Page 13 of Destined
And now that cynical man wanted to apologise. Swinging his chair back around, Sebastian reached for his desk phone to call the temp secretary in. He had plans to make. Something for after the gala. That way he could make it up to herandthank her for all her hard work.
He smiled in anticipation. He couldn’t wait.
17
Serena
The ballroomof the hotel was like a scene out of a fantasy.
Twinkling fairy lights provided an enchanting contrast to the dark backdrop of the secret garden theme Serena had gone with for the adults that night. Her team had done an amazing job of making her vision come to life. Illuminated foliage, flowers, and cut-outs of night creatures complemented the seating and table centrepieces. She was thrilled with how beautiful it all looked.
There was a winter wonderland set up beyond the garden in which the children could play, including a “snow mountain” where they could toboggan, build snowmen, and indulge in snowball fights. There was also a crèche area where the little ones could be supervised at all times and the older ones could retire to when they were tired of playing “outside”.
With all the weeks of planning and hard work invested in this event, she couldn’t believe the day had finally arrived, but the butterflies stomping around in her stomach like a stampeding herd of elephants was a clear enough indication that it had, indeed, arrived. Now, if she could just lay a hand on a glass of champagne to steady her nerves, all would be well in her world.
Suddenly, just the idea of champagne made her queasy. Okay, maybe not champagne then. Making her way over to the bar area, she cast a last, critical eye over the ballroom before the guests arrived.
“Hey Matt, can I have a glass of sparkling water, please?”
“Sure thing, Ms Callum.”
Glass in hand, Serena turned to face the ballroom just as she heard steps behind her. Completing her turn, she spotted Sebastian sauntering her way. It took a moment to catch her breath. The sight of the man in a tuxedo was certainly a sight to behold.
The tailored suit moulded him perfectly, emphasising a body sculpted by the very angels themselves. But when he smiled at her across the expanse of floor, she had to lock her knees to remain standing. Damn, that man was lethal!
As he started to make his way towards her, the first of his guests arrived, and his attention had to be redirected. Releasing a breath she’d not been aware of holding, Serena wasn’t sure if her sigh was relief or disappointment. She silently laughed at herself as she went in search of Ginny. Her right-hand woman was there to help her make sure all went well at the most important event on the social calendar for the year.
A couple hours had passed, dinner had been served, and all Serena had seen of Sebastian were glimpses around the room. She was feeling so tired and feeling a little out of sorts, but given an opportunity, she’d love to spend a bit of time with him.
They’d spent a fair amount of time together over meetings, lunches, and dinners in the build up to the gala. And their attraction seemed to just keep growing. She wondered, though, whether this was just a fling for Sebastian.
They’d shared some mind-blowing sex, and as much as she’d promised herself she’d keep her heart out of it, she found she was getting in deeper with each encounter. It worried her that she had no idea how he felt about it all.
Almost as if she’d conjured him with her thoughts, Sebastian appeared at her side. Laying a gentle hand on the small of her back, he leaned towards her, whispering in her ear.
“I don’t think I’ve told you how beautiful you look this evening.”
Laughing up at him, she replied, “Not that I recall.”
“Well then, let me address that oversight immediately. You look simply ravishing in that dress.”
“Thank you, Sebastian. You’re looking rather handsome yourself tonight.”
A smile and shallow bow were his only response before saying, “I haven’t had a chance to speak to you this evening,piccola. You’ve done such a wonderful job with this gala. Thank you.”
Flushing at the praise, Serena gifted him with another smile.
“I’m so happy you’re pleased, Sebastian.”
Sebastian’s nearness and compliments still seemed to scramble her brain, even after all this time, and while she was frantically trying to think of something else to say, the band started playing a sultry Latin tune.
“Dance with me.”
Looking up into his eyes, the colour of rich, dark chocolate, Serena nodded.
Sebastian used the hand at her back to lead her onto the dance floor, where he then folded her into his embrace. Placing their joined hands against his chest, he pulled her in closer and swayed her to the beat.
Feeling his heart beating strong and vibrant against the back of her hand, she was glad to notice that his heartrate was elevated too. At least she wasn’t the only one affected by their nearness, even if you couldn’t tell by looking at him.
