Dancing in the Gray

by Eydie Maggio

  His voice was low and he was calm. He directed the question to Jeremy “Is this who I think this is?”

  Jeremy nodded his head, “Rixby Storm.”

  Trey flashed back to him and Elise in the car on the way to the concert. He said his collection had Rixby Storm and her face changed. That’s why.

  “Elise, we both have a past. I’m not a boy scout! In fact, I’m very far from it. I wouldn’t want you to judge me based upon some of the decisions I made when I was younger, and I won’t do that to you.” He rubbed her back as Jeremy continued to hold her.

  Elise raised her head and looked up at Trey, “I know you wouldn’t judge me, Trey. I just don’t want people judging YOU because of ME.”

  “I could give a fuck about anyone judging me, Elise. I don’t make any excuses or apologies because of who I am.” He was serious about that. “I’m running for office, and they will find anything to throw out there to make me look bad. I think I gave you the wrong impression when I told you I was protecting my image. Hell, I was under a misconception that if I found honest success with my career and I completely cut off any social activity, I would limit the dirt that could be dug up. It was very black and white. But the thing is, the only things I should have been protecting myself from were things that I wouldn’t be proud to be associate with and people that would hurt me for their own benefit. You’re not either of those things, Elise. You enlightened me that there was a safe middle ground where I could have everything I wanted. I want to try dancing in the gray with you – only you.”

  Trey was looking down at Elise waiting for her to say something, but Elise gave him nothing but silence. His heart sank into his stomach. From the beginning she told him she didn’t have any expectations from him in regards to a relationship. She was clear on that.

  Trey turned and walked to the elevators. He pushed the down button and waited. He didn’t turn back to look at her. There was no point. He put it all out on the line, and she gave him nothing in return. He heard her heels clacking on the floor behind him. The sound got louder and faster. He wasn’t turning around. He couldn’t.

  There was now silence as he waited for the elevator doors to open. He felt a hand run down the center of his back. Trey closed his eyes already knowing it was her touch. He was all too familiar with it. She snaked her arms around his chest and rested her head in the center of his back. She hugged him tightly as Trey exhaled deeply. He wanted her to want him. He rubbed his hands over her arms finally lacing his fingers in between hers. He brought both of her hands up to his mouth and kissed the back of each one. He released her hands as he turned around to face her.

  Elise could communicate so much with those beautiful amber eyes. She didn’t have to say anything for him to know how she was feeling. He’d seen them happy, touched, playful, vulnerable, aroused, and hurt. She felt what he was feeling. She didn’t need to say a word, her eyes spoke volumes.

  Trey nodded his head, “Ok?”

  Elise smiled and nodded, “Ok.” She ran her hands up his chest and around his neck as she rose up onto her toes hugging Trey’s neck tightly.

  Trey wrapped his arms around her and drew her body flush with his. He quickly ran both hands down her back, over her ass and around the back of her thighs were he hoisted her up wrapping her legs around him. She let out a small shriek and a giggle before he kissed her deeply in the lobby where her entire office was in full view of their CEO mugging down with him.

  ~

  “So tell me about Rixby.”

  Trey and Elise were in her apartment at Azure, which was a very trendy new building on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. This apartment was more modern and contemporary where her Palladium townhome was more homey and traditional. In contrast to her Virginia home, the design here was chic and minimalist. This was not where Elise came to decompress, but to stay inspired. It was high end and high fashion, like her business.

  They fought the afternoon traffic to get uptown and decided to order some take out instead of heading out again. They were sitting on the floor of her living room eating Chinese food.

  “I hate talking about him.” Elise rolled her eyes as she stabbed her Lo Mein with her chopsticks.

  “Why?”

  “Because he’s an asshole, and he hurt me really badly.” Elise was still stabbing her Lo Mein, and Trey was now very interested in what this jerk did to her to make her feel this way.

  “So you were in a relationship with him?”

