Evan’s eyes glinted. “The book is old, but so is the truth. Truth never changes.”
“So,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “You believe men should be in charge of women?”
“Not quite,” Evan said. “A man is in charge of the woman God chose for him.”
“And you’re telling me this because?” I asked.
“Because, Lucy,” Evan said, taking my hands. “I want you.”
The bluntness of these words cut through the fog produced by lighted candles and expensive champagne. I looked away but Evan kept his eyes on me.
“I want you, Lucy, and I want to be upfront about who I am,” Evan said. “I know so much about you already. You need to know me too.”
“Mr. Jeffrey-”
“Evan.”
“Evan,” I said. “This is so unexpected.”
Evan cupped his hand against my cheek. His touch was warm, and I wanted to snuggle closer into it. He spoke softly, almost in a whisper. “Unexpected? So is love. And so is faith.”
His words washed over me and my resolve withered. I felt a connection to him, not just physical attraction. I’d never loved anyone romantically before, and assumed, this was what it felt like. It was white hot and all consuming. I had tunnel vision, and all I could see was him. I had to remind myself to breathe.
“Now,” Evan said. He picked up an oyster. “Try one of these.”
That snapped me back to reality. “No, no thank you.” I went back to sipping champagne.
“Lucy.” Evan’s voice, though not very loud, was so commanding, I immediately gave him my attention. “Try one.”
He held the shell to my mouth. I parted my lips, and let him slide the oyster onto my tongue. At first, I recoiled, but as the buttery flesh dissolved and the fresh, salty brine filled my mouth, I closed my eyes.
“Mmm,” I said.
“Do you see?” Evan said. “All you need is a little faith.”
It was a fabulous meal. Evan ordered course after course of rich, decadent food. That night, I tried several new things, and all were amazing. Our conversation glittered, and he revealed a side to me that I was sure not many other people saw. He was kind, funny, and vulnerable. I’d heard of love at first sight, but could it really happen so quickly? I felt like I’d been sucked into Evan’s orbit, and there was no turning back.
When the check came, I offered to help pay for some. We’d eaten so much, I knew it had to be an exorbitant bill. Evan refused, slapping his credit card down. Outside of the restaurant, I started to say goodbye to him.
“Do you need a ride?” Evan asked.
“I’ll take the train,” I said.
Evan narrowed his eyes at me. “You need a ride.”
A second later, a sleek, dark town car pulled up in front of us. A driver got out, and opened the door to the backseat.
“Come on,” Evan said.
I sat in the backseat with Evan, studying everything. The car was the most luxious thing I’d ever been in. The seat was more comfortable than my bed. I watched the lights of the city pass through the tinted windows. I felt Evan slide closer to me, and my breath caught in my throat. Without a word, he took my hand in his. Our fingers intertwined. I turned and smiled to him. He stared deep into my eyes, and, I swear, I felt our souls touch.
*
My alarm went off early the next morning. I rolled over, grumbling, and shut it off. I was a morning person, but waking up early enough so I had time to get ready and take the train was too much even for me. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and the events of the night before came rushing back to me. The giddiness in my stomach woke me up. Did that really happen? Did I just fall in love with Evan Jeffrey? For someone like me, who’d never even been on a date, it was a lot to comprehend.
I heard Samantha in the kitchen making coffee. She had been in bed when I got in last night, so I didn’t get the chance to tell her about Evan. A part of me still didn’t want to tell her. I wanted to keep this beautiful thing to myself, if only for a little while.
As I raced around the apartment trying to get ready, I evaded her questions with vague answers. I told her that Evan and I just discussed an upcoming project. She nodded while she listened, but I could tell she wasn’t completely buying it.
We walked out of our apartment and headed towards the subway station. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black car pull up to the curb, but thought nothing of it. Samantha and I chattered as our heels clicked along the asphalt.
“Miss Carver,” a man’s voice called behind me.
I turned, confused. It was the man from last night, Evan’s driver.
“Who is that?” Samantha asked, clutching my arm.
“I’m Josh, ma’am,” the driver said. He walked around to the backseat, opened the door, and then gestured for me to get in.
“I guess I better go,” I told Samantha, awkwardly.
I started to walk away, but Samantha pulled me back.
“We’re talking tonight,” she whispered into my ear.
I slipped into the backseat, and Josh closed the door behind me. This is real, I thought, trying to convince myself. My fairytale had come true.
When we pulled up in front of JNC Industries, Jamie waited at the curb. I didn’t think she could possibly be waiting for me, so I stepped out of the car and made my way to the building.
“Miss Carver,” Jamie said, running after me. “Come with me.”
Jamie walked in front of me very business like with her back straight. She led me to a side door that I’d never noticed. We entered a reception area that looked more like a swanky hotel. It boasted large crystal chandeliers, luxurious leather furniture, and tables full of food. I stopped in front of a display of petit fours. Jamie stopped her tracks.
“Would you like one?” she asked. “Take one. They’re here for you.”
“Well, I haven’t had breakfast yet,” I said, scooping a few into my hand.
I savored the chocolatey treats as I followed Jamie into an elevator. Even this was luxurious. Red velvet draped over the walls, and soft music played.
