Michael looked across the crowded ballroom and sighed. This was not his usual scene. The monkey suite felt tight around the neck, the music was a bunch of violins, the people shiny, smiley and fake. But he was trapped and it was necessary he be here.
"Well that was a big sigh." Came a voice from his left. He turned and looked into the friendly brown eyes of his friend Nate. "It's not too late you know, you could forget this whole thing and move on, we could find our funding elsewhere."
"Why the fuck did she pick me Nate? She could have gone with anyone else but no. She exploited our weakness and our company, all for this? Like I'm some sort of stud horse." Michael growled and shoved his hand through his dirty blond hair, his green eyes blindly glaring around the ballroom. Suddenly his eyes were caught by a flash of shimmery white from a few yards away.
Nice, he thought.
She was standing with her back to him, her back mostly laid bare. White fabric hugged the sides of her upper torso before meeting over the small of her back and falling over a luscious ass. Her hair was long, almost too long, a cascade of wavy black silk contrasting against her dress. He idly wondered what she looked like from the front.
As if she heard his wish, she suddenly turned in profile to laugh at something her companion was saying. Large luminous eyes, probably dark, a small straight nose and full lips, nope the hair was just right as she looked like something Disney would draw. His eyes were drawn to full breasts not too big, not too small, the anger ebbed away a little to give into lust. A princess, he thought, a princess I want to fuck.
"Michael, Dame Ballbuster approaching 3 o'clock" came Nate's warning and forgetting the princess, Michael's anger and frustration came back in full force. Turning he braced himself to meet his nemesis.
Catherine Marie San Sebastian or Dame Ballbuster (as Nate had christened her) was a very handsome and classy old lady. Old age hadn't clouded her sharp eyes, or her mind. She gave the handsome pair a thorough inspection as she approached. "Gentlemen are we enjoying ourselves?"
Michael grunted a noncommittal answer while Nate replied in a "Yes ma'am" and practically gave a military style salute. Michael rolled his eyes, yep, something about the old lady screamed authority; it even brought out Nate's military training.
Catherine smiled at Michael's brown haired friend and business partner. She'd almost picked him but he wasn't quite right. She wanted more for Lila. Her eyes went to Michael and for a moment she had some trepidation. The businessman was exactly what her empire needed but the man, how well did she know the man? Well enough, the thought to herself, he has good friends like Nate Robison, his affairs were discreet and she'd seen him staring at Lila, there was definitely attraction there. And Lila would most definitely find him attractive.
"Let us go someplace a little more private to discuss business." Catherine turned and signaled to her ever present butler/manservant/secretary Barnes who had been arranging a plate of refreshments. They followed her up a flight of stairs to a private salon. Once seated Barnes arranged a plate and drink for his mistress he then did the same for Michael and Nate.
Michael stared at the manservant, that's your future Hirsch, waiting on hands and feet for Dame Ballbuster. After a low conversation with Catherine, Barnes stepped out. Michael pulled at his stifling tux collar. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Nate pick up a cookie, and thought eat up buddy after all it's not your funeral.
"Are you uncomfortable Michael?" asked Catherine.
"Yeah you think?" was the terse reply. Nate paused with the cookie in midair.
"It doesn't have to be this way you know, arranged marriages were once the norm, I myself had one, and you do have a say in this, you do not have to marry my granddaughter but it would be very foolish to not seriously consider my offer."
"Listen lady, you watched and stalked my company, you waited until we were at a weak point in our expansion, and exploited our weakness with your money to put us in your debt and now you want to act logical and factual with me? You're trying to buy a fucking stud for your stable-"
"Ah Lila! Come in darling, don't be afraid Mr. Hirsch and I are just having discussion." Catherine turned towards her granddaughter.
Michael saw the flash of white from the corner of his eye in the doorway.
Fuck me no way, he thought. Yep, it was her. She was even prettier up front. Pretty, that was the perfect word for her. Long black hair framed a perfect oval face dominated by big dark eyes with heavy lashes and full lips. Pink stole into her cheeks as the three occupants continued to stare at her. Nate put down his cookie.
Catherine saw the look on Michael's face. He may change his tune yet, the thought to herself, and stifled the urge to smile. Turning back to her granddaughter who was now looking very unsure still in the doorway, Catherine urged her to her side.
"This is Lila, my granddaughter. Lila this is Mr. Michael Hirsch and this is his friend and business partner Nate Robison" Lila gave each of the men a quick glance and small smile and sat stiffly. She felt her skin prickle in preparation to sweat, oh this is attractive, she thought to herself. In all her 20 years, she had never thought she would end up in this situation.
Suddenly Catherine stood up, "I think it's time you two became acquainted, Mr. Robison how about we give them a little privacy?"
Nate stood up, "Of course" he followed Catherine out, only to walk back in a few seconds later and grab the cookie off his abandoned plate "it's a Madeline." He shrugged and walked back out leaving the two remaining occupants alone.
Michael barely noticed. Look up princess, he thought to himself and once again as if she heard him she gave a quick look up and was caught in his gaze.
Clear green eyes pierced her own and Lila couldn't look away. He was big, his large frame looked slightly ludicrous on the settee. Dirty blonde hair was cut short and a little mussed as if he'd run his fingers through it, Lila suddenly felt the urge to tame the stray hairs. His face was handsome but hard, a man's face, not an inch of boyishness to it. He was fairly young, 28 according to her grandmother's files, so the hardness surprised her. The files had contained very detailed information on him, he had no family, as his parents had both died when he was young and he'd been raised by an Uncle who had passed away a few years ago. Earning his place at the university on a full scholarship, he had graduated from college and created one of the most promising companies in the state. But there were no pictures in the file. Why no picture? It would've been good to have been prepared for this, for him.
"Hello princess." Lila started, shocked out of her trance by his voice and felt her face heat up, how long had she been staring?
"Princess?" Lila looked away from him, to avoid being trapped again by his gaze. "I don't understand."
"You look like a princess, like a fucking cartoon drawing. So, why is your grandmother wanting to set you up with me? And why are you willing to go along with this? To marry a stranger? Share his bed? Have his babies? Or are you already pregnant and grammy is trying to buy the bastard a daddy?"