Page 149 of Poison Aches

No one in this entire world looks like him, but this man in front of me…WOW.

He’s dressed in a tux, but the bow tie hangs over his neck, with the shirt collar open and exposing tanned flesh.

Jesus, he’s handsome. Like insanely gorgeous!

“Thank you,” he suddenly says softly, a bit amused.

“What?”

“You said I’m handsome,” he says with a smile. “Thank you.”

“I did?”

Oh great! Now I’m revealing my thoughts.

“Sì.” His Italian accent is full-fledged now. And sexy!

“Are you Italian?”

“I am.”

“I… I wasn’t eavesdropping… I just…” I trail off, not knowing what to say. “I got lost.”

He watches me, still smiling, but his dark, intelligent eyes are tracking me, studying me, seeing more than they should, I’m sure.

I’ve felt that gaze before… but from emerald eyes so peculiar, they expose you.

“I guess I’ll just… head back to the party.”

With that, I turn on my heel and escape through the door I was led in from.

In a blind rush, I take several turns until I hear the crooning of the music.

Yes, the exit was closer to the ballroom.

I take a chance and take a corner and then I find myself smack-dab in the ballroom, just as someone clinks a glass to get everyone’s attention.

“Good evening once again, ladies and gentlemen!” a perfectly-pitched feminine voice speaks.

Her tone is cheerful, a bit coy and hitting all the right notes of someone who knows how to capture the attention of a room effortlessly.

“Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to come out tonight, looking beautiful and distinguished, might I add, all to celebrate my father. Some of you literally flew in from your vacations, some from overseas on business trips and others are longtime family friends that never miss an event. Your loveand generous support is so, so appreciated and for that, I can’t thank you enough.”

An enthusiastic and appreciative round of applause erupts in the room.

The girl speaking at the front of the room stands confidently, with the limelight on her.

From where I stand at the very back, right by the elevators all alone and looking severely out of place, I see her.

Everything in me sinks to the gleaming wooden floor.

As if being reeled in, I take a subconscious step forward, my eyes glued on the girl.

Are my eyes deceiving me?

What is this?

I see how radiant and beautiful she looks in her shimmering rose-gold evening gown that hugs her body sensually.

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