Sugar Lips

Chapter Seven

When Misty said dinner, I legit thought the shrimp salad she was banging on about with a few strangers was all that was in store for me.

Instead, it was a grand dining room with a table that was so over the top. Fresh bouquets of white roses littered as center pieces and bottles of red and white wine that looked expensive lay placed within reaching distance.

In a daze, I took in all the strange but marvelous individuals that were sitting exchanging small talk. Immaculate hair, nails, designer clothes. Pearl necklaces. I suddenly felt at ease. The dress was perfect for this occasion. It wasn't exactly elegant, but it was Miami approved.

Even though everyone paused the second we entered, they had all started talking amongst themselves. I took a shaky breath in, trying not to make any eye contact and took the seat Jaxon pulled out for me. Relief flooded through me when he sat on my right. Only then I felt comfortable taking in my surroundings.

Misty sat at the head of the table, staring suspiciously at us. Or was it me? Was I being paranoid? Now my anxiety was setting in.

"And who is this wonderful beauty, Jaxon?" The brunette directly across from me asked, sipping her red wine and clearly waiting for a response.

"Ladies." he began. He relaxed and rested his hand on my bare thigh, which was trembling with nerves.

When he gently squeezed it, I glanced up at him. "This is Everleigh. My beautiful girlfriend."

There was that feeling of giddiness again that rocked my core. Suck it up, for both of our sakes!

"So, not a fiancé, then?" a younger woman with sleek black hair and cold, piercing blue eyes asked. She pursed her lips as if to say, I still have a chance then. Her eyebrows were as intimidating as her beauty.

Seeing how the night would end up if I didn't shut down the questions, I roamed my hand up and down his arm. "Not yet. But soon."

Jaxon didn't even flinch. He stroked a thumb under my chin and lifted it gently. "Very soon." He finished, sealing it with a kiss.

I was too engrossed in his attentive eyes the second he pulled away to give a shit about the hushed whispers that floated around the room.

When a server placed a bowl of milky soup in front of me, I glanced at Jaxon. "What the hell is this?" I whispered to him. I eyeballed everyone's bowl and noticed we all had the same.

He leaned closer, suppressing a laugh. "It's Mix Ceviche."

"And I'm supposed to know what that is?" I whispered back. My belly was crying out for food, but not a chance was I eating milky soup. The overwhelming smell of fish confirmed it was a no-no for me.

"It's fish and octopus in acevichada milk."

I pushed my bowl away and watched Jaxon try to coax me with the bread basket instead.

I leaned closer to him. "Taco Bell is looking appetizing right about now." I muttered, while grudgingly eating the damn crusty bread.

I was relieved when the main course was a large serving of pasta topped with parmesan cheese.

"Everleigh, why don't you tell us all about how you two met?" his mother interjected, before eating a small fork of pasta.

I reached for a glass of wine, not caring how much it cost. "Erm... it's funny, really." I gulped the wine like it was water. The spicy berries tasted divine.

"As in funny, ha-ha?" another asked. I glanced down further to the other side of the table. A golden blonde with boobs so big, I struggled to keep my eyes on hers. And I thought my boobs were big.