TO LAST A LIFETIME

Sultry Wine Or STUFF

Gennie

The hall was filled with a healthy number of people chattering and mingling, ladies in beautiful dresses and men in complimenting suits. Soft music played as the dancers on the dance floor swayed gracefully with their partners to the tune of the soft music.

I took a sip of my sultry wine as I studied the dancers. Although the party was filled with people, for some reason, my heart was lonely. My glass of wine was my only companion. Mingling with people was what I should've done to avert the loneliness but then, being in a different race was a bit difficult for me.

I watched them exchange partners on the floor. Eager ladies took their turns with the man they had their eyes on. It looked so perfect and well organized making me wonder how often they did that.

At the far end of the dance floor, my eyes caught sight of a raven. He looked so tall with broad shoulders, the alluring lights added more color to his navy blue suit and his raven hair. He swayed gracefully, holding the blonde he was dancing with firmly. The blonde made no secrets of how thrilled she was to be seen dancing with him. I noticed other women waiting to have a turn.

My gaze kept dancing back to his direction every passing minute and deep down I wished to have a turn. To be frank, there was zero possibility of me hitting the dance floor with the raven since I was a terrible dancer. But all  I wanted was to be held closed by his strong arms.

I emptied my glass without noticing, still gawking at the young Adonis on the dance floor. There was no harm in secretly wishing for the things you know you could never have.

Looking up again, my gaze snagged his. My heart threatened to drop to the pit of my belly. Then he stopped, a little frown creasing his forehead. My eyes darted away, dropping on the purse on my laps.

I stole another glance and saw him bow in courtesy to the now disappointed blonde he once held possessively. Was he coming my way? I shifted uncomfortably on my seat adjusting my little red dress.

With a disappointed pout, I watched him walk out of the hall without looking my way.

The old proverbs danced to my mind,

'if Mohammed doesn't go to the mountain, the mountain will go to him'

So, if he doesn't come to me, I will go to him. That was a flirting code I never knew I still had.

Making my way towards the entrance, my fingers adjusted my dress again before dropping my empty glass on the tray a waiter was carrying around and got another filled one. I had to find him. Find him for what? I didn't have such an answer.

The sky was dark and the whole place was illuminated with LED bulbs outside, I winced at the cold. My eyes glanced around the vast space, he was nowhere to be found. I gulped the drink in my hand and went back inside since it was freezing outside.

The waiter smiled at me when I dropped the glass back in the tray, I nodded at him, taking my jacket off my seat, and quickly headed up to my hotel room.

~

The next day, I decided to go down for lunch, tired of having meals in my room, I needed the solace of the dining area with people to feel more human.

I was half-way through my lunch when my eyes darted to the left corner of the dining area where a white flower vase stood with soft petals of sunflowers growing from it. My forehead furrowed as I spotted him. His hair was brushed back, he propped his chin on his fixed fingers, his arms resting on the table, his eyes were on the waitress's smiling face who was serving him his meal between flirtatious winks. 

My pulse quickened when I looked up to meet his eyes on me. Had he been staring at me? My eyes lingered on his for a while before I averted it. Why was I drawn to him?

I took extra care not to drop the fork I was eating spaghetti with. My fingers were now shaky and heart-thumping as I sat with the consciousness his eyes were on me.

To be frank, Brad had revived something long-buried in me, something that never mattered to me until now. It had been long since I had this special attention from the man I had my eyes on. Work took a greater part of my existence, everything in me was focused only on work and more work sparing little or no time to myself and the way I looked, that way I escaped the lustful stares of men. But coming here with the clothes Emily, my best friend had clammed into my traveling bag, it was totally different, especially on those tours. And some nights ago in the alley, Brad had awoken a lust buried for two months now after being dumped by my boyfriend of two years.

I took a vacation to get away from all the troubles life threw at me. After my relationship ended in a brutal way, I picked up the broken pieces and moved on, something Humpty-Dumpty couldn't do.

There was no denying I wanted a real man in my life, seeing this man again for some reason brought a lot of feelings that I haven't felt in months. Like a moth aimlessly drawn to a flame, I was drawn to him, regardless of the consequence.

"Can I join you?"