The Blind Date Series (Three Romance Stories: Blind Date, Role Play, Pure Fate)

by Violette Paradis

  “I don’t want those nasty girls to think they drove you away, and since I’m staying in that class, I don’t want them to hold it over me for the rest of the year.”

  I nodded. “Good idea. The next explosions class isn’t until next week anyway.”

  “Perfect.”

  I rested my head on Whitney’s shoulder.

  “We’re not watching this anymore.” She changed the channel. “More wine?” She picked up the bottle.

  I nodded as I held out my glass. “Please.”

  ***

  As I sat in acting class the next morning, I couldn’t help but think about Johnny. Was I too hard on him? Was he really just pretending? That’s what he did, didn’t he?

  I let out a sigh and slumped over my desk, wishing class would finish soon so I could go home. I didn’t even care about Explosions 215, I just wanted to go home and lose myself in a bucket of ice cream.

  Professor Smith droned on about dramatic scene building. I looked towards the front of the class where the mean girls kept stealing looks at me and giggling. I turned and looked in the opposite direction, focusing on the loose strand of hair poking out from the Professor’s head. It swayed and moved each time she gestured with her hands. It was all that could distract me from Johnny.

  “Are you okay?” Whitney whispered.

  I nodded, even though I was barely keeping it together.

  Johnny and I were over for good and it was going to take a while for that to sink in. I couldn’t date a mega-celebrity like Johnny Logan. He existed on a completely different level than I did. He didn’t want a student who spent all day wearing goggles and protective equipment. He wanted an actress like Lucy Noble who always looked gorgeous — someone who excited the paparazzi just as much as he did.

  I looked at the clock, wishing the small hand would move faster. That pint of Ben and Jerry’s sitting in my freezer wouldn’t eat itself.

  “To build a dramatic scene you have to create a moment.” Professor Smith held her hands to her chest as she spoke. “You have to build the moment until the perfect spot where you release the emotion — like a dam opening — onto the audience.” She threw her arms out in front of her, mimicking a dam.

  Gosh, I thought. She sure was dramatic.

  As if on cue, the door to the classroom swung open with a BANG! Everyone in the class jolted and sat up straight. Professor Smith turned to see who had intruded on her classroom.

  Students began gasping and whispering to each other, looking back at me.

  What? My eyes darted to the open door where I saw Johnny, dressed in a Shakespearean costume, tights and all. The image of him was so unexpected that I didn’t even know what to think. His dark eyes scanned the room until they settled on me. A slight smirk appeared on his face.

  What was going on? It all happened so fast that I barely had time to process it.

  Johnny flourished his arm out in a grand, sweeping gesture.

  “What’s the best way to say I love you? Let me tell you all the ways,” he started, stepping into the room. “Hours without you can feel like days.”

  My jaw dropped. Johnny was doing our scene!

  Professor Smith, completely unfazed, sat at her desk, lazily watching the scene unfold.

  Johnny took a couple more steps into the room, finding me in the crowd. His eyes were locked on me. My heart began racing and my mouth turned to sandpaper.

  Even in tights he was freaking sexy! The tights showed off the definition of his legs as he stepped closer to me. His dark tousled hair was a mess, looking like he sat in blistering hot traffic to make his way here.

  “I cannot wait in agony any longer,” he continued, “for if my love for you grows any stronger, I’m sure my heart will explode into pieces. I cannot go on, until this longing ceases. Please, please, run away with me!”

  My cheeks felt like they were burning. I looked around the room. Everybody was staring at me with their jaws on the floor, including the mean girls. Looking back at Johnny, I saw him smiling at me. He nodded.

  “Come on,” he whispered, smiling supportively at me.

  A burst of confidence shot through me. I stood up, pushing my chair back dramatically.

  “Why are you here?” I asked.

  “You know why.” He reached his hand out longingly for me. “Ever since your father banished me from the land, coming back to see your face is all I strive for.”

  I looked around. All the students’ faces were on me, waiting in suspense.

