"Good evening, Mr. Lexwood."
A sharp and curtly dressed man said in a British accent. He was a little on the shorter side but made up for that with his warm smile and sunny attitude.
"Good evening to you too, John." Adam replied formally. For a moment I mused at how wonderfully the name John suited the man in front of me. Suddenly, as if he noticed me at then he greeted me a few seconds later, "Oh! Good evening, ma'am"
I smiled and greeted him back, shaking hands. "I am John Sutherend, David sir's butler. You must be..." he trailed of and seemed to hesitate at that point.
"Girlfriend? Yes. Ria Malhotra." I completed it for him.
His smile broadened, "Ah, I see. Welcome to Lexwood's Residence." I opened my mouth to answer but another deep voice answered instead.
"Yes, John, now that pleasantaries are aside can we enter as its unbearably cold outside?"
His voice was a tad bit annoyed. I frowned. It wasn't unbearably cold outside.
"I apologize sir. Please come in." Johnathan said sheepishly as he moved aside. Adam pressed his warm hands on the small of my back, gently pushing me inside. Once we were inside, Adam turned to Johnathan.
"Where are they?" He demanded. "Main hall sir. Everyone arrived even the Brooke family. Only your—" Johnathan explained only to be cut off by Adam.
"I know. I was informed." My frown became deeper and I looked at Adam who stared back at me. Our 'staring competion' was inturupted by a fake cough. Both our eyes darted back to the neatly dressed British butler. "Mr. Lexwood. Ms. Malhotra. I take your leave now. I have a lot of unfinished businesses to attend. Enjoy the evening sir and ma'am." With that he briskly walked away with his leather shoes loudly tapping on the wooding flooring.
Once Johnathan was out of earshot I asked Adam, "Did that man just came out of a Victorian painting?" Adam gave a booming laugh that nearly startled me.
"Ria you are yet to see the rest of my family. After that you will come to a conclusion that Johnathan is the most sane person here." He said leading me to the grand stair case.
"That is totally encouraging." I replied dripping with saracasm. "But anyway, who is David?"
He shrugged, "My dad?"
Okay that is seriously disheartening. I know absolutely nothing about his family and is pretending that i am his true love. Nice going, a voice inside me snickered. I shoved all those thoughts aside and quietly followed Adam. Soon we reached two big wooden doors that were opened by two of the securities who stood erect on seeing Adam. We slowly sailed inside. When we entered, my jaws dropped. It was a beautifully decorated hall with a classy aura everywhere. Ribbons, beautiful flowers— not to mention my favoraite lillies— It was plain...expensive and amazing. Ah, the perks of being a billionaire.
"Wow.." I said in a mere whisper as Adam simply smirked next to me.
Suddenly, a soft feminine voice called out pulling me from gawking. "Adam! You came!" A woman of about fifty or so, clad in a peach party gown came half running at us. Adam left my side and bend down to embrace the woman. "Thanks mom." I heard him whisper.
Shocking to say but the moment he left me, I felt a strange loneliness. Even though he was around only for a few minutes, I missed his warmth. Or the smell of his cologne and mint. Or his Armani suit rustling beside me. Or—
"Mom, I want you to meet Ria." His hand were back on my waist and gently pulled me to his side, much to my relief. The woman came in front of me smiling ear to ear. "And Ria, meet my mom, Lorriane." He turned to me with his blue eyes shining like the deep sea on a sunny day.
This time I let go of Adam and leaned to the lady to kiss her cheeks. "Hello, Mrs. Lexwood."
She pulls back and waves her hand dissmissively. "Aw, don't call me that. It makes me feel older that I am. Call me Lorriane or better yet call me Lori." I smiled. "I think I'll stick to Lorriane." Her unfaltering smile widens, "Anything my dear." She holds me by my shoulders affectionately.
"Oh! Who do we have here?" A deep voice lifted my attention from Lorriane to someone behind her. Another man in suit, who looked like an older version of Adam was patting Adam on his back. Huh? That doesn't even make sense. The annoying voice at the back of my head said. But now I concentrated on Adam's older xerox copy coming to me. He stood in front of me and looked back at Adam, "You finally brought her, eh?" With that he gave me his hand to the 'the poor awestruck' me.
"David Lexwood. May I know your name gorgeous?" The man asked. Oh! That explains it. He is Adam's dad. I mentally rolled my eyes at my stupid conscience.
