Player

by T. N. King

  He took a big breath, diverting his attention back to his own plate and stuffed a large portion of pancake into his mouth. “I have a favour to ask of you.”

  “What is it?” she asked apprehensively.

  “I have this…event I have to go to this weekend. It’s a charity ball to help raise money for cancer awareness. Truth is, a date is required, and I don’t have one. I would love it if you would go with me.”

  She hesitated as she tried to think of a way out of it.

  “You can be my pretend girlfriend,” he said smiling. When she fidgeted and still didn’t answer he quickly said, “I could have called a few others that I know but they seem more interested in me than just a date. I honestly don’t need the hassles and complications. They seem to think that once they have gotten in the door its fair game. What do you say? I know, with you, there won’t be any of that. Just employer/employee. We can call it a working event.”

  “Um…okay, yeah, sure,” she smiled. “Why not?”

  He let out a fake relieved breath. “Good, thank you so much. It will be a huge relief to not have to worry about keeping it strictly business.” He stuffed another large piece of pancake into his mouth and finished it off with half his orange juice.

  She picked at a blueberry on her plate, feeling very uneasy and anxious. Strictly business, strictly business. She kept repeating the words over and over in her head.

  “The dinner is at six on Saturday night so you should plan accordingly. If you need to go shopping I can leave you my credit card.”

  “What kind of dinner is it?”

  “Very fancy, ball gowns, tuxedos, the whole works.”

  She grimaced underneath her breath. She had no idea how to shop for such fancy clothes. Knowing her luck, she would look like Mary Poppins when she was through.

  As if he read her mind, he looked up at her and pointed at her food. “Eat and I’ll take you to Harrods.”

  She looked up quickly, remembering the last experience she had with him there. “No, that’s okay. I can manage.”

  “It isn’t up for discussion. I promise one dress and one dress only.”

  “Fine,” she scoffed. She shoved a small bite of egg into her mouth.

  When they got to Harrods, he parked in the same lot as before and waited for her after getting out of the car. The day threatened rain which didn’t make her feel any better. She lagged behind, lacking the energy to even try to enjoy the day.

  Once they got inside, several sales associates perked up when the saw Jensen walking through the aisles with Megan on his side. When he got to the women’s clothing department, Cara rushed over to him with a smile on his face.

  “Mr. Dean. It is a pleasure.”

  “Hello, Cara.” He leaned in toward her and kissed her cheek. “Looking lovely today.”

  “Well, thank you. What can I help you with today?”

  “We,” he said, looking at Megan “need a dress for the charity ball this Saturday evening.

  “Oh, yes. We have sold many dresses for the occasion. Anything special?” She looked at Megan and then back at Jensen.

  “Something…one of a kind.”

  “If you would, please follow me. I do believe I have a couple of beauties to choose from.”

  They followed the sales woman through the store and up a flight of carpeted stairs. The upstairs room was illuminated in little white lights and recessed fixtures that made it look like a dreamland. Some of the most beautiful dresses Megan has ever seen hung high on the walls with matching shoes dazzling in small glass boxes below them. Her mouth dropped open as she followed them to the back of the room to a black velvet futon surrounded by full length mirrors.

  “If you would like to be seated, Miss Jenkins, my sales team will present you with a few dresses for you.” She smiled and walked away.

  “She knew my name?”

  “I would expect her to.”

  Three different sales women lined up in front of her and Jensen as they held out three very lavish dresses for their approval. After scowling at a few gaudy dresses, she wouldn’t be caught dead in, she decided on trying on one that was an elegant white with gold inlays. It looked simple and not as expensive as the others. When she went to the dressing room to try it on, one dress that hung high above her caught her eye. It was a floor length gown, with layers of champagne satin and crinoline. The strapless bodice was embellished with beads, pearls and light pink sequins that sparkled under the lights. She stopped and marveled at the beauty of it but quickly went into the dressing room before anyone saw her. A dress like that must cost thousands in a place like this, she thought.

  She tried on the dress they gave her and it seemed to fit well. She nodded in approval, pulling it up a little here, and over a little there. When she came out she spun around slowly for Jensen’s approval.

  “What do you think?”

  He made a mediocre face. “It’s okay. I have another dress I want you to try. I’ll let you choose between the two.”

  She sighed and looked down at the dress she wore.

  “This is a lovely pick. Beautiful Chanel dress will the lovely with her skin tone,” said Cara.

  When Megan looked back up, Cara held the same dress she marveled over just minutes ago. She looked up at the wall where the dress hung and then at Jensen. His smile was enough to tell her that he caught her staring at it. When she got into the dressing room she pulled off the white dress and stepped into the pink one.

  “Please don’t fit, please don’t fit, please don’t fit,” she chanted. When she zipped it up the bodice pulled away from her chest quite a bit. She sighed a relieving sigh and opened the door. She held the bodice tight to her and looked at them. “It’s too big. I’ll just take the other dress.” She barely got the sentence out of her mouth when the women rushed to her and started pulling on the dress and holding her arms up. They pinned here, tucked there, and marked the dress for alterations. Megan felt like she was being prodded and just looked at Jensen with pleading eyes. He just sat on the futon and watched her with a smile on his face.