“This is a whole other world,” I mused.
Jamie let out a controlled laugh. “That’s exactly right.” We got off on the fourth floor. “Right this way, please.”
I was still entranced with the petit fours, so I followed Jamie mindlessly as we navigated the halls. She stopped in front of a large office. I gasped at how beautiful it was. The walls were painted a light gray, and colorful, abstract art hung on the walls. The desk was made of glass and covered with vases of white roses. Every piece of decoration gave off a feminine vibe.
“This is beautiful,” I said. “Did you decorate this yourself?”
“No, this isn’t my office,” Jamie said, giving me a confused look. “This is yours.”
I stopped chewing and looked at the door. There was my name with the title “Executive Assistant” underneath it.
“But I’m just an intern,” I said.
“You got a promotion,” Jamie said with a shrug. She handed me the file she was carrying. “Now, we need your signature on these documents.”
I flipped through them, careful not to smear them with chocolate.
“What is this?” I asked, pointing at a number.
“That’s your yearly salary,” Jamie said.
My eyes widened as I took in the zeroes. “Are you sure?”
“Lucy, let me give you a piece of advice,” Jamie said. “When good fortune comes your way, don’t question it. God blesses those who deserve it.”
I stared at her numbly. Jamie told me to have a good day, then left me alone in the office. I heard her heels clicking down the hallway. I sat behind my desk, my desk, in my office. This was all so unbelievable. The computer was brand new, and I model I hadn’t seen before. I clicked it on and started playing around. It was so much faster than my laptop at home. There was a knock at the door.
“Do you like your office?” Evan asked. He walked inside and closed the door behind him.
>
“Yes, thank you very much,” I said, following Jamie’s advice. “And thank you for the car this morning. It was nice to have a break from the subway.”
“Josh will drive you every morning,” Evan said. He unbuttoned his jacket and sat down. “Get used to this.”
I pursed my lips. I knew Evan was a Godly man, handsome, and successful, the perfect catch. But there was still some things I had questions about.
“I don’t want any special treatment,” I said.
“You’re on the executive level now. You’ll be treated as such,” Evan said. He said this as if his was the final word, and the subject was closed. He stood, and walked around behind my desk. “There’s something I failed to do last night.” He offered me his hand. I took it and stood.
Evan stepped closer to me and wrapped his arm around my waist. I looked up at him through my lashes. The look in his eyes made my knees weak. I leaned against his body to keep from toppling over. Evan gazed at me tenderly, and stroked my cheek. He leaned in towards me. I closed my eyes, and his lips pressed against mine.
Excitement swelled inside of me as we kissed. White light seemed to swirl around us. Nothing existed but this moment, a first kiss that surely wouldn’t be our last. Evan parted his lips, and our tongues met. I savored the warm wetness of his mouth, closing my eyes and letting out a gentle moan. Evan tangled his hand in my hair and pressed me tighter against him. I kissed him fervently, and a tingling warmth developed in my lower belly.
I’d never been in a relationship before, and I’d never experienced this kind of attraction. My desire for him was so strong, I didn’t know if I could control myself. Long ago, I’d promised God I’d maintain my purity for marriage. I never knew how hard that could be until I met Evan.
I pulled away from him, but he kept his arms tight around me. “Evan, we’re at work,” I said, blushing.
He stroked the hair away from my eyes. “You’re right, and we have a busy morning ahead of us.” He stepped away from me, straightening his tie. “Our first meeting is in a few minutes. Look in that top drawer and you’ll find a brand new tablet. Use it to take notes.”
I opened the drawer, and sure enough, there was a current model tablet, still in the box. “What kind of notes do you want me to take?” I asked.
“Write down everything you here,” Evan said. “I mean, everything.”
Instead of being intimidated, I felt like I was up for the task. In college, I was a skilled note taker, and never missed a word that came out of the professor’s mouth. My reputation was well known, and classmates always asked to borrow my notes.
Evan straightened his hair, then took my hand and pulled me into an embrace. After he kissed my forehead, he turned towards the door. “Let’s go.”
My feet shuffled rapidly underneath me as I followed Evan to the conference room. He walked so fast, I was nearly running to keep up. On the plus side, I was starting to get used to wearing heels.
We met with three other men from a hedge fund company. Though I didn’t understand much of what they were saying, I took diligent notes. Evan impressed me in the meeting. They were trying to hammer out the details of a deal, and Evan negotiated with them competently. After they left, five more businessmen arrived for another meeting. My hands flew across the tablet screen, typing every word.
After that meeting, Josh whisk us across town for yet another meeting. This was how the morning went. Meeting after meeting on wildly different topics. I watched in awe as Evan calmly took control of every situation.
By lunchtime, I had several different files filled with meticulous notes. I was tired from rushing around, but Evan seemed cool as a cucumber.
“Sushi?” Evan asked me.
“That sounds good,” I said. “Where should we go?”
Evan laughed. “My office. Come on.”
The light from his office window was beautiful at this time of day. With the sun high in the sky, the view was crystal clear. From this height, I felt like I was on top of the city. I sat at the dining table next to the window, while Evan put in a call. He spoke a mixture of English and Japanese.
