“Janet-” Ethan said. His voice was strained and he felt a pang of guilt. He wanted to reach out to her, to tell her that he didn’t care about her money or status and he didn’t have a choice.
“We’re supposed to be studying Ethan. I don’t want to talk to you.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened but he didn’t respond as Janet pulled out her books. She flipped through pages idly. Professor Papkin was chatting with the librarian. Once he had procured his book, he waved them goodbye and exited the library.
“And that’s my cue,” Janet said. She shut her book, grabbed her bag and exited the library too.
Ethan sighed.
That night, Janet had a surprise visitor. George came into her apartment to invite her to his brothers’ engagement which was to take place the next morning. Janet accepted the invitation with no intentions of going. She had nothing to wear and there was no time to buy anything. She could have gone to buy a dress but anything up to the level of the other attendees would cost her a fortune and she wasn’t willing to spend that much on a stupid dress.
As if reading her thoughts, George asked her if she had anything to wear. When she responded in the negative, he dragged her to the mall.
“You don’t have to worry about the cost,” he told her.
“I’m not letting you pay for me, George.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Well, I can’t afford these dresses.”
“Relax, babe,” George rolled his eyes. “This mall is owned by my sister. So it’s free for you.”
“Your sister owns The Dolphin Mall?”
“Yes.”
Janet wasn’t even surprised. These rich kids owned everything in this town.
When they had picked the perfect dress for her (a maroon poof dress), the sales woman paired it with a beautiful pair of heels. All the workers at the mall seemed to know George, Janet noted.
And so, the next day, she donned the dress reluctantly. Kan had taken her to his house so the Kale’s personal stylist could help her get dressed. She arrived at the engagement with Kan in some big car whose name she didn’t know; Janet was never much into cars. She was forced to meet Ethan since he was standing at the doorstep. Ethan didn’t fail to notice that she was arm in arm with Kan. He knew it didn’t mean anything. They were just very good friends. But it reminded him of all the time she had held him like that. He tried not to watch as she danced and laughed with Kan and George. They didn’t have to hide their friendship with her because they weren’t in love with her.
Ethan stopped his thoughts there and backtracked. This was the first time he had admitted, even to himself, that he was, in fact, in love with Janet Price. He didn’t know how or when it had happened but it did.
Janet felt hot from all the dancing; George and Kan were tireless. She stepped outside onto the balcony which was donned with lights and beautiful decorations. When she stepped outside, she noticed that she wasn’t alone. A figure (which she recognized as Ethan from the back) stood at the railing, staring off into the air. He held a cigarette in his hand and was smoking at distant intervals.
She didn’t know if he didn’t hear her come up behind him or if he chose to ignore her, but he didn’t turn around. Janet stood beside him, staring into the night sky as well. The view was beautiful.
Ethan glanced at her in acknowledgement but didn’t say anything.
“I didn’t know you smoke,” Janet commented. It was an important fact that any girlfriend should have known. But wait, Janet was never his girlfriend.
Ethan shrugged. “I quit for a bit.”
“Why?”
Ethan turned to look at her. “Because I wanted to be good enough for you.”
Janet was taken aback by the response.
“You could have been good enough for me in other ways, Ethan,” she said softly.
“I know,” Ethan replied.
They stared ahead for a while before Ethan spoke up again.
“I miss you, Janet.”
Janet didn’t respond.
“And I’m sorry about all the hurt I caused you.”
Janet nodded. They both faced each other now. She reached up to touch his cheek. He caught her hand and kissed her palm. She still felt tingles run down her arms at his touch. Will he ever stop making her feel this way?
Janet pulled her arm away gently. “I’ll be seeing you.” And then she was gone, leaving Ethan alone on the balcony. He longed to kiss her more, to kiss every inch of her body. But he had lost that privilege.
The last interaction they had was the defining point for their relationship. There was a lot to learn from this interaction about loyalty, love and strong will.
It began when Jih lost his temper over Ethan’s infuriating attitude.
Chapter 15 – The Last Interaction
“Snap out of it already, Ethan. You honestly expect us to believe you’re in love with such an ordinary girl? You’re only pursuing this because it’s the best way to get back at your parents for what they did to your previous relationship.”
Jih and Ethan were in the middle of a heated argument again, this time in a street in front of the pub. George and Kan watched on but did not intervene.
“A few months ago, the two of us would be laughing over the thought of one of us being in love with such a plain girl. Where’s your sense of humor gone? You’ve been wallowing over her for ages now.”
“Shut up, Jih,” Ethan said, his voice deadly. “Janet isn’t ordinary. And one of us is in love with her.”
“Oh, yes she is. And you know it wouldn’t last with her. Instead of taking your anger out at us all the time, please go get laid and get the hell over it. I’m done with you and that pathetic girl till you stop this act.”
“Pathetic?” Ethan’s voice was even more deadly this time. “If you ever talk about her like that again, I’ll destroy you.”
Jih knew Ethan was capable of the threat and more.
