Don't Wake Me if I'm Dreaming (23 page)

“Are there basic moves that every ballerina knows?”

“Sure. This is first position into a plié.” I held my arms bent in front of me with my feet turned out in a 90-degree rotation of the legs from the hip joints. “This is second it’s called relevé and this is a sauté.” I moved into each position. “And this is what it looks like when you put it all together.” I briskly put the steps together. “There are technically five positions. Want to try?” I held out my hand.

He shook his head no, wrinkling his nose.

I was careful to stretch my ankles before shuffling through the CD. “Think I’ll do something a little more theatric, a non-traditional piece. It’s a piece I worked on years ago…if I remember it.” I pressed play and let Feeling Good by Nina Simone create the mood.

“Oh man.” Jack sat back a little, looking satisfied.

I closed my eyes a few seconds, having a nostalgic moment in the ballet studio from my younger years dancing. It gave me the mental distraction without the worry to perform the very seductive dance in front of his steadily admiring eyes. I was able to slip mentally from the room like nobody was watching. I proceeded into various movements performed with fluidity and grace, allowing my body to slither into a story that left Jack’s mouth slightly open, and his eyes nearly protruding as he gazed in astonishment. I felt beautiful, sexy, and light on my feet, allowing my body to move in the familiar way it was deprived of for too long.

When the song ended, I walked over to the CD player and turned it off, catching my breath. Jack sat there staring, the silence gathering between us. “I can’t believe you can perform like that, so nimble and...hot! That was incredible, and you made up that dance?”

“Yeah.” I bent over, holding my ankles a moment, trying to catch my breath.

“You are giftedly, talented, and graceful beyond imagination.”

I sat on the floor and unlaced the ribbon.

Jack grabbed my heels and knelt down at my feet placing them on the floor. “Would you rather stay in this evening and talk?”

I nodded, as he lifted me to my feet. “I’d offer you a drink, but my frugal wine collection might permanently damage your taste buds.”

“I was actually thinking whiskey would be nice. Do you have anything remotely close?” He asked.

“Mmm. Crown and diet cola is the best I can offer.”

“Perfect, hold the cola. I won’t be able to sleep.”

I poured us each a drink, and then headed to the living room, handing him a glass taking a seat next to him.

“I’m still completely blown away by your dancing skills.”

“It’s a little seductive, I admit, but I’ve always been one for contemporary arts. It drove my mom nuts.”

“I’m surprised though you prefer contemporary opposed to traditional.”

“Why is that?”

“You enjoy classical music, your surroundings are rustic. I see you as an old soul.”

“Funny. My mom once told me I was an old soul.”

“It’s a compliment. You’re original, unique, like a snowflake having your own intricate pattern in life.”

“You should take your shirt off.”

He looked befuddled by my words. “You want me to remove my shirt?” He sought confirmation, with a perplexed look.

“I’m planning on dragging you into my room and giving you a massage unless you’d rather see if there’s something on TV.”

He grinned. “I see that leading to nothing but trouble.”

“Here we go with assumptions again.” I sat back in the sofa, pointing the remote at the TV.

Jack took a large swig from his glass and set it on a coaster. “To the bedroom, huh?”

I quickly followed after him and climbed on the bed.

“Where do you want me?” He unbuttoned his shirt and removed it, leaving on his white tank.

“Mmm, the
tighty whitie
top has got to go, too.” I tried desperately to control the movement of my eyes, yet again, to keep from staring at him. “Sit.” I patted the foot end of the bed.

He did as I instructed and sat on the bed, resting the heels of his socks between the slats on the footboard.

I reached into my nightstand and grabbed a bottle of lotion. Noticing Matt’s picture, I laid it gently facing down on the nightstand. Returning to Jack with a crawl, I sat on my legs behind him and began rubbing lotion on his back.

“You have strong fingers.”

“Piano fingers.”

“Ah. That makes sense.”

I rubbed deeper, in response to his head swaying forward. He began relaxing, dropping his gloriously beautiful shoulders.

“I leave for Canada in the morning,” his voice was little more than a mutter. “Toronto.”

“Oh. Is this a sudden trip?” I soften my touch.

“I found out today.”

“At least it’s a short flight. How long will you be gone?”

“Just a few days.”

“Well, you’ll be missed.” I rubbed deeper again.

“As will you.”

He leaned back against me, turning his head, and kissed me over his shoulder.

I wrapped my arms around him, wiping the remnants of lotion on his chest.

“What is that?” I asked, feeling something hanging from a necklace. 

“It’s a shark tooth from a catch a few years back in Costa Rica. The locals said it brings luck.”

“So does it?” I kissed his neck.

“Maybe. I’m feeling lucky right now.”

“Are you?” I giggled slightly then rubbed around his collar. “Jack?”

