“…Thank you,” Phillip said as he turned to leave. “He’s waiting for you in my office.”
Ten minutes later Juliet walked into Phillip’s office. “You’re like a bad penny,” she said as she entered the office and closed the door behind her, “you just keep turning up.”
“It’s my charm.” J.T. said as he stood and turned to face her. He smiled as soon as he saw her. Just like the woman he’d met in New York, she was magnificent. Dressed in fitted denim jeans and sleeveless knit shirt and stilettos, she was straight off the cover of a magazine and right into his heart. This was definitely the woman who had crept into his dreams, thoughts and fantasies for the last ten months.
“Yeah, must be.” She moved around to the front of the desk. “Phillip mentioned that you’re interested in learning ballet.”
“Learning about ballet,” J.T. corrected, “there’s a difference.”
“What do you want to know?”
“When are the performances?”
“The average series of repertoire performances for most ballet companies consists of four or five per season, October through May. There are additional performances such as preview performances, auditions and special seasonal performances like the Nutcracker and Spring Flings and of course special charity balls and fund raisers.”
“What are the specific days?”
She looked at him sternly, “performances are usually Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings with Saturday and sometimes Sunday matinees, unless of course the company is between ballet performances as we are now. Then there are rehearsals in preparation for the next series of performances.”
“That would make you free for dinner tonight?”
She frowned, refusing to admit to herself that he looked even better then he last night if that was possible. She placed her fists on her hips and walked past him. “No.” She sat leaning back against Phillip’s desk then crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.
Juliet refused to turn away from his intense stare. The desire in his eyes seemed to penetrate right through her. “It was just supposed to be just one night, remember. That’s all we promised each other. We shared a hotel room.”
J.T. approached standing right in front of her, his eyes centered on her face. “Funny, I remembered we shared more than that, didn’t we Juliet?” J.T. asked.
“One hotel room, one night,” she reiterated.
“I beg to differ, two hotel rooms, two nights. And each time we made love.” His voice softened to a whisper as his body trapping her against the desk. “You remember last night Juliet, don’t you?”
“Last night was a long time ago.”
“You remember the feel of our bodies sealed together.” She looked away finally unable to continue seeing the desire in his eyes. “Do you remember?”
“Yes, I remember,” she ventured.
“We made love all night long,” he added.
She looked back at him eye to eye. “Things have changed.”
“My mouth on yours,” he continued with the memory. The attraction was still there he was sure of it.
Juliet shuttered inwardly. The memory of last night was still too vivid for her. “Last night was physical, not personal,” she said.
“Your mouth on mine,” he added just inches away from her lips, “touching, feeling, tasting, wanting.” He licked her lips coxing her to respond to him, “all night long.”
“It was just one night.”
“What happened between us was more than just one night. I felt it, you felt it,” he admitted.
A quiver of desire went straight through her as her stomach fluttered and her pulse quickened. Yes, she remembered. Ever touch, every feel, every night since that first night she had laid in bed with the memory of being wrapped in J.T.’s arms and caressed by his touch. “I have a date, I have to go.”
A tense muscle twitched in J.T.’s jaw. He didn’t like hearing she had someone else in her life. It didn’t sit well with his plan. “Juliet,” J.T. prompted as he reached out and stroked her face.
She leaned into his touch then suddenly straightened up and backed away. She pushed past him and moved to the door. “What do you really want J.T.?” she hesitated. She turned to meet his eyes. “And I know it’s not the history of modern ballet.”
“I have a proposition for you.”
Her interest was slightly piqued. “Do you?”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “Well, as I said, I have a previous engagement.”
“This won’t take long.”
She looked down at her watch, “talk fast.”
“All right,” he agreed, “I’d like to employ you.”
“Are stock options and health benefits included?” she joked.
“No, but I’m sure we can come to some agreement on the perks.”
Juliet went silent for an instant. Of all the things he could have said, this was the last thing she expected to hear. “Maybe you didn’t notice; I already have a job.”
“It’s part-time. It won’t interfere with your career.”
“What’s the job?” she asked. He smiled without responding. She knew. “I’m not an escort service.”
“I can make it worth your while.”
A cock-eyed smiled tugged at her lips. This was too intriguing to just walk away, she had to know more. Curiosity got the better of her, “doing what exactly, dance teacher for the computer savvy?”
“Not exactly, I need a woman.”
She purposefully looked him up and down and smiled nodding approvingly. Dressed in a dark charcoal pinstriped suit with a white pristine shirt and gray tie, he was as immaculate as ever. “You’re definitely not the kind of man who would have a problem getting a woman.”
He smiled, “I don’t want just any woman, I want you. I’ll be more specific, I need you.”
“To do what exactly?”
“I need a decoy.”
“What kind of decoy?”
“I need to get a matchmaking grandmother off my back, if she sees that I already have a woman in my life she’ll leave me alone and happily go back to her little island with the knowledge that all is well with the world.”
