Page 35 of Forbidden Passion
Chapter 30
Falk looked around, scanning the crowd for his fiancée. Finding her, he relaxed slightly and took a sip of the champagne. She must have sensed his gaze, because she stopped speaking to whomever she’d been chatting with and looked around, spotting him and smiling at him.
“You proposed?”
Falk turned to find Zayed on one side of him and Ramit on the other. Neither man seemed angry with him for the obviously sexual thoughts running through his head, so he relaxed.
“Nope,” Falk answered, pride washing over him at the memory.
Ramit turned, frowning. “If you haven’t proposed to my sister, then stop thinking about what I know you’re thinking!”
Falk chuckled, but gave a wary glance to Zayed as he, too, grumbled objections.
“Relax!” he soothed, patting Ramit on the shoulder. “I didn’t have to propose.Shedid.”
Both men blinked at him, stunned for a moment. Then Ramit burst out laughing, clapping Falk on the shoulder. “Damn, that’s priceless!” Thankfully, he nodded his approval, then shifted back to his previous position, watching the others mingling in the ballroom. “I can’t wait to get this stupid celebration crap over with.” He smirked at Falk. “Please tell me that you’re not going to make a huge fuss about your wedding?”
Falk wanted to tell him that he was going to marry Ciara secretly just like his friend had done, but then he looked at Ciara. She was so damn lovely! And she seemed to be in her elementin a large crowd. She mingled and chatted and laughed with each of the guests, moving easily from one group to the next. Every set of guests seemed to truly appreciate and enjoy Ciara’s presence.
She left people feeling good.
“If she wants a big wedding, then she’ll have it.” He gave both men a glower. “And both of you will be there! Understood?”
Both men smiled their agreement as Maggie walked up to Ramit and he automatically wrapped his arm around her waist. “Are you having a good time?”
She pasted a bright smile on her pretty features as she asked plaintively, “When will all of this be over?”
Ramit chuckled and kissed her lightly. “I thought that you would enjoy this kind of fanfare.”
She shrugged and looked around. “I know these gatherings are important for you. And I appreciate how you’ve organized these events so that the rest of the world will take me seriously. So I will figure out how to enjoy them.”
He shifted slightly. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”
“Blast it man! Don’t embarrass the rest of us!” A new voice called out. Antonio walked up to the group, his beautiful wife on his arm. His half-brother, Matteo del Campo and his vibrant wife, Bailey, followed. Antonio made the introductions to Zayed and Ramit and they all started talking about the latest products being released by Larmpo, the company created by Matteo, Bailey, and their brilliant business partner, Tim Russel. There was a great deal of excitement over a new coating thatTim had developed that would make solar panels less expensive, more efficient and easier to install.
“What’s all the excitement about?” a shrill female voice asked.
Before Falk could figure out who had interrupted, Myala squeezed in between himself and Ramit. Then she looped her arm through his and did that breast pressing thing that always irritated him. She was beaming up at him as if they were a couple and that was just not going to happen.
The long, awkward silence in the group warned him that the others didn’t like what they were seeing any more than he did.
Carefully, he extracted his arm from hers, taking her hands. Her smile dimmed with her confusion, but he didn’t care. “Myala, I think we need to have a private conversation.” He turned to the rest of the group. “If you’ll excuse us,” he said, leaving the ending hanging as he led Myala towards an empty corner of the ballroom. They wouldn’t be alone, but he would be able to speak with her privately.
She preened with self-importance as he led her away from the group. He looked around and spotted Ciara again. Thankfully, she was speaking with an older couple, but she looked up and noticed him with another woman. He tilted his head towards her, acknowledging her gaze.
“Why don’t we go into another room and talk?” Myala whispered, her eyes bright with…what? What the hell was she thinking he had to say?
“Myala, I’m engaged. I don’t want you to hold onto me the way you just did while I was talking with my friends.”
Again, her smile dimmed, but didn’t go away. It remained, looking a bit awkward, but she maintained a bright expression. “I don’t understand.”
“I became engaged to Princess Ciara earlier tonight.”
Another long silence. Slowly, she started to shake her head. “But…that’s not possible. You and I…we are going to be married.”
He was stunned by her comment. “Why do you think so?”
“Because…” she gestured weakly towards the other guests. “Because you and I would make the perfect couple.” She stopped smiling. Stepping back, she shook her head. “Sheik Falk, I think you should reconsider. You don’t need to bind yourself with a political marriage.” She stepped closer, grabbing his hands to reinforce her sincerity. “I will love you! I can be a much better wife to you than she ever could!”