The Claridge’s Ballroom was a marvel of pristine white surroundings, cream tablecloths, hints of gold with mirrors placed strategically throughout the room to imbibe that refreshingly light, airy feel. It had that Victorian era influence meshed with modern Art Deco; the end result was an astonishing splendor.

After our kiss, everything seemed to rush past me. When Callum introduced me to some of his acquaintances, I didn’t even bother trying to register their names in my brain. Nothing mattered then except for him; for I truly and devastatingly, was swooning and spinning about in my own dreamland.

Once we were seated accordingly, we both got engrossed talking to the other guests that we were sharing a table with. No one seemed to mind or question my relations with him. For that I was relieved. It would be rather awkward to say that I was engaged to him and yet, in reality, I was ecstatic because my pseudo fiancé had just managed to kiss me and turned me into a lovesick idiot.

I think my idiotic meter skyrocketed when his hand reached for mine underneath the table, resting out intertwined hands on my thigh. I couldn’t help giving him a glance, smiling as I did so. When I did, I wasn’t even surprised that Callum kept with his conversation without paying heed to me, but his sweet gesture made sure I knew that he was aware that I was right next to him and that he wasn’t ignoring me at all.

I liked this about him. A lot.

It took every ounce of concentration not to drag Callum away from the table and find a secluded area to ravish him there, so that I could get rid of all this pent-up, boiling hot, spinning out of control need to devour him. Social obligations were a bore. I was simply grateful that the woman who sat next to me wasn’t.

Speeches were given. Dinner was served. We were all waiting on our coffees and pastries to be served when conversations began again. I was so engrossed in my conversation with Mrs. Chambers that I had forgotten about Callum for the moment.

He became quiet and when I checked at where his gaze traveled, it placed me in a deflated mood. Five tables ahead, Zara and Charles were seated. Still, I managed to give him an understanding smile.

When he gave my hand a light squeeze, I somehow took it as his way of sorry. I was relieved when the waiters arrived with our last course. It became an excuse so I didn’t have to converse with him.

I understood him. His love and his hate for Zara… I could somehow grasp the capacity of his feelings. Not only that, but I felt sorry for him. What he’d gone through was horrible. Even with all that, a large part of my soul wished that he was mine. It was a twisted thing to wish for, knowing that it would never happen. Even when I was in this Callum haze that assaulted my every sense, my entire existence, my soul… my sanity... Even knowing all that, I still dared wish it.

Love was a damning thing for any human being because it made me a dreamer. It was only a matter of time until something was to happen. I saw it in Zara’s eyes; the way she claimed him without physical contact. In her eyes, it was all there to see. Callum was hers and she was his.

Their connection was palpable. It permeated the air. It was amazing and mortifying to witness. There I was, standing amidst the two past lovers, connecting through their eyes without a word being spoken, but so much was communicated.

As much as I wanted to be a bystander to their astonishing connection, I couldn’t for the life of me stay rooted to the spot and not hear my heart break into smithereens.

I had to find solace, a short reprieve, before I set to leave and go home. My emotions were all over the place, but one thing stood out and that was jealousy.

Of course I was jealous. What woman wouldn’t be? There I was, seeing the man who I had craved and wanted since I knew what lust was at the tender age of fifteen, who was almost at my reach, and his blasted past love showed up.

I was feeling all sorts of things and, when Derek showed up, the need for revenge was harboring me to do something reckless. All of these self-destructive ways of thinking went down the drain the second Callum reappeared, though. He was bold, crass and apologetic. I couldn’t help becoming a hapless woman in his arms again.

That kiss… Callum’s kiss obliterated my thinking. My reasoning. My hate and all the other damning feelings I had felt minutes before he showed up in the bar. That was all it took to make me his again and I sensed that he knew it, too.

If he ever wanted me tamed, all he had to do was kiss me and I would be his again.

“Want to grant me your first dance for the night?” Callum leaned over and murmured into my ear.