  “If you can even call it that. I was in college when we went to see one of his concerts. He stalked me, initially, since I wouldn’t give him the time of day. He wore me down where I finally went out to get coffee with him. We talked on the phone because he travelled a lot. Then he started flying me out everywhere to meet him. I knew he was married, but the story he told was that she was all about his money and wouldn’t sign the divorce paperwork. Nine months later, he flies me out to where ever he was. Out of the blue, he kisses some other girl in front of me, calls me a groupie and said I was delusional to think that I was the only one.” Elise was still looking down at her food. “That was the last words I heard him speak, and until today, there hadn’t been any type of communication between the two of us in the last six years.”

  “Did you love him?” Trey knew she had to if he could still cause her so much pain all these years later.

  “I thought I did. He said he did, too, but you don’t treat people you love like that. He threw me away like a piece of trash.”

  Trey was afraid to ask, but he needed to know, “Do you still love him?” He held his breath as he waited for her answer.

  Elise finally looked up from her food, “No.” She shook her head, “I’m not that girl anymore.”

  Trey needed more info, “Then why all the tears earlier?”

  “Because that was one of the biggest mistakes of my life, and here it was resurfacing again. But this time, instead of him just hurting me, he could hurt you, too.”

  “He can’t hurt me, Elise. What you did in the past can’t hurt me either. I just don’t understand how someone you don’t have feelings for anymore can still cause you so much pain.”

  “To be honest, I don’t understand it either.” Elise put her food down on the coffee table and ran her hands over her face. “Why am I talking to you about this?”

  “Because I asked you to.” He knew it was hard for her and appreciated that she was trying to open up. He smiled coyly at her.

  “Oh, yeah.” Elise smiled as she rolled her eyes at him. “And, you can put that smile away. It’s distracting.” She pointed her finger in a circular motion towards his face. She paused for a few seconds, “I think the pain is residual because at one point in time I thought he was the one. I think I was scared that I would never find the chemistry with someone that I had with him. And, I hadn’t …” Trey was now the one looking down at his food. He immediately regretted asking, “until I met you.”

  Trey’s head popped up, and there was Elise and her beautiful amber eyes gazing at him. His heart started beating faster. He leaned forward and put his food next to Elise’s on the coffee table.

  “It hit me hard in the plane. I can say with absolution that I had never felt attraction like I did when you first looked at me. My feelings were intense, and I had to look away.” Elise swallowed hard and it looked like she was blushing. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you when I arrived in Paris. It scared me. I hadn’t felt that way since the asshole, but it was exponentially more intense. I didn’t think that something stronger than what I felt for him existed, but it did. I desperately hoped that you would meet me for roller skating.” Elise closed her eyes and smiled, “And you did, sort of.” She shrugged her shoulders.

  Trey thought he had it bad before, but now, knowing that Elise was feeling the same thing he was from the beginning just deepened his feelings for her. He stretched one of his arms out across the sofa cushions and rested his other on his bent knee. Elise took that opportunity to place her hand on his che
st right over his heart.

  “But, I don’t want you to think that the reason I’m sitting here with you now is about the attraction. I mean, it doesn’t hurt,” Elise teased as she ran her hand up Trey’s chest and onto his face, “however, when you picked me up off the street and took care of my knee and palm, I saw more than how attractive you were. You were gentle and caring….and attentive….and concerned. And since then, you have showed me who Trey really is, and that’s why I’m here with you right now.”

  “I don’t think I knew who the real Trey was until you came along.” Trey put his hand over hers, “I have done things that I normally would never do, but with you, I want to do them.”

  Elise smiled shyly, “Like?” Trey slid her hand off of his face and brought it to his mouth kissing her knuckles.

  “Like go to a night club and drink thousand dollar tequila, or blow off meetings to meet you at the airport because I missed you so much, or want to beat the shit out of a complete stranger because he made you cry.” Trey brought Elise’s hand up to his mouth again kissing it again.

