Kinsley ~
A few hours later I found myself in one of Adriana's tight fitting dresses that was clearly tailored to her body and not mine, but I could get away with it for a couple of hours. It was tight and restricting, but thin straps kept sliding off of my shoulders every few minutes as if it were reminding me that I wasn't meant to be in it.
I nervously fidgeted with the ends of my hair that Adriana had fixed for me. The split ends of my light brown hair twirled beneath my fingers as the town car passed by mansion after mansion, each one bigger than the last.
Good lord when was the last time I had a hair cut?
The excitement I had felt was starting to dwindle into downright anxiety as the car pulled up to a large house that looked more like a palace and somewhere that I definitely didn't belong.
"Ready?" Adriana said,
No.
"Yep." I answered, forcing a smile as I awkwardly scooted myself out of the car in Adriana's form fitting dress.
There were multiple attendants waiting outside. Some were there to park cars, others were there to take coats and purses, and the rest were standing around as if waiting to be given a request. I'd never seen anything like it other than in the movies.
"Whose house is this again?" I asked in a hushed tone as I leaned toward Adriana.
"This is one of the Moretti family homes." Adriana replied over her shoulder as she handed her bag to one of the attendants.
One of? Cheese and rice I forgot how rich these people were. This is just one of their homes?
"And you're sure they won't mind that I'm here?" I asked in a shaky voice, reminding myself of why they were so wealthy.
Adriana was clearly fed up with my nervous antics and spun around to face me as we entered the massive estate.
"Kins, You look amazing and you're welcome here because you are my personal guest. If anyone doesn't want you here then they can take it up with me." Adriana's words were sharp, but her facial expression was soft and comforting.
Taking in a deep breath I let Adriana's words soak in and felt a wave of confidence wash over me.
"Got it." I said, nodding my head, signaling that I was done acting like a scared child. I was 24 years old, a grown ass woman and this was just a party.
"Good."
Adriana walked through the house like she owned the place, introducing me to people as she greeted everyone with kisses on the cheek. She walked with poise and confidence that I tried to emulate, but couldn't quite master.
Can everyone see that I don't belong here or is it all in my head?
The feeling of eyes on me hovered in the air around me, making my skin hot and my palms sweat as we made our way further into the mansion. Everything was intricate and embellished with refined fixtures and finishings that made me feel dull and out of place.
As Adriana carried on a conversation, my eyes wandered over the massive floral centerpieces and I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the color combination was.
I love that, if only there was better lighting to highlight those textures.
I took a step back with my head tilted to the side to see if I could picture what those flowers would look like with more purple hues and some better lighting. Feeling inspired and wanting to take a mental snap shot so I could paint it later, I took a second step backwards, but bumped into something hard.
A wall? No...a person.
"What the fuck?" A deep voice echoed from behind me between gritted teeth, making my blood run cold at the sound.
I spun around only to find the most handsome man I'd never laid eyes on staring down at me with a half empty glass in his hand. His blue gray eyes looked furious, but softened slightly as they settled on my face which I'm sure was beet red at the moment. My eyes wandered from his broad shoulders down his muscular chest toward the glass in his hand, the glass that had just spilled liquor all over his insanely expensive shoes.
Completely mortified at my clumsiness, I immediately dropped down to the floor, using the napkin from the drink I'd just received to wipe the scotch from his shoes that I hopefully hadn't ruined, praying I wouldn't have to pay to have them replaced.
"I'm so sorry." I huffed, frantically wiping at the man's shoes, but making very little progress.
Lost in my own frenzied thoughts, I focused on the man's shoes until I felt a large hand gently wrap around my bicep.
"Stand up." The man's deep voice found its way to my ears with a softness that made me melt, but an edge that made me want to obey him.
Doing as he asked, I straightened my legs that felt like they were made of jello, trying to get enough courage to face him after my embarrassing error. He left his hand on my arm, helping to steady me until I was completely upright, but as soon as I met his blue-gray eyes, I suddenly forgot how to breathe.
"You're far too beautiful to be cleaning my shoes." The man said, giving me a panty dropping smile that made my mouth dry.
Say something Kinsley. Don't just stare at him like an idiot.
"I don't think we've met." The man said, studying my face with a look I couldn't decipher. "Dane Moretti." He said, extending his hand toward me.
Moretti, why do I know that name? Oh God, he's the owner of the house. Way to go Kinsley. Way to fucking go.
His name stole what little breath I had left in my lungs as my insides screamed at me to run away and rid myself of the embarrassing situation that was playing out in front of me.
"Hi." was all I managed to say, like a true moron.
Hi? Jesus Kinsley.
Dane smiled down at me as if he could hear my internal reprimands.
