Two Can Play

by K. M. Liss

  But despite the leg lusting, I'm quite impressed by his who-gives-a-fuck-about-money attitude. Very cool.

  “Yeah, money, eh? Who needs it? It'll only bring you grief.” I agree with a secret smile to myself.

  I'm staring back at him, as a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, and then his teeth appear fully. Little white gems that I want to lick. And I've just noticed he's got a cute little dimple in his cheek. I'm salivating heavily, and my stomach is suddenly sucking itself in.

  God am I in lust today, it's almost painful...I think I might be recovering a bit too fast.

  I take a deep breath.

  “Would you like a drink?” I ask, gesturing at my half empty glass, and hoping he'll say he will.

  “I'd really love to, but I'm busy this afternoon. I'm looking for a new place to stay. I've been given the boot. Made homeless by my own mother, would you believe?” he says as his eyes wander back to my legs again.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah...I'm still in shock. She locked me out of the house yesterday. I'm staying at the Palazzo at the moment.”

  I won't ask him why he's staying at the most luxurious and expensive hotel in Venice if he's been disinherited and is now penniless...maybe he has a well-paid job and can afford it.

  “You don't get on with her, I take it?”

  “Not since the day I was born.”

  “That's a real shame.”

  “Yeah, tell me about it.”

  “Look, I've got a spare room, and you're welcome to use that until you find the right place.”

  I really don't know what came over me at that precise moment. Did those words come out of my mouth? It's obviously the wine speaking, not me.

  “Hey no, I don't want to put you out. It's real sweet of you, Kate, but I'm fine at the Palazzo. Don't worry about it,” he says genuinely.

  I could have backed out of my offer at this point, but do I? Of course not...the alcohol's got a hold of my tongue.

  “Aaron, no, that hotel's ridiculously expensive. I stayed there myself once. Look, I don't mind at all. And I'm sure it'll be fun, us two, hanging out together. I insist.”

  A deep and long look settles between us. A serious expression falls on his face.

  I can see he's considering and I'm leaning toward a yes being the outcome.

  “I only need a week, max, then I'll be out of your hair, I promise,” he agrees.

  “Sure, that's fine by me.” I'm really pleased by this turn of events. More than I should be.

  “When shall I come over?”

  “Well, I've got a date later.”

  “Yes, so you said.”

  “I'm seeing a friend this evening when he gets off work at six. In fact, that's him over there,” I say, gesturing at Marco who is presently giving us both dark and highly questioning looks. “I won't be out that long though. Come over at, let's say, eight. Apartment B, number 10, Calle Chiesa. You obviously know where it is...and here's my number.” I open my purse and give him my card.

  “Katrina Eloise Denton,” he says my name, out loud, and it sounds like a declaration of love. “Cute name, Kate,” he adds, tucking my card in his jeans back pocket.

  “So is yours. Very cute,” I reply flirtatiously. My eyelashes batting away nicely as his smile flashes widely at me.

  “I'll be off then. I need to get some viewing appointments set up and buy myself some new gear. I'm short on clothing at the moment.”

  “Okay, well I'll see you later. Maybe we could have a late dinner or something?”

  “Yeah, we'll do that. Looking forward to it, Kate.”

  He stands and eases around the table to my side. Then he leans down and kisses my cheek for a little too long. And I like it a little too much.

  “See ya, and thanks once again.”

  “No problem at all. ’Bye, Aaron.”

  And then he leaves.

  Oh God no...I'm so attracted to him...this could all so easily become really complicated.

  My eyes flick back briefly to Marco, who is all smiles again, now that I'm alone.

  I watch my tall, dark, mysterious new friend disappearing from view across the plaza.

  I suddenly wonder what he was doing here. How he bumped into me just like that?

  He could be watching me, stalking me even...I realize I don't know a thing about him.

  And I've invited him to live in my apartment? Shit...!

  Am I mad? This is not a wise thing to do after....

  A shiver runs up and down my spine.