  “First of all, I don’t want one ounce of your attention focused on HIM. Call me selfish, but I want that attention.” Elise bit her bottom lip, “Secondly, please don’t blow off meetings on my account.” She crawled onto Trey’s lap and cradled his face in both of her hands. Her amber eyes pierced into his, “I’m here, and I’ll be here after your work is done. You don’t have to choose. You can have both.”

  Trey didn’t know if Elise understood the weight of that statement and what that meant to him. He could have it all. He didn’t think that was possible before her.

  Chapter 15

  Trey was sitting back going through his BlackBerry looking for a phone number of one of his contacts. He scrolled down and when he got to the E’s there was the picture that Elise took of herself in the car in Paris attached to her contact. Trey couldn’t help but smile.

  She was still asleep when he left her apartment this morning which was no surprise because after their conversation last night, Elise was insatiable. They made love over and over until the early morning. Trey was tired, but he was certainly not complaining.

  Paul was sitting across from Trey who was behind his desk in his office. They were about to go over Trey’s scheduled appearances for the following month when Trey’s assistant buzzed him to let him know that he had a visitor.

  “Who is it Maggie?”

  “Sir, its Rixby Storm. You know the guy...”

  Trey clinched his jaw shut. “I know who he is, Maggie. Did he give a reason for the visit?”

  “No sir.”

  “Give me a minute.”

  Paul’s eyes were huge. “How do you know him?”

  “I don’t.”

  “Do you know what this is about?”

  “Yep. Elise.” What else could this be about? A campaign donation, yeah right. He knew this fucker’s game.

  “Are you serious? How does she know him?” Trey just looked at Paul and raised his eyebrows. “Oooh! Do you want me to leave?”

  “No. It’s best if you stay. I may not rip his head off if I have witnesses around.” Trey already felt his blood pressure rising.

  “Trey, I do not suggest you take this meeting if this is how it’s going to go down. I am speaking as a friend and a campaign manager.” Paul looked concerned.

  “I’ll be fine.” Trey wasn’t going to let him get under his skin.

  Before Trey could buzz Maggie to let her know to let him in, his office door opened and the asshole barged in. “Rixby Storm is never kept waiting, not even by the President’s son.”

  Trey was going to play this cool. He stood up behind his desk and shoved his hands in his pockets to hide the fists that he was making just by this asshole being in his presence. “Mr. Storm, I didn’t think I had a meeting scheduled with you today. This is Paul Kingston.” Trey motioned to Paul who stood up and extended his hand out. The asshole just looked at Paul then sat down in the chair next to him. “What can I help you with?”

  “Well, there’s nothing that I need your help with. I’m just here to let you know how all this is about to go down.”

  “How what is going to go down?” Trey sat back in his chair ready to listen to the bullshit.

  “This thing you have with Elise.” Rixby leaned back in his chair and crossed his feet up on Trey’s desk. Trey had the exact same pair of Bruno Magli boots this douchebag was making a point with by slamming them up on his desk. Those boots were going into the trash as soon as he got home.

  “I’m sorry. What about Elise?” Trey felt his face getting warm.

  “This is how this whole situation is going to play out. You will leave Elise alone, and you will end whatever it is that you have with her.”

  “And, why would I do that?” Trey actually laughed. Who the hell did this asshole think he was?

  “Because if you don’t break it off with her, I will go to the media about our relationship.” The bastard was trying to blackmail Trey.

  “What makes you think I would care if the media knew that?”

  “Well, you may not care, but she will.” The douchebag was right, and his smirk just pissed Trey off even more.

  “Why would Elise care if the media found out about a relationship she had in college?” He tried to play it off, but he couldn’t believe this asshole would threaten to purposely hurt Elise in the media if Trey didn’t leave her alone.

  “Look, Watts, I know my Elise. She would hate to have that light shined on her, especially since I was married at the time.” Trey nearly climbed over the desk when he said my Elise.

