The lights were bright and everyone was decked out in their most glamorous outfits. The ladies were all in designer gowns in every color of the rainbow. The men were in almost identical tuxedos, a few were wearing colorful cummerbunds.
Gus took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and wished it were a beer. Taking a sip, he grimaced as he scanned the room, wondering if there was anyone he really needed to speak to here tonight or if he could just make a few rounds of the room then head on out. He decided that he would make one round of the room, then decide how important the night might be for ATI to have a presence here. He was willing to forsake the hockey game that was playing tonight as long as he could make some progress on some project or help one of his brothers out on theirs with a useful contact.
After an hour, he had to smother a yawn. He was steadily making his way to the door when someone dropped a pen right in front of him. Gus bent down to pick it up and was confronted by the best set of legs he’d seen in about two weeks. Tennis lady, he thought. He banished the idea. He had been thinking about her ever since he’d played golf that afternoon. She’d popped into his mind at the oddest moments.
He was embarrassed to say that he hadn’t seen her face. But he definitely knew her legs.
He stood up, about to turn away when the most beautiful blond turned to smile her thanks, her hand outstretched to take back her pen.
Gus slowly surveyed her slender figure clad in a sea green dress ala the 1950s. It was tee-length with a fitted bodice that smoothed over very lovely breasts, he thought. They weren’t too big or small, just right for his hands, he considered. She had the tiniest waist but then her figure was covered by the flaring skirt held up by yards and yards of chiffon and toole.
His eyes finally made it higher and he took in the loveliest blue eyes he’d ever seen, and skin so perfect, he wanted to touch her cheek to see if it was real or made of porcelain. Her long eyelashes were slightly closed, eliminating his view of her eyes, a fact that made him want to make her smile so she would look back up at him.
He knew he was making her self-conscious. He was being rude and his mother would have been horrified if she were still alive. The woman was actually blushing while he made his perusal, but he couldn’t help it. He was literally speechless. He wanted to say something witty or even intelligent to put her at her ease, but he couldn’t think of anything.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Gus raised his eyebrows in question.
“For the pen,” she said, a small hand waiving toward his own hand that was holding her pen.
“Oh!” Gus reacted, startled. He’d forgotten that he was even holding her pen. “I’m sorry, here you go.”
He stretched out his hand and offered her the pen, aware that she was avoiding looking at him again. That didn’t sit well with Gus. When she was about to take her pen, his large hand closed over hers, holding it prisoner with his gentle grip. “I’m Giuseppe Attracelli. My friends call me Gus,” he said, his mind screaming his need to see her beautiful, crystal, blue eyes again.
“Hello, Mr. Attracelli. It is very nice meeting you but I have to go,” she said, clearing her throat to get the words out.
“Aren’t you going to tell me your name?”
The woman shook her head. “I really need to go,” she replied.
But he wouldn’t release her hand. When she pulled away, his other arm reached out and held her elbow so her hand couldn’t pull away from his. “So you’re the mystery woman of the evening, correct? May I guess your name?”
“No, please, I really need to…”
“Lorelie?”
The woman’s eyes shot up to his and he chuckled at her reaction. “Not exactly, but I’m close, right? So you’re not an Irish poem or legend. But you are probably named something soft and beautiful. Is it Alana?”
The vision glanced away, trying desperately to find an escape.
“Bingo!” Gus chuckled, and smiled at her blush. “Why are you trying to leave? We’ve only just met? I promise to behave if you’ll honor me with a dance.”
“No really…”
“Alana! How are you doing?” a man came up beside her. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
“Hello, Brian,” the woman said and moved imperceptibly closer to Gus.
Gus didn’t understand the situation, but he understood the body language. This woman, obviously named Alana, did not like Brian whatever his name is.
Gus eyed the man and wasn’t impressed. He was only about an inch taller than Alana in her heels and seemed like he should be on a used car lot rather than a society ballroom. He wore the requisite tuxedo but had a bright green cumber bun with paisley designs. His bow tie matched his cumber bun ensemble. There was nothing overtly wrong with the man, but Gus took an instant dislike to him. It didn’t help that he bent to kiss Alana who obviously did not want to receive it. Brian originally was aiming to kiss her lips, but Alana turned at the last moment so the man’s lips landed on her cheek instead.
“How about a dance for old time’s sake, huh?” he turned to Gus and offered a cheesy smile. “You don’t mind, do you old man?” and he started to reach between the two of them to take Alana’s arm.
“Actually, Brian, Gus and I were just heading onto the dance floor. Perhaps another time?” she said and her voice was very assertive. Gone was the soft whispers and shyness.
Gus put his hand on the small of her back and nodded to the shorter man. “Excuse us, please.”
He led her out onto the dance floor and took her into his arms, not bothering to look back to see how Brian was taking the rejection. He suspected that the man didn’t like rejection too well.
They had been swaying to the music for several minutes before she spoke. “Thank you,” she said, and her voice was quiet again, but at least she wasn’t whispering.
“My pleasure,” Gus said, and smiled down at her.
Alana looked up and she was almost dizzy. The man was too tall for her tastes, she told herself. And too handsome. Why did he have to have that dimple when he smiled? Her heart went into overdrive when he smiled down at her like that.
“Who was he?” Gus asked.
“No one important.”
Gus considered that for a moment. “I think he was pretty important. Most people don’t react like that to acquaintances.”