Unwanted Wedlock

Chapter 15

      Bella had helped Lyla get ready for Friday's dinner celebration. Lyla had her hair up in a casual bun, wearing light makeup she had borrowed from Bella, and flaunting a cherry red dress. The dress grew to the floor, leaving a split in the fabric that revealed the skin of her leg till mid thigh, it was modest. It was relativley simple dress with a slight boat neck, vaunting her collarbone as the sleeves extended just past her elbonws. The fabric clung in all the right places and flattered her in a way she didn't know an outfit could. It was amazing what a beautiful red dress could do, along with some surprisngly comfortable black heels, it made her feel...powerful. Now she just hoped Ryerson would like it.

      As Lyla stepped out of the Ryerson's breath caught in his throat. 

     Damn.

    She was stunning.

     "You're gorgeous," he said after a prolonged silence. Lyla smiled in response, having taken the time to get a long look at him as well. He was wearing a dark navy suit, looking composed and handsome with his sharp jawline and three day stubble. The man looked positively sexy in that suit, everyone knew that a suit was a male equivalent to a lingerie when it came to attractiveness. 

       His confidence was defined by his posture and even with their seven feet distance, she almost shivered in excitment of just being close to him. She supposed, that was the downside of being a virgin, you found yourself quite sexually frustrated how much ever in denial.

     "Thank you," she replied, "you cleaned up pretty well yourself." she said. Ryerson's lips twitched. He offered her his arm while she gladly took, intertwining their fingers briefly. Maybe there had been no need for Lyla to be anxious about tonight.

     But then again, she still had those heels to worry about.

___

     When they got to the party Lyla composed herself confidently, now how would it look if the CEO's wife seemed like a shy, delicate little flower? When they entered the party Lyla met quite a lot of people, she had seen Mr. Trebell again, and greeted Mr. Welsh and now was conversing with a few other acquaintances of Ryerson.

      "Are you enjoying the party?" Troy, Ryerson's colleague, asked as he held his wife, Alana's, hand.

      "I am, thank you," Lyla replied politely, swirling the wine in her glass as she remained in close proximity with Ryerson. He hadn't let her away from her which she had to be slightly grateful for, but now Lyla was getting more used to this mass social setting.

      "So, I heard you studied medicine," another colleague, Jake, prompted, "how's that?"

      "Yes, I've finished my MED school and my specialization."

      "Quite early," Troy commented.

      "She managed to skip a few years here and there," Ryerson said, "she's also keen on starting her actual career."

      "It's great that your husband let's you work after marriage, right?" Jake asked Lyla.

      Lyla raised an eyebrow, "yeah, it's amazing. Actually, after marriage, I also let him work, we're very supportive like that." Her expression held a confidence and her tone held a sass that made Ryerson chuckle behind his wine glass.

       Jake looked slightly like a deer caught in headlights while Lyla calmly brought her wine glass up to her lips, subtly shaking her head. Ryerson couldn't help the smile curling at his lips, his wife wasn't as fragile as flower, she was fragile as a bomb. Troy and Alana awkwardly tried to prolong the conversation just to be polite but eventually Lyla leaned towards Ryerson, whispering, "I'm going to just use the bathroom, I'll be back." he nodded.

      When Lyla was done with her business in the bathroom, she walked back into the party hall recogonizing the soft, slow music being played as some people brought their husbands, wives, and lovers to the dance floor. Lyla had been watching Troy and Alana with an amused smile as they seemed to be exchanging what seemed like naughty comments. Well, they were barely two years older than Ryerson himself, no one could blame them. With her gaze fixed, Lyla didn't notice her surroundings before she accidentally bumped into someone.

      They turned, catching her hand lightly and Lyla looked up to see a man in a charcoal suit with an amicable grin.

    "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking," she apologized.

     "I should be apologizing, my lady," the man had a french accent and could barely be a year older than her. He was very good looking, with dirty blonde hair and piercing fox-green eyes. His cheekbones were sharp and shaped to perfection, and as he took her hand and placed a soft kiss on it, Lyla was instead searching the room for her husband.

     Unbeknownst to her, that very husband was gripping his wine glass on the verge of shattering it as he stared at her and the stranger in jealousy and possesiveness. Truth was, Louis was not a stranger, rather a quite respected member of the business.

    "My name is Louis," the man greeted Lyla, not letting go of her hand. Lyla smiled back at him.

    "I'm Lyla," she introduced herself.

     "Well, Lyla, I do not think I've seen you around the company," Louis stated, "are you new?" he asked amicably.

     "Oh, no," she responded, "actually, I'm a doctor, I don't work here."

     "A doctor, you say?" he asked, kissing the back of her hand again, "would you visit me at the office sometimes then? Maybe if I'm ever injured?" he asked with a little wink.

     Lyla's eyebrow raised in an amused confusion but then she felt a presence behind her. The scent of Ryerson's cologne took over her senses and she turned around with a little smile only to see Ryerson with a clenched jaw and a hard expression.

     Abruptly, Ryerson took Lyla's hand and pulled her to his side, "wifey, would you like a dance?" Ryerson didn't even wait for a response before he pulled her on the dance floor, moving along with the music.

     "I don't know how to dance," Lyla whispered to him nervously as he moved her around.

     "It doesn't matter," Ryerson muttered as he pulled into his chest slowly, holding her close. He hated how friendly Louis was, he of course understood Lyla, she was trying hard to fit into the vibe and space of his company and colleagues.

     It didn't hit Lyla that maybe Ryerson was perhaps slightly jealous until Alana had mentioned it. She had been thinking that Ryerson had demanded a dance and had called her that endearment just to keep with the media who were constantly taking pictures at the party, she didn't think he genuinely wanted to, and while Alana had tried to open her eyes, but Lyla didn't let herself flatter herself like that.

     When they finally got home late into the night, having the lingering smell of wine, and an ache of exhaustion at the prolonged social time, nothing was mentioned. And they collapsed into their slumber. 

________

So....

I liked the idea of this chapter, like that part when she shot down that sexist comment, hope you enjoyed that part. But quite honestly, I don't think I wrote the chapter to my best, sorry. I hope you still enjoyed it though. 

Don't forget to comment, vote, and share!