Silver Lining

Chapter 15 - What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas

Clara's POV

Sounds of our chortle filled up the lobby when we returned to our suite after coming back from the Karaoke bar. I still couldn't get over with Luciano's comical performance, nor did Luciano.

Luciano took out his handkerchief and held on to my head which took me by surprise as he snickered, "Come, let me wipe these tears off you," He then gently wiped off my tears of laughter from my face. With his hand holding on to my head, my mind along with my gaze was fixated on his charming face. I got lost in his mesmerising pair of hazel brown eyes for a moment until he called out to me, "Clara?"

"Oh oh... Sorry, I was..." I stuttered as I looked away from him and grabbed the side of my dress in panic.

"I thought tonight was really awesome, so I was just thinking that it would be great if we could end it off with a couple more of good wine, would you?" Luciano said as he grabbed a bottle of wine out from the chiller and waved it at me with a pleading puppy look.

Even though I was already feeling pretty tipsy from the beer earlier on, I figured I shouldn't be a wet blanket and ruin this wonderful night, so I agreed to it.

Luciano popped open the bottle of wine and walked over to me. He shoved the bottle of wine in my face and hinted me to drink it. I gave him a confused look as I thought drinking wine should be done in a wine glass. He continued to say, "Who says drinking has to be done with a wine glass?"

Oh ya...How could I forgot that Luciano is always full of unexpected surprises?

I took over the bottle of wine from his hand and took a big gulp of it. I ended up totally regretting it as the sting of bitter taste overwhelmed my palette, my natural reflex made me squinted my eyes and stuck out my tongue for some relief. Luciano snickered at my reaction and teased me, "You sure know how to drink, lady."

Then he took over the bottle from me and sent wine sloshing down his throat in one big gulp. He let out a satisfying look as though his thirst was quenched by a refreshing beverage. Then he looked at me and said, "What's a wonderful night without music?" He scooted over to the stereo and turned up the radio.

It just so happened that the FM channel he tuned in played the song "This Never Happened Before" which was featured in the romance movie "Lake House".

As the music started to play, Luciano stretched out his hands to me and asked me, "Would you care to dance with me?"

I was nervous as I never really danced in my life before, but the alluring Luciano against the backdrop of a beautiful Vegas night view was too tempting to resist. I was already feeling tipsy and floaty from the alcohol at that point of time, I needed to lean on something for support too, so I gladly took Luciano's hands for a dance.

He wrapped his armsaround my waist while I was instructed to wrap my arms around his neck. Therewas literally no distance between us as he pulled me close to him and we slowdanced to the music. My heart began its racing game again and the closeproximity between us plus the effects of alcohol made me pant for breath.  

Luciano's POV

Maybe cupid was helping me, the ambience was just right for what was going on between us. The lyrics of the song strongly resonated with what my heart felt towards Clara.

I could feel her warm breaths of pant against my lips as we slow-danced in each other embrace. Her delicate frame against my body and her flushed skin from the alcohol was just intoxicating me. The music stirred the emotion in me and every logical sense of me was taken over by my heart's wish. Finally, I sealed my lips against those lips of hers which I've yearned to press on. I could feel the softness and dampness of her lips, but the exhilarating sensual feel was short-lived when she pushed herself away from me and started behaving weirdly. She laid on the floor for a moment and started crawling on the floor towards the stairs up to her room.