Playing Me

by Jenny Lynn

“Package came for you!” Nancy shouted at me from her room.

  I walked over to it, opening the top, and peered inside. Past the wrapping paper there was a black dress inside, a pair of ankle boots and a little box with a pair of gold chandelier earrings with amethyst stones adorning them. I guess this was my outfit for tonight.

  I carried everything over to my bedroom and lay them on the bed as I started the process of getting ready. Knowing a bunch of cameras would be focused on me at Archer’s side made me really scrutinize my appearance more than I ever had. I plucked stray hairs from my eyebrows, I hopped in the shower to shave, I smoothed then curled the ends of my hair. I spent an hour on my makeup to give myself the appearance of flawless skin. I made my eyes pop with liner, added blush so when the onslaught of attention made me pale my face would still retain a bit of color. It was exhausting.

  Finally, it was time to get dressed. The car was going to be here to pick me up anytime now. I stood in my bra and underwear to slip on the dress, then gasped when I realized it was backless as well as scooped at the neck. I couldn’t wear a bra with this. Shit. This was so outside my comfort zone, but what choice did I have? I gazed over my shoulder at my closet where all of my slacks and long sleeve shirts were hung up, wishing I could disappear in one of them. That wasn’t happening tonight.

  I unclipped my bra, letting it drop to the floor, then stepped into the black form-fitting dress. Conscious of my exposed skin I stepped into my boots then put in the earrings. Throwing a few things into my black clutch, I looked at my reflection. There was a stranger staring back at me, dressed in a fashionable and sexy outfit, ready for a night on the town. The PR team knew what they were doing, the question was - did I?

  I pulled in a shaky breath then left my room, heading for the kitchen to pour myself a quick glass of white wine. I needed the liquid courage. I passed by Nancy in the living room.

  “Holy shit!! Corinne! You look like a total bombshell!”

  I grabbed the bottle, pulled the cork out with my teeth and poured acknowledging her comment with a grunt. The wine hit my lips then flowed cool over my tongue, down my throat, gulp after gulp. After I drained the glass I refilled it.

  Nancy was at my side, laughing. “Feeling a bit nervous, are we?”

  “What gave it away?” I asked sarcastically before chugging the second glass. Already it was hitting my bloodstream, making me feel light and warm.

  “Slow down,” she said as she grabbed the bottle. “You don’t want to get drunk.”

  “Nancy, I’m so scared,” I admitted.

  She stood in front of me, placing the bottle on the counter then resting her hands on my shoulders. “Corinne, you can do this.”

  My eyes started to water. I wanted to tell her everything, that I was living a lie right now in order to have a shot at my dream. That I was being thrown in front of paparazzi with no idea how to handle it. She pulled me into a hug and ran a hand reassuringly over my exposed back. The touch felt nice and I leaned into her, one of the few people I knew in this world who loved and accepted me.

  “Whatever happens with Archer,” Nancy whispered in my ear, “you are special. You are unique. You are just starting this amazing journey, and you deserve it. Hold your head high and above all just be yourself and everyone will love you like I do.”

  I squeezed her, and Nancy squeezed me back. My phone started to ring and I jolted, answering it.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, this is your driver. We’re waiting outside.”

  “I’ll be right out.”

  I hung up and Nancy wiped the stray tear that had fallen from my cheek. I smiled, warmed by her genuine affection, then straightened my posture.

  “Have fun tonight. Tell me all about it later.”

  “I will,” I promised her as I gathered my things and headed for the door. The two glasses of wine had me feeling a lot more confident than I had moments before. I walked down the steps and noticed a sleek black car idling by the curb. I walked up and the driver made eye contact with me through the open front window.

  “Corinne?” he asked. I nodded then popped open the door and slid inside, sinking into the smooth leather interior, when I noticed the other passenger and yelped.

  “Hey Corinne,” Archer grinned at me.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, is there someone else you’re supposed to be fake-dating tonight? Maybe we got our schedules mixed up.”