  I feel another blast of my hurricane gathering on the horizon.

  HIM

  It didn't take me long to find her. I tried her apartment and she wasn't in, so I left for the plaza. I guessed, as it was lunchtime, she might be hanging around there, if anywhere.

  And there she is. I spotted her straight away.

  Her dark blonde hair hung loosely around her shoulders.

  The sunlight is making her glow all over, illuminating her pale skin and hair like she's an angel.

  She looks miles away as I approach and circle around her back.

  Her perfume hit my senses in a blast. Whatever she's wearing, I want a bucketful of it to savor. It smells goddamn expensive.

  I sit down and we begin to talk. About my father's will of all things. I fob her off with a quick half-truth.

  She laughs at something I say and I'm captivated by her smile. She's too perfect to be real. Naturally beautiful. A mixture of cool as ice, sweet as sugar, and so flaming hot I'm about to melt in her presence.

  The tight, low-cut black top and non-existent shorts she's wearing are adding fuel to the fire.

  The top half of her is pretty amazing, but fuck, those legs of hers are something else...I'm imagining their pale silky smoothness rubbing against mine. The way they'd curl tightly around my back, pulling me in.

  I'm almost in a trance at the sight of them, crossed to the side of the table. One leg's swinging slowly and sexily...it's kinda hypnotizing. Her flip-flop's dangling off her cute toes...

  Those hot pink toenails...mmm, so suckable, like sweet little candy drops.

  I rub my chin as I stare at the long length of ass-squeezing perfection, trying hard to think straight as we converse.

  What the hell's going on with me?

  I'm becoming besotted and more than a little obsessed with Kate. Which is fucking ridiculous, as I have only spent, in total, about thirty minutes in her company.

  But things are developing fast, it seems. I'm officially her houseguest from eight this evening, which potentially equates to lots more Kate-time for me. I accepted with the right amount of cool deliberation and minor objection. At least I think I did. My mind was stuck in between her perfect legs. It was kinda hard to think at all.

  In any case, it all seemed to work out just fine.

  Traces of her wickedly hot perfume are still lingering in my nose, and I am smiling like an idiot as I leave the square.

  I get a cab back to the hotel and lie on my bed.

  I've been reconsidering on the way back. I've got to be honest and admit I have no reason to visit Venice anymore. Apart from seeing my sister, Paula, who I get on with to a degree. I'm going to ask Karen to find me a short-term place, until my father’s business is legally mine, and the papers are all signed, and then I'm gonna bail.

  Adios Venezia. New York here I come. Permanently.

  In the meantime, I'll see what happens with Kate. For the short time I have left here she suits me just fine. More than fine.

  I pick up my cell phone and stand at the window while I chat with my PA, Karen, telling her what I want. A furnished four-star vacation apartment somewhere near the Grand Canal.

  She's about to have a quick meeting so we have a very short conversation.

  “Have you heard from Selena? Found out her plans?” I'm concerned our top star might go elsewhere. Her contract's about to expire, and fuck, is she in demand. Need to get that in the bag and quick.

  “Yeah, she ca
lled just after you left. She's good, Aaron; really loves what we've done for her. Her image, style, the promotional stuff. She thinks we're so polished and she's talking about signing for another two years, at least,” Karen replies happily.

  I breathe a sigh of relief. It's not like we don't have other hot singers, but she's stellar material. We're basking in her success. The money's rolling in like nothing on this earth, and she's kinda neat and different. As well as being goddamn beautiful. Shame she's seeing that movie star boyfriend or I'd be hot on her tail, client or not.

  “Send her flowers, champagne, the whole whatever you like...and tell her we love the pants off her. Keep her real happy and get that contract finalized for when I get back, okay?”

  “I know, I know...done all that already, honey,” she says quickly. Karen knows the score. She's shit hot on the ball, efficient with a capital E.

  I ask how our recent sixteen-year-old signing shaped up in the studio yesterday.

