“When did you get all this done?” asked Skylar, noticing the mouth-watering fare served before them. With the romantic lighting and the soothing decor, the place looked more magical than ever before.
“This time I sought Joanna’s help. I would have liked to do everything myself, but didn’t get time.” His eyes twinkled, catching the rays of the lights hanging around them. They lured her into their magical depths, promising her a night of passion soon to follow.
“Still it blew my mind away! I must say Joanna did a wonderful job!”
“Yes, she’s quite a pro at it!” There was an understated excitement in the air as they enjoyed a quiet moment with one another.
“Yes, we can make use of her talent more!” Christian chuckled, feeding her a piece of the roasted chicken Katherine had made for them.
“Even Katherine has done a wonderful job. So are we going to Escapades tomorrow?” Skylar didn’t want to go to the club. She was apprehensive about meeting the rest of his reckless friends. She preferred to spend a quiet evening with her husband instead.
“Yes, I want you to meet my friends once. I’m sure you’ll like them. Knox will be upset if we don’t go.” The pleading look on his face made her instantly give in. If it meant so much to him, she would definitely go. He had done a lot for her friends, attending their weddings and bonding with them. So she should be accommodating as well!
“Alright. Is there any dress code?” Christian looked relieved and flashed her a brilliant smile.
“Black semi-formals! You can go shopping if you don’t have it.”
“I don’t need to go shopping. I have plenty. So will Andrea also be there?” Skylar hoped she would be there, since she knew no one else.
“I’m not sure. One of the guys hit on her a lot. She usually stays away from the group.” Skylar’s eyes widened at the information. This should be interesting to watch!
“Doesn’t Knox know about it? How does he allow his friend to hit upon her?” Christian shook his head and leaned back in his chair.
“He doesn’t know about it yet.”
They discussed everything under the sun, and moon while relishing the delightful dinner laid out before them. Afterward, Christian led her toward the edge of the swimming pool. They dipped their legs and sipped some wine together. The sound of the ocean waves, the bright moonlight casting shadows all around them, and the soft ocean breeze added to the charm. They were lost in their magical bubble!
“Are you unhappy training under Fairbanks? Do you want to do something else?” asked Christian suddenly. He remembered her remark earlier at the office. He had to know if she was unhappy!
“Not at all! I love to train under him. He’s strict, but I’ve learned more from him than from the professors at my college!”
“Are you sure you don’t feel pressurized into this?” He gazed into her eyes to see the truth for himself.
“Not at all. I’m happy to fulfill Grandpa Ben’s wish! I’m training to take responsibility of my business. That’s what he wanted me to do, right?”
Christian pulled her into his arms, overwhelmed by her response. “I’m so proud of you. I’m glad to have you in my life.”
“And I’m lucky to have you in my life, Christian.” He released her with a kiss. It was getting late and he got up and held his hand out to her.
“Shall we go inside now?” Skylar nodded and placed her hand on his. He pulled her up and led her into the house.
“Please let me clear the table. We can’t let the leftovers rot out there.” Christian groaned but released her.
“I’m heading for a shower. Come fast.”
By the time she joined him, he was ready and waiting for her on the bed. “Took you long enough! Come here!”
“Let me change first.”
“No need. I’ll get rid of the dress for you.” She smiled shyly and joined him on the bed.
He pulled her down beside him, pinning her down and hovering over her in a split second.
“Now starts the second part of our enjoyment!”
He wasted no more time and claimed her lips in a slow, hungry, and lingering kiss that took her breath away. This time, the lovemaking was gentle, lingering, and much more enjoyable than before. They could savor every moment of love this time.
The next day was quite hectic for Christian, with back-to-back meetings since morning. By evening he was totally drained out but Knox called him thrice already to remind him of their meet-up. Christian dragged his tired body home to find Skylar ready in a stunning black satin knee-length dress. With her golden mane tumbling around her shoulders, she looked a sight to behold. His organ twitched to life and in an instant he felt alive.
“Energize me, Skylar,” he murmured, going up behind her. She complied and whirled around to capture his lips in a fiery kiss. He had sent her home earlier to freshen up and get ready. He could see the results! They took his breath away!
“Shower and get ready! I’m sure you’ll feel more energized!” She pushed him towards the en-suite to get ready.
