She was seated with Andrea and her family, right next to Noah on her left side, since neither of them brought a date, much to Andrea's dismay.
When Andrea was doing the sitting chart she was constantly badgering Sophie to find a guy to go with, but Sophie was adamant that she was going alone.
She did not want to have that particular discussion with Noah. They were technically seeing each other, even if it was on the down low.
She didn't however know if he was bringing someone. They hadn't discussed it, and she had to admit, she would be very disappointed if he did, not to mention pissed off. He was the one who was always saying, you belong to me, whenever he supposedly noticed a guy checking her out.
It goes both ways, as far as she was concerned.
He was so bossy sometimes, it drove her nuts. Well, let's face it, he was bossy all the damn time. And, if she had to admit it to herself, it kind of turned her on.
Actually, it totally did.
Every time his voice went all deep and sensual, her body responded. He never raised his voice, he just commanded with that steely determination he perfected over the years.
Her body yielded to his command, shivering in response, becoming wet and tingly. Her arousal increasing with every word he uttered, every look he bestowed, every touch of a caress he granted, and he had her, putty in his hands, willing to try anything, do anything, for him.
It was time to cut the cake and Mr. Crawford was wielding a pretty big knife, much to everyone's amusement.
Mrs. Crawford was smiling at her husband's antics. He took her hand in his and together they cut the first piece. A waiter was standing close by with a plate for the cake.
They both dived in with their fingers and started feeding each other, only it looked more like they were trying to see who could smash more cake in the other's face.
Everyone was laughing and Sophie looked at Noah, seeing his soft smile at the exhibition of love his parents presented. Although his view of love and commitment had been skewered by his own personal experience with Natasha, he had witnessed firsthand while growing-up, what true love looked like.
His parents were the perfect example what normal should look like, and not the dysfunctional relationship her parents exhibited. But she guessed if you have a first row sit to the kind of love fairytales are written about, you also know when that isn't it.
You see the flaws in your own relationship and doubt starts seeping in, sooner or later you're just looking for faults, because things are not working out.
Or, in some cases, you are blind to the slip-ups, your faith in the person you love unquestionable, your doubt in them unfathomable. You could never even imagine they would betray you.
Until you witnessed their treachery with your own eyes, until you walked in a room and saw your whole future disappear in an instant, your world crumble down around you before you could take one steady breath, before you could even comprehend what was before your eyes wasn't just a horrible nightmare, but a bleak reality.
Not everyone get their happy ending.
The crowd cheered again with renewed vigor and she looked up, just in time to see Mr. Crawford smear a large piece of cake all over Mrs. Crawford's laughing face. He wasn't faring much better, he had cake on his face and chunks of it were also sticking on his hair.
They were laughing though, amid kisses, and Sophie heard him say, "Mmm, cake never tasted so delicious, Mrs. Crawford." He then deepened his kiss and she responded as if they weren't standing in the middle of a crowded ballroom.
No one else existed, but them. They were in their own world and the people around them loved it, by the sound of the resonating cheers and enthusiastic clapping. She even heard some whistles.
The gossipmongers were loving this and it would spread like wildfire by tomorrow, not before they embellished quite a few things though. Sophie sighed. People were vicious, especially when they were jealous about things they were lacking in their own lives.
Some would say they attacked each other and were only pretending to have a good time; a clear sign of the discord in their marriage, others would go to the other extreme; they were practically having sex in front of everyone - so distasteful, they would say.
Sophie could almost hear them. She was used to the gossip surrounding her own parents, the Crawfords, unlike her parents, didn't deserve to have their name smeared and dragged through the rumor mill.
They were the pillars of society and they could have been obnoxious snobs, most people who had their kind of money and power were, but they were actually good people and very down to earth. It's how they raised their children as well.
The cake was being passed around now and a server pushed a plate in Noah's hands. He lifted his eyebrows in surprise for a brief moment at the boldness of the man, but he was already moving forward with his little cart full of plates, passing the cake to other guests, not even looking who he handed the plate to. He had a job to do and there were a lot of people who wanted cake apparently.
Sophie's soft snort of laughter didn't go unnoticed, though she did try to cover it with her hand. The look on his face was priceless.
