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downstairs
for per-dinner drinks, Steve made his announcement; he and Hope were engaged to
be married. After the announcement it was as though the incident at the
heliport had never happened. Hope all but ignored him, her attention completely
wrapped up in Steve, so much so that Jason preferred to think it was his over
active imagination that had cooked up the whole incident and that he really
needed to get over himself.
    After that
weekend Hope had seemed to change towards him. Sometimes, when in her company
he could feel her watching him; but she seemed to make Steve happy, and that
was all he wanted for his friend and brother. Since then, they had all had
dinner together a number of times, and he and Hope had formed a tentative
friendship that seemed to be working. Now Jason's banked concerns were back.
However Steve was right, it was none of his business and he had other, more
pleasant things on his mind, Aviva.
    As the
whisper of her name floated into his mind, the door opened to admit a
resplendent Hope dressed in a gown of startling white that encased her body as
though made for her alone. The gown was made of pleats reminiscent of the
garments worn by ancient Egyptian queens. The neckline sat off the shoulder and
plunged in a daring V that stopped in the middle of her chest revealing the
whole of her d é colletage.
The dress went on to gather at her waist in a triangular pattern before falling
away in more gathered pleats that hugged her figure and then trailed to the
ground in a flow of organza. She looked beautiful and knew it. Hope turned in a
circle while extending her arms away from her body to gauge Steve and Jason ’ s reaction. Jason had risen to his feet
at her entrance, while Steve had turned from his perusal out of the window to
take in the appearance of the woman who was soon to be his wife.
    “ Well, what do you think – will I do? ”
    Moving from
his place in front of the window Steve took the hand Hope extended towards him
and raised it to his lips for a gentle brush of his lips. “ You look as beautiful as ever Hope. I ’ m a lucky man . ” Something was definitely
wrong between them, Jason could hear it in Steve's tone of voice, but before he
could further silently question his detection, Hope turned in his direction to
get his thoughts on her appearance.
    “ You look great Hope, but I think you
already know that. ”
    “ Come on Jason, give a girl a break will
you, one little compliment won ’ t kill you! ”
    “ You look beautiful Hope. ” Jason responded, raising his glass in a
salute.
    Just then
the door opened and Aviva stepped into the room draped in a red cocktail gown.
Jason could only describe her appearance as sinful. It wasn't a tight dress but
it clung to every curve it touched and there were a lot of curves to cling to.
The dress was sleeveless and showed off her arms, the neckline fell in drapes
just below her collar bone and then it accentuate every curve it touched – it clung to her breast in a gentle
caress, it clung to her indented waist and then it went on to cling to her
generous hips, with a hemline that stopped just above her knees. Jason ’ s mouth began to water as his libido went
into overdrive. She looked like classy sin on legs, and if his body was any
reaction, sin had just become his woman of choice. Without a word he
deposited his glass on the end-table and moved towards Aviva, never releasing
her gaze. Taking her hand Jason kissed her fingers and spun her around to get a
look at the back of the dress. This nearly made him bite his tongue; there was
no back, apart from the halter neck strap that kept the dress in place the
material started again at the base of her spine.  “ You look exquisite; red is definitely your color. ” Jason murmured against her ear.
    “ Thank you Jason, I ’ ve got to tell you, you ’ re wearing the heck out of that tuxedo,
you too Steve, looking good! ” Turning to
Hope, Aviva began to approach her friend with her hands