“Jiro is the best sushi chef in the city,” Evan said when he hung up the phone. “They’ll bring our lunch shortly. What would you like to drink?” He opened his small fridge, allowing me to see the contents.
“Sparkling water,” I said.
Evan grabbed two sparkling waters and sat down across from me.
“How are you finding the business world so far?” Evan asked.
“It’s very busy,” I answered. “You have a lot on your plate.”
“I like to be hands on,” Evan said. “I have a hard time trusting other people to do what I know I can do myself.”
I sipped the fizzy water, wishing I could escape his gaze.
“You have something on your mind,” Evan said. “What is it?”
I shook my head and mumbled, “Nothing.”
Evan grabbed my hand. “Lucy, I require you to be completely honest with me. Tell me what you’re thinking about.”
I exhaled softly, dropping my gaze to the table. “When we kissed earlier, I enjoyed it very much.” My face burned with embarrassment.
“I did too,” Evan said, stroking my palm with his fingertips.
“Except that, maybe I enjoyed it too much,” I said. “I made a vow, long ago, to save myself for marriage. It’s very important to me, and I hope you understand.”
“Understand? Of course I understand,” Evan said. “Your purity is as important to me as it is to you. I have no intention of touching you before we’re married.”
I smiled with relief. One of the reasons I’d avoided relationships was because I worried that most men would only be after one thing.
“Married?” I said, coyly. “You say that like it’s a given.”
“Isn’t it?” Evan said. “We both feel what’s between us, Lucy. We’re destined to be together.”
My face spread into a wide smile. This was the kind of love I’d always dreamed of; all consuming and totally right. But I still had a nagging doubt.
“And after we’re married,” I said, timidly. “You’ll be in charge, and I’ll have to obey you.”
“That’s right,” Evan said, gently. “In our modern times, Biblical principles get a bad rap. But you’ll soon see that living the life God designed for us is the only way to true peace.”
I saw the truth in his words. Evan was smart and strong, and I could rest easy putting my faith and trust in him. But I couldn’t deny my own strong spirit.
“I might not always agree with you,” I said.
“I don’t expect you to,” Evan said. “And we can discuss anything. But in the end, my word is the law.”
I took in a shallow breath. “And what happens to someone who breaks the law?”
Evan leaned in closer, making me look into his eyes. “Corporal punishment.”
I gasped. He couldn’t be serious. “Like what?”
“Spankings, corner time, humiliation,” Evan said, casually.
“Really?” I said, my modern femininity offended.
“Yes, really,” Evan said. “But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. I believe in domestic discipline, but I also believe in courtship and romance. The later is what I’d like to focus on now.”
I could hear my feminist friends from college urging me to run for the hills. Though I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the thought of a spanking, I couldn’t pull away from Evan. His charm was intoxicating. I loved every small mannerism, the way he tugged at the cuffs of his jacket, the small creases around his eyes that only materialized when he smiled, and the way he looked at me, like I was the only woman in the entire world.
The sushi was delivered, and Evan and I were quiet as we began to eat. Though I’d had sushi many times before, this was so incredibly delicious I felt like I was having it for the first time. I realized that Evan could show me so much of the world. I could be happy following his lead.
“It’s
Friday,” Evan said, picking up a piece of tuna with his chopsticks. “Won’t you fly away with me this weekend?”
“Of course I will,” I said.
*
“I didn’t know there was an airport out here,” I said as we left the city behind in the black town car.
“It’s a private airport,” Evan said. He was dressed casually in dark jeans and a gray V-neck T-shirt. His hair wasn’t perfectly put into place like he wore it in the office. It was soft and slightly tousled. No matter what this man wore, he was devastatingly handsome.
We drove out into what looked like a large field. In the middle was a single plane.
“Who’s private airport?” I asked as we walked up the runway. Evan gave me a coy smile.
When we entered the plane, I realized once again how different Evan’s world was from the one I’d known. The plane wasn’t very large, but there were a few large, leather seats. I sat down and stretched my legs out in front of me. As we settled in, a stewardess came in and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Since it was early in the morning, I ordered coffee.
“You should try the cappuccino,” Evan said. “Katherine is a master with the espresso machine.”
“Okay, I’ll try that,” I said. I hadn’t dreamed that they had an espresso machine on board.
I looked out of the window as the plane took off. The city became smaller and smaller until it looked like nothing more than a map. I thought about all of the people down there, going about their daily lives. Why was I lucky enough to experience something so extraordinary?
After a very comfortable flight, we landed in Montreal in another private airport. A car was already there waiting for us, and it whisked us into the city. We pulled up in front of a very swanky hotel. The driver took care of our bags while Evan and I checked in.
I couldn’t believe the size of the room. It was larger than my entire apartment. Evan laughed as he watched me twirl around with my arms spread out wide. I did a belly flop on the king size bed, and was immediately enveloped in fluffy softness.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to leave this bed,” I said, stretching my arms above my head.
“Let me help you,” Evan said. He crawled onto the bed, took my wrists, and pulled me up. “Come on. I want to show you off.”
Sweet Submission: Jenny and Max Complete Series Plus Bonus Short Story Page 10