His closeness gave me immediate palpitations. The thought of being held by him while his ex watched was tempting, but I didn’t want him to use me as a ploy to make her jealous. I just wouldn’t let him.

I was about to decline him when we were interrupted, much to my relief.

Hugh Lowsley—one of Richard and Callum’s friends—came over to our table, greeting us. It was obvious that these two had a great bond. From the fun stories Richard had told me before, I was glad that these two kept in touch, even after all these years. I knew how difficult it was after school and life got in the way. It soon became an out of sight, out of mind kind of thing.

Hugh and Callum did the whole comrade-to-comrade thing, shaking hands and then some hugs and laughs. After their greeting, Callum turned to me. “I’m not sure if you’ve met Richard’s little sister, Stella?” He introduced me like we were friends, nothing to insinuate that we were past friendship.

This buggered me.

It was just then that Hugh cocked his head sideways to see me fully. He then whistled, handing out his hand for me to shake. “Stella? Wow, look at you!” He eyed me with avid scrutiny. “You’re all grown up and how gorgeous, I might add,” he added with an appreciative smile. Sky blue eyes skimmed all over me.

My small hand connected with his manly one, grinning as he shook it. “Well, we did meet when I was seventeen. I was bound to ripen with age.”

His appreciation was welcomed as it merely boosted my deflated spirits. I remembered him always being so casual. Nothing fazed him. Even when he was failing in one of his classes for being tardy, he had acted like it was nothing to be bothered about. Years later, Hugh was still the same man and a looker, if I dared add that to the list.

“Would you do me the honor?” Hugh offered his hand. “We can dance and catch up, if you like.”

From my peripheral vision, I caught Callum’s death stare. It should’ve been a warning that it would displease him, especially after the thing with Derek tonight, but unfortunately, the look sent me to the opposite direction.

“I’d love to!” I held out my hand, accepting his offer. It was audacious and I didn’t even glance towards Callum as Hugh led the way to the dance floor, which was filling up with people, possibly trying to work off those extra calories consumed from the dessert.

Hugh chose a quiet spot, further away from the other dancers and a tad further from the band. He held me securely as we danced to the jazzy beat. “I heard Tango is up next.” He quirked his eyebrow as if to taunt me, challenging me. Those sky blues never left my face, but I could sense that he was somehow teasing me.

Very well. I never backed out on a good challenge. “I love Tango.”

His eyes danced with amusement. “Do you now? I can’t wait,” he retorted before he quickly got serious.

Hugh studied me awhile before commenting on my eyes. “You know, if I’m not mistaken, your eyes are exactly like your Richard’s.”

They were. It was one of the things that gave us away as siblings. “It was the only thing we had in common.”

Hugh nodded. “That and that uncanny ability to make someone feel welcome. It’s strange really,” he thoughtfully said.

“I make someone feel welcome and strange all at once? That’s some ability.”

Hugh roared in laughter amidst our dancing. His laugh was so infectious that I went along with him, and for a few seconds, my troubles lifted away.

When Hugh spoke again, I was taken by surprise.

“I should’ve had Richard make me your conservator. I could guarantee you that I wouldn’t be such a bore as to take you to one of these functions.”

I stilled, shocked. “You knew about that?”

Who else did?

Hugh easily confirmed it. “Yes, Richard was a good friend of mine. I do miss that bugger. He was a great friend. Truly brilliant fellow.” He became somber. His eyes had that far away look as if visualizing Richard in his mind.

My brother was a good man. He wasn’t selfish and would dish out honesty over anything. He’d rather hurt your feelings instead of sugar coating anything to make you feel better. When I had problems, he never failed to be there for me. After our parents died, we mourned their losses, but he had to step up and into my father’s shoes. Juggling his new position, his social life and acting as a parent to me probably had been difficult for him, but never had I heard him complain a word about it.

It hurt to remember him, but at the same time, it was good to remember him again. “Thank you,” I murmured, almost teary.

“For what?”