After twenty minutes, they were on their way towards Escapades.
“We’re already fifteen minutes late!” said Christian ruefully, checking his phone for Knox’s missed calls.
“Oh! Would it be a problem?”
“Not much. Except Knox has gone crazy. He has been calling me non-stop.”
At last, they reached the club and Christian led her inside the grand set-up. Skylar had never been to a club before. The only one she had been to was Phoenix, the nightclub, with her friends. She could see the opulence all around her. It seemed high society, celebrities, and spoiled billionaires thronged the club. How did Christian like it in the first place? She already felt claustrophobic by the snobbish women all around her. They checked out her appearance, and her clothes, as if that was all there was to her.
“I’m hating it already!” she mumbled as they walked into the in-house restaurant.
“I know the feeling. We’ll just meet the guys, have our dinner, and leave.” Skylar felt relieved to know that Christian felt the same about the place.
A few guys waved at them from a table at the far end. Christian led her towards it. Skylar smiled at Knox who got up to welcome them.
“I thought you would ditch us at the last minute,” he said, giving Christian a hug.
“I wanted to after a hectic day at the office, but Skylar was ready to go. So I just tagged along.” They chuckled at his explanation.
“Thanks, Skylar. You won’t regret it. I’ve called Andrea. She’s on her way here. Let me introduce you to the rest of the guys!” said Knox eagerly.
Christian placed a possessive arm around her waist while Knox introduced her to a tall, tanned guy with sparkling emerald eyes. “This is our good friend from Athens, Eros Nikolaou. He owns the famous Emerald Star Cruises worldwide!”
“Hi! Nice to meet you, Skylar. You’re the first woman in our group. We’re yet to settle down, you see!” He stretched his hand with a charming smile that could make any woman swoon, but not Skylar. She was already taken for life.
“Hello, Eros! Are you sure I’m the first? What about Andrea?” said Skylar with a chuckle, briefly shaking his hand. Christian led her to a chair, and they sat down.
“Andrea isn’t a part of our group. She dined with us only once,” said another guy with aquamarine eyes and dark, jet-black curly hair. “I’m Maddox Laurier, the owner of this club. Welcome to Escapades!”
“Hi! It’s a fantastic place!” said Skylar, noting the way his eyes sparkled at the mention of Andrea’s name. So was this the guy who hit upon Andrea?
“I’m honored you think so.”
“That’s Killian Barlowe, our travel guide and owner of Cosmos Adventures. His work is to travel the world and organize adventure camps for people. Isn’t it fun?” said Knox with an eye roll.
“Hi, Skylar! I can plan your honeymoon for you if you haven’t gone already!” said the hunky guy with a dimple on both cheeks.
“Seriously Kill? Who wants adventure on their honeymoon? I’ll skip the offer,” said Christian with an eye roll.
They all chuckled knowingly when Andrea walked into the restaurant. Maddox immediately vacated the seat beside him for her but she sat with Skylar instead.
“Hi! Am I late?”
“Yes, you are! Maybe you were too nervous to meet us,” said Maddox while the others chuckled.
“You’re wrong as always! I was busy!” she retorted with a glare.
“Maddox, let her be. So, shall we start the celebration?” said a tall, muscular guy clad in a black business suit. It seemed he had arrived straight from his office. There was a dark, brooding aura surrounding him and immediately everyone quietened down.
“What are we celebrating?” whispered Skylar into Christian’s ear.
“Thank you for your presence here tonight! I’m pleased to announce that the Concorde Group has launched its first architectural consultancy firm, ZC Architects. I would like Andrea to handle it for me.” There was a pin-dropped silence as they all gaped at the man.
“I can’t, Zion,” came Andrea’s obvious reply.
“Why not?” asked the man.
“Who’s he?” whispered Skylar.
“Zion Concorde, the most powerful businessman in the country. He’s a good friend of ours now.”
There was chaos all around her, with Christian’s rowdy friends having fun their way. Andrea soon disappeared, and so did Maddox. After a few minutes, Zion too disappeared somewhere. What was going on?
Despite the madness all around her, Skylar enjoyed the evening with Christian. After dinner, they danced to a slow, romantic number. Later, he taught her to play billiards. Later, they left early to enjoy their own way.
Christian was happy that she bonded with his friends for his sake.