Pink Is The Color Of Infatuation

Chapter 1

Xael could feel the sting in her cheeks from an hour of constant smiling. She hated this. Absolutely hated it! Her sun kissed skin covered in the tight fitting pink dress only made her sigh internally. She wished she could lie and say she had no idea what her mother had been thinking but...she knew exactly what her mother had been thinking. The dress hugged her body like a glove, as if she had been sewn into it. She only had a handful of breast and yet the tight fitting pink gown pushed them up, giving the illusion that she had so much more. Her stomach was flat, she had been blessed with a body that refused to store any fat in her tummy no matter how much she ate. Her hips on the other hand...they were wide and her arse...let's not even go there. It was huge. She was shirt, most of the people in the large ballroom towered over her.

Her hair was a calm red...at least that's what her mother told her. It was a soft shade of red that refused to be tamed and thus it sat on her head in a neat chignon.

"Stand straight, darling." Her mother mumbled in her ear. She did as she was told.

She had one reason and one reason only for attending this particular ball. Seduction. Ah, yes...the one thing that she wasn't even sure if she was capable of. She was friendly but seductive? Tsk. Impossible. But she would have to try. Her family needed her and she refused to let them down.

Her mother smoothed her hands down the sides of the gown, smoothing out of the wrinkles. They were looking for eligible men. Eligible men with money and lots of it.

A group of girl's began to chatter around her and she looked toward them with curiosity. Her mother spoke up first, "Are there any men here worth all this excitement?"

The girl's nodded, pointing to a far off wall across the room where two very handsome, very tall, at least to her, men stood talking. Her mother's eyes widened, "They're very handsome. Who are they?"

One of the girls gasped, "You don't know the Hugh's when you see them?"

She could practically see the glimmer in her mother's eyes at the mention of the men's last names. "Hugh? They're Hugh's? Good, Lord...we've hit the jackpot, Xael."

Xael felt butterfly's slap the pit of her stomach. Already? She wasn't prepared...mentally nor physically.

"Mum...I don't think I can do this."

Her mother looked at her and gave her a sympathetic smile. The guilt shined in her eyes, "Oh, darling. You know this isn't what I wanted for you but you must. We need the money."

Xael swallowed the lump in her throat before turning to look at the men again. She nearly stopped breathing when she saw that only one of them remained and his gaze, his green cat like eyes, were peering at her like a predator in wait. Her heart began to pound and her ears began to ring. She took a tentative step back, feeling almost afraid to even breathe.

Her mother noticed her gaze and turned toward her. "Go now. He's noticed you and he seems as if he likes you."

Xael opened her mouth to come up with an excuse not to throw herself to what seemed to be a hungry lion and her a small gazelle but held her tongue. She had to do this. She had no choice.

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders to make herself appear taller and made her way across the ballroom. Her eyes stayed glued on the handsome man, his eyes never wavering from her own as she got closer and closer. She stopped right in front of him, pasting on a smile that she hoped screamed flirtatious and seduction all rolled into one. He stood up straight, no longer leaning against the wall. Her heart plummeted. He was ginormous. She was a tiny woman...her height was just about the only thing she inherited from her mother but this man towered over her like no one ever had before.

Her smile almost wavered but she held firm. She stared at him for a moment too long she presumed because he raised a brow at her.

"Um...Uh...hi," she gasped, be seductive, she chastised herself, "I mean...Hello, gorgeous."

His eyes widened and then a smile formed on his lips as if he were going to burst out into laughter at any moment. "You're the one who's gorgeous."

She blushed, her face beaming pink...she was sure it was just as pink as her dress. "I...I saw you...looking at me and...I," she gulped. She had no idea what she was doing. And by the look on this man's face he could tell.

"I'm Xael and you are?" She tried once more, leaning toward him with the hope that he would be too distracted by her breast to notice her nervous stammering.

"Alexander. Alexander Hugh." He answered, his voice deep and commanding.

She opened her mouth but began to stammer and stutter. Alexander stared down at her as she talked. God, she was tiny. But she was adorable. Her face was round, her cheeks chubby and as she talked he could see dimples forming every now and again. He red hair wasn't wild or loud but merely as soft looking shade that surprisingly didn't clash with the loud pink dress she were. Her skin was tan and sun kissed as if she lived in the sun. She had big brown eyes and wide hips.

He sighed...he was attracted to her but it was obvious that she was a little too innocent for his taste. Despite what his cousins' thought, he was evil...but he wasn't that evil.

He raised a hand, stopping her nervous chatter, "You're cute, you really are but don't you think you're a little too innocent for me?"

Her mouth dropped and her cheeks flamed once more. Her lips poked out and her eyes grew wide. He took a step back, caught completely off guard. Good, Lord. The woman was...pouting?

She was so darn cute he nearly fell to his knees and apologized.

He shook off the thought. "Run along, little girl." He mumbled.

Her brows furrowed and he nearly cursed. Was she getting cuter?

"Little girl? I'll have you know that I'm nine-teen." She snapped, her cheeks still flaming pink.

He stared at her for a moment. This adorable little cherub faced woman was nine-teen? She was passed marriageable age. He couldn't fathom why she wasn't already married. She was so darn adorable it hurt. He was only twenty-one himself but as a man, he could marry whenever he pleased. He ran a hand through his hair, the thought of sneaking out with her and sharing a bed with her for the night seemed more and more pleasant.

"Besides, I know what I'm doing." She raised her chin, "I'm a woman and...and I happen to find you very attractive. And I know you like what you see or else you wouldn't be staring. So let's stop with all this talking."

His eyes widened and he tilted his head. He hadn't expected that. She was a little spit fire. He grinned. He liked that. He nodded and his eyes roamed the ballroom for the quickest exit.

Once his eyes landed on the nearest door he grabbed her by the elbow and made a bee line for it. She struggled to keep up with him but as he dragged her along she searched the crowd for her mother...this plan had to work.