Dancing in the Gray

by Eydie Maggio

  “He’s here now because of you, too. Trust me. This is my wife, Jessie.” Will kissed Jessie on her temple. “Holy shit, Jess. You’re my wife!”

  “I know!” Jessie leaned her head into Will’s kiss.

  “Hi Jessie. Congratulations to the two of you. Trey told me that your wedding was beautiful.” Jessie was very gorgeous and very tall. She looked like a high fashion model.

  “Oh, Trey’s so sweet. It’s great to finally meet you. Did you have fun roller skating through the streets of Paris?”

  Elise smiled, “I did. It was amazing.” Elise motioned over to Jeremy, “This is my very best friend, Jeremy.”

  “It’s lovely to meet the both of you.” Jeremy was in Watts' heaven.

  “So did you stay in Paris for your honeymoon?” Elise asked. The couple was so in love. Will looked longingly at Jessie, and she was completely infatuated.

  “No,” Jessie answered, “we stayed at a chateau in the South of France.” Jessie looked over at Will and smiled.

  Elise knew that look. They did see much outside their room at the chateau, which is how it should be when you’re on your honeymoon. Trey and Paul made their way back to the group. Trey placed a bottle of 1800 Colección on the table. Elise looked up at him with wide eyes and a very devious smile.

  “Shots all around.” Trey and Paul placed the lowball glasses they were carrying onto the table. Trey couldn’t contain the same smile that was plastered on Elise’s face.

  Elise uncorked the bottle and poured shots for everyone. Once everyone had a glass, Trey lifted his, “Salute!” He toasted Elise’s glass, and with a wink, he took the shot. He placed his glass back down onto the table and whispered into Elise’s ear, “You look amazing. When you walked onto the red carpet, you took my breath away. I was instantly jealous of Jeremy.”

  Elise wasn’t sure if it was the warmth of the shot or just her newfound bashfulness that appeared every time Trey complimented her. He ran his thumb over her cheek, “And Jeremy and I have decided that we need to create a new word for the actual hotness that you emit.” She placed her glass down on the table and wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head into his neck and chest. “I was so happy when I saw you on stage.” Trey wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

  She felt protected in his arms. He was hugging her and kissing her and looking at her like he did on stage even after knowing what Rixby did on the red carpet. He really didn’t care about the mistakes of her past. He was there tonight supporting her and Jeremy, which meant so much to her because Jeremy was her family, like Martie. And then there’s Martie who was in love with Trey. Elise meant to show Trey the picture of the bouquet he bought Martie in a beautiful vase. She emailed the picture to Elise this morning. He actually wanted to meet her mom and was so sweet to her. He listened to every stupid story that Martie told about her and looked at pictures with her. He was truly attentive and hung on every word Martie spoke.

  Elise suddenly became short of breath and her chest felt tight. She backed away from Trey who instantly knew something was wrong. “Elise, are you alright?”

  She didn’t want to send him into a panic so she plastered a fake smile on her face. “Yes, can you excuse me for one second? I’m going to head to the ladies room.”

  Her hands were shaking as she reached into her purse to text Jeremy to meet her in the ladies room. Her chest felt tighter, and she had to lift her head in the air to breathe. She felt the tears pooling in her eyes. Once she reached the ladies room, she sat down on the chaise lounge that was in the sitting room area of the bathroom. She dumped her purse out to get her cell phone, but her hands were shaking furiously. Jeremy came busting through the doors into the sitting area.

  “What’s wrong?” Elise always said they were connected on a higher level but this was like telepathy. “You are shaking, Elise. Do we need to get you to a hospital?” He grabbed her hands trying to steady them.

  “I think I love him.” The tears filled Elise’s eyes. Saying the words made her chest tighten further. Elise grabbed at her chest.

  “I swear to God Elise if you are talking about Rixby I will bitch slap you all the way down Broadway.” Jeremy’s face was serious.

  “No, Trey! I think I’m in love with him.” Elise closed her eyes and tried to breathe deeply.