  Shannon. The new, even hotter Britney Spears. Well, in my opinion, anyway. We've never had such a potential, steaming, teenage success in our hands before, and I'm kinda pumped.

  My eyes nearly exploded when I first laid eyes on her. At a talent show I was invited to and almost couldn't be bothered to attend.

  Thank God I did.

  There she was. All steam and teenage boy wet dream. I scooped her up and carried her and her mom off in my pocket on the spot. I signed her the next day.

  I'd never have believed she was just sixteen if I hadn't been told. No way.

  I guessed twenty-two or three initially. I still have trouble believing she's so young. I remind myself constantly that she's still a minor, meaning we can't go hot with her image. Not for a good few years yet.

  That's all going to plan according to Karen. Britney mark II is ready to fly as soon as we get her in serious recording mode. I think she's going to hit the headlines pretty fast after that. She's got one of those amazing voices that really does things to me; a massive range that both kicks me hard in the gut and makes all the hair stand up on the back of my neck. The whole little “her” is gonna knock the world out.

  “Great stuff. And lastly, get Ed to send me some ideas about her styling, will you? Tell him it's his call, but she's too young for skimpy leather shorts and whatever. It's gotta be suitable dress code, okay?” I'm gonna let the head of my marketing team run with some ideas he has for her. He's into trends and has his finger on the pulse with image. Ed and his five-girl promo team are the icing on the AAG cake as far as I'm concerned. They've got a boatload of contacts in the business and get our signings noticed, in all the right places and so damn fast, it's not funny.

  “Yep, will do. He was talking to me about this earlier. So he's already on it. You'll get his proposals pretty soon. I'll make sure you do.”

  Karen has to rush off to the meeting. Hastily, she says goodbye, telling me she'll get back to me. Everything seems to run itself so well when I'm not in the office, I don't think they even notice I'm gone. All I have to do is answer a few emails here and there, give the final go ahead on their ideas.

  I'm not sure if it's all down to my efficient management and delegation skills, or whether I don't actually do a lot when I'm there anyway. I might be doing myself down, but it's probably more the latter.

  I send Kate a text. Just a quick thank you, starting off the lines of communication.

  A moment later my cell rings. It's Signor Bassi, the lawyer. We greet each other cordially.

  “So, Signor Garcia... The reason for my call... It is, how shall I say, and very sadly I'm afraid, a warning. I have just spoken to your mother. She told me yesterday, after you had left, that she was intending to contest the will, as she feels you have been overly compensated for your unofficial business relationship with your father. I advised her against it and to think it over. But again, she has called me on this matter....”

  My heart drops and my stomach churns with the news. Not that I didn't expect this to happen, but there was always hope.

  “...I have told the Signora, in my opinion, it is unlikely she will gain any further benefit from this action. Based on the written statement in the will, that you were the only child to actively participate in Signor Garcia's business dealings, and that he was a sleeping partner in your recording studio. I have suggested she takes independent counsel, from a third party. I feel she will, and also I feel she will contest the will anyway, regardless of what anyone says, just to drag it all out and cause you inconvenience. I sense a deep resentment from her as far as you are concerned. And I hope you don't mind me saying this, but from my brief observation, it appears that your mother is a vindictive and spiteful woman. I would employ your own lawyer to safeguard your inheritance. The best money can buy. Who knows what she may come up with?”

  “I see...well, I kinda expected this. She's always had it in for me. Why change the habits of a lifetime? She locked me out of the house yesterday.”

  “Ah yes, and that is her prerogative, as she is the joint owner with the three Signorinas...it was your father's private home. Part of the personal fortune. The title deeds have already been transferred on that part of the estate. She has the title and rights of ownership.”

  “I guessed this would all be the case. And I'll find myself a lawyer, as you suggest.”

  “And one other thing, Signor. I cannot put this any other way. Take care. From my experience, women can be evil in these matters. Far worse than men, I assure you.”

  “Right...well thanks for the frank advice. It makes a refreshing change to find a lawyer with a heart. It's appreciated, Signor.”

