"It's okay. I love you anyway." He felt warmth spread through him when he realized she meant it, and a shiver began from the base of his spine to the nape of his neck. He hoped he'd never stop feeling that when she told him she loved him.
"And I love you," he whispered to her as he brought her up out of the tiny dip. He pulled her close and put his hands on her hips, felt warmth when she wrapped her arms around his neck, and rested his forehead against hers. They breathed each other in as they swayed back and forth to the slow beat of a blues song. It had been one a song Julia had convinced Blake to allow to be played at the party.
The overhead lights turned from a pale white glow to blue and then back to white. The theme was classic New Year's Eve with sparkling decorations and champagne flutes with the year making up the stem. He'd thought it was cheesy, but Aiyana had liked it when they'd walked in, so he'd decorate every year like this as long as she was with him.
"Excuse me, but would you mind if I cut in for the next dance?" It was a deep male voice and as soon as the words sunk in, Blake felt a flash of jealousy.
"I'd love to," Aiyana told the man as she stepped away from Blake with a shy smile. When he turned to face the man who had interrupted the last bit of the dance, he realized it was Richard Updike, one of the department presidents.
"Richard, it's good to see your enjoying the party." He held out his hand amicably and shook with the older gentlemen. While he wasn't afraid Aiyana would leave him anytime soon, he'd just thought he'd have her all to himself that night. Not wanting to seem overly jealous or overbearing, Blake stepped back and wished them well before he returned to his seat.
Julia had chased away the man she'd been talking to and was nursing a glass of red wine. Before she realized he'd returned, she almost looked disappointed, but the look changed to a teasing interest when she caught sight of him. "You're back so soon? You didn't step on her toe, did you?"
"Nothing like that, but I might step on Richard's." He knew he could be candid around her and smiled to let her know he was joking. "Why so sad?"
"Why ever would you say that?" She smiled harder, yet he saw the waver on the one corner and knew it to be false. He waited; she persisted, and finally caved as she took another sip of her wine. "I couldn't find a date for the party, and I think I'm one of the only one here without one. Am I really that repulsive? Tell me, do my teeth look bad? Do I stink?"
She made a show of lifting up her lip with one finger and simultaneously sniffing in the direction of her armpit, making her look like a demented monkey. He couldn't help himself smiling and shaking his head.
"It could be the resemblance to a chimpanzee in your mannerisms," he joked, but he saw the flash of hurt in her eyes and instantly regretted it. Before he could think about it, he reached across the table and took hers in his. There was warmth, but never a spark between the two of them. It was just a friendly gesture of comfort. "You're perfect, Julia. Don't let a bunch of stuck up chimps in suits make you ever think you're not."
There was a moment before she withdrew her hand and put it in her lap as she rolled her eyes. "You're such a sap sometimes," she told him. "But thank you."
"So what did what's-his-name have to say?" He'd fire the bastard if he'd said something even remotely upsetting to her, even if he didn't have any grounds to really do so.
"Oh, he said some pretty nice things. It's just that he's, you know, married."
"Ah … I see." He cleared his throat as he tapped his foot on the floor, inaudible and gone unnoticed in the dimly lit, loud banquet hall. He'd rented one of the nicest places in the area, and he usually didn't enjoy these parties, but he felt as if somehow he'd changed over the past few weeks. The Blake Hanley that tried to maintain remoteness a certain about him was starting to soften, and he suspected the woman on the dance floor, discretely trying to move Richard's hand from the small of her back to the middle, was the cause of it.
"So you love her. Where's the ring, Hanley?" Julia kept her voice pitched low, but he still jumped when she mentioned it.
"Tucked safely away," he told her as he put his finger to his lips. "Now keep that big trap of yours shut about it and I might not make you do the next meeting."
She seemed to think about it before nodding. He knew she hated them, and he knew his employees hated her everlasting pep during them, so he figured he was doing it for both her and them.
Aiyana dropped down in her chair beside him and took a sip of a glass of water she'd found somewhere. The ice clinked in it and she sighed contentedly when she set it down on the table.
"Having fun?" Blake inquired innocently.
"Oh, I'm sure you saw just how much fun I was having." Her smile warmed him and the thought that she didn't enjoy another man's hand where he wanted to rest his forever warmed him more. She careened her neck around to look for a clock, but found none. "How are we supposed to know when it's midnight?"
"When the announce … -" he was about to tell her when the announcement went off, blaring into existence as the music faded away.
"Ladies and gentlemen, a toast to the New Year!" The announcer brayed into the microphone. He'd obviously had one too many. "May all your troubles during the coming year be as short as your New Year's resolutions!" he shouted into the microphone. There were cheers and drinks sloshed back as the announcer counted down from ten.
When he was at three, Blake felt a warm hand slip into his. And as he turned when the announcer whooped to signify the New Year had come, Aiyana's warm lips were pressed against his. He parted them deftly with his tongue and slipped his free hand to the nape of her neck, tilting her head back to open further her mouth for him. She moaned and shivered beneath his touch. He pulled away just before it could get R-rated and smiled as he looked down at her.
"Happy New Year," he whispered to her.
"Happy New Year," she whispered back.
Chapter Four
His hands were sweating and he wiped them, one by one as he switched the tiny black box from one to the other, on his suit pants. The limo ride home had been full of kisses, a few caresses, and promises of a fun evening, but he had to do this before he lost his nerve. Negative thoughts and nervous whispers plagued his mind as he sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to undress and prepare for bed. It was already two hours into the first day of the New Year, and he was wondering if he'd make it through the rest.
"So … I saw you with Julia," Aiyana said as she was opening the door. His heart thudded and he slipped the box into his pocket before she looked up.
"What do you mean?" he asked her as he furrowed his brow. What was she talking about?
"While I was dancing, you were holding her hand. Richard told me you two had a history," she informed him as she looked up, running her hands down her front to smooth out the white nightgown she'd put on. It contrasted with her dark skin and made his mouth water.
He realized when he caught her eyes that she w While as actually a little worried. Blake felt fear tighten his chest and anger burn through him, hot and cold at the same time.
"And you believe him?" He asked calmly, a little too serenely.
"Well, no, not really." Something in him uncoiled and relaxed, but not much. "I mean, if it's true, I don't think you're the type of person who'd cheat, so it's okay if it is true." He could see the insecurity on her face and the coil tightened again. He never wanted to see a look that like that on her face again.
"Come here," he told her as he patted the spot on the bed beside him.
Aiyana sat down beside him without hesitation. He rested his hand on her thigh and felt her muscles quiver beneath his touch. "Aiyana, I love you. I've never fooled around with Julia. If I had, I wouldn't have made her my business partner. People at my business, they misunderstand a sideways glance for telling someone you love her. It's either that or they just really love to gossip about nonexistent scandal around the water cooler."
"I love you, too." She told him as she leaned in to kiss him. He felt her lips soften and leaned into her too, parting her lips and placing his hand on her cheek while he kissed her. Before it could get too heated and he lost control, he slipped the box from him pocket and flipped it open. Aiyana was too distracted by his lips to notice until he pulled away gently, kissing her on the lips before holding the ring between them.
"Maybe, when I'm a married man, all those scandalous rumors will end. Aiyana, would you do me the honor of relieving me of this weight: being the subject of those embarrassing break-room whispers?" Aiyana felt her heart stop in her chest as she looked down at the ring. It was so white, the band made of white gold and the tiny diamonds scattered across it as if they were the stars gleaming in the night sky. It wasn't a huge diamond, and she was glad it wasn't gaudy, but she also didn't know if she could accept it.