Dorothy sneered down at the ivory invitation in her hand. Embossed in elegant silver script were the words she had never wanted to read and yet, read them she had.
You are cordially invited to join Quatre Rabarba Winner and Silvia Noventa as they happily celebrate their engagement.
"Hmph!" She stuffed the wretched piece of recycled parchment into her jeweled handbag. It was not like her to sulk. Even when denied that which she wanted most, Dorothy Catalonia had never been one to sit and lament in her loss. In fact, when one conquest proved futile, she merely turned her attention to a new pursuit and let the previous failure be forgotten.
The strong arm linked with hers flexed and she remembered the existence of this week's current choice of companion. She glanced at him briefly and was reminded how he had made her list. He was tall and classically handsome with his entire body chiseled like a statue from the Greek masters. His olive skin and rust-colored hair brought out his hazel eyes. He was an exotic beauty of a male specimen but while he excelled physically, his mental capacity left much to be desired.
"How stiflingly dull."
"Did you say something, Miss Catalonia?" Paulo asked in his usual passive tone. She sighed and rolled her eyes.
"I said I am going to go mingle for a while." Before he could respond, she removed her arm from his and made her way to the buffet for some 'punch'.
A crowd of people surrounded the happy couple as they toasted to their future union and discussed their post-nuptial plans with glee. The sight of it turned her stomach. She had yet to offer her own words of congratulations to the happy couple. For all her love of intrigue and social games, if there was nothing to be gained from it then she stayed away from being disingenuous.
Of course, the Vice Foreign Minister was present, as was her dependable shadow. It really was quite frustrating to see the two together. Despite her best efforts at matchmaking, Relena and the former pilot of 01 had yet to openly acknowledge what all who knew them saw.
"So stubborn." Dorothy mused as she stroked an eyebrow. "Honestly, how dense can they be?"
At a luncheon she had shared with the young diplomat just a few weeks before, Dorothy had done all she could to try and point them both in the right direction without outright telling them to go for it:
She watched, somewhat irritated as the younger blonde picked at her Caesar salad and sipped on her water while Dorothy enjoyed her braised lamb and glass of sauternes. It had entertained her when the waiter brought out a full sandwich and two sides and set them in front of Relena.
"Excuse me, I didn't order this." The young woman stated. The waiter smiled.
"Your male companion did. Bon appétit." He bowed his head and out of the obvious line of fire anyone could see was coming now red-faced blonde.
"Please, excuse us, Dorothy? I need to have a word with my guard."
"Not at all, Miss Relena." The two then excused themselves to discuss the matter only to return and have Relena bite into the sandwich, much to Heero's obvious satisfaction. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife and Dorothy did not miss the irritated glances the politician shot her guard.
'This will never do.' She frowned and decided to defuse the situation by pointing out what they always failed to see.
"My, such a caring thing for him to do! I daresay I wish someone looked after me in such a personal way." She began and watched as Heero shifted uncomfortably and Relena paused mid-bite. Her brows furrowed and her face paled a bit as she clearly caught the meaning of Dorothy's words.
"I… suppose it was very nice of him to think of my well being."
"As I'm sure you always think of his." A blush tinged the Vice Minister's cheeks and she looked down at her plate.
"Well, I…" Relena was flustered and Dorothy took the time to press further.
"The bond the two of you share is truly inspirational! I hope to find such an intimate connection someday! I just know if I do I positively would never let him go!"
Dorothy stifled a laugh as Heero glanced at Relena and she at him in an innocent, naive sort of way before turning pleasant shades of red and looking away.
'Maybe if I got them to drink a little…' but she shook the thought off. Mr. "All business, no pleasure" would never drink on the job...
That train of thought reminded her of her own need for a drink. Being a Muslim, Quatre had quite a variety of non-alcoholic beverages available for any who wished not to partake of the more common adult libations. She decided to forgo the sodas and the fruit punch for the more robust flavor pallet of a rose wine, taking a deep breath to inhale the delicate aroma before sipping and letting the cool, dryness of it overtake her senses.
'Whoever did pick the wines has excellent taste.' She swirled the light pink liquid in her glass and allowed her gaze to roam around the room to the various guests.
All of the pilots, with the exception of the one known as Wufei, seemed to be present. She didn't bother wondering why. Duo Maxwell stood with a small, dark haired woman whom Dorothy assumed was his girlfriend. The final pilot on the invite list stood next to the groom to be and looked every bit as wild and enticing as he had the last time she had seen him nearly six months before.
His green, button down shirt was nearly the same shade as his intense eyes and fit his rugged body. The khaki slacks he wore hugged his powerful legs well. The memory flashed quickly of being between those legs as he thrust into her over and over again…
Dorothy felt her face flush and fanned herself against the rising heat. Their night had been intense and almost animalistic in the rawness of their mutual desire. She remembered how his muscles flexed under her touch, and how the sweat glistened off of him as his pace quickened…
"Enough of that." She felt annoyance with herself grow. She had had many lovers, each just as casual and forgettable as the one before. Why did he still pull to her? Why did she still hear his voice in her ear...?
Dorothy turned her attention back to her wine and took another hardy sip. Such thoughts at such an occasion were never appropriate, least of all for a lady. Her proper upbringing had been unconventional in a few ways which involved training in military strategy and various fighting styles. Fencing had been her favorite due to the civility, discipline and finesse necessary to master it. However, one thing her grandmother instilled in her before passing away was the proper way for ladies to think, act, and conduct themselves in social occasions. Ladies simply did not fantasize about their recent sexual trysts in such places as this.
'Then again, I'm not your typical lady, she smirked at her own musings and swirled her wine in her glass. She felt someone watching her and knew who it was without even having to look. Trowa Barton's intense gaze followed her as she made her way around the room.
"How perplexing." An attractive stray like him could, most likely, take any woman at the party home with him. She had little doubt he never lacked for willing volunteers if his prowess with her had been any indication. Even though he was surrounded by plenty of attractive women, he seemed to be watching her quite carefully. A seductive smile curled onto her lips as she dared to meet his gaze. There would be worse things than a repeat of their last encounter.
She felt an arm link with hers as Poalo clearly located her again. She turned to him, mild annoyance poorly veiled. She smiled at him before an idea formed; a wicked idea. She kissed Poalo's cheek, her eyes locking with Trowa's as she pulled away. She saw… amusement? Flash through his green eyes. He turned to Quatre, spoke something in a hushed tone which earned him a smile and a nod, and then made an exit out toward the terrace. The urge to follow the green-eyed acrobat overtook her. The party was droll anyway and Dorothy had never been one to pass up a chance at intrigue. Their one-night of passion aside, Trowa was the groom-to-be's best friend and, as such, could provide all sorts of useful tidbits of information regarding the happy couple. He could be her 'in'. Smiling to herself, she pulled herself free of Poalo's arm and followed the path for the former HeavyArms pilot.
Trowa loosened the collar of his button up shirt flicking the first few undone as he made his way from the party. The air was brisk more than it was cold and was exactly what he needed to help clear his head. Everything was perfect. As the best man it was his job to help see that everything we t smoothly. He and Silvia's Maid of Honor coordinated as best as they could to make sure everything went off without a hitch. Though Relena had been selected as a bridesmaid, he had been relieved when another woman had been chosen as maid of honor. The added communication would be even more unbearable. Seeing Relena next to Heero, smiling and happy… he couldn't begrudge them that…
At any rate, Quatre was happy and having a good time and Trowa was happy for his friend. He looked out from the terrace to the expansive countryside blanketed by fresh, sparkling snow. The ski lodge had been a nice choice for the early winter festivity with its cozy roaring fire in the hearth and the rustic wooden walls. It was a private, intimate setting that allowed guests the treat of a scenic view while celebrating the happy news. He couldn't help but wonder, bitterly, how long it would be before Relena and the former pilot of 01 would be holding a similar event…
"Judging by your expression, you could use this more than I."
The silken, female voice behind him raised the hairs on the back of his neck and made him stand up straighter. He turned to see Dorothy Catalonia offering him a glass of wine with a small smile on her pallid face. For today's particular ensemble she had chosen a violet turtleneck sweater that clung to her tighter than any sweater should and khaki pants that hugged her hips seductively with knee-high boots that finished the look. He let his eyes roam, remembering how her slender body had writhed beneath him as she gasped his name…
Coming to his senses, he took the wine with a grateful smile and downed the liquid in a few swift gulps. He felt her eyes on him, studying him as though he were an animal on exhibit at the zoo. As his eyes met hers, it was clear who was the predator and who was the prey in the mind of the slender blonde.
"Dorothy." He greeted.
"The maid of honor outdid herself. This really is a wonderful place for this sort of nauseating affair." Dorothy's lips curved into a smirk as she positioned herself against the railing, reclining in such a way that the soft mounds of her chest would be more prominent. The chill in the air had made her nipples pebble under her sweater, noticeably. He licked his lips. The gentle rays of sun brave enough to peek past the clouds made her hair shine like white gold…
She was a dangerous beauty not unlike the snow-covered mountains that surrounded them and just as likely to bury you in a frosty landslide of rejection and pain. He had climbed the mountain once already; sampled the feeling and found it as thrilling as it was exhilarating. He wondered, briefly, if he should try to do so again.
"Do you have a specific reason for following me out here, or did you just come to look at the view?"
"Hm… where I'm standing I like my view just fine…" Her eyes roamed up his form again and he felt a strange mix of pride and apprehension. "And based on the evidence, I can tell that you like what you see as well…" she pushed off from the rails and walked over, hips swaying, eyes never leaving his; cool, grey, and full of an unspoken challenge… He didn't dare look away. This was a strange sort of erotic game she was playing. It was a stare down for dominance over the situation. In the animal world the first one to look away did so as a sign of submission. He'd be damned if it was him…
"What do you want, Catalonia?" She walked up behind him and ran a finger from one shoulder, up his neck and down and across to the other. The frigid air had chilled her fingertips and he resisted hissing as the freezing cold flesh of her digit caressed his neck…
"I'm not entirely sure myself." She stated flatly and pulled away from him. She was cold. He could hear her suppressed shivers in her voice.
"You had better go inside. I don't think your date would appreciate it if you froze."
"Such concern. I'm touched." She moved in again...her warm breath tickling his ear… "or I could be…" he felt a shiver go down his spine and spread through his body. "Over… and over…" yes, she was playing a rather dangerous game… and he intended to win.
He grabbed her before she could protest, pulled her to him and crushed his cold lips to hers in a heated kiss. She made no move to protest, and in fact brought her arms up around his neck, tangling her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. Her soft body molded against him as his hands held her to him. Her breasts rubbing against his chest added to the sensation… It was molten fire, smooth and dangerous and it burned away his earlier thoughts of the pain of his unrequited feelings. She moaned and he thrust his tongue inside her mouth where it dueled with hers for supremacy. His hands beginning to rub up and down her sides…
He broke the kiss leaving them both breathless. Her face was flushed, lips swollen and red from their moment of passion. She smoothed her clothes, straightened her posture and made her way back to the terrace doors.
"I'll be in room 104 tonight… I'll leave the door unlocked."
"What about your date?" She shrugged nonchalantly.
"He'll get over me." And with that, she reentered the party. Trowa watched her go, knowing full well that he would be spending his night in room 104.