  We say our goodbyes and I flop on the bed face down with a groan.

  Fuck my life... What the hell have I ever done to her? Nothing. Except being born. What kind of mother persecutes her own child for being male? How is that my fault?

  A half an hour later I get back to Karen.

  “I could be here longer than I thought. Make it a three-month let, with an option to extend.”

  “You are coming back to New York as planned though, aren't you?” she asks with a note of concern to her voice.

  “Yes, I'll be back in a week probably, but I need a longer term base here. You know I can't stand staying in hotels.”

  “Okay, I'll get on to it later today, I promise. We've got Kai Jackson coming in to record in a minute, so I'm standing guard. All the girls are undressed to the tens, miniskirts and cleavage everywhere I look. It's obscene.”

  “I hope you're behaving yourself.” I snigger with amusement.

  “At forty-six I'm way past ogling Justin Bieber types, honey. Besides, who wants Kai, when I have you? Hurry up and come home. I miss my daily dose of eye candy.”

  “Karen, you say the loveliest things. You're the only woman in my life, you know.”

  “So you keep telling me. I'm the mother you never had.”

  “Talking of mothers, mine’s contesting the will.”

  “What a surprise. She's a real bitch, that woman.”

  “My sentiments exactly.”

  “Don't let her get you down, Aaron. D'you want me to fix you up with a US lawyer?”

  “That'd be a great help, sweetheart. No expense spared, okay?”

  “Don't you worry. I'm gonna find the best mother-fucking lawyer money can buy, if you pardon the expression. Oh shit, no.... I'm too late already....” She pauses and I can hear squeals in the background. “I'd better go. Kai's arrived and he's being smothered with acres of breasts and choked to death with perfume.”

  She clicks off and leaves me chuckling to myself. If only my real mother was like her. I have a great relationship with Karen. She's funny, naughty, witty, helpful and understanding, and not that bad looking for an “old lady” either.

  Maybe I should ask her to adopt me.

  HER

  I leave the cafe soon after my wine is finished and make my way home. Marco's picking me up at six. I have a few hours free and potter about in the apartment, checking
for stray cobwebs and making sure it all looks just so for my new guest.

  I'm looking forward to it now that I'm over the shock of my surprise invitation.

  I realize, after thinking rationally for a while, that my worries are unfounded. Most men are not stalkers and rapists. Aaron is an average guy. A pretty hot average guy, but I'm sure he's safe to live with, short term.

  In fact, I'm not only looking forward to it all, I'm in seventh heaven.

  I suddenly have two hot men at my beck and call. Things are really looking up.

  I check his room. It's a little too girly, pale and cream.

  I look in the closet...choose a bright blue cushion for the bed.

  Talk about stereotyping...

  I might as well go all out “boy.” I add another.

  I find a navy blue throw on the shelf in the closet, and spread it over the cream duvet.

  I take the Monet Water Lilies print off the wall and swap it for a portrait of me from my room.

  It's a large framed monochrome photograph of my graduation.

  Now I'll be the first thing he sees in the morning when he wakes up.

  I snigger at my stupid sense of humor.

  Removing the blue china cat from the window ledge, I replace it with a large ornamental piece of gray and white quartz that's been used as a doorstopper.

  Much more manly than a blue china cat...guys like rocks and stuff.

  Now we're getting somewhere. In fact, we're completely done. All manned up.

  I check the other bathroom for cleanliness and it seems in order. No stray hairs in the sink or shower. The floor and everything else is spotless. Lucia does an awesome job cleaning this place. I'll make sure I give her an extra large gratuity when I go.

  Cream towels, hand soap, shower gel in place. Lily of the valley will have to do. It's the best I can manage.

  I return to my living room happy with my masculine tweaking efforts.

  I check my cell.

  A text from Mom, a few from friends, and one from an unknown.

  I read the unknown first.

  You're a girl in a million, Kate. I'm your new best friend. Cheers! Aaron x