Intrigued

2

This was probably the best part about attending s***h hosting events or parties. Dressing up.

After showering again since it was quite humid outside and activities weren't scarce for me today, I slipped on my red chiffon dress that I bought not too long back. It was long with a slight trail at the back. It had a sweetheart neckline with small crystals along it and fitted me to perfection. It was beautiful.

I applied light foundation and some eye shadow along with a nude shake lipstick. After slipping on my heels, I grabbed my black clutch and head down to the foyer where we all agreed to meet before we left.

I walked down the stairs as carefully as I could. As comfortable as these shoes we're, I doubted breaking my neck with a fall would be what I needed right now. It was like a mantra in my head. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right food. And all seemed well until I missed a step. My heart had lurched into my throat as my stomach did somersaults while I anticipated to hit the floor. I waited for the impact of the floor in my face and squeezed my eyes shut.

But the blow never came. Instead, I felt strong warm hands on my either side of my arms. I let out a breath when I realized I safe and probably wasn't going to face any injury but when I reopened my eyes, my breath caught in my throat as I stared up and saw it was Luke.

He's changed so much. His face was marvously sculptured. His jawline was so defined. His eyes were the perfect shade of blue. He looked really handsome. No wonder he's labeled as a charmer but that doesn't mean the advantage of good looks should be used to scandalize woman.

That thought shook me out of reverie and brought me back to reality where I was reminded of the improper nature of this situation. His face was a mask which didn't let anything slip yet I was probably an open book.

Just then Simon arrived the moment I shrugged out of Lukes' hold but he didn't see that and yanked me, none too gently, away from Luke and stared at him with a hard glare.

He then turned to look at me.

"Watch how you walk before you fall and break a leg." He said coldly and I was utterly taken a back since Simon was never overbearing and rarely let his temper slip.

Luke, like always, didn't say a word nor had he tried to explain and nodded at Simon.

"Are we ready to go?" My fathers voice interrupted the tense space and I was happy for that. Simon seemed to ease up as my parents appeared into view all dressed up.He wore his dark blue suit and mom was wearing a silk blue dress.

"I think we should get going. We don't want to be late to our own party." My mother said with an excited smile on her face. Simon, who seemed to have forgotten his anger, threw me an uninterested eye roll. He never really did like public events and this was no different.

We finally arrived at the venue which was well lit up and had lanterns along the pathway which added the slightest soft glow to the otherwise dark pathway. Thankfully, no one was here yet aside from the caterers and security which meant we were right on time.

My side of the door opened by who I presumed would be the chauffeur. I gathered the clutch in my hand and then took a deep breath before scooting to exit the car but I was surprised to see Luke standing in front of me, offering a hand of assistance for me to get out of the vehicle. I looked up at him and he flashed me small encouraging smile which startled me since this was the first smile I had seen him wear. He usually stuck to a blank, almost brooding, look.

I was about to place my hand in his when my brute of a brother almost knocked Luke to the side with his shoulder. He narrowed his gaze at Luke throwing him some sort of warning because Luke just nodded and sighed slightly as he stepped back.

I raised a brow at Simon. "If you're escorting me, who's going to escort Margaret?" I asked Simon curiously and he swore under his breath having forgot about his little friend.

Mageret was his girlfriend. Note the sarcasm. She wasn't even his girlfriend just someone who assumed she was even though he left for so long. I didn't even know she was on the list until I was arranging the seating earlier today.

She was sort of a nice person but my parents didn't approve. Well, they didn't need to because she was just my brothers play thing as were most of them. It was sad, really, seeing how many of them would get carried away if he had to do even the smallest of action or merely throw them a glance.

After what felt like a full minute, Simon finally spoke. "Luke will escort Margaret while I am escorting you tonight." Simon replied looking straight at Luke whose face had contorted into disbelief that couldn't conceal his distaste or outburst about the arrangement.

"No man. There's no way I'm escorting Margeret inside. She so irritating." Luke protested, throwing Simon a hard glare that said strongly that he really wouldn't. Simon just shot him a look like he was just being a big baby.

