Authors: Sheena Morrish
The presenter of the evening waited until everyone had taken their seats before announcing the first part of the entertainment. The fashion show began moments later and Gabby found several things that she wanted to bid on. Some of the outfits were gorgeous while others didn’t really appeal to her but she noticed that Callie seemed to appreciate those outfits more. Luca seemed to appreciate those outfits too but for a different reason she was sure.
After the models had shown off all the various outfits they returned to have the outfits bid on. Gabby made sure to bid for several of the outfits and although she lost on a couple she was successful on at least three of her favourites. An awkward moment came though when Gabby bid for a dress she really liked and Callie bid for the same dress that started a bidding war. Callie wouldn’t back down and neither would Gabby. She knew what Callie was trying to prove here. If she gave up the dress then Callie would think that she had the rights to Nik but Gabby wanted to prove that she didn’t give up so easily. That strategy worked right up until everyone else dropped out of the bidding. Now it was just her and Callie. The dress was now at an exorbitant amount and everyone else was starting to speculate on just why the two of them were still in a bidding war. Realising what a fool she was making of herself Gabby decided to gracefully withdraw from the bidding. She was willing to let Callie win the dress but that by no means meant that she was willing to give up Nik to the cheap tart. It looked as though Callie was about to win the dress but then in what must have been his way of showing support Nik outbid her by a ridiculous amount and Callie gave up.
Gabby wasn’t sure what to make of Nik’s gallant gesture. Was he trying to show his support to her and prove to Callie that whatever she might think his wife came first? Or was he simply trying to act the part of caring husband? Callie didn’t seem to care that Nik had taken the dress from her and she continued to flirt with him though Gabby noticed he didn’t flirt back but that was probably just because they had company.
“Well that was intense,” Luca whispered in her ear and Gabby smiled at him. He wasn’t as oblivious as he always made out and he could obviously tell that she was uncomfortable around Callie but instead of confronting Callie or Nik he simply kept Gabby’s mind off it all by talking to her.
The rest of the fashion show passed without incident and then came the background music and the meal. It was a fabulous five course meal with the most exquisitely presented food and the most delicious tasting morsels. It was definitely worthy of the costly price tag that the evening had cost them. The entertainment continued even through the meal with a string quartet playing softly for them while they conversed.
Gabby had a lovely conversation with Lisa about her newest charity work which included Lisa visiting several children in care along with other volunteers and together they helped the children to find a career that they were passionate about so they could show them that no matter how awful things looked now all they needed was a little hard work to achieve something great. Lisa had even told her about a few of the success stories. They hadn’t been doing the programme long but one of the boys who had previously been thought of as a trouble maker had discovered a career that intrigued him and since then had studied hard and was now embarking on a new job as a chef and his employers were already raving about his skills.
Gabby had noticed that the entire time she had been conversing with Lisa Callie had been monopolising all Nik’s attention. What had pissed her off though was that Nik was letting her. He hadn’t once tried to talk to her although he kept lightly touching her but she was certain that was more of a message to Luca than any indication of his feelings towards her.
“You can’t be serious,” she told Luca after he had kept her entertained with more stories of his troublemaking and everyone around the table except Nik and Callie had been equally entertained.
“Deadly so,” Luca assured her and she began to laugh.
“There is no way that you tricked a girl in to thinking you were Prince William only to run in to Prince Harry two minutes later,” Gabby said with a shake of her head and Luca grinned.
“I never said she was a smart girl,” he reminded her and she rolled her eyes at him.
“So what did you do when Harry realised what you were doing?” Gabby asked and Luca’s eyes twinkled as he leaned closer.
“Harry simply ordered some champagne and put it on my tab,” Luca told her and she stared at him in disbelief.
“There is absolutely no way that he would sell out his brother like that,” she said and he grinned.
“I’ve met old Harry a few times and it was his idea to use the prince disguise. A couple of champagnes for him and a cute girl for me, it’s all good.” Luca said and Gabby snorted with laughter.
“You are so full of it,” she told him and he laughed along with her.
It felt good to actually be enjoying herself for once and Gabby was finally glad that she had come out for the evening. It felt good to be around other people instead of focused only on her own problems.
“Champagne?” a waiter offered as he came round and Gabby shook her head as she took the option of cold water instead. She hadn’t eaten much and didn’t want to lose her head to the drink.
“Can’t handle your drink?” Callie asked and Gabby offered a polite smile but didn’t answer. She was getting pretty sick of having to deflect all of the other woman’s barbs.
“Not hungry?” Nik asked her softly and she raised her eyes to glare at him. How dared he take an interest in her just because his mistress had obviously finished her important conversation with him?
“I’m fine,” she answered coolly and Nik sent her a questioning glance but didn’t comment further which somehow made her feel like a petulant child.
After the meal there was dancing and Callie was quick to secure Nik as her partner and though he asked Gabby’s permission it was obvious to her that he couldn’t care less what she thought of him dancing with his mistress. Before she could get too down about it though Luca offered her a dance and Gabby gracefully accepted. It had been too long since she had enjoyed herself and she thought that now was the perfect time to start.
She was thoroughly enjoying being spun about and was laughing at Luca’s enthusiastic dancing. He was a good dancer when he wanted to be but was obviously not too bothered about impressing any one this evening. She was enjoying herself so much that she almost managed to forget that Callie and Nik were dancing together nearby. That was until a slow song started and she saw them move closer. Luca caught her in to his arms and they swayed together thought it felt awkward to be so close and she gave him a nervous smile.
