by Joy Fulcher
“Oh, me too. My parents took me to Europe as a kid, but I’d like to see it again as an adult,” he explained.
“I just want to see absolutely everything. Go everywhere and see every single thing the world has to offer. I want to walk along the Great Wall of China and swim the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I want to crawl through the Vietcong tunnels and see the pyramids,” she said.
“That’s a pretty extensive list,” Drew commented, looking impressed. “The one place in Europe I want to see again is Italy.”
Drew slid across the blanket so he was sitting right next to her. He reached up, moving her hair over her shoulder so that the side of her neck was bare to him.
“Bella Ariel, prometto di fare il vostro sogno si avvera,” he whispered into her ear, causing shivers to run down her spine.
“Wh-What does that mean?” she asked, her voice huskier than she intended.
Drew leaned back, smiled, and shrugged before grabbing a shiny red apple out of the basket and taking a bite. She knew he wasn’t going to tell her what he’d said, and in a way, that made it more romantic. It was almost as if knowing the words took some of their power away.
“What are your dreams?” she asked, trying to take the focus off of herself.
Drew took another bite of his apple and pondered the question. After swallowing, he shrugged again. “I don’t really have any,” he said.
“You don’t have any dreams? There’s nothing you want for your life?” she asked, shocked.
“Well sure, I want things. I want a nice house, comfortable finances—but those are just material things. I don’t really have a goal or a purpose,” he explained.
They sat in silence for a minute while Jade thought about what he’d said. “You know, I think there are a lot of people like that out there. People confuse things that they want with life goals.”
“All I know is that I want a dream. I want something to want. I just don’t have it yet,” he said seriously.
“Well, that’s a start,” she replied, and stretched her hand out to hold his.
He smiled back at her and squeezed her hand. Jade couldn’t help the way her heart swelled at the thought of spending the next year of her life with this man.
Chapter Seven
Getting Hers
JADE TOSSED AND TURNED, flinging the sheets off her body.
“Go to sleep, damn it!” she mumbled to herself.
Inside, she felt restless, uneasy. No matter how many lullabies she sang in her mind, or how many sheep she pictured jumping behind her closed eyes, her body wouldn’t relax. She felt like she needed a good, hard fuck.
It had been over a month since her last hook-up, and that hadn’t even been very satisfying. She’d been placating herself with Mr. Right, the name she’d given her vibrating friend, but the thought of pulling him out and then having to clean him afterward was all too much. What she needed was a man!
Briefly, her mind turned to Drew. His blue eyes swam into her thoughts. Ideally he would be her choice, but she just couldn’t bring herself to muddy that water. She had to keep her head on tight around him now. Imagine how hard that would be after they slept together. No, she had to find someone else.
Jade had never been a friends-with-benefits kind of girl. She’d had one-night stands when she was drunk, but never a repeat with the same guy. And she hadn’t had a proper boyfriend since she’d moved away from home. Suddenly the idea of having someone, not a romantic someone, who she could call up for sex when it suited her, was very enticing. No strings, just orgasms. What a concept!
She wondered if one of the guys at work would be up for it. She knew they would be. Dancers tended to have higher libidos than other people, in Jade’s experience. She thought it was from the connection they had with moving their body to a rhythm. Whatever it was, it translated into great sex.
Rick, one of the live stage performers, flirted with her constantly, and she knew he was single. Nerves built inside her, as well as something else, something good. Excitement. She promised herself that she’d talk to him about it at work the next day.
But, in the meantime, she’d make do with Mr. Right.
“Hey, princess,” Rick said, handing her a cup of coffee.
“Rick…” She tried to give him what she hoped was a sexy smile. The nerves from the night before returned, and coffee slopped over the side of the cup as her hand shook.
“Oh, watch out! Man overboard,” Rick said, chuckling and taking the cup from her.
“Sorry. Did I get it on you?”
“Just my shoe. No harm done. You okay?”
“Yeah, thanks.” She took the cup back from him, making sure to stroke his hand.
His eyebrow arose just a touch, and she smiled at him, glad that he’d picked up on the energy she was putting out.
“So,” he said, his cheeks going red. “What are you up to tonight?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep. What are you doing tonight?” She tried to keep her tone playful. All she kept thinking was I might be having sex tonight! The idea sent a thrill through her whole body.
“Taking you out.”
She wanted to groan at the corny line but held it in.
“Yeah, that could work…Oh, damn it! I’m sorry. I just remembered I have plans for dinner. But maybe afterward?” She’d completely forgotten she’d agreed to have dinner with Drew.
“Afterward?” His voice cracked as he picked up her meaning. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.”
“Here’s my number. Give me a call at about ten. I should be home by then.”
She scribbled her number on his hand and then walked away. She couldn’t believe she’d just done it. A mixture of excitement and terror washed over her as she fled the staff room and went to get into her costume.
“Come on, Gertrude! Don’t do this to me,” Jade begged as she turned the key in her car’s ignition. The engine sputtered and died.
“Shit.” She kicked the door closed and ran the three blocks to the metro station. The train would take twice as long, so she texted Drew to let him know she’d be late.