  “We will have your dress ready for you by Friday, Miss Jenkins,” Cara said. Another associate set three different pairs of heels in front of her to choose to go with the dress. She chose a pair of white strappy two inch heels that seemed simple enough. The woman helped her out of her sneakers and fit the shoe to her foot perfectly.

  “It looks like we have a sale,” Jensen said. He turned away to hand Cara his credit card.

  The woman who helped with the shoes stood close by watching Megan walk around the carpeted area in her new shoes. “You sure are a lucky gal,” she blurted out.

  “Excuse me?” Megan looked up at the woman.

  “It’s obvious how much Mr. Dean loves you. I saw it the first time you were in here with him, but it’s so much more apparent now. Things must really be going well for you both. I envy you.”

  Megan forced a smile, her guilt growing even thicker than before. She sat down and removed the shoes, handing them to the woman so she could box them up.

  “I have a surprise for you.” Jensen came in from the garden, carrying a variety of flowers.

  “For me? You shouldn’t have?” she said half-joking. She watched him put them in a vase on the living room coffee table before joining her on the couch. He leaned down and looked at the book she was reading. “One of mine?”

  “No,” she said a little louder than expected. “I bought it from the book store. Mark Twain.”

  “Very good choice.”

  “So, what is my surprise?”

  “I have a professional makeup artist and hairdresser coming in to doll you up for this evening.”

  “You don’t have to spoil me, Jensen.”

  “It’s not just about spoiling you. I have a certain image to uphold and whether or not it sounds like I’m being condescending, I assure you, I am not. You’ll understand once you get there.”

  After two hours of being pampered, Megan was ready for the ball.
She walked down the staircase like a teenager going to the prom. Jensen was waiting for her at the bottom. When he heard her coming down the stairs, he turned around and just stared.

  “You are stunning!” exclaimed Jensen with his mouth hung open.

  Megan smiled and looked down at her dress. She felt confident for the first time in a long time.

  “Thank you,” she said smiling. She took his arm when she got to the bottom of the stairs and he escorted her into the dining room where champagne and h'ordeuvres were laid out on a beautiful lace tablecloth with candles and flowers. “Wow, this is beautiful,” she said. Jensen poured two glasses of champagne, handed one to her.

  “I had some h'ordeuvres and champagne brought in for us as we waited for the car.” He pulled a single white rose from the vase on the table and pinned it to her bodice.

  She giggled nervously. “I feel like I’m going to a prom.”

  “I assure you, this is no prom. Much more prestigious and sophisticated.”

  She nodded, trying to calm the nerves in her stomach.

  “Will you be okay tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you sleep last night?”

  “Some.”

  He looked worried but didn’t say anything more about it.

  Megan rubbed her stomach and tried to eat a small slice of bruschetta.

  “If you get nervous or seem out of place all you need to do is look in the mirror,” he said leaning in and kissing her cheek. She bowed her head feeling her cheeks get warm. “No, seriously though I will be right next to you. You have nothing to worry about.” His phone beeped twice and he smiled at her. “Are you ready?” He finished his champagne and set his glass down, offering her his arm. Megan took another sip before setting her glass down next to his. She took his arm and they left for the ball.

  It wasn’t very long before they pulled up in front of the Grosvenor House Hotel, a grand luxury hotel that had the feel of the 1900s. He escorted her inside and into The Great Room. Several tables were lined with white linen and sterling silver and porcelain dishware. Small candles illuminated each table and perfect alignment made a perfect beautiful pattern of the room. An iridescent blue lighting cloaked the entire room, soft music playing giving it a romantic feel.

  Jensen walked in the room with Megan on his arm. It seemed he knew everyone there. Every few feet and walked he would shake hands with the gentleman, say hello to his date and make small talk before moving on. When they finally reached the table, he pulled Megan’s chair out for her and sat next to her after she was comfortable. He kept his eyes and Megan as she looked around the room.

  “There’s a band. Will there be dancing later?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  She leaned for him and whispered, “I can’t.”

  “Shoes too tight?”

  “No, I don’t know how.”

  He put his hand on hers and lightly squeezed. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

  She sighed feeling the nervous knots tighten in her stomach just as the waiter walked by.

  “Excuse me,” she said to the waiter. “I need a double…anything.”

  The waiter looked at Jensen. “Two glasses of champagne please,” confirmed Jensen.

  After the waiter returned with their drinks, Jensen leaned toward Megan and quietly said, “Now remember, you’re supposed to be my girlfriend tonight. Don’t worry you don’t have to kiss me.” He turned his head away causing Megan to feel that all familiar guilt again.

  She cozied up to him after first drink settled her nerves. As she looked around, she noticed several other women eyeing him but after she relaxed and began acting like his girlfriend, they seemed less interested. After their appetizer and second course meal, he seemed pleased with her.

  He leaned toward her and put his hand on her leg. “Is this too much?” he asked squeezing her leg.

