by Kira Blakely
“I wonder how long it’ll be before she breaks from the pressure,” my instructor asked
“She won’t last a day,” Ariana replied, and I bristled with anger.
I really wanted to go back to that room and express my rage, as my brain was already thinking up a zillion ways of inflicting pain and agony, but I held myself back.
I’d show her. I kicked myself off the wall and stomped off. I was going to be the classiest girl – nay, woman – this world had ever seen! I’d even give Kate Middleton a run for her money.
She wanted a battle? Well then, she better have her weapons ready, because I was going to give her a war.
Chapter Seven
Sean
I really hated wearing a tie. Actually, I hated going to swanky affairs like this one.
“Remind me again why we’re doing this?” I asked, grumbling about this stupid tie I was supposed to wear. Why can’t I fucking tie it right?!
“Dude, it’s all part of your endorsement contract. Just bear with it, man. They are paying you a million dollars just to wear their shit,” Evan said from the other room. I shook my head at how impossibly thin my apartment walls seem to be if he heard me ask without yelling. Should I get a new apartment?
“Any idea which one it is?” I asked, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I thought I looked fine without my tie. I was gonna ditch it.
Then again, I look fine in anything, even without my clothes. Hell, probably even more so.
Evan opened the door and walked in, fixing the angles of his bowtie. He looked swell, too.
“You are hopeless. You don’t even know where you’re going?” Evan asked, raising his eyebrow at me.
“Why don’t you just shut up about that and tell me?” I snapped back.
He sighed. “It’s the Jameson Company. They’re holding a launch party for their new line of fashion for both men and women. I’m pretty sure that what you’re wearing is theirs,” he replied, completely deadpan and robotic.
“You know, why don’t you just apply as my personal assistant? You’re already doing such a bang-up job,” I remarked.
“I’m just your temporary leash-holder, Sean. And no, I don’t want to be your PA. Not for all the money in the world.”
“And why are you going with me? Did they pay you to wear their shit, too?” I asked, ignoring his jab.
“No, but your handler did. He couldn’t come with you because you told him not to, but he said he needed someone trustworthy to keep you in line. Otherwise, you’ll just leave the party early with two or three women at your hip and cause another scandal,” Evan answered.
“That was one time,” I grouched, jutting my lip out.
Evan raised both of his eyebrows. “Really?”
“Okay, no. But I can be a good boy if I want to,” I said, trying to sound convincing, but the look on his face told me that I had failed miserably.
Evan rolled his eyes and handed me a black eye mask.
“What is this for?”
“To cover your eyes, genius. It’s a masked ball. You can’t go in without one,” Evan said, raising his other hand and showing me an identical on. I scoffed and put on the mask before checking myself out in the mirror again.
“Damn, I make this look good,” I said.
Evan chuckled. “Come on, already. We’re going to be late,” he said, walking out of my room as I followed.
“There better be some chicks there,” I said. Maybe that model I hooked up with last time would be there. She was really hot – in and out of the sack. I licked my lips as I imagined taking her perfect, round ass over my kitchen counter again.
Then I remembered that I couldn’t take her out anymore because I’d had my lawyer file a restraining order on her because she turned crazy on me and wouldn’t leave my apartment, crying and acting like we were together and were going to get married soon. She even started stalking me when I finally kicked her out of my place. Yeah. Fuck that.
“Oh, hey, maybe that Ariana chick will finally want some of this, huh? She’s smoking hot,” I said, vaguely remembering the heiress. She was petite for my taste, but I would still tap that.
“Dibs,” Evan immediately said, and I scowled as I remembered that he had the biggest hard-on for her. He had seen her in one of the interviews on TV, and when he realized that I had signed a contract with the company her father owned, he begged me to introduce them, like I had some sort of power to do that.
“Fine. She’s kind of a shrimp anyway. I like my women shopping from the ladies’ department, not the kids’ section,” I jabbed, and I chuckled as he glared at me.
I wanted to bring my truck, but the hosts of the party liked to show off and had every guest come via the limousine they sent over, and we were no exception. I got in first, and Evan whistled as he marveled at the inside of the vehicle. I shook my head as he started fiddling with the switches like a child who had just discovered a new toy. I settled into my seat and closed my eyes. This probably going to take a while, so I might as well get some shut eye.
After all, the after party might last all night long.
***
Charlie
My eyes almost popped out of their sockets as Sarah, one of the maids, pulled the ribbons of my corset tight once more. She’d been pulling at it for what seemed like forever, but was actually twenty minutes ago.
I never knew gowns could be this fatal.
“Breathe in!” she cried, as I started gasping for breath.
“Sarah, if I breathe in anymore, I’m going to suck myself into my lungs,” I croaked, holding onto the dresser for support.
She immediately let up, and I breathed in sweet oxygen like I had been starved for months. It took me a few minutes before I mustered up the ability to speak again.