She calculated her budget as the train took her to Hollywood. If she skimped on groceries and canceled her cable, she should be able to afford to get her car fixed.
“You look beautiful,” Drew said when she walked up to him.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek, resting a hand on her hip, which he didn’t remove after he pulled back. The smile on his face was radiant.
“Thanks.” She’d taken a little extra care with her looks tonight, in case she had to go straight from dinner to meet Rick. Thankfully, the train ride hadn’t wreaked havoc on her hair.
“So, I was thinking for dinner we could take a trek out to Long Beach and do the ghost-tour on the Queen Mary. What do you think?” He gave her an expectant look.
“Umm, actually, I was hoping we could have a quiet one. I wouldn’t mind an early night.”
His eyebrows shot up, and she chewed her lip. It was obviously not the answer he’d been expecting.
“What…Do you have plans later?” He chuckled.
Jade sucked in a breath. Here was her chance to just tell him the truth. They’d both agreed they could see other people on the side, so she wasn’t doing anything wrong. But the way he looked at her, with affection and expectation, made her only want to be with him. All thoughts of Rick flew from her mind.
“No, nothing like that,” she lied. “I’m just tired. It was a long day at work.”
He smiled. “I really should come see you in action. When are you working next?”
“Tomorrow.”
He grinned. “I’ll be there.”
Drew agreed to a quick dinner in Hollywood, and then he walked her to the train station at Hollywood and Highland.
“Aren’t you worried people will notice you?” she asked as they walked over the stars in the pavement.
Tourists swarmed around, taking photos of the people in cost
umes and of the names on the ground. It seemed like a risk to come to such a public place. Every single person around them was camera-ready and dying to see a celebrity.
“Nah, people don’t expect to see me walking down the street. Especially in such an obvious place. They’re all distracted by the glitz anyway.” Despite his calm words, he pulled a baseball cap from his back pocket and fitted it to his head, giving a quick scan around them.
He walked her down to the platform and pulled her to him. His hands rested loosely around her hips, and he cocked his head to the side as he looked down at her.
“I’m really enjoying the time we spend together, Ariel. I didn’t expect that. I’d thought it would be work…a chore to spend time with you. But I find myself feeling sad to say good night.”
“Me too,” Jade said, meaning the words. “I didn’t expect that either.”
They looked at each other for so long that Jade was sure he was going to kiss her, and something about the look in his eyes made her think it wouldn’t be a fake kiss.
“So…tomorrow,” he said finally.
“Tomorrow?”
“I’m coming to see you work.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. Really, I’ll just be posing for photos all day.”
“That’s something I can relate to.” He squeezed her and gave a playful smile.
She giggled. “That’s true. But really, it won’t be any fun for you.”
“Are you kidding? It’s Disneyland! How could I not have fun there? Look, I know you’ll be working, and I don’t expect you to slack off for me. I haven’t been to the Magic Kingdom for years. I’ll go on the rides, relive my childhood, and watch you from afar if that’s all that’s possible. I’d just like to see you in action.”
Jade smirked. “Okay. The park opens at ten, and other than parade time, I’ll be around Cinderella’s Castle most of the day.”
“Great. See you then.”
Drew kissed her. It wasn’t the intense, emotional kiss she’d expected earlier, but it was warm and tender nonetheless.
On the train home, she thought about the change she’d seen in Drew during dinner. He’d been sweet and familiar, as if they really were dating. A trust had grown between them without her even realizing it. She felt comfortable with him. She could trust him.
Her phone beeped, startling her and waking the elderly man who was drooling on a very colorful sweater.
“Sorry,” she said as she rummaged through her bag for her phone.
The man shot her a grumpy look and then closed his eyes again, his mouth hanging open.
There was a text from Rick on her phone.
Are we still on for tonight?
Jade chewed her lip. Were they still on? Had anything happened with Drew to make her think she couldn’t see Rick? No. Sure, he’d been sweet, but it was more like a friendship. There was nothing about their interactions that was more than that. Except the fact they were technically dating.
She quickly typed a reply that she was almost home, gave him her address, and said to come by in about an hour. She held her breath until he replied with an Okay!
Twenty minutes later she ran upstairs, let herself inside, and became a cleaning tornado. With clean sheets on her bed, the toilet scrubbed, and scented candles burning, she felt better. Then it was a waiting game. She almost texted him three times to cancel. One time she typed out the whole message and then erased it. She wasn’t committed to Drew. Hell, he was probably with another girl at that moment.
She paced the living room, convincing herself that she could do this. She’d had one-night stands before. What was the big deal anyway? Rick was a nice guy.
She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, convincing herself that she should just go to bed. Was she that desperate for sex that she’d just sleep with a guy from work? Was she that weak? Was a vibrator not good enough for her? Did she want to be that girl?
She rearranged the pillows on the bed, fluffing them and building a pyramid. She was a strong, confident woman. There was nothing wrong with having sexual needs and taking action to satisfy them.
She opened and closed random cupboards in the kitchen, looking for something to offer Rick so it seemed less like a booty call. Surely if they had coffee and some cookies, it was kind of like a date.
