Free Finding Obscurity by Emma Shade Page B

before leaving the house,
because the air was chilly tonight.
    I headed
down the sidewalk to Monument Circle. The limestone monument jutted into the
sky, with a woman holding a sword and torch on the very top. It was to honor
veterans and was flanked by fountains that led into pools. The limestone
figures at the base had been hand-carved, which was amazing. I had been here
once when I first moved to town, and had climbed the stairs to the observatory
at the top.
    I crossed
the street and walked up to the limestone steps. Ashton was leaning against the
wall near the fountains and smiled when he spotted me. He was dressed in a
black suit with a blood-red tie. His hair was gel-styled and his sapphire eyes
sparkled. I lifted the hem of my dress as I climbed the stairs to greet him,
trying not to think about what they did with a red tie in the latest book I had
read. The last thing I needed was nasty thoughts running through my mind all
night long.
    Ashton
smelled really good and lifted my hand to kiss my palm. “Liliana, you look
ravishing.”
    “Thanks. You,
too.” I couldn’t help but smile at the compliment.
    “Shall we
go?” He looped his arm through mine, steering me towards a waiting stretched
black limousine.
    The driver
opened the door and stood silently as Ashton helped me into the backseat, then
he followed, letting the door shut. The interior of the limousine was all
leather and slick lines. The light was dim and I glanced around, never having
been in one before. There was a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two
crystal flutes waiting on us.
    “Would you
like a glass?” Ashton asked, opening the bottle with a loud pop.
    I nodded
and he handed me a glass. Taking a sip, I let the sweet bubbly liquid slide
down my throat. “This is pretty good. I’ve never been inside a limo before. It
seems awful extreme for a date, though.”
    He
chuckled, taking a sip from his glass. “Nothing is too extreme for you,
Liliana. Besides, we cannot arrive at an art exhibit without being in style. I
will be honest, art isn’t my forte, but I’m sure the company will be much better
this time.”
    “You’re
bringing me to a stuffy art gallery for a date?” I shifted uncomfortably.
    “We will
leave anytime you wish to. I was expected to make an appearance, and having the
most beautiful woman in the world on my arm is a plus. It won’t be as bad as
you think it will be. You might find you will enjoy yourself.”   He ran his knuckles against my cheek.
    “Uh huh.
Will there at least be food there? I am a little put out that we aren’t having
dinner. I just picture stuck-up people in formal dresses with their noses in
the air.”
    Ashton
gave a bark of laughter. “There are some of those people there, yes. But there
are normal people there, too.”
    I lifted
my eyebrow. “You mean normal like the wait staff? I will give it a chance, but
the moment I am snubbed, I’m outta there. With or without you.”
    “I would
never put you in an uncomfortable situation. I promise that everyone will be on
their best behavior.”
    I stared
out the window watching the buildings pass by, the lights of the city
reflecting on the glass. I needed to try and give this the benefit of the
doubt. Feeling nervous tended to make me a little bitchy and I took another sip
of champagne. I was running on an empty stomach and that didn’t help my
attitude, either. Maybe I was talking out of hunger, so I took a deep breath to
rethink the situation. I needed to calm down before my little electric talent
showed up for the party. I didn’t think it was a party trick that anyone would
appreciate.
    We pulled
up to a large wrought iron gate and the driver let us know we had arrived by
lowering the divider that allowed us to see the windshield. The gate swung open
and we drove up to a huge limestone mansion. The driver pulled up to the
entrance and parked before opening our door. Ashton exited first and helped me
out by grabbing my hand gently. Men