A woman concealed mostly in the darkness of the room where candlelight could not permeate sat sipping champagne. Her ice blue eyes scanned the couples romantically dining just feet from her, searching for the familiar blonde hair she'd ran her fingers through not hours before, painfully tugging in her excitement. She had the love bite on her collarbone to prove of his infidelity, but subtlety was her game and she intended to play her cards right. After all, lead the prey into the trap and then strike. Blood red nails gleamed as if talons as they encircled the stem of the champagne flute and she raised it to her lips once more, drinking in the sight of her lover and his wife.
Darien paced his study, mulling over his own thoughts, when Raye's voice broke through and he spun to face her. Leaning against the deep cherry oak door, her exotic beauty did nothing to his senses and he was disappointed at his own tolerance.
"Darien, are you almost ready to leave? We have reservations at seven"
He spared a glance at his grandfather's antique desk clock that sat on his large desk, looking outdated and unappreciated next to his high powered computer and various other gadgets. It was indeed slightly passed six thirty and he knew Raye did not like to be fashionably late when it came to dinner. He knew she expected him to change and take her out for a night on the town, which he would do willingly, if not for the amusement than for the distraction.
Crystal blue eyes haunted him as he climbed the stairs, gripping the banister in a vain attempt to rid his mind of the image.
'You're a pleasure and a curse.' Darien thought to himself as he changed into black slacks and a dark blue button down. Leaving the top three buttons undone he slung his black leather jacket over his shoulder and headed downstairs to his waiting wife.
Raye, in all her beauty, looked refreshed after relaxing in the hot tub after her tennis lessons. Her hungry violet eyes drank in his body as he neared her and she slung her arms around his neck, pushing herself closer into him and smiled seductively.
"We could stay in, if you'd like." she all but purred and he had to force himself not to scowl.
"I promised you dinner," he replied as he removed her vice like grip and placed a light kiss on her forehead, "and I don't break promises"
Her smile wavered slightly and she eased herself back down to the floor after reaching on tip toes to embrace him.
"Then dinner it is." she replied and slid her arm through his as he led the way out the door and down the front steps to their awaiting black BMW.
Across town, Andrew and Serena ate quietly in a comfortable silence as Serena dwelled on a pair of midnight blue eyes and Andrew exchanged meaningful looks with Mina, who made sure to keep herself out of Serena's site.
The perspiration on his forehead brought Serena's attention to her uncomfortable husband.
"Are you feeling okay, darling?" her sincere tone broke his concentration on his lover across the room. The beautiful blue eyes of his wife gazed up at him and he felt slightly guilty and half in a panic that Mina was so close to them. He never knew quite how to handle Mina when she was jealous and he could tell she was similar to a cat twitching it's tail, ready to strike and strike with vicious intent. Something in her pale blue gaze told him that she was out for blood. Mina was never one to be out of the spotlight for long. "Andrew?" this time he felt the soft silky skin of Serena's hand cover his own and he managed to smile and nod before clearing his throat.
"I'm fine, sweetheart." he choked out and grabbed for his wineglass.
Curious, but deciding to let the subject go, Serena smiled and took a look around the room, hoping to spot someone she knew. Her eyes settled on a familiar face she hadn't seen in ages and she smiled.
"Oh look, Andrew, Mina Hartly's sitting alone. We should invite her over." He thought his heart would give out as it lept to his throat. Before he could stop her Serena had risen from her seat and traveled to Mina's table.
He watched in horror as Mina plastered on her fake smile and allowed herself to be brought to the table.
"Andrew, how nice to see you." Mina greeted him with ease and he rose to gently embrace her.
"How have you been?" he managed to regain control of his voice and pulled out a chair for her.
Mina opened her mouth to reply but another person interrupted her.
"Fancy running into you here," the voice was smooth and sultry and caused shivers to run up Serena's spine.
Andrew sighed with slight relief and grasped Darien's hand in a firm shake.
"Darien, Raye, it's nice to see you here." Andrew looked toward Serena for her own greeting but she merely nodded and picked up her menu.
