21st Century Knight

Chapter 8 Shall We Dance?

Brandon drove through the large black gates of the hall where the Rosette Hawkins Country Club soiree was being held. Gabriella twisted her hands nervously in her seat. She was beginning to feel like it was a bad idea.

"Are you sure about this, Brandon? I mean, I don't know anybody and I'm not sure if I fit in at a place like this." Brandon took her hand as she stepped out of the car.

"You’re my date. It doesn’t matter what they think. I only have to attend this once a year. At least this year I have a date that I like. And I get to show you off." he said confidently. Gabriella felt a little more appeased.

"Thanks," she replied as they entered the well-lit foyer. The floors were carpeted and the ceilings were high; the walls were paneled with polished oak and bespoke class.

"Fancy," Gabriella observed.

"I know, right? Even I couldn’t get used to it at first," Brandon said with a head shake. Gabriella wondered what he meant by 'at first'.

They entered the main hall, which was decorated with large silver banners displaying ‘Rosette Hawkins Club 30th Anniversary’. A group of young men swarmed Brandon as he entered.

"Whiteley! Glad you made it!"

"Brandon, dude, is that another date?"

"Brandon, the old man sent you instead of coming himself, huh? He always avoids club gatherings." Brandon responded to each of them before pulling Gabriella forward.

"Hot date you got there. Not as hot as your last one, but still. She’s a looker." One of Brandon’s friends eyed her up and down. Gabriella felt her face heat up.

"Ian, this is Gabriella Keller. My girlfriend." Gabriella noticed his emphasis.

"Where'd you meet her, Bran? She’s a real keeper." another of his friends said with unbridled admiration.

"What about Madison? Does she know you have a new girl?" a slightly more reserved-looking man came behind Brandon. Brandon turned around.

"Peter, it’s good to see you." He shook hands with Brandon before returning to his point.

"So what did Madison say?"

"She threw a blue fit while wearing red," Brandon said easily. The men burst out in laughter.

"Better not let her catch you saying that. Actually, she’s around here somewhere. She’s been guzzling champagne and refusing dances, saying the first one goes to you. You better set her straight soon."

"Thanks for the tip, Peter." Brandon nodded. Peter smiled as he shook hands with Gabriella.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Keller. I think Brandon is a lucky guy."

"Thank you," Gabriella said politely.

"So who gets the first dance with her?" Ian asked.

"I think I’m entitled to it," Brandon replied, stroking the back of Gabriella's hand. She smiled at him.

"Well, save one for me if you can, okay? I'd like to get to know my best friend’s girlfriend more." Peter grinned.

"I want two dances at least," Ian insisted.

"You’re not getting even one if you have any more champagne," Brandon said curtly.

"Don’t spoil my fun, Brando." Ian pouted.

"You’ll be too busy having fun with your own date, Ian. She just asked for you." a guy who came up to the group said.

"Thanks a lot, Theo. You just cost me a dance with Miss Keller." Ian grumbled as he walked away. The music went up in a jazzy swing.

"Come on, let’s get some appetizers first," Brandon said. He hailed a waiter who carried a tray of hors d'oeuvres.

"I don’t suppose…" Gabriella began uncertainly.

"Stuffed mushrooms, mademoiselle. I asked them to have a few vegetarian dishes." Brandon said with a little bow.

"You had them prepare these just for me? Brandon, that’s so sweet." Gabriella's lips widened in a charming smile which made Brandon freeze in fascination for a moment.

"Anything for the girl I'm dating." They both took a bite and Gabriella moaned in delight.

"It’s delicious!"

"Made by one of our Michelin star chefs."

"I’m touched you would do all this for me." Gabriella leaned closer to him. He wrapped an arm around her waist. Gabriella smirked, shaking her head.

"Uh-uh, Brandon. Not yet." she tried to sidle away.

"Just for a few minutes. I did it for you that day. I need the same favor." Brandon suddenly looked wary.

"Why?" Gabriella asked in confusion. He turned his head to look over the dance floor. A woman was making her way through the twirling couples.