With a last contemptuous look, Jih turned away just as Ethan lunged at him. George and Kan watched with amusement as the two of the wrestled. Ethan managed to get in three heavy blows before Jih threw him back.
“Really, Ethan? Is she really worth all this?” Jih asked, his voice rough. Ethan stared at him, his expression so intense that Jih seemed to draw back slightly.
Janet, who was on her way back from work, heard the commotion. When she heard Ethan’s name, she was drawn to the voices. She observed the scene as the two brawled violently again.
Janet turned to George and Kan. “What are you two idiots doing just standing there? Why aren’t you stopping them?” She was enraged. Janet threw herself between Ethan and Jih, pushing them away from each other. It wasn’t much work since Jih, who had been on the losing side of the battle, already lay in a hump on the floor. Ethan turned to look at her, confused at her sudden appearance. His face was bloody but nothing compared to what Jih looked like. Janet cradled his face in her hands.
“Look at your face!” she cried. “Just look at the state of you!”
“And why should you care what state I’m in?” Ethan shot back.
“I don’t particularly enjoy people injured because of their own stupidity. I’m sure your fight with Jih could have been solved without violence.”
Ethan didn’t respond.
“Are you even capable of thinking ahead of your actions?”
She held his face tighter. “Fix this. Fix him and yourself. You can’t get away with everything you do, Ethan. I hate seeing you like this.”
She pressed a kiss to his forehead, the only part of his face that wasn’t bloody. With a last exasperated look at him, and the two onlookers, she left.
Chapter 16 – Making Amends
Janet shifted in her bed, unable to find a comfortable spot, ready to cry from frustration and exhaustion. She wanted to fall into a deep sleep but her body wouldn’t let her.
A gentle knock sounded on her door. She sat up warily, wondering who would be knocking at her door at 1 am. C
autiously, she peered out of the peeping hole to find Ethan standing there. She threw open the door. Ethan looked a lot better since the fight that evening. His face wasn’t bloody anymore except for a few wounds here and there. There was a bandage on his cheek.
“Polite gentle knock?” she asked him. “Jih must have hit you harder than it seemed.”
It was then that she realized she was standing in front of Ethan wearing an oversized T shirt and nothing else. Her hair was in disarray and she must look terrible. He didn’t seem to care as he stared at her with his deep, penetrating eyes.
Suddenly, she threw herself at him, holding him in a tight embrace. He was surprised but hugged her back, stroking her hair.
“You’re such an idiot,” she sobbed against his neck.
“I’m alright, Janet,” he said soothingly.
“You’re still an idiot.”
They stood like that for a few minutes before Janet pulled away to look at him. He still held her as she ran a hand down his injuries.
“Feel better?” she asked.
“Much,” he replied.
His closeness was impairing her judgment like it usually did. “Perfect,” she found herself whispering. “That means you should kiss me now.”
He hesitated, as if hovering on the edge of a precipice before leaning in and capturing her lips with his. She pulled him closer as he moved his attention to her neck. She sighed in delight as he continued up her jaw.
“You’re shivering,” he murmured.
“It’s draughty outside,” she replied reasonably.
“Invite me inside then,” he said lazily.
Without waiting for an answer, he picked her up and kicked the door shut with his foot. He carried her to her bed and dropped her there. Janet hastily pulled her shirt down as she scrambled into a sitting position. She scowled at him but then invited him to sit with her. He kicked off his shoes and slid in beside her, pulling her close as they lay back against the pillow. The quilt covered them both.
“Why did you hit Jih?” she asked quietly.
“He talked about you in a way I didn’t like.”
Janet turned to him in surprise. “I don’t want you beating people up on my behalf.”
“It wasn’t for you. It made me angry.”
They were silent.
“Where do we go from here?” Janet asked. “You’re still a rich, spoiled brat and I’m still only just a serving girl.”
“I thought maybe we could try a date,” he replied. “A real one. Just you and I, doing something normal young adults enjoy doing. A nice, uncomplicated evening.”
“Ethan, if you think that’s even slightly possible, I’m willing to try.”
He leaned forward and kissed her softly, resting his forehead against hers. Janet’s body was tingling all over from his nearness, the tension almost crackling between them. His fingers were trailing gently up and down her arms, creating a tension between the two of them as they looked into each other’s eyes. She was afraid to move, not wanting to break the spell.
But then he sighed, before sitting up.
“I should go.”
She sat up too, frowning.
“Don’t let me keep you from whatever is so important.”
Ethan laughed. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to hold back with you lying half-dressed next to me. And I want to take it slow this time. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Janet nodded reluctantly.
She walked to the door with him.
“I’ll see you at university and then we can arrange that date,” he said. He leaned down to place one last kiss on her lips before he departed.
The Art of Love
Veronica Cross
The Art of Love
Copyright 2016 by Veronica Cross
First electronic publication: July 2016
All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Warning: Due to mature subject matter, such as explicit sexual situations and coarse language, this story is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older, and all acts of a sexual nature are consensual.