“Isn’t there another dress that’s, you know, not hazardous to my health?” I asked in desperation.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, er,” she reddened as I glared at her, “um, Charlie, I mean, but this is the only dress that was sent over. Did you put in your request to the tailors?” she asked, and I stared at her in confusion.
“I can do that?” I asked her, and she nodded.
“Yes. Miss Ariana puts in her requests for gatherings like this all the time. Did she not tell you?”
Of course, she didn’t tell me. Why I am not surprised?
I got up and took a deep breath before looking at Sarah with a smile.
“Shall we try this again?” I asked, making Sarah smile and nod her head.
***
Prepping me for this party took about three hours. My hair was curled and sent cascading down my back, and my makeup was light and simple. I didn’t really get the point of doing my makeup though, because I was told I’d be wearing an eye mask anyway, but whatever.
My gown was part of the new fashion line that the Jameson Company would be launching that night, and if I had to describe it, I’d say it looked both vintage and modern. The color was a deep shade of violet at the top of the corset, but the colors started webbing and frosting into a lighter shade until the skirt was a gentle lavender, the tail of it trailing just a couple of inches on the ground. The beadwork on my gown looked like frosting, and the ribbons lacing up my corset added a certain femininity and flair that even made looking at the back amazing.
It amazed me even more that in the few days that I’d started learning about fashion, I could already think up such particularities of my gown. Before I’d come here, the only thing I cared about that was remotely related to fashion was when I was forced to buy clothes and I haggled with the price. And now, I was thinking of the beadwork, trail, and color – details that I usually overlooked because I couldn’t afford them.
I was surprised that the changes happening in my life hadn’t given me whiplash yet.
Sarah gave me one last cursory inspection and nodded, handing me my mask. My mouth opened in awe as I looked at the intricate design. It matched my gown perfectly, and I knew a lot of time and effort had go
ne into crafting it. I put it over my eyes, and Sarah helped me tie the ribbons around my head as I lifted the upper part of my hair away so she could hide the ribbon under it.
“You look beautiful, Charlie,” Sarah whispered, making me blush. “The car is waiting for you downstairs.”
“Okay, thanks. Is my father ready yet?” I asked.
Sarah’s brows furrowed. “Mr. Jameson, Madam Wilhelmina, and Miss Ariana left for the party an hour ago. They said you would be going to the party alone, as to not draw suspicion before you are formally introduced to the public.”
My stomach dropped. “So, they’re going to make me face those people all by myself?” I cried in disbelief. Were they serious? It had only been a few weeks!
I refused to let myself be overwhelmed by the pressure. This was just another hurdle I had to get through, and if I talked myself out of it this early in the game, then I was only proving Ariana was right in saying I didn’t belong here. I could not – absolutely could not – let her beat me.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror one more time, and the image of a girl I barely knew stared back at me. I steeled myself.
I was no longer Charlie Harris. This girl in front of me was Charlotte Jameson, and she could pull this off.
I was more than ready.
Chapter Eight
Sean
The space between my thumb and forefinger. That was how close I was to falling asleep on my feet.
This party was boring as fuck. Boring and pretentious. When we arrived, there were cameras and reporters waiting outside, held back by metal bars and a few big guys in black suits. Apparently, only a select few were allowed in. This was not unusual, though. What was unusual was how each guest stopped by the double doors where two men wearing wigs and tights stood by, and they had to tell these guys who they were so they could announce them to the people inside.
What in the actual fuck?
“What the hell is this charade for? This isn’t a Jane Austen movie,” I whispered to Evan, who shrugged.
“I didn’t know you knew who Jane Austen was,” he said, but before I could return that jab, he quickly added, “but I guess this is all part of the party theme?”
I rolled my eyes. When it was our turn, I told the guy some seriously messed up combinations of cuss words and dared him to say it. The dude looked like a fish, not knowing what to do, so Evan quickly apologized and pushed me inside.
That’s where my fun ended. There were too many snooty brown-nosers here and not enough women to distract me. Well, not enough women good enough to keep me entertained, anyway.
Granted, most of the girls were hot, but I didn’t know what the hell was wrong with me. I took a couple of them to the dance floor and it was going fine, but the minute they opened their mouth… sigh. I don’t know. I guess they didn’t have enough… substance?
My eyes traveled toward the side, and I smiled as I spotted Evan talking with the girl of his dreams by the chocolate fountain. She had her hand tucked under her chin as she balanced it on her other arm, but the way I caught her looking at him from top to bottom told me she liked what she was seeing.
Personally, she came across as a bit of a bitch to me the few times we’d talked to each other. She was as arrogant as she was beautiful, and what she lacked in height, her self-confidence more than made up for. She was way too full of herself and convinced she was better than everyone else, but I was hoping she didn’t give my bro the same treatment. Dude was the nicest guy in the world, and he didn’t deserve that shit from anyone.
But while I was happy my best friend was getting some game, I, however, was not. I was seriously considering ditching this joint and haunting some other place.
I saw the double doors open from the corner of my eye and waited for that ridiculous announcement about who it was, but I was surprised that, for the first time, they didn’t say anything at all. Curious as to who this person was, I raised my eyebrow as I waited, and then my jaw… Just. Dropped.
