Month: August 2020

Cerise

Cerise hitched her dance bag further onto her shoulder. She’d been told the guy was rich but based on the mansion she was heading towards, he was more than rich. She had been assured that she was hired to do a tasteful contemporary piece, that there would be no propositioning or inappropriateness. Yet now that she was here she wasn’t as confident in those glib assurances.

For a brief second she was even tempted to back out.

However, rent was looming and she couldn’t turn this job down when it was a contracted contemporary dance. Respectable.

“Your performance is scheduled for 8 pm. Please plan accordingly. Until then, feel free to enjoy the party.” The big burly guard stopped in front of a large open door. Inside, well-dressed people milled about talking and laughing. She paused. Glancing down at what she was wearing, her nice jeans and fluttery grey blouse were less than party appropriate. These people were in designer clothes that cost more than her month’s rent.

“Maybe I’ll just hang out here with you for a bit.” She laughed, smoothing her blonde wavy curls while stepping back into the shadows cast by the open door.

He gently ushered her in and whispered, “Have fun. Your host is a good honest man throwing a party for his friend.”

Cerise nodded and stepped inside. Looking down again, she didn’t see an outfit that would help her blend in. In fact, she was sure to stand out. She wished she would have worn the dress she had thrown back into the closet at the last minute. It wasn’t designer or glamorous, but at least it was a dress. She had a priority list that had long since shuffled ‘pretty dress’ down to the bottom. Expensive dresses were even lower on that list.

Head held high, Cerise walked straight through the middle of the crowded room without making eye contact with any of the guests to a table filled with tiny desserts.

“Quite the party eh?” A cheerful partygoer nudged her. About to subtly shift away, Cerise glanced over to find herself needing to look up.

Being tall and willowy were great benefits to being a dancer but not so when looking for a guy taller than you so that you can wear your stilettos and not feel like a towering giant. And yet here she was, looking up.

“Quite.” She acknowledged.

Her tall man took a step closer. “Of all the people here, I don’t recognize you.” He tossed out a charmingly devilish smirk that seemed to match his all black, very expensive attire.

Her heart staggered a second. Why was he singling her out? It was easy to see she wasn’t the best-dressed woman at the party but she also didn’t think she stood out in the crowd that much.

“You know everyone here?” she asked incredulously.

His slow assured nod gave her a body-wide tingle. He angled in to talk in her ear over the music. “Are you here with someone?”

Cocking her head slowly, Cerise tried to decide if she should fake a date for her own sanity or brave a night of possible flirtation with this very sexy man. Just as she was about to claim a date she realized her folly. He’d said he knew everyone here and she only knew the name of her host. Certainly he would easily be called out on her lie.

“No.” She stared him down with a small smile, daring him to continue.

“So you know Clay?” The man looked thrilled.

She shot back hurriedly, “Not necessarily.”

Instantly his open, easygoing face vanished under ice, his cold eyes hardening into condemning slits. Her mind went blank as she struggled to not visibly cringe away. 

Another handsome man joined their little conversation.

“Cerise?” The conversation crasher came up right beside her with a grin before extending his hand. She nodded. “Clay Andrews. I see you’ve already met the birthday boy? I trust you’ve been nice, Trent.”

The suspicion hardening all his distracting facial features relaxed slightly but he still eyed her warily. “She said she didn’t know you so I’m just surprised you seem to know her. I hadn’t made it as far as her name though. Or who she’s here with?” Trent added slyly.

Clay laughed. “I invited her here, so I guess you could say she’s here with me.” Hooking her arm in his, Clay pulled her away from the birthday boy who was looking her over with obvious renewed interest. As soon as they were far enough away from Trent to not be overheard he said. “Welcome to the party. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to greet you and fill you in on any details when you got here. I wanted to keep you a surprise for Trent.”

Cerise crossed her arms. This was sounding less and less like a legit contemporary performance and more like a ‘paid escort’ type deal. “My contract says I’m just here for the one dance. I am a dancer, not a party girl for hire.”

Clay looked mortified. “Sorry! Yes. I know. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Let me explain, I just didn’t tell Trent that there would be any performances tonight and didn’t want to give it away. Anyways, you have about 15 minutes till you’re on. Is that enough time?”

