by Ana Stone
It had taken him less than five minutes to realize that he wanted her. From the first moment he had sensed there was something special about her. Now he knew that he would make her his and when he was done she would do anything he asked of her. As would her father, and that was the real prize in this game. Jack Forrest would insure that the country moved forward in the correct direction.
Thoughts of Sydney and the evening he had planned made him smile in anticipation. He picked up the phone and asked his assistant to join him in the study. He wanted to make sure the plans for the evening were perfect.
*****
Sydney saw Blake as he got out of his car. He was dressed in a faded pair of jeans, worn sneakers, and an old Harvard T-shirt. His hair was longer than he normally wore it but she liked it the way it brushed his collar and thought it made him look younger. She watched him, as if for the first time noticing the strong lines of his face and the muscular physique beneath the clothes. The way he moved was powerful and sexy. She found herself becoming aroused.
He looked around and smiled as he saw her sitting at the sidewalk cafe. She waved and returned the smile. "Hi," he said as he walked up to the table. He leaned down and kissed her lightly. "Been here long?"
"Just long enough to get a table. I ordered iced tea. I hope that’s okay?"
"Sure, fine," he said as he sat down. He took her hand. "So what've you been up to while I was away?"
"The usual," she replied then paused as the waiter returned with their drinks. They placed their order and the waiter left.
"So, you were saying," he said and took a drink of tea.
"Oh, yes. Well, let's see. Aside from work I went to the Kennedy center one night with Celeste, you know, my old college friend? And I had dinner with Sly while he was in town. Oh, and I went to a party for one of the lobbyists."
"Sounds like fun," he said and made a face.
"Actually it was," she replied. "But enough about me. What about you? Have you talked to Michael lately?"
"No, I spoke with Jessica though. Michael's coming up this weekend to spend a couple of days of his spring break with me."
"Blake, that's wonderful!" She gave his hand a squeeze. "I know how much you miss him. Hey, Sly got a couple extra tickets to a concert for this weekend and gave them to me. I'm not particularly into the group. They're really for the younger generation so Michael might like it. You can have the tickets if you want."
"I'll ask him."
"You've let your hair grow." She reached over to to run her fingers through his hair at the temples, combing it back.
"I was going to get it cut, but I forgot to call and get an appointment."
"I like it," she said with a smile, letting her hand move briefly to his face.
He smiled and took her hand in his to give her knuckles a kiss. The waiter brought their lunch and they chatted about inconsequential things as they ate. After they finished Blake suggested they take a walk. They wandered over to the mall enjoying the fresh spring air.
"Syd," Blake said and grasped her hand. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately."
She turned and looked at him but did not speak. "About us, I mean," he said. "And I wanted to run something by you−see what you thought about it."
"What?"
For a moment he was silent. "I was thinking it'd be nice if maybe we−well, if we started thinking about getting a little more serious−maybe even move in together."
She stopped walking and took both his hands in hers. "That's a lovely offer but I can't. Now, before you say anything, let me explain. I'm just not ready for anything like that."
"I'm not talking about getting married, Syd. There'd be no commitment or obligations."
"But there would," she argued quietly in a calm tone. "Don't you see? If we lived together we'd feel obligated to report to one another everything we do. Our lives would no longer be our own. We'd have to check with one another before we made decisions about what we wanted to do. Like, for instance−what if one of your friends called and asked you to go out for a few beers. You'd feel like you had to clear it with me first. You see what I'm getting at?"
"Yeah, I see," he answered in a gruff tone. "You're saying that you see it as having to give up your freedom and that I'd be in your way."
"That's not what I said, but essentially you're right."
He looked at her in surprise and she smiled gently. "Blake, I care about you and I enjoy being with you very much, but I made it clear in the very beginning that I'm in no hurry to get into a that type of commitment. I haven't changed my mind about that."
He shrugged and looked away. "No big deal, it was just a thought. Anyway, like you say, it works pretty good the way it is. Long as you're not putting me off for some other guy."
He laughed but she didn’t. His laugh faded and he looked at her with a frown creasing his brow. "That's not it, is it, Syd?"
"No, that's not it, Blake."
"So, you're not seeing someone else?"
"No. Like I said, I had dinner with a friend but it certainly wasn’t a date.”
"You sure? “
"Yes, positive. But I didn’t think we had to answer to one another about who we see or where we go. And I'm sure you've been out with other women since we've been dating."
"Maybe in the beginning," he admitted. "But not now."
"Well, I certainly don't have the right to tell you who you can and can't see and I wouldn't presume to expect you to center your entire existence around my wants. I care about you a lot and I'd like to find out if we are going anywhere from here but I'm not going to try and box you up by our relationship. But if on the off chance this is a fishing expedition because you’re interested in someone else…”
"I'm not interested in anyone else!" he insisted then narrowed his eyes. "That's what this is all about, isn't it? You've met someone and you've got the hots for him."
"That’s crude and completely out of line."
"But it's true, isn't it? There is someone else."
"I told you I had dinner with a friend. That’s it. I’m not interested in any more than that."