“Mmm.” He responded with a guttural sound.

“Do you think it’s possible that two complete strangers who have only met days ago could experience such a sensation as knowing they belong together, if even just for a moment?”

“Why would it have to be only in a moment?” He turned crawling over me and scooted us further up on the bed. His hand softly brushed the hair from my face, kissing my forehead, my cheek, sliding his lips to mine with a slow, tender movement. “I’d like to think this moment could last a while.”

I wrapped my hands around his neck, lifting myself against his body until he relaxed lowering himself against me.

His lips trailed to my shoulders. His thumb brushed my dress strap aside, and his lips followed, tracing lightly across my skin down my shoulder.

“Are you sure you have to leave tomorrow?” I realized I was whispering without reason, probably to hide me needy want for him.

“If I want to keep my job, yes.” His lips worked toward my chest, tracing my collarbone.

“I think I’m getting rather used to you being around lately.”

“Is that a bad thing?” he asked, looking up at me.

“Certainly not.” I smiled, rubbing his arms. “Not for me anyway.”

He bent his elbows and leaned on his forearms to support himself. “We should plan a vacation together.”

I felt a sense of satisfaction looking at his drawn on bedroom eyes. “A vacation away from here, just the two of us?”

“Why not? We met how many hours ago and already traveled to New York together. Why stop there?”

“Where would we go?”

“You said you wanted to visit Greece, and I think that’s an excellent choice.”

“You would vacation in Greece…with me?”

“Sure. If expenses are an issue, I’ve got it covered.” His eyes examined mine, likely hoping to not offend me.

I reached, kissing him. “That’s not at all an issue.”

“My treat anyway. Sasha, can I take you away to Greece?”

“You’re really serious?” I needed reassurance.

“That would be a rather disappointing joke, and yes, of course, I am. Can you take time off work?” he asked.

“I’m sure I can find a week’s coverage from an intern.”

“Two weeks.” He smirked.

“A week.”

“Eleven days.” He tried negotiating.

“I’m not compromising.”

“A week in Greece with a beautiful woman. That I can handle.”

“I can look online at tickets and hotels tomorrow.”

“I’ve got a co-worker that will take care of everything. She works with a travel agent all the time to pick out only the best deals for M I E. You can research where you want to go and let me know.”

“Santorini.”

“Santorini?”

“It’s a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It’s beautiful in the pictures. I read the houses are made of stone and lime washed with volcanic ash to make different colors. They look gorgeous.”

“Really?” He reached into his pocket. “Santorini.”

“Yeah.”

He Google searched the island and pulled up images. “Look at this picture.” He held out his phone. “That’s in Oia.”

“Greece. You really want to go to Greece.” I ran my hand over my face.

“We’re going to Greece.”

I laid my head back on the pillow smiling in satisfaction. “Life is good.” I turned my head looking at the picture of my parents.

“Life is good.”

“Come on. I feel like dancing, again.”

Jack’s smile turned into laughter, lifting me from the bed.

O
ver the next month, Jack and I casually dated. Despite the massive introduction, our pace slowed considerably, but the attachment grew stronger. We didn’t have a lot of time together, between his trip to Toronto, and then another unexpected business trip to Tokyo for a week. And my dad made a trip down for a weekend progress report on my mental status. He met Jack and thought he was a pretty upstanding guy, but wasn’t exactly sold on the businessman class, as he referred to him as a yuppie. Personally, I thought he wished Jack was more like Matt, but he was happy that I was happy, and in his mind, that was a victorious triumph.             

The day before our departure to Greece, I took an extended lunch and ventured to Jack’s office for a surprise visit. I had never been there before, but I was longing to see him. I wanted to make sure he was as excited as I. We hadn’t made any huge jumps to seal the deal, but I was certain I was becoming a priority in his life. With great effort, we sustained from a sexual relationship, proving his point about knowing my mind before my body.

I’d met many of Jack’s coworkers at the New Year party, but remembered few names, excluding Max, who was approaching me as I entered the lobby of M I E.

“Well,
well, well
, if it isn’t
Sassssha
!”

“Yep
,
it sure is.” I suspected he wasn’t aware of his socially awkward approach.

“Lookin
g
for the big man I presume?” he stated assuredly with a head bobble.

“How’d you guess?” I smirked.
Yep, he’s clueless.

“I’m just good like that,” he said, pointing his guns down the hall. “Head that way. You’ll see the sign.”

“Thanks, Max.” I empathetically humored him, flashing my thumbs.

I noticed the long hall of office doors behind the receptionist’s desk and tried reading the names outside each door, but my attention was drawn instead to a pretty face behind the counter.

“Hi. Welcome to Morgan International Enterprise. How can I assist you today?” I must have stared a long moment because she repeated, “Can I help you with something?” The life-sized brunette Barbie batted her eyes.