  I rolled my eyes as I closed the door. We pulled away from the curb and into traffic. “I meant I thought we’d pick you up on the way, I didn’t expect you to come all the way to Brooklyn.”

  “I wanted to see the expression on your face when I rolled up, and it was worth it.”

  “So, what’s the plan tonight?”

  “There is this karaoke party at a popular bar called The Hideout. The PR team tipped off the paparazzi we’d be making an appearance there, so, there should be some buzz about us showing up.

  “Karaoke party. Two musicians. I get it.”

  Archer shrugged. “Hey, they’re not trying to reinvent the wheel just get coverage. So think about a song you want to sing. For you, I would recommend maybe ‘Like a Virgin’?”

  I glared at him. “I’m not a virgin Archer.”

  “But you have that whole innocent good girl thing going on, you could make that song work. Although…” he stopped and looked me over closely, causing me to squirm in my seat. “That dress. Wow. Maybe not a song about being a virgin then.”

  Archer’s phone rang and he checked the display. “Sorry, got to get this.” I nodded and he answered. “Hey Billy.”

  I stared out the window as we drove, thinking about what he said and what song I could sing, trying to give him some privacy with his phone conversation. He laughed and teased, whoever named Billy was on the other end of the line was someone close to him. Minutes ticked past and I thought about everything that got me to this moment, to this place, in a chauffeured car to a club in Manhattan with a celebrity. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  “We’re almost there,” Archer told me. I looked over at him, staring at me, and wondered how long he had been off the phone. I didn’t notice his call ended, I had been too wrapped up in my private thoughts.

  “Okay. I’m ready.” He continued to stare at me with a strange look on his face, and it started to make me uncomfortable. “What is it?” I asked finally.

  “Scott wants us to kiss tonight in front of the paparazzi,” he said bluntly. I stiffened, then tried to relax. I had to expect something like this sooner or later.

  “Okay,” I said. “I mean, that’ll be fine.”

  We slowed to a stop at the curb and Archer reached out, closing his hand over mine and stopping me from opening the handle. “One second,” he leaned forward and told the driver. I looked at him, confused.

  “Don’t you want to go in?” I asked.

  “In a second. Corinne, how do you feel about having to kiss me tonight?”

  I swallowed hard, my emotions swirling inside me. Leaning closer to me, Archer smelled amazing. Clean and masculine, his biceps poking out of his grey t-shirt. His pale eyes searched mine with an intensity I had never known before. He was unnaturally handsome and as calm as I was trying to act, my traitor heart was thumping in my chest.

  “I assumed we were going to kiss eventually for this Archer. It’s okay.”

  He reached forward and cupped my face in his hand, stroking along my jaw with his thumb. “I know. But that’s not how I want to do this Corinne. The first time I kiss you, I want it to be just us. No one else. I want to hold you, I want to share a moment, and have it be for us only. I want it to be something they can’t sell or manufacture. Will you let me kiss you, now, just once?”

  My hands were trembling on the door handle, the busy Manhattan street surging outside the door. Inside this car, this metal box, the two of us were staring at each other breathing the same trapped air in this confined space. He wanted to kiss me, he
re and now. He would close the space between us and it would happen. All I had to do was say yes. And I realized I wanted to. Slowly, I nodded. Archer’s gaze burned into mine as he cupped my head, running his thumb over my bottom lip as he looked at me, then he pulled me towards him.

  I sighed, giving in as he controlled my body, pulling my face towards his. Archer’s lips closed over mine and a shiver ran through my body. He was gentle, tentative, exploring as if I was a secret undiscovered place. Then his restraint dissolved and he held the back of my head as he parted my lips and stroked his tongue firmly against mine, tilting my head to give him better access. My body became weak and boneless in his arms as he moved his lips over mine, tasting me, claiming me, then suddenly he stopped. He placed one last, reverent kiss against my lips, then he reluctantly pulled back to look down at me. As I stared up at him, my body alive and awakened by the desire he stirred in me, I realized I was breathing hard.

