Round N Around We Go (Has Cupid Gone Mad?)

by Belinda Elkaim

  She bites her lower lip, scans across the living room and frowns at the stack of unopened boxes. Secretly she agrees with him but she is too exhausted to unpack. His tolerance for her clutter does not motivate her to complete the task expediently. She looks at him blankly, makes up another excuse and tries to brush him off.

  Seeing through her excuses, he realizes the only way to make her reprioritize is to create a situation with a timeline that she must comply. Spontaneously, he decides that it’s the perfect moment to throw a small party at his condo to celebrate their milestone of moving in together.

  “I’m inviting a handful of our friends to come over for dinner this Saturday night,” he embraces her from behind and continues lovingly, “don’t worry about cooking, I’ll have it catered.”

  She turns around slowly in his arms and faces him. “Wait, did you decide on throwing a dinner party without checking with me first?” She pouts and realizes that she has been cornered. He is giving her four more days to finish unpacking, “And why this Saturday? What is the rush?”

  “It’s our one month milestone for moving in together.” He smiles and gazes into her eyes.

  Understanding his hidden intention, she smiles back and kisses him passionately on the lips. “Milestone party, never heard of that.” She laughs and kisses him again.

  “Well, you just heard it.” He winks and squeezes her perfectly shaped buttocks.

  Reciprocating his passionate touch, she cradles his neck with both hands and gently massages the back of his neck with her fingertips, a trick that sends chills throughout his body. His ‘on’ switch as she calls it, once triggered, it makes him horny. Extremely horny.

  He lifts her up and she wraps her slender long legs around his waist. He places her gently on top of one of the larger boxes on the floor as they fondle each other. Mesmerized by his deep green eyes, she presses her lusciously full lips against his and whispers inaudibly into the kiss,

  “I love you Ivan Solovich.”

  He hasn’t said those three words yet and she isn’t going to be the one to say it first, at least not audibly.

  The delectable moment is interrupted by the ringtone of her cell phone as he pulls her tank top over her head. He tries to unhook her black lace bra but she tries to stop him, “I should answer the phone.”

  “Nonsense.” He bends lower a little and kisses the fullness of her voluptuous breasts. Helplessly she leans back and enjoys the tenderness of his touch.

  Just as he is about to unhook her bra, her phone rings for a second time. “Maybe it’s important.” She murmured. “I’ll be right back.”

  Reluctantly he watches her stand up and disappears into the kitchen. Bored waiting, he sees a paper knife on the floor next to the box and figures he could help her unpack by opening some of the boxes.

  He opens the box right next to him and a bright red journal catches his eye. Curiously he picks up the journal, flips through the pages and realizes that it is her diary. He isn’t going to read it but before he has a chance to put it down, he hears her scream,

  “What are you doing? Put it down!” She rushes over then pries her diary from his hands. Relieved that she got back in time to safeguard her secrets, she leans over, kisses him on the cheeks and apologizes for screaming at him. “I’m sorry babe, didn’t mean to raise my voice but reading someone else’s diary is not very cool.” She follows with a smile to let him now that she is not upset.

  Surprised by her reaction, he stands up and looks at her coldly. “First of all,” he speaks solemnly, “you are not just ‘someone else.’ Secondly, you don’t have anything to hide from me, do you?”

  Taylor clasps her diary tightly against her chest and protects it under crossed arms. “Of course not, but I started this diary a long time before we met and those memories and emotions belong to only me and not us.”

  “Fair enough.” Ivan’s protective mechanism triggers a red flag in his mind. He thought he has her ultimate trust but apparently not the way he expects it. “So why is this diary here in our home? I suggest you keep it in a place that belongs to only you and not us.” Feeling rather disappointed, “Taylor I love you, but do understand this, from the moment that you decided to move in with me, our worlds are no longer segregated. Before you unpack all your boxes, I need your commitment that from now on, there would be no secrets between us. If that is not what you have in mind, then we shouldn’t be living together.”

  He caught her off guard and she is quite surprised by his reaction. Feeling a little intimidated, she decides to retreat and to play it soft.