The girl with flaming red hair falling down her back wore a gorgeous purple dress. She picked up her skirt a little as she walked, and her head turned slightly from side to side as she looked at everything and everyone around her. And everyone was staring at her, too. Some with wonder, some with envy, but not with the same slack-jawed expression as mine.
She was so… beautiful.
No. Hot. She was hot. That’s what I meant. I don’t say beautiful. Beautiful led to all sorts of dangerous feelings I’d rather not have.
She was on a whole other level compared to the rest of the women there, and I needed to turn my game up a notch if I ever wanted to get under that big ass skirt.
I adjusted my suit and walked over to her with my usual swagger, my mouth already set up with the casual smirk all the ladies seemed to want, and tapped her on the shoulder.
She turned around, and her gorgeous emerald eyes stopped me in my tracks.
Why are those eyes so familiar?
***
Charlie
You know that feeling when the world suddenly stops turning? You can’t hear anything, but you feel every pair of eyes in the room staring at you?
That’s what I was feeling.
I had told the greeters who I was, but they must’ve been informed ahead of time because they didn’t say anything as they opened the doors for me. I looked around, but I couldn’t see my father anywhere. Even if I did manage to find him, I didn’t think he’d let me hang around with him for the rest of the party.
I was searching for the refreshments table when I felt someone tap on my shoulder. I turned around and Holy Jesus, this guy was huge. He was probably around 6’5” or so, but he wore a suit well. He was probably the only person there not wearing a tie, keeping the first two buttons of his shirt open and showing a sliver of skin. I gulped as I looked up to his face, and his mask did nothing to dampen the mischievous light from his ice-blue eyes, or hide the fact that he was so brutally handsome.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before,” he said softly, the velvety undertones of his voice making me a little heady and my heart skip a beat. I cleared my throat to answer him.
“I don’t really make a habit of going to parties,” I coolly replied, and his mouth formed a lopsided smirk that made him ten times more attractive.
“Yeah. Parties like this aren’t really my scene,” he agreed, and I could tell that he meant it. Judging from his size and strength, I’d think he wasn’t much for swanky soirees such as this one. Which begged the question…
“Then what are you doing here?” I asked.
“I’m an endorser. It’s written in my contract that I have to make appearances,” he answered truthfully. “Are you under contract, too?”
I bit the inside of my lip. “Something like that,” I answered vaguely.
He narrowed his eyes but didn’t ask me to elaborate, and I gave him a point for that one. The music started playing, and I saw people breaking off into pairs to dance.
Mr. Mysterious cleared his throat and raised his hand toward me. “Care to dance?”
“I’m not much of a dancer,” I admitted, recalling how my dancing lessons these past few weeks crashed and burned.
“That’s not a problem. I’m pretty good at dancing,” he said confidently.
I raised my eyebrows, incredulous. I highly doubted that.
“You know, if you don’t want to dance here, we could go and hang out somewhere else, and I could guarantee it’ll be extremely fun,” he said.
I winced and opened my mouth to reject him when he cut me off. “There are three guys currently making their way toward you to probably ask you the same thing, and I’m sorry, but I don’t want to stop talking with you just yet.” He took my hand, not bothering to wait for my answer, and proceeded to pull me to the dance floor.
He wrapped his arm around my waist firmly while he held my hand with the other, and I placed my other hand on his arm, unable to turn my head away as he stared straight into
my eyes. I tightened my grip on his arm involuntarily, and he pulled me closer to him.
He took a step back and then we were dancing, gliding, and swaying to the beat of the song. I had been afraid of the possibility of making a fool out of myself by stepping on his feet or missing a step, but it never happened. I was going to look down at my feet to make sure that I really wasn’t messing up, but a gentle squeeze on my waist kept me from doing it.
“Trust me,” he whispered, and I realized that I did trust him to lead me.
“Okay,” I said, and he smiled.
“I promise I’ll take your mind off everything, just for a little while,” he said, his voice low and sexy, making me raise an eyebrow at him.
“Oh, really?” I said, going under his arm as he twirled me away from him. I was smiling at him now, curious whether he could really pull off what he was promising to do. He had the same teasing smirk on his face now, and something was tickling the back of my mind. I recognized that smirk from somewhere else, but I couldn’t remember.
“Oh, is that a challenge?” he asked, as he pulled me back in his arms before sending me out for another spin.
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
His eyes twinkled, and he pulled me back to his arms sharply, making my back hit his chest with a jolt.
“If I succeed, I want a reward,” he said, holding me in place.
“What do you want?” I couldn’t help but ask him, and I caught my breath as I felt his arms wrap around me tightly and we slowly bent our knees. He bent low, his lips brushing on the shell of my ear.
“Your name,” he whispered.
His right hand squeezed my waist again as his left spread and he ran his fingers up my stomach slowly, inching dangerously closer and closer to my breasts as we rose.
