by Alexa McLean
Maybe, just maybe, it would turn some heads and get me a job I so desperately needed.
And if it didn’t, well, at least I had the make-Gayle-my-fiancé-plan as a backup.
Chapter 4 (Lily)
AS IT TURNED OUT, THE story did absolutely nothing. I waited for some kind of response to materialize in my inbox but it never happened. I even kept my phone’s volume on in case someone happened to call me.
But after a week, I lost any and all hope. The story was irrelevant at this point.
Which left me thinking about my backup plan.
How on Earth was I going to convince Gayle to pose as my fiancé? He was going to think that I had gone completely bonkers and maybe I had. No normal person comes up with a plan like this but then again, I didn’t pride myself on being normal. What was the fun in that?
Still, maybe this was pushing it a little too far.
With this thought in mind, I grabbed my laptop and browsed an online listing of jobs. Most of them, I had already applied to but with little success. The new jobs at the top of the list were ones that I didn’t qualify for.
“What am I supposed to do?” I whispered aloud. Sure, I had a bit of money tucked away but it wasn’t enough to last me a lifetime. If I wanted to keep putting food on the table then I needed to find me a job and sooner rather than later.
Knock. Knock.
I glanced at the door as if that might tell me who was standing on the other side.
Strange, I thought. I’m not expecting anyone.
Since I was too short to look through the peephole, I didn’t bother with it. Instead, I just swung back the door. After all, I lived in a pretty nice neighborhood and I doubt robbers tend to knock before forcing their way inside.
“Gayle,” I said with a smile. “I was just thinking about you.”
“Oh?”
There you go again, came that voice at the back of my head. Speaking aloud what should be kept to yourself.
“And might I ask what it was you were thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
He raised his eyebrow with an air of suspicion. “Why do I get the feeling like you’re lying to me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Anyway, I was wondering if you were free this evening.”
It was then that I noticed how well-dressed he was. The suit he wore was a deep shade of blue that really complemented his skin tone and brought out the richness of his eyes. And for some reason, the cut of it made him seem taller than usual. I swear, he didn’t usually tower over me like this.
“Uh... what did you have in mind?”
“Nothing too fancy — just some nice dinner.”
“I feel like all we do together is eat.”
“Is that such a bad thing?” He countered. “Unless, of course, you’d like to do something else.” The corner of his lip twitched with the start of a smirk. Was he implying what I thought he was implying or was it just wishful thinking on my part?
“No, dinner sounds good but I don’t think I have anything in my wardrobe that will match the level of class that suit is bringing to the table.”
“I’m sure you’d look beautiful in just about anything.” It looked like he wanted to say something more but he just smiled instead.
“I bet you tell that to all the girls.”
“No. Just you,” he said without a single ounce of hesitation.
The intensity of his gaze had me completely floored. Could it be that he was telling the truth? I wondered.
No. Of course not, I responded not more than a second later. Gayle has had his fair share of girlfriends. Right?
But the more I thought about it, the less certain I became. If he indeed had a history of dating then I didn’t know about it because he never talked about any of them.
“So, what do you say? Is it a date?”
Date. There he was using that word again. Did he mean it in the romantic sense of as just a turn of phrase? Honestly, I didn’t know and it was starting to make me wonder what he was playing at.
“Just dinner?” I asked, trying to keep myself composed. I didn’t want to assume too much and get my hopes up for nothing. All of this was probably a platonic gesture. I mean it wasn’t the first time he had taken me out to dinner but something felt different this time around.
“Dessert too if you’re up for it.”
A shiver ran through my spine because again, it felt like he was implying something with his words and that implication felt incredibly dirty.
Hey, you can’t blame a girl for wanting a piece of Gayle Nash cake. If you saw him you’d want to fall into bed with him too.
Only, that wasn’t all that I wanted to do. I wanted to know this man inside and out — to share countless memories with him — and live out this journey called ‘life’ by his side.
Okay, okay, perhaps I am getting a little ahead of myself here.
“I’ll go get dressed.”
“Perfect. I’ll wait for you in the living room.”
Up in my room, I expelled a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Feeling winded, I leaned against the door for a moment and felt the pounding of my heart.
Why did Gayle make me feel this way? I thought to myself. And would I ever find the courage to do something about it?
I tried to ignore these questions as I pushed myself toward my closet and rummaged through it. I really didn’t have much in terms of dresses but I did have a simple cherry red gown that I kept in case of formal occasions. But I wondered now whether it wasn’t too formal.
“Nothing too fancy — just some nice dinner.” I heard Gayle’s words repeated in my head. What was that supposed to mean anyway?
In the end, I went with the dress because I knew that it suited me rather well and if I was going to run my crazy idea by him tonight then I wanted to make it rather hard for him to deny me my request. And if that meant using my body for leverage, I wasn’t opposed to doing just that.
I pulled my hair into a simple updo. A few straggling curls framed my face. I approached my vanity with every intention of putting on some makeup but I really didn’t have the patience to go through the hassle. Gayle would just have to like me just the way I was — naked face and all.
Satisfied, I made my way back downstairs.
His eyes widened the second he saw me. “My God...” he whispered. “You look absolutely stunning.” He took my hand and spun me around so that the skirt of the dress swirled around my legs. At that moment, I felt like a princess. “You’ll definitely be turning some heads at the restaurant.”
“Is that a problem?” I asked, my voice low and sensual.
“It might be.”
“Oh?”
“Come on, we’ll be late to our reservation.”
I wanted to ask what he meant but I was already being whisked toward his car.
To my relief, he drove the speed limit and managed to keep himself from weaving through traffic. It made the ride to the restaurant much more enjoyable. But, at the same time, I was perhaps a bit too relaxed because my mind kept wandering toward the image of Gayle unzipping the back of my dress and having his way with me at the end of our little dinner date. Oh, the things he would do to me — the possibilities were endless and every last one something to die for.
No doubt, Gayle was an absolute animal in the bedroom. If I had to guess, he was the kind of guy that would play my body like a violin and still have me begging for more.
Oh, what I wouldn’t do to have one night at his complete and utter mercy.
“I’d love to know what you’re thinking right now.” His hand eased onto my thigh where the slit in the dress revealed my bare skin.
I shuddered with the pleasure of it, legs spreading apart almost like my body wanted him to sneak his hand between them.
“Why’s that?” I breathed.
“You have this look on your face like you’re thinking of something good.”
“Maybe I am.”
&nbs
p; “Care to share?”
“Not a chance,” I answered.
He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “I’m quite disappointed. I was hoping for something juicy.” As he said that word, he looked my way like he was ready to take a bite right out of me.
Before I could say anything in response, we arrived at one of the more popular five-star restaurants in town. “I thought you said we weren’t going anywhere too fancy.”
“I lied,” he said cheekily before getting out of the car and opening my door. He helped me out of my seat and offered his arm.
As the valet rolled his car into a nearby lot, Gayle led me towards the restaurant. It was the sort of place where only celebrities could afford the prices.
“You know, you didn’t have to do this,” I whispered under my breath. “Jimmy’s Diner would have sufficed.”
“But then I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of seeing you in this dress,” he answered. “Besides, it was my decision to pamper you tonight.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” He returned like it was the most obvious thing in the world to spend hundreds of dollars on your neighbor’s dinner.
Inside, the interior was breathtaking. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Crystal glassware sparkled against the light. Artwork lined the walls. Verdant plants were well taken care of and really worked to complement the space and give it more of a welcoming vibe to it. “Wow...” I gawked aloud. “I can’t believe how beautiful this place is.”
“Not nearly as beautiful as you,” Gayle complemented without missing a single beat.
“What?”
“Hello, welcome to Le Petite Monarch.” The appearance of the hostess made it impossible for Gayle to answer me.
That was the second time he had called me ‘beautiful,’ I told myself. Was he just being polite or...?
The thought lingered as we reached our table.
Still acting like the perfect gentleman, Gayle pulled out my seat.
“Thank you,” I said with a certain softness to my voice. It was difficult to articulate when being pampered like a princess was seriously throwing me through a loop. I had never been treated this way, even in my wildest dreams.
Chapter 5 (Gayle)
I HONESTLY COULD NOT keep my eyes off of her. She was hands down the most gorgeous girl I had ever seen. And somehow, it was like I was seeing her for the first time even though I had known her for the better part of my life.
The night was made even better by the fact that talking to Lily came naturally. We could roll from one topic to the other without those bits of awkward silence that sometimes happened when I was with other girls.
She was perfect.
All too soon, we were finished with our meals and presented with the option for dessert. “Absolutely,” I answered our waiter. “You always have to leave room for the good stuff.”
He nodded and handed us both a dessert menu. There wasn’t much to choose from but all of it sounded exceptionally good. It was going to be near impossible for me to make up my mind. “What are you leaning towards?” I asked, hoping to garner some inspiration from my dinner partner.
“The Creme Brûlée seems to be calling my name,” she answered. “But the espresso cheesecake sounds fabulous as well.”
“Why don’t we get both and split them?”
“You want me to share?” She asked. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
I laughed. “Right. How could I forget how incredibly food possessive you are.”
“At least when it comes to the sweet stuff.”
“I can agree with you there,” I said. Because if I ever had you all to myself, I’d never let you go.
“But, I suppose just this once I will make an exception.”
“I’m honored.” I flagged down the waiter and placed our order.
While we waited, I again couldn’t seem to keep my eyes off of her. Only, this time, my eyes gravitated towards the cut of her neckline. It hung down rather low, leaving little to the imagination. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said that she was trying to tease me with it.