  “I’m sorry if I upset you in any way.” Taylor feels extremely uncomfortable in this conversation but understands his motivation. “The last thing I’d like is for you to keep any secrets from me, so no, I will not keep any secrets from you either.” She puts the diary back into the open box and holds him tightly. “Maybe you’re right, I should not be holding on to the past. I think I’ll burn those memories so I can truly focus on our future together.”

  Content with what he is being told, he kisses her forehead gently and embraces her with his love. “I think we have some unfinished business here.” He grins, lifts her off the floor and carries her to their bedroom. “By the way,” he whispers into her ear, “have I told you that you look delicious?”

  Playfully she teases and provokes him. Touching his short chestnut colored hair and staring into his dark blue eyes she whispers, “And I taste delicious too. You should know that.” At this particular moment, her deliciousness is the only thing that he needs to know. Everything else, including unpacking, would have to wait.

  Chapter Two.

  It has been a rather hectic day at Theodore’s art gallery; flaunting her best at a private showing for Renzo Trovatelli, one of New York’s most affluent art collectors, Karina is distracted by Theodore’s odd behavior inside his office. The soft Buddhabar music playing in the background cannot compete with the clatter of Theodore’s fiery conversation over the phone.

  The dialogue is indistinct but they can tell that Theodore is disturbed.

  Just as she is introducing another piece of art to the collector, Theodore rushes into the main gallery, excuses himself over an unexpected emergency and leaves hastily.

  Apologetically, Karina smiles at Renzo and tries to seal the art deal without her mentor. “I saved the best for the last,” she smiles proudly, “this is one of my own.” She shows him one of her best pieces. “I understand that I am a new artist and do not deserve to be shown alongside the other renowned artists, but I am assertive and I believe in my work, so I hope you like it.”

  Renzo studies and admires her painting silently with a subtle smile. Karina wishes that Theodore would have waited for just a moment longer to finish off the showing but she has no other option than to complete the mission alone.

  After a moment of nerve wrecking silence, Renzo turns around and awards her a compliment. “Theodore is lucky man. I wish I have someone like you to take care of my gallery.” After a short pause he adds, “Maybe I can hand you the offer over breakfast tomorrow morning?”

  Hesitantly, “I’m sure Theodore would prefer to receive the offer personally. It’s his gallery after all.” She answers politely with a hint of signature sweetness.

  He touches her arm and adds cleverly, “I thought you want to be assertive. Perhaps I misread you?” His insinuation is becoming clearer.

  Karina understands that if she wants Renzo to include her piece into the deal, then she will have no choice but to entertain his invitation.

  Flirtatiously she attempts to control the situation, “How about if you make the offer now? Why wait for the morning?”

  He smiles impishly, “I don’t work well under pressure.” He leans over, kisses her on both cheeks and is ready to leave. “I’m staying at the Eden Roc Hotel, why don’t you meet me in the lobby at 8:30 am.”

  Escorting him to the door, she smiles courteously and maintains a comfortable distance, “See you in the morning.”<
br />
  She frowns as she watches him cross the street and sees her date, Keith Pelzer, walking towards her.

  Wearing a fitted shirt that accentuates his broad shoulders and firm chest, Keith struts down the street and approaches Karina with a smile. His brown eyes light up with excitement but she can sense that he is nervous. “Hi gorgeous, you look even more beautiful in the day light.” He leans over and gives her a friendly kiss on the cheek.

  A striking smile grows on her face and reflects her obvious admiration for him. “Thank you. By the way, I have to thank you once again for helping me change the tire and finding my way home the other night. I still cannot believe I got lost in my own neighborhood.” She laughs in embarrassment.

  “Mid-town is designed in a strange way.” He eases her embarrassment. “I’m sure you’re not the only one who has ever gotten lost there. Once you learn the area you will be fine.”

  “Well, considering that there was no battery left in my phone and the tire blew, I was lucky that you happened to be there at the same time, otherwise I would have been stuck there all night. Lucky me.” She gazes into his eyes with sincere gratitude.