  Jeremy covered his mouth and tears started pooling in his eyes, “I was waiting for you to realize it.” He stood up and walked over to get a few tissues from the vanity area of the sitting room. “Martie saw it, too.”

  Jeremy dabbed Elise’s eyes making sure not to mess up her makeup. “I just realized it! How could you guys know that?” Elise took a tissue and blew her nose.

  “Because Elise, you walk on air around him, you actually introduced him to Martie, and I can only hope for someone to look at me the way that you look at Trey. And the feeling is mutual, trust me!”

  “Why am I shaking and short of breath? Shouldn’t I be happy and not crying in a bathroom trying to control a panic attack?” Elise was so confused.

  “Your body is protecting itself. The last time you felt this way, someone hurt you. But this man is different, Elise.” Jeremy dabbed her eyes again, “You need to allow yourself to love him.”

  With those wise words, Elise closed her eyes and took another deep breath. She thought of Trey standing there with flowers at the airport and how her natural instinct was to run to him, and the look on his face when she told him he could have a career and her while sitting on her living room floor last night. She loved him. Elise shed a few more tears, from happiness this time. She opened her eyes and smile, “I really love him.”

  “I know you do.” Jeremy hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. “Now, let me help you get all this back into your purse. They scooped up all the contents of Elise’s purse that was on the chaise and dumped it back into Elise’s Chanel clutch. “Let me reapply some powder and mascara before we head back.” Jeremy instantly went to work on her face.

  Jessie came into the bathroom looking very concerned. Elise was instant relieved that the panic was gone. She didn’t want Jessie to get the wrong impression.

  “Elise, are you ok?” She put her hand on Elise’s shoulder.

  Elise looked up, “I am. I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I just needed a moment.”

  “I completely understand. Loving a Watts is sometimes very overwhelming.” Jessie was matter of fact with her statement. Elise’s eyes were wide as she shot a panicked glance over to Jeremy. “I saw it on my brother, then I experienced it first hand with Will, and now you have that same look. But don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” Jessie smiled and squeezed Elise on the shoulder.

  “Perfect!” Jeremy was done with Elise’s makeup.

  “Ok, so we need another shot, and then we hit the dance floor.” Elise felt a huge weight lift from her chest. She laced one arm around Jeremy’s and the other around Jessie’s as they left the ladies room together.

  ~

  When the three of them returned from the ladies room, Elise looked relaxed. Trey knew something was on her mind, but whatever it was, it was no longer worrying her. She poured a shot for herself and Trey, and then passed the bottle over to Jessie with a wink. Trey laughed to himself knowing that Will had no clue what he was in store for tonight.

  “Two drink minimum,” she lifted Trey’s glass to hand it to him.

  “I know the rules; I’ve already taken my second one. You have some catching up to do, young lady.” Trey smiled down at a very surprised Elise.

  “Someone’s a quick study. I better catch up. The student can’t possibly become the teacher so soon!” Elise grinned before she closed her eyes and let the smooth shot cross her lips.

  Closer by Ne-Yo came pumping through the speakers of the club. Jeremy clapped his hands, “I love this song. Let’s dance.” He pulled Elise and Jessie onto the dance floor which was just a few feet away. The three of them joined the small crowd of people enjoying the music on the dance floor
.

  Trey watched Elise having fun with her best friend and his new sister. Will leaned over to Trey and said, “I like her! And so does Jessie.”

  Paul jumped in, “She seems to like your brother, a lot!” Paul patted Trey on his chest.

  “I like her, too.” Trey added with a smile. He wouldn’t take his eyes off of her.

  “Dude, you have it so bad!” Will was very observant. He did have it bad for Elise.

  “Yep.” Trey turned and poured three shots. He handed the glasses to his closest friends. “Here’s to having it bad, and having it all.” They touched glasses and tipped back the 1800.

  Elle Goulding’s Lights started playing. Trey sat the glass down and started walking to the dance floor, “Where are you going?” Will said as he held his arms up.