Blake dropped her hands and jammed his into his pockets. "I don't do competition too well, Syd, and to tell you the truth I'm just too old to start trying. I don't think I want to be played against this guy so I won't stand in your way."
"Blake!" She grabbed his arm as he started to turn away. "Wait!"
He stopped and she looked up at him, suddenly afraid that he would just walk out of her life completely. "Please, don't do this. This isn't you. You're a bigger person than this. Don't make this a 'it's my way or the highway' choice. Don't just throw our relationship out with the trash because I've shared a meal with someone along the way."
Blake shook his head. "It's not that, Syd. It's just that I thought what we had was more than just being friends. I guess I wasn't seeing things too clearly. Listen, I’ve gotta go. I have things to do. Catch you later."
She hung onto his arm as he tried to turn. "Blake." She put her arms around him and hugged him. "We are more than friends, much more. You know that. And I do care. But you have to try and understand. It's hard to build a relationship even if you are around the person all the time. We're lucky to see each other a few times a month with the way your job is. That doesn't mean that I want to give up on us. I don't. I want to find out where we go from here. I just don't want to rush into something before it's time. But I do care - more than you know. Please believe me."
He wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a moment then released her. "Yeah, me, too. Now, I have to go. I'll talk to you later."
Sydney watched him walk away. Why couldn’t she be honest with him? And with herself. Blake had taken much more of her emotions hostage that she was comfortable with. And she wanted him in a physical way more than she had ever wanted a man. Which was one of the reasons she was hesitant to initiate things in that department. She feared it would make her too attached to him. And with emotional attachment came
the potential for pain. Pain she wasn’t prepared to deal with.
She was a coward. Plain and simple. She knew that. What she didn’t know was how to change it. She sighed and started back in the direction she had come. Suddenly the spring day was not quite so lovely.
Later That Evening
Sydney got out of the limousine in front of the mansion in the suburbs of Maryland and stared at the enormous house and landscaped lawns. She’d been surprised when Adrian's driver arrived to pick her up, expecting Adrian himself. For a moment she just looked around, wondering once more just who Adrian Zayne really was, then she walked up the steps to the massive double doors.
They swung open before she had a chance to knock. Adrian stood framed in the opening. "Welcome to my home," he said as he extended his hand to her.
She smiled but didn’t take his hand. "It's - magnificent."
"As are you," he said with a smile and grasped her wrist to pull her to him. "I’ve missed you, Sydney."
She tensed and gently extracted herself from his embrace. "Are you teasing me, Mr. Zayne?"
"Never," he replied solemnly. "Have you been thinking about me?"
"Yes, I have." It wasn’t a lie. Ever since her lunch with Blake she’d thought about what to say to Adrian. She found him interesting and it was possible they could be friends, but it wasn’t worth losing Blake. She’d made up her mind to tell him that she wouldn’t be seeing him anymore.
His face brightened in a smile. "Come, let me show you my home."
Sydney was impressed with the house. It was decorated very tastefully and she could tell that no expense had been spared. Of the thirty rooms she saw not one could be described as anything less than perfect.
When the tour was completed Adrian took her outside onto the terrace where a table had been set. A bottle of champagne waited with two glasses between the candles that fluttered in the breeze. All around the terrace tremendous bouquets of spring flowers had been placed along with candles set in small glass globes to prevent the breeze from extinguishing them. It was a thoroughly romantic setting.
She smiled up at him. "Why Mr. Zayne, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to seduce me."
"And supposing, hypothetically, of course, I was?" he asked, taking her hand to lead her to the table. "Would I succeed?"
“Honestly? No. Nothing has changed, Adrian. I’m still involved."
Adrian laughed and sat down close to her. "But not married. Champagne?"
"Yes, thank you."
They sipped champagne and watched the last of the day's light fade from the sky. The scent of flowers filled the air and from inside the sounds of soft music filtered through the opened doors.
"Would you care to dance?" Adrian stood and offered his hand.
“No.”
“It’s just a dance, Sydney.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Fine.” He appeared annoyed and she watched with interest to see what he would do next. Abruptly he smiled. "I have a surprise for you."
She raised her eyebrows. "A surprise?"
"Come with me."
She rose and followed him out into the garden beyond the terrace. In the middle of the garden was a lovely Victorian gazebo surrounded by graceful willows and delicate flowers. A shimmering pond dotted with lily pads lay between them and the gazebo; a graceful wooden bridge spanning the water, sheltered with wisteria covered arches.
"Adrian, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed. "It's like something from a fairy tale!"
He smiled and led her across the bridge. Once on the other side she could see that the gazebo was screened to keep out insects. Inside the flames of candles swayed gently on stands surrounding an enormous canopy bed covered in white silk and draped in filmy white lace. On the bed lay the dress of a princess from old romantic legends.
"What's this?" she asked as she walked to the bed and touched the dress.
"Your outfit for the evening."
She looked at him in confusion. "My outfit?"
"Yes," he said with a smile. "I will leave you to change in privacy. An attendant will come to assist you. I will rejoin you shortly."
"Adrian! Wait! What is all this?"
