see the two of you later. I want a chance to introduce Ariane to a few people.” Without another word, Michael put his arm around Ariane and led her away.
Michael got them both a glass of wine and for the next hour and a half, they mingled with the other guests. He introduced her to several of his clients, both old and new, and a number of his casual friends. Ariane handled herself perfectly, showing just the right amount of interest in everyone she met. Her uncanny ability to remember everyone’s name and the small details she was told about them allowed her to blend right in. Peter might be worried about her fitting in at social gatherings, but Michael had no such worries.
The evening had gone much better than he ever thought it would, but Michael was happy when they announced dinner was about to be served. The sooner dinner was over, the sooner he could take his little siren home. He couldn’t help but notice all the lecherous looks she’d been receiving. He’d been forced to keep his hand on her at all times to make sure everyone knew she belonged to him. She belongs to me? Is that really what I want?
He gave their names to one of the butlers in the dining room so they could be shown to their seats, and that’s when the trouble started. Michael had been seated next to Cynthia, up near Peter and his parents, with Ariane at the opposite end of the table between two elderly oil men. Michael could barely contain his rage. He took Ariane’s arm a
nd pulled her along behind him as he went to confront Veronica and Peter.
“Michael, what’s wrong? You look like you’re about to implode,” Peter said.
“I don’t particularly like your seating arrangements. I want you to change it so that I can sit with Ariane.” Michael felt Ariane tugging on his hand and turned to glance at her. She was blushing furiously, her face a crimson red. He hated that he was embarrassing her, but he wasn’t going to put up with this foolishness.
Peter turned to look at Veronica, a look of anger on his face. “You didn’t put them together.” His voice was pure steel.
“I didn’t do the seating arrangement. Mother put it together. She asked me for a list of close friends and business acquaintances and I gave it to her. I guess since she didn’t recognize the name, she put her at the far end of the table, away from family.” Veronica was shooting daggers at Ariane while she explained.
“Fix it,” Michael snarled.
Peter sighed and rubbed his temple. “I’m sorry for this, Michael. I really am, but it’s too late to do anything about it now. Veronica’s parents have already been seated. It would just be embarrassing for everyone to change things now.” He turned to Ariane. “I’m so sorry for the mix-up and the embarrassment, Ariane.” He glanced at his fiancé. “I promise you, it wasn’t intentional.”
“We’ll just say good night then, Peter.” Michael was seething and could barely control his temper. He knew damn well it was intentional. Veronica and Cynthia had always been close friends.
“No, Michael.” Everyone turned to look at Ariane. “I’m, uh, sure it was just a misunderstanding. You have a lot of friends and business associates here that wouldn’t understand if you just up and left from your own partner’s engagement party.” She turned sad eyes toward him. “It’s only dinner. It won’t be so bad.” She gave him a pleading look.
“You are a true lady of grace, Ariane. I thank you for your understanding.” Peter looked at her with admiration in his eyes. “Will you allow me to escort you to your seat?”
“No,” Michael answered. “I’ll take her myself.” He gave one more scorching look to Veronica and then took Ariane’s arm and led her to her chair. Bending, he whispered in her ear. “It’ll be okay, baby. Dinner won’t last long and then we’ll get the hell out of here.” He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and held her chair while she sat. Fuming, he went off to take his place beside Cynthia.
* * * *
Ariane never felt more alone in her life. She was sitting between two older men, both of whom were apparently in business together. They continually talked around her, never including her in their conversation. She found herself constantly looking down the long table to Michael. The first time she caught his eye he had mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.” She sent him a smile, but from his frown she knew it hadn’t been a very sincere one. Since then, he’d been staring at her almost every time she glanced his way.
Ariane watched Veronica for a moment and wondered why the woman had taken an instant dislike to her. Beautiful in a cold and calculating way, she was tall, with long blond hair and bright blue eyes. Her perfect figure was highlighted in the gold, sparkly evening dress she wore. She looked like a fairy princess. In some ways she reminded Ariane of Cynthia. She glanced over at the woman sitting next to her mate.
As she watched, Cynthia turned to Michael to say something. Ariane struggled to keep her wolf calm. It was difficult when the woman was touching her mate. Cynthia had outdone herself tonight. She was dressed in a way that left a great deal of her body exposed. Her breasts were nearly falling out every time she leaned over to speak to Michael.
“Excuse me, madam.” Ariane was startled by a touch on her arm as one of the wait staff leaned over her shoulder. “Yes?” Ariane responded.
“Was there something wrong with your dinner?” The young woman looked distressed. “We couldn’t help but notice that you’ve barely touched any of your food.”
Ariane felt herself blushing. “No, everything was fine. I, um, just wasn’t really hungry,” she lied.
“Very well. If there’s anything else we can get you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Ariane was about to respond when she heard a loud shout of laughter at the end of the table. She turned in time to see Michael laughing and smiling. Cynthia turned to him and put her hand on his arm. She looked down the table and stared at Ariane, a definite smirk on her face. When Michael didn’t pull away from her touch, Ariane felt a tightness in her chest. She turned her attention back to the young lady. “Could you direct me to the bathroom?”