  “No,” he smiles and inches closer, “lucky me. It was a strange night but I’m glad we met.”

  “Would you like to come in and check out the art? I need a few minutes to organize everything and I can close up.”

  “I thought you’d never ask.” He smiles and follows her in.

  “It’ll be just a few minutes.” She smiles and walks towards Theodore’s office.

  “Don’t worry; we are not in a rush.” He follows her into the office and sits on the sofa waiting. Scanning around the office, he compliments on the exquisiteness of the décor. “I wish my office looks like this.”

  “Oh it’s not my office. I run the gallery for Theodore, my mentor. When he’s not available, I take care of his business.” Trying to file away the log sheets as quickly as possible, she mumbles into the folders. “He is also my art broker. My God, he has taught me so much in everything. He lifted me up at the lowest point of my life and stood by me. Honestly, I wouldn’t have made it this far if it weren’t for him. In a way, he saved me. He’s almost like a father figure to me.”

  Keith admires the relationship that Karina shares with Theodore and while pretending to be paying attention, he carefully studies the layout of the office and watches her turn around to stack away the files. Taking the opportunity that she is not watching, expediently he leans forward and pushes a metallic object deep under the sofa and props up just in time before she turns around.

  Casually he sweeps back a lock of his dark brown hair and smiles. “I’d love to hear all about your art and how you became an artist. Your mentor Theodore seems interesting too, is he famous? I’d like to learn more about him too.”

  Karina sits next to Keith and unsure of where to begin, she gazes into his eyes and waits for him to speak. She will tell him everything after a few glasses of chardonnay.

  Confidently he touches her hand. “Hugry?” he asks. “We have reservations for dinner at this quaint little Italian restaurant. You’ll like the ambiance.”

  “Yes. I’m ready to close.” She picks up her bag, turns off the light and closes the door of the office behind them. He follows her to the alarm pad and watches absorbedly as she trustingly keys in the four digit security code: “4827.”

  Secretly he smiles. This is going to be far easier than he has expected.

  ************

  Twenty minutes into the photo shoot and the photographer calls for a break to reset the lighting. Perfect timing as Amber’s make up needs to be retouched as well. Preparing for the second season of her Broadway musical “Life After Death”, a new poster is planned for the billboards to push for continued success of the show.

  Amber struts slowly towards the photographer, a mature but rather attractive and talented artistic director who comes highly recommended by her peers. Disregarding the presence of Lizzie, her voice student and second female lead of the musical, and Neyo, her lover and male lead of the show, she feels flirtatious and creeps up from behind him while he adjusts the lighting. Leaning over his shoulder, she asks for a preview of the shoot. Her face nearly touches his as she looks into the screen of his camera.

  From across the room, Neyo watches Amber flirt with the photographer and begins to feel jealous. “Why is she hovering over him?” he mumbles to himself but is overheard by Lizzie.

  “Amber can do whatever she wants to do.” Lizzie remarks sharply. She doesn’t Neyo and thinks he is a bad influence in Amber’s life.

  Clearly, Amber deserves someone hugely better than a womanizer like Neyo. ‘He must be extremely good in bed.’ She thinks to herself and walks away with a blunt expression on her face.

  ‘Bitch’ he swallows the word and walks over to Amber instead. Shrewdly he interrupts their conversation, “Can we do the group shoot now?”

  “Not yet.” The photographer puts down his camera and continues adjusting the lighting. “I’m not done with Amber yet.”

  Annoyed and irritated, Neyo protrudes his chest and inches up to him, “What do you mean by you’re not done with Amber yet. Are you two doing it?”

  Amber gasps in disbelieve. “Neyo you’ve got to be kidding. What’s wrong with you?” She squeezes his arm and pulls him over to the other side of the studio.

  Speaking quietly yet firmly, “Neyo this is ridiculous, what are you thinking? That is the rudest thing I’ve ever heard! You have absolutely no right to speak like that, especially when we’re at work.”

  Defensively, “Yes but you were all over him!” He raises his voice angrily.

