The gala glittered with chandeliers and chatter , expensive wine swirling in crystal glasses, silk brushing against silk, and the low hum of power in every corner of the room.
Tesmee stood tall near one of the high tables, dressed in a black silk slit dress that hugged her thick, full curves unapologetically. She wasn't the typical slender build most women there carried, her body was strong, womanly, commanding. The way the fabric shaped her thighs and dipped at her waist made her bracket legs only add to the fire. Her hair was down, flowing over her shoulders like waves of midnight, the kind of presence that didn't need introductions.
Beside her, Elizabeth wore red, tight, elegant, hugging her hourglass frame like it was sewn onto her. Her hair was pulled up neatly, a contrast to Tesmee's effortless wild.
They leaned on the cocktail table, each with a glass in hand, eyes flicking over the glittering crowd of influential faces.
"So... is the bet still on?" Elizabeth asked with a teasing grin, her eyes sharp.
Tesmee sipped her drink, calm. "There was no bet, Betty. I said maybe. Doesn't mean I'm crawling into some man's bed tonight."
Elizabeth laughed softly. "That dress says otherwise."
Tesmee arched a brow, the corner of her mouth curling. "This dress says I'm expensive,not available."
Elizabeth took another sip of her wine, eyes scanning the party. "Oh Tes, if you actually looked around this room carefully… I swear half the men in here are undressing you with their eyes."
Tesmee didn't even blink. "I know."
Elizabeth tilted her head, amused. "Oh really?"
"There are thirty-eight men in this room," Tesmee said casually, eyes still forward. "Seventeen of them are married. The rest are single, divorced, in a relationship, or caught in some messy situation they pretend isn't. Nine have been eyeing me for the past few minutes."
Elizabeth slowly turned toward her, brows raised, mouth slightly open. "What the actual fuck, Tesmee…"
Tesmee finally turned to her, sipping her drink again with an effortless smirk. "What? You think I just stand around looking pretty?"
Elizabeth let out a laugh, shaking her head. "No , you're a damn surveillance system in heels."
"As a woman, you should always be alert," Tesmee said coolly, her eyes scanning the crowd again. "Now that makes thirty-nine."
Elizabeth turned her head. "What do you"
Before she could finish, a tall man stepped into the room, dressed in sharp black, flanked by two other men who clearly weren't just guests , they were his security. He moved with calm authority, quietly speaking to one of them.
Tesmee tilted her head slightly, one brow raised. "Damn…"
Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "Daaaamn is right."
Tesmee's lips curved into a sly smirk. "That's a fuckin' bang. I might actually be getting laid tonight."
Elizabeth nearly choked on her drink from laughter. "Ohh shit! That's my girl,whoo! Look at you suddenly open to a one-night stand!"
Tesmee sipped her drink with a lazy grin. "I said maybe. But with that one? I'm definitely reconsidering."
"Ohhh, if I could get pregnant," Tesmee said, eyes still on the man. "I'd gladly carry quadruplets for that one."
Elizabeth nearly spit out her drink, laughing. "Okay-okay, you're going way too far, baby girl!"
They both burst out laughing, drawing a few glances from nearby tables.
Tesmee finally tore her eyes away and took a sip. "Alright, enough about Mr. Walking Fantasy. So… planning on having kids yet?"
Elizabeth blinked. "Me? Kids? With Tyric?"
She let out a loud, sarcastic laugh. "Girl, we're both still kids. Maybe in like,ten years. Maybe."
Tesmee chuckled. "Yeah, let the world breathe first before y'all bring mini versions of that chaos into it."
The air shifted , like the temperature had just dropped, or maybe spiked. Tesmee didn't need to turn to know someone was behind her. She felt it.
"One dance," came a voice,deep, smooth, calm. The kind of tone that didn't ask, it decided. "That's all I need to know everything about you."
She turned, slow and steady, her eyes dragging up until they found his. Her smirk formed on instinct.
Before she could fire back with her usual sharp tongue, he added, "I cleared the floor for us. Don't keep me waiting."
And just like that, he turned and walked off.
Tesmee let out a breath that was almost a laugh. "If I can't walk tomorrow, I'll know exactly why," she muttered, setting her drink down.
Elizabeth's eyes widened. "You're not serious."
Tesmee didn't even respond. She just pushed off the table, hips moving with quiet confidence, and followed the man who hadn't asked for a dance,he claimed it.
On the dance floor, he didn't wait for permission. He simply reached out, took her hand, and pulled her into him like he knew she belonged there. His grip was firm, fingers settling at her waist, then sliding down to catch the curve of her thigh. He lifted it slightly against him, claiming space,not gently, but deliberately.
There was no shy smile, no timid steps. Just heat and tension in the air between them.
He bent her back just enough to feel her breath against his lips. His eyes didn't flinch. "Let's hope you can take pressure," he murmured, voice deep, calm… dangerous.
Tesmee smirked, unbothered and steady. "I hope you can keep up," she said under her breath.
Then it began.
He spun her, and when she returned to him, she came alive in his arms. They moved like they already knew each other's bodies,like this wasn't the first dance, just the first in public. It was Kizomba tangled with raw, pulsing Tango. She rolled her hips in smooth, grounded motions, her hands trailing along his chest and shoulders as he guided her with the kind of command that didn't just lead,it possessed.
His palms pressed and slid over her back, her hips, the dip at her spine. He didn't need to see under her dress. His hands were already memorizing what fabric couldn't hide.
And Tesmee? She didn't mind it. Not one bit.
Their bodies spoke a language heavier than rhythm,closer than desire. It was tension that couldn't be undone with just one dance.
And as the music swelled and slowed, she looked up at him through thick lashes, chest rising against his.
He didn't smile. He just stared like he already knew how the night would end.
And she didn't blink.
She exhaled slowly as he let her go, her body still buzzing from the dance. He didn't smile,just looked at her like he was still calculating something in his head.
"Better than I expected," he said, his voice low, unreadable.
Tesmee tilted her head, eyes narrowing just slightly. "I don't even wanna know what you expected," she said, her tone dry but teasing.
They stepped off the dance floor, the room's glow and chatter returning to the edge of their awareness. He raised his hands briefly, as if offering a glimpse of control,or the lack of it.
"Quiet night, don't you think?" he said. "I like it a bit... messier."
She caught the look in his eyes, then glanced at his hands and scoffed, amused. She knew exactly what he meant.
"Go easy on me," she said, half-mocking, lips curving.
He leaned in just close enough to let his voice graze her skin. "That's not me."
And just like that, Tesmee slipped her hand into his.
No words. No hesitation.
Just a quiet surrender to a storm she knew was coming.