Page 42 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)
"Cool beans. How about these?" I asked as I took the panties and stepped into them. "Does the drip pan glow too?"
He chuckles. "Yes."
"Crucial!" I bent over and touched my toes. "Then, if I do this in the dark, you will see them?"
"Mmhmm. I might regret that decision."
"Mmhmm. You might."
Walking in on Aurei's arm, I'm surprised by the number of people here.
I know the count was around 200, but it feels like more.
The grills are smoking. The smell of barbecue fills the air.
Waiters are serving drinks and appetizers while people are mingling.
Some are sitting at the tables under the tents eating their meal.
Children are running around. Music fills the air, and the dance floor is full.
The whole atmosphere is warm and inviting.
A waiter comes up and takes our order. "Miss Wright, what may I get for you?"
"Crown neat, please."
"Mr. Moore? The same?"
"Yes. Thank you."
"You're welcome." He says as he goes over to the open bar. There is a crowd of older men standing in front of it. They are wasting no time taking advantage of the free-flowing alcohol. Their laughter is loud.
Aurei takes my elbow and steers me to the tent by the dance floor. "Let's look for Bee and Ann. They will have saved us a place."
As we walk past people, we are greeted warmly, and several men and a couple of women introduce themselves to us as reporters.
I notice they have small identification buttons on their clothing.
All of them are extremely polite and treat me with a great deal of respect.
Much more than I'm used to receiving. Their attention is focused on Maximus, and I'm a side note.
Quintus did good. He may get a dance instead of two hugs.
Aurei whispers in my ear. "See. Word on the Italian street is you are a Vegas Superstar. No one here is calling you nasty names."
"It appears you are right again."
He smiles at me and kisses my hand. His dark brows hide his green eyes in the shadows, but I know they are needy right now.
He cinches my hand and leads me through the maze of tables to where Ann and Bee sit with Quintus and a very attractive woman.
He introduces her as Jemma, and we shake hands.
Ann and Bee stand and give me kisses and compliment the color of my dress.
There are four empty seats, and I ask Bee casually while Ann talks to Jemma, and Quintus discusses something with Aurei. "Who will be joining us?"
She rolls her eyes and says. "Guess."
"Oh fuck no!"
She laughs. "Oh fuck yes."
Right on cue, they walk up too. Antonio and Angelo, followed by Gio and Mia. The guys all shake hands, and I twinkle wave to them. They grin at me and give me the manly head bob at precisely the same time.
Macho men. Gotta love them!
I decided earlier I would really try to be civil to their wives, so I lean up and speak to them, but Mia pretends she doesn't hear me. Fine as Frosty! Gio nods then gives me the cold shoulder when Mia frowns at her.
Bee whispers. "Ignore them. You'll have a much better time."
I laugh at her. "No doubt."
The waiter walks the edge of the dance floor and brings our drinks. "Miss Wright. Mr. Moore." He says as he starts to set them on the table. The movement triggers his pilot reflexes, and he turns his hawk-eyes on us. He hears the waiter when he says. "Your dress makes you easy to find."
I wink at him. "By design."
He grins at me as his eyes fall to my mountains of soft flesh, pushed up by the bra and spilling out over the top. Aurei clears his throat, and it sounds more like a growl. The poor man tries to hide his smile as he ducks his head, then turns to leave.
Aurei's left eyebrow twitches when he looks at me. I offer a toast. "Here's to being put in the spotlight. It has its advantages."
He laughs as we clink our glasses and throw the gold liquid back.
"Best to just face the music and dance then.
" We stand at the same time. He opens his arms to me, and I float in.
We walk the few steps to the dance area, and he looks at the DJ.
The music stops, and the dancers look around.
When they see us, they begin to make a departure.
As the dance floor clears, I look up at Aurei's handsome face.
His expression is commanding. For a moment, I wonder what's up.
Then it hits me. He hasn't danced in years!
Ever since his grandmother's passing. These are her people.
Her family. His family. This dance is significant!
