Chapter 2. Not My Anything (2)

He bowed gracefully for her and she gave a quick curtsy, before trying to escape again.

“Prince-” he began.

“I know who you are,” she said hastily, stopping in her tracks.

The prince smiled.

“A woman after my own heart. No introductions needed then, Princess Caroline,” he said, bowing gracefully once more before holding out a hand to her. “However, I certainly wouldn’t say no to a dance.”

Five minutes passed, then ten and Bart finally admitted to himself that he was waiting for her to show up. Why hadn’t she reached him yet? His curiosity getting the better of him, he turned back around and instantly wished he hadn’t. It was a waking nightmare. The kind where she laughs at something he said just as you turn around to look at her and you suddenly realize you should be the one holding her, the one making her laugh. That she should be dancing that dance with you.

Ethan threw another glance over his shoulder, saw what was happening and put a hand on Bart’s shoulder.

“Better luck next time man.”

The longer Bart watched, the angrier he got. With the guy, with himself and especially with her. The angrier he got, the less able he was to turn away. Her eyes met his again. She could always see past the deadpan poker face. He knew she knew that he was fuming and that just made matters worse. As the dance progressed, their eyes remained fixed on each other. With the ending of the melody, CC pulled away abruptly. Bart was about to run out to her and ask her a million unfair questions. Make a scene. Hopefully not kiss her.

As if by divine intervention, before Bart could make his move, CC and her partner ran into her brother.

Aaron had a girl on his arm, as Prince Aaron always did. It was a mercy really, when it was just one. As soon as Aaron laid eyes on CC, the redhead was all but forgotten. Bart’s eyes had somehow managed to unglue themselves from CC as he followed the redhead up the stairs. As she ascended to the second floor, the redhead watched Aaron be joined by Emily Maine moments later, her own existence evidently entirely forgotten.

She let out a cackle of laughter, as though Aaron being a dick was amusing. Now on the same floor as him, her eyes met with Bart’s. There was hurt in her warm amber eyes as she approached the two men. She blinked once and it was gone as her gaze shifted to Ethan.

“Hey there stranger,” she said, pasting a smile on her face.

Ethan’s mouth broke out into a goofy grin as he picked her up and gave her a similar greeting to the one Bart had received.

“Aria!” he yelled, setting her down with a thump before taking her hand and presenting her to Bart.

“Ria, Barry. Barry, Ria. My sister, who is also a princess,” Ethan said, giving Bart a wink.

“He’s never subtle, is he?” Aria said with a giggle as she held out her hand for Bart to shake.

“No, he really isn’t,” said Bart, taking Aria’s hand.

Bart was about to shake her hand, but then thought better of it. The pity swimming around in his eyes was unmistakable as his lips touched the back of her hand. She pulled back sharply, hurt flashing in her eyes again. Ethan rolled his eyes, took her hand and put it back in Bart’s.

“Good! I’m glad you’re both aware. Now do my bidding and dance!” Ethan ordered.

Aria was about to pull her hand away again when Bart pulled her into his arms.

“It’s just a dance,” he said, stroking the vivid, red hair flowing down her back.

Aria’s small smile didn’t make his heart hurt as she put her head down on his chest the way CC’s did. She wasn’t as beautiful as CC either. Bart understood that that wasn’t her fault. To him, no one could be. Ethan patted himself on the back, giving Bart a thumbs up when he was out of earshot of the pair.

“I’m sorry about Prince Aaron. It is unfortunate that you have made his acquaintance so soon after coming to our country for the first time,” said Bart.

“Are you in the habit of apologizing for other men, my lord?”

“No, I just don’t do well with crying women,” he replied in earnest.

“Ethan has you pegged alright. You are just what he said you’d be. Handsome, strong, honest. Where do I get one of you?” she flattered boldly.

She looked down to where Bart had been discreetly stealing glances at a couple dancing together and said, with a jab to his chest, “Clearly this one is unavailable. Just my luck.”

CC and Bart were trading outright glares now. It seemed she didn’t appreciate his dancing with another woman either. Bart didn’t like how CC was looking at him, or maybe he did. Maybe he liked it a lot. He wasn’t sure. She was getting into his head and he was having trouble focusing on the woman in his arms.

Aria Maine had been slighted once too many times tonight. It was one thing for The Casanova of Casanova to ditch her for her cousin on the dance floor, but she didn’t appreciate being danced with by a man who was gawking at another woman. She was a damn knock out and she bloody well knew it. Feeling somehow like she knew this man, what with Ethan talking about him nonstop, she felt she could do it. So she did. She pulled Bart’s distracted head down to her and kissed his cheek.

Even Bartholomew couldn’t not look. Her amber eyes demanded attention as he towered over her. When next he laid eyes on CC, he had to do a double take, they both did.

“Wow, you guys are really liberal about what happens at these things huh? And here I was thinking my little peck on the cheek would shock you,” Aria said, looking up at Bart’s face as she grabbed a glass of champagne from a server passing by, downed it and set the glass back down on the tray.