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At some point, we took a break from dancing and headed to the balcony for some fresh air. The moon was bright, casting a soft glow over the Miami skyline. Christian leaned against the railing, looking out over the view, and all I could do was stare at him. He was breathtakingly handsome, with his chiseled features and piercing blue eyes.
"You're not too bad yourself," he said, catching me staring.
I blushed and laughed, grateful for his easygoing mood on this very special night. This Christian I still wasn’t used to. We stood in silence for a few moments, just enjoying each other's company and the peacefulness of the moment.
When we finally made our way back inside, the ball was in full swing. The music seemed louder, but most of the guests had settled down at the tables, and a few of them had already loaded their plates with food.
“Is there anything you need? Are you hungry?” Christian asked me, gesturing to the banquet tables loaded with delicacies.
“I’m hungry,” I told him turning to follow him. Dancing is a good way to work up an appetite.
“You go find our seat, and I’ll be back with the best food your charity dollars can buy,” he told me. “Would you like a glass of wine?” he added.
“Yes, something calming and extremely expensive,” I answered before making my way over to the arranged seating, trying to find our names, waiting to see what delicious vintage Christian would return with.
Christian’s POV
On my way to the food table, my mom caught my eye. She slipped away from my dad and walked over to me. I didn’t want her to corner me by the food table, but I knew she must’ve been waiting all night to speak to me about Alex, so I waited for her. Best to get it over with anyway. The woman could be a hound dog when she wanted to.
“It’s no wonder you’ve been so mellow lately,” she said immediately starting on me.
“What’s that again Mom?” I said, trying to look confused.
“Alex! You didn’t tell us you were dating her!” she whisper and screamed at me. The look of excitement on her face was cute. Even though I’d told Alex that my parents had always loved her, I hadn’t been certain if that love had stood the test of time. “How long has this been going on?”
“About a month now,” I told her as I picked up a plate and dished some food into it.
“Oh God, Christian,” she said looking up at me. “I always knew you liked her, right from the start”
“Not now mom, please,” I said looking around hoping no one had overheard her.
“You have to admit I’m right, Christian. Best not let her get away from you now,” she said, staring at me intently before turning on her heel and walking away from me.
My mom was a drama queen most of the time. The matriarch of the Sanchester empire, she was beautiful, smart, and business savvy. She also wanted to see her sons married off and to get to hold her grandkids before she died. Not that she was dying anytime soon like she always added.
I smiled fondly and turned back to my task. Alex would be looking for me by now. I scanned the room and caught her staring at me. She gave me a sly wink and looked away when she noticed she had my attention. The little minx.
Alex certainly looked stunning tonight, the gown hugging her curves and the train trailing behind her like a subject behind an Amazon queen. When she’d stepped out of her apartment, I’d very nearly just started kissing her. It had taken a hell of a lot of self-control not to, and I hadn’t been certain what her reaction would be, given all of our recent complications.
After her behavior on the dance floor, I wished I’d kissed her silly when it had been just the two of us. Carrying the loaded plates of food, I walked to our table, greeting the guests I recognized along the way. Smiling and nodding, I made my way to Alex and slipped in beside her.
“You want me to take you, here, today?” I whispered to her softly.
“Why not? Would it be so bad?” she asked, looking up at me with a sexy look on her face.
“It's tempting, isn't it," I said, tracing the line of her jaw with my finger. "But you really don’t want that do you? Not with your parents over there staring at us,” I said, nodding to her mom and dad, who both seemed to have their eyes fixed on us. Alex's mother gave us a little wave before they looked away.
Before Alex could respond, I heard the sound of silver clinking on glassware. My mom was holding up her glass, tapping it with a fork. When she'd gotten everyone’s attention, she linked hands with my father and they strode to the stage together. Drama queen extraordinaire, I thought with a shake of my head.
“Your mom's really beautiful," Alex said. It's no wonder you're so good-looking,” she teased, grinning.
“That’s the most backhanded compliment I have ever received Alex, and it’s no wonder considering who it came from” I teased back.
My parents had made it to the stage, and my mom was whispering to my dad. She looked really happy. The charity ball was her special project, and every year she picked a new organization to raise money for. This year, the new Children’s Hospital was the object of her benefaction.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” she began, her voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd. "We are honored to have you all here tonight for this wonderful event in support of the Children's Hospital."
The crowd murmured in agreement, and she continued.
