The Scent and The Siren

twelve

"You have no shame being so risqué!" I utter in a hushed whisper, doubly shaken, as I turn my face away from him, suddenly remembering that we're not alone but at a table with eight other people seated, even if they're all facing the stage.

"One of us has to be honest. It's no disgrace admitting your mind is full of thoughts of us enjoying sleazy decadence in bed naked." He comments lazily with chock-full of playful arrogance, his deep voice so innately sexy. "Confess your deepest desires, and I might just accommodate them."

"There are so many interested parties that will drive up the auction sale price of the necklace. But you, my precious darling girl, must bet big and win against those bad bitches." Alva chirps with a pat on my shoulder as arrives to loom over me from behind.

"I can't believe I'm letting you talk me into spending millions on some diamonds." I roll my eyes, plucking a cherry from the glass of cosmo and putting it into my mouth. The lights reflecting from the heavy Venetian chandelier make the diamonds in my ring and bracelet glint.

"It's a special necklace for my special pumpkin." She notes with pride, tossing her hair back. "Myth has it that those who have worn it have been forever entwined with the love of their lives. The Queen of England is one of those. Just look back at the glorious chunk of life she spent with the love of her life. I'd buy it myself, but my feelings are notoriously fickle, so I can't allow myself to be trapped with one man. So, buy it, pumpkin. Consider it my dearest wish."

"Is there anyone else present here tonight whom you aren't hyping up for buying useless shit for millions, Alva?" His highness interrupts with his deep rich, cultured voice full of mockery.

"More the better, nugget. Stop making me evil here." The palpable restraint in Alva's voice from snapping at him makes me forget the tension for a hot second.

I purse my mouth to suppress the laughter that bubbles inside me. I can't believe she uses the same nickname for him that she has since we were kids.

"I'll be so disappointed to have the third richest man on earth showing up at my fundraiser and leaving without buying the most expensive item, Areston." She places her hand in the silky mass of his dark hair and ruffles it softly as she used to when he was a notorious teen.

"You're an annoying woman." He subjects her to a playful scowl and runs his fingers through his hair to adjust it. How I wish those were my fingers touching his hair.

"I'll have you spend the entire day tomorrow eating a new type of canelés I learned making online if you don't." She says perkily, knowing he hates desserts and anything sweet, and turns to me. "That's only fair, wouldn't you say, my darling pumpkin?"

His highness has never been a fan of desserts and would avoid it at all costs unless it was the Sacher torte he used to prepare for me every year on my birthday or the Fiadone I used to make for his birthday.

Overwhelmed by sweet memories, I press a smile on my face as a response to Alva, suddenly feeling too nostalgic for the past and yearning to get a chance to go back in the past so I can relive it all over again.

"Don't disturb her with your questions, Alva. Darling pumpkin is busy with bedtime thoughts." He says deadpan, making me choke on my drink, completely scandalized and mortified by his mockery.

Brows flying up in shock, Alva barely contains her laughter. "I am needed somewhere. Both of you clearly need no third wheel."

"You are embarrassing me in front of my mother's friends." I manage to maintain a confident face when he's such an alarming vision of rampant masculinity and magnificent ruthlessness, it's tough to look at him directly and not blush with heated sinful thoughts crowding your mind.