Noah's eyes narrowed and he walked towards her. She rolled her shoulders back and straightened in an attempt to look serene.
"Something funny, Sophie?"
She pinched her mouth together to stop herself from laughing out loud, but a small sound still broke free. She clapped her hand over her mouth and shook her head. "Uh-uh."
"Sure?"
He gave her that look that melted her insides and she couldn't help herself from replying.
"He just looked very… determined."
"Is that so?"
"He must have thought you really wanted that cake."
He was regarding her from underneath his hooded crystal blue eyes.
"You should have some." She shrugged in the direction of the plate in his hands. "You don't want to disappoint him… after all the effort he ma…"
The look in his eyes said shut it or beware of my next action. She really didn't want to wear cake tonight.
It would clash with her dress.
The way he was staring at her made her wonder if he was remembering the same thing. The words she spoke were the same as…
Linda's Sweet Paradise. A charming little bakery that catered to the gourmet in you. Every single thing looked like a piece of art with such a decadent taste it was almost orgasmic.
Noah in a bakery, sitting behind a table filled with little sweet masterpieces. There were mini cakes in different shapes and colors, chocolate and fruit pralines, chocolate truffles, cupcakes, macaroons and even cake-pops.
To say the least, Sophie was in heaven. She loved anything and everything sweet. Noah on the other hand was looking at the delicious sweets as if they would jump of the table and bite him. Pun intended.
The cherry on top? Linda, the owner of the bakery. She was a very cheerful and very… forceful woman, who clearly loved her job.
She explained every taste, color and minor detail that she thought they should know and be interested about. She also wanted them to taste every single thing she brought to the table and she kept coming back with more.
Even Sophie who would never say no to something sweet could barely keep up. She should have followed Noah's example and tried only small bites, but nooo, she had to have a second, and even a third taste of the ones she loved the most. And that was almost everything.
Sophie was so full she didn't know if she was going to pass out in a sugar coma or barf all over the place. Definitely too much sugar.
Words she thought should never be spoken in her presence let alone come out of her mouth. Utter blasphemy. On any other given day, right then, irrevocable truth.
She clutched her stomach and tried to smile for the perpetually cheerful person before her.
Noah smirked at her predicament.
She was trying to reassure Linda that everything was delicious and she didn't need to bring them anything more, but the smile on her face felt frozen. Linda kept pushing for them to try something else and when she stood up to go in the back Sophie barely contained her groan.
She was sending signals to Noah to say something, but he was too busy trying not to laugh at her to pay her any attention.
Sophie elbowed him in the stomach, but he just held her arm so she couldn't hit him again.
She wanted to erase the smirk on his face.
Without thinking she grabbed a piece of raspberry cake with vanilla frosting from the plate in front of her and smashed it in Noah's face.
She grunted in satisfaction until she saw the look in his eyes. It was a mix of complete astonishment, a hint of amazement and wonder and such disbelief and shock she started laughing.
Sophie laughed so hard her already hurting stomach ached even more, but she didn't care and couldn't stop even if she did.
That is until he smashed a piece of chocolate Ganache cake in her face and proceeded to smear it all over.
Oh, it was on.
Cake fight!
To say that Linda was surprised when she came back, was putting it mildly. Noah had to open his wallet way up to pacify the outraged woman. And to keep her quiet… and get her security tapes.
Imagine the scandal? A prominent business man engaged in a cake fight.
Hell. Imagine the HEADLINES.
CAKE FIGHT HAS NEVER LOOKED SO DELICIOUS!
NOAH CRAWFORD'S CAKE FETISH!
NOAH CRAWFORD GETS DOWN AND DIRTY, WITH A CAKE NO LESS!
NOAH CRAWFORD SEXES UP A CAKE SHOP!
Yeah, that would go over well with business associates.
Sophie shook the memory away and quickly grabbed Noah's plate and stabbed a fork in the cake, popping it in her mouth and smiling while she swallowed a mouthful of raspberry vanilla deliciousness.
Noah leaned his head to the side, looking at her from beneath his long and thick eyelashes, that every woman would be jealous of, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly in a semblance of a smile he refused to let loose completely.