Heart of Stone (13 page)

“May I cut in?” Asks a male voice with a deep
seductive southern drawl. Startled as I didn’t hear anyone
approaching I look up at a tall very attractive man with baby blue
eyes, short black hair and tanned skin. He appears to be in his
mid-thirties and looks like he’s just step out of the pages of a GQ
magazine.

“Not sure if my brother will approve Caleb
but if the lady doesn’t mind…” Sebastian asks looking to me for my
consent. I nod.

“Have at it,” says Sebastian then gives me a
quick peck on my cheek and places my palm into Caleb’s waiting open
hand.

As Sebastian leaves, Caleb’s light baby blues
admiringly peruse the length of my body once then settle on my face
with a lazy grin curving his full lips.

“I don’t believe I’ve had the extraordinary
pleasure of meeting you before. Please let me introduce myself. I’m
Caleb Norwood.” His accent sounds like a euphonious melody.

“Nice to meet you Mr. Norwood. I’m Gabby
Stevens.” I politely reply with a small smile.

For all his obvious exuding charm I don’t
feel completely at ease in his presence. For one, with the way he’s
looking at me I feel like I’m his next meal and by the hungry look
on his face he hasn’t eaten in a week.

“Caleb. Please call me Caleb, Gabby.” He
chides lightly.

Oh great… yet another alpha male, just what
I don’t need.

“Are you enjoying yourself this evening
Gabby?”

“Um… I
was
… yes, thank you.”

“Ah…
was,
as in past tense. By far the
most beautiful woman in the room
wounds
me.” He drawls
theatrically placing his hand over his heart in mock offense.

Oh this guy is laying it on thick but he is
kinda funny.

A burst of laughter escapes my lips. “Are all
southern gentlemen prone to such dramatics?” I tease.

“Yes,” he laughs, “but then that’s the
attraction of us southern gentlemen, don’t you agree?”

“Norwood.” A familiar voice curtly
interrupts. I look up to see Aidan standing beside me, his
expression irate.

“Stone.” Caleb replies just as curtly.

I’m guessing there’s not much love between
these two
.

“I believe I’ll be taking it from here,”
bites Aidan sliding his arm around my waist in a claiming show of
ownership and drawing me away from Caleb’s hold.

Caleb smirks nodding once at Aidan the grabs
my hand bringing it up to his lips and kissing my knuckles. “It’s
been a pleasure meeting you Gabby Stevens.” He murmurs in that
southern drawl of his then turns on his heels and walks away.

Aidan gathers me in his arms and we begin to
sway in time with the music. His face is still hard, his body tense
with waves of anger rolling off him as he hisses in my ear. “Why is
it Gabriella that every time I turn around you’re in the company of
a man I vehemently detest?”

“Pardon?” I say taken back with his tone.

“Oh I think you heard me clearly Gabriella.”
He grates.

Oh hell no! He is NOT going to take this
attitude with me. Especially after the snide remarks his brother,
mother and Katrina have been giving me all night.

“You’re shitting me right? I didn’t ask for
your douchebag of a brother to harass me. I didn’t ask to be
insulted by your stepmother. I sure in hell didn’t ask for the
snide remarks and constant dirty looks Cruella’s been dishing out
all night. And last but certainly not least I didn’t ask to dance
with Caleb. I was enjoying myself with Sebastian who by the way is
the only family member of yours that I actually like.”

Panting from my outburst I abruptly realize
that not only have I raised my voice ever so slightly but I’ve
stopped dancing with Aidan and both my hands are firmly set on my
hips and one of my legs are bent forward tapping in synchronization
to each word I’ve spoken.

Holy shit!

Hesitantly I glance up at Aidan, his mouth is
gaping open and his eyes are narrowed on mine. And he looks well
and truly pissed.

Fucking hell!

“Are you quite finished now Gabriella?” Snaps
Aidan.

“Um… yes. Sorry.” I mumble contritely.

Signing loudly Aidan once again slides his
arms around me bringing me in closer until our bodies are touching
and begins to sway in time to the music. I lay my cheek on his hard
muscular chest inhaling deeply his alluring unique scent. Aidan
rests his chin on my head as the music surrounds us.