  “Our first kiss,” he said with a roguish grin as he pushed the hair from my cheek.

  “It was… um, that was nice,” I finally managed to say.

  Archer had a look of triumph on his face. He knew exactly what his kiss had done to me, and I wished I was better at hiding it than I had been. But I wasn’t. I liked it, and we both knew it.

  “Come on,” Archer popped open the door and gestured for me to step out. “It’s show time.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Archer

  As I took Corinne by the hand and led her into the venue I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. That wall she had put up when she met me? It was crumbling to fucking dust. She wanted me, I could see it written across her face like a flashing neon sign and I felt it when she leaned into me when I kissed her, giving her body over to me. I felt the thrill of conquering her, and I wanted more. She wasn’t making it easy for me, it’s not what I was used to, but I had to admit I liked the chase.

  I wrapped my arm around her shoulder as we walked into the bar, the sounds of traffic fading in exchange for mingled voices as we breezed past the bouncer. As people started to notice us there were widened eyes and excited whispers while I directed her to a section that had clearly been reserved for us. It was in a highly visible area of the bar where everyone could see us. Scott always thought of everything. I guided Corinne to the section and she gracefully lowered herself onto the couch, crossing those long legs of hers. I noticed she was bouncing her foot nervously. It was sweet, actually. She was nervous, like a timid deer. And I was the hunter, watching her through the branches, ready to take her the moment the opportunity presented itself.

  I dropped casually onto the couch and stretched my arms out along the back, tugging her close to me so our bodies were touching. A few phone screens were pointed in our direction as people tried to snap our photo, wanting to brag they were out at a bar when Archer Evans walked in. Like sharing air with me was the highlight of their night. Corinne squirmed under the attention not knowing where to look or what to do. I tried to think back, was I ever this nervous at the beginning? I always remember it being a rush, like a drug, coursing through my body. Making me feel fifty feet tall. Corinne was different, there was a softness to her. No ego. But I could guide her through this, I could teach her.

  “Ignore them,” I whispered in her ear.

  She pointed those big beautiful eyes at me, panic and confusion written across her face.

  “Just pretend no one is watching you, that you’re out on a date having a nice time. If you feel intimidated, you’ll look stiff in pictures. Then no one will buy this.”

  She nodded and tried to relax her muscles but she was still a bit fidgety. Luckily I knew the cure for stage fright. I nodded at the bartender and she rushed over.

  “What can I get for you Archer?” she asked in a sweet voice.

  “Bottle of Grey Goose and mixers,” I told her.

  She whipped around and rushed to the bar getting everything together. I rubbed Corinne’s back reassuringly, looking over her outfit. She looked hot tonight in her black backless dress, showing off her incredible figure. I was glad she ditched the slacks and blouse, this was much more fun for me to look at and the sight of her had me half hard. While she looked around the room, I was looking at her. Those full lips that she sank her teeth in as she twisted the hem of her dress in her hands.

  The waitress dropped off the bottle and mixers. I pegged sweet little Corinne for a vodka cranberry girl so I grabbed the Grey Goose and poured generously, adding a splash of cranberry and tossing in a lime wedge.

  “Here,” I passed the glass to her. “Have a drink, you look like you need one.”

  She didn’t argue, she held onto the glass like it was a lifeboat and took a deep drink. She winced as the vodka hit her.

  “This is strong,” she coughed.

  “I like my drinks strong,” I told her as I made myself a vodka tonic. “Besides, you need to loosen up. You look like you’re on your way to the slaughterhouse.”

  “They’re all looking at us,” she whispered, glancing around the room.

  “Then let’s give them something to look at,” I told her. I cradled her small skull in my hand, pulling her towards me before she could register what was happening. I closed my mouth over hers, sucking on that full lower lip of hers that had been driving me fucking crazy, and stroking my tongue in her mouth tasting the sweet tang of cranberry from her drink. I held her against me, kissing her the way I wanted to, until I felt her body relax. When I felt her go limp against me, giving in and allowing the tension from her limbs, only then did I let her go.

