"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other."
-Audrey Hepburn.
"A marriage anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance, and tenacity. The order varies for any given year."
-Unknown.
"Marriage is not just a spiritual communion, it is also remembering to take out the trash."
-Joyce Brothers.
This chapter is dedicated to Wattpad imanuelaroberts dammie201 asamaoh Tejiri2002 BlackPearl_4044
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The ballroom buzzed with excited chatters as soft music played in the background. My parents mounted the stage to give their speech and vote of thanks. Applause spread across the room. There was scraping of chairs as folks got up for a standing ovation.
After their speech, they proceeded to sit at their stationed table smiling and holding hands. They sat in front of a bouquet of baby pink roses and dad leaned for a kiss. There were cheers and someone whooped. After a few moments, the toastmaster rose from his chair and everyone else sat down. The sound of his teaspoon tapping on the side of his wine glass signalled everyone to silence.
"Watching this lovely couple together after twenty years has renewed my faith in true love." He smiled and bowed to my parents.
"I'm so honoured to be a part of this special day. I urge everyone to refill their wine glass as we toast to the two people who have brought all of us together in this room today."
The clinking sound of multiple wine glass as the guest toasted reverberated around the hall in swift melody.
The tune of the music changed to shape of you by Ed Sheeran and people flooded the ballroom as they twirled and danced in sync.
I was carried away by the beautiful moment. It looked like a scene from a romantic movie. Everything felt so surreal and I hoped to experience this beautiful feeling someday.
I felt someone tap my shoulders gently and I turned to face the smiling intruder. My jaw dropped and my face grew hotter as I took in the fine specimen that stood in front of me.
Ralph is one of the most handsome lads that I have ever seen that exudes handsomeness, sexuality and confidence without trying so hard. Intentionally or not he just sent me overdrive as I marvelled at his appearance. He was clad in a smartly tailored black tuxedo and he had his hair combed and jelled back. He has on a blue tye that matches the colour of my blue ball gown. His shoe is well polished and pointed like an Italian exhibit. He looked so good that I began to wonder if it was legal to look this good. He looked like he just got out of a studio shoot after modelling.
Fresh, hot, and clean.
Knowing how cocking he can be, the last thing I will do is give him the satisfaction he wants. Especially when I remembered how he teased me with a kiss last week.
"Do you expect me to swoon because you smiled at me?" I rolled my eyes.
"I don't expect it, you already did. Now that you are done checking me out, why don't we show these people some dance moves?" He nudged his head in the direction where people were dancing.
"Why me? There are so many other girls to ask out to dance. So be on your merry way." I shooed and took a sip from my wine.
"I think you are the best looking girl in here and if you know me better, you know I only settle for the best." He winked and pulled the chair beside me to sit.
"Really? Well, I'd better go find the best looking guy then." I grinned while his face was ashen.
He recomposed himself and his familiar smirk took it place. "Feisty, I like it."
He stood up once again and picked a wine glass from the tray of a passing wine bearer. "I can tell you want me."
"Yes, I want you to leave." I smacked my matte red filled lips and ignored him.
"Let me make this easier for you, I know how you feel about me. Goon, don't be a shy tomboy. Ask me out."
"Very well then, get out." I nudged my head towards the exit.
His eyes opened wider as he looked at me in amusement.
"You really want to miss out dancing with the most sexiest guy here?" He raised his brows and grinned.
"If you truly are the most sexiest guy here then why don't you take your sexiness away from here and go dance with someone willing?" I said innocently, battling my lashes.
He smiled and drowned his wine. He bent low beside me to drop the glass on the table.
He then whispered in my ears. "Sassy, I like my girls sassy, rigid and responsive, you are definitely learning fast, besides you know I can just point to anyone and ask for a dance. But here I am giving you the golden opportunity to dance with a hot, Greek, bad, sexy, boy yet you are playing hard to get."
I felt hot as his warm breath tickled my face, I felt blood rushing to my cheeks and I couldn't control my body as it suddenly craved his touch. But I won't give him the satisfaction that he made my body feel giddy instead, I decided to become bad and taunt him real bad that when I'm done with him, he will come begging seriously.
