He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Three - The Gift Of Goodbye

A wedding was approaching, a high society event with much expectation. Although there were those with reservations about the event, there had been no suggestion that it ought to be delayed or prevented, so those parties left well enough alone. Besides, before that, a smaller event was about to occur, a birthday.

The birthday girl in question wished for her party to be no less grand that the wedding, she had high hopes for the evening. A man that she had had her eye on for longer than she had been alive was attending and their relationship was slowly developing into an intimate one. It was a pity that the man was already dating someone else, but that just made their illicit affair all that sweeter and her final victory over her rival that much more satisfying. Tonight, tonight she would steal a kiss and who knows... perhaps so much more...

The party was due to begin at 5pm. The venue was the large hall of a hotel in the countryside. The hall had its own outside terrace and gardens so that the guests could mingle inside and out. There were two buffets planned, one for the older guests, mostly family, and their friends and connections and later, once the dance floor was cleared and the heavy beats played on decks, the older generation would make way for youth. Lighter snacks were planned to coincide with the open bar. Harmony was turning 21 this birthday.

At 4pm, Adam appeared in the gardens outside the hall. Harmony had specifically given him a slightly earlier time, before others arrived, so that she might have him for herself for a while. He arrived wearing slim fitted black chino's and a midnight blue shirt, the top button open. He gave Harmony a lazy smile as he approached her, a small, gift wrapped box in hand.

"For you," he said, using the gift to create space between them that she was desperate to erase. She placed her small hand to her chest, while taking the gift in the other.

"Aw, you should have," she purred. "May I open it?" Adam gestured that she should, so she delicately pulled at the seams of the wrapping, while feeling as if he was running his eyes over her body. She would not blame him, she was dressed to kill tonight. Just as her party was formed in two parts, she planned to wear two outfits and this dress was the more demur of the two. It was a white sheath dress with an opalescent sheen to the fabric. The straps were formed of crystals and the hem of the dress had more crystals scattered about it. She wore silver heels and a thick white gold bangle with embedded diamonds. Diamonds sparkled in her ears, catching the light on occasion through the gentle curls draped about her neck and shoulders.

Inside the wrapping was a gift box, to large to be a ring, sadly, but still appeared to be jewellery. She was quite right. Inside was a necklace that appeared to be made silver wire and crystals. It's length was short, indicating it was a choker. It had an inexpensive appearance, but was not tacky. As her first gift from her beau, she was most pleased with it.

"Put it on me!" She demanded, so he took the necklace and fastened it gently about her neck. Before he could react, she turned and hugged him tight, pressing her breasts into his chest. She would have slipped in a kiss if it were not for her parents calling for her. Other guests had arrived early. She gritted her teeth and turned to Adam and told him; "I will be right back."

Adam watched as she departed for the hall, before shuddering and going off to find the hotel bar for a shot of whiskey. He was going to need it if he was to get through this evening. As he entered the hotel, he received a text.

I said not to let her touch you!

He shook his head. Yang and Yin; two little spies; they would get on well with Francis were they ever able to interact!

She caught me unawares.

Don't let it happen again!

Of course he was not displeased by his lover's jealousy. It wasn't that long ago that he had found out about Owen's ex-boyfriend, who not only introduced him to Our Final Hour, but whose hoodie he still owned after the breakup. All this information had come from Harmony, who Adam felt knew a little too much about his lover. He had insisted Owen burn the hoodie. If he wanted one, he could have one of his. Now Owen played the game in an old purple hoodie that he no longer used. It came to just below his sweet pale arse. When he had first worn it before him and nothing else but his boxers, Owen had not been able to rise out of bed the next morning. Owen had also made him swear to replace the old mattress, even if he had to swallow his pride and let Owen pay towards it!