"Yoo-hoo! Brando! My honey bear, I knew you’d make it! And those guys said you’d ditch me!" Madison cooed. She wore a skintight, strapless black satin dress, with a white boa and stilettos that clacked against the marble floor as she approached Brandon. She held a martini in one hand and a shrimp cocktail in the other. She was clearly a little drunk; she could barely walk straight and swayed on her heels. Gabriella couldn’t help thinking she would have been beautiful if she hadn’t tried to look so… overdressed.

"Madison, I think you’ve had enough." With one hand still around Gabriella, he took the glass from Madison and put it on a waiter’s tray.

"Oh, that? I can handle way more. I was just passing time till I got a dance with you." She suddenly spotted a very dressed-up Gabriella.

"What the hell? What is she doing here?" her mouth dropped open.

"She’s my girlfriend. And my date for tonight." Brandon said calmly.

"Brando, honey, you are such a kidder! Come on, let’s go show them what real dancing is!" Brandon’s hand tightened around Gabriella’s waist and he pulled her a little closer to his chest.

"I’m sorry Madison. But I promised my girlfriend a dance. And I think you shouldn’t be on the dance floor like that. Let's go, Gabriella." He pulled her away from Madison, who looked like she was ready to hyperventilate.

"Brandon, did you really date her?" Gabriella asked, unable to picture even Brandon with a woman like that.

"Not really. I did it for pictures. She loved publicity but wasn't making much headway at the start of her career. At first, I felt sorry for her; so I tried to be friends with her. Until I saw how shallow she was. That’s when I call it off. The only reason she latched onto me was that I was the only one who gave her the time of day. But not anymore. She likes the high life, schmoozing, and nightclubs and I don’t. But she can’t take a hint."

"Kind of like Archer," Gabriella mumbled, thinking how similar they both were. She had no idea she had more in common with Brandon than she previously thought.

"I know. How did such people come into our lives?" Brandon asked, looking put off. He pulled her into his arms for a slow dance.

"Whoa, I haven’t danced the 'couples’ dance' in a while," Gabriella said nervously.

"Don’t worry, just follow my lead," Brandon assured her as he swayed smoothly with her. Soon she fell into his rhythm. She slowly raised her hands to place them around his neck.

"Thanks," he said softly.

"For what?"

"For being my date and dancing with me." Gabriella gave him a genuine smile.

"Anytime." She cautiously leaned her head on his shoulder. He tightened his grip around her waist. Somewhere in the background, Brandon’s friends gave wolf whistles. Brandon chuckled and Gabriella buried her face in his chest. The song melted into a more fast-paced one.

"Mind if I cut in?" asked Peter, tapping Brandon on the shoulder. Brandon smiled and stepped back.

"I’ll be watching," Brandon said with a fake stern voice to his friend. Peter took Gabriella’s hand and led her away, but kept a covert gaze on Brandon.

"He’s head over heels for you," Peter stated in a low voice.

"Who, Brandon? How can you tell?" Gabriella asked with surprise.

"I know my best friend. He’s never cared for a girl like this. Neither has he dated anyone for real."

"He does seem close to you."

"We go way back." He twirled her. "You dance well."

"Would you believe me if I said it was spontaneous?" Gabriella asked demurely. Peter laughed.

"Yes sir, Brandon is lucky. But, mind if I give you a little advice?"

"Since you’re his best friend, sure."

"Brandon may seem like the carefree, light-hearted type, but he’s not. He cares deeply. So if you ever think of breaking up with him, don’t break his heart. Okay?" Gabriella was stunned by Peter's speech; Brandon must be a nicer person than she first thought if he had a loyal friend who'd defend him like this. She nodded solemnly.

"You’re right. He is lucky. To have a friend like you." Peter saw that she understood and smiled.

"Yeah, he is." The song came to an end.

"I better give you back to your boyfriend before the wolves come after you," Peter said, leading them back to Brandon. Gabriella nodded.

"Nice talking to you Peter."

"You too. Keep my little advice in mind, okay? See you later." Peter gave a palm wave. Brandon took Gabriella's arm as Peter disappeared into the crowd.

"What were you guys talking about? I could see him chatting away with you."

"Oh, just a little of this and that. He told me what a good friend you were." Gabriella shifted her weight from one foot to the other, feeling a little achy in her heels.