  Trey turned around with a smile, “To the dance floor,” he pointed behind him.

  “You don’t dance!” Will’s look of confusion was priceless.

  “I do after a couple shots of that!” Trey winked as he turned to meet Elise on the dance floor.

  He heard Will behind him, “Who are you and what have you done with my brother?”

  Elise’s head whipped around to find Trey who was now right behind her. Her beautiful eyes were dancing with excitement as the song brought back all the memories from their public display of affection at the table in Le Showcase. All Trey said was, “I remember.” He took Elise’s face in his hands and kissed her hard right there on the dance floor. The music was too loud to hear her moans, but he felt them on his mouth. He made a promise to himself that he would hear them later on tonight.

  Elise’s hands were inside his jacket and around his back. She grabbed onto his shirt tightly and drew herself closer to Trey rubbing her body against his very erect shaft. He slowly ran his hand down the center of her back until he reached the cut out of her dress that exposed her lower back. He ran his thumb up and down the curve at the center of her back just enjoying the feel of her skin. He felt a long vibration leave Elise’s mouth proving that she was enjoying his touch as much as he was.

  Her hands crawled up his chest and into his hair as Elise raked her nails across his skin. She tugged his hair and lightly bit his lip as Trey began to sway to the beat of the song with her. She ran her hands all over his body as he continued to possess her mouth. He couldn’t get enough of her, which was nothing new when it came to Elise.

  Elise pulled away slowly and grabbed his hands as Calvin Harris’ Feel So Close took over the dance floor. There were so many people dancing now that Elise’s body was forced to be flush to Trey’s. She moved her body in beat with the song, and she sang the words to Trey which caused his heart to beat harder than the bass line of the song.

  He knew in that moment that he didn’t have it bad for her … he was in love with her.

  ~

  The group was leaving the club waiting on their respective vehicles when a group of paparazzi started snapping pictures of them. Elise and Trey were all over each other, not really caring about the pictures that the vultures were snapping. As Ronald pulled up with the SUV, one of the vultures shouted something about Rixby Storm. Elise pulled back from Trey and looked up at him with panic in her eyes. Trey smiled down at her and gave her a wink which instantly changed her expression. He felt her stiff body relax again as he led her towards the vehicle.

  “So Elise, is there any truth to the stories about a love triangle?”

  Trey looked down at Elise and smiled. She hugged Trey’s arm close to her as she turned her head to the group of vultures and said, “There’s love, but no triangle.”

  Chapter 19

  Elise was resting her head on Trey’s shoulder as they made their way to the Upper East Side to her apartment. Ronald was driving while she and Trey sat in the back seat of the SUV. They hadn’t spoken a word since they left the nightclub. Elise just laid her head on his shoulder and hugged his arm close to her.

  Ronald dropped them off at the lobby of her building. They were greeted by security and the twenty four hour concierge on duty. They rode the elevator silently up to her apartment. Elise was quiet since she was slightly tired, mildly drunk, and completely in love.

  When they reached Elise’s apartment, she unlocked the door and entered her apartment. She placed her keys and clutch on the round table in the middle of her foyer. Trey followed her into her living room where he began taking off his tuxedo jacket.

  The silence between the two of them was getting more and more awkward by the minute. Trey was oddly gazing at nothing which told Elise that he had something on his mind. She walked over to her wine cabinet and with her back turned to Trey broke the silence between them that began when they left the nightclub.

  “Wine?”

  “Uhm, yeah, sure.” He sounded like the question caught him off guard.

  “Red or White?” Elise’s back was still turned to him as she opened the cabinet to pull out glasses.

  “Oh…uhm….Red, please.” He still sounded distracted, and his silence was starting to make her nervous.

  “Would you mind turning on some music? My iPod is connected to my entertainment center. Put on whatever you would like.” Elise pointed to the cabinet below her television.

  Trey walked over to her entertainment center picking up her iPod and began looking through her music. Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight began playing. Elise looked over her shoulder just in time to catch the small sideways glance that Trey shot her.