Her stomach was doing flip-flops and the shivers made her want to scream. It was by pure coincidence that he took the seat beside her. Extra chairs were brought in and the table was elongated so that they could comfortably dine. While Serena struggled with her internal battle she became oblivious to anything but the man sitting beside her. Darien, however, immediately noticed the situation.
"So, Andrew, who is this charming woman beside you?" Andrew was momentarily shaken from his thoughts and looked over to Darien who was for some strange reason, glaring at him.
"I'm Mina Hartly, an old friend of Andrew's and Serena's."
At the mention of her name, Serena peeked over her menu, sliding curious blue eyes from Darien to Andrew, and then to Mina who merely smiled in return and went back to studying her menu as if it was written in ancient Greek.
"I can't decide what to order!" Raye exclaimed, sensing the tension at the table.
"Serena always orders the lobster, it's her favorite." Andrew tried to help as he leaned over and pointed to the seafood section on Raye's menu, missing Mina's stricken look.
"It's quite delicious, but I'm not in the mood for seafood tonight. You should try it." Serena offered still trying hard not to turn her attention to Darien. It seemed he was angry about something, the dark brooding expression on his face made her wonder what was on his mind.
The waiter came to take their orders and they soon sent him away with a myriad of orders. Serena pitied the poor waiter and knew he'd had a difficult task tonight. She promised to leave him a handsome tip when the dinner was through and was startled when a warm hand rested on her own. She raised her eyes and came in contact with Darien's dark gaze.
Dinner went relatively smooth by Andrew's standards considering his wife and his mistress were dining at the same table. Darien thanked the heavens that his own mistress was thousands of miles away.
As the night came to an end, the couples made idle chatter. Mina was the first to leave, thanking everyone for the company, especially Serena who had invited her to their table.
Serena watched as Andrew hugged Mina closely after she had embraced her herself and frowned in puzzlement. There was something different in the way he held Mina. Shaking her head to rid herself of the ridiculous thoughts, she smiled and bid Mina farewell, stealing a glance toward Darien when Andrew was distracted. Much to her surprise, he was staring directly at her as Raye chatted away, oblivious to the fact that no one was listening.
"I guess that it's time we bid you goodnight, Darien, Raye." Andrew rose from his seat and moved to help Serena from her seat. Forcing herself to break contact she smiled and extended her hand to clasp Raye's.
"I'm glad we ran into each other. You must come visit me at the house one day when you're not busy. We could have a nice girl's day, maybe go to a movie or the spa." She was relieved when Raye smiled and nodded.
"Sounds lovely." Raye replied as Darien pulled her chair out to help her stand up.
Andrew settled the bill quickly and the party made their way to the coat check.
Serena broke through the restaurant doors and sucked the city air into her lungs. She had felt trapped inside, so close to him, so close to caving.
visions of black silk and warm flesh entered her mind and she shut her eyes to force them away.
"Have a wonderful night, Serena." Darien kissed the back of her hand in gentlemanly fashion and left with Raye.
Before she had a chance to respond he was gone and Andrew was steering her to their own car.
The car ride back to McClain mansion was silent, but not peaceful by any means. The uncomfortable silence had Andrew sweating and Serena struggling to find something to say. She watched as Andrew's hands tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles turning white as the skin stretched thinly over them. She could tell he was upset about something and her heart skipped a beat. Had he found out about their lunch date? "Andrew, I couldn't believe we saw Mina, of all people, at dinner tonight. I haven't seen her since I graduated from college." It was an attempt, an attempt that failed miserably as Andrew just nodded his head.
As the sleek automobile made it's way up to the courtyard, Andrew's cell phone rang from somewhere in his suit. He pulled the car to a stop in front of the large doors and quickly searched for the ringing device. Serena waited patiently as Andrew answered the phone. He glanced at her before continuing his conversation and she took that as her cue to leave.
Quietly, she opened her door and kissed Andrew on his cheek before exiting the car and walking up the steps to the house.
"I'll be back in a little while, honey. I have a situation at the office."
