39 #2
“Hey.” Arsenio winked at Nicole. “Shouldn’t you be getting the cake or something cuz?”
Nicole shook her head and raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re not very subtle, Seni. Now be nice,” Nicole warned as she got up from the couch, allowing Seni to sit down next to Dani.
“So, aren’t you going to get up and give us all a show?
” Arsenio asked. His face had a mischievous smirk and Dani chuckled at him.
He really was a good-looking guy but she couldn’t take him seriously and, over the last few weeks, she’d grown immune to his constant flirting and obvious double-entendre.
“I might,” she teased. “What about you?”
“Oh, I prefer to give my five star performances in private.” He raised his eyebrows at her.
“Seni you are incorrigible and you really need to give up. You know I’ll never fall for your blatant and outrageous flirting.”
“Outrageous eh? Maybe, but it really is immense fun trying.”
Dani shook her head as she stifled her grin, then playfully leaned forward and breathed, “Well, I’d really hate to ruin your… um pleasure.”
Arsenio half-closed his eyes and groaned, “Now you’re just teasing me.”
Dani laughed, then reached for her drink and knocked it back. Jeez, she hadn’t drunk so much in a very long time and her teasing was definitely a result of that.
“I may have to get you sacked just so I can actively pursue you,” added Arsenio signalling over the waiter. “Another straight double tequila for the lady and a Peroni for me.”
The waiter nodded and quickly retreated to the bar. Arsenio shuffled closer to her and Dani cocked her head at him.
“So, why would I be sacked?”
Arsenio narrowed his eyes slightly, then reached over to tuck a lose strand of hair behind her ear.
Dani stiffened at the intimate gesture. Arsenio had always been a playful flirt and he always kept it light hearted but something had suddenly changed.
His demeanour, the way his eyes burned, his body language, suddenly it felt dangerously different and Dani felt herself sober up instantly.
She’d been joking around but one look at Arsenio and she knew there was some truth behind his playfulness.
It became acutely apparent that Dani hadn’t really seen the true Arsenio playboy at work.
He’d hidden it behind his obvious remarks and double-entendres but that wasn’t who was sitting a foot away from her now.
She was obviously getting a glimpse of Arsenio’s art of seduction and boy was it disarming.
It was like watching Clarke Kent change to Superman.
He instantly became more serious and smooth. Arsenio licked his lips slowly.
“Oh, I’d never get you sacked. I’d rather you were constantly around, even if it was just for me to look at.
” His eyes swooped up her body and locked on Dani’s.
She felt herself take a sharp intake of breath, caught completely off guard by the comment and he knew it.
Arsenio knew she’d gotten the message. “On the other hand.” He licked his lips and dropped his gaze to hers.
“I’d give anything to be alone with you right now.
” His voice, a little more than a whisper, had Dani frozen.
Her heart raced, totally dumbstruck by the effect his words had on her.
After a beat he leaned back and gave her a full blown, mega watt sexy smile, then shifted back as the waiter arrived with their drinks.
And within a millisecond he was playful Arsenio again.
Whoa! What was that?
Jerome had gone out to have a cigarette with Richard and Enzo and had come back in to witness Arsenio tucking Dani’s hair behind her ear. He flinched as he watched Dani tense at something Arsenio said. Unable to stop himself he strode quickly over towards them but his path was halted by Nicole.
“Great you’re back. We’re going to do the cake. Can you get everyone together? And here.” She handed him her camera. “Take some photos too.”
Jerome’s eyes flitted to where Dani was. He felt slightly appeased to see Rosa sitting with her now. Arsenio had shifted a little further away from her. He hoped she’d blown him off but he couldn’t be sure.
“Yeah sure.” He took Nicole’s camera as she sped off to the bar to give them her instructions, then went up to the piano player.
Jerome managed to get everyone back to their tables, calling Kuch over last of all telling him to sit down with the rest of their party.
The piano player took his cue from Nicole and started to play as Nicole did an incredible impression of Marilyn Monroe singing ‘Happy Birthday’, replacing Mr President with Mr Kuchiki.
The girl behind the bar brought out Dani’s cake with one large candle on and put it down in front of Kuch, who had to reluctantly drag his eyes away from Nicole’s seductive performance, so that he could have some photos taken while he blew out the solitary candle.
Jerome dutifully snapped away as Kuch posed with his cake making exaggerated gestures to everyone’s delight. Kuch pulled Dani over and kissed her cheek loudly.