  “I can’t.” I shook my head, covering my face with my hands. “If father finds me, he’ll know—”

  “So what?” Johnny grabbed my hand. His touch was familiar, comforting and it pained me to pull away, but the scene called for it.

  “You know what the consequences are!”

  “I’ve already accepted my fate. It’s the same either way. At least this way, I’ll make one last memory with you.” He touched my cheek, softly, gently. The women (and some of the men) in the room swooned as they watched him.

  God, he was a good actor. Watching him was truly like watching a piece of art.

  I took a step towards him.

  “Then let it be.” I put my hand in his and he smiled that charming Johnny Logan smile which had the ability to melt me into a puddle.

  He took my hand.

  “Marry me, marry me.”

  I smiled down at him as he kissed my hand with his soft lips. Before I had a chance to say anything else, Johnny swept me into his arms and carried me towards the door. As he carried me through the classroom I caught a glimpse of the professor, who had tears in her eyes. I looked back at Whitney who flashed me two thumbs up. As we past the first row, I caught a glimpse of the mean girls who gave me the saltiest looks of contempt, their arms crossed and their eyes full of daggers. I bit my lip to stop from smiling.

  The door closed and behind us we could hear the classroom erupt into applause. Johnny put me down and we stood out in the hallway.

  “I can’t believe you just did that!” I laughed. “That was amazing!”

  Johnny smiled at me, clearly glad that I wasn’t pissed off at him. I touched his costume.

  “This was a nice touch.”

  “This old thing?” He looked down at his Shakespearean-era costume. “I thought it’d help out.”

  “I can’t believe it.” I couldn’t stop smiling. Adrenaline pumped through my veins. “That was such a rush! I feel like I just had sex.” My body prickled from head to toe.

  Johnny smiled. “I’m glad you’re not mad.”

  I remembered how I was feeling before class. “I’m not mad,” I said. “But I’m confused.”

  “Confused?”

  “I’m confused about how I feel… about us.”

  “Can I say something?”

  I nodded.

  “I’ve been trying to figure who I am lately, and why you like me. I know I play a lot of characters both on screen and off, but in all that time I’ve never really been able to figure out who I am. And I’ve realized,” he took my hands in his, “that I most feel like me when I’m with you.”

  Heat rose to my cheeks. His hands caressed mine.

  “I know what I did yesterday was stupid, and I regret every minute of it. I argued with Rob and told him I didn’t want to do any of it, but he insisted. It was dumb. I was dumb.”

  I gave him a tight smile.

  “I feel the same way you do,” I said. “I’ve been trying to figure out who I am. And even though it’s crazy fun playing games with you, I’m not a superstar actress. I’m a special effects coordinator, and a hella good one. Neither of us should have to change who we are.”

  “And we won’t,” he said. “This is who I am.” He put out his arms, showing off his bizarre costume. “Having fun is who I am. But lying to put on a fake image is not…well, it is, but only when I’m on screen filming a movie. I promise you that.”

  I smiled a flat smile, not sure what that meant for our relationship.

 
“Madison,” he squeezed my hands. “I want you to come to my film premiere with me as my date.”

  “What?” I furrowed my brow. “But what about Lucy?”

  He waved his hand dismissively. “What did I say about putting on a fake image? I wouldn’t be Johnny Logan if I weren’t breaking the rules and stirring up trouble, and what’s more trouble than dating a special effects engineer?”

  I laughed. “Trouble does seem to follow you.”

  He put his hands around my waist. “Trouble’s my middle name.”

  I had never been kissed by a man wearing tights before, but I figured there was a first time for everything. Johnny leaned in and pressed his lips against mine, and it felt like taking in a deep breath for the first time in forever. Like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, I felt light and free. I put my arms around him and kissed him harder, knowing that (despite Johnny’s get-up) neither of us were putting on a show.

  When the kiss broke, I leaned my forehead against his and looked into his seductive, dark eyes.

  “There was something you said yesterday, and I was wondering if you could clarify something for me.”

