Chosen By My Mate's Father-in-law-Chapter 100: Spotlight

[Jasmine's POV]

Shock and desire flowed through me as I pulled Axel closer. My thighs shook from the pleasure his touch brought me. Usually, our kisses were…nice and tame. Honestly, I never felt much of anything when Axel kissed me. But this kiss? It made my body alive with need. It made me crave more from him. So much more.

Strangely, Axel's kiss made me think of Gareth.

But I scolded myself for thinking of Gareth while I was kissing Axel—and thoroughly enjoying myself.

With a groan, I opened my mouth to slide my tongue against his, but then Axel stepped away from me.

With one last withering look, he spun around and left me in the middle of the dance floor, flushed and breathless. My body was trembling with need and desire for Axel's touch. Disappointed, I watched him go. The muscles in his back were rigid, as if he were holding himself back from something.

Why had Axel's kiss made me feel so…needy? I'd only felt like this from Gareth's expert touch.

Wait…

Was it possible that Gareth had just kissed me? Axel had said he was going to the bathroom, but then appeared only a moment later to give me the best kiss I'd ever had. Our connection had been non-existent earlier. Gareth and Axel did resemble each other…

No.

Gareth wouldn't pretend to be his nephew. That was insane. Why would he want to waste his night with someone like me? There were so many more mature and classier women who would sell their souls for the pleasure of his company. My stolen night with Gareth would never happen again, no matter how much I craved him.

That thought made me wrap my arms around myself as a cold, lonely feeling settled over me. As I wandered off the dance floor, I tried to cheer myself up with the knowledge that Axel and I seemed to have a better connection. Could I have a potential future with him? I just couldn't see a way to get over the fact that Gareth was his uncle. If Axel and I got married, Gareth would be my uncle-in-law.

Ew.

I watched the dancers for a few moments, and soon, Axel returned with another glass of champagne for me. As he handed me the drink, our hands brushed, and my heart lowered slightly. That same spark we had before just wasn't there.

Had it been a fluke?

I waited for him to mention our passionate kiss, but he just started talking about the new painting he was working on.

It was almost like I had imagined it.

***

Jasmine wasn't aware that Elliot was still on the dance floor with Isabella and had witnessed the entire mistaken kiss. Elliot had seen Axel leave Jasmine on the dance floor. Then he watched Gareth take her hand to dance. Since Elliot knew Jasmine better than anyone, he knew that she still thought she was dancing with Axel. Then, Elliot had gone rigid with horror when he watched Gareth kiss Jasmine.

Watching them fervently grip onto each other filled Elliot with panic. This couldn't be happening. If Elliot had the Lycan King as a competitor for Jasmine, he had no chance of convincing her to be his mistress. Gareth would see to her every need, even ones that Elliot couldn't fulfill. What would he do if Gareth married her? Bile rose to his throat at the thought of having Jasmine as his future mother-in-law.

Elliot had to do something. He couldn't stand idly by and watch his plan go up in flames.

***

[Jasmine's POV]

Axel asked me to dance again, and that heat from before still wasn't present. After only one song, he disappeared, leaving me standing alone on the dance floor.

Again.

As I made my way through the dancing couples, the lights went out, and the next second, a spotlight was shining on me.

Then, another spotlight appeared at the front of the dance floor. My heart slammed against my chest when I saw Axel holding a bouquet of red roses and walking toward me. The band began to play a quiet, romantic song.

As Axel neared me with an expectant smile, anxiety made my stomach churn.

Oh, Goddess… No. This couldn't be happening.

The entire room fell silent as he handed me the roses and took my hand.

"Jasmine," Axel said in a loud voice that made me want to wince.

Why did he have to do this in front of an entire crowd? Whatever made him think this was a good idea?

"Ever since I met you, I knew that you were the one for me," he continued, staring deep into my eyes. "I couldn't help but fall for you. It was like I didn't have a choice in the matter. All of my life, I thought I'd be a lone wolf." He looked around the crowd with a sheepish expression. "You know, with my tortured artistic soul and all."

The audience laughed. They were eating out of the palms of his hands.

He turned back to me, his expression serious.

The urge to spin around and run away washed over me like a tidal wave.

"Jasmine Lowett, will you make me the happiest man alive and be my girlfriend?" he asked hopefully.

The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

I opened my mouth to apologize and tell him that I wasn't in the place right now for a relationship. But how in the hell would I do something like that with hundreds of people staring at us? Axel had taken a leap and put his heart on his sleeve to all these people. Would it be cruel to say no and embarrass him publicly?

And what about our passionate kiss earlier? Maybe Axel and I weren't hopeless. Maybe I would grow to love him. Someday.

As my mind spun with indecision, my stomach swooped. And I knew deep down that Gareth's hypnotic gaze was on me. I longed for his touch, but there wasn't any possible way for us to be together.

Maybe it would be easier to move on if I were dating someone else.

After a few beats of silence, Axel let out a nervous laugh and pulled on the edge of his shirt collar. His hand that was holding mine became slick with sweat.

I banished the image of Gareth's handsome face from my mind and looked into Axel's deep blue eyes.

I nodded. "Yes, I'll be your girlfriend," I finally said in what I hoped was a steady voice.

As soon as I finished speaking, everyone in the room burst into loud applause.

Axel let out a whoop of joy, hugged me close, and lifted me off my feet. He spun me around and kissed me deeply.

I kissed him back, praying that I would feel that same heat and connection as before, but it wasn't there.

I felt nothing as he caressed my hair and pressed me closer to his muscular body.

I scolded myself for being overly critical. Maybe I was just really nervous in front of this big crowd.

Axel gently set me down and pressed a sweet kiss to my lips.

"Thank you for saying yes," he whispered in my ear.

I smiled, all the while, hoping I didn't just make a huge mistake.

***

For once, Elliot and Gareth agreed on something. They stood on opposite sides of the room with matching expressions of anger, watching Jasmine and Axel kiss.

Elliot tried to control his facial features as Isabella jumped with joy and ran to the dance floor to congratulate the happy couple.

The band began to play a happy jazz song, and everyone danced in celebration, couples flooding the dance floor.

Gareth crossed his arms and gritted his teeth.

He had never felt less like celebrating in his life. Turning away from the party, he stalked away, ready to leave the gala.

But in the empty hallway, Delilah grabbed hold of his arm, spinning him around and pressing her body against his.

"You seem upset, sweetheart," she purred in his ear. "I could make you forget all your problems… I promise to show you a good time."

With rage still making his heart slam against his chest, Gareth stared down at Delilah. This loud, abrasive, and status-obsessed woman was the complete opposite of Jasmine.

His hands gripped Delilah's hips, and she let out a loud moan. If he couldn't have Jasmine, he would use Delilah as a distraction instead.

He cupped her ass and lifted her. She squealed and wrapped her legs around his waist. He captured her lips and pressed her against the wall, imagining Jasmine's gorgeous face as he slid his tongue into Delilah's mouth.

Gareth reached down and squeezed her breast.

Delilah leaned back her head, and Gareth attacked her neck, nipping and sucking her skin. He wanted to drown himself in her overpowering perfume to get the image of Jasmine kissing Axel out of his head.

Gareth's hand slid down to the bottom of her dress, and he discovered she wasn't wearing any underwear.

"Yes, Gareth!" Delilah moaned. "Touch me!"

Just as his finger slid inside Delilah's wet folds, there was a commotion behind them.

Gareth turned to see Jasmine and Axel stumble out of the ballroom hand-in-hand.

Jasmine's eyes locked on him while his finger was inside another woman.