“I don’t think I’ve ever slow danced with a girl I wasn’t trying to seduce,” said Luca suddenly and Gabby laughed at that.
“So I should either be honoured or concerned?” she asked and it was his turn to laugh.
“You are the about the only woman safe from my irresistible charms,” he assured her and she relaxed in to his arms. She knew Luca was a flirt and that he didn’t mean anything by it but she didn’t want to think that he might actually want something between them. Even when she left Nik she would never risk ruining his relationship with his cousin like that.
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” she quipped and he grinned.
“Only the really pretty ones,” he said and she laughed again. They were interrupted abruptly when Luca turned her and they found Nik stood behind them wanting to cut in. Luca was only too happy to give her up to his cousin as he smoothly switched partners with him.
“You two looked cosy,” Nik commented with a dark scowl and Gabby glared at him. Was he actually going to stand there and tell her that it was fine for him to spend all night flirting with Callie in front of everyone but not for her to have a simple conversation with Luca?
“We were having a pleasant conversation until you interrupted,” she said with a huff and his eyes narrowed on her.
“I don’t want you around Luca,” he told her and she stared at him in shock. What exactly did he think her and his cousin would get up to?
“Tough,” she said coldly and it was his turn to look shocked. Did he really think that she would simply let him tell her what to do?
“You would continue to see my cousin after I told you not to?” he asked and she shrugged.
“I will continue to see your cousin because I have no reason not to. I don’t know what exactly you think Luca’s doing but I can assure you that we are just friends,” she told him and his face darkened though she didn’t know what she had done to make him angry.
“I forbid you to be friends with my cousin,” Nik growled as he pulled her closer against his firm body. Gabby hated herself for the fact that even while she wanted to kill him she found herself eagerly responding to his slightest touch.
“You forbid me?” she said in disbelief and hated that it came out sounding slightly breathless.
“You heard me,” he said and she glared at him. How dared he? He couldn’t tell her what to do. She would do as she damn well liked.
“Loud and clear,” she answered and before he could guess what she was planning she had torn herself from his arms and stormed off the dance floor. She didn’t even care that she was making a signal. To hell with what everyone thought. They would all find out the truth soon enough anyway.
Needing a few moments to herself Gabby headed to the bathroom and took a few minutes to calm herself down and dispense with her anger. After ten minutes she freshened herself up and was about to leave when who should enter but Callie. Gabby immediately stepped to the side to let her pass but Callie didn’t seem in any hurry and she stopped before her and gave a mocking smile.
“Trouble in paradise?” Callie asked and Gabby glared at her.
“Everything’s fine,” she said and Callie gave a tinkling laugh at that.
“Didn’t seem like that from my point of view. Looked to me like you were trying to force yourself on Nik’s poor cousin and if he hadn’t of saved you from making a fool of yourself then everyone would have realised how pathetic you are,” Callie said while Gabby clenched her hands in to fists. Honestly, the woman drove her up the wall.
“You were mistaken,” she said tightly and Callie flipped her red hair back with a pout.
“Hm, perhaps. I wouldn’t make any plans this weekend if I were you,” she said out of the blue and Gabby frowned at that.
“And why is that?” she asked wondering why Callie would care what she did for the weekend.
“I just didn’t want you being disappointed,” Callie said and Gabby stared at her in confusion.
“Disappointed in what?” she asked and Callie smirked at her.
“It’s just that Nik told me he’s surprising me with a romantic weekend away and I would hate to think that you had planned something only for it to go to waste,” Callie told her and Gabby wanted to throttle the cocky little cow.
“If you’ll excuse me,” she said firmly and Callie backed off with a satisfied smile while Gabby put as much distance between them as she could.
While Gabby had been having a confrontation in the bathroom Nik had been having his own confrontation back at the table. Everyone else was either dancing or at the bar or in the bathroom except for Nik and Luca. Nik had thought it was the perfect time to set his cousin straight on a few things.
“Back off!” was his opening statement and Luca stared at him in confusion as he had some of his whiskey.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Luca said and Nik snorted at that. Of course he knew what this was about. Everyone in the room knew what this would be about. What kind of man came to a charity event and spent the whole time trying to steal another man’s wife?
“Stay the hell away from my wife,” Nik growled and Luca raised one dark brow at that.
“What exactly do you think I’m going to do?” Luca asked and Nik glared at him.
“I’ve seen you flirting with her,” he snapped and his cousin shrugged.
“She’s a beautiful woman and I am a natural flirt,” he reminded him and Nik glowered at him.
“She also happens to be my wife!” he snapped.
“A fact that I would be forgiven for forgetting if tonight was any indication,” Luca suggested and Nik looked confused.
“I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about,” he denied and Luca snorted.
“Like you haven’t realised that you’ve been giving your assistant more attention than you’ve been giving your wife,” Luca informed him and Nik frowned at that.
“Of course I’ve been giving my assistant more attention. She only came here as a favour to me and she doesn’t know anyone here,” he said and Luca shrugged.
“Just seems to me that if you had spent as much of that time with Gabby then she wouldn’t have needed to talk to me,” he suggested.
“Just stay out of my business and away from my wife!” Nik snapped and Luca shrugged.
“If Gabby needs me then I’m here for her. At least until you get a clue and realise what is actually going on,” Luca said which made Nik clench his jaw. He might even have hit his cousin if Gabby hadn’t arrived back at that moment.
“Everything alright?” he asked her and she gave a faint smile but both men noticed that something wasn’t quite right. Before Nik could ask her about it though Callie also returned and demanded his attention with a sudden issue from work. His wife could wait he decided as he went over the details with Callie to solve the problem.