As if sensing the weight of my stare, she turned to me with a look of resignation. “I can see by your face that you’re wondering what I’m doing here? I get it all the time.” She gave a mournful sigh and held out her hand. “I’m Alice Porter. Sigrid is my partner, hence the reason why I’m sat here front and centre when I’d rather be at home with my cats, knitting and watching one of my TV programmes.”
There was no way this woman could possibly be Sigrid’s partner. I was sure that my mouth must have dropped open and that I looked as if I was catching flies. I swept my gaze over Alice’s clothes, recalling what Sigrid liked to wear.
Acknowledging how rude I was being, I offered a smile. “I’m sorry, but it’s… hard to imagine you and Sigrid together… you know… the clothes,” I finished lamely, my face heating uncomfortably.
Her chuckle didn’t ease my discomfort.
“Don’t worry about it. I get it all the time. We’ve been together for twenty-seven years and she hasn’t managed to corrupt my wardrobe yet.” Her tiny hand patted my arm as she gave me a shy wink.
I roared with laughter as it registered what she’d said. I ignored the people around us who’d started to take an interest, finding myself enjoying this oddly dressed woman.
She came a little closer and whispered in my ear, “You don’t want to see what she’d picked out for me to wear tonight.” She gave a little shiver. “A lime green, fitted tunic with purple velvet trousers that resembled some form of skirt thingy.” The shiver turned into a shudder as she gave me a sweet smile. “I love her more than life itself, but her choice in clothing is never going to be foisted onto me. Not unless hell freezes over first.”
“Oh, dear lord! Didn’t you see the outfit I picked out for you?” Sigrid screeched as she stalked towards us with her hands on her hips, making the gathering crowd all turn in our direction.
I gave Alice’s arm a pat as I sat back out of harm’s way, but remained close enough to enjoy the show between them. This evening was turning out better than I’d expected.
Alice looked unconcerned as Sigrid stopped in front of us, steam almost coming out of her ears. The noise level in the ballroom suddenly lessened and I became aware that every person in the room’s attention was focused on us. Used to being observed, I lounged back in my seat, paying them no attention.
“My darling, you know I had to come straight from work. I was never going to be late for your big show, was I?” A beautiful smile, that was like a burst of sunshine which had been hiding behind the clouds, appeared, transforming Alice’s face from plain to stunning.
Sigrid giggled and bent forward to kiss Alice gently on the lips.
I blinked, swallowing the ball that had become stuck in my throat. I looked away, not wanting to intrude on the tender moment as Alice gently cupped Sigrid’s cheeks and deepened the kiss.
The facial expression on several people’s faces clearly demonstrated disgust. I glowered at them, ensuring I caught each and every person’s eye as I shifted position in an attempt to shield the couple at my side from view. Ignorant arseholes!
The word pansy floated through my mind, my hands balling at my sides before I could stop them.
“You can stop glowering at everyone now, Griffin,” Sigrid said with more than a little amusement.
The distraction was enough to stall my thoughts before they took over. “People are arseholes,” I muttered, loud enough for those close enough to hear. There were indignant snorts as people stepped farther away from me.
“That may be so, but we need them to be in a good frame of mind to ensure the show is a success, no?” Sigrid reasoned as she took the seat next to Alice, taking hold of her hand and placing it on her thigh. She glanced around, smiling at everyone and I gave her ten out of ten for keeping her cool.
The lights flashed to indicate that people needed to take their seats.
“Showtime,” Sigrid whispered to me and Alice before she turned to look at the stage.
I tuned out the compere, who spoke a little about Sigrid and the plan for the evening. I drummed my fingers on my leg as the seat on my right was taken by a statuesque blonde with a rather impressive cleavage. The pungent scent of Poison seemed to overpower every other smell in the room as she sat. Her black silk dress draped over her body showed off every asset she possessed. The smile she turned on me made me think of a black widow spider. Nodding politely, I kept my expression blank so that she wouldn’t feel encouraged to talk to me.
It had been months since I’d been on a date or had sex for the matter, but I’d had my fill of airheads that were only interested in my money. Not that I wanted a relationship, far from it. It got tiresome having to disentangle myself from women who thought they could be Mrs. Hudson.
The stage went dark and music filled the ballroom. One lone spotlight lit the back of the runway and a man came into view as he walked up the stairs.
Air that I’d just inhaled got stuck halfway between my lungs and throat as it closed over. The man’s long, willowy body was encased in a baby blue lace bodysuit that covered his torso and arms but left his lean legs bare. He stood for a moment and let everyone take in the outfit. The shaggy brown hair he’d sported earlier in the day was now slicked back to reveal his gorgeous face. Gone were the glasses as well, the piercing grey-green eyes stared down the runaway, holding me captive as they bored into me.
His face showed no recognition as he started to sway seductively towards me, his mouth in a sexy sneer that caused my nails to dig into the palms of my hands. Holy fuck! Sweat trickled down the back of my shirt as the urge to get up and leave the room became a living, breathing monster inside me. I clenched my thighs and worked on maintaining a mask of indifference, even when it was the last thing I was feeling.
What are you feeling?
Aroused
Shocked at the realisation, I stilled, breaking eye contact with the model and looking down to find the hand of the woman next to me on my thigh. When I looked at her, she gave me a predatory smile and leaned into me. “That outfit would look even better with me in it,” she whispered into my ear, her hot breath touching my skin.
A shudder of distaste ran through me.
I took hold of her hand. “I don’t think so, sweetheart,” I responded none too kindly, making sure to place her hand back in her lap.
When I looked up again, the model was halfway back up the runway and I was treated to a view of his pert backside barely hidden in lace. The arousal that had hummed to life from seeing him walk up the stairs went from a five to a solid ten and I silently cursed up a storm.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Maybe I had a brain tumour and it was fucking with my brain chemistry?
A humourless laugh escaped from me at my own ridiculousness.
Wise up and stop kidding yourself.
Charlie
Slouching on the couch in front of the TV, I chewed on my thumbnail. It was an old habit that drove my mum nuts, but I’d never been able to break it. It was a nervous habit I’d developed when I had too much going on in my head.
“I wish you’d stop that dear,” Mum said as she came into the room carrying a tray laden with all of the foods I loved to eat when I came home.
Getting decent haggis was impossible in Brighton, especially deep-fried in batter. The English seemed to turn their noses up at things like sheep’s stomach, ox caecum or chopped up lambs heart and lungs. I mean really, they didn’t know what they were missing.