"Come on, I need to sit for a while. My feet need a break." He led her to a table. They had dinner and watched the dancers for a while. The floor was emptier now that people had sat down to dinner. The band still played and sang for entertainment, keeping the room lively.

"So, are you enjoying the party?" Brandon asked while they spooned dessert, a chocolate lava cake topped with vanilla ice cream.

"Yes, I am," Gabriella replied after a moment.

"You sound surprised."

"I know, I thought I’d have a hard time fitting in, but your friends seem nice."

"They like you. I knew they would." Brandon said, looking pleased with the thought. "They never liked my previous dates."

"I wonder why," Gabriella said, innocently staring at Madison who was downing alcohol three tables down. Brandon grinned sheepishly. Soon the party began to wind down and the band was getting ready to play the last song for the night.

"Hey, wanna dance one last time?" Brandon asked Gabriella.

"Sure." She took his hand and got up. They swayed to the tune slowly, enjoying each other's company more than either would dare to admit. As they were twirling, Madison appeared suddenly, completely drunk, with two glasses full of amber liquid in her hand. Her face was livid and she looked slightly wild.

"Hey, Honey bear! Let’s see if you like girls who are nothing but a drip!" She had just swung both the glasses toward Gabriella, who gasped. Brandon quickly whipped her around, shielding her from the flying champagne with his back. The next moment, his hair and suit were soaked with champagne, dripping down his forehead and staining his white shirt. Gabriella covered her mouth in shock.

"That'll teach you to leave a woman like me," Madison said vindictively. Some of the guys who had been watching this came forward and tried to drag her out.

"Madison, stop. You’re out of control. And you’re drunk. I think you should go home."

"NO! I’m gonna dance with Brandon! No one can take my place! I’m Brandon’s girlfriend!" she screamed at the men and tried to push them off. Brandon took the opportunity to escape with Gabriella. He went quickly to the restroom.

"Brandon, are you okay?" Gabriella asked with concern. She had taken out her handkerchief and started dabbing his face.

"I’m fine, just a little wet, that’s all."

"Oh, your shirt is ruined."

"Doesn’t matter. It’s just a shirt." She continued to wipe his face and neck till she felt his eyes on her. Her cheeks warmed.

"What’s wrong?" Brandon asked her.

"Nothing," she replied. Truthfully, she was feeling shy touching his face, even if it was just wiping the champagne off.

"I guess I ruined the party," she said.

"You? No way. Madison has always been like that. I’m sorry you had to go through that."

"I’m sorry you got wet instead of me."

"Anything for my girlfriend." She blushed.

"Come on. I’ll drop you off." Brandon offered. Gabriella let him take her home – what a dramatic end to such a good party!

"Are you sure you don’t want to change? It must be uncomfortable wearing something wet and sticky," she said to Brandon when they reached her apartment.

"It kind of is, but I don’t have anything else underneath."

"You can wear a robe."

"Thanks. This is the second time I'm coming to your place all wet." Brandon laughed. At least he can take a joke, Gabriella thought.

"Yeah. We should stop meeting like this."

"I don’t mind. As long as I can keep meeting you." Gabriella smiled.

"You can change in the bedroom. I’ll get a robe for you." She went into the bathroom. Brandon removed his coat and unbuttoned his shirt, and threw them on a chair nearby. Gabriella opened the door holding the robe in her hand.

"Here, it’s—" she stopped. Her eyes that caught sight of his bare torso widened. He had smooth, creamy-toned skin and well-defined muscles. For a second she was mesmerized by how hot he was. Then she realized in horror that she had been ogling him, and he was fully aware of it. She quickly turned around, apologizing.

"I’m so sorry! I should have asked you if you were… anyway, here’s the robe." Keeping her eyes down, she laid the robe on her bed and walked out of the room without once turning back to him. She shut the door and sighed in relief. Her heart was throbbing painfully, and her palms felt warm. She slapped them against her cheeks. That was so embarrassing. Wanting to do something with her hands, she went and sat on the couch and unlaced her shoes. She kicked them to one side and started to remove her necklace. But it was difficult to get the clasp. She tried persistently but it wouldn’t come off. Finally, she tugged it so hard that it snapped back and pinched her finger.