Andrew was scuttling after her and he wrapped her into an apologetic embrace, bending to touch her lips with his own.
Deep down, his heart was breaking. Mina had been the caller and he was rushing to finish off a wonderful night with her before returning to his own wife, the beautiful, kind, and understanding woman in his arms at that moment.
Andrew peered down at Serena, hoping that his explanation was enough for her; he did not have a back up excuse.
"I'll see you later tonight. Go, honey." Ruffling his hair gently, Serena pulled away from his arms and finished her trek to the front doors where the butler promptly opened them.
She turned back and watched as Andrew pulled out of the courtyard and sped off into the night.
"Ma'am?"
It had taken Charles, the buttler, several attempts to gain her attention and she blushed, his call pulling her from thoughts of a familiar black BMW pulling into the driveway. As she turned back to enter the house, a flash of headlights halted her actions. Slowly, she turned to see the very same car she'd imagined, slowly traveling up the gravel path. It's driver slowed at the front of the house and her heart seemed to pound in her chest, struggling to break free. As a head of dark hair appeared, followed closely by a very strong, trim physique, she panicked.
Her feet remained as if nailed to the floor and she struggled to maintain her breathing, heart triple-timing. Darien made his way slowly up the steps, staring straight into her eyes and refusing to break eye contact with the goddess who glowed under the soft lights of the house's entrance.
When he finally reached her, she stuttered out a question, hoping that she didn't sound like an idiot.
"What are you doing here?" her voice was a deep whisper and she quickly nodded to Charles who bowed and left them alone.
Darien casually shrugged and picked up one of her hands, holding it thoughtfully to his chest.
"I thought I'd take you out for dessert." he replied, a grin curling his lips and sending Serena into heart failure.
"Andrew will be home soon."
"I saw him leaving in a hurry, is everything okay?"
She looked up at him helplessly, wishing he'd leave and stop looking at her like she was the only woman in the world. The heat from his hand was causing tingles to ripple up her arm and she fought for control. Realizing resistance was futile, she released a sigh and tried unsuccessfully to shake from his grasp.
"I'm sure everything is just fine. It was probably just a problem at work that needed his attention." Dismissively waving her hand she turned to head into the house. "Would you like to come in for a drink?"
He frowned inwardly at the innocent invitation, but decided against refusing the offer and nodded.
"I'd love to." he replied honestly and wrapped an arm around her slim shoulders.
Together they strolled into the house and Charles reappeared to close the doors behind them. Serena led him into the her study and Charles dutifully poured two glasses of bourbon. Serena graciously thanked the butler and dismissed him.
"It's been a long day." she sighed and relaxed, letting her body sink into the plush cushioned seat of the chaise. Darien took a seat in a nearby armchair.
"I agree." he replied, thoughtfully taking a drink." The familiar burn made its way down his throat and he cursed himself for not making a move. Instead, he had decided to play the friend tactic.
The tension in the air was tangible. Serena willed herself not to open her eyes. She could hardly believe she'd invited him in for a drink, let alone brought him to her study where they were alone. Thinking back to their luncheon, a small smile curved on her lips and she allowed herself to relax completely.
Darien was about to remark on the design of her study when there was a knock on the doors. He watched as she straghtened up immediately and called to bid entrance.
Charles entered quickly and approached her.
"I'm sorry to both you ma'am, but when would you like the car to take to you the airport tomorrow?"
"Tell Alex that I should be ready by noon, because my flight leaves at one o'clock."
"Very well."
Charles lowered his eyes as he exited the room. He adored Serena and had heard unpleasant gossip about the guest she was entertaining. The dark haired guest gave him reason to worry. He shook his head as he walked away from the now closed doors and wondered what had happened to the beautiful, loving couple that had hired him. The maids had been talking about the lipstick they'd found on the collars of his shirts and his wife did not wear that particular shade. Now, Serena had a strange man in her study.
"Taking that vacation?" his words startled her from her thoughts.
"No, I'm going to meet a friend in Paris"
"Really? Who?" The gears in his head began turning, picturing her instead of his mistress in his luxury suite. Her questioning gaze brought him from his thoughts and he did his best to put on a curious smile.