I tried to smile. “For talking about him the way you did. Not a lot of people do anymore. It’s good to hear about Richard, even if it still hurts to think about what happened.”

“I suppose that’s why a lot of people try not to talk about it. It’s sad. It hurts, but that doesn’t mean we don’t think of him,” Hugh enlightened.

It was then that I wondered how Callum coped with my brother’s loss. He spoke about Richard, but he never went in depth about it all. With Zara’s betrayal and my brother’s passing, it was one after the other. I was sure it wasn’t easy to lose the people you loved all at once.

Hugh and I veered off sad subjects at the same time that the song changed and, as challenged, we tangoed with grinning faces.

I was delighted when the man truly knew his moves. For a while, I danced my worries away. Not caring if Callum was there watching or if he had already sought out his ex.

When our song ended, Hugh and I parted with promises of lunch or a coffee chitchat. Instead of going straight to my table with Callum, I went directly towards the loo to freshen up.

I was a few steps away from reaching the restroom when someone spun me around and took my breath away. “Cal.”

It took only one look to know that he was livid. The dangerous spark he had within him thrilled me. My heaving chest mesmerized his eyes. He studied the swells of my breasts before he lifted those dark eyes that seemed to reach into my soul.

“You let a man roam his hands all over you while I sat there fighting with myself because I wanted to bloody beat his arse!” he gritted out, eyes so dark that they promised only danger as he locked me in place. “What I don’t appreciate is you flaunting it right before me. Especially knowing the fact that you aren’t wearing any bra or underwear for that matter. What did you expect, Stella? If you were aiming to make me jealous, then you have succeeded.” He looked pained as he admitted the fact that he was jealous of Hugh.

It was a small victory, but it was one I savored the most. For jealousy bred deeper feelings and I hoped from there it could turn into love. It was a process. However, it was a long one. I was merely delighted that it was going toward the right path.

“Did you know you look really cute when jealous?” I leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose.

Callum growled at me. “Cute?” he hissed. “All you have to say is cute? You ought to be joking mad.”

Boy, he was cute all right, but he was getting sexier as he smoldered right before me. He was maddeningly gorgeous.

I ached to be with him.

“Someone has to joke around because you are way too serious.” I smiled, lavishing in his jealousy.

Callum was far from delighted, though. “I’m way too serious?” He nodded, pressing his lips together, still not amused. “Very well then, let me show you how serious I can get.” He shot out the words as he took me by the elbow and marched us in the other direction. The people that walked past us seemed to pay heed, but they were the least of my concern because I was worried what Callum had in mind.

Was he planning to confront Hugh? Hell. “You better not do anything stupid, Cal, or I will cause some damage.” I tried to threaten him, but my words didn’t seem to affect him in the least.

Everything became intense when he opened a door and dragged us both inside, probably to battle this one out. When he didn’t even bother to turn the lights on, I suddenly became frightened. Aware.

“Want to elaborate on your threats, Stella?” he spoke from somewhere in the room.

It was so dark, it was hard to see anything. I didn’t even have a clue what kind of room we were in, let alone how big it was. If I were in a broom closet, I wouldn’t have known.

Now about those threats… they had been purely empty. “I don’t know why you’d be jealous and go through the extent to bring us here to settle the discussion. I hadn’t said a word when you were practically having silent eye-fucking with your ex-lover.” There went my mouth again.

“It’s not Zara’s body I want,” he growled into the darkness.

The room was pitch black and yet I somehow felt him move. It didn’t take him long to reach me and then he was circling his arms around my hips, tugging me hard against his chest. “I want you.” Callum’s seductive, raspy voice lulled me into submission. “This body…” his hands cupped both of my breasts and squeezed them so tightly that I was out of breath. “…is mine to do as I please.” His words echoed into my brain.

Thou shall not play with fire if one doesn’t know how to douse it, control it and tame it. For it will burn, scar and consume you alive without thought.

Did I pay heed? Not a fucking chance.