“Certainly, madam, just follow me.”
Ariane excused herself and left the dining room, determined not to come back.
* * * *
Michael just wanted the dinner to be over. He was fed up with casual dinner table conversation and with Cynthia’s attempts to draw him into a personal conversation. He kept his eye on Ariane as much as possible. The sadness in her eyes was pulling at his heart. He’d never forgive Veronica or Cynthia for this. From what he could see, his lady wasn’t eating or talking to anybody. She looked ready to bolt at any minute.
“Michael, do you remember that summer that you and Peter wrecked my fishing boat on Lake Castle?” Peter’s father loved relating stories about him and Peter when they were boys. Out of respect, he gave the man his attention.
“I remember you made us clean that boat from top to bottom when they pulled it to dry dock.” Michael smiled fondly at the memory. He half-heartedly listened while the man told his story, watching Ariane poke at her dessert. Sighing, he returned his attention to his partner’s father.
“Then, without so much as batting an eye, Michael told me that the boat had a slight accident.” He laughed heartily. “They had hit a submerged log doing about thirty miles per hour and knocked a hole in the back that allowed the motor to sink. Only it didn’t break the cables. It was just hanging, suspended on the damn things. The motor was acting like an anchor, and those boys were trying to look innocent as hell.”
Everyone, including Michael, laughed at the picture he’d painted with his lively story. Michael continued smiling and laughing but shot Cynthia a look when she put her hand on his arm. When she didn’t immediately remove it, he stopped laughing and shot her a glare before removing it himself. He quickly glanced down to see if Ariane saw, only to find his lovely lady gone. What the hell!
“Excuse me.” Michael dropped his napkin on the table and rose to his feet. He ignored Peter calling his name and continued on to the main living room to find his mate. Did I just think of her as my mate? Yes, I did. A mate is someone you love, someone you share your life with, someone who completes you. Ariane is my mate. Michael felt a bit shaken at the thoughts going through his head.
“Excuse me, sir.”
Michael turned at the voice and found a young woman in a maid’s uniform standing behind him. “Yes?”
“Your companion wasn’t feeling well and is in the ladies’ room.”
Michael breathed a sigh of relief at finding her. “Where is the ladies’ room?”
“Down this hall, third door on the left.”
“Thank you, I’ll wait here for her.”
“You’re welcome, sir. If you require anything else please don’t hesitate to call on me.” The young woman nodded and then disappeared down the hall.
Michael was beginning to get worried. He’d been waiting quite a while. More and more people were coming in from the dining room, and he could hear the music starting in the ballroom. He was just about to go and find one of the servants to check on her when she came walking out the door. It broke his heart to see how pale and withdrawn she looked. He quickly walked over and took her in his arms. It worried him when she stiffened and tried to pull away. Then it occurred to him, she disappeared right after he had to make Cynthia remove her hand from his arm.
“Baby, are you okay?” He looked at her worriedly.
She didn’t meet his eyes. “I’m fine,
Michael. Can we go home now?”
Michael put his hand on her chin and brought her face up. “I got caught up in a story Peter’s father was telling about our childhood. He made everyone laugh.” He pulled her body closer, and this time she didn’t resist. “When I realized you were gone, I immediately excused myself and came in search of you, love. I didn’t even stop when Peter called to me.”
Ariane giggled. “You really walked out on Peter?”
“Peter and everyone else. You’re the only thing here tonight that’s important to me.” He watched the light shine in her beautiful eyes. “I know you want to go home, but would you indulge me for a little longer and come and dance with me?”
A look of pure horror crossed her face before she could answer. “Michael, I don’t dance very well. I haven’t had much opportunity to practice.”
He smiled at her. “The kind of dancing I have in mind doesn’t require much movement. You’ll be fine.” He kissed her lightly again. “Come on, love. Let’s show them what we got.” Michael wanted the chance to let everyone see them together on the dance floor. He didn’t want any misunderstandings about where his heart lay. Taking her hand, he led her through the main living room and down the hall to the ballroom, not stopping until he had her in the middle of the dance floor. He turned and gathered her into his arms.
Michael pulled her close, their bodies touching from breast to hips. He slowly slid her hands up his chest and then around his neck. Feeling her tremble, he let his hands slide over her shoulders and then down her back across her silky, bare skin. His cock rose as his hands settled on her hips, urging her into his growing erection. Their hips moved slowly back and forth to the music as he buried his face in her neck, letting her hair form a curtain around him. The scent of her skin, blended with her arousal, filled his senses, causing his cock to harden painfully. The tips of his fingers burrowed under the edge of her dress, resting on the bare skin of her luscious ass. Michael groaned softly. If he didn’t get them out of here soon, he’d be coming in his pants like a teenager.
Martine, Missy - Denying His Wolfen Heritage [A Wolfen Heritage 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 18
