Craving Cherry Pie

Chapter Twenty - The Offer

Upon spotting me, he turned and walked away from the gentleman who was still staring. I began to walk down the stairs towards him when he rushed up to meet me. He stopped a step below me and reached out for my hand, kissing it slowly before returning his gaze to me.

"Luna, you are the most enchanting creature I have ever seen in my life" He uttered, roaming his eyes slowly up and down before meeting my gaze. I stepped down and he offered me his arm. Taking me around, he introduced me to almost everyone, telling them I was the brilliant planner behind the party and how happy he was with my work. He continuously praised me, often people would ask for my business cards and I happily handed them out.

Most of the guests had arrived and the party was in full swing. Orlando was busy talking to hundreds upon hundreds of his guests. He translated his Spanish conversations and was kind enough to refresh my water every time my glass ran empty.

After a while, Orlando excused himself from a conversation, pulling me along with him. He led me down a path and through a small garden, hidden by large overgrown shrubs. Turning to face me, he grinned sheepishly.

"Sometimes I just need to have a quiet moment, away from all the crowds and questions. Sometimes, it's the perfect excuse to steal a beautiful woman away just to kiss her" he said, closing the distance between us, kissing me softly. Pulling back, he looked at me.

"Luna, you really do look like an angel" he said, his thumb caressing my cheeks. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as he kissed me again, this time with more intensity. Pulling away, his eyes locked with mine again.

"Luna, I need you to know.. I'm falling in love you" he said with such certainty. A smile spread across my face, but my mind went straight to Tanner. Guilt. It was so strong. Instead of saying anything, I leant in and kissed his cheek. Smiling at him, I suggested we needed to head back.

I knew he meant what he said, but yet there was a strange pain in my heart as the words left his mouth.

After a short while, I stepped away from Orlando to check on the desserts and to make sure the bar was still stocked up enough. Glancing around the room, I saw Tanner walking towards the edge of the gardens, towards the lake.

Quickly following him down, I knew I needed to make sure he was okay. Stepping around the corner I found him, leaning up against the lake house wall, a smoke in his hand and a glass of whiskey in the other.

"Tanner, are you okay?" I asked, unsure of how he would respond. He took his time to look at me, almost as if he were trying to memorise every inch of me. Taking a long drawl from his cigarette, blowing the smoke out before responding.

"Luna, my business is booming. In fact, people have already started emailing in their party or event requests, of course requesting you to be their planner. I have all the money I could want in the world, I have an amazing apartment, live in the best city... But I don't have the one thing I need in this world" he said. Placing the cigarette on the floor, he stomped it out before swallowing the contents of his glass.

Stepping towards him, I placed my hand on his bicep. He looked down at it, a sadness crossing his face before replacing it with a look I'd never seen before. Pain. He was in pain.

In an instant, he had me pressed up against him. His nose tracing against my neck, inhaled, breathing in deeply.

"God you smell like heaven to me Luna... my own personal heaven and hell mixed into one" he said.

"Dios te envió a mí cariño, eres mi ángel [God sent you to me sweetheart, you are my angel]" he whispered to me.

Leaning in closer, his lips came down to meet mine. The electricity between us had changed, it was deeper, more urgent then it had ever been. He deepened the kiss and I wrapped my arms around his neck.