“And that involves me how?”
“It’s a simple distraction, you be the decoy, pretend to be my current love interest and the matchmaker leaves me alone. There are other elements obviously but we can discuss those later.”
“I see, okay,” she seemed to mull over, “I understand how this little scheme of yours benefits you; you get to walk away trouble free. The question is how would it benefit me?”
“We once pooled our resources to benefit both of us. I’m suggesting we do it again.”
“Go on,” she said intrigued the conversation.
“I understand that you want to open a dance company in a few months. I can see to it that you’re financially able,” he said before revealing more of the plan.
“Tell me something, you’re apparently well off financially, you’re attractive and you don’t exactly appear to be a former resident of a dog pound. Why not just get an old girlfriend to play the part of your lover?”
“She’d see through it. She and my mother talk. She knows the type of woman I typically date. I need someone that’s totally opposite of my usual taste. I need to get her attention and hold it, only a new and different face will do. I think you’ll be perfect.”
“I’m flattered,” she said sarcastically.
“I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. What I meant was…”
“I know what you meant, keep talking.”
“Dance can be very expensive, thousands of dollars for pointe shoes, sets, costumes, lighting and studios. I can help with that. Interested?”
“Let me get this straight, you want me to pretend to be your lover and in exchange you’ll help finance my dance company?”
“Exactly.”
She looked into his soft brown eyes. His sincerity was not exactly overflowing. The feeling that he was up to somethin
g more had most definitely crossed her mind. Yet the whole idea intrigued her. No one would go to all this trouble just to get rid of a matchmaker. There was definitely something else going on. This so called simple plan of his was a lot more than what it appeared on the surface. “What else is involved?” A hint of mischief sparked. It made her smile.
“Dinner, dancing, a few parties,” he assured her. “Just think of it as a romantic adventure.”
She paused a moment then turned away from him. The idea of pretending to have feelings for J.T. would be more than dangerous. The question was—could she handle it. The answer came instantly. She turned back to him. “Sounds too complicated.”
“On the contrary, it couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy.” He reached out and took her hand stroking her fingers with his thumb. It was a familiar act. He’d done it before as they walked the dark streets of New York City and he knew that it made her feel safe and protected.
“Be more specific, what exactly would I have to do?”
He smiled, it worked. “First, I have a dinner invitation tomorrow night and another obligation the night after. Several more will follow. I pick you up, we go together as a couple…” he said.
“…And do whatever couples in love do, I suppose?” she finished his thought.
“Exactly.”
“And after that?”
“Dinners, family functions, whatever it takes to get the job done. Mamma Lou will be here for about a week. It’s shouldn’t take much longer than that, still interested?”
“Maybe, keep talking.”
“There’s one more thing.”
“There usually is,” she said dryly anticipating the other shoe preparing to drop.
“Once it’s over, it’s over, no strings, no attachments, no expectations and no exceptions. My work is me sole commitment. I’m not looking for a relationship, alright?”
“I’ll have to think about. Call me later” She reached across Phillip’s desk and grabbed a piece of stationary. She scribbled her phone number on the paper then handed it to him. “I’ll let you know.” She brushed by him.
“Juliet,” he whispered.
She turned to him. “I need to be fair to you J.T. I don’t do the happily ever after love thing.”
He smiled and half snorted. “Perfect, neither do I. Love isn’t part of the deal.”
She nodded, turned to walk away then stopped and spoke without turning back. “Call me later.”
Chapter Twelve
The rush of cool air conditioning quickened her step as Juliet walked into the restaurant and looked around. She spotted her friend instantly. Patricia sat in a booth at the far end of the restaurant. She waved as soon as she looked up and saw Juliet enter.
Dressing in a tailored business suit, her signature single strand of pearls and a wedding band with a door knob diamond on her finger that could easily have paid the restaurants rent for the next three months, Patricia was the newly married bride of Pierce Franklin.
“You’re late,” Patricia said as she lowered the menu and glanced up at her friend as she quickly sat down.
“I know, sorry,” Juliet said as she took the offered menu from the waiter and placed a drink order, “I was unavoidably detained.” A sly smile eased across her face. Patricia watched it spread wider and shook her head knowingly.
She and Juliet had known each other and been best friends since Ida B. Wells Academy. They had seen good times and bad time and had always been there for each other through think and thin. So when Juliet arrived late, which she never did, and she smiled that particular smile, which she seldom did, it could only mean one thing, she was up to something.
The waiter returned and sat a glass of lemon flavored club soda in front of Juliet and refilled Patricia’s iced tea. He patiently waited, took their meal orders then hurried away.
Patricia observed her friend for a few minutes. A very familiar sparkle shinned across her face again. Patricia continued to shake her head slowly. “Oh-oh.”
Juliet looked across the table then around the dining room. “What, oh-oh?” She asked.
“Whatever it is I don’t think I want to know about it,” Patricia warned.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Juliet said innocently.