“Hi, I’m here to see Jack. Uh, Jackson Thomas.” I forced a confident smile finding her stunning beauty immensely intimidating.    

“Do you have an appointment with Mr. Thomas?”

“I…uh no, I don’t.” Pull it together Sasha.

“I’ll try his line. Your name please?”

“Sasha.”

She continued smiling holding the red flashing button for nearly ten seconds trying to contact him, which felt like the longest ten seconds of my life. “I’m sorry he’s not answering. Did you want to leave a message for Mr. Thomas? Or I can schedule an appointment for you to meet with him?”

“Um, I…I’ll try his cell. Thank you.” I flashed my cellphone and pressed his speed dial number feeling satisfied.

“Sasha, can I call you back?” Jack promptly answered.

“I’m in the lobby, I was in the neighborhood and wanted to say hi,” I said confidently, sensing the receptionist eyeing me. “I’ll call you tonight.”

“I’ll be right out,” he said, before hanging up.  

I didn’t want to make eye contact with her for fear my sudden insecurity was transparent. I fidgeted in my handbag for my compact and rechecked my freshly applied lip-gloss. “Hi!” I smiled at the handsome man approaching me.

“Well, this is a surprise.” Jack smiled as he approached me for a hug. I knew it was inappropriate, but I felt the need to tastefully mark my territory, and to my relief, he accepted the small, classy kiss.

I also knew I broke at least a hundred of Cosmo’s tips on how to not show insecurity, but I didn’t care, not with life-size Barbie present.

“Sasha, this is Marcy, she handles my dirty work, making sure I look good.”

“As if that’s difficult.” She smiled flirtatiously.               Feeling a bit insulted by her coquettish behavior and Jack’s weak introduction, I faked a smile, shifting my gaze to Jack with an apprehensive brow.

“Sasha’s my girlfriend,” he quickly added. “Thanks, Marcy.”

I decided to play it safe and smile politely to hide my newfound insecurity. “Nice to meet you, Marcy.”

“Likewise.”

I followed him to a conference room. “I’m glad you came by. I thought about you earlier.” He opened the door. A man stood at the long, oval table reading paperwork “Sasha, this is Simeon.”

“Hi, pleased to meet you.” I held out my hand to the almost seven foot tall, bald, African man that looked like a supermodel.

He flashed a beautiful alabaster full-toothed smile.

“Very nice to meet you, Sasha.” His voice was incredibly deep. “I hear you’re leaving for Greece soon.”

“Tomorrow.” I returned the smile.

“I hope you enjoy your time away. I’ve heard Santorini is extraordinarily beautiful. I’ve been to Mykonos, another of the Greek islands.”

Jack’s cellphone rang. “I should grab this. I’ll catch you in a few.” He excused Simeon.

“Nice meeting you, Sasha.”

“You too, Simeon.”

“I’m going to take this call in my office.” He held the door open for me. “Follow me.”

After seeing the faces at the party and here in the office, it was now questionable if company policy required a Sports Illustrated physique for employment. With the exception of Max, who would be much more attractive if his arrogance wasn’t so prominent.

I walked around, looking at the office as Jack conversed in an unfamiliar tongue, Japanese I expected. The room was simple, but sharp with only one shining star on the wall behind his desk; a personally autographed Cam Newton, Auburn Tigers football encased on a shelf. The remaining walls were dressed in awards, law degrees, and other commendable awards.

“Sorry about that.” He approached me for another more intimate hug.

“Cam Newton, I thought he was a Panther?” I shared  the only fact I knew about football.

“Ah yes, Cam. That boy won a Heisman Trophy at Auburn the year he signed that for me. A friend had coached one of his football camps before Cam signed with the Panthers. I met him a few times. He’s a dang good quarterback, but you’re not here to talk football.”

“Not really,” I agreed. “I was just excited thinking about our flight out tomorrow, well, maybe not the flights per se, but our vacation, and
I’ve missed you. I feel like I never see you.”

“We’re due for some much needed alone time,” he remarked, caressing my arms.

“I hope I don’t look desperate, showing up unannounced.”

“Never, you’re always welcome here. I was thinking of you before my conference this morning. I had Marcy reschedule my afternoon meeting with the intention of getting out of here early. I was hoping to make you dinner.”

My attention drew to Marcy’s name, completely missing his words. I could not control what spewed from my mouth next.

“So Marcy, she seems nice enough,” I stated deviously, trying not to render the slight insecurity I was involuntarily experiencing.

“She’s great. So dinner tonight?”

“Has she been working here a while?” I closed in on his eyes waiting to read something.

“Almost three years.”

Frustrated with my lack of tact in extracting anything useful, I made one final attempt to inquire information about Reception Barbie. “So, is she just the receptionist, or does she have other more specific duties?”

