8 - Gala
Oh, oh yes, she was most definitely smitten.
Smitten by Maxwell Lord, rapidly descending into a crush. Audrey should have scoffed, but instead she ran with it.
But he wasn't just Maxwell Lord TV superstar to her anymore, he was Max, her business partner, her business friend.
"Life is good, but it can be better. And why shouldn't it be? All you have to do is want it!"
The commercial she used to roll her eyes at now made her smile, thinking about the man beneath that eccentric and charismatic persona on screen. Oh, he was still very charismatic in real life, but now she knew him as more than just a successful businessman.
"See you tonight, Audrey!" called Barbara, who was extremely excited for her first museum gala, breaking Audrey from her thoughts - more like a trance - thanks to the TV.
"Yes, see you later, Barbara." The work day was even wrapping up earlier so that everyone could get ready and prepare for the gala later that evening, and so that the museum could be transformed into a party centre. It was an exciting affair from all sides of the museum. Staff, donors, partners...
Business friends...
"This damn thing has really thrown us, huh," Barbara said, picking up the citrine stone.
"Sure has. But it can wait - tonight we party!" Audrey left the stone on her desk until Monday when they would return to work. For now, she had a gala - and her promise to Max - to prepare for.
"Diana, you're here," Audrey cried. Her colleague looked ethereal, like a deity in her long white dress. "I thought you didn't like these sorts of events."
Diana's deep red lips turned upwards in a small smile. "I thought I would give it another try."
"Ah, well I'm glad."
"Enjoy your evening, Audrey."
"Thanks, you too." Diana was gone - she seemed like a woman on a mission.
She caught Barbara as she arrived in a lovely form-fitting black dress.
"I love this already!" the blonde called before disappearing into the crowd.
"Dr. Laurel," came a familiar voice behind her.
She spun around to face him.
Him.
Max.
"Mr. Lord."
"Audrey."
"Max."
"You look breathtaking!" he cried.
"Oh, well, I wouldn't go that far-"
"Well I would."
"So it was worth the wait, then?"
"Oh, most definitely worth it! You look like a goddess!"
"Well, thank you. You look rather dashing yourself," she complimented his black suit and gold bowtie.
"Why thank you." He flashed her that winning grin and smoothed a hand down the front of his suit.
"We have to go to these kinds of things for work a lot so I've found it's always good to have something formal on hand.
"Well you never disappoint and never cease to surprise me."
"I could say the same about you."
"Well cheers to us, and to this wonderful evening!" They touched their glasses of champagne. "God, it's so loud in here - can we go somewhere? Just me and you?"
"Yes," she answered immediately.
"Your office?"
"Okay," she said, believing she knew full well what he meant.
They handed their now empty champagne glasses to a nearby waiter.
Max gave a sweep of his arm. "Lead the way."
"Don't remember from the extensive tour I gave you?" she joked.
"Well it does look a lot different with this whole party atmosphere."
"Yes, it does." She took his hand and led him expertly through the dim lighting and heavy crowd.
When they reached her office she flicked on the lights and shut the door.
"I'm not going to stop you this time," she murmured as he leaned in.
Soon they were crushed together in a heated embrace.
Drunk off of the atmosphere - and perhaps even the champagne working quickly - and each other's presence.
"I saw your commercial on TV again this morning," she told him between kisses.
"Oh yes?"
"Yes. I've heard it so many times I could recite it by heart: Life is good - but it can be better. And why shouldn't it be? Everything we've dreamed about is right at our fingertips. But are you reaping the rewards? Do you have it all? Welcome to Black Gold Cooperative, the world's first oil company run for the people, by the people..."
He began speaking his lines as well, they speaking the commercial script together.
"Think about finally having everything you've always wished for - and more! For a monthly fee, you can own a piece of the most lucrative industry in the world, and when we strike gold, you strike gold! No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you deserve to have it all..."
"And then comes the part where you're surrounded by beautiful young women in bikinis."
"Oh, that's just part of the commercial," he said, brushing it aside. "It wasn't even my idea."
"Really?"
"Really." They kissed again, he pulling away to look around her office. "Oh wow! Look at all this stuff - it's so beautiful." He extended a hand towards her. "Like you." Another heated kiss before he asked, "What's that?" nodding to the citrine stone on her desk.
"Oh, nothing special really. The FBI asked us to help identify it."
"Wow. Well they certainly came to the right place."
"As did you."
"Yes, as did I."
"It's really had us stumped though, even Barbara, our gemology expert. But as far as we can tell it's not very valuable. Still not sure where it came from yet. Trust me, its one of the lesser interesting and least valuable things we acquired."
"And one of the least interesting things in this room."
"A ha, I know what you're trying to do," she pointed at him semi-accusingly. "You're trying to charm me."
He held up his hands in surrender. "Ah, you got me. And, is it working?"
"Damn right it is."
She smoothed her hands up his chest and over his shoulders.
It was like there was something burning between them.
"Latin, it looks like."
"Hmm?" She turned back to the stone. "Oh, yeah, that much we did discover."
"Well let me help you-" He spun her around to face him. "Max is here, no need to ever be stumped again. I have a dear friend in Roman antiquities-"
"Ooo, fancy, sounds fun. You know everyone don't you."
"Oh yes. I could have them take a look of you'd like."
"Thank you but I really shouldn't let it out of the museum."
Snogging with Max in her office away from the party gave her a thrill like she hadn't felt in a very long time. Too long. And what a smooch!
She got a bit of a wave of excitement at the thought of returning to the party a little ruffled. She didn't care what the other guests thought, let people's imaginations run wild for all she cared! Hers certainly was...
"Oh, oh-" Their movements had knocked some paperwork and files off her desk. This only made her laugh as they both dropped to the floor to scramble to pick them up.
Soon, the spilled papers forgotten, they sat on the floor, backs up against her desk, chuckling and sharing lazy kisses, noses and foreheads pressed together.
"We should probably return to the party," he said.
"Probably. But I don't really want to."
"Me neither. But we should."
"Yeah, we really should."
Chuckling, they got to their feet. He stood first and offered her a hand up like the gentleman he was.
"Ah, thank you kind sir," she said, exaggerating her accent.
"You are most welcome, fair lady." He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand before tucking it into the crook of his arm and they left the office.
"I'm afraid we're leaving behind a mess," he said, nodding to the scattered papers.
"Don't worry about it." She brushed this aside. She'd clean it up on Monday and would be pleasantly reminded of the events of that night and what had transpired here.
Until then, she was more than eager to continue the party.
OoooOooooo! ;) Haha! This was a lot of fun to write!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)