I pushed my chair back and stood up looking twice taller all thanks to my heels.
His mouth opened wide in shock as his eyes drank my appearance like an antidote that he needed to cure a terminal disease.
My off-shoulder blue ball gown is designed in a corset-like fashion as it outlined my cleavages that popped out like a twin breast cheek. My skin dazzled tauntingly as the chandelier settled on it. I raised the ball like lower part of the gown as I took my first step away from him while he eyes never left me.
Yeah, that's right. He should understand that the tomboy can be sexy and bad if she wants to be.
I touched my chest to ensure my silver necklace with a huge pendant that matched my silver studded earrings is still there and I gently patted my jet black hair that was styled in chignon style. My make up was done minimally and I looked like a real-life Cinderella.
I walked graciously as mom taught me. Shoulders straight, head high, a step at a time. I passed by a waiter, grabbed a flute of champagne and drank as I stopped by to greet my friends who kept Luke company.
I smiled and extended my hands to Luke for a dance which he gladly took. all of this action is just to teach him to put away with his egoism, he is not the only one who is attractive.
Luke stared at me in admiration as he led me to the middle of the dance floor with my hands on his shoulders and his hands on the small of my back as we swayed graciously and earned everyone's attention.
Just perfect, my plan is working just fine. I could see Ralph fuming and glaring at us, I'm sure if he has laser eyes, he would have burnt us alive.
I stole a glance at him and winked while he glared in return. His knuckles looked white as he grabbed his flute of champagne, burrowing holes in it. I pitied the poor innocent glass in his grasp because any minute from now the glass might shatter into pieces.
Luke swirled me around expertly like he had been doing this for long. I was surprised at how I hadn't stepped on his shoes or tripped yet.
"You look too beautiful to be real," Luke commented and caressed my open skin.
"Thanks!" I muttered too loudly as my insides somersaulted. His piercing blue eyes reminded me of a beach.
Luke stared at me adoringly, his eyes shimmered in the dim light-themed to fit in with the flow of the soft music. we stared into each other's eyes and I suddenly felt bad for using him to make Ralph jealous.
The red and neon coloured lightning changed to white as another song started playing only this time the beat is faster and most people started dancing salsa.
I felt the silhouette of Ralph as he crept up behind Luke with his face rigid and brows furrowed. He tapped Luke to let me go.
Luke refused to back down holding me tighter while Ralph growled silently as a warning. I could feel the rough tension and could feel jealousy from Ralph and possessiveness from Luke.
I patted Luke's shoulder and told him to let go, he refused for some seconds but finally changed his mind and released me but not before having a staredown with Ralph as he bumped his shoulders roughly with Ralph.
Multi-coloured lights illuminated the ballroom and loud puff of smoke lightening billowed around.
Ralph sneakily used his hands to crawl at my back before settling for my waist and pulling me closer in a swift motion. he held me tighter and used his other hand to trail my face touching every segment of my face before we started dancing fastly to the beat. He swung me around as if we were doing tango and then dramatically dipped me until the world was the wrong way up.
No words were exchanged, just eyes staring into each other and bodily contact made as we waltzed faster. people pulled away from our side giving us the deserved space as we swayed faster and farther into the dance floor.
His jacket has been removed and he had unbuttoned the first two buttons of his crispy white shirt, giving me the chance to peep at his fair muscular chest.
Lean, chiselled and muscular.
Soon enough the music ended and everyone applauded us for great performance.
We excused ourselves from the dance floor to the quiet balcony, there was no light there but the light from the ballroom reflected there.
I stood awkwardly waiting for him to say something but when he didn't say anything I decided to break the yolk of silence. We ended up talking at the same time interrupting each other.
Again there goes the awkward silence as I thought of what to say.
"You look breathtaking baby doll, honestly. I don't understand how you can mess with my brain." He confessed as his brown eyes scrutinized mine.