The Art of Love
Chapter 1
It was a beautiful morning in Cobble Hill. Through his office window, Clifford could see sea gulls swooping low over the surface of the East River, snatching slow-moving fish swimming too near to the surface, for their breakfast. He watched them for a long moment, carefully ignoring everything that his assistant Madison was saying.
His coffee was hot and sweet, exactly how he liked it. He was drinking it from a bowl he’d commissioned from Shiho Kanzaki. Like all of Shiho’s work, it was perfectly balanced and exquisitely functional. She’d glazed it in earthen tones that evoked the low rolling hills that surrounded her hometown, Koka City.
Clifford smiled. When Shiho had let him know his bowl was done, he’d immediately ordered his pilot to fly him to her studio. His private helicopter had created quite a stir. While air traffic over the Shiga prefecture was not uncommon, having a craft touch down in the town square was.
“I don’t see why you’re laughing,” Madison snapped. “Thirty-two million dollars is a lot of money. You’ve made a laughing stock of yourself.”
“I would have been a bigger laughing stock if I let an undiscovered Magritte go,” Clifford replied. “And I wasn’t the only one interested. Ross had people making inquiries.”
“That’s not what I’ve heard. They’re saying they knew it was a fake the minute they laid eyes on it.” Madison pressed her fingertips against the side of her temple, perfectly manicured nails just brushing against the edge of her tightly curled hair. Her brown eyes flashed. “Apparently it’s not funny enough to be a real Magritte.”
Clifford chuckled again. “Wilbur Ross wouldn’t know a joke if it walked up to him and gave him a big juicy kiss.”
“And yet he’s not the one with a bogus painting.” Madison shook her head. “You are.”
“It’s not a bad little painting.” Clifford turned to regard the artwork in question, which was currently leaning against his office wall. A stylized woman with cube-like arms and a blocky torso played a violin. “It reminds me of Georgette at the Piano.”
“It’s meant to remind you of Georgette at the Piano.” Madison lit a cigarette, taking several quick puffs. “That’s rather the point. If it didn’t look like a Magritte, you never would have given it a second glance.”
“I don’t know about that.” Clifford tilted his head, looking at the painting with renewed interest. “It’s quite well-done.” He shifted his gaze to Madison. “Anyway, I thought you told me that you gave up smoking.”
“I started again.” It was Madison’s turn to stare out the penthouse window.
“Obviously,” Clifford said. “I wish you wouldn’t. It’s a filthy habit. And it’s not very good for your health.”
“Do you know what’s not good for my health, Clifford?” Madison asked. “Getting calls from Bloomberg reporters before the sun even comes up, about a painting I didn’t even know you were considering…”
“For goodness sakes, Madison. I was in Antwerp. Why in the world would I be there if it wasn’t for the collection?”
Madison rolled her eyes. “People do buy diamonds.”
“And who am I going to buy diamonds for?” Clifford shook his head. “You want to talk about a waste of money. The sums people put down for shiny rocks – it’s a racket, p
ure and simple. But if I’d come back with some ridiculous stone, you wouldn’t be complaining.”
“Sure I would,” Madison snapped back. “If it turned out that stone was fake.” Her expression softened, slightly. “It’s not a bad painting, boss. I’ll give you that. But it’s not a Magritte, and it’s definitely not worth thirty-two million.”
“I trusted Hans.” Clifford shrugged. “I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Hans?” Madison cocked her head. “I thought you bought this through Jan Mot.”
Clifford shook his head. “He’s never around anymore. He’s putting all of his attention into opening a gallery in Mexico City. What he thinks he’ll find there, I don’t know.” He finished his coffee and sat the empty bowl carefully on his desk. “Hans used to work with Jan; I remember him assisting us on some previous buys.”
“Which buys?” Madison asked. “Because, forgive me, but I’d really like to have a second opinion on those pieces as well.”
“I’m sure they’re fine,” Clifford snapped. “I’m not going to have you upending everything and causing chaos just because I made one bad buy.” He glanced at Madison’s expression and proceeded more diplomatically. “Anyway, they’ve all been vetted and insured for years now. I’m sure they’re fine.”
“So this Hans is working independently?”
“That’s my understanding.”
“And the odds of us recovering any money from him…”
“He’s willing to work with us, with the police, in making this right. He passed most of the money along, of course, in the course of the deal.” Clifford shook his head. “He’s just as much a victim in this as I am.”
“So he’s returned his commission?” Madison asked.
Clifford nodded. “Every penny.”
“Well, that’s something.” Madison worked some numbers in her head. “That means you’ve only lost twenty-two million or so.”
“Let’s not say lost,” Clifford replied. “Let’s say temporarily separated from.”
Madison rolled her eyes. “You can say what you want, but it’s not going to change the fact that you can’t keep doing this. As your advisor, I’ve got to insist that you take real, meaningful steps to protect yourself going forward.”
Romance: Pummel Me: A Boxing Romance Page 38