  Johnny smiled. “I think I know what you’re going to say.” He took my hands. “I love you, Madison. I’ve never said that to anyone before, but I’m saying it to you because I mean it.”

  My heart was pounding so loud that I could barely hear Johnny over its deafening beat.

  “When I first saw you I was drawn to you. Of course I thought you were beautiful and desirable, you’re a total knockout. But I didn’t choose you on Blind Date because I lusted for you. There was a kindness, something captivating, in your eyes that was hard to deny. It’s the same thing that keeps you present on my mind whenever I’m not with you.” He threaded his hands in mine so that our fingers were interlocked. “It’s easy for me to hide who I am and lock away all my feelings, but being with you wants to celebrate those feelings. Being with you makes me feel alive, it makes me comfortable being me. Because of you I’ve been able to be myself for the first time in years and I thank you for that. I love you, Madison.”

  I couldn’t help but smile.

  “You’re not afraid to be yourself, and you’re not afraid to take chances either. And I love that. I love you. I can’t stop saying it.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. I squeezed his hands. “I never thought I’d say this to a guy in tights before, but I love you too, Johnny Logan.”

  Johnny let go of my hands, wrapped his arms around my waist, and lifted me off the ground as he spun in a circle. I let out a shriek, trying not to be too loud as there were still classes going on, but I couldn’t contain myself. Johnny put me down and kissed me ferociously, only stopping once the bell rang.

  ***

  I was in my apartment getting ready for the big night. Johnny arranged for a designer dress to be delivered to my door — a stunning red silk number that hugged me in all the right places. I couldn’t wait to show up to my first premiere on Johnny’s arm. The actor and the special effects student — these would be our most ambitious roles yet!

  As I did my makeup, I couldn’t help but think about how far we’d come. I wondered what the premiere would be like — the lights, the cameras, the celebrities! I’d finally get a taste of the world Johnny lived in.

  The doorbell rang. Pulling the door open, I saw Johnny standing in my doorway. He was dressed in a black designer suit — no tie — and dark sunglasses. He smelled like springtime fresh laundry and masculine energy. He pulled off his sunglasses and looked at me with his dark brown eyes.

  “You look stunning,” he said.

  “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

  He smirked as he pulled me in to kiss me.

  “My lipstick!” I protested.

  He let out a short laugh before unapologetically pressing his lips against mine. He gently touched my cheek with the back of his hand as he squeezed my waist tighter. His lips teased mine as he kissed me softly. For a second I was worried about the time, and whether we’d make it to the premiere, but Johnny didn’t seem to care, and after feeling his lips on mine, I didn’t care either.

  After pulling back, he held his hand up. I saw something sparkling dangling from it.

  “What’s this?” I asked. Jewels caught the light, sparkling brilliantly.

  “A gift for you.” He walked into my apartment and held the bracelet in his hands. “Do you mind?”

  I smiled. “Go right ahead.” I stuck my arm out, waiting for him to fasten the bracelet to my wrist.

  He laughed. “It doesn’t go on your wrist.” He looked down my body, over the red dress. His lingering stare had the strange ability to make me feel naked, and I may as well have been considering the naughty glint in his eye.

  “Oh.” I took a seat on the couch and lifted the silky dress up over my legs, sticking my leg out.

  Johnny smirked as he bent down onto one knee and fastened the sparkling jewels around my ankle. His hands touched my feet, making me feel small in comparison. His hand moved up my leg, sending a thrill up my body. His eyes traveled up to mine.

  “I want to see how it looks on you.”

  Still holding my leg out, I gave Johnny a big smile, but he was still staring into my eyes. Couldn’t he see it? I pointed my toes. He laughed.

  “How can I see it when the dress is in the way?”

  “Oh.” My face turned red. For some reason, without playing a character, I felt exposed and vulnerable. I couldn’t come up with a quick-witted response about how he had a villain to run after or information to give me. We were just two regular people who were attracted to each other, and there was something very sexy about that.

  Johnny moved his hand further up my leg. My heart pounded in my chest and I swallowed hard. I realized I had been salivating since he kissed me. I looked at his lips, longing to kiss him again, but his head was down by my knees. He pressed his lips against my leg, kissing my thigh, moving his way up.

