by L J K Cross
Amanda had spent the whole night agitatedly tossing and turning, unable to prevent her subconscious from imagining what could be. Her dreams spiritedly swirled off into flights of fantasy, weaving wishes and desires she didn’t even know she had but still she was no nearer to unravelling the mystery. She just supposed she would have to wait till tonight to find out? Amanda had decided right there and then that she would accept. There had been no hesitation. She hadn’t even given a second thought as to what the proposal might even be or whether she should be accepting such a rare and expensive gift. In fact it, had been the gift, which had been the deciding factor. It told Amanda that this person knew her – intimately. That they understood her – completely. That they grasped what drove her and touched her very soul. And in the process had captured her imagination. Maybe then, for one, or maybe for all those reasons, Amanda should have taken a step back to consider and proceed with caution.
Yet the only hesitancy Amanda felt was towards Steve and whether she should tell him: that and an overwhelmingly inexplicable feeling of guilt. She hadn’t done anything to feel guilty about so why then had she not told him about the invitation as soon as she had come back to the room last night? It may have been the right thing to tell him but last night definitely wasn’t the right moment, she tried reassuring herself with little success. There had been such a foul, angry tension between them, that to tell him about the gift and the invitation would have really set the cat amongst the pigeons. Fingers crossed he would be in a better mood when he woke this morning. Then, of course she would tell him, Amanda told herself. But if Amanda was being totally truthful with herself she couldn’t help but feel relieved that Steve was still sleeping and so was able to postpone any possible confrontation. That was the last thing Amanda needed before her photo shoot with Siobhan.
Talk of the devil! Just at that moment Amanda’s phone gave a high pitched metallic ring. Without even needing to check it, Amanda knew it would be a text from Siobhan letting her know that she was downstairs waiting. Amanda pouted at her reflection as she added the finishing touches to her expertly applied makeup. All her lips needed was a single coat of gloss to make them succulent and moist but even her luscious lips couldn’t detract from the fierce sensuality of her smouldering eyes. She was a jaw dropping vision of contrast and accentuation. From the smoky charcoal rim of her eyes, offsetting the brilliance of their blueness to her iron straight silky locks cascading over the curves and contours of her shining muscles. Amanda stepped back from the mirror to give a playful twirl and give her reflection a final once over. Amanda barely recognised herself. She was so used to seeing herself in scruffy gym gear, hair scraped back with sweat and grease. No frills. No fuss. So now that Amanda had a rare opportunity to get dressed up she had gone all out on effort with maximum frills and fuss. She had to say, she felt good. She felt sexy. She felt like adventure, risky and racy. Even her muscles looked primed and ready for action. Today she looked twice as big, her muscles looked twice as hard and swollen, her veins twice as pumped, as they had yesterday on stage. It was literally unfathomable the effect an ample cheat meal could have. The red short jumpsuit Amanda had chosen to wear could barely contain all her muscle. Even though it plunged precariously low at both the front and back, what little material there was, was stretched to near seam-ripping point. Oh well thought Amanda it wouldn’t be like it was the first time she had stretched a little too fast in an outfit and inadvertently caused it to tear.
Steve was still sleeping as Amanda gave him a quick peck on the cheek. As she went out the room and quietly closed the door behind her so as not to disturb him, she could still hear his gentle gruff snores.