  “Excuse me?” Amber crosses her arms and stares at Neyo. “I can be all over anyone I want. No strings attached, remember? That is our deal. You are not my boyfriend so don’t start to act as if you are. Period. If you don’t want to wait for the group shoot then by all means you can leave.”

  “And the angel turns nasty!” He steps back.

  “I am not nasty. I am upset. What you said in front of the photographer is rude and utterly disrespectful. I have zero tolerance for that.” She presses on.

  “So when you are upset I become dispensable? Really? You would wrap the shoot without your lead man by your side?” He shakes his head and backs away a little further. As if his feelings are hurt, he crosses his arms and challenges her with a piercing stare.

  The photographer walks over to Lizzie and asks her quietly if Amber and Neyo is a couple.

  Lizzie shakes her head and replies quietly, “No not really. They are sort of together but not really together. I think he is just her boy toy. Not sure why he’s acting up today.”

  Amber finally wins the heated argument and Neyo unwillingly apologizes to the photographer. No longer inspired for the photo shoot, Amber picks up a bottle of chilled Pellegrino and heads over to the dressing room for a retouch of makeup.

  Feeling a little stuck, Amber is beginning to regret her involvement with Neyo. Lately he has been acting strangely and is starting to become distastefully clingy. She does not like his new found behavior, not one minuscule bit.

  She would like to break up with him, but in reality there is nothing to break. Their involvement is supposed to be ‘unattached’ but lately his possessiveness far exceeds his entitlement. This must cease.

  Feeling calmer, Amber finishes retouching her makeup and heads back into the studio. Lizzie and the photographer sit on the sofa waiting, while the assistant hangs a new background sheet and Neyo is no where in sight.

  “Where is Neyo?” Amber asks out loud.

  Fueling the rage and hoping that they breakup, Lizzie offers indifferently, “Neyo is becoming uncontrollable! Out of the blue, he walked up and punched through the background paper then stormed out. He left.” Lizzie answers bluntly.

  “He left in the middle of a shoot? That’s insane.” Amber frowns and rubs her temples. “Trouble.” She mumbles to herself and picks up the phone to call him.

&nb
sp; Reaching his voicemail for the third time, Amber becomes annoyed, puts down her phone and pauses to think. After a brief moment of silence, she turns around and smiles at Lizzie, “Alright Lizzie, looks like it’s going to be only you and me on the poster.”

  Amber has pretty much decided that she has no time or patience to entertain his childishness and unprofessionalism. She will not allow him to affect the integrity of her work.

  She believes that he has no power over her and that she is in absolute control of their pseudo relationship. Little does she know; she is wrong. He has successfully gained control over her involuntary thoughts as she begins to wonder where he is and what is on his mind.

  From a fresh and exciting lover, he has turned into a highly irritable challenge with uncontrollable tantrums. From being diplomatic and suave, he has become intolerably rude with violent inclination.

  Feeling a little afraid of him, her gut feeling is warning her that trouble is brewing and she must handle him cautiously.

  Neyo is certainly not someone that she should mess with. She thinks she knows him but truthfully, she doesn’t know the slightest thing about him.

  ************

  Ivan treads cautiously through the maze of boxes in his living room. Apparently, the strategy of time limitation does not seem to have any effect on Taylor. Boxes are still unpacked and his once immaculately neat condo is now a mess. “Taylor?” he asks for her softly to break the silence. “It’s Friday, the dinner party is tomorrow night. Have you forgotten?”

  He finds his way into their bedroom, opens the door and finds her stark naked and spread face down across the bed.

  His heart misses a beat and he is drawn into her beauty. Not an inch of body fat can be found on her slender and firm body. Her silky skin is invitingly smooth and seems to glisten and reflect the rays of the high hats dimly lit above the bed.

  The mess in the living room is long forgotten and his attention is drawn into her presence. He sits on the bed next to her deliciously beautiful body and gazes down at the peaceful look on her face. Gently, he brushes his fingers up her spine and sweeps back a lock of hair hanging across her cheek. Smiling lovingly, he strokes her hair ever so gently to wake her slowly and she stirs.