  I pulled back and looked down at her. When her eyes fluttered she let out a soft little sigh, it was the sexiest sound. Next to making her scream my name I wanted to hear those satisfied little sighs from her lips again and again. It was going to happen even if I needed to throw her over my shoulder and drag her back to my place like a caveman. I wanted this woman that much.

  “How do you get used to it?” she asked, breaking my train of thought.

  “Get used to what?” I took a long gulp of my drink, working the cool bitter liquid down my throat.

  “The attention. The scrutiny. People talking about you. It’s making me so nervous.”

  I swirled my drink in the glass, letting the ice cubes rattle around.

  “I guess I don’t think about it. But it’s different for me, I’ve been at this for years.”

  “I know Scott and the PR team know what they’re doing, but still, I wonder if this is such a good idea. People are going to think I’m just another one of your…” her voice drifted off.

  “I’m seen with a lot of women, but not usually more than once.” I nudged her glass up and she took a drink. Good girl. She needed to mellow out.

  “Why?”

  “Why what?” I topped up my drink then refreshed hers.

  “Why are you always with different women?”

  I laughed, but she continued to stare at me with an earnest look on her face. She genuinely didn’t get it. Did she not know men at all?

  “Because I can,” I shrugged. “Because I don’t believe in relationships, I don’t believe in one person forever. I believe in having fun, I believe in fucking a woman over and over again until we’re both worn out and satisfied.”

  “So you only want to spend time with women in bed?”

  I shook my head and placed my hand over my heart, pretending to be wounded. “No, Corinne, of course I don’t only spend time with women in bed. Sometimes it’s on the couch, or the shower, or backstage, or-”

  She rolled her eyes and shoved me. “You’re such a pig.”

  I tossed back some more of my drink and winked at her. “You like it.”

  “So this is what it’s going to be like. We keep going on these dates together and the publicity is supposed to launch my career. When am I supposed to sing in all of this? Is this ever going to be about music?”

  I sighed. “Do you know how many talented people never make it in this industry? People need to know y
ou and give a shit about you before they buy your album.”

  “They’re never going to know me if I’m just some bimbo being seen making out with Archer Evans.”

  She had a point, and it gave me an idea seeing we were in a karaoke bar. Well, technically, the PR team’s idea but I could take credit. I tossed back the rest of my drink then gestured for her to do the same. When she took a little sip I grinned.

  “All of it Corinne.”

  She grimaced as she took another sip. “Why? Are you trying to get me drunk?”

  “I’m trying to calm your nerves. We’re singing.”

  Her eyes went wide as I grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. She tossed back the rest of her drink and I felt her small hand shaking in mine as I led her to the front of the room. People moved aside for us and the person finishing up a song stepped aside as I approached the DJ.

  “Hey man, we’re going to do a duet. Do you have Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around?”

  The big guy nodded, looking from me to Corinne then back to me. “Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty? I got it.”

  “Let’s hear it then.”

  I spun Corinne around, facing the room, as everyone in the bar crowded around the front and stuck out their phones ready to catch every second. She wobbled a bit on her feet and I leaned over, kissed her cheek, then whispered in her ear.

  “You’ve got this Corinne. Show them what you’ve got.”

  Our eyes met and she nodded as the music started to play. Once she opened her mouth and that silky voice of hers spilled out people started to nod and smile. She worked that sound with her vocal cords hitting every note and swaying to the beat. The men in the audience were mesmerized and the women were captivated. She really was something special, not everyone had that star quality but she did. Corinne just needed opportunities to shine.

  I leaned close to her, sharing the microphone during our duet, our voices tangling and mixing. I had never sung a duet with a woman before, it was a thrill, musical foreplay. When she glanced at me there was an excitement in her eyes and something building between us like electricity.