“So, any luck with finding a job?” I asked if only to hear the sweetness of her voice.
All of a sudden, she looked rather uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat and straighten her utensils to an almost compulsive degree.
“Lily.”
“That was actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Oh?”
“Look, you’re going to think this is crazy but just hear me out before you pass any judgments, alright?”
Now she was seriously piquing my interest. “Go on.”
“So, as you know, I went to school for journalism but I haven’t had much luck in finding myself a job. Sure, there are a few intern positions but I’m not about to work for free. I’ve already done that for five years and it’s gotten me nowhere.”
“Alright.”
“And as it stands, the market is saturated. Everyone and their grandmother is getting a journalism degree these days.”
The waiter returned with our dessert, placing them both in the middle of the table. “I’ve brought some extra plates since you brought it to my attention that you intend to share.”
“Thank you.” I nodded my appreciation and waited for him to walk away before returning my gaze to the lovely lady sitting across the table. She seemed to be distracting herself with a bite of cake.
Something stirred between my legs, because my God, the way she brought that fork to her mouth...
Was she trying to turn me on? Because it was working.
I tried to keep my thoughts from wandering too far but already I was imagining her lips somewhere else.
She cleared her throat and luckily that was enough to bring me back into the realm of reality. “Anyway, as I was saying. The market is saturated and the only real way to snag a job is by having an ‘in.’ Maybe you know someone in the business or there’s something really quirky about your application.”
“Okay, so what does this have to do with me?”
“Well, I was thinking I could do sports journalism.”
“You mean you’d report on baseball?”
“Exactly.” She brought another bite of cake to her mouth but this time, a bit of whipped cream ended up on her bottom lip.
If she kept this up I won’t be able to hold myself back. I’ll have to take her right here and now, I thought to myself as my erection struggled against the fabric of my pants. I crossed my legs one over the other in hopes that it would help — it didn’t.
Still, I managed to keep a straight face. I had no way of knowing how she would react if she knew what was going on in my head right now. She’d probably think me the biggest creep of the century.
“So, what’s your ‘in’ into baseball? The fact that you’re my next-door neighbor?”
“No.” She ran her tongue across her bottom lip.
She was doing this on purpose now — I was sure of it.
“As your fiancée.”
I was forced to do a double take. “Did you just say, fiancée? As if we would be engaged to be married.”
“Yes.”
I blinked thinking this was a punchline to a joke but by the look on Lily’s face, she was a hundred percent serious about this. “So, let me get this straight. You want me to propose to you so that you can get a job as a sports journalist.”
“I mean, you don’t have to literally propose but we have to make the world think it’s true in order for this to work.”
“And what’s in it for me? Lying like this could really ruin my image. I mean I am the league bad boy and bad boys don’t really settle down and get married.”
“Well, that’s the thing. It would be a big story. The league playboy finds the one. Just imagine the headlines.”
“I’m still not buying it.”
While I wanted nothing more than to take Lily to bed with me and make her mine, I couldn’t make a decisi
on like this lightly. It could affect sponsorships, ad revenue, and a bunch of other things I haven’t even considered yet.
“Look, you’re a bad boy, right? Let’s roll with that. If you want something then it’s yours. And that’s why you proposed.”
“Because I wanted you?”
“That’s the story, yes.”
It isn’t much of a story if it’s true, I thought.
“So, what do you think?” She asked, her eyes wide and full of silent expectation.
“I think I have a crazy idea of my own.”
Chapter 6 (Gayle)
“WHERE ARE WE GOING?”
“The place where bad decisions are always made — the casino.”
“Are you calling me a bad decision?” She asked.
“I haven’t figured that out yet. You could be a bust or the best gamble of a lifetime.”
“I’m not sure I follow.”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
In record time, we arrived at the casino. I parked in the VIP lot and walked in like I owned the place. I was greeted by a few familiar faces.
“Mr. Nash.”
“Ernest.” I nodded my head at the blackjack dealer. “You’re looking well.”
“As are you. It has been a while since we have last seen you. We were starting to worry that you had lost your love for the cards.”
“Never.” I grinned in response. “I might be financially savvy but there’s always a little wiggle room to gamble. I mean, that’s what life is all about.” As I spoke, I wrapped my arm around Lily’s slender waist and reeled her in so she was pinned between me and that table.
“Welcome.” He offered her a smile. “Will you be joining us tonight?”
“She’ll be playing on my behalf,” I said. “And let us hope that she’s a lucky one.”
“Mind filling me in on what’s going on?” She asked.
“We’re going to play a game. All or nothing.” I reached into my back pocket and retrieved my wallet. It was thick with cash but I ignored all that green in favor of my bank card. “Ten grand.” I said, handing the card to Ernest.”
“Did you just say ten grand?” Lily sounded like she was about to choke.