“Thanks for the cake.”
Dani scrunched up her nose embarrassed at the attention and backed away so Nicole could give Kuch a peck on the cheek. Dani turned around and walked straight into Arsenio.
“So, I’ll need to wait until May the sixth until I can kiss you.” He arched one of his brows and his lips curved into a wry smile.
Dani frowned puzzled at his comment.
“That’s when my birthday is. And just so you know I’m expecting a cake too.” He winked and moved back so she could pass.
Oh crap, thought Dani. She was beginning to think that maybe she should steer clear of Arsenio.
He’d obviously upped his game. Her attention was distracted by the flash of the camera as Jerome took a few more photos and she focused for a moment on him.
Jerome lowered the camera and shot her a penetrating stare.
Oh double crap! He looked angry. She hoped she wasn’t going to get in trouble because of Arsenio. She’d really have to watch her step. Then to her surprise he lifted up the camera and pointed it at her. She stood staring at the lens for a moment paralysed.
“Smile Dani.” Nicole’s voice jolted her. Nicole had moved away from Kuch and was about to take the camera back from Jerome when she saw him focus on her.
Dani’s eyes jerked to Nicole, then back at the camera lens and she smiled a very small smile.
The flash exploded and Dani blinked several times at the force of the fierce light.
Then grinned nervously at Nicole and shook her head.
Nicole laughed at her and before Dani even realised Jerome clicked a few more photos of her.
Nicole grabbed the camera and checked out the photos.
“They’re great, Dani.”
Dani stood still for a moment, the flash having played havoc with her vision. Nicole stepped towards her to show her.
“See? I’ll send them to you.”
Dani lifted her eyes to look at Jerome, his expression unreadable as he stared at her.
Dani swallowed hard feeling her pulse race, his gaze unfaltering.
After what seemed like an age he tilted his head to the side and allowed his lips to curl into a smile, then he abruptly turned his focus to where Kuch was. Whoa, what was that all about!
Silvanna cut up the cake and passed everyone a piece, then the deejay announced the next singer as Nicole. She grinned broadly and grabbed Jerome’s hand.
“Come on cuz.”
Jerome sighed and muttered something in Italian under his breath and Nicole laughed.
“Suck it up Jerome you know you love it. Come on it’s been a while since we’ve sang together.”
Carmen clapped and bounced in her seat. “Yay. Go on cuz show them how it’s done.”
Jerome reluctantly got up and everyone at their table cheered. It was obvious he wasn’t best pleased but he didn’t want to ruin the mood, faced with a determined Nicole.
Dani sat down next to Carmen directly in front of the stage.
“So Jerome sings too, then?” she asked, hoping she sounded casual.
“Yeah, he can sing,” she huffed and Dani instantly knew he must be good. “When we were kids we used to sing all the time and Jerome has an incredible memory for words, photographic memory or something. Watch, he doesn’t even read them off the screen.”
“Really?”
Carmen nodded as the introduction started to Eros Ramazzotti’s and Anastacia’s ‘I Belong to You’.
Dani’s whole body covered in goose bumps when she heard Jerome sing out the first line in a hauntingly melodic voice.
Her head shot up to see him temporarily close his eyes continuing to sing in Italian.
Holy mother of God he looked and sounded sexy as hell.
There wasn’t a woman in the bar that wasn’t totally mesmerised by him.
Nicole then joined him singing the English part definitely giving Anastacia a run for her money.
Just like Carmen predicted, Jerome didn’t look once at the screen.
The two of them sang a truly emotional rendition of the love song and Dani, along with the rest of the bar, gaped at the stage.
Throughout the song Jerome either focused on Nicole or closed his eyes until the very end when he allowed his gaze to fall on to the audience and for a fleeting moment onto Dani.
Within a second everyone was on their feet, once again cheering and Nicole beamed over to Kuch who was on his feet clapping madly along with the rest of the bar.
“Good aren’t they?” Carmen shouted over the noise to Dani who remained dumbstruck. She nodded, rendered speechless while she clapped. “They used to sing together at school and pretty much at every family occasion.”
“You’re all such a talented family,” gasped Dani.
Carmen shrugged, “I wish Cosimo was here he does a fantastic version of Volare.”
“Now that I’d really like to hear,” grinned Dani sitting back down and taking a gulp of her drink.
“Aren’t you going to have a go?”
Dani shook her head. “Not a chance after you lot. I thought I could sing until I heard all of you.”