Steve heard the door close. He hadn’t been asleep. In fact he had hardly slept a wink all night. He threw the duvet back in exasperation. He still felt tense. Anxious. Frustrated. He still felt like shit and he was still pissed – pissed at the outcome yesterday and pissed at the acrimony that now existed between him and Amanda. Hell, he was even pissed that it was Siobhan and not him who had Amanda all to herself this morning. It just seemed like recently it was everyone other than him who got Amanda’s time and attention. Trying to look at it rationally and put everything into perspective didn’t help. He knew that these next four weeks, when Amanda was in prime condition, was their optimum time to earn money; money that would enable Amanda to focus on preparing for her next competition. But right now Steve wasn’t in the mood for being sensible and level headed. He had just woken up and all he wanted was a little indulgence. Was that really too much to ask for? To want it to be just himself and Amanda, relaxed and intertwined in each other’s arms under the duvet. For them to be able to spend time together and enjoy each other, after all their hard work. Steve knew that it was futile and so continued to lie staring at the ceiling, allowing his thoughts to drift towards the future. A future, with any luck, just a year or so down the line, in harmonious surroundings, far away from the caustic world of competitive sport. It couldn’t come soon enough for Steve. He just hoped that in that time he could make Amanda come round to his way of thinking and make her realise that it was for the best – for her and for them both.
Just thinking of a future, more tranquil and together, helped alleviate Steve’s mood. Already he was feeling more his usual self. He chastised himself for having wasted a good half hour wallowing in self-pity. It would be several hours before Amanda came back from her shoot with Siobhan. By that time Steve needed to have shaken off all this pent up pessimism he told himself reprovingly. He needed to be his cheerful and charming old self. That way they could both forget about the events of yesterday and just concentrate on the future – their future. Casting a glance at the brilliant sunshine outside Steve decided that a leisurely swim followed by a slap up, American style, all you can eat and then some breakfast was in order. If one thing was a certainty with Steve it was that food was guaranteed to cheer him up.
The elevator door pinged open. Siobhan instinctively turned round. Amanda stepped out. Siobhan gaped open mouthed. Each step Amanda took across the lobby floor towards her, made the fabric of her already strained jumpsuit stretch that little bit further to reveal an extra inch of tantalisingly taut skin. With each step Siobhan’s mouth gaped a little wider and her eyes grew that little bit bigger. The look she gave Amanda was lascivious: full of hunger, covetous and slightly risky. Amanda noted it and embraced it. She needed some excitement. She yearned for fun – the riskier the better. As Siobhan threw her arms around Amanda and pulled her in for an embrace, their bodies pressed up close, hot and hard. Amanda felt stimulated. She felt a sense of thrill and frisson course through her body and reciprocated.
“Wow! Sexy lady,” salivated Siobhan. “You nearly gave me a heart attack in that outfit. How am I supposed to concentrate with you wearing that?” she teased.
“I am sure you will manage,” replied Amanda coyly. “You’ve managed before and if I recall correctly I was wearing a lot less than this.”
“I remember,” smiled Siobhan cheekily. “You were wearing a lot, lot less!”
A look passed between them. It was filled with lust. It spoke of hot desire and a passion so burning that Amanda felt her cheeks flush. She quickly averted her gaze and changed the subject.
“Thanks so much for coming and picking me up,” Amanda flustered. “I need a break from this place, especially after yesterday.”
“I didn’t know if I should mention it,” said Siobhan quietly. “I wasn’t sure if you would want to talk about it.”
“Bloody hell,” gasped Amanda. “That’s a turn up for the books. Siobhan Harris has got a sensitive side.”
“Oh, bugger off!” mocked Siobhan in her best impersonation of a British accent. “I can be sensitive and subtle when I want. It’s just not very often that I want to though. Way too overrated in my opinion.”
Siobhan playfully linked her arm through Amanda’s as they walked through the hotel towards the car park. It was such a reassuring and endearing gesture. Amanda fel
t relief in having someone other than Steve to confide in. Someone she could talk to openly and honestly without having to worry about their feelings.
“But seriously,” said Siobhan in her most serious tone, “how are you feeling?”
“Just as you would imagine. I am absolutely gutted.” They had stopped walking. Amanda felt such intense feelings of anger and desolation welling up inside her that she momentarily forgot to walk. She turned to look Siobhan square in the eye so that Siobhan would be left in no doubt just how consuming her rage was.
“I just can’t put into words how pissed off I am,” seethed Amanda. Shaking her head as if to reinforce how dumbfounded she really was.