I let out a small sound of disgust before pinching Simon on his forearm which made him squeal."Oh my gosh, really Simon? I have no interest in your loveless affairs. And besides at least consider my innocent ears." I said jokingly before nudging him firmly in his side and out of my way. He groaned but didn't say anything.

Luke laughed a bit at my mini outburst while Simon joined in, chuckling at my discomfort.

At seven p.m, the guests started to arrive and before we knew it, the conversation and laughter had filled the air. Simon never left my side throughout all of this. He's better at being a tick then an actual tick itself. He took me from business associate to business associate and spoke so much about business that I was sure that I could probably graduate.

The party was in full swing with the Music a soft mellow tune and not too loud, just there. People were mingling, making new acquaintances and drinking while Simon still would not let go of my arm. It was starting to get unbearable.

We turned to find a drink of our own when a voice cooed behind us. "Simon, baby." A raspy female voice that was trying so hard to sound alluring but failed called from behind us and we turned. Margeret stood there with a very uncomfortable Luke in hand who looked like he was ready to strangle Simon. Well, that would make the two of us.

Simon composed himself from dread to fake joy as he saw her and it made giggle. "Margaret darling. I missed you." Simon said obviously lying and I wanted to slap him at this point.

Margaret kissed his cheek softly. "Don't you lie." She said rolling her eyes. "Would you leave your sister and tell me about your time away? You've been away for so long and I missed you." She whined annoyingly and Luke visibly cringed but passed it off as a hiccup but that didn't fool me. I let out a little scoff and Luke's uncomfortable dark eyes locked with mine. It looked like he was hiding a lifetimes worth of stories behind them.

Simon cleared his throat lightly which got my attention back to Margaret. "I can't leave her unaccompanied. Besides, she is introducing me to new people. Who's going to be with her?" Simon lied and I was so ready to punch him. He was treating me like an eight year old and I was tired of it.

I stepped forward which made Simon tighten his hold. "He is lying. I have not introduced him to anyone whatsoever." Simon squeezed my hand yet tried to keep an unwavering smile. "Heck, I don't even know half the people here, myself."

He was being such an over protective brother. What for? Only the Lord above knew.

"It's the twenty first century Simon not the mid evil era. She's a grown woman." Margeret said, speaking sense for the first time in all the time I knew her.

"Yeah Simon. I'm a grown woman. You bore me with all your business talk to everyone." I said to him causing him to snort a bit.

But he wouldn't budge and simply held onto my hand like some cages animal.

"Luke can accompany her while you dance with me. She's twenty-five Simon. Let her be." Margeret insisted and Simon's hold loosened a fraction and it honestly felt like freedom.

Simon sighed and let go of my arm. He handed me to Luke before staring at him with a deep, dark warning his look. I swallowed nervously even though I wasn't at the receiving end of that glare. I've never seen Simon so riled up before.

He leaned closer to Luke and said something I couldn't quiet pick up because of all the chattering and music. Luke just nodded and intertwined our arms and we waited until Margeret wrapped her arm around Simon and lead his uninterested frame to the dance floor.

We stood in silence and my throat was feeling slightly parched from all the speaking and since we didn't end up getting drinks because Margaret had arrived, I decided to get one now.

"I'm heading to the bar. I need something to drink." I said breaking the silence.

He didn't say anything but lead me swiftly to the bar.

I sipped my drink  and welcomed the cool liquid gladly welcoming the ease it brought to my parched throat. I knew he was observing me.

"You really changed.'' His voice was light, dancing in amusement. ''You're no longer the small the girl with mismatched shoes." He said complimenting me and reminding me of an embarrassing situation at the same time with a small chuckle.

He still remembered the mismatched shoe incident and I was surprised that he did since it was ages ago. I let out a small smile and turned so I was now facing him.

I looked up at him while he was mid-chuckle, clearly still amused at the past incident that happened when we were teenagers and noticed he had the slightest appearance of dimples on either side one of his cheeks.