"And you are?"
"Kinsley...um Kinsley Wright." I said in a shaky unsure tone, letting my eyes dart around the room for Adriana, or a fire escape or maybe a sharp object to throw myself on.
My eyes settled on Adriana's long black hair and I practically came out of my skin to see a familiar face. I knew I was making a fool out of myself in front of this gorgeous man and he seemed to find quite a bit of humor in it.
"Again, I'm so sorry about your shoes. I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Yeah that's pretty hard to do when you're walking backwards." Dane said with a smirk that exposed a few of his perfect teeth.
Kill me. Kill me now.
"I'm sorry." I breathed out, readying myself to escape.
"If you'll excuse me." I managed to blurt out as I turned and practically ran toward Adriana.
My throat was starting to close in and my face was burning hot with embarrassment as I made my way toward Adriana, but my movements stopped as a crowd of people joined her making it nearly impossible to speak with her alone.
Crap.
I swiveled my head around until I found an attendant who was just standing there, waiting for someone to ask for something.
"Excuse me, where is the restroom?"
"Second hallway, fourth door on the left." He said with a sympathetic smile as if he knew I was about to have a panic attack.
"Thank you." I said breathlessly as I made my way toward the bathroom.
Once inside, I shut the door hard and leaned against it with my eyes closed in utter disbelief of how stupid I just made myself look.
You just crashed into the owner of this house and ruined his shoes that probably cost more than you make in a year.
Taking a few steps toward the sink, I ran the cold water, needing something cool against my heated flesh that was red and flushed from embarrassment.
As I raised my eyes toward the mirror, I half way expected to see an elegant woman staring back at me, someone refined like Adriana who looked the part and blended in with the glamorous surroundings. But that's not who I saw at all. It was just me. Kinsley. In a tight ass dress.
Get a hold of yourself. You aren't here to make friends. You're here to look professional and play the part to gain clientele. Quit acting like a jittery mess and pull your shit together.
Bracing my weight with my hands against the sink, I pushed out a hard breath as I regained my composure. I straightened my spine and rolled my shoulders back, correcting my posture and lifting my chin.
Let's try this again.
This time when I exited the bathroom, I tried to emulate the refinement and elegance that I was surrounded by. I joined Adriana, giving her a smile as she introduced me to her friends and family members, trying to push my embarrassing accident to the farthest corner of my mind.
To my surprise Adriana was able to spark some interest in my work, showing pictures of the pieces I had completed that were already in her home. Everything was going well and I was feeling much more accepted and comfortable until I felt the sensation of eyes on me.
It was a deep burning sensation in my gut, willing me to turn around, feeling like someone was physically touching me with their gaze.
Turning my head over my shoulder I searched for the pair of eyes that felt like they were burning into me, only to find Dane staring at me from across the room, leaning against a bar top that had a wall of wine bottles on display behind it. The crowded room obstructed my view of him slightly and I had to shift my stance in order to see him better, but there he was, staring directly at me, bracing his weight on the bar top with his forearms.
I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and swallowed hard, feeling a blush creep up my neck at the thought of him staring at me.
Maybe he's pissed about the shoes. Or maybe he's pissed that I'm in his house.
Dane's expression wasn't happy, but it didn't come across as angry either. It was intense and deep and made me feel like the air around me was too thick to breathe.
I tried to focus on the conversation that the group was having, but my gaze kept darting over my shoulder toward Dane.
Another man had joined him - a man that had his shirt sleeves rolled up, exposing multiple tattoos. He looked rugged and ruthless which was a different look than Dane's clean sophistication, but both men were equally as gorgeous and powerful. They both seemed to be staring at me now and as much as it affected me, I pretended not to notice.
Stop looking at them Kinsley, they are obviously irritated that you're here, probably pissed about the shoes. Just focus on the conversation around you and ignore them.
My eyes tried to find a focal point in front of me, but found a metallic mirror-like reflective surface instead, giving me a perfect view of the two men behind me, leaning on the bar top.
They were clearly talking about me because their mouths were moving, but their gaze was unyielding. I shifted to one side slightly, and watched the reflection as their pointed stares still had me pinned and moved with me wherever I went.
He must realize that I wasn't invited. This is his house and I'm a clumsy stranger who ruined his shoes.
Just as I had worked myself into a panic and convinced myself the bouncers were going appear out of nowhere and drag me out, Dane's eyes met mine in the reflection of the mirror. I held his gaze for a second or two before he shot me a wink that made my insides melt and my knees go weak.
Dane's devilish grin was the last thing I saw before he and the other man disappeared from sight.
I turned over my shoulder, instinctively searching for him and the other man, but the bar area was empty and they were nowhere to be found.