Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter #2) - Melanie Martins Page 0,106

believe it! Dad knows perfectly well that Alex and I danced to this song at our engagement party. I bet he did this on purpose to ruin it for me. Maybe as some sort of revenge.

I look unsmilingly at my dad and ask, “May I have one last dance with my godfather before he leaves for Singapore?”

Neither Dad nor Alex say a word. And while everyone else at the table stares at them in amusement, Alex takes a sip of his water, speechless, before glancing at my dad.

“Sure,” Dad utters, visibly conflicted.

Alex doesn’t seem very enthusiastic either. After removing his napkin from his lap, he finally stands up. “What I wouldn’t do for my goddaughter.” His restrained, gentlemanly voice makes me hate him even more. Or not…

Nevertheless, I remain seated, waiting patiently for him to stand in front of me, and to extend a hand. Once he does so, I take his hand, and we make our way to the dance floor, leaving our table and my father behind us.

Hidden in the darkness among countless couples, I put my arms around his neck as Alex holds my waist, aiming to keep a safe distance between us. But I don’t care, and I take a step forward—a step a bit too close for his taste, but perfect for me. With my body nestled against his, cheek to cheek, we start swaying back and forth while Diana croons in the background.

But then Alex mutters, “You shouldn’t be so close.”

“I love it,” I reply in a low voice as our bodies keep moving together, following the sensual beat. “And I love everything about this song.”

I hear nothing but a heavy grown. “Fuck…”

My lips curve up with pleasure and guilt at his discontentment. I can feel him growing hard under his pants as I keep my crotch pressed to his. “Indeed,” I whisper. “That’s exactly what I’d like to do with you right now.”

His lips part with a ragged breath. “Petra, stop it,” he insists. “This is inappropriate.”

But I don’t listen, and I stay just as close to him. Because this is what I want. This is what we want. Him here with me slow dancing to one of our favorite songs, feeling each other, and, most importantly, being with each other. Regardless of anything else, this is the life we want. And this is the life we deserve to live. “Don’t move to Singapore,” I plead, my tone low but shaky. “I can’t let you go.” My eyes shut at the immensity of my pain, thinking how, in a few moments, he will make it official. “I beg you, don’t go.”

Nothing but the instruments and my torment can be heard.

Then he looks me in the eye, his thumb stroking my cheek to calm me down. “I love you.” My heart stops upon hearing him. I have missed those words so much. “Whatever you do with your life, I’ll always love you.” And he seals those words with a long kiss on my forehead just as the music stops and the magic of our dance disappears. It feels like a goodbye. I sniffle, but make the conscious effort not to let the tears fall. I’ve cried too much and too many times for this man.

“Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen,” says Diana under a wave of applause. “It was a pleasure being here tonight. God bless you.”

As she leaves the stage, Alex and I walk silently back to our table. And I know at this precise moment that nothing will make him change his plans.

Not even me.

Not even our engagement.

Nothing.

Dreams will remain dreams. And the nightmares I’ve had will actually become my new reality. I just never thought I wouldn’t be able to prevent it from happening.

When we arrive at our table, we hear the presenter calling my Dad onstage, and I see him leaving his seat with a big grin, more than ready for his speech.

I decide to take Dad’s chair and sit beside my fiancé, or to everyone else, my godfather. I’m still holding his arm, but I don’t care.

While my dad is already at the podium telling some dry joke and everyone is laughing hard at it, I remain quiet, staring at Alex and trying to memorize every single line on his face. But the harsh reality haunts me—tomorrow, he’ll be flying back to Singapore, and we’ll never see each other again. As I look down, I see my hand tightly holding his. A small smile settles on my lips,