Page 2 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince
She continued. “We’re still collecting monetary donations, and our silent auction is in the back of the room with the most amazing items for you to bid on. I want to personally thank every one of our sponsors for tonight’s event. You will see their names displayed around the room and in the swag bags you will receive at the end of the night.”
A slight murmur went through the crowd. Each year the Prince Industries swag bags at the masquerade ball were highly sought after. Companies loved to be a part of it and tended to note an increase in sales after our event.
Mom smiled at the crowd. “Thank you again for spending your timeand moneywith us tonight.” Laughter filled the room. “And here’s a few words frommyprince, Dean.” The crowd smiled and clapped.
I waited for the sound to die down before I spoke and gestured to my mother and father. “My parents are modest. They stand before you each year during this event, asking for your support, but what you don’t know is that they both volunteer with Project Little Ones throughout the year, as do I. I’m sure you will all find it in your hearts to give big tonight, and for that, we thank you. Here at Prince Industries, we strive to give back to our community, so keep your eyes open for future fundraising opportunities with us.”
A female voice yelled out from the crowd, “How about an auction to win a date with you?”
“I’d pay for that,” another woman close to the stage said loud enough for me to hear. I turned my gaze in her direction, and she boldly undressed me with her eyes.
I chuckled and paused, pretending to give it some thought. “Not tonight, ladies,” I said in my most charming voice. “But perhaps we can work something out for the next event. Thank you, everyone, for coming, and enjoy your evening.” I smiled and handed the microphone off to one of the event planners as my parents and I moved to step off the stage.
While I waited for my parents to descend to the dance floor below, a flash of blue near the ballroom entrance caught my eye. It wasn’t just the unusual color—a perfect blend of light and dark—that grabbed hold of me, but the way it shimmered and absorbed the light captivated me.
The same woman that had enchanted me earlier was back.
My gaze lingered on her luscious curves and slowly moved up to her face. Her hair was a similar shade as her dress, and her mask consisted of jeweled tones in blues and greens.
I cursed the tightness of my pants as my body responded to the sight of her. I’d never had a problem getting turned on by a beautiful woman, but I hadn’t even fully seen this one’s face.Damn hormones.It’d been far too long since I’d gotten laid. Focusing on the family business was much too time-consuming, and friends with benefits always got complicated.
Compelled by her beauty, my eyes followed her until she was swallowed up in the crowd. This need to see her again had me hurrying down the steps. As if the powers that be were working against me, a crowd of people walked past, forcing even more distance between us. At this rate, I’d be stopped by a dozen mothers thrusting their daughters at me before I found what I sought.
A flash of blue peeked out from a gap that formed when the group shifted. I grinned. Bold in my pursuit, I pushed my way through the crowd.
A rough hand clamped down on my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I worked to hide my scowl, annoyed that the pursuit of my mystery girl had been halted. I drew in a breath and forced a fake smile as I twisted to face the individual.
One of our board members—one I wasn’t overly fond of—filled my line of sight. His weaving stance and bloodshot eyes had me dreading this conversation. No doubt, he wanted to discuss an upcoming board vote and hoped to sway my decision in his favor. After a few not-so-subtle hints, I was able to slip away only to find the vision in blue was nowhere to be found.
Determined, I began to make the rounds visiting guests, shaking hands, and discreetly asking if they’d seen a woman in a striking blue dress with hair to match. Often the answer was no, but there were a few that said yes. One gentleman pointed me in the direction of the bar and mentioned he’d seen her speaking to another guest a few moments earlier.
Not understanding this lightness in my step, I made my way to the bar. A small crowd waited their turn to get drinks, and I impatiently searched for her among them, ignoring the conversations floating around me and any attempt to get me to join in.
Then the crowd dispersed, and I saw her. For a second, my body froze. All I could do was stare. I committed every curve of her luscious body to memory, just to be sure she wasn’t a figment of my imagination.
When she didn’t disappear, a satisfied smile settled on my lips. I’d found her.
I was surrounded by beautiful women dressed in expensive costumes made out of some of the most exotic materials imaginable, but none of them caught my eye until her.
She stood out.
I loved all types of women but had long ago gotten sick of being with the too-thin supermodels that frequented my circle and latched on to me. This woman’s curves called to me like a siren. Her off-the-shoulder dress hugged her voluptuous body in the most tantalizing way. The heart-shaped bodice cupped her breasts, and the rhinestones in linear rows shimmered and winked at me, taunting me to trail my fingers alongside them. I wanted to lick and kiss my way down her body while I slowly peeled her out of the gown, listening to her moans.
Feeling myself getting a little too turned on for such a public event, I focused on her hair. The blue, while tacky on anyone else, was stunning on her. The perfectly styled curls in an elaborate updo begged me to yank out those pins and run my hands through it, pulling her close enough to kiss lips I’d only imagined until now.
I’d never had the desire to chase a woman. Probably because I’d never had to. Women came to me. But she didn’t even seem to notice I was watching her. My excitement grew as I approached. I needed to find out what was so different about her, what would intrigue me so much from a distance that I had no choice but to meet her.
She leaned against the bar, forcing her hip to jut out, while she tried to flag down a bartender. The shimmer of her gown glistened when her leg shifted to reveal a slit that went up past mid-thigh.
Fuck. Me.
Immediately, my imagination shifted to what she might be wearing underneath her dress. I had to know what was beyond that sexy slit. Was it lace, silk, or satin, or something else altogether? I groaned at the thought of catching a glimpse and fulfilling the fantasies now swirling in my head.
The tip of her toe tapped in impatience as she waited for a bartender to acknowledge her—the movement allowing her leg to peek through the side of her dress and unknowingly tempt me. I forced my eyes up, noting the slight dip at her waist. She drew me in like a magnet without even realizing how her actions affected me.
With a confident swagger, I moved closer to the bar and inched my way in beside her. The top of her head barely reached my chin, even with the sexy heels she had on.
Still, she hadn’t noticed me.Interesting.