Her breathing quickened when she saw the time on the wall clock. He was late. A mixture of annoyance and relief surged inside her. She watched the seconds tick by, and when he was fifteen minutes late, she resigned herself to the fact he wasn’t coming.
She switched off the kitchen light and decided she’d have a bath and then use her vibrator. It was better than nothing. A soft knock on the door startled her.
“Shit,” she said under her breath.
As disappointed as she’d been when Rick hadn’t come, it had been a comfort too. Now she couldn’t back out. She opened the door, and Rick smiled.
“Hey, sorry I’m late. I don’t know this neighborhood, and it took me longer than I thought to find your place.”
“Oh, no problem. Come in.”
He stepped inside and gave a quick look around. His eyes fell on her, and he didn’t even try to hide the lust in the stare. He knew exactly what she’d invited him over for. Shit again. She suddenly felt like a slut.
Her mind raced as his eyes drank in her curves. It was one thing to go home with a groomsman at a wedding after she’d drunk two bottles of champagne. It was a complete other thing to just invite a guy over for sex. Her palms felt sweaty. Since when did her palms sweat?
“Your place is nice.”
She knew it was a lie. Her place was a crap-hole. But she didn’t call him on it.
“Thanks. Would you like something to drink?” She went to turn back to the kitchen, but his arms threaded around her waist, and he held her in place.
“I’d rather just get to know you better,” he said, his warm breath flowing over her throat as he leaned in to kiss her.
“Anything in particular you’d like to know?”
He chuckled and kissed her neck, his hands sliding down to cup her ass. “I’d like to know what you look like without this shirt.”
Right. So, he was getting straight down to business then. It was time for her to woman up. What was her final decision going to be? She could kick him out and apologize for his wasted trip, or she could go with it. He’d only be there an hour, and what was an hour of her life if he made her toes curl?
With his lips on her skin, it was hard to say no…but she did.
“Look, Rick…” She pushed on his chest, wiggling out of his grasp.
He gave her a confused look.
“I’m really sorry.”
“I don’t understand.” He cocked his head to the side and stared right at her as if he was trying to read her mind. “I thought this was what you invited me over for?”
“It was. I mean, I thought I wanted this.”
His eyes darkened, and he stepped toward her, closing the distance she’d made when she broke their embrace. “Just give it a chance. It’s normal to be nervous the first time with a new person.”
Jade closed her eyes, her head swimming with hormones and the smell of Rick’s cologne. A war raged inside her. Her head told her to be logical. She barely knew this man. Her lady parts were begging her to rip his clothes off and do the horizontal tango. But it wasn’t her head or her ovaries she wanted to listen to. She listened hard to the beating of her heart.
Each thud sounded like Drew’s name. An-drew. An-drew. An-drew. She sighed. “I’m sorry, Rick. You haven’t done anything wrong. I’m sure you’re a really nice guy. I’m just kind of involved with someone else. I’m really sorry to screw you around.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t mind being a revenge fuck. Did he cheat on you? You wanna get back at him? I can help.”
He reached his arms out to her again, but she took a definite step back. Rick got the message and moved toward the door.
“Looks like my wor
k here is done,” he said, smiling, trying to sound like a superhero that’d just saved the day.
She smiled, grateful he wasn’t being difficult.
“Sorry,” she said again.
When he’d left, she felt the tightness in her chest relax. She grabbed her vibrator and headed for the bathroom.
“I love you, Ariel. When I grow up, I want to be a mermaid just like you.”
Jade smiled down at the little red-haired girl. She had a smattering of freckles over her cheeks and bright blue eyes. She kind of reminded Jade of herself when she was younger.
“The ocean would be lucky to have you,” Jade said.
The flash went off, and she smiled for what felt like her thousandth photo of the day. The girl ran back to her mother, and the next child stepped up.
“Look at you!” Jade gushed.
The girl had obviously had a princess makeover at the gift shop. She wore a Snow White outfit, complete with wig. The girl curtseyed. Jade mirrored the gesture. They took their photo and then another because the girl had blinked the first time.
Jade stretched her back, hoping it looked like she was just standing taller. She wouldn’t want anyone to think she wasn’t enjoying the job. She loved her work. But standing for hours on end did leave her achy. She could use a break.
“Hello, Ariel.”
Jade glanced up. She knew that voice. Drew smirked at her.
“Are you having a photo, sir?” Kristy, her photographer, asked.
“Yes, please,” Drew said, walking up to Jade and giving her a wink.
“Hello, sir,” she said, bowing slightly. It wasn’t often she had photos with grown men, and when she did, they were usually leering and trying to peek down her dress.
“Can we do a special photo?” Drew asked the photographer.
Kristy looked to Jade for confirmation, and she nodded.
“All right, but we have to keep the line moving,” she said, balancing the large camera on her other hand. Kristy needed a break too.
Without warning, Drew dropped to his knee and looked up at her, holding onto her hand. He obviously thought it was funny to do a fake proposal. Several women in the line whispered to each other, and Jade was pretty sure he’d been made.