"Ouch! Argh, what’s wrong with this stupid clasp?" she then felt cool fingers on her neck. She whirled around.

"Oh! Brandon, you startled me!" he removed the necklace for her and dropped it in her hand.

"I’m sorry. That’s twice in one night." She blushed as she remembered what happened earlier.

"Would you like some coffee? It’s pretty late and you must be tired."

"No thanks, I’ll drive back now."

"You didn’t drink?" Gabriella asked in surprise.

"No, I noticed you didn’t, so I didn’t either. I didn't want you to feel left out."

"That’s – really nice of you," Gabriella said, blinking. Brandon sat down beside her.

"Gabriella," He took both her hands and began to speak in a serious tone.

"I’d like… I’d like it if you could come meet my parents." Gabriella's eyes widened. That was fast.

"You want me to meet your parents? Um, I don’t know…"

"Please don’t be nervous. It’s just brunch next week."

"Well… What would they think of me?"

"They’ll think just as I do; that you're a swell girl and I like you and we’re dating. They aren’t averse to women, you know," he laughed.

"And they won’t think anything else? I mean, I don’t want to disappoint them." He let go of her hands and cupped her face.

"Why would you think that? And what don’t you want them to think?" he asked softly. His eyes reflected her face and she felt her pulse speed up. She didn’t want to answer that but he looked so intently at her...

"I’m not exactly from – money, you know." He seemed to deflate.

"Oh. Is that what you're worried about? Then it’s not a problem. My family’s completely down to earth."

"Okay then, I suppose I could meet them." He smiled his sparkly smile at her.

"Thanks." She got up, feeling uncomfortably hot.

"Oh my goodness, it’s twelve thirty! You should really head home, Brandon. I don’t want to keep you up." He sighed quietly.

"I almost forgot the time. I guess I’d better go." He took his coat and shirt and wrapped them under his arm as he walked to the door.

"Leave your shirt, I’ll wash it for you."

"You wanna wash my shirt? It’s okay, I’ll probably just throw it out anyway."

"You’d throw out a perfectly good shirt? Don’t! I’ll wash it, really it’s nothing." She tried to pull it from his hand. He caught her wrist instead and pulled her toward him in a flash. She slumped right into his chest, her palms fell flat against him as she threw them out to keep her from falling. Her face was two inches from his. She held her breath in anticipation. But he only continued to gaze into her eyes.

"Breathe, Gabriella," he whispered. His breath smelled like chocolate from the dessert he had eaten earlier.

"I can’t," Gabriella whispered. Brandon took her chin with his finger and thumb and gently pulled it closer.

"Is this okay?" he breathed. Gabriella, feeling tongue-tied, simply nodded.

"Then would you mind if I kissed you?" She shook her head in assent. The next moment she found her eyes closed, warm wet lips gliding over hers. His breath made her inhale sharply, and she breathed in his scent. His lips moved from her upper lip to the lower, softly feeling hers. She forgot her shyness and automatically raised her hands around his neck. His arms held her waist and stroked her with tender fingers. Gabriella got completely lost in him for an endless moment – until her legs started to feel like jelly. Then she remembered herself and her eyes opened; her lips tensed.

"Sweetie, what’s wrong?" how warm and lovely it sounded when he called her that! She tried to reassure him.

"Nothing, it’s just I forgot for a moment. I wasn’t in control."

"Do you have to be?" Her fingers traced the line of his neck, which ran down into the robe. His collar bones were prominent, and she stroked them.

"I guess not…" She said, surprising herself with her daring. Brandon smiled.

"Did you enjoy that as much as I did?" He asked. She nodded. He brought his lips to hers again, more gently this time. Then he pulled away.

"You’re right. It’s not easy to be in control of myself either," he admitted, rubbing his neck. They laughed weakly.

"Maybe we should stop. I mean, we are just at… an early stage," Gabriella said.

"A budding romance?" Brandon asked. Gabriella giggled.

"Um, sure."

"Okay. I’ll be strong." He kissed her cheek as he went out the door.

"Night, Gabriella."

"Good night, Brandon." She said while continuing to watch him at the door, starry-eyed, as he walked away.