Enticed

by Ginger Voight

  As it turned out, both of them had woven themselves under my skin when I wasn’t looking.

  I made it home before they did, and prepared dinner for the three of us.

  Unlike the day before, Jonathan was back to his bubbly self when he bounded through the front door. He showed photos on his phone of the pictures they took from the yacht as they sailed. “You should have been there!” he said. “We saw dolphins, look!”

  As it turned out he had researched the dolphins he saw all the way home, so he entertained both Drew and me with the information he had learned, virtually monopolizing the conversation. I got the distinct impression this was fine for Drew, who said very little to me since what had happened the night before.

  He was either giving me a wide berth out of respect or he had seriously reconsidered his behavior. It was impossible to tell which one was which as he sat at the head of the table, his chin in his hand, as he listened to his son. Our eyes met briefly here and there, mostly to share an amused grin over Jonathan’s enthusiasm, but other than that he was on his best behavior.

  It actually proved to be depressing. Though I never needed his attention to validate me, it was a shot to the ego that a man like Drew Fullerton could tell me that he’s never met anyone like me before taking me possessively into those ever so eligible arms.

  The world was his oyster, but he had wanted me.

  The truth, as I quickly learned, was that he had been lonely and drunk and I had been available. I had never been to a bar at closing time, but maybe that was merely all it was – compulsive behavior seeking instant gratification.

  He didn’t even call me into his study to discuss the day, as we had become accustomed to doing. In fact, he turned in early. He had a business trip the following morning and he wouldn’t be back until the following week.

  Whenever he called in nightly to check up on Jonathan’s progress, our interactions were cordial but brief, and neither one of us spoke about what had transpired between us. But it planted his voice in my ear right before bedtime, and more than one randy dream followed as a result. I began each day baptizing myself in frigid water just to wash the shame, and newly awakened desire, away.

  During the day, Jonathan kept me suitably distracted from my moony daydreams. By Friday we were back in the zone, and my memories of the Saturday before had started to fade.

  Alex made no more mention of a date when he picked up Jonathan that Saturday. After they left I hooked my bike on the back of my car and drove to the beach for the day.

  The next day I bought Jonathan his own bike and we went to the coast together.

  Drew got home much too late that Sunday to see either Jonathan or me, which was a mixed blessing. Unfortunately the more I thought about him, the more confused I became. The dream Drew stepped in where the real-life Drew often withdrew, and by the time he got back from Hong Kong, I had already made love to him in my mind.

  This blurred the lines even more than they already were. Pandora’s Box had officially opened.

  The third of October fell on a Monday, which happened to be the day Jonathan and I spent at the offices of Fullerton Enterprises International. By then we had our own office on the top floor of our building, just down the hall from Drew’s. Jonathan had a stack on his desk, detailing the company that Drew had acquired on his trip to China. I had a similar stack on my desk, as I had to learn about the material in order to test Jonathan on it.

  Before we could dive in, Drew called us down to his office for a formal meeting. We sat in the chairs opposite his desk, which faced out over the familiar skyline of Los Angeles. “I have a special project for you both,” Drew began as he leaned across the desk on his forearms, linking those long, graceful fingers together in front of him. “Three, actually.”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “The Fullerton family has long been known for hosting holiday parties from Halloween all the way to the New Year, but unfortunately in the last many years we’ve been unable to uphold this long-standing tradition. I think it’s time to start up again, starting with a Masquerade Gala on Halloween.”

  “That’s only weeks away,” I pointed out.

  “Indeed,” he said. “It will take two very capable people to organize this event, and the Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties that follow.”

  “We get to throw parties?” Jonathan asked with eyes as wide as saucers as he filled in the blanks.

  Drew grinned at him. “Three. If you both think you can handle it, of course,” he added as he looked at me.

  I wanted to remind him that I was a teacher, not a party planner, but I didn’t feel like getting into that particular argument in front of Jonathan. Drew read my mind and explained his request. “I realize, of course, that neither of you are professional party planning professionals. But one day Jonathan will step into my shoes and run this company. A big part of running anything is learning how to organize and delegate. Those are the key lessons in overseeing these projects, which I thought would be a lot more fun for you both than reading reports and memorizing data.”

  Jonathan nodded excitedly. “My first real grownup party!” he gushed as he looked over at me. “Say we can do it, Rachel. Please?”

  I didn’t know what to say as I looked in between Drew and Jonathan. “I’m a little out of my element here,” I admitted.

  Drew offered a dismissive shrug. “My assistant does most of this for me, and you’re every bit as qualified and educated as she is. I’ve already advised her to be available to either of you throughout the process, making it as painless as possible.”

  “Please, Rachel? This will be so much fun!”

  I pursed my lips as I stared into Jonathan’s hopeful face. “Jonathan, why don’t you go back to our office for a bit? I want to speak to your father privately for a moment.”

  Jonathan didn’t like the sound of that, but he went without a fuss. The minute the door closed behind him I turned back to Drew. “That was unfair dropping that in my lap in front of him.”

  Drew looked anything but apologetic. “I already told you, I don’t do fair.”

  “And if I say no?”