"You know you are crazy right." I tried to joke to lift the tension in the air.
"Yeah I agree, I'm crazy for you. Every time we meet, there is this urge to high five my tongue with yours."
I felt heat rush up to my cheeks as he held my hands tenderly and kissed it. My lips became frozen as I struggled to breathe.
"Why are you being sweet tonight?" I finally muttered as he leaned closer to me while I rested on the railing of the balcony.
"You are a great tease I give you that, but please don't ever pull that kind of stunt on me baby doll." His musical voice warned as he sounded dangerously sexy.
"So you are being cheesy tonight because of my stunt." I chuckled.
"Is this the first time I am being cheesy with you?"
"No, bu-" I started.
"Sh!" His index finger silenced my lips as his mint breath fanned my cheeks.
"You can't continue denying the chemistry between us baby doll. Proving hard to get will lead us nowhere."
"But you know I'm not your normal girl, you know my nature, you know I can never be like Nate." I countered and tried to create distance within us.
"That's the problem." He hit the rail of the balcony and the jiggled noise startled me.
"I don't need you to be like Nate. I need you to be like you because every action that radiates from you makes my heart beat faster. C'mon put your hands on my chest and feel my heartbeats." He said cupping my face.
He held my hands and placed it on his chest that beat faster than a drum.
"Listen baby doll. Only Annalise Mitchell Gray can do this to me without trying hard. My heart beats for you alone." He leaned closer trying to make me feel the urgency in his words.
"Your tomboyish attitude adds to your sexiness and mysteriousness. That was what attracted me to you in the first place. You are unique, peculiar, different from all the other girls. My heart and body crave you. You have become my addicted pill." He sighed as his eyes displayed all sincerity. His eyes communicated with mine. It said a thousand more words his mouth couldn't say.
Adrenaline rushed in my body like a flowing stream. This Ralph isn't the usual egotistical and cocky bastard. He is the sweetest Romeo prophesing his feelings.
"I like you a lot Gray, I need you in your sweatpants and tank tops, hoods, and messy hair. I don't need you to change for me. If anyone should change, it should be me changing my old ways." He picked my hands and sniffed my knuckles before kissing them without breaking eye contact.
"So you agreed to let go of your big fat ego for tonight profession." I grinned, he laughed huskily revealing his dimples and soon we were laughing so hard, feeding off each other's contagious laughter.
"You intrigue me." He leaned closer with a smile and connected his forehead with mine. our eyes stared directly and twinkled in the dim light.
A cool breeze wafted around and kissed our skin in support. The atmosphere was charged with romance. I don't know if the Indian decorators burnt some magical sage that made love radiate everywhere. But whatever it was, it was truly beautiful.
Magic, charm, and love.
We stared into the eyes of each other experiencing the attraction. Fireworks exploded in my body as I wondered what his plump cherry lips tasted like. He angled his face towards my lips and stopped to look at my eyes, as he silently asked for permission.
With a nod from me, his lips touched mine and I felt a flame of red hot fire lick my spine, my legs went weak as he nearly knocked all wind from my lungs.
Sweet, plump, and tender.
He kissed me and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hands rested below my ear, his thumb caressing my cheek as our breath mingled.
Fresh, clean, and minty.
I ran my fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between us. I could feel the beating of his heart against my chest.
His male cologne clouded my head as I inhaled all the beautiful scent like my life depended on it.
Aftershave, chocolate, champagne.
"Anna." He whispered slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savour them.
I smile, my heart fluttering at his musical voice. Never before has my name ever felt so wonderfully pronounced as he lifted me to his waist, with my back against the wall as I leaned in for another round of kiss.
Magical first kiss ever.
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~~Who thinks Anna's first kiss on her parents anniversary is romantic??~~
~~I will really like to read your opinions about this book~
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Hello lovely readers, this isn't the end of Ultimate Tomboy. The full story can be found on Novel now.
Kindly download the app, search for Ultimate Tomboy, read and enjoy the remaining chapters. You still have a long way to go to know how this story ended.