  “So, that would only make you out to look like the unfaithful philander that you are. That’s how your relationship with Elise ended, right? You promised forever then broke her heart by throwing yourself on some other girl right in front of her. Real classy. You couldn’t just end it with your wife, so you cheated, and then you couldn’t just end it with Elise, you had to hurt her. And you wonder why after all your attempts to contact her she hasn’t reached out to you.” Trey loved the look on his face. Rixby obviously thought that he was going to come in here and tell Trey something he didn’t know.

  “Wow, already pussy whipped. She’s great in the sack, isn’t she?” Trey tried to remain calm. “See, the chemistry between us, I think that’s what I miss the most. The fact that every second we were together, all we wanted to do was tear each other’s clothes off and crawl inside one another. It was fucking wild. Elise remembers that – make no mistake. And I may have fucked up by letting her go, but I won’t make the mistake of not trying everything in my power to get her back.”

  Trey stood up causing Paul to stand up, “Mr. Storm, this is how the rest of this conversation is going to play out.” Trey leaned over and swatted the assholes boots off his desk. “You’re going to get your ass up and walk right the fuck out of that door,” Trey pointed in that direction, “or, I’ll kick your ass all the way out of this building. And, if you dare go to the media or even try to contact her again, there is nothing on this earth that will stop me from finding you and ripping your throat out.” Trey stood tall and straightened his tie. “If you cause her any more pain, your ass is mine – make no mistake.”

  Trey hit the buzzer on his phone while staring down the pompous asshole. “Maggie, make sure security sees Mr. Storm out the building. Let me know if there are any problems.”

  Rixby snorted a laugh out, “It’s on! May the best man win, Watts.”

  Trey met his laugh with his own billion dollar smile, “You’re not a real man! Now get the fuck out of my office.”

  ~

  Trey sat back down at his desk and finally looked over at Paul. “Well, that went well.”

  “Trey, do you think he’s serious about going to the media with the information about their relationship?”

  “The only things I care about are the ramifications to Elise - from her feelings, to her business and reputation. I don’t care about any impact this could have
on me.” He wanted to make that clear to Paul.

  “Do you want to bring Elise in so we can talk PR and clean up if he does go to the media? I will get my firm on it.”

  Trey ran his hand through his hair. “This was the exact thing that she was worried about when she got into a relationship with me. She worried that the information about her and this asshole would surface and hurt me. Who knew the asshole himself would be the one threatening the leak.” Trey slammed his hands down on his desk. He regretted not taking a swing at the punk when he had the chance.

  Chapter 16

  Elise and Jeremy were exiting their car and stepped onto the red carpet of the Women in Fashion awards banquet. The banquet honored women in the fashion world for their dedication and impact to the industry. Elise was one of this year’s award recipients. She was the winner of the Trailblazer award for women whose contribution revolutionized the industry. She was the only honoree from the cosmetic industry standing next to fashion designers, photographers, actresses, models, and journalists. It was a huge honor for Elise since members of the fashion world voted on the different finalists. She was receiving recognition for her hard work from some of the most influential customers she had.

  The awards banquet not only included the who’s who of the fashion industry but also included members of the entertainment and music industry, professional athletes, political figures, socialites, etc. It was one of the top New York awards banquets and anyone who was anyone was there. The press turned out in droves to snap pictures and get sound bites for their respective television shows, radio stations, magazines, or newspapers. It could be very intimidating for someone to be thrown into that atmosphere, but not for Elise. She was poised and prepared.

  She looked stunning in her custom-designed pale pink Giorgio Armani Privé evening gown. The dress featured an asymmetrical Swarovski adorned strap that is woven through a fitted bustier, layered with silk and Swarovski crystals. The dramatic silhouette was enhanced with a high front slit, open cutout back, and cascading chiffon train. She felt beautiful and confident as she and Jeremy were guided down the red carpet.