"Ria Malhotra." I said as he kisses my knuckles. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. No wonder why my son fell for you. You are really gorgeous." A warmth crept to my cheeks and I was blushing.
"Ah, my David is right for the first time." A very old woman barged into our circle. I blinked at her a few times. "Oh my dear, don't looks confused. I am your boyfriend's stubborn grand mom, Claire." She beamed at me.
"Hi, I am Ria malhotra." I said timidly, taking time to recover from the blush. To my surprise, Claire just rushed at me and pulled me into a tight embrace as if I was her long lost blanket. "I am really happy." She pulls me apart at her arms length, "I am really happy cause I finally get to see Adam's girl. You have no idea how much I longed to see you."
I felt a pang of guilt at her genuineness. What will she feel if she comes to know if I am not what she think I am? I sighed mentally. "Thank you, ma'am" I mumble.
Suddenly she frown. Wait did she get that I am Adam's fake girlfriend?! Will she hang me?! I gulped. "I do appreciate your politeness but not with me. I am already irritated with Johnathan calling me that. And I am not letting Adam's girl to call me the same." She frowned like a cat who didn't get its cream. I giggle nervously.
"So...what should I call you?" I asked her smiling hesitantly.
To my relief, she broke out into a bright smile. "Call me Claire. That would be nice."
"Okay..Claire." I said and she laughed for some unknown reason. She turned towards Adam to my surprise and said, "You better take good care of her, boy. She's such a sweetheart." She faced me smiling more brightly, "Go ahead, Ria. I think Adam is irritated of me holding you back." She winked and giggled before leaving me stunned and rooted to that spot.
Did that granny just wink?
"Yes, she did." Adam said, starting me out of my thoughts. He was staring at me with amusement in his eyes. "Shit! Did I say that aloud?" I cursed. Adam chuckled, "I don't know if you know about it but you always do it when you are zoned out." I bit my lip in emarrasment as he chuckled some more. But a shrill voice made us freeze. Made Adam freeze, to be particular.
"Adam? Aren't you introducing me to your girlfriend?" A woman of my age with light brown hair in a red party gown said. Wait a minute. Did she just tell that 'girlfriend' part a bit nastily? My conscience barked. At times my conscience is a sh!t.
To my utter surprise, Adam rolled his eyes. The Adam Lexwood just rolled his eyes. Oh my gosh! I can reap a hell a lot of money from papprazzi if I have this picture. Okay, its not time to think of money now..especially when a total b!itch-looking woman is crossing her arms and glaring at me.
"Ria, meet my childhood friend Sarah and Sarah, meet Ria my girlfriend." He rushed an indroduction as quick as an express train. I was a tad bit confused but I anyhow decided not to be rude and gave the glaring woman my hand to shake, "hello, Sarah"
She looked at my hand as if it had all the filth in the world and ignored my hand just like that! I slowly withdrew my hand. "Yeah, hi." She flipped her hair uninterestingly. When I thought that this scene can't get any more weird, Adam met some other suit-man and goes over to talk to him, leaving me alone with the b!tch who call herself Sarah.
The whole atmosphere changed as soon as Adam left. Sarah scrowled at me with all the hate in the world, "You maybe feeling too good about yourself for stealing one of the the most eligible bachelor in America. But I know my Adam more than anyone else. And I know that you are just an infatuation...a-a passing cloud for him. He will come back to me no matter how long it takes him. He simply doesn't know to sort the true love from all the money-diggers around him. One day he will open his eyes and he will come back to me..forever. Humph!"
With that she spun on her heels and dashed through the crowd. Wha—? What was wrong? She just yelled at my face and stomped away? Just like that? My Adam? Infactuation? Passing cloud? True love?
Ah, then the realization just dawned on me. She is jealous. She is a blasted jealous pumpkin. My conscience snickered evilly. As if on cue, a waiter with chamagne flutes passed by. I causually scooped one of them and sipped. Ha! Now you call this a party! I grinned and for the first time I appreciated my conscience.
"Babe, let's go." A familiar voice said as a familiar warmth came on my waist directing me somewhere. Babe? I looked at Adam and rose an eyebrow. He just shrugged and looked to his side. Following his gaze I met the 'wicked witch of west' whom I met minutes before, spying on us. Time to bring your inner acteress to life, Ria. I grinned. I purposely leaned on Adam and purred, "Sure, honey." Adam stiffened on my spontaneous reaction which is quite natural if your best friend half-hugged you while drawling seductively. Duh! But Adam regained his composture very quick and smirked down at me. He mouthed, 'thanks' and I winked. He shook his head while chuckling lightly which was soon accompanied by me.
