and women alike with a simple glance or a feather-light touch. The moment their entranced gaze stared into fathomless chocolate brown eyes, they were instantly lost. Unwittingly, they found themselves worn down, giving in to whatever she desired. As beautiful as my mother, it wasn’t surprising, but that’s where the similarities ended.
Eve oozed a sexual dominance that surpassed any of the women I’d known and briefly dated over the years. Come to think of it; they had nothing on her. So self-assured, every member of the family had often wondered how her bumbling husband Nicholas had snagged her; he was quite the marshmallow compared to his seductress wife.
I turned back to the bar, ordering yet another drink.
“I’ll have one of those too please.” Speak of the devil.
I grinned at the person behind the posh voice sliding up beside me. “Eve, my old darling aunt, how are you this fine evening?”
She snorted and bumped shoulders with me. “I’m well preserved, not old.”
“There’s a difference? I had no idea.”
Laughing, Eve opened a silver cigarette case and slid one between her plump lips. I tugged a Zippo lighter out of my pocket and lit it for her. Her mischievous eyes glittering as she dragged pleasurably and blew a stream of smoke into the fresh night air. “I’m also a little spice and no sugar.”
I snorted derisively. “Tell me something I didn’t know.”
“Having spice in one’s life never hurt anyone, Ari.” She sipped on her bourbon. “You know what they say?”
“I’m sure you shall take immense pleasure in enlightening me, my darling, Eve,” I said, smiling warmly.
“All work and no fun can make you a dull and lonely boy.”
I smirked. “And your point is?”
With her white long-sleeved dress fitting her willowy body like a glove, Eve was dressed to kill. It was also backless, exposing her shapely back as she twisted and leaned against the bar. Only she could pull off such a dress at her age.
Leisurely spinning back on the spikes of her six-inch heels, her twinkling gaze dropped to the crotch of my black dress pants. “For fuck's sake, Ari, go and sort out that pole inside your pants before you poke everyone’s eyes out!”
Raising a brow at my loquacious aunt, I lifted the drink to my lips, taking another tentative sip. “Isn’t going blind a prerequisite of growing old also? I guess I thought wrong.”
Her mouth quirking, she picked at the nibble tray on the bar, deftly shelling the pistachios before popping them one at a time into her mouth and slowly chewing. “You do realise that you and Teddy have it bad.”
“Getting slow is another prerequisite too, you know.” My smart mouth earned me a firm punch to the bicep. “Ow!”
She laughed heartily. “Pussy.”
I set my glass on the bar and slumped in defeat. When it came to any other woman, I exuded confidence, yet when it came down to a stunningly gorgeous young woman I’d known my entire life, I fumbled like a pre-pubescent teen.
Eve knew it too and wasn’t about to let me live it down. “Yeah, I’ve been watching the two of you all night. It’s better than any movie I’ve ever watched. Any hotter -,” She smiled, fanning her face. “- we’d all be on fire.”
“Well, it hasn’t exactly gone to plan tonight for either of us, Eve. Believe you me; we both tried but...,” I trailed off as I noticed my doe-eyed cousin, Gabriel fawning over her. My chin jerked in their direction. “Although, I noticed just now, your son appears rather enamoured. I might have some fierce competition.”
Her lips twisted wryly viewing them quickly. “She’s a beautiful woman, no? What’s not to love,” she stated stubbing out her half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray on the bar. “Besides, Gabriel doesn’t like Teddy the way you do, and with the way he’s been acting of late, I’d say there’s someone in the picture – and it’s not a woman, trust me I know.”
“Mothers intuition?”
“If that’s what you call it,” she countered making me laugh.
Everyone in the family and our social circles knew it was no secret about Gabriel’s sexuality and his preference for either sex. The apple hadn’t fallen too far from the tree in that regards, and as I looked around the marquee, you could only speculate amongst the guests, who had shared his bed. Regardless of his luxurious upbringing and English heritage, dressed in a black tuxedo, he looked uncomfortable and oddly out of place.
Tall and well built, Gabriel’s once black-brown hair he had dyed a dirty blonde. Messy and appeared unkempt, it closely resembled dreadlocks. With kind, chestnut brown eyes that drew you in, he had a charisma unlike no other.
“So, go grab her. Put both yourselves and us -,” Eve’s slender hand regally circled the marquee, “- out of our misery.”
“As much as I would love too, I’m more of a gentleman than you are,” I murmured winking.
“That’s debatable,” she quipped.
My beaming smile faded as I stared longingly at Teddy from afar. “No, I’ll visit with Teddy tomorrow, when we’re both sober.”
Walking off, she shouted over one slender shoulder, “Be sure to let me know if you’re successful or fall flat on your face!”
“I’ve deleted your number!” I shouted back, laughing when she flipped me the bird. All class that woman.
Having met my father’s shiniest new toy, and failed dismally with Teddy, I just wanted to head home where I could wallow in self-pity with dignity. I tossed back the rest of my drink and spun on my heel, lamenting as I peered over at Teddy one more time. Tomorrow.
I eventually tracked down my parents inside the house, playing doubles at the twelve-foot billiards table in the rumpus room with my Uncle Garrett and his wife, Michaela. His usual cigar clenched between his lips, dad stretched over the green felt and took his shot. A loud exclamation escaped his tightened lips as he missed the pocket.
I patted his back and shook his hand, chuckling. “Bad luck, old chap.” I glanced across the table. “Uncle G’s kicking your arse. Still, I see?”
“The table mustn’t be level.”
I grinned as Garrett poked back. “No, brother, it’s just your aim that’s crooked.” Then the usual slinging started.
“I’m leaving before you two involve me in your little games.” Kissing Michaela on the cheek, I wished her good luck.
Her nose scrunched playfully. “It’s gonna be a long night I feel.”
Mother’s customary goodbye took longer thanks to her inquisition.
“Lovely party, but I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow.” Hopefully between Teddy’s legs.
“A new acquisition?” she teased, lovingly rubbing my arm. She knew me well.
I