“How is it that on one hand I adore your
beautifully honest loquacious mouth and on the other I have the
irresistible urge to gag you?”

Oh. My. God.

Lifting my head with narrowed eyes I look
into his amused gaze and realize that he is no longer angry with
me. He’s teasing me. I smile affectionately at him then lowering my
cheek to his chest once more I press even closer into the warmth of
his strong body.

“Baby?”

“Hmm?”

“Gabriella?”

“Yeah?”

“Who in Gods’ name is Cruella?”

“Ah… um… it’s sort of a nickname I have for
Katrina. Cruella is the villainess from the Disney movie one
hundred and one Dalmatians.” I sheepishly reply looking up at him
through my lashes.

Aidan chuckles. “I see.”

“She doesn’t have one hundred and one puppies
locked in her office does she?”

Aidan throws back his head in laughter.

How I love that sound.

Aidan fluidly leads me around the dance
floor. He has one arm firmly clasped around my waist pressing our
bodies’ flush against each other. Our fingers are intertwined and
my other hand rests on his broad shoulder as the vocalist serenades
the room with the soulful romantic classic
‘Moon River’
. I’m
swept along with Aidan’s graceful movements and in this moment it’s
like the rest of the world has simply melted away and there are
just the two of us. Closing my eyes I nuzzle my cheek against his
chest and allow the words of the song to resonate within my
soul.

“You two lovebirds have put on quite the show
tonight.” Sebastian muses coming up beside us.

“Sebastian,” grates Aidan.

“Sorry to interrupt Gabby,” Sebastian says
smiling at me then addresses Aidan, “but Mother is requesting your
presence. She said to tell you Ryan Summerfield is leaving but
wishes a quick word with you before he leaves.”

“She’s your mother Sebastian, not mine,” Says
Aidan brusquely.

Signing loudly Aidan releases me. “This won’t
take long Gabriella.” His expression is mildly annoyed. “Please
refrain from dancing with other men,” he warns playfully.

“That’s okay I have to visit the powder room
anyway. Sebastian,” I say in parting.

Chapter Thirteen.

Walking back from the powder room I pause at
the entrance to the grand ballroom scanning the sea of beautiful
people who are dancing, conversing or generally enjoying their
evening together. My eyes lock onto Aidan almost immediately - his
presence a magnet luring and pulling at every fiber within my body.
He is standing by the Art Deco bar located by the west wall holding
a crystal tumbler half filled with an amber colored liquid smiling
that panting-dropping mega-watt smile of his.

A tall stunning brunette with glossy
cascading curls down her flawlessly exposed back is the recipient
of that smile. She’s dressed in a metallic golden figure-hugging
gown with plunging neckline and a side split that reaches her upper
thighs exposing long slender legs that practically go on forever.
She is beyond beautiful. She exudes sophistication and elegance and
at this very moment her hand is currently settled on Aidan’s arm in
a very intimately familiar way.

I watch stunned, speechless as she leans into
Aidan, his arm curling around her perfectly narrowed waist and he
places a tender kiss on her temple. She smiles lovingly towards him
as they continue their conversation with one another.

“Beautiful isn’t she?”

Startled I jerk my head in surprise not
realizing I wasn’t alone anymore. As I turn my head I look at
Katrina’s contrived face staring towards Aidan and the mystery
woman.

“Um… do you know her?” I hesitantly
enquire.

Katrina gives a humorless laugh. “Oh yes Miss
Stevens I know Sophia.” Her lip curls as she says the name Sophia.
I return my gaze back to Aidan and Sophia silently waiting for
Katrina to elaborate. I know she will and something deep down tells
me I won’t like what I’m about to hear.

“Everyone thought they would get married you
know. The perfect pair – so in love with each other. Then two years
ago after months of being inseparable they parted ways. Of course…”
she continues her story as I stand frozen gazing at the ‘perfect
pair’ holding my breath waiting for the knife to be plunged into my
heart. “Aidan never got over her. He of course has had a countless
parade of women that come and just as quickly go through his life
but not one of them have ever lived up to the perfectness of
Sophia.”

Is Sophia the reason he doesn’t date or bring
woman back to his home? Is she the reason he doesn’t have any
personal photos displayed in his house? Maybe the reminder of lost
love is too painful and perhaps that’s the reason why Aidan
controls every aspect of his life so rigidly to avoid intimacy. Is
he waiting for her to come back and am I just one of the many
diversions he fills his time with?

