Only Ever Yours

With her head against my chest, I can smell her perfume. It’s soft and delicate—fits her perfectly. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the mayor. I should end the dance so I can catch him, but with Jasmine in my arms, I don’t. I can’t move from this spot. I don’t know if it’s the way I can feel her heart beating against mine, or how she’s finally relaxed, her hands no longer shaking, but on this dance floor, with her in my arms, everything else fades away, and the only thing I want to do is dance with her.

One song blends into another and then another, and before I know it, we’ve danced until they pause the music and announce that they’re opening the doors for the auction and the dinner.

Jasmine lifts her head and smiles shyly. “Thank you for the dance.”

“It was my pleasure.”

I take her hand in mine and guide us through the throng of people who are all shuffling through the doors like a herd of cattle. When we enter the main room, it’s open and the tables are spread out. Along the outer walls are tables with items for the silent auctions. We find our seats on the seating chart and have a seat at the table. I glance around for the mayor but don’t see him anywhere.

Two other couples join our table and introduce themselves. I don’t know them personally, but I’ve heard of both men. We spend the four-course dinner flitting from topic to topic. The men mostly discuss business while the women talk about their kids and some charity shit they’re organizing. Jasmine mostly smiles and nods, but every once in a while she contributes little nuances that reveal more and more about her. I learn she loves to stay busy. She hates to work out but loves to do yoga. She was in college but had to leave suddenly. She never gives too much, but every piece she does reveal, I stow away like a puzzle I’ll put together later once I have all the pieces.

At one point, a woman makes a joke that has Jasmine throwing her head back in laughter. The melodic, carefree sound damn near knocks the wind from my lungs. Her eyes, filled with mirth, meet mine, and for the first time she shows me a genuine smile, and holy shit, is it a sight to behold.

“What?” she asks when she catches me staring at her. “Is something wrong?” Her brows furrow and her smile falters.

“Nothing’s wrong. You just have a beautiful smile.”

Her cheeks flush pink, and her smile slowly expands until it’s back to the way it was, and my only thought, as I stare at her mouth, is that I would do anything to ensure she always smiles like that.

When dinner is over, a speech is made by none other than the mayor. Of course I can’t speak to him while he’s up there, so after we’ve had dessert and it’s announced the auctions will close in thirty minutes, I suggest we walk around so we can check them out.

The first table has several items to bid on, like first edition books and antiques, but none of them interest me, so I move us to the next table. This one is filled with trips.

“Is that you?” Jasmine asks, pointing to the four-day at sea on a yacht donated by Isaac Petrosian with Petrosian Enterprises.

“It is.” Elouise must’ve donated it in my honor in exchange for the last-minute tickets. “You ever been on a yacht?”

Her mouth twitches in thought, and I zero in on her heart-shaped lips, wondering what it would feel like to kiss her. “I’ve been on a cruise once. My mom loved to go on them. She and my dad used to go on them a lot, but they only took me once when they said I was old enough.” Her face falls slightly before she quickly catches herself. “Anyway… a cruise, yes, but never a yacht. My dad is more of a skiing and vacationing in the mountains kind of man.”

Interesting… She lives in one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the city, yet her parents sound like they have money. Another puzzle piece…

“I’m with your dad. It’s why I love my yacht. It’s spacious and comfortable and can house quite a few people if I want to invite anyone, but it’s usually just me and sometimes Noah. There’s nothing more enjoyable than spending a few days out in the Pacific Ocean away from everyone and everything.”

“That sounds nice,” she says, her lips quirking into a small smile. “Who’s Noah?”

“He’s my right-hand man. I own a few businesses and he helps me run them.”

“What businesses?” she asks curiously.

“A real estate development company for one. I also import heavy machinery for construction and mining companies. I own the marina over off Ocean Avenue just outside of town.”