We went towards an individual dinner table and sat next to each other. Everyone was busy talking, drinking, some having food while introducing each other.
"No dancing?" I mused out aloud.
"Sorry to say, not now. Maybe after cake cutting ceremony." Adam replied as he slowly sipped his champagne. I nodded. "Anyway, what's with that brunette female and her attitude?" I asked finishing my champagne.
He bit his lip and looked pretty hot doing that. Wait, did I say he's hot? "A blast from the past.." he replied and I rose my eyebrow indicating that it is not enough. He cleared his throat. "Well, she is the only daughter of my dad's friend and I knew her from childhood itself. She kinda has a crush on me and I used to flirt around with her in my teenage..and now she's a huge headache." He finished. I took time to register everything into my brain as silence wrapped around us.
"I told Claire not to bring in everyone to meet you and it seems she kept her promise." He said out of blue. I scrunched my eyebrows together. "Why?" I asked.
"What if any one of them spills your name out to media? You don't want to be the cover page of the tabloids, do you?" He said sobering up and I shook my head as an answer. "Well then, even if someone meets you, just tell that you are my date and omit the part where you are my girlfriend." He said and took a sip from his flute. Then we just kept staring at each other for a minute. Awkward... my conscience sang.
Suddenly, a female announced the family to gather up for cake cutting ceremony and we got up. I quietly gave myself into his arms and we walked up to the podium. Then every thing was a blur. There was a massive cake. There was claps and cheers echoing. There was Claire cutting and a blinding amount of flashes from camera. Wondering why everything is blur? Well, I kinda zoned out. I know, I have the most weirdest tendency to zone out almost everywhere. When I regained into full attention, we were walking away from the podium towards....dancefloor?
"Huh?" I snapped back to see Adam's smirking face beside me.
"Dance. Isn't that you wanted? Or would you prefer going back to your daydream?" He teased me lightly to which I giggled.
"Bet I wanna dance though daydreaming is also a good option —woah!" In a swift swirl I was in waltz position with Adam. Gosh! His face is inches away from me and I could get the strong smell if his cologne and minty smell. He even had a five o' clock shadow on his jaws! His sea blue eyes, perfect nose,...
"So..are you giving your first dance to me?" He asked, his hot breath fanning against my face and a smug smile playing on his lips.
"S-sure." I breathed out just as the song started and the lights dimmed automatically, enhancing the effect. Oh-oh!
♪'When your looks don't work like they used to before
And I can't sweep you off your feet..'♪
One of his hands stayed in the small of my back and his other hand held my hand to his hard chest. He slowly swayed with the song making my traitor body to do the same. My heartbeat skyrocketed instantly. Oh god! What's happening to me?!
♪'Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks'♪
♪'And darling I will be loving you till we're 70
And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23'♪
I could hear my heartbeat in my ears..lub-dub..lub-dub..lub-dub..His arms pulled me closer to his hard frame, imprisoning me. His slightest touch sent delightful shivers through me. I was conscious of when his warm flesh touched mine. The occational jolt of his thighs brushing against my hip made my body tingle from contact. "Relax.." he whispered in my ears and I nearly gasped out of our close proximity.
♪And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways..
Maybe just the touch of a hand
Oh me I fall in live with you every single day
And I just wanna tell you I am♪
He gently dipped me all the while his hands safely holding me as if I was some fragile glass. When I was pulled back up, all I could see was his blue eyes staring at my green ones with deep intensity. We swayed together not once breaking our eye contact as I looked into them as if I was seeing them for the last time in my life.
♪So honey now
Take me into your loving arms kiss me under the light of thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out aloud♪
I inhaled his pure masculine scent with so much of passion that even I felt like my knees getting weak. His delicious smell instantly sent my hormones running wild in my body. Oh god! I am in deep trouble. Help me..!
♪Maybe we found love right where we are..♪
♥♥
'Love and electricity is the same. If you dont feel the jolt in your soul every time a kiss is shared, a whisper is spoken, a touch is felt, then you are not really in love at all.'
— C. J Frank
(A perfect quote for this chapter) *wink*