Jack considered the concerned expression I was unaware of wearing. He took a couple steps back, and leaned back against his desk, both hands held out with a straight face, recognizing my scrutiny.

Guiltily, I allowed him to pull me closer to him.

“I take it we’re done with the dinner discussion.”

I didn’t respond.

“What’s with the investigation?” he asked puzzled.

“Well, I…I was digging for dirt,” I said nonchalantly.

“That’s a little presumptuous to assume, don’t you think? Marcy has a very specific duty here…secretary, and she is extremely professional.” 

“I noticed. After all, it’s not
difficult
making you look good. And she’s probably the hottest secretary on earth wouldn’t you agree?”

“That’s entirely extraneous to her abilities to work well as my employee.”

I narrowed my eyes retracting my hands, but he didn’t give me the chance to argue.

“Marcy is great at what she does, and with that said, she’s not at all my taste.”

“I’m pretty sure she’s
every
man’s taste!” I didn’t give thought making another impudent assumption.

His momentary smile grew faint, correcting his expression in response to mine.

“I like this side of you. It’s cute, rather surprising I admit, but cute nonetheless.”

I wasn’t sure how well I liked his response, but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and cut him slack.

“Sasha, you need to understand you are the only person in my life that I think of in a desirable way. I am not remotely interested in anyone else, nor do I intend to be.”

I swallowed hard feeling less than three inches tall. Too embarrassed to make eye contact, I looked at the floor, but only for a second before his finger lifted my chin.

“I will never give you a reason to question my fidelity with you.”

“I’m sorry,” I shamefully apologized. “I honestly didn’t think I was so obvious. This is out of character for me, I promise.” Words alone couldn’t express my embarrassment.

“I know. I appreciated your almost subtle approach, and I think your little insecurity was good for my ego.” He teasingly held his chin high.

“As if.” I rolled my eyes, smiling.

“I’m a lucky guy. I’m running away in about,” he glanced at the clock, “seventeen hours with the most beautiful woman on earth and I get to take her to bed with me, hopefully.”

“Maybe we can just do it here, now, on your desk?”

“On my desk?”

“Okay!” I reached moving a paperweight aside.

Jack laughed. “I hardly think this is the place.”

“No one will know.” My words were sharp and nearly a whisper.

“No door lock.” He glanced at the door.

“I’ll wedge the chair.” I reached to loosen his tie.

“Not here, anywhere but here, although that would be hot.”

“I won’t make a sound,” I whispered.

Jack roared with laughter, dropping his head down. He quickly controlled himself. “You can’t sell me that load of crap. I’ll have you moaning so loud they’ll hear you the next county over.”

“Prove it!” I dared him.

He shook his head no in satisfaction.

“I won’t make a sound, I promise. You can wrap your tie around my mouth.”

His eyebrows lifted as I undid a button on his shirt. “I’ve got to get back to work. I’ll come over tonight and deal with this matter.” He reached to fix his button. “I completely forgot I have something in my desk for you.” His fingers raced up fixing his tie as he approached the drawer. He removed a bracelet box handing it to me.

I glanced at him lifting the lid to find a chain link bracelet with an ice skate charm on it and Tiffany’s signature heart.

“Jack, this is beautiful.” I removed the bracelet and set the box down holding out my wrist so he could put it on.

“I know it doesn’t look like much now, but it’s a charm bracelet. My dad started one for my mom and every time they traveled, he had a charm soldered on from each place they visited. The ice skate reminded me of New—”

I didn’t give Jack the option to continue speaking. Instead, I threw my arms around him and kissed him. “I can’t believe how foolish I was a few minutes ago. Please forgive me,” I asked sincerely.

The phone rang, Jack leaned back putting it on speakerphone. “If Garcia is here send him in.”

“Yes, sir,” Marcy replied.

“I’ll see you tonight?” He kissed my forehead then walked me to the door.

“Thank you.” I held up my wrist on the way out.

The rest of my workday went by in blur, and I arrived home early. After cleaning my apartment, I packed seven days of luggage, which was more like fourteen, turned the CD player up in the studio room, and then headed into the bathroom to run the tub with a bubble bath. I lit a few candles and turned out the lights, undressed, and slipped in the tub listening to music. I closed my eyes and sank into the water, relaxing, thinking about Jack taking my hand and dancing with me in the studio. When the tub filled, I reached my toes to the nozzle turning off the water. I fell completely immersed in the water, the music, relaxing. My body felt light; my hands wanted to float at my side. I slid further into the water until it touched my lip. I allowed my hand to float up, lightly brushing the bubbles from my face. I relaxed my hands at my side and laid peacefully in thought.

I eventually felt the strangest sense of detachment from myself, and the world about me as I slid into an accidental perilous slumber in the water.