  “Um, no. It’s part of the act, right?”

  “And it seems to be working. You are quite the actress.”

  Three courses later into the seven course meal Megan pushed her plate back. “I can’t eat anymore. You have to finish this.”

  “I’m just happy you’re eating something.”

  Just as the dessert was delivered to the table, the music started playing a little louder.

  A few couples got up from their tables and migrated to the front of the room where the band played. Megan watched them come together as they started dancing. A few other couples followed when Jensen turned toward Megan.

  “Will you dance with me?”

  “I don’t know, Jensen,” she said nervously. He stood up and held his hand out for her.

  “Will you trust me?”

  Megan hesitated, but put her hand in his and let him lead her to the front of the room. On their way, Jensen ran into someone he knew. He let go of Megan’s hand to shake the gentlemen’s hand.

  “Megan, right?” a familiar voice said behind her. She stopped and turned around to see Tristan Crawford smiling at her.

  “Yes. Hello again.”

  “You look ravishing,” he said, holding her arms out.

  “Thank you. It’s new.”

  “And it suits you beautifully.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek just as Jensen turned toward them.

  “Crawford,” he said directly.

  “Hello, Jensen. I see you were lucky enough to bring the prettiest woman in London,” he said, his eyes still on her.

  “Yes, well she couldn’t say no to me.” He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side. “She seems to think I am quite irresistible,” he said smiling down at her.

  “You must save a dance for me,” Tristan said kissing her hand. Before she could answer, he bowed his head and walked away.

  Jensen watched him walk away as he clenched his jaw together. He turned toward Megan and smiled. “Shall we?” she followed him to the front, sensing he was holding something back. As soon as they stepped onto the dance floor, he took her in his arms. “Now, relax and follow my lead.” He began slowly until she was able to catch on to the rhythm. Once she got the hang of it he had her twirling around the dance floor almost effortlessly. The catchy swing of the music had her feeling light on her feet. She was laughing and having an amazing time when the song ended and something slower and much more romantic began. Jensen watched as she came down from her high, holding out his hand for her. Her eyes locked on his and she could see a determination in his eyes. She slid her hand into his and he gently pulled her to him. The soft sway of the music matched the sway of their bodies. The scent of his cologne calmed her and she learned quickly that she really loved dancing. As he moved her around the floor, she caught a glimpse of Tristan, standing on the wall, watching them.

  “Is there something wrong with Tristan?” He didn’t respond to her. “I sensed something when he was talking to us, a sort of tension between you.”

  He didn’t say anything, just slid his hand down to her lower back and pressed firmly. She trembled lightly, closing her eyes and letting him lead her. She felt his finger caress her skin and she looked up at him. He said so much, without uttering a word. His lips parted slightly. His eyes glossed over. He swallowed and cleared his throat before looking away.

  “I’m sorry. I…got caught up in the moment.”

  “Jensen,” she said.

  When he looked back into her eyes, she stretched her body upwards, closed her eyes, and kissed him tenderly.

  Chapter 11

  When Megan’s lips met his in a kiss that should have happened a long time ago, he didn’t respond. She leaned back and looked at him, confused.

  “Did I do something wrong?”

  Jensen just shook his head slightly still staring at her. She couldn’t read him. She started feeling embarrassed and regretted what she did. She quickly turned away from him to run to the bathroom when he grabbed her, pulled her back into him, buried his hand in her hair, turned her sideways and kissed her the way she needed to be kissed. His kiss
was passionate, unexpected and extremely moving. When he finally let her go and stood her back up again, he waited for her to say something.

  “I…um…wasn’t expecting that,” she said covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

  “You surprised me with that kiss. I didn’t think you wanted to.”

  “I have wanted to for a long time.” She wrapped her arms around him and they danced together the rest of the night.

  After an intense and clumsy attempt at salsa dancing she pointed to the table and waved her hand at her face.

  “Do you want to get out of here?”

  “If you want to. My feet are starting to hurt anyway.”

  In the car, she gathered her dress around her legs so he could close the door. When he joined her, she started getting nervous, wondering what she was going to talk to him about. Things had changed drastically between them and it was all new to her. She thought of a few conversation starters and kept repeating them in her head. As soon as he climbed in and closed the door, she turned toward him.

  “I had a really good time….”

  He leaned forward, cupping her face in his hands. His mouth covered hers and his kiss made her lose all thoughts in her head. He inhaled deeply as he leaned into her causing her to shiver. The world around her melted away when she felt the back of his hands cascade down her neck to her chest. He softly slid his fingertips from side to side as he looked at her. He seemed to study every inch of her face, leaving small kisses as he did. Those kisses trailed down her chin and across her neck. She felt her heart beat a little harder, her breathing a little more ragged, her body being stirred from the inside.

  The town car pulled up to the mansion and he quickly got out of the car. He ran to the other side and opened her door.

  “Thank you, Randolph,” he said before closing the door. The driver smiled, tipped his hat and drove away. Jensen wrapped his arms around Megan and pulled her into him. “I have had the most amazing night,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose.