by Scarlet Rose
Leo was thinking and nodding his head.
“You could be right. We should give them an opportunity to photograph us in a more casual setting.” he exclaimed and jumped out of his chair.
“Let’s do this. Let’s go!”
“Where? Now?”
“Yes, now! It’s not like you have the office to go to, it’s Saturday. I’ll blow off the meeting I set up. We should go do something public!”
I chewed on my lip. It was nice to see Leo excited like this…but at the same time, I knew that his excitement had nothing to do with me.
“Where will we go?” I asked.
“I’ll think of something. Just go put on something nice.” he said and reached for me to tug me into standing up.
I smirked at him, my heart racing at the prospect of going on a date with him…even though it was going to be a fake one.
It was a pleasant day, and I wore a pretty sundress. I still had no idea what Leo had planned.
When I emerged from the bedroom, I saw him in a pair of cool khaki linen pants and a white shirt.
“Where are we going?” I asked him.
“You’ll see.”
He was at the breakfast bar, with a wicker basket open in front of him. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t have ever imagined you packing up a picnic.” I said, and Leo smiled too.
“I guess I’m just full of surprises.” he replied, and I looked away from him, reminded again by his dimples how handsome I’d always thought he was.
After the basket was packed, he handed it to me.
“I’m carrying this?” I asked.
“Don’t worry, it’s not heavy at all. Besides, it’ll suit you better.” he replied. Even his eyes were dancing as he stared at me.
I took the basket from him and hung it from my elbow. We were ready to leave.
Outside the house, I already spotted a paparazzi with a long zoom lens, and he clicked the moment we stepped out.
“They don’t miss a beat, do they?” Leo declared under his breath, but smiled and waved at the camera as he led me away.
All this attention on me was making me nervous, but I felt safe knowing that Leo was going to be there with me.
“Are we walking?” I asked, and he smiled. I couldn’t remember the last time Leo had walked anywhere. He was always just driven by his chauffeur. But today, we were walking down the busy streets of New York. Wicker basket hanging from my arm and our hands clasped together.
Leo put on his sunglasses and maintained a calm, casual air as we walked. I realized we were walking to Central Park, probably the busiest spot we could have gone to in New York on a Saturday morning.
“This feels very weird.” I whispered to him.
It wasn’t just one paparazzi following us now, I could sense more cameras on us.
“Don’t worry about them. Just keep smiling.” Leo told me, still holding on to me.
So I did. As much as I wanted to look away or take a moment to think, I couldn’t. I realized that with Leo around, I was always going to be in the public eye.
We walked to Central Park, still being followed by cameras and people’s eyes. Everyone seemed to recognize Leo, and now they recognized me too.
11
Leo
We found a relatively quiet spot in Central Park and sat on the grass. I’d packed a blanket for us in the wicker basket, and we sat on it, spreading out the cheese board and pouring wine into two glasses.
“You’ve brought grapes!” Jessie exclaimed, and she excitedly popped one green grape into her mouth. I couldn’t help but stare at her, the way she stretched her neck backwards and her lips fitted around the grape deliciously. I felt the urge to run my tongue down her neck, flashes of the previous evening returned to me. Jessie naked and sprawled on my bed, the sweet taste of her…I wanted her again.
I stretched myself out on the blanket, while she sat cross-legged facing me.
“So, now what?” she asked. She’d caught me staring.
“Now we do what we always do…talk and laugh. It’s not like we have to pretend.” I replied, and she smiled.
Before all this happened, she wouldn’t have asked a question like that. We were always comfortable in each other’s presence. Hanging out together was never a task. But from the look in her eyes now, I got the sense that she was uncomfortable.
“Should we…like…pretend to get cozy though? For the cameras,” she suggested.
“Good idea.” I said and stretched my arms out towards her. Jessie’s cheeks flushed, and her eyelids fluttered shyly. Then she moved towards me and slowly fit herself into my arms. Her back was pressed against my chest, her hair was on my face and in my nose. I was surrounded by her smell and presence. She was soft and warm in my arms.
As long as she didn’t notice my cock growing in my pants, we’d manage; I thought.
She ate some more grapes, while I sipped some wine. Even though it wasn’t very obvious, we could both sense that there were cameras on us.
“Have you ever done this before?” she asked.
“A picnic out in Central Park? Can’t say that I have. Never had the time for it.” I told her.
“Besides, you don’t really seem like the picnic type.” she added.
“I’m not so sure about that. I’m quite enjoying this, to be honest.”
Jessie turned her head sideways so she could look at me from the corner of her eyes.
“Did you just say you’re enjoying this?” she asked, with a laugh in her voice.
“What’s there not to like? A beautiful woman in my arms, a glass of wine in one hand, the sun on my face and cheese to devour.” I explained, smiling at her.
Jessie gulped and looked away from me.
“Did I say something wrong?” I asked, and she sighed.
“I’m just thinking about how good you are at pretending…for the cameras.” she said.
“Okay, yes, the circumstances are strange, but it’s not like I’m constantly pretending. You know that I enjoy spending time with you, Jessie. I always have. I don’t have to try when I’m around you.” I told her.
I couldn’t stop myself in time. I reached for a lock of her dark hair that was falling over her eyes and tucked it in behind her ear. She gazed at me, turning slowly towards me now.
“What are we doing, Leo?” she murmured.
“We’re having a picnic.” I replied. I knew she was asking me a different question—one that I wasn’t prepared to answer yet. What were we doing? What were we going to do in a few weeks once this ruse was over?
“This feels crazy, somehow.” she continued, and I brushed the tip of her nose with my thumb.
“Yes, it is crazy. But if I had to choose anyone to fake marry in this world, Jessie; it would always be you.” I replied.
She was looking into my eyes, and then she moved closer to me. Her face tipped in my direction, and I knew what she was going to do. She kissed my lips tenderly, and I reached for her face, pinching her chin tightly as I kissed her back.
My tongue slipped into her mouth, and she moaned. I weaved my other hand in her hair, throwing the glass of wine down on the grass. We kissed ravenously again like we’d been hungry for each other for centuries. Even though it had been less than a day that I was inside her.
She pulled away from me a few moments later, breathless and heaving.
“For the cameras…” she said and slowly moved away from me.
I felt like I was in shock. I had kissed a lot of women, but nobody kissed like Jessie. Nobody made me feel this way. Like I wanted to wrap my arms around her and protect her forever.
She cleaned up the mess the fallen wine glass had made and poured some more for me. I definitely needed the alcohol.
“Thank you, Jess, for doing this for me.” I told her, straightening myself up. I needed to hide the throbbing cock in my pants.
She nodded and smiled.
“It’s fine, Leo. I know
you would have done the same for me.” she said.
“Of course, in a heartbeat.” I told her.
I was watching her, searching her face…looking for any signs that the kiss might have meant more to her than a fake attempt for the cameras.
“After this is over, Leo, I think I’m going to go on a vacation to clear my head.” she said.
“By yourself?”
“Yes, I definitely need it.”
“Then you won’t have to wait too long. I’m going to set up a meeting with my uncle in the next few days and discuss the situation.”
She nodded, looking glum and not smiling.
“How soon can we have the marriage annulled?” she asked. Was she really that desperate to get away from me?
“Maybe in a few months, so that nobody gets suspicious. But once I get control of the company, we don’t have to live together anymore. You can go on your vacation and be free.” I told her, with a weak smile on my face.
“Good,” she answered.
12
Jessie
On Monday I went to the office and realized that I had everyone staring at me.
I worked in a small private financial institution. It was basically a desk job, which involved going through data and preparing reports. Nothing as thrilling as being married to the man who used to be the hottest bachelor in New York.
People had seen the interview and the photographs of our picnic in Central Park. Now, it wasn’t only strangers and the media that were showering me with attention, my colleagues were as well.
Rosie, the girl who sat beside me in the adjoining cubicle, stood up to talk to me while I was in the middle of typing.
“Hey, Jessica. Or should I be referring to you as Mrs Cormack now?” she asked, folding her arms over the partition.
I looked up at her, not in the mood for a conversation like this.
“I’m still Jessica, Rosie.” I told her irritably. Rosie didn’t seem to get the hint that I wanted her to go away.
“So, what is it like being married to Leo Cormack. Also, why did you keep it a secret from all of us?”
My fingers continued to float over the keyboard, I was trying to zone her out. The last thing I wanted to do was discuss Leo, not while I was feeling this way.
“It’s a regular marriage. Nothing strange or different about it. I didn’t want to tell people because of the attention I’d get.” I replied.
“Nothing different about it? He’s like one of the most eligible bachelors in New York City. Or at least he used to be, till you snagged him up. I hope this whole thing with Kylie Musgrave hasn’t been bothering you.” Rosie continued.
I clenched my jaws in anger.
“It wasn’t bothering me till people started feeling sorry for me.” I told her and Rosie smiled.
“You two look divine together. I could tell…I watched the interview on E News. He is so in love with you. Just the way he looks at you…wow!”
My cheeks flushed, and the back of my neck grew hot. She had no idea. It was all an act. Leo felt nothing for me, other than a pure sense of friendship. I knew I could always rely on him, but only as a friend. And now it was beginning to feel like once this was over, we wouldn’t even be able to be that anymore.
“Hey, Jessica, is it okay if I ask you something personal?” Rosie continued, leaning in towards me over the cubicle. I was about to tell her no, but she didn’t wait for a response.
“What’s he like in bed? I mean, I’ve heard he’s amazing and generous. Is he really?”
Her eyes were crazed and wide. She was in the gossip mood, full throttle.
“I can’t believe you just asked me that!” I snapped.
Her brows crossed and she looked confused.
“It’s just a usual girly chat, Jessica. You don’t have to get so stuffy about it!”
“Have you asked Erica over there the same question? She got married a few weeks ago.” I raged at her. Rosie rolled her eyes.
“I was just trying to be friendly.” she said.
“No, you're nosey and gossipy. It’s because of people like you that people like Leo get thrashed by the media through no fault of their own. Stay out of my personal life, Rosie!”
I jumped out of my chair and grabbed my coat to go. I could see that Rosie was shocked and upset by the way I had spoken to her. I was usually a rather quiet person in the office, and I had definitely not spoken that way to her before.
“Wow. All right, then.” she mumbled and sat back down on her chair again.
I stormed out of the office and on to the busy streets. I needed some air. I needed to get away from people who were constantly staring at me. But I hadn’t thought about the cameras that were going to follow me while I went for a walk.
Now that they’d caught me alone, they followed me closely and tried to talk to me too. I kept my head down and tried to outrun them, but there were three paparazzi, and they were everywhere. At every corner, I took and every angle.
It was like the media couldn’t get enough of Leo Cormack’s new mysterious wife.
Thankfully, I had my sunglasses on, and behind the dark lenses, they couldn’t see how my eyes were watering up.
I was expecting a blast of media attention on me once we went public with our lie, but now it was overwhelming. These cameras were a constant reminder that the marriage I had with Leo; was just a lie. That in a few days, he wouldn’t need me anymore.
I would have served my task, and then I’d be discarded, shrunk down to the position of being the constant, reliable friend that I’d always been to him.
But how was I ever supposed to forget the way he’d made me feel that night? How perfect and natural it felt every time he kissed me.
I was running from the cameras and trying to keep my tears at bay at the same time. Now that I had him, I knew I didn’t want to let him go. I was married to Leo, a dream of ten years had finally come true, and very shortly it would all be over. A rude awakening from a magical idyllic dream.
Maybe I’d never return from this vacation. Perhaps I needed to go away forever. If I never saw him again, maybe then it would hurt my soul and mindless to be without him.
13
Leo
I knocked on my uncle John’s office door, sensing a thin film of perspiration appearing on my forehead. This was it. If I hadn’t been able to convince him now, it was all over. Everything I had done, everything I made Jessie do…would be gone to waste.
When I heard his voice, I stepped in and saw my cousin Marcus sitting on a chair across from him.
“Ah, Leo! Come in come in. Have a seat.” John said.
Marcus glared at me, and I glared back, like two rabid wolves fighting monstrously over a pound of flesh. I didn’t care what Marcus thought of me. I was willing to fight for my legacy to my last breath.
I unbuttoned my jacket and sat down, keeping my focus on my uncle instead of the nasty looks Marcus was throwing at me.
I could see a newspaper open in front of John. Pictures of Jessie and me at Central Park were splashed all over it.
“So…I see that you’ve taken care of the problem at hand.” John began.
Before I could say anything, Marcus had sprung up to action.
“This is outrageous, uncle! Surely, you see that this isn’t going to fly. How long is Leo going to keep up this sham marriage?” he growled.
John gulped, staring at Marcus and then turned to me.
“Do you have a plan regarding the aftermath?” he asked me.
“Jessica and I have agreed that we will remain married for a few more months, till the rumors die out and people forget about Kylie. I give it three more months at the max. People’s attention span is short these days.” I told him, and John nodded.
“And after that?” he asked.
“We get the marriage annulled and keep it under covers. A few years from now, if the news gets out that our marriage is over, it wouldn’t matter to anyone anymore. Kylie Musgrave would be long gone and forgotte
n.” I replied.
John sighed, squaring his shoulders while Marcus shook his head.
“This is ridiculous. Someone is going to find out, and then we’ll be back to square one. Things like this don’t remain a secret for very long,” Marcus snapped.
Before I could retort, it was John who turned to him this time.
“Nobody other than the board, you and the couple themselves know what’s going on. It is in all our best interest, for the sake of the company; to keep this a secret. If word ever gets out, we will know it was leaked by someone from this group. Do you understand, Marcus?” John spoke firmly to him.
My cousin shifted in his seat uncomfortably and then nodded.
“You’ve done well, Leo.” he continued, turning to me again. “You were faced with a problem, and you found a solution. As undesired as that solution was.”
I couldn’t explain to him that these past two weeks had been some of the happiest days of my life. Waking up every morning to see Jessie’s face, eating breakfast with her…going on dates…tasting her body…nothing else would ever be good enough.
“When my father passed the company on to me, he had handpicked the son to give it to. As you know, he had three sons to choose from. Me, your father, Leo, and your’s, Marcus. When he died, he told me that you, Leo, were the most deserving heir to the company and my father was always right.”
I felt a lump in my throat. I remembered that day vividly, at my grandfather’s deathbed in his stately home in Vermont. I was just a kid then, but I knew what my grandfather had told me would affect the rest of my life. Since then, I’d focused on nothing else other than proving myself worthy of the task.
“I don’t have children of my own, the choice really has always been between the two of you. And believe me Leo, you were always my number one.” John continued and stood up.
I stood up with him, while Marcus remained sitting stubbornly. I could sense that he didn’t want to be in the room with us.
