Shy could hear the small orchestra of strings and horns playing downstairs in the ballroom as she finished her makeup. She stood from the vanity that was much larger than the one she had at home and walked into the balcony doors of the room to look outside before putting on her dress.

Desmond had made it a black-tie affair. All the men looked like penguins and all the women looked like multi-colored flamingoes as they walked into the foyer beneath her window. She looked out further into the new night to see all the Mercedes, Jaguars, Porsches and limos being parked by the hired valets and miserable limousine drivers.

Her hair was pinned back as it usually is, but curled into flattering golden tendrils that she would release once she got dressed. Desmond was already downstairs entertaining with her father and no doubt discussing more business ventures. It was quite sad really. No one was actually there for her. They were all friends of her father and Desmond. Shy never really had any friends aside from Delia who just happened to be bedding Shy's fiancé at night. Still, Delia was actually the lucky one.

Delia was free.

Shy watched the yuppies enter arm in arm for a minute more then made her way to the large closet in the corner of the room to get her dress.

The dress was a beautifully long A-line satin periwinkle dress with one shoulder and olive green fabric falling from the strap to her lower back. It clung to her form delicately dancing across her curves as she moved to slip her strappy heels on. She went to her vanity and picked up a dainty white gold choker with one teardrop pearl hanging on it and placed it around her neck before letting her hair down from the clip that was holding it away from her face.

Shy walked to the balcony doors one last time to take a look at how the crowd had grown before making her debut. Duplicates of each car she had seen before getting dressed were being parked, but something was different. A glimmer of red and silver was highlighted by a limo's headlights and drew Shy's attention. It was a motorcycle, a street bike. Shy squinted to get a better look at it. It was brand new, in mint condition, with one helmet resting on the rack in the back. Shy snickered to herself.

Who would ride a street bike to a black tie affair, let alone in January? She mused. Still, it intrigued her.

She had made it a personal goal to find out who the motorcycle belonged to by the end of the night. If nothing else would offer her entertainment this evening, finding the rider would. At that she finally released her hair from the clip to fall gently on her shoulders and made her way out of the room.

Zane sipped on a beer while leaning at the bar which was set up diagonally from the stair case where the rich hob-knobbed beneath it. He was surprised that they even had beer considering the guest list. He took a look around at all conversations taking place around him and sighed. His father was off chatting up some stockbroker who could care less about making them more money. Evan and Layla, his wife, talked to other couples who looked just as good as they did. Zane caught Evan glancing at him and rolling his eyes at what must have been an agonizing conversation. Evan was more made for this than he was though. He was the more responsible one who could handle dull conversation without yawning and seeming disinterested. Zane would be busy playing footsie under the table with said bore's brand-new wife.

Zane smiled to himself before taking another sip of his beer. Still, he wished he could have a Layla around to go home and bitch to afterwards.

The band silenced after what seemed like endless playing and everyone looked at the staircase. Zane followed their stares and found himself standing up straight. The whispers started and the compliments flowed and all of them were right. She was gorgeous.

Then, as if she heard his thoughts, she looked directly at him. He held her stare and could swear that her cheeks blushed before the corners of her mouth turned up at him slightly.

"Presenting my beautiful daughter and soon to be Mrs. Aurelius, Shy Angelis." Her father announced as he met her at the bottom of the stairs.

Their gaze was broken by Desmond, who met his fiancé in the middle of the floor and placed a kiss on her lips. Her smile faded quickly when he did and her face became stern again. Zane watched as she was surrounded by admirers and jealous ladies alike. She faux smiled her way around the crowd and kissed both cheeks of anyone who offered them. The band started up again and Zane put his beer on the bar and walked away.

It had only been a few minutes since she came downstairs and she already felt like she couldn't breathe. Desmond had shown his trophy and left her to the wolves as he went on with her father to some men in the corner of the room.

"You look gorgeous, darling. Your mother would be so proud." A plump older woman with fire engine red hair whose name escaped Shy said.

Shy looked at her with her face dropping. "Thank you." Shy noticed Zane leaving the bar.

"And catching Desmond Aurelius is a feat within itself." Another woman, a thinner woman, chimed in sipping her champagne. "Then again with a body like yours I'm sure it wasn't that hard to coax him into marriage."

Shy narrowed her eyes at the woman. "I don't coax."

She noticed Evan and a beautiful woman the same age as him on the other side of the room. And before the woman could retort, she excused herself.

"Ladies, there is someone I must see. Excuse me." She pushed her way gently past them to get to Evan.

Evan turned to her when she approached and nodded his head, raising his champagne glass to her. "Shy."

Shy couldn't help, but smile. She was actually glad they had come. The woman he was with was gorgeous with long, straight reddish brown hair to the middle of her back and beautiful almond shaped green eyes. She was pregnant, only a couple of months, but her black satin, spaghetti strapped gown framed her tiny swell beautifully.

"This is my wife, Layla. Baby, this is Shy Angelis." Evan gestured to each of them to introduce them.

Layla raised her hand to shake Shy's. "It's nice to meet you. Evan told me about the stir you caused at the work site the other day." She smiled a bright smile that, unlike the other ladies, didn't have malicious thoughts of envy behind it.

Shy smiled again. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Shy let Layla's hand go and like a magnet it went safely into Evan's, interlocking their fingers in the most delicious way. Shy felt her heart flutter at the gesture. It was obvious that they were in-love and not just married because they had to be. Evan smiled at his wife.

"How many months are you?" Shy blurted out and quickly shut her mouth to regain her composure and conceal her giddiness. "I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

Layla's face lit up at the question. "Five months tomorrow." She touched her belly with her free hand.

"Well you are the most gorgeous woman here without a doubt." Shy said, much to Evan's surprise. He looked at her and his eyes smiled.

Shy took a sweeping glance around the party and turned back toward them with her hands folded in front of her. "Is your father here?"

Evan gestured with his glass at a group of men through the window behind the band smoking cigars on the terrace in the back of the house. "Killing himself in the back."

Shy turned her body to look out of the window.

"My brother is here, too." Evan said abruptly, making Shy's body snap back to them.

"Really?" She said smoothly. "I didn't see him."

"Didn't see who?" An even voice said from behind Shy.

She jumped to see who it was and met his eyes at the same height as hers. She swallowed and blinked once.

"You." Evan said.

"Well here I am." Zane said not taking his eyes away from hers.

She looked to the floor as Zane brushed past her to his brother and sister-in-law. He hugged Layla by the waist and kissed her on the cheek.

"Hey, beautiful." He said to her. She touched his cheek with her free hand.

He went back to staring at Shy whose cheeks burned. "Hello."

Shy raised her head after regaining her composure. "Hello."

"Hello." Another voice chimed in and Shy felt her waist being grabbed.

She turned and saw Desmond at her side. His eyes burned into Zane's. Shy quickly faced the pretty Italian marble floor, flushed.

"That's a beautiful bike you have, Zane." Desmond said mock nicely.

Shy's head shot up and her eyes glazed over. Figures the one to perk her interest so much would be him. He caught her sharp look by the corner of his eye.

"But I doubt you could find a date to ride on the back of a bike in her finest dress." Desmond continued.

Layla rolled her eyes. Shy smiled to herself.

"You're right." Zane started, looking at Desmond. Then he turned to Shy and said, "But maybe I'll find someone to go home on it with me."

Shy's breath escaped her. He looked inside of her, not at her. It made her crazy.

Desmond tightened his grip around her waist. "Come along, honey." He said through grit teeth. "They're waiting for us."

Desmond escorted Shy away as she looked back once at Zane who didn't take his eyes from her.