My eyes tear up, realizing the tenderness of the moment for him. For them.
"Oh, Aurei," I whisper and give him a little reassuring squeeze. "Is this dance traditional too? Your mother told me about the red dress last night and the unofficial first dance."
He leans down and gives me a sweet peck. When he stands back up, he towers over me, but his tender eyes hold mine captive. His arms form the dancer's box, and I lay mine on him. "This dance is for you, Siri. You'll never be invisible again."
Right on cue, the music starts. He steps, and I follow.
We twirl and spin to "Invisible" by Hunter Hayes.
I'm beyond touched by his words and his song choice.
It's one of the songs I sing to the girls in Been Jammin, giving them encouragement when they are hurting.
It speaks of people who dare to be different but who are lonely because minds are prejudice.
It talks of trust and encouragement. No one is alone.
No one is invisible. Be bold. Be brave. Be who you are.
Don't fight with hate. Fight with love. Life has so much to offer.
Live it! It's a song that salutes those who embrace their individuality and tells them that we have each other's back.
"One day, all the pain you have felt will be gone. A distant memory." Aurei says to me.
I know he arranged everything with the DJ ahead of time.
The thoughtfulness and kindness of this thunderous yet gentle beast of a man makes my eyes leak onto my cheeks.
His amazed smile shines on me when he sees my eyes begin to glow, and it feels like the warmth of the sun, drawing the flower out from under a cold and dark blanket.
As true dancers do, we lose our individuality and sync our bodies, melding as one to the rhythm of the dance.
Losing all thoughts and allowing the music with the movement to express the passion we have for each other.
The powerful yet subtle melody lengthens our strides to give it full expression, and our waltz becomes more of a graceful ebb and flow like gentle waves on a shoreline rather than the stepping of a dance pattern.
My arms and back are arched in perfect posture and form.
My face is tilted away, exposing my jugular to him, knowing he understands the submissive message I give him.
You own me. I am collared and gladly claimed.
I understand deep within my wildness that being submissive to a man who loves you so completely simply means trusting him completely.
Submission isn't about giving up anything.
It is about letting go and letting that person know how much you trust them, and in doing that, you own them too.
When the song ends, he pulls me into his embrace and slides his hand down my arm to cinch us with that sexy, seductive move I know bonds us tighter than anything else he can do with me in public.
I hold my tilted head still, knowing his lips need to kiss the softness of my flesh and feel my pulse beating for him.
When they touch, I hear his throat moan loud with pure desire for me, and an erotic explosion bursts through my veins, and I gasp, then moan.
His lips leave a wet mark on my neck and then latch onto mine.
I suck his breath, then his tongue as he thrusts it deep. Once.
When he lets me go, I open my eyes to see his are crinkled, content, and truly happy.
My expression reflects the same as I wipe off my cheeks the wet trail my tears left.
Then an ocean wave of sound comes crashing in on the peacefulness that occurs when you're in love, and the world has fallen away.
Applause. Not polite applause, or rowdy applause, but enthusiastic applause.
Aurei ignores them, but the entertainer in me knows that is extremely rude, so I step away and give them a polite courtesy.
There are a few bravos shouted from the men in front of the bar area as I back towards our table, but Aurei doesn't move.
He grins, and his tongue slides across his bottom lip as he looks over my head.
Quintus arrives with Jemma in tow, along with Antonio, Angelo, Ann, and Bee.
They line up next to us, and I look up at Aurei for an explanation, but it isn't necessary once the music starts.
The DJ plays "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" by Usher featuring Pitbull.
Everyone starts grooving as the dance floor begins to fill and then rock.
I giggle at Ann and Bee, who dance like dead men walking when the lyrics mention zombies.
Those two girls crack me up!
When the lyrics say to put your hands up, everyone around us does, but I slip into Diva mode doing the choreography while Aurei dances his sexy side to side step watching me, grinning, then covers his face like the video but instead of saying the lyrics, eyes, three times.
He says. "Glowing green eyes." Then he stuns me when he slips right into the choreography alongside me.