“Yes.” She focused on her upcoming routine instead of the insinuation. “Is there somewhere that I can change?”

In seconds Clay shuffled her out of the main party area and to a large bathroom. With a soft thanks she disappeared into the room and changed. The dress was a dark flowy gray that reached down to her knees but did not restrict her movement in the slightest. Watching the time, she waited until she only had a minute before she was due to perform before heading back into the party.

Her reappearance wouldn’t have been noticeable except that the lights and music cut out as she did and a solo spotlight was trained directly on her.

Gliding out to the middle of the floor Cerise stopped and struck her starting pose, pausing long enough for the music to start. People had moved to the sides of the large room to watch.

Front and center was Trent, looking at her as if she were a delightful puzzle for his birthday.

Eleanor ~Part 2~

Read Part 1 here

Mr Lanford’s eyes bore into her as he flashed a half smile her way. “And how did you come to be mine…err here Miss…?”

“Luchia. My name is Eleanor Luchia, sir.” Eleanor quickly filled in. “Ms Penn hired me to organize your paperwork. I’m sorry, I thought you were aware.”

“And how long have you been employed here Ms Luchia?” He glanced over at Eddie as he asked the question. Eddie’s only response was to chuckle quietly next to her.

She hesitated, not wanting to get in trouble if she had overstepped her bounds, but since he was still smiling congenially enough at her she confessed. “A little over two months.” 

“And where have you been hiding for those two months?” He quickly covered his shock with interested curiosity.

Eleanor pointed to the room she had left to open the door. “Right there.”

Both Eddie and Liam followed her pointed finger with amused gazes. She looked up at Mr Liam Lanford. “I apologize if you were unaware. I’ve been doing my best to make good progress. But when Diane didn’t answer the door I figured I would. Upon hearing it was Mr Dubois I became distracted and failed to inform you that he was here.”

“Distracted?” Liam crossed his arms.

“Discussing your plans for my expansion.” Mr Dubois interjected. 

At Liam’s slow appraising nod, Eleanor blushed. “I’ll get back to my work sir. Sorry for the interruption.”

As she scurried back to her room she heard Eddie remark, “Quite the intelligent and engaging woman you have hiding in there, surrounded by your mountains of paper.”

Not trying to eavesdrop but curious as to what he would say in response Eleanor turned slightly toward them in her retreat. She couldn’t understand what he said but he didn’t sound angry so she hoped it was positive .

An hour later Eddie popped his head in where she was working. “I am on my way out Miss Luchia and I wanted to tell you how delighted I am to have met you. Being able to spend a little time discussing those plans with a fresh set of eyes is just what I needed.”

Eleanor blushed in surprise but nodded. “It was wonderful to meet you Mr Dubois.” She watched him disappear out of sight and once again focused on the papers in front of her.

A few minutes later she looked up to find Mr Lanford standing once again in the doorway. Immediately she rose. “Sorry I didn’t hear you come in.” The apology tumbled out as she straightened the papers in front of her.

“No need to apologize Miss Luchia. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. Ms Penn failed to inform me that had filled the position already or I would have come to introduce myself earlier. I don’t believe in being a faceless boss. Don’t be concerned if I come to check on you every once in a while. I do so with the employees I can in order to stay connected.”

She nodded, only slightly frenetic beneath her calm appearance. Maybe it was his piercing green eyes. Or the fact that he was drop dead handsome. Or maybe it was because she had made a complete dolt of herself in front of him when she’d ‘forgotten’ to bring his client in to him.

She only remembered to breathe after he nodded and strode smoothly out of the room.

The next morning, as she was sitting there, trying to focus on the sorting and not looking for interesting papers to glance over, Eleanor didn’t hear the soft footsteps of someone approaching and stopping just inside her doorway.

With a softly cleared throat he gained her attention. “Good morning, Miss Luchia. I figured I needed to make up for lost time and check in today, find out what progress you’ve made.”

In her best competent voice she began to explain her sorting and organizing tactics. Mid-sentence she recalled her manners and motioned to her chair. “Oh please sit. I didn’t mean to leave you standing.”