“So what happened?” asked Siobhan genuinely. “I mean I was at prejudging and I had you way out in front, without question and I am being totally unbiased. And then come the evening show...” she trailed off, unsure how to continue, uncertain how much honesty Amanda could handle right now. She didn’t want to offend.
“Two words,” spat Amanda. “Danni Ashton.”
“Say no more. In fact I have two more words for you then. Fucking bitch,” quipped Siobhan.
Siobhan was right, thought Amanda. She couldn’t have put it more succinctly herself. She didn’t need to say anymore.
“So how is Steve holding up?” asked Siobhan.
Amanda was just about to answer when they were interrupted by a fan wanting his photo taken with them. They had almost made it safely to the car thought Amanda. In fact she was surprised that they had managed to make it so far through the hotel without already being stopped. But once one fan stopped them it seemed to trigger a stampede. Each was more excited than the other at having their photo taken with both Amanda and Siobhan.
It was nearly half an hour later before Amanda and Siobhan managed to prize themselves away from an over excited Mexican family and finally seek shelter in Siobhan’s black Hummer.
“I don’t think they had a clue who we were, do you?” giggled Amanda.
“Well if they didn’t then why did they insist on taking about fifty friggin’ photos of us then?” asked Siobhan.
“Love the wheels by the way,” admired Amanda. “Understated and low key. Just like you,” teased Amanda.
Siobhan didn’t respond. She was too busy maneuvring the beast of a machine out of its parking space. Even though the parking space was the equivalent of two and a half generous parking spaces in Britain, it was still a tight squeeze for the Hummer. Why the hell did Siobhan need a car like this, wondered Amanda? It was just so typically her – loud. It demanded your attention and was slightly out of sync with normal life.
Once Siobhan had eased the Hummer into the heavy traffic that was crawling at a steady pace along East Tropicana Avenue she resumed their conversation without hardly missing a beat, as if the interruption of endless photographs hadn’t even happened.
“So how is Steve holding up?” repeated Siobhan.
“He is as annoyed as I am. He ...” Amanda broke off. “Oh who am I trying to kid. I haven’t got a clue how is holding up. We have hardly spoken to each other since I came off stage last night.”
“Shit,” exclaimed Siobhan.
“Exactly,” agreed Amanda. “I mean we did have a conversation when we went out for a meal after the show last night but all Steve kept going on about was packing in competing completely.”
“You’re joking,” said Siobhan incredulously. She turned to face Amanda to see whether she was. A loud horn blast to her right made her quickly turn her attention back to the road, along with a hasty tug to the left on the steering wheel.
“Alright arsehole I see ya,” she shouted, gesturing at the driver of the vehicle to her right.
“Sorry about that,” she continued. “So was Steve joking or not?”
“I wish he was but somehow I have a feeling he wasn’t,” said Amanda quietly. “I am just hoping that it was a knee jerk reaction and that he will snap out of it.”
Neither of them spoke for a while. Amanda stared out the window, focusing on the scenery rolling by in an attempt to try and not think too deeply about Steve’s reaction and ruin what was promising to be a good day. Amanda was surprised to see how quickly the housing became much sparser and more sprawling as they drove away from the Strip. They had been driving for about twenty minutes and were now climbing Veterans Memorial Highway, heading into the surrounding hills. Amanda couldn’t help but be impressed by the luxurious villas she managed to glimpse from behind the prohibitive walls of the exclusively gated communities.
“You know Amanda, I’ve been in this game for a long time.” When Siobhan began speaking again it made Amanda jump. She thought that conversation was over. She hadn’t realised that Siobhan had just paused to gather her thoughts.
“I have seen it all believe me,” said Siobhan. Amanda didn’t doubt that for one second, not if the rumours she had heard about Siobhan were to be believed.
“And there are two conclusions that I have come to that I hold to be unequivocally and categorically true. The first is that you have to do what is right for you, no matter what anyone else says. Other people shouldn’t even come into it. You just have to go with what you know deep down inside is right and will make you happy. The second is you have to grab every opportunity that comes your way with both hands. To not take opportunities that are presented to you is cowardly. Cowardice is a sin in my book. You just can’t let anyone stand in your way or hold you back. Do you see what I am saying?”
Hearing Siobhan’s words it felt almost as if she knew about the proposal that Amanda had received last night. But seeing as Amanda hadn’t mentioned it, she couldn’t have known about it, could she? Slightly perplexed Amanda just nodded. She understood what Siobhan was saying but she couldn’t approach life in such an unemotional and detached way. She couldn’t just ride rough shod over Steve’s feelings and disregard them just like that. It wasn’t quite so simple and it definitely wasn’t that easy.
“I mean you are probably right. I am sure Steve will snap out of it but if he doesn’t you can’t let him hold you back from achieving your dream, not when you have come so far and come so close.” As if to reinforce her point, Siobhan reached over and gave Amanda’s thigh a gentle squeeze – and then left her hand resting there! Amanda didn’t react. Was she supposed to? Was it just friendly or was it something more? Obviously Siobhan was taking her own advice quite literally and grabbing her opportunities with both hands. Amanda could think of two opportunities in particular that Siobhan would like to grab with both hands.
“Here we are,” said Siobhan, as they turned off the main road and drove under a stone archway. Siobhan barely stopped at the electronic barrier before it was raised with a wave and a smile by the on duty security guard who sat relaxed and reclined, with his feet up.
“Great security,” quipped Amanda in a slightly sarcastic tone.
“Ah. He knows me by now. His eyes nearly fell out of their sockets the first time he looked in the car and saw me. I was wearing just a cut off training top and shorts. Let’s just say he definitely wasn’t going to be forgetting me in a hurry,” laughed Siobhan. “Plus there is a big football game on later. The Green Bay Packers play the Chicago Bears. It promises to be one of the games of the season so he is probably watching the build up to that.”
“I will have to take your word on that,” replied Amanda disinterestedly.
“Oh yeah I forgot when you Limies talk about football you are on about a load of skinny ass pretty boys who pretend to fall over as soon as anyone goes near them,” teased Siobhan.
“Don’t even go there,” fired back Amanda. “At least soccer is a truly international sport and we don’t have the audacity to call ourselves World Champions when we are the only bloody country who plays the sport.”
“Last time I looked you weren’t World Champions,” retorted Siobhan as she stuck her tongue out at Amanda.
“Very mature. You always have to get the last word in don’t you?” said Amanda, feig
ning anger.
“Always,” smiled Siobhan.
Changing the subject, Siobhan pointed ahead and said, “That is the house over there.”
Amanda looked through an ornate water fountain, that wouldn’t have looked out of place in somewhere like Versailles, at the rambling white mansion that stood in front of them. It was a masterly edifice of illusion and contradiction. It was a minimalist facade of large mirrored windows and sleek angles, yet its sole intention was to impress. Its virtuous whiteness was a ruse. No one could have amassed such a dirty fortune by purely integral means. The brilliance of the sun, which shimmered off the glass frontage, attracted and repelled attention at one and the same time, as is often the tendency of the filthy rich to err towards such capricious behaviour. The glittering golden rays were magnified by the wall of glass. They caught the eye and boasted of the possible wealth contained within. Yet such blinding brilliance prevented an inquisitive passerby from prying further into the owner’s privacy.
“Wait till you see inside,” enthused Siobhan as she drove the Hummer onto the driveway at the side of the house that led to an underground air-conditioned garage.
“This house has got some fabulous locations for shoots. I can’t wait to show you what I have got planned for you.”
Fantastic, thought Amanda. It wasn’t every day she got the chance to look round such a stunning house.
They entered the house via a side door that led into the hallway. Amanda was instantly bowled over by the luxurious opulence that greeted her.