“Do you think I don’t recognize that mischievous glint in your eye? You’re up to something or you’re about to be. Either way I know something’s going on and whatever it is I don’t what to know.”
“Of course you want to know.” Juliet said decidedly. She smiled and waiting the few seconds it would take before Patricia surrendered to her curiosity. Seconds later she began laughing, and Juliet immediately joined in.
“Okay, alright, I give up, what is it? What happened?”
“Do you remember about ten months ago, when I was in New York?”
“You mean the black out?”
“Yes, I told you about the man I shared the hotel room with.”
“Yeah, I remember. Of course I remember. That had to be by far the dumbest and most senseless thing you’ve ever done. I still can’t believe you did it, blackout or not. He could have been a nut case or a crazed lunatic.”
“He wasn’t a nut case or a crazed lunatic.”
“You know what I mean.” Patricia said firmly.
“Yes, but the point is…”
“…The point is,” Patricia stopped to breath and relax, “don’t ever do that again. You nearly gave me a heart attack when you told me afterwards.”
Juliet shook her head sadly and rolled her eyes to the ceiling, “you have seriously turned into such a parent. You must drive poor Kimberly crazy with your constant nagging?”
“I do not nag,” Patricia stated firmly. “And Kimberly is doing just fine thank you very much. She, unlike some people, has better sense then to share a hotel room with a strange man.”
“Getting back to the story,” Juliet said quickly diverting her friend from another five minute lecture, “yes, I know it was stupid and dangerous, I admit it. I’ve learned my lesson and I’ll never do it again.”
“You could have gotten yourself killed on worse.”
“What’s worse than getting myself killed?”
“I’m serious Juliet, you hear about stuff like that on the news all the time.”
“I know, I know. Would you let me get back to the story please,” Patricia nodded and silenced. “Okay, it seems that the guy I shared the room with showed up and wants me to do him a small favor.”
“Oh God,” Patricia fretted. “What’s he want, money?”
“Actually just the opposite, he wants to pay me to pretend to be his love interest so that he can get his matchmaking grandmother off his back.”
The waiter appeared with their meals and placed it in front of them. He refilled their glasses then asked if there was anything else they needed. Both Juliet and Patricia said no, so he nodded smiled and moved on.
“And you believed him?” Patricia said continuing the conversation as if they had not been interrupted.
“Yes, of course I believed him. Look this guy, J.T., is actually some big shot in the computer business. Pierce probably even knows him. He works for E-Corp.” She said remembering his business card logo.
“Evans Corporation?”
“That’s right.”
“Over a million men in New York City and you meet up with J.T. Evans.”
“You obviously know him too?”
“Yes, and you’re right J.T. is huge in the industry. Pierce and I went the opening of the E-Corp complex a few months ago. I met him there and you’re right he’s definitely something else. He was there with some tall thin model type and even then, he had women falling all over him. I don’t get it, why you, why now?”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“You know what I mean.”
“So,” Juliet leaned over closer to Patricia, “what’s his story?”
“What’s his story? Are you kidding? You d
on’t know?”
Juliet shook her head and shrugged. “I know he’s handsome and sexy as hell. Sometimes I think that he’s wound a bit too tight and obviously emotionally closed, but other than that, not much.”
“You assume all men are emotionally closed.”
“And I’m usually right.”
“How can you spend the entire night and half the day with a man and not know a thing about him?”
“Those were the rules we went by, no last names and no major details on family and occupations. All I know is he has two sisters, one married and one not.”
“So what exactly did you two talk about all night?”
“Everything else, politics, television, sports, movies, travel, music,” Juliet smiled remembering the myriad of conversations they’d had while sitting at the hotel room window, fifteen stories up looking out on a blacked out city. “We even talked about having children and possibly what our children would look like.”
“Let me get this straight, you two talked about having children, together?”
“Yeah,” Juliet smiled brightly and said matter of fact as she nudged a green pepper to the side of her plate.
“And…” she prompted. Juliet fell uncharacteristically silent. “What else did you do?”
“We went back outside into the streets.”
“Wait a minute, after all that, you went back out into the dark streets?”
“Yeah, and surprisingly the people were pretty cool. I mean, I didn’t see any looting of major crime unless of course you want to count that front desk clerk who was charging people twenty dollars to sleep on the wing back chairs in the lobby.”
“So, you and J.T. just walked the streets?”
“Actually, we went in search of food. Neither one of us had eaten all day. We stopped by a restaurant that was having a clearing out the kitchen sale. We sat out on the curb and ate then took dessert back to the room.”
“Juliet,” she paused a second to sip her tea, “did you two…?” Patricia asked not fully finishing the details of her question but letting her inquisitive expression suggest the rest.
Juliet blushed, smiled then nodded slowly, “repeatedly.” Patricia’s mouth dropped wide open in surprise as Juliet continued. “It’s a good thing we found condoms when we went out for food.”
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