His low chuckle shook her professional veneer. “I am fine standing for the moment.” He moved in closer. “However, the progress you have made in two short months is impressive. I know that I’ve completely given up trying to keep order in here and would throw papers into a box and shove the box in here.”

“Does that mean you have another box in your office accumulating, unsorted, right now?” 

He shrugged. “Guilty.”

Eleanor shook her head. “Don’t worry. By the time you have filled up that box and throw it into me I will have everything organized so well that it wouldn’t take me long to sort it out. Of course I hear I have several other rooms that require my attention as well.”

With a slow deep nod he laughed. “I have let it overcome me I fear. I do have one question, now that I think of it. How do you know Eddie?”

“Mr Dubois?” Eleanor blinked in surprise. “I don’t. I met him yesterday.”

“Yet you know of our expansion plans for him through our design and construction company.” He stated levelly.

Flustered, she wrung her hands. “Oh… I… just from sorting sir. I have to know what each paper is in order to sort it.” 

“Furthermore, You know enough to have an in-depth conversation with him based on glances while sorting?” He surveyed her with renewed interest.

“Well. I do have an MBA sir, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Construction.”

Surprise lit his eyes.

“You never saw my resume did you? Ms Penn really did hire me because she figured I could sort papers.” Eleanor’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “I apologize if I overstepped my bounds. It won’t happen again.”

“Overstepped?” He roared as he laughed. “And here I find myself questioning why you are not working for me as a team lead or manager or architect. Why are you here in a dusty room filled with paperwork?”

“To become a part of the company and work my way up. I applied for your other positions first but they always filled without a word my direction. So I saw this as my only option left.”

Liam glanced at his watch. “I have a meeting in 5 minutes so I have to leave. But do not doubt that we will be talking later.” He paused at the door and looked back. He almost took a step back toward her.

“I’m tempted to fire you.”

Shock laced through her. “What?”

He shook his head and shot her a wry grin. “But I won’t.” 

Eleanor let out the breath she had been holding.

“Eleanor, I think it is only fair to let you know, I really want to kiss you right now. And as your boss, I can’t. And as a gentleman, I won’t. Just tempted.”

Without another word he left the room, leaving her mind swirling with temptations of her own.

Shannon

I roll my shoulders back and double check my hair as I make my way through the other partiers. I know where I am going. Now is the perfect opportunity and I am not going to waste it. 

Scott is in the hot tub and none of his stupid friends or giggly groupies are with him. If I play it just right I’ll get him to actually notice me and be impressed by how I look in my brand new baby blue sundress. Sitting on a dry spot at the hot tub’s edge I smile over at my high school crush.

“Hey Scott.” I say as I slip my feet into the warm water.

Although it is slightly disappointing when he doesn’t open his eyes to see who I am, he also doesn’t exactly ignore me. I am thrilled to hear his deep ‘hey’ rumble across the water. My love-struck heart grasps hold and holds tight to that treasure of a greeting.

As I am about to launch my full scale charm in drawing him into seeing me as the potential love of his life there is a commotion over in the side yard where the side gate bursts open, letting in a huge horde of guys. Great.

I’ll have to work fast if I am going to have any chance of keeping his attention once all the guys start some sort of game or another that Scott is sure to join in. 

And that’s when I spot him. Dean is in the front of all those guys, already being swarmed by most of the girls at the part which is something I thoroughly do not understand. The guy is a jerk and yet far too popular for his ego. And somehow he has figured out my little crush. If he saw me making my move he would most likely go out of his way just to ruin it.

“How’s the water?” I say to Scott with my best come-hither purr. “I was thinking about getting in but I don’t want to get too hot.”

At that, his eyes slowly blink open and settle on me. Heated chills race down and then back up my spine. His attention is all mine! I revel in my glorified power, watching his eyes skirt along my sundress, taking it all in. Preparing for this party had been an ordeal and now it is suddenly all worth it.

“Come on in.” He holds out his hand to help me in and I blink. I’m not going to get in with my dress on but I certainly can’t stand there and take it off in front of him, nor can I leave and lose my chance. Torn and frozen, my panicked mind frantically searches for a solution. All options are taken from me as I feel two large hands on my shoulders right before I am shoved into the hot tub.

