SWNOVELS Late to dine (Chapter 19)
Ivy:
“You’re late”
By the time I had made it back to the square, the market was long closed. All that remained was a few lone vendors stacking their remaining goods in their carts, street sweepers, some meandering citizens, and one very angry Garth.
And now I get to deal with a very angry Giddean. Lucky me.
Giddean sits on a plush red armchair in the corner, legs spread, elbows resting on the armrest, fingers steepled.
“This bitch wondered off to fuck knows where.” Garth grabs me and roughly pushes me forward, pinching the skin on my arm with his fat fingers. For freak’s sake! What is with everyone and grabbing me today?
Giddean look turns dark as he watches Garth manhandle me. “You are dismissed” he harshly orders, staring Garth down.
Garth, being the obnoxious hothead he is, turns and slams a door open so loud I jump a little. I can’t say I’m sad that man is out of the room, even if he left me with a pissed Giddean.
Standing here in the large room that functions as an entryway, I just look at him. He is dressed in some finery, but when isn’t he? He is the perfect embodiment of tall, dark, and handsome. Tall enough to make a shadow of any woman. Wide shoulders that are further emphasized by the thick gold chains that hang from them. Deep mysterious dark eyes that draw you in.
He sighs and runs his fingers through his immaculately combed black hair.
I know I have pissed him off and today I can’t even blame him for it.
“Giddean, I’m sorry, I –“
He holds his hands up “Tomorrow. You’re late for your dinner.”
He stands as he takes in what I am wearing. A long light blue wrap dress that flows a little from the waist. A nice enough dress to be sure, but nothing compared to the finery that Pinns adorn themselves for dinner. I have no jewelry and my hair is down, probably wild. The bottom of the dress is slightly dusty from my walk and there are wrinkles in all the usual places from wear. God knows, I probably smell too.
I smooth my hands down the dress as he watches me.
Giddean sighs again, “Let’s go.” He pushes himself up off the armchair. Standing, he waves, irritated, towards the door to the dining room.
I walk into the dining room. Men sit around the elongated table, decorated with an elaborate fruit display and gold candles. All conversation stops and the eyes of the men turn towards me., inspecting me, judging me. They no doubt judge my dusty appearance unworthy of Giddean.
I feel a hand pushing the small of my back. Giddean directing me towards the chair at the end of the table nearest to me.
My eyes are drawn to the fair-haired man next to the empty seat. No no no no. Giddean’s lover’s pale eyes watch me. They are light blue like the sky on a sunny day. His longish blond hair is brushed expertly to the side. He has a thin white scare down his left check and his bright smile shows of his straight white teeth and dimples. Why is he smiling? Doesn’t he know who I am?
Giddean pushes me forward again, harder this time, almost causing me to trip. I know I had stalled, but damn it he could use a little patience. After all, he is sitting my next to his lover.
I slowly walk over to the chair which quickly Giddean jerks out for me. I go to sit down and he quickly jerks the chair back in, effetely causing me to fall into it. I look up to see his deep frown. Yeah, I made him mad alright.
Giddean walks around the table towards his seat and my eyes slide down is back side. Ugh, I didn’t just ogle him, did I? I hear conversations pick up again, and I close my eyes briefly and turn away from watching Giddean back to the table.
Giddean’s lover is still grinning at me like a Cheshire Cat, evidently thrilled having witnessed Giddean’s anger. Yeah, yeah, I know I am no threat to his relationship, but couldn’t he pretend to be a little less happy?
I look down the table filled with men chatting. Screw this if I will allow them to think that Giddean’s anger or lover boy bothers me. With that thought I put on my most pleasant smile and turn to the man on my right, James.
“How are you this evening James?”
James smiles a warm smile. I don’t know him well, but there is something about James that just makes me like him. Maybe it’s his gentile mannerisms or his cheeks still round with youth. I just want to mother him.
A server moved from behind me to fill my wine glass with an amber liquid.
“I’m well, Mrs. Senator. How was the market?”
My thoughts flash to the passionate scene under the stairway and to lover boy on my left. I can feel him watching me. I can feel them all watching me.
“Um... it was very interesting. So many new things to look at.” Ugh, I always come up with the lamest things to say.
“Did you buy anything?”
“No, I just did some window shopping.”
He looked at me confused, “windows?”
“No, um... sorry it’s just a saying” I brush my sweaty hands down my legs, “I just looked around.”
What followed one a brief moment of silence where neither one of us could think of anything to say. I grab my glass and take a few sips of my drink, amber liquor which tastes like a very sweet whiskey with a hint of apple. Unfortunately I have failed to come up with something to say in the brief moment provided to me by my drink. James smiles at me and I smile back. I hate those silent moments- I can hear my heart beating because it’s so quiet and I’m so nervous. Crap, I really should ask him something. Um…