  I couldn’t hide how much I was shaking. Johnny pushed the silky dress up. His fingers moved up my thighs, touching my already sensitive skin. Once he moved up even further, his fingers played with my panty-line, making my sensitive body twitch in excitement. After teasing me for what seemed like forever, he pulled my panties down my legs, leaving the wet area between my legs throbbing for attention.

  He stood up and pulled off his designer jacket, staring at me with those commanding eyes. The black blouse under his jacket fit perfectly over his defined muscles.

  Holy shit, I thought. Johnny Logan was fucking hot. Of course, I knew that but sometimes it was nice to be reminded.

  Johnny grabbed my hand and pulled me up. Turning me around, he unzipped my dress, slipped the silk straps off my shoulders, and dropped the dress to the ground in a puddle of silk.

  I was naked. This was hot!

  Turning around to face him, I watched as his eyes traveled down my body. He had the ability to make me blush all over.

  “You are gorgeous, Madison,” he said.

  I was wearing nothing but the jeweled anklet.

  “You wear it well.” He smiled.

  Biting my lip, I pressed against him, feeling how hard he was. He was making me excited.

  Lifting my trembling fingers, I unbuttoned his blouse one button at a time. I could feel his searing eyes on me as I concentrated on undressing him.

  Why did he have to do that? He was making me nervous! Why was I so nervous?

  There was nothing hiding me. There were no cameras watching, no storyline I had to follow. There was no character I could hide behind. Like the first time we had sex, I was just Madison, and he was just Johnny. And that was enough.

  There was something thrilling about being me. Role-playing had become such a part of what I did that being myself was a thrill in itself. I felt like a drug addict who had finally kicked the habit and was enjoying the high of life.

  Madison’s fingers trembled as they moved down my chest, unbuttoning my shirt. She hadn’t b
een this nervous since the first time we were together. It was cute how nervous she was.

  When my shirt was completely unbuttoned, I pulled it off, baring my chest. Madison looked at my chest and bit her lip. God, she was cute. I took the opportunity to look down at her perfect naked body. I could feel myself getting harder and harder. I unbuckled my belt and pulled my pants off.

  Madison was timid, but she wasn’t shy. Her eyes traveled down to catch a full glimpse of me. Her small hands touched my chest, moving down until she touched my cock. I let out a moan of relief.

  Though I could have easily slept with a number of different girls over the past few weeks, Madison was the only one worth waiting for. In some strange way, the wait made it worthwhile. I never knew what people meant by that, but now I did.

  As Madison moved her hands over my hard cock, I felt more pleasure than I had in years, and that included all the times I spent with Madison.

  Madison knew who I was, and she accepted me. That was all I could have ever wanted in a woman.

  Madison’s big green eyes looked up at me as she kneeled down in front of me. Keeping her eyes on me, she sealed her mouth over the head of my cock. I dropped my head back and moaned in pleasure. I wasn’t sure what this girl was doing to me, but I liked it. I didn’t want her to stop.

  She moved back and forth, her body and breasts bouncing with her. With each flick of her tongue, she sent me deeper into ecstasy.

  “Your mouth does amazing things to me,” I said. Her big green eyes looked up at me as she took me deeper.

  Seeing her body move so enthusiastically drove me wild. I lost my hands in her hair. The tension in my body wound tighter. I had to have her. Grabbing her arm, I pulled her up and lifted her onto me, wrapping her legs around my waist.

  She was already wet. Good girl. That was the way I liked it. She was just as horny and turned on as I was. Pushing her back onto the couch, I pressed my cock against the slippery folds between her legs. Without warning, I slipped deep inside her, penetrating her fully. She moaned sensually. Dropping her head back against the cushions, she dug her fingers into my shoulders.

  “Johnny!” She called out.

  I used to hate it when girls called out my name as it pulled me out of the moment. But Madison managed to make my name sound delicious. She managed to make me sound wanted.