From his look, I could tell he liked me as the aggressor, a role I didn’t take on until extremely comfortable. But out in the open that night, in my brand-new lingerie, with this confident, sexy man, I felt his equal partner. We were right together. This was the way it was supposed to be. Finally.
Peeling his underwear down to his thighs, I caressed the length of him, feeling him grow rock hard to my touch and leaned forward to place a kiss on his delicious lips. Pressing into him, I forced him to walk backwards until the back of his knees were against the lounge chair.
“You don’t have to ask for a third time.” Lowering himself onto the thick lemon colored pad, he peeled off the boxer briefs and opened his arms to me.
Laying down on top of him, I could feel the sheen of sweat on both our bodies. There was no friction between our skin as my legs glided over his.
Taking my face in both his hands, he kissed my lips hard, his tongue seizing control of any coherent thought pattern onto which I was still holding. I could only feel his sweaty stomach under me, as I rubbed on him, my thong still in place. Lowering a hand from my face, Wes began to tug at my thong and I reached down to pull it off, laughing as I was trying to kick it down my legs and not being as graceful as I’d hoped. Finally, the offending garment was gone and we were slick skin to slick skin.
Our lips once again meeting, I rubbed my wetness along the length of him, until I was positioned in just the right spot and Wes thrust up into me.
“Yesssssssss.” I gasped, staying very still for a moment, savoring the sensation of him filling me. I smiled down enjoying seeing his curls mat with sweat on this sultry night, as I began to ride his cock. The look on his face every time I pounded down was incentive to drive harder, knowing the pleasure I was bringing him.
As I watched the handsome man he’d matured into, my heart was brimming with emotion. From the first night we’d met, Wes had been intricately woven into my life in a way that even I didn’t understand. We were fated to meet. Of that I was sure. And we were fated to meet again. I knew I was blessed. I had never been so right with another man and I didn’t think there was anyone else out there who complemented and completed me in the way he did. The way he always had.
I’d been lost in my thoughts and when I returned to the popping sounds of our sweaty bodies, my legs sliding off his, Wes was smiling up at me.
Smiling back, “What?” I asked.
“You’re finally mine.”
The truth was, I was his about three hours into a conversation more than a decade before, the night I met the man it was clear I was destined to meet.
“Finally,” I whispered.
“Mom.” Scarlett broke my reverie and I jumped. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Holding my heart and breathing hard, “Oh gosh, I didn’t hear you come out here.”
Sitting down on the chaise next to me, she clutched her cell phone tightly and let out a big sigh.
“What’s up, sweetie? Is everything okay?” I sat up in my chair as there was clearly something she wanted to tell me.
“I just got a text from Wes.” I could see her trepidation as she waited for my response.
“Oh really? What did it say?”
Scarlett handed me her phone.
Saw your name on the guest list for the fundraiser.
Made my day.
Can’t wait to see you again.
Save the last dance for me.
I smiled at the message. I could now take the What if Wes treats Scarlett badly off the table. His message to her was very sweet.
“That’s nice.” Smiling, I handed the phone back.
“You’re okay with it?” Scarlett’s loyalty and protectiveness were coming through.
“Of course I am, baby. What’s going on between me and Wes is our deal to work out or not work out. But the two of you really like each other and I’m glad he’s not letting our stuff get in the way of that.”
“But Mom, he hurt you. Like really bad. I’ve like literally never seen you so upset, not even over Dad and I’m like really mad at Wes about that.”
“I understand. Sometimes people hurt each other unintentionally and things snowball and other factors get in the way and just make a bad situation worse. Well, I think that’s what happened with us.”
“Are you going to be okay seeing him?”
I thought for a moment before answering. The reality was probably not. My heart was going to burst the minute I laid eyes on the man. But this was a business function for me, a work event and the onus was on me to conduct myself as a professional and that is exactly what I was going to do.
“Yeah. I’m going to be just fine. And I’m going to look so damn hot he’s going to be drooling.” The minute those words were out of my mouth, I said a silent prayer that he did not have a plus one who was a date.