"A surprise," he said over his shoulder. "I will return."
Sydney watched in perplexity as he disappeared through the garden. A few seconds later a slender elderly woman came down the path.
"Good evening, my name is Elsa. I will assist you."
Sydney was not so sure about the whole scenario. But the dress was absolutely divine and she had to admit that she was dying to try it on. "Hi, Elsa, I'm Sydney."
"A pleasure, Miss," Elsa said and nodded respectfully. "Now, let's get you into that dress."
A few minutes later, Elsa directed Sydney's attention to a large dressing mirror behind the bed. Sydney walked over to look at herself and gasped. She looked like she had just stepped out of a storybook. The tight bodice of the dress pushed her breasts up high and cinched her waist tightly, flaring out into a multi-layered shirt of sparking beadwork and scattered sequins over a surface of thin white satin. The dropped sleeves hung low on her upper arms, leaving her shoulders bare.
Elsa walked up behind her and put a sparking diamond necklace around her neck then took the pins out of her hair, letting it fall loose and free down her back. "You look just beautiful," she complimented. "Please make yourself comfortable. Mr. Zayne will be with you shortly."
Sydney watched the woman leave then looked once more at her reflection. What would Blake think if he saw her in this outfit? A noise from outside drew her attention and she walked around to the side of the bed.
Adrian stood at the door. Dressed in a white shirt with billowing sleeves that laced down the center and black pants he looked like a pirate, ready to whisk her away to his ship and sail away.
"So, the princess Sydney. At last we meet face to face."
Sydney hesitated momentarily, unsure what to say. But the sparkle in Adrian's eyes and sly smile made her overcome her uncertainty. There seemed little harm in going along with the game.
"Pirate," she said contemptuously. "How bold you are, but how foolish. My father will see you drawn and quartered for having the audacity to intrude upon me in my private chambers."
He walked to her, lifting her long hair in one hand to move it behind her right shoulder. "Ah, but worth every measure of pain, my lady."
Sydney was shocked at the way her skin crawled at his touch, but also comforted. Blake had nothing to fear when it came to Adrian. She was not in the least attracted to him physically. In fact, his touch verged on repulsiveness.
She could end the game now, but didn’t want to make a scene. Perhaps the kindest way to end the beginning of their friendship was to play along but make it clear that she wasn’t interested in anything else. "Think carefully, sir. The king does not take lightly his daughter's virtue being stolen."
"But it is not your virtue I desire to steal, my princess," he whispered as his fingers moved lightly over the swell of her breasts. "It is your heart."
“Then you shall fail, Pirate, for the heart of the princess belongs to another.”
“Or so she thinks,” he countered. “Princess, it seems that you will be my prisoner tonight.” In a move so quick Sydney was caught off guard, Adrian lifted her up and slung her over his shoulder like a rag doll.
“What are you doing?”
“As I said, you are the prisoner of Captain Zayne, the most feared of all pirates. And as my prisoner, dear princess, you shall be submitted to multiple and diverse forms of delicious torture.”
The word torture grabbed Sydney’s attention. The playfulness of being thrown over a man’s shoulder as if weightless was quickly replaced with apprehension. Refusing to give into her fear, she chose to play along.
“Well, Sir, though I may be your prisoner I still have two very fine feet and can walk to whatever destination you choose. I will not be carried like a common rug going out for wash.”
Adrian c
ontinued to carry her out of the gazebo. After only a few steps he deposited her into a chair. Once upright Sydney could see that a lovely table had been set with candles and champagne. There were various platters of appetizers, all her favorites.
“Now my princess. Your torture will begin.” He filled a flute with the chilled champagne, “You must be parched,” he said as he put the glass to her lips. She took the glass, sipped and suppressed a grimace. His taste was apparently very different from hers when it came to selecting champagne because just like the flute they’d shared in his car on the previous evening, this left a bitter taste in her mouth.
She took the glass from him when he pressed it to her lips again and set it aside to select a canapé. “These look wonderful.”
But tasted odd. She set the canapé aside after one bite. She washed the bite down with champagne, suppressing a shudder at the bitter bite of the drink.“Not to your liking?” Adrian asked.
Sydney shrugged. “You know how it is, sometimes you’re in the mood for something and sometimes you’re not.”
“I hope that does not extend beyond food.”
The look on his face told her that it was a mistake to be there. She might not be interested in a relationship that extended beyond friendship, but clearly he was.
“I think I should go.”
“Forgive me. I was pushing again. Please, stay.”
“No, I really need to go. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go change.”
Before he could argue, she left the table. Her clothes were folded neatly on a chair, waiting for her. She changed quickly. Just as she was sliding on her shoes, she heard his voice behind her. “I would like for you to stay.”
Sydney turned to face him. “Adrian, this isn’t going to work.”
“Why?”
She considered giving him a nice lie, coming up with an excuse. But that wasn’t fair to either of them. “Because I’m involved. Emotionally involved with someone.”
“And is this someone as emotionally invested in you?”
“Yes, he is.”
“I see.”
“I’m sorry, Adrian. I have to go.”
