As we walked towards Ryan's house, I could see him standing at the entrance, a warm and welcoming smile on his face. He welcomed us with open arms, his eyes scanning Sarah from head to toe in surprise. I could tell he wasn't expecting me to show up with anyone, let alone a stunning woman like Sarah. His eyes widened in amazement, and he took a step back, clearly impressed.
"Gabriel, my man! Welcome!" Ryan exclaimed, his voice booming across the compound, echoing off the walls. "And who is this beautiful lady you've brought with you?"
I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and happiness as I introduced Sarah to Ryan. "Ryan, this is Sarah. We met recently, and I'm glad she could make it today," I said, my voice filled with enthusiasm.
Ryan's eyes continued to scan Sarah, taking in her beauty and elegance. "Wow, Gabriel, you're a lucky man," he said, his voice filled with admiration and a hint of surprise. "I didn't know you had it in you to snag someone as beautiful as Sarah."
Sarah laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement and playfulness. "Thank you, Ryan. It's nice to meet you," she said, her voice sweet and charming.
Ryan shook his head, still looking stunned and impressed. "I can't believe you showed up with someone as beautiful as Sarah. You're a dark horse, Gabriel. I didn't know you had such great taste in women."
I chuckled, feeling a sense of embarrassment and happiness. "I guess I am," I said, smiling at Sarah and feeling grateful to have her by my side.
As we entered the compound, I could see the other guests staring at us, their eyes fixed on Sarah. I knew she was going to be the center of attention, and I was happy to be by her side. The atmosphere was lively and festive, with music playing and people chatting and laughing. The smell of food and drinks filled the air, making my stomach growl with hunger.
"Come on, let's get some drinks," Ryan said, leading us towards the bar. "I want to hear more about how you two met."
As we walked, Sarah leaned in close to me, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think I'm making a good impression," she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement and playfulness.
I smiled, my heart racing with excitement and happiness. "You definitely are," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "Ryan's not easily impressed, but you've clearly caught his attention."
As I continued speaking with Sarah, my eyes wandered across the room, scanning the crowd of guests with a mix of excitement and nervousness. That's when I saw her - Stephanie, standing distance away, her eyes fixed intently on me with an unreadable expression. I felt a sudden jolt of discomfort, my heart skipping a beat as our eyes met for a brief moment. I quickly looked away, trying to appear nonchalant, and refocused my attention on Sarah, attempting to brush off the awkwardness that had settled in the pit of my stomach.
But I couldn't shake off the feeling that Stephanie's gaze had left on me. It was as if she could see right through me, into the depths of my soul. I automatically changed the subject, trying to steer the conversation away from the awkwardness I felt. "Hey, Sarah, I just saw Stephanie staring our way," I said, trying to sound casual, but my voice betrayed a hint of nervousness.
Sarah's eyes narrowed slightly, her interest piqued. "Oh yeah? Did she look pissed?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.
I glanced up, trying to discreetly check on Stephanie's whereabouts, my heart racing with anticipation. She was still making her way towards us, her expression unreadable, but her eyes fixed intently on me. "I don't know, but she's definitely heading our way," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, my words laced with a hint of trepidation.
Sarah's eyes sparkled with mischief, her smile growing wider. "Well, let's give her something to think about," she said, her voice dripping with playfulness, her eyes locked on mine with a hint of challenge.
Before I could even respond, Sarah leaned in, her lips inches from mine, her warm breath caressing my skin. I felt my heart racing, my pulse pounding in my ears, as she pressed her lips to mine. The kiss was passionate, intense, and left me breathless. I felt like I was melting into her, our lips moving in perfect sync, our bodies swaying to the rhythm of the music.
As we kissed, I could sense Stephanie's presence hovering nearby, but she didn't approach us. Instead, she stopped in her tracks, turned around, and disappeared from sight, leaving me wondering what she was thinking.
Sarah pulled away, a triumphant smile on her face, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction. "I think that took care of that," she said, her voice filled with confidence, her words laced with a hint of pride.
I grinned, still reeling from the intensity of our kiss, my heart racing with excitement. "Definitely," I agreed, my voice barely above a whisper, my words laced with a hint of awe.
As I sat comfortably with Sarah by my side, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. The music was playing, the lights were dimmed, and the atmosphere was lively. But my peace was short-lived, as I caught sight of Stephanie again, this time standing side by side with Ryan, their eyes fixed intently on us.
I felt a gentle nudge from Sarah, as if she too had noticed the attention we were receiving. I turned my head, trying to appear nonchalant, but my eyes were drawn back to Stephanie and Ryan. They were standing by the bar, their faces animated in conversation, their eyes darting back and forth between us.
I could sense their gaze on me, like a gentle caress on my skin. It was as if they were dissecting us, analyzing our every move, our every gesture. I felt a shiver run down my spine, my heart beating slightly faster as I realized they were definitely talking about us.
Stephanie's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, her expression unreadable. Was she happy for me? Was she upset? I couldn't tell. Ryan, on the other hand, looked like he was enjoying the spectacle, a sly grin spreading across his face.
I gently looked away from them, trying not to draw attention to myself. But I could feel their eyes still on me, like a weight pressing down on my shoulders. Sarah seemed to sense my discomfort, her hand reaching out to touch mine.
"Hey, are you okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded, trying to reassure her. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little uncomfortable, that's all."
Sarah followed my gaze, her eyes landing on Stephanie and Ryan. "Ah, I see," she said, her voice laced with understanding. "Don't worry about them. We're having a great time, and that's all that matters."
I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Sarah. She was right, of course. We were having a great time, and I shouldn't let Stephanie and Ryan's attention ruin it for me. But it was hard to shake off the feeling that they were watching us, waiting for us to slip up so they could pounce.