  His eyes were hard as they challenged me. “Then my assistant does it anyway, and my son misses out on an opportunity.” I hesitated, feeling a bit overrun by his tactics. “If compensation is the issue…,” he began, but I cut him off.

  “You know that’s not it,” I snapped. “These are extensive, time-consuming projects.”

  “With challenges that you can tie into any current lesson plan,” he countered. “That’s your specialty, right?”

  I sighed. “This is not a job for a teacher. This is what a wife or a girlfriend or a personal assistant would do. It’s inappropriate, Drew.”

  My heart toppled to my feet as the look in his eye darkened. “I think we already crossed that line, don’t you?”

  It was the first mention he’d made of our kiss, and it was so unexpected it took my breath away. “All the more reason not to muddy the waters any further.”

  “You can certainly say no if you choose,” he agreed.

  I thought about Jonathan, and how happy he was to be included in the ‘fun’ part of his father’s business. “Can I?” I asked.

  “I already put Simone in charge of the invitations for the Masquerade Gala, all of which she mailed last week. You can check with her regarding the guest lists as well as the exact dates we picked for these events. She also has all the information on the caterers and florists we use, which I would recommend contacting today.”

  I was flabbergasted how efficiently I had been roped into this new task. It didn’t help matters that I was equally intrigued by how much fun it could be, just the same as Jonathan. I relented with a heavy sigh. “I guess I should go get started.” I stood.

  “I wouldn’t give this to you if I didn’t think you could handle it.”

  “You keep saying that,” I responded.

  His voice softened. “Then isn’t it about time you believed
me?”

  I took a deep breath. “So is there a theme for your shindig?”

  He smiled. “Medieval royalty.”

  “Of course,” I replied.

  Jonathan nearly came out of his skin with excitement when I returned, laden with information Simone handed me the second I walked out of Drew’s office. Apparently she knew I wouldn’t say no to his request every bit as much as he did.

  We spent most of the morning researching Medieval-themed parties so that by early afternoon we could visit with caterers to plan the banquet meal. Fortunately for us, this caterer was from England and had hosted many Medieval-themed parties, some in actual castles. Poppy Burnham produced a list of different menu items to consider, from hearty meat options to earthy root vegetables and egg dishes to satisfy our vegetarian guests.

  When Jonathan and I returned home, we opened up the ballroom I had completely forgotten that they had. Several globe-shaped crystal chandeliers hung like planets and stars from the barrel ceiling, and the grand space featured a grand marble fireplace, as well as double doors that opened onto a private terrace with its own fountain. Jonathan perched himself in the middle of the room with his tablet and a sketchpad, tasked with turning our more modern space into a Medieval castle for Party Number One.

  I sat next to him as I scoured the Internet for color schemes. We finally decided on a royal palette of purples and blues, which guided his imagination as he got busy on his sketch. Meanwhile I researched what kind of musicians we could hire for the event.

  By the time Drew got home that evening, we were still in the ballroom hard at work. We brought sketches and notes to the table, sharing ideas as we ate the meal Cleo had to prepare because I was otherwise distracted.

  We didn’t even bother with TV that night. There was too much to do and not a whole lot of time to do it.

  I suddenly had a new appreciation for how hard Drew worked. I could technically “clock out” of my job day after day, with weekends to spare. For Drew, his business was constantly in forward motion, demanding his attentive eye to ensure its success.

  The guest list he had provided had been chock full of recognizable names, from movie stars to politicians. It intimidated me more than I would have dared to admit. The pressure was on to be perfect, especially since this was the first high-profile event for the family since Drew and Alex’s mother, Marie Fullerton, passed away six years before.

  “Her parties were legendary,” Drew had confided. “After she died, there seemed little point in carrying on the tradition, as we would never come close to the magic she wove year after year.”

  “No pressure,” I quipped.

  Drew had also invited Elise and Alex to the event, likely as a courtesy more than an olive branch. I didn’t anticipate that Elise would RSVP, but I knew Alex wouldn’t miss it for the world.

  And worse, he would know that I was directly involved with the planning, simply because he was at the downtown offices almost as much as Drew was. I just knew that he’d form his own opinion about my participation, thinking this was just one more attempt to wedge myself into the family by taking over his beloved mother’s tradition, but I couldn’t worry about that.

  It wasn’t like I was going to show up on the arm of Drew or Jonathan on the night of the party.

  Or so I thought.

  “You’re making me go?” I squeaked at Drew that evening when we conferred privately in his study, and he informed me that I should contact a dressmaker straight away to design my costume.

  “It’s your party. Don’t you want to go?”

  “It’s inappropriate,” I found myself repeating.

  “I’m going to start charging you a quarter every time you use that word,” he warned playfully.

  “What if Elise comes? How is that going to look?”

  “Every bit as appropriate as the man candy on her arm,” he shot back. “Our family doesn’t operate by conventional rules, Rachel. Appropriate or not, you are a part of this household. You have every right to be there.”