Coming up sputtering for air after my unplanned plunge, I do my best to not look like a drowned rat in front of Scott. Luckily my long hair stays in the bun I had put it in before coming to the party so I wasn’t struggling to get that out of my face. Turning to see who had pushed me in I’m not too surprised to see Dean smiling down at me. Then he turns to Scott and quips, “The girls just can’t help but fall for you Scott.”

Both guys laugh and I hope that my blush is hidden behind the flush from the hot water. And that’s when it hits me; my moment has passed. Scott’s attention is on Dean and the multiple girls that had followed him over.

When Dean pulls off his shirt, I hurriedly look down. I am most definitely not going to be caught staring at the abs of that jerk, even if they are a fantastic view. I don’t look up until the water surges and I have to step back to keep my balance. And I come face to face with Dean and his stupid smile.

“Hey Shan. You need help with that dress or were you going to keep it on in the hot tub?” His slow lazy drawl has a nearby girl twittering.

As quick as I can I peel the wet fabric off and throw it to the side, plopping down as near as I dare to Scott but not close enough for Dean to make some snarky comment that would embarrass me further. I can feel both guys glance down to check out my suit and find my attention snap to Dean’s dropped jaw rather than Scott’s quick almost dismissive glance. Though Dean’s expression is gone a second later, I am glad I chose to wear my cutest suit.

In seconds Dean and Scott are deep in conversation, no room from noticing girls. I deflate just a little. Minutes pass and more girls join the guys, slowly edging me out. I stay in, hoping that maybe Scott will come over and talk to me but the longer I sit there the more I figure it is unlikely he would. As I am trying to pluck up the courage to retreat, my gaze drops to my toes. No one else has said hi to me and I am feeling more and more out of place the longer I sit there.

“Shan.” The low whisper in my ear gives me more chills than it should. I turn to face Dean, discovering that he made his way to sit right next to me and is getting closer. “You weren’t really flirting with Scott again were you?”

“None of your business Dean. Why are you here?” 

“It’s a party! Where else would I be?!” With that he throws his arm around me and pulls me into a fierce hug.

“Somewhere that didn’t involve tormenting me!” I can’t help but huff.

No one else seems to notice or care that Mr Popularity-and-Life-of-the-Party isn’t basking in their attention any longer. Instead he is sucking me into his bright blue eyes, resting his forehead on mine so I can’t see anyone but him.

His voice is so quiet I was sure that no one else could have overheard him even if they tried. “Shannon Caswall. When are you going to open your eyes and see past what you think of as tormenting to see that I’m protecting you from a real jerk?”

I blink rapidly, trying to process what he said. With another blink he is back in the thick of his entourage. He sees me staring and winks.

I flee.

Ellie

Multicolored lights flashed and reflected around the club as the partygoers on the packed dance floor bounced along to the beat. Ellie stood high above it all on the balcony, watching the frenzied mass of flaunting and flirting, bored.

She should have stayed home. Joe demanding that she come listen to his new stuff shouldn’t have been a good enough reason. They weren’t even dating anymore. 

Arms folded, she glared at where Joe was standing at the DJ booth. This was the last night she was dragging herself out to be supportive of her tyrant ex. There was a reason they had broken up, that she had ended things with him.

No more being a walked on pushover. She recited it over and over in her head. During the past year the high balcony had become a refuge of sorts whenever Joe had insisted on her coming to watch him DJ. The club scene wasn’t really one she was all that comfortable with and never had been. For Ellie, that balcony was a gift. She was there without being down in the trenches. Instead she had a bird’s eye view of the whole club where no one would notice her watching. After an hour of sitting on the sidelines, alone and tired, she didn’t see the point of staying any longer. Usually Marci would come up to keep her company when she would get tired of dancing but she’d had to stay home tonight.

Enough was enough. She turned to head down the stairs when a ripple in the crowd caught her eye. Looking closer, she saw it again. People were moving out of the way for someone. A celebrity?

As she leaned on the rail to get a better look the crowd parted once again and she glimpsed a man with a natural bronzed tan striding confidently through the dancers to one of the small standing tables on the edge of the floor. If he knew people were parting to move out of his way, he didn’t show it. Maybe he was famous, but she didn’t recognize him.