Katrina turns to face me and I meet her stare
head on. “You have to know Gabby, you will never be her. You will
never replace Sophia. You’re just one of the countless distractions
he passes the time with while waiting for her to come back to
him.”

I have to give it to good old Cruella she
sure knows how to land a deathblow. She even has the audacity to
mask her face in a cloak of sincerity whist doing the act. Taking a
deep breath I force out a polite smile marveling at how this woman
has tapped a line into the vein of my heart injecting a powerful
shot of doubt and insecurities that within seconds has me crippled
beyond belief. Call me ungracious, petty even, but there is no way
I won’t inflict my own parting shot before I leave.

“I maybe only one of many Katrina, but it
must be killing you that you haven’t even made it to that status. I
pity you. You’re in love with a man that doesn’t even know you
exist.”

Calmly I turn around and head outside towards
the front entry leaving Katrina standing there with a raw wounded
look on her face.

Self-doubt’s and insecurities continue to
play like a record looping around and around in my mind. I lean
over bracing my hands around my knees inhaling mouthfuls of air
desperately forcing down the terrorizing feeling of loss
threatening to consume me. I have to get out of here. Now.

Franticly I run along the footpath heading
further away from the Park Hotel while pulling my cell out of the
clutch to phone a cab. Looking around I note the name of the street
that I’m standing on and quickly make the call.

Chapter Fourteen.

I pay the cab driver mumbling my thanks and
head inside. It’s only eleven-thirty but I’m exhausted and all I
want to do is crawl into bed curling up into a ball and lick my
wounds.

I walk inside closing the front door as
quietly as I can and head towards the kitchen to grab some
water.

“G, you’re home already?” calls Mia from her
bedroom.

“Yeah M, it’s me. Just heading to bed.” I
call back trying to sound my normal self but my voice breaks and I
pray that Mia doesn’t hear it. I grab a bottle of water from the
fridge.

“Gabby honey, are you ok?” Mia stands in the
doorway of the kitchen, concerned etched on her face.

“No,” I squeak my lip trembling, “Oh God Mia
I’m such a fool.” I cry as Mia wraps her arms around me and I begin
to sob uncontrollably.

“Shh Gabby it’s going to be okay. Tell me
what happened? Let me make you a cup of tea and we’ll talk
okay?”

Nodding I wipe away my tears with the back of
my hand.

Forty minutes later I’m sitting on the couch
sipping tea with Mia. I’ve taken off and hung up the exquisite gown
Aidan brought me, put on my cute and super comfy cotton pink
stripped boy shorts with matching camisole and filled Mia in with
all that happened at the benefit including Aidan’s stepmother being
a total bitch to me, Sebastian being really sweet and funny,
Caleb’s flirting and Katrina’s death-blow.

“That fucking bitch,” hisses Mia, “and Gabby
honey I can’t believe you let her talk to you like that.”

“I know but hey I didn’t leave without
plunging my own knife in just a little bit. Katrina is obviously
head-over-heels in love with Aidan, it’s just eating her
alive.”

“Why didn’t you talk to Aidan instead of
running away,” Mia scolds.

Shrugging I say, “I don’t know Mia it was
pretty clear that Aidan and Sophia were once a couple. The way he
was looking at her… oh God M, she’s gorgeous and obviously belongs
in his world. She’s everything I’m not.”

“Are you
fucking shitting
me Gabby?
Honey you’re the most beautiful girl I know and not only on the
inside. G you’ve got to know how attractive you are. I would kill
to have your hair not to mention your skin is pure peaches and
cream. And don’t get me started on your figure, that cute little
button nose and those eyes of yours – striking.”

“Um… M, we,” I say gesturing with my hand
between us, “have the exact same eyes babe – family trait
remember.” I giggle at Mia’s attempt to make me feel better.

“Precisely G,
our
eyes are
exceptionally beautiful!” Declares Mia bursting in to giggles.

I know Mia is trying to lighten my mood with
her mini pep talk and it only makes me love her all the more for
it.

A loud knock pounds at the door and both Mia
and I jump in surprise.