“Are you wearing that silver beaded gown?” Scarlett had a conspiratorial smile.
“I sure am.” I smiled back.
Throwing her head back with laughter, “He’s like literally so screwed, Mom. You are so right. He will be drooling. Dude’s not gonna know what hit him.”
“Good,” I laughed and fist-bumped my daughter.
“Love it.” She nodded her head and I could see her mind racing.
“This is like literally so cool, bro.” Scarlett said to Laynie in the back of our stretch limo.
“It’s impossible to drive in gowns. This is the only way to travel.” She sipped from her champagne flute, looking elegant in a sheer and beaded crimson dress that left very little to the imagination.
“Will my videos be shown tonight?” Jill asked. She had been involved in two of the videos: one PSA and then her personal story for their website profiles.
Shaking my head, “I have no idea what’s on the program for tonight. I’m assuming we’ll see all the PSAs throughout the evening, but I don’t know about the website videos. Once my part was done, I handed it off to Jamie and I don’t think even he was involved with any of the planning for tonight.”
As we pulled up in the long line of limos in front of the Waldorf-Astoria, waiting to drop guests off, Laynie commented, “A white-tie gala at the Waldorf. This has got to be costing Wes a pretty penny.”
“I’m sure it is. But they will raise a lot of money tonight and if our PSAs do the job I hope they’ll do, they will touch people enough to reach deep into their wallets.” I said, as our limo inched up to the entrance and I could feel my heart begin to beat quicker.
What if…
The ride up in the Ballroom Elevators had me taking deep breaths in through my nose and slowly exhaling through my mouth in an effort to calm my nerves. Standing tall next to me, I could tell my beautiful daughter was feeling very adult-like in her gown attending this chic New York City event. The elevator’s carved nickel doors opened to the third floor’s ornate Silver Corridor. This was it. The event for which we’d been hired to create the PSAs, C-Kickers’ Kick Breast Cancer to the Curb Gala.
“Oh my God,” Jill’s hand flew to her mouth. Three steps out of the elevator we were greeted by a life-sized cut-out of Jill wearing brightly colored C-Kicker workout gear and the quote, “I may be little, but I’m fierce and I’ve made it my mission to kick cancer’s butt.” And then there were instructions to watch Jill’s video and make a donation via the touchscreen computer monitor set-up on a table next to Cardboard Jill.
Immediately, we rushed over to check it out.
“In your case a life-sized cut-out is actually taller than you are,” Laynie kidded, laughing.
“Not with these on.” Jill lifted her dress a smidge to show off her skyscraper Louboutin’s.
“I love this.” Scarlett was whizzing through the screens of the touchscreen. “You can see and hear everyone’s story and there’s a button to donate on each page.” Finally, she came back to Jill’s video. I felt tremendous pride as we viewed it. It was real and touching and it spoke directly to the person watching it as Jill shared the devastati
ng blows and kick ass triumphs of her journey.
As we walked toward the reception desk, the corridor was lined with cutouts and touch screens for all the video stories and people were stopping at each one, spending time, hearing the stories and making online donations. It was a brilliant introduction to the evening and I felt a part of the joy in knowing that my work had contributed to the success of the cause.
“We’re at Table 36,” Scarlett announced, handing all of us our personalized place cards.
“I need a drink,” I muttered loud enough for only Laynie to hear as we entered the famed four-story ballroom. As if magically hearing my wish, a waiter appeared with a tray of champagne flutes and we each grabbed one. “Let’s find you something else bubbly,” I said to my daughter as her hand approached the tray.
Negotiating our way through the room, we found Table 36. Jonathan was already seated with his newest paramour, Andrew.
“Hello, handsome and handsome,” I greeted the two of them.
“Don’t you ladies look gorgeous,” Jonathan rose to greet us all with kisses.
“We do clean up nice,” I agreed. “Are Jamie and Shelby here yet?”