  The next day we met with costume designers to discuss what the three of us would wear as hosts of this family function. Jonathan had some ideas based on the medieval costuming he had researched the night before. They measured Jonathan and me in person, and since I had done so much to dress him in the past, I already knew Drew’s measurements well enough to pass that information along. By the end of the week we had preliminary sketches, with a fitting scheduled the following week.

  RSVPs poured in, making me more nervous by the day. Alex, of course, responded with a resounding yes, as did Elise and her ‘plus-one.’ Per Simone’s gentle encouragement, I relied heavily on the experts we hired to carry out our party plans. I learned a lot from the designers and the caterers, but also from Cleo and Harrison, who had overseen such events many times in the past.

  We hired security and additional staff, and miracle of miracles, managed to have everything in control the week leading up to the party. It was scheduled for the Friday before Halloween, as not to interfere with Elise’s court-appointed visit the following day.

  Drew offered that Jonathan could leave with Elise following the party for their first overnight visit, if the young Fullerton so chose. After several successful Saturdays with his mother under his belt already, Jonathan finally agreed.

  “It’s because of you, you know,” I told Drew as we shared some hot apple cider by the outdoor fireplace on his terrace. “You stopped treating her like an enemy, so he feels free to treat her more like family.”

  “It’s because of you,” he corrected. “You’re the one who started making inroads by encouraging her not to trash me in front of Jonathan. We’re just following your lead.”

  “I think you’re doing the right thing, letting him go with her for the night.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not convinced. It goes against everything in my nature and every one of my instincts. But I had to ask myself… WWRD?”

  I giggled. “Yeah, right.”

  He winked at me and we sat in comfortable silence watching the fire crackle and burn in front of us.

  The week of the party kept Jonathan and I busy right up to the chaotic end. Simone spent the afternoon at the house, adding an extra pair of eyes and hands to the project, which finally looked like it was coming together.

  The caterers took over the kitchen, and wait staff arrived to set up the tables and chairs. I was frantic to dot every last ‘I’ and cross every last ‘T,’ so much so that Simone had to drag me upstairs to change into my costume.

  The hooded, Gothic dress was made of deep purple velvet with a taffeta front detailed with scrolling black velvet. The dramatic sleeves flared down past my hands, and the square neckline kept all cleavage at a bare minimum. Though it showed very little skin, it was feminine and sexy. The hairdresser piled my hair up on top of my head in a bundle of coiled curls, while the stylist applied professional makeup to transform me from a simple schoolteacher and household grunt into a fairytale princess.

  I barely recognized myself when I looked into the mirror.

  Both Drew and Jonathan wore costumes befitting a king and a prince, with capes and crowns, and ornamental swords attached at the hip. I smiled when I saw them at the foot of the stairs. My eyes locked with Drew’s as he appraised my appearance. I couldn’t look away as I descended the stairs.

  Jonathan bowed with a suppressed giggle. “M’lady,” he said.

  I curtsied. “My prince,” I said. I turned to Drew, who took my hand in his and brought it to his lips.

  “You look lovely,” he said against my skin.

  I was breathless as I answered. “Thank you.”

  Jonathan beamed as he stared up at us, but Drew had yet to release me from his gaze. “Jonathan,” he said. “Why don’t you go show Harrison how well you wield your sword?”

  Jonathan thought this was a fine idea and flew off like a shot toward the ballroom, where Harrison and Cleo organized the additional staff.

  “Come with me,�
�� Drew instructed, before pulling me by the hand into his study. We didn’t stop until we reached his desk. “You have done an amazing job putting this together,” he said. “I wanted to show you a token of my appreciation.” He held up a large black velvet box.

  I gasped when he opened it. The box contained a dramatic Renaissance necklace featuring Amethyst stones to perfectly match my dress. “Jonathan said you didn’t have jewelry for the event, but no queen would be complete without her royal baubles.” I opened my mouth and he held up his hand. “And don’t you dare say it’s inappropriate. It’s a loner, not a gift. Wear it without shame.”

  “You know, Jonathan helped just as much putting this together.”

  “That’s why he got a sword,” Drew replied with a wry smile. “I can give you a sword as well, but I fear you may finally filet my brother if you have access to weaponry.”

  I laughed as he slipped the necklace from the case and slipped it around my neck. My breath caught as he stepped behind me to fasten it. “Thank you, Drew,” I finally said.

  He leaned closer to say softly in my ear, “All night long, as you wear this, I want you to remember that you belong here.”

  I shivered in spite of myself. I took the matching earrings from the case to place them in my ears, and then followed Drew back out of the study.

  By the time Jonathan joined us in the foyer, we had donned our ornamental Venetian masks. Musicians had set up in the hallway to play the harp and flute as the guests began to arrive, Alex being one of the first.

  The black baroque mask partially obscured his face, making his sensual mouth even more prominent as he bowed to me with a smirk. “Miss Dennehy,” he drawled easily.

  “Mr. Fullerton,” I gritted between clenched teeth.

  “Nice of you to make it,” Drew murmured as he greeted his brother.

  “Our first family party in years?” Alex answered. “How could I possibly say no? We wouldn’t want to disappoint Mother, now would we?” he added bitingly, before he took his place beside his brother, where he remained throughout the arrivals.