The man had changed the entire atmosphere of the club simply by walking in. He didn’t look dangerous, but he definitely had a ‘back off’ kind of vibe. Why go to a club if you weren’t in the mood to be around people? Oh wait, she was there and definitely was not interested in descending into that mass of people except to leave. 

Glancing over to where Joe still stood in front of the crowd on his self-proclaimed throne, she could see him sending glares over at the mystery guest. With him there, Joe couldn’t pretend to be the coolest in the room. 

As Ellie blatantly stared at the new arrival, safe in her assumption of being invisible in the high balcony, she noticed him looking about intently, as if he were looking for someone. It wasn’t a frantic sort of looking around, more like he was searching for someone he knew. She too started to look around to see if she could spot who he could be looking for. She laughed. How could she find someone if she didn’t even know who he was looking for?

His sharp gaze pierced through the crowd as he continued his intense search. Who was he looking for? Ellie continued to survey the crowd too, glancing back at him every few seconds to see if he was still looking about. No longer interested in the other club-goers or in leaving, her full attention was on him. 

Her mystery man gave off this aura of strength that was almost comforting. Or it would be if they were friends. It wasn’t in his build but more in the way he held himself. The more she took in his appearance the more Ellie found herself wanting to be down there, introducing herself.  

Very unlike her. 

Again she slowly took in his overall look, from his patent leather shoes to the intensity of his dreamy face. He had money but was not flaunting it. If she had to hazard a guess she would say that he was comfortable in his life and wasn’t looking to prove to others how much he made in order to make fake money-worshipping friends.

In the midst of her almost lazy perusal, shock zapped through her as she discovered those eyes looking straight up at her. He wasn’t glaring per se but he was definitely looking right at her. It was more like he was trying to ask her a question she didn’t know the answer to. As he smiled up at her she stepped back and out of sight. She struggled to keep her panic tamped down. He had caught her openly staring at him for who knows how long. It took several minutes to talk herself into moving back to the railing.

When she finally did she discovered that he was gone. A completely different sort of panic flooded through her. Searching the crowd, there was no ripple. Nothing to give her any hint of where he could have gone. She quickly gathered her things. 

Jacket and purse in hand, she moved to the stairs. Before she could make her way down she had to pull back to stop from slamming into the guy leaning in the doorway, his coal black hair swept casually across his forehead. He was blocking her exit and, by the gleam in his eye, he knew it.

“Nice hideout.” He chuckled, uncrossing his arms and stepping toward her. He neatly backed her up to the rail overlooking the dance floor. A few good feet remained between them. After a few moments of silent, surprisingly non-awkward staring he chuckled again and moved to lean on the rail next to her. He glanced down at the dance floor below before he turned his full attention back on her. She felt transparent.

All those gorgeously sculpted muscles in easy touching distance caused Ellie to struggle to smother her gasp. Standing perfectly still, she waited. All her brain could process was how close he was.

He stepped back enough that she felt she could breathe. He flashed her a megawatt smile. “Come here much?” 

Lilah

“Lils, we need to talk.” Carter called to her from his locker.

Lilah sighed. It wasn’t like their lockers were close together. No. He was trying to talk over 10 feet away through a crowded hallway. It was a surprise she could hear him at all. Shaking her head, she ignored him and pulled out her calculus book. She was not going to respond to his down-the-hall summons.

“Aww come on Lils. Don’t be like that.” He hollered, singing out his twisted version of her name. Again. She noticed several people looking between the two of them now. It took several more loudmouth attempts on his part before he sauntered over. Leaning against her open locker door he tried again, this time in a soft singsong voice, “Lils.”

With a deep breath she faced him. “It’s Lilah, Carter.” He had persisted in calling her Lils since he’d first met her freshman year. And now, 3 years later, no matter how many times she’d told him otherwise, he remained consistent. Not once had he ever said her real name. Not that she’d ever tell him but over the years she had grown to like her nickname and the attention he gave her. Most of her irritation towards him was more like their own personalized form of greeting. Yet she was stubborn in her dislike of him.. It was as if whatever relationship they had would dissolve if she ever changed her opinion of him, or admitted it out loud. And so they were considered school-wide as the school’s frenemies. 