  Elise smiled and grabbed the bottle of Chateau Lafitte Rothschild Paulliac 1996 that she received from the firm that was buying her company. The day that she had her lawyers contact them to tell them she was interested in their deal, a basket of wine showed up. There were three bottles of Rothschild Paulliac; 1978, 1986, and the 1996 she was opening now. The ’78 and ’86 were opened at her office with Jeremy and Ashley. Ashley was only a few months pregnant at the time so she just smelled the wine and watched Elise and Jeremy drink both bottles. They were celebrating that night, and tonight, Elise was celebrating. Not her award, but her strength to move past the hurt and the fear. She allowed herself to love again, and that was worth celebrating.

  She opened the bottle and poured a glass for both her and Trey. She walked into the living room where Trey was still searching through her iPod. She placed his glass of wine on the console and tried to walk past him to sit on the sofa, but Trey grabbed her hand to stop her.

  The way he was looking at her was leaving her short of breath. He placed her iPod next to his wine and then bent down in front of Elise gliding his hand down her leg through the deep slit in her dress. Elise was blinking rapidly and slowing breathing in air through her separated lips. He lifted her leg and removed her right shoe, then her left. He placed his hand behind her knee and kissed her on her thigh before standing. Elise closed her eyes for a moment. Trey had a way of overwhelming her with the simplest touch.

  He grabbed his wine and took a sip before sliding his hand around her and resting it on the small of her back where her dress was cut out. He brought Elise close to him and began swaying to the music. He placed his wine glass down on the console and grabbed Elise’s to do the same. Elise wrapped both arms around his back and pulled him close to her burying her head into his chest as they slow danced in her living room.

  More Than Words by Extreme followed Eric Clapton. Elise’s eyes were closed and her head was resting on Trey’s chest as she fell deeper and deeper in love with him as each second passed.

  “What did you mean by there’s love, but no triangle?” Trey was looking down at her when Elise finally raised her head to look at him.

  The corners of Elise’s mouth curled up, “There is only me and you. That’s it. No one else.” Trey had a look of melancholy on his face as his eyes left hers. That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Elise took a deep breath and continued, “All the love I have is for you.” Elise swallowed hard waiting for his response. Trey’s eyes darted back to hers, and he stopped dancing. Elise needed to fill the s
ilence, so she filled it with the truth, “I am so in love with you. Like – the one – in love with you.”

  ~

  Trey tried to muster up some courage to ask her what she meant on the way home, but didn’t want to have that conversation in front of Ronald, so he waited until they were here alone to ask. He didn’t expect her to respond to the vultures in the first place, much less respond using those words - there’s love. Those two words kept resonating in his head over and over. He wanted to believe that she felt the same way but couldn’t make that assumption. This was one area where there was no gray. It was black or white.

  Then she said it, “All the love I have is for you.” He froze in the moment in disbelief. Trey thought he was hearing things until Elise continued. She said she was in love with him and used the words the one. The look in her eyes was unforgettable. Her ability to tell him how she was feeling without saying a word was something that he cherished. Her eyes were telling him she loved him. And all Trey did was stand there dumbfounded.

  Elise’s eye suddenly went sad as she turned her head. Trey instantly snapped out of his catatonic state and placed his hand on Elise’s face. He turned her head back so she was looking up at him. Her eyes were sad initially, but a small smile started to cross her face and the look that he loved, of her love, returned to her eyes.

  Elise brought her hands from around his back, up his chest, and around his neck. She pulled him down and hugged him around the neck. Trey wrapped one arm around her waist and the other went to the back of her head. He turned his head and whispered into her ear, “God, Elise. I love you so much.”

  “I thought you were about to run out of here screaming.” Elise whispered back.

  Trey laughed with a grunt. “Never.”

  “Is that why you were so quiet earlier?” Elise’s hands left Trey’s neck and made their way down his chest and around to his back again as she pulled back and looked up at him.