In Omnia Paratus (AU) - Book 2

Dance

"Richard!" I heard a sudden squeak and saw the flash of a young child running full steam at him. Violet leaped at him and he bent down and picked her up straightaway.

"How are you munchkin?" He laughed holding her in a really weird way as if she was sitting on a seat but the seat was his arms. Both of her legs were swinging forward. She was so skinny she had the weight of like a 2 year old, I swear.

"I'm good, how are you?" She mumbled excitedly puffing her dress out and then wrapping her arms around Richard and he held her properly then on his hip.

"We weren't done talking." I scoffed at him as he was now chatting away with the 5 year old.

"Are you boyfriend and girlfriend?" Violet suddenly asked.

"No, v." I mumbled.

"Then Richard is my boyfriend." She scoffed as he placed her down on the floor finally. She gripped onto his leg and smiled wide.

"Oh is he now?" I laughed. "So, are you going home or are you crashing the reception party as well?" I joked talking back at Richard again.

"He's coming to the party, silly." Violet scoffed at me like a right little diva.

"Yeah, silly." Richard laughed at me then smirked as I was staring at him weirdly.

"Im really struggling to work out why you're here." I said slowly as we walked towards his car and told Violet to go back to Rachel and dad.

"I missed you." He stated leaning against his fancy new car.

"What?"

"You said the other day in your rant that you had no date to your dads wedding. Im here to be your date, assuming the offer still stands?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"The offer still stands." I said walking around the car and getting in the drivers seat.

"What are you doing?" He said holding the keys above the car leaning over the top to talk to me.

"The offer still stands, I'm driving you to the hotel, you don't know where it is." I teased.

"You have a fancy car to take you, besides I can always follow at sat nav on my phone." Richard explained still talking to me from the other side of the car.

"Oh don't ruin the fun, this will be way better. Now, keys?" I asked giving him my best smile and gently holding my hand out. He smiled reluctantly and handed me the keys and we climbed into the car.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I am a bad influence on you Ace." Richard complained sitting in the passengers seat.

"Here hold these." I smiled handing him my heels.

"What are you doing?" He grumbled.

"Do you always ask so many questions?" I rolled my eyes starting up the car.

"Why am I holding your shoes?" Richard got a little frustrated.

"Again with the questions." I said sitting back and folding my arms with a smirked plastered across my face.

"Jenna." Richard snapped and I sensed that maybe even though he knew I was joking that I was winding him up a little bit too much.

"Well I can't drive in heels silly." I laughed as I pulled the car away and started off on our way to the hotel.

- - - - -

"How's home life?" I asked confidently as I broke the silence we were sat in on the car drive to the hotel.

"Boring, I'm working with my dad. How about you?" He asked looking over at me but his stare lingered.

"It's all a bit wedding crazy. I'm hoping to do some modelling this summer and then we go on holiday. I've applied for internships at local newspapers and sorted out books I need to read for my course next year..."

"You seem...prepared." Richard smiled.

"I am, I mean, I have to be. This year is important it's all about getting into university." I shrugged. "Are you not preparing for university? I mean, you start in September."

"Where are you going on holiday?" He asked changing the subject and I scoffed my disapproval.

"Spain." I hummed. "How about you? Going anywhere nice?"

"Me and a bunch of guys are going backpacking, jumping off cliffs, scuba diving and all the dangerous stuff for two weeks before uni wrecks us." Richard explained.

"Isn't that kinda...dangerous?" I frowned at him as we pulled up in the hotel car park.

"Yeah that's the point." He laughed.

"What about getting killed is the point?" I moaned at him getting out of the car and holding my hands out for my shoes.

"No, having fun." He scoffed, "stop taking it so seriously. We're going for a laugh, to let off some steam."

"Alright fine." I smiled slipping my shoes onto my feet and then grabbing Richards hand as I lead him towards the building excitedly.

- - - - -

"You wanna dance?" I asked as I was staring at a bored Richard who I had left stranded on a table on his own while I went and talked to family and mainly dad because I was helping him out.

I soon noticed that he had been chatting to a girl when I asked him that. "Oh unless your busy." I quickly added.

"I'm not busy. I see you later em." Richard said standing up and holding a hand out for me to take before went over to the dance floor and started to slow dance.

His hands rested on my waist and mine came around his neck.

"Who's the blonde?" I scoffed after about two songs of silence and us just staring into each other's eyes.

"So that's what the silence is about." Richard laughed suddenly. "She an old friend. I didn't know you knew her, weird coincidence."

"I don't know her, she came with one of my aunts or cousins or something." I complained rolling my eyes.

"She a friend." Richard raised his eyebrows.

We went silent again and I stared into his eyes smiling at him and just enjoying the moment. "Why did you come?" I suddenly asked.

"I told you," He leaned in next to my cheek and whispered, "Free bar." Then leant back laughing as if this was all a joke.

"Richard."

"White dresses, butter pats, those tiny rolls you get before your meal comes..."

"Richard. I'm serious."

"Live bands, party poppers, those little party favours with chocolates and candy in--"

"--Are you ever going to ask me out?" I suddenly said smiling up looking into his eyes. "I mean, you flirt with me. You act like you like me...You came to my dads wedding to keep me company? Are you ever...going to ask me out?" I smiled up at him.

"Look, Ace--"

"You do like me, don't you? Otherwise I'll just leave-- I'm sorry I di--" but he interrupted me and just pressed his lips to mine and started to kiss me in middle of the dance floor as we swayed gently to song.

I leant up into the kiss and he sunk down into it happily.

"I know you can do that but--" I said but he kissed me again.

"Honestly I've thought about asking you out a lot but-- I never thought it was a good idea." He said as my forehead pressed against his. And I suddenly thought this where the "but--" starts. The excuses. So I slipped back into our normal dancing position, nothing intimate.