Captivated by Him

**Back to the present**

‘I can’t wait for tonight to arrive…’

I had no idea why Anthony decided to say something like that to me. The playful and extremely flirtatious smile that he showed me made my heart skip a dangerous beat and for a moment I didn’t quite know how to react. I wasn’t sure if the Anthony that I knew would say something like that. Then again, it wasn’t like he was in a position to say something so playful and suggestive to me while he was my sister’s fiancé. Just like me, he probably never thought that he would end up marrying me instead of my sister.

“Diana dear! Congratulations on your wedding. You have no idea just how long we’ve been waiting for this day to come. You look stunning! This dress looks perfect on you. You couldn’t have chosen a better dress,” a middle-aged woman with light blonde hair said while smilingly widely at me.

“Thank you very much for your kind words. I hope you enjoy the party at the reception later on,” I replied smoothly.

It felt like a switch had turned on the moment that the guests started to approach us to congratulate us on our wedding. That switch that flipped inside of my head told me that I was now the perfect Diana that everyone adored and looked up to and no longer myself. The wedding dress indeed fit me perfectly and it did its job of showcasing my body to the utmost advantage; however, I wasn’t the one who chose that wedding dress. It was chosen by none other than my sister along with the makeup style, the hair updo, and the jewelry and shoes that completed the ensemble.

“You’re so lucky to marry a bride like her. Make sure that you take care of Diana well,” the lady’s husband quickly chimed in before winking at Anthony.

“Of course, I will…” Anthony replied before reaching out to shake the gentleman’s hand firmly.

We shared countless similar brief greetings and thanks with the many guests that came to greet us. In all honesty, I had no idea who the majority of the people were apart from the fact that they were undoubtedly some important, influential, or simply rich figures in high society. Glancing over to the side, I could see my parents smiling and laughing happily and they entertained their guests. They seemed to be having the time of their lives and that made me feel slightly nauseous.

“Diana…” Anthony called out to me warmly to get my attention.

“Yes?” I replied sweetly.

His much larger hand covered mine before tugging my hand tighter into the crook of his arm. I couldn’t stop staring into his deep blue eyes as he smiled down at me alluringly. At the same time, I could hear the loud beating of my heart ringing in my eyes as he pulled me closer to his side.

“I guess you’re not enjoying yourself. Talking to so many strangers about the same thing over and over can be very boring, right?” he said before smiling knowingly.

“I guess, but I’m sure that we can make it through this together,” I replied honestly.

Just standing by his side with my hand in his and our bodies close to each other felt like the best of dreams. Everything passed by in a blur during our reception at the church after our ceremony. The evening reception was pretty much a repeat of the reception during noon time but with a few additional efforts from Anthony and me to impress the audience.

“And now the moment that all of us have been waiting for! The bride and groom will now share their first dance. Please give them a round of applause,” the host for the night announced loudly through the microphone.

I don’t remember the last time that I danced with a partner. It must have been years ago before I moved out of the country. The moment that I dreaded the most had arrived and now I had to dance with Anthony. I cursed my parents for not letting us meet even once before our wedding. Of course, if we had met, practicing our wedding dance together wouldn’t be at the top of my list of things to do.

“Don’t look so nervous even if you feel nervous,” he advised me with a caring smile.

Anthony probably had no idea just how much his reassuring smile gave me confidence. Our dance wasn’t something complex because it was just a standard dance. I nodded my head and returned his smile as he bowed and extended his hand toward me.

“May I have this dance?” he asked.

“Yes…” I replied as I slipped my hand into his manly one.

Anthony looked positively like an unbelievably handsome prince in the white tuxedo that he had on. His blond hair, his blue eyes, and the way he moved so flawlessly to the band’s music as he led me throughout the dance truly made me feel like I was dancing with my own prince charming. I wasn’t certain if our dance looked perfect to our spectators, but I couldn’t have cared less because to me, it just felt like the most perfect moment of happiness that I wanted to cherish and remember for as long as I live.

Just as our dance was coming to an end, Anthony pulled me quite roughly against him. I let out a gasp of surprise while trying not to let my panic show. I was absolutely sure that that wasn’t part of the standard dance routine. Plus, the way that his arms around the small of my waist tightened as he pressed my body up hard against his felt so unnatural. We were so close that my breasts were practically pressed up against his hard chest. I looked up to find Anthony’s blue eyes staring down right into mine and my breath caught in my throat.

“Mhmm…” I made a moaning sound in my throat as his mouth gently captured mine.

–To be continued…