“I haven’t seen them. But Chris and his contingent are at Table 41.”
“Okay, let me go find them and say hello.” Putting my purse down on my chair, I turned to Scarlett, Laynie and Jill. “I’ll be right back. I need to go say hello to Chris.”
Making my way across the ballroom, the pink tulle and ribbon décor for the evening’s event gave the room a very ethereal feel and I started singing Train’s Drops of Jupiter in my head.
“You’re a smiley one tonight.” My boss greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. Then holding me at arm’s length, “You look fabulous.”
“Thank you. It’s fun to dress up sometimes.”
“Have you seen Wes?” he asked.
Shaking my head, “Not yet. We just got here a few minutes ago.”
“I think he’s like two or three tables away from you.”
“Well, I’m sure I’ll see Renata because she’ll certainly be in something eye-catching tonight. And speaking of eye-catching, how much did you love the life-sized cutouts and displays with the videos we did for their website?”
Chris’ green eyes twinkled. “I loved it a lot.” He tapped the program sitting on his plate, “And I also loved the visibility they’re giving our work throughout the evening.”
“Oh, I haven’t looked yet. I’ll check it out when I get back to my seat. It appears that this thing is about to start. I’ll see you in a little bit.” As I made my way back to my table, I tried to casually scan the room for Wes, but didn’t spot him anywhere.
A moment after I sat down, salads were delivered to our table and the Executive Director of the Breast Cancer International Research & Support Fund welcomed us all to their annual event, promising an evening that would be as uplifting as it was educational. Thanking the evening’s host and main sponsor, C-Kicker Athletic Wear, all eyes turned toward Wes’ table and that was my first glimpse of him.
I couldn’t help but smile just seeing him there in his black tux and white bowtie, looking so freaking handsome that I could feel my body react at just the sight of him. He stood and did a brief wave.
Laynie’s arm snaked around the back of Scarlett’s chair and grabbed my bare shoulder, squeezing it. Leaning toward her, she whispered in my ear, “Now I understand.”
It was the first time she’d seen Wes in person. I knew she could see in my eyes that my heart was breaking all over again just being in the same room as him. There had been no closure and the gaping wound I hid under the sparkly gown threatened to publicly expose itself in a hideous manner.
“Who’s the handsome guy two seats away?” she asked.
“The devil incarnate,” I hissed, actually sneering.
“Oh, that’s him? I am totally going to fuck with him tonight.”
My eyes popped open wide.
“Not fuck him. Fuck with him. The douche needs to be tortured.” And she sat up straighter and shifted in her chair pointing her high-beam nipples at him like lures.
“Have at it and do lots of damage.” She certainly had my blessing.
As the waiters removed our empty salad plates, Wes made his way to the stage and took his place behind the podium. Before he even uttered hello, the room burst into applause and the staff at the C-Kicker table stood, giving their boss a standing ovation. The rest of the ballroom followed suit and I could tell by the smile on Wes’ face that he was both humbled and touched by the crowd’s response.
Again, reaching behind Scarlett’s chair to get to me, Laynie pinched my upper arm hard.
“Ouch.” I turned to give her a what the fuck look.
“He is so charismatic.”
I laughed, “He hasn’t even spoken yet.”
Holding up his hand, with a smile, to still the crowd. “Thank you.” His hand went to his heart, “I’m humbled, truly.” He waited for the crowd to quiet, before continuing.
“Survivors, Supporters, Friends – Thank you all for coming out tonight to the C-Kicker Kick Breast Cancer to the Curb Annual Gala. As many of you are aware breast cancer struck my family for the second time recently, and in late August, I lost my only sibling to complications from the disease. Unfortunately, I don’t have a unique or rare story, because there is no one in this room whose life has been unscathed when it comes to breast cancer.
“I’m not going to stand up here and spout statistics. I don’t need to. This epidemic has become everyone’s personal tragedy. Tonight you’ll be hearing from doctors working on groundbreaking treatment, which is very exciting and you’ll also be seeing the premiere of a series of hard-hitting and very poignant Public Service Announcements. After tonight you will be seeing these PSAs all over your TV and in digital advertising.
