Gael walked her towards the open bar where a couple of bartenders served drinks. Ang got herself a White Christmas Margarita—a first for her. She was feeling festive, and the name sounded cute, so she wanted to try it. It was a concoction of coconut milk, tequ, triple sec, lime juice, and blended with shredded ice. The ss''s rim was sanded with sugar instead of salt, and it was garnished with a slice of lime and some cranberries—a weirdly goodbination.


    She waited for him to get a refill of his drink, giving her time to study him. Gael wore a navy blue shirt with the two top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a pair of white chinos. He looked delicious in every way, as usual. She had to take a huge gulp of her drink as he was making her thirsty. One thing about Gael was his sense of fashion. She swore this man would look good in any outfit—or without it.


    Wanting to take her mind off the gutter, she nced at the club soda and lime drink in his hand. He shifted his weight, checking out the different expensive bottles of booze on the shelf behind the bartenders. She could sense that he wanted to have some whiskey or scotch. "You can get yourself a drink. A shot won''t kill you," she told him.


    He contemted for a second and then shook his head. "I''ll be fine. I''m driving anyway."


    Ang smiled. Gael had too much control and patience. She didn''t think she''d be able to do what he''s doing. Well, maybe she could, but she didn''t want to try. They walked away from the bar and looked for a spot to chill. "Have you been here a while?" she wondered as they stopped next to a table of mouthwatering hors d''oeuvres.


    "Not that long."


    Tempted, she grabbed a small te and filled it with some delicious looking appetizers, shoving one into her mouth and then offering her te to him. But instead of taking one, he opened his mouth, cheekily asking her to feed him. She scoffed in amusement, but she lifted a piece to his mouth anyway.


    He took the bite, intentionally grazing his tongue against the tip of her finger. "Mm. This is good," he said, his voice low and deep, giving her butterflies.


    She caught his gaze, and he winked at her. Two could y at this game, so she licked the same finger as if cleaning it from the food she just touched. He swallowed, his eyes looking between her finger and her lips. She couldn''t help but chuckle. This tension between them was insane. How could they not get enough of each other when they''ve been together all nightst night and half of today?


    Good thing they were at a corner, and her brother and father were nowhere in sight.


    It''s only been half a day since he hadst seen her, but damn it, why did it feel like it had been an eternity? He just wanted to get her alone, and this room full of people was such a bummer. Gael downed the rest of his drink and set it down on the table. Then he leaned in to whisper, "You think we can slip out the back for a minute? I wanna show you something."


    "If you think you can tempt me to go with you...just so you can show me your dong, Mr. De Luca, think again," she teased, a slow smile forming on her face.


    His lip twitched, clearly amused by her refusal. "My dong? I actually thought I''d show you my new belt... But since you''re being shy, never mind." He sighed audibly, making her shake her head.


    Noticing a stare burning a hole in her head, she averted her gaze across the room and saw a woman giving her mean looks. She arched a brow. "Who''s that? She looks like she wants to shred me to pieces or something."


    Gael took his eyes off Ang and followed the direction of her stare. It was the woman who came onto him earlier. He actually forgot about her already. "Hm. She propositioned me earlier—wanted to show me her new belt."


    Ang snapped her eyes at him, saltinesscing her voice. "You''d love that, don''t you? You have something inmon."


    He then brought his gaze back to Ang and curled the corner of his lips into a sly smile. "Nah. I don''t like her. I like someone who calls me...baby."


    "Who?" She drew her brows together.


    "You."


    "I did not—"


    "Sure."


    "I did not!"


    "Right. I guess I''ll just have to make you call me that again." He brushed his thumb against her inner elbow, and she shivered under his touch, causing his smirk to widen.


    Gael felt a tap on his leg, and he looked down to find Sianna, Daniel and Samantha''s daughter, holding her arms up to him. He picked her up without thinking twice and held her with one arm,plimenting her cute pink bow hair clip.


    "Princess." Sianna pointed at Ang''s short ck tutu skirt.


    "She does look like a beautiful princess, doesn''t she?" Gael agreed, smiling when he caught Ang''s cheeks going pink.


    Ang smiled, feeling her chest warm up from seeing him with a little girl. He''d look great as a father one day. Her heart jumped to her throat.


    "Uncle Gael!" Ashton came to join them and hugged Gael''s legs. The little boy, who looked very much like his daddy Daniel, curiously looked up at them and stared at Ang. "Who are you?" he probed.


    Ang hadn''t really been introduced to the kids in the past. They were too young when she first saw them, and she had been keeping to herself whenever she was at one of their parties. She thought she''d introduce herself this time. "Hi, I''m Ang. What''s your name?"


    Ashton''s eyes widened like saucers. He looked between her and Gael, and then he said, "Your name''s Ang... Like the witch story you told us about Uncle Gael?"


    "Witch story?" Ang tilted her head, ncing at Gael who froze. He couldn''t look at her.


    "The prince and the witch," answered Sianna in a small voice. Then her brother, Ashton, added, "Uncle Gael told us a bedtime story. Prince''s name is Gael like Uncle Gael. And the witch''s name is Ang. Right uncle Gael—"


    Gael''srge hand covered Ashton''s mouth. Heughed and then cleared his throat. "It''s—"


    "Interesting..." Ang folded her arms under her chest, giving him the eye. If only looks could kill. "A witch, huh?"


    "That''s not—"


    "Ah, look…" she interrupted with a bored tone. Then she dragged her gaze towards the kitchen where Samantha and Ba were. "...a fascinating looking stick. I''ll go check it out and see if I can use it as a wand so I can turn a certain someone into a frog."


    She winked at Ashton. Then, she dropped her smile when she met Gael''s guilty grey eyes. He gulped. She didn''t have to say anything for him to understand her sharp gaze. Ang wished she had a broomstick so she could smack him with it.


    Watching Ang walk away, Gael let out a long sigh. He lightly squeezed Ashton''s shoulder. "Bud, I thought you''d be my wingman. You threw me under the bus there."


    Little Ashton, who had no idea what was going on and had no clue what his uncle was talking about, could only scratch his head. "What''s a wingman? I don''t have wings."