Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [119]
After the traditional first dance of the bride and groom, Syneda danced first with her father, then with Senator Lansing, who had declared himself her godfather.
Clayton had approached his mother but she strongly suggested that he dance with his grandmother first. “She’s pretty upset with you, Clayton. If you ever want to taste her bread pudding again, I suggest you do something to rectify that situation.”
Being the smart man that he was, Clayton had immediately taken his mother’s suggestion. By the end of their dance his grandmother was all smiles again. But that was only after she had sweetly raked him over the coals.
Trevor Grant stood leaning a shoulder against the wall, holding a half-filled champagne glass in his hand. He smiled, happy for his friend.
His gaze swept over the ballroom. When it rested upon a particular young woman, it stopped. Corinthians Avery, who was head geologist for Remington Oil, was a beautiful woman. She was everything male fantasies were made of. He of all people should know. There wasn’t a single night he went to sleep without her invading his dreams.
As if sensing his gaze upon her, Corinthians’s head lifted, her gaze met his. She frowned and narrowed her eyes at him.
Trevor gave her his most charming smile then lifted the champagne glass in a silent toast to her. He knew she could tell that his gaze was moving down the full length of her, remembering a night when he’d seen her, wearing nearly nothing at all. It was a night he would never forget.
He smiled when she continued to meet his gaze head-on. He had to hand it to her, the woman was something else. He took a sip of champagne, and still her leveled gaze never flickered from his. He knew she was trying to look straight through him and deny his existence. But he was not about to let her do that. He blamed her for many of his sleepless nights, and one day soon, very soon, she would pay for it.
“How soon can we leave and go upstairs?” Clayton asked his wife as they moved slowly around on the dance floor.
Syneda lifted her head from his shoulder. “It won’t be too much longer. You wouldn’t leave before most of your guests, would you?”
“Watch me. Besides, they’ve been well fed, plied with good wine and champagne, entertained with good music and, thanks to your father, most of them have been given plush rooms to spend the night. What more could they ask for?”
Syneda smiled. “I’m so glad all of your friends made it. It was nice getting the chance to meet Alex’s brother, Trask Maxwell. He’s really nice.”
Clayton grinned. “But all of my friends are single. I hope each of them finds a woman to love and who’ll make them happy. Like you’ve done for me.” He leaned down and brushed a light kiss across her mouth.
“All right, you two,” the wedding coordinator said from behind Clayton. “It’s time for more pictures. Then, Syneda, you need to toss your bouquet and, Clayton, you need to take your wife’s garter off and toss it to one of those single, unattached, handsome friends of yours.”
He smiled. “It will be my pleasure.”
Moments later, Syneda was ready to toss her bouquet. All the single women were asked to go to one side of the room. Everyone laughed when Gramma Madaris marched over and pulled Felicia out of the group. Evidently she thought with two failed marriages to her credit, her wild and reckless granddaughter did not need a third.
Syneda had all intention of aiming her bouquet straight toward Christy in hopes of shaking the three overprotective Madaris brothers up a bit over the thought of their nineteen-year-old baby sister being next in line for marriage. Unfortunately, Syneda’s aim was off, and her bouquet landed right smack in Corinthians Avery’s hands.
Jonathan Madaris came over to join his youngest brother, who was standing against a wall. Both of their tall forms looked elegant in their white tuxedoes.
“I thought I’d better warn you that Clayton is about ready to do the garter toss, and Mama is herding together all the single men to participate,” Jonathan said, his eyes