“This year C-Kicker teamed up with O’Donnell & Associates to create this signature campaign. You know the old saying ‘A picture tells a thousand words,’ well, I think a video gives us an intimate glance into a chapter of a person’s life. They allow us into their world and together we experience a journey. A very human journey. Throughout the evening, we’ll be spotlighting personal stories of some very courageous individuals, their families, their doctors and their support teams.
“It is my hope that three things will come from this. First, as we all know, early detection is the key to a successful outcome and I hope these stories will motivate women and men to make screening a priority. Second, for everyone in this room, I ask that you take to heart the stories you will hear tonight and then dig deep in your pockets to support the Breast Cancer International Research & Support Fund. There are manned stations throughout the room for donations as well as online touchscreens located in the Silver Corridor. And last but not least, it is my hope that this evening will leave you with hope. Hope that as a community we can come together and support patients and their families throughout their challenge and that we can support the research necessary to develop effective treatment that is not worse for the patient than the actual disease.
“I have hope. Tremendous hope. That in my lifetime we will make the necessary strides to ensure that this heinous disease will no longer be claiming lives and destroying families. I have hope that together we can raise the funds critical for the brightest research minds to have the resources they need to find cures for the multiple forms of breast cancer.” He paused for a long moment, but didn’t move from the podium.
“I have hope.”
I squeezed my eyes shut at the emotion in his voice.
And then the stage lights went out. We all sat in total darkness for a mere second before the room erupted into applause and then the screen behind where Wes had been standing lit up and one of our PSAs began to run. By the time the lights came back on, women were digging in their evening bags for tissues and men were trying to discreetly dab their eyes with their napkins. Patrons began to make their way over to the manned donation stations and out i
nto the Silver Corridor.
“Mom,” Scarlett turned to me, “you made that?” She was in awe.
“Well, this handsome guy wrote it.” I rubbed Jonathan’s shoulder. “And that handsome guy is the one that makes everything we do look good.” I nodded toward Jamie.
Jill was overcome with emotion. Dabbing at her eyes, “I’m so proud you invited me to be part of this whole process.”
My heart was glowing with pride and momentarily the What Ifs faded into the background. Tonight, I felt blessed. Blessed that not only did my career allow me to express my creative passion, but with projects like this, it impacted both individuals and the world in a very positive way.
As we ate our soup course, a researcher walked us through his work on detecting circulating cancer cells in the bloodstream. His presentation was followed by another one of our videos and I was pleased to see even more people head to the donation stations. The PSAs were resonating deeply with the crowd.
“Oh my God, our song,” I heard my daughter gasp.
Turning to her, I followed her gaze. Standing on the dance floor, a few feet from our table was Wes, first pointing at Scarlett, and then crooking his finger for her to come to him. Practically knocking over the chair in her haste to get up, she ran out onto the dance floor and with huge smiles the two began to dance and sing along to Walk the Moon’s Shut Up and Dance.
“Well, that’s quite the love affair.” Laynie looked surprised.
“I’m glad.” I watched the two of them cutting up on the dance floor. “Frank has been so inconsistent with her that I’m glad Wes is showing her that no matter what or what not his relationship is with me, that he still values her.”
“He is one attractive man,” Jill threw in her two cents.
The song came to an end and Meghan Trainor’s duet with John Legend Like I’m Going to Lose You began and my daughter drifted effortlessly into Wes’ arms for the slow ballad. I watched as they chatted like two long lost friends catching up with one another. My heart was melting and aching at the same time and I could feel the lump forming at the back of my throat. I was angry. Angry at myself for not pushing Wes to listen to me that night on the boat and let me tell him about my tryst with Julien before he and I became lovers; angry at Wes for pushing me away the way he did, but, at the same time, happy he had the maturity and character not to take that out on my child.
The Do-Over Page 20