"Trista Marcus, she's an old friend from school." To say he was surprised was an understatement.
"You don't say?" was all he managed to tumble out.
"You know Trista?"
'Not only do I know her, I know her in the biblical sense too.' he mentally smirked before relaxing more in his seat.
"I've arranged for a lunch meeting with her while I'm in Paris on business."
It was comforting that he'd chosen a seat away form her and she welcomed the distance, embracing it. It wasn't until she noticed her drink was empty that she made any real effort to breech the distance they had between them. It was true he was handsome and if she allowed herself to get too close her resolve would crumble and she'd willingly be in his waiting and expert hands. Rising to her feet she slowly walked the short distance to his seat, hoping he was finished with his glass. He eyed her carefully as she made her way to him, slinking like an animal on the prowl. Her empty glass was swaying with her hand, the hard crystal contrasting with her smooth skin. Holding his breath as she held out her hand he realized that she was offering another drink. with a smirk he handed over his empty glass and she turned to make her way over to the liquor cabinet. From the angle, he got a great view as she bent to reach the bottle of bourbon and was slightly relieved that she returned so quickly. The liquor and the tension was beginning to loosen his discretion. The gears in his head began turning, formulating a plan to have her in his hotel suite before his business trip was over and he had to return to reality. When she returned with his glass he thanked her kindly and watched as she sank back into her seat.
"Serena-" Her gaze shot up from the floor to meet his and he lost the will to spill the beans on Andrew and Mina. She looked so beautiful at that moment, so elegant that his breath caught in his throat and all thought flew out the window. He could never hurt the angel starting at him with those magnificent blue orbs. His lungs screamed for air and he inhaled sharply, regaining his wits as the butler entered once more.
"Mr. McClain phoned. He said he'll be home in a little over an hour, ma'am." Charles sent his a pointed look as he said Mr. McClain and then excused himself.
"I think that is my cue to leave."
"No! Don't go yet!" her desperate tone shocked even her and he ceased all movement after standing. She understood he had caught her offguard and she hadn't had time to reign in her thoughts with logic and reasoning. His announcement had sent her scrambling for an excuse. She did not want him to leave, but she could not bring herself to admit that much to him or even aloud.
She rose and approached him, her control wavering as he set his glass on the coffee table and turned to face her.
"Darien, I"
He silenced her with a finger to her lips and surprised her as he wrapped an arm about her waist, pulling her closer to his body. His mind screamed at him to stop, to put distance between him and the temptation that was another man's wife.
"It's such a pity Andrew found you first." he murmured against her lips. She gasped at the light contact and he moved in for the kill, seizing her lips. Immediately he felt her stiffen and relaxed the pressure on her mouth before crushing her to his body, his legs moving as if a mind of their own to the nearest piece of furniture, the large oak desk and pinning her between it and himself. For several moments they indulged in their passions. Unable to resist the feel of his hard body against her she snaked her hands around his neck, one hand slipping behind the collar of his shirt and the other sliding into his dark hair.
"Serena-" He nuzzled her neck, his hands roaming her soft curves and exploring what he had believed to be off limits. 'What am I doing?' his mind cried and he regretfully put space between them. Their breathing came in pants, both winded from their encounter. "I think I need to go." The declaration startled Serena from her thoughts and eyes flashed with something akin to horror. Raising a hand to cover her mouth she nodded and walked toward the door.
"Good night, Serena. Sweet dreams." Darien placed a gentle kiss to her forehead and exited the room, battling the urge to sweep her back into his arms and give that large oak desk a purpose.
Sorry it is a bit shorter than chapter one, but since that one was the first chapter, I had some background and main ideas to get rolling. This chapter didn't just around quite as much. Initial feedback told me that I lost readers in some places because I unexpectedly jumped scenes- so I apologize and am working on fixing that. This chapter dealt more with Serena and Darien's physical attraction and the love triangles that entangle the characters lives.
REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...oh yeah- let me know what you think of this chapter. If I reach 30 reviews I'll post another chapter.