Some people were considered most likely to succeed, others the class clowns, and yet her name would forever be linked to Carter’s. 

Maybe this year would be different.

Carter tugged her hair hanging over her shoulder. “Hey. Pay attention to me. I came all the way over here.”

“What do you want Carter?” She absently started pulling out books out of her backpack. Her hands needed something to do.

“You gotta help me.” He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her full attention to him. She looked up, startled.

“With what?” She swatted at his arms to make him let go. “What’s with you today?”

He leaned in close. “I have a new neighbor.” He whispered, still sounding urgently panicked.

Lilah instantly relaxed. “She cute?”

Carter stopped, tilting his head to the side. “How’d you know it’s a girl? Have you met her already?”

“No.” Lilah chuckled. “If your new neighbor was a guy you wouldn’t be coming to me to solve any problems.”

“You are too smart for your own good sometimes Lils.” He chucked her chin.

“I’ve heard that. Your point?” Lilah folded her arms.

Carter looked about ready to take another jab when he reined himself in. “About my new neighbor.”

“Yes?” She goaded. “Spit it out.”

A shrill pouty voice halted their conversation as the blood drained from his face. “Carter!”

“It’s your soulmate calling.” Lilah whispered, watching him cringe.

“What?!” He whispered back.

“She yells through the hallway too. Congrats. I’ll send a flower for your wedding, k?” She was finding an odd thrill in teasing him. Usually she was at the end of his teasing. She was enjoying the turnabout. So much so that she even went so far as to nudge him with her shoulder.

“No!” He pulled her in front of him as if he could hide behind her. His well-toned, track star build wasn’t easily hidden by her petite dancer’s body.

“What is wrong with you?” Lilah attempted to look concerned but couldn’t manage to hide her smile. “Is there a problem in paradise? Does she have a little crush you can’t shake?”

“Not so little.” He shuddered.

“And you want me to do what? Protect you?” His sheepish nod and hopeful smile tugged at her sympathy. “Oh alright but you’ll owe me big.” She relented. Lilah didn’t have time to say or ask more before the girl appeared, standing disturbingly close..

Lilah blinked rapidly in shock. The garish, all pink ensemble Carter’s new neighbor was wearing as she bounced on the balls of her feet in front of them was painfully bright. In seconds Lilah felt old compared to the girl who looked like she had just stepped out of a cartoon.

“There you are Carter!” The girl proclaimed, moving in for a hug.

Lilah could feel Carter move to duck behind her and she quickly stepped in between them to make it look like she was moving forward naturally to introduce herself to the newcomer. She heard Carter’s small sigh of relief and found herself wondering what on earth had happened between the two of them. Sticking her hand out Lilah managed to stop the colorful girl from sidestepping her to get at Carter. “Hi I’m Lilah. It is so wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you!” 

Flattered, the girl stopped trying to reach Carter and stared up at Lilah. “Carter talks about me?”

Lilah could only stare. The girl’s attention was all over the place. “He forgot to mention what year you are though.”

“Oh silly Carter.” Again, the still nameless girl moved to get closer to Carter but Lilah easily blocked her without making it look like she was. “I’m a freshman.”

Nodding politely Lilah turned to Carter, “We should get going, we don’t want to be late for class.”

For the first time in their history together Carter didn’t say any smart aleck remarks or call her Lils. He only nodded quickly, calling over a quick goodbye to the pink girl. Together they made their escape, but only after the girl gave Carter a rather embarrassing clingy hug that left even Lilah cringing. Once they rounded several corners they both sighed in relief. 

“You’ve got quite the new neighbor there Carter.” Lilah laughed. Instead of laughing, Carter pulled her into him and gave her a big Carter bear hug. Usually whatever hugs he forced on her were tight and uncomfortable but not this one. This hug was almost nice. She was beginning to involuntarily relax into his arms. When he loosened his hold he didn’t fully let her go and pulled her in for a kiss that seared through her in shock.

When they pulled apart Lilah stared in stunned surprise as Carter tried to shrug it off with only a hint of a chagrined blush at his own impetuousness. “Thanks for your help back there Lils. You’re my hero but don’t let it get to your head. We don’t want it to get big or anything.”