I snapped out of ogling him and took a breath, remembering that I, too, have something over his head. "Yeah, well you're no longer the guy whose sweater got caught in his braces." I shot back jokingly and his face fell but the amusement deepened in his eyes.

We both started at each other seriously for a moment before bursting into laughter together like a pair of crazy people. Needless to say that our light banter caught a lot of assessing eyes which instantly quietened me up.

"Touché Hayley." He said breathless from laughing.

My name sounded so much more better when he said it that it raised gooseflesh to rise on my arm. I suppressed a shudder and his brown eyes found mine. They lingered longer they should have before he swore under his breath.

I got my focus back as he stood up and offered me his hand to help me rise as well.

"What did Simon say to you before he went off with Margeret?" I asked being my inquisitive self.

His eyes became strained at the edges and his lips tightened.

"He told me that if he notices me being too close you, you he'll ensure that I won't bear children." He let out flatly.

"Oh. Simon can be a brute sometimes."

"He's doing what a brother should do Hayley. He's my best friend. He knows what I am and how I think so it's only fitting that he be protective of you when it comes to me." He said slowly.

Oh. So all the rumors were true. He is a playboy.

"Well, I don't perceive you in that way so there isn't much to worry about." feeling edgy as I said that.

I wasn't lying when I said that. Well, at least not fully.

He smirked at me and his eyes looked like it held up a challenge. He looked around and I looked at him questioningly.

"Watching out to see if the devil is nearby." He said acknowledging my curiosity. I take it as he wasn't.

"You may want to rethink what you said." He says in low tone. His eyes seemed to be darker. More intense.

I glared at him and began to walk away but her stopped me. "This is why your brother is being a pain in the ass Hayley. I'm no good and you should remember that." He said seriously but his voice had a slight tinge of disappointment.

I nodded and pulled my hand out of his grasp and walked away.

I spotted Nicole and Rebecca with their men and walked towards them. I hugged both of them one at a time and greeted Jake and Aiden.

"You look gorgeous Hayley. Who's the guy that you were speaking to?" Rebecca asked seeming really eager to know.

The wording of her question didn't get to me. It was that Rebecca asked that question.

I giggled at her and Jake just rolled his eyes at his wife.

"You remember Luke, don't you ? Simons best friend."

I asked her, trying to jog her memory.

She frowned trying to recall. Her eyes widened in realization. "That man is the Luke Basset. The wealthiest man in the country. Damn, did puberty do him good. Just look at him." She ranted on.

I blocked her out and looked at Nicole who's tongue was down Aiden's throat. These two were probably the most hormonal couple in the room.

"So things seemed to be hot on the dance floor." Rebecca's eyes shone with mischievousness.

I briefly explained to her the whole point of the closeness and how it was only to demonstrate why Simon was being an overprotective brother and Luke's statement of how this was the reason I should stay away from him.

"He does have quite a reputation when it came to woman. But it's obvious you're attracted to each other." She stated matter of factly.

"Nope Rebecca. I barely even know him and besides, if I get involved with someone it needs to be long term. I don't do these purposeless things that I know won't last." I explained.

They always insisted that that was the reason why I couldn't land a guy yet but the truth was they just leave you disappointed.

After half an hour, everyone was gone home and it was time for us to go too. My mom, dad, Simon, and Luke were standing outside.

I looked at Luke who looked so exhausted. I turned to look at Simon questioningly.

"His apartment will be taking a week to get ready and in order, so he'll be staying with us," Simon informed us seeming happy but also a tad bit of worry etched his forehead as he said that.

My parents were more than happy because they adored him and mother always hoped that Luke and I would be something more in the long run because she claimed that reformed players make the best loyal husbands.

It's only because my dad had a reputation equal to Simon and Luke and after he fell for my mother he never laid his eyes in another woman ever since.

"Shall we?" Mother Interrupted my thoughts and gestured for me to hop into the car. I got in and the Robert, the driver, began to drive off.