The Dark Stranger: A Sharon Brown Erotic Romance (4 page)

She snapped her fingers in front of his eyes and smiled angelically at him.

“Back to earth, Mr. Michelson.” She said. Jake smiled at her.

“My name is Jake.” He told her.

“Shall we leave, Jake?” she asked, grinning at him.

“I’m ready when you are ready.” He said. She picked up her purse.

“I’m ready now.” She said. Jake paid the bill and stood up.

“It was a nice lunch, Sharon. I really enjoyed it.” He said.

“Me too.” She replied.

“I will contact you once I look over the details of the sponsorship and meet up with Benedict. See you on Wednesday, then.”

“Sure. Take Care.” And then she was gone in a whirl of yellow.

****
 

Sharon was overlooking the new designs for the dresses when Gary walked into her office. She turned around and smiled pleasantly at him. Gary slumped in a chair in front of her and looked haggardly at her.

“Hello, there.” Sharon said.

“Hi. How are you doing young lady?”
He asked her.

“Same old, same old.” She said.

“Did your president boy contact you with the details of the sponsorship, Sharon?” he asked, looking concerned. Sharon shook her head.

“Not yet. He said that he will contact me today with the details so I’m just waiting for him to give me the green signal. He is the President,
Gary; he can get me that sponsorship.” She said, confident on her belief.

“I hope that you are right and he doesn’t break your heart, Sharon. I don’t believe a man as wealthy as him would care for a small struggling designer like you.”

“He doesn’t need to know that I am struggling designer. He will help me scrape this fashion show, you’ll see.” Sharon said with positivity. Gary observed her quietly for some minutes.

“Are you in love with him, Sharon?”
He asked. She raised her head and looked at him with a startled expression but did not reply. “You know you can trust me. I won’t spill out your beans on him.”

“Trust you? You are the one I trusted when I was dating that other guy from the bar and you told on me to my mother. I couldn’t sit down for weeks after she was done with me.” Sharon said. Gary and Sharon had been to the same school, same college and graduated from the same university. They have been fast friends since childhood and therefore, shared everything with each other. In this instance, Sharon had picked up a random guy from the bar when she was eighteen and dated him for quite some time. It was Gary who found out that he was a druggie
and Sharon should stay away from him. When she didn’t listen to him, he had told her mother who had thrashed and slapped her until she couldn't sit and couldn’t cry.

“You know, we were eighteen year old kids back then. I’m sure you know what is best for you now.” Gary said, sheepish at what he had done.

“Yeah right.” Sharon said, as she turned the page and checked the design.

“So, tell me about your President guy. I’ve seen him on the television, he is hot. Did he kiss you yet?”

“Gary!” she said in warning.

“Ok, ok! I won’t ask
your personal questions.” He said, grinning.

“Good, you realized that.” Sharon said. Before Gary could reply, her phone rang.

“Hello! Sharon Brown speaking.”

“Jake Michelson! Can I talk to you?” he matched her tone. Sharon smiled and glared at Gary. He scraped the chair back and left.

“Sure. How do you do, Jake?” she asked. After exchanging pleasantries, Jake opened the topic.

“Sharon, the place where you had initially planned the fashion show is downtown. Are you sure it is the best place to hold a show like that?” he asked.

“Yes, Jake. That was the best place in the budget we could afford. We have hundreds of employees working and their hopes and dreams are in this show.” She said.

“I understand. Let me propose something to you then. I own many hotels and galleries that are available for the selected date. If you consider them for your show, I shall get Benedict sign the sponsorship contract and fax it to you in half an hour.”

“Can I have a look at the blueprints of the buildings you are suggesting and the cost associated with it?” She asked, after a long pause in which she contemplated the pros and cons of such a deal.

“Of course. I am going to fax them to you right now.” He
said and soon enough, her fax machine hummed and she was holding the blueprints of his gallery and hotel. She looked over the pictures, her imagination running wild when she saw the gallery. That was the perfect venue for a fashion show.

“The gallery will be more suitable. With a little hard work we can create a ramp wide enough for the models to walk comfortably. Thank you so much Jake, for all this help.” She said.

“It was nothing, Sharon. If you had told me a week before I would have arranged a better place and thousands of sponsors for your fashion show.” He said and Sharon smiled into the receiver.

“I’ll be seeing you then, day after tomorrow?” she asked.

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He said. “I’ll pick you up at eight.”

“It’s a date then.” She said and placed the phone back on the cradle. She wanted to jump and laugh, she had got the sponsorship she was going to be the most famous designer of the world. She picked up her phone and dialed her secretary.

“Sam, send Gary in.” she said.

Ten minutes later, Gary walked in looking harried and bothered as usual.

“Close the door behind you, Gary.” She said. He closed the door and took his sweet time dragging his feet to the seat in front of her.

“I see you are bursting with news.” He said, wryly.
“I guess we got the sponsorship.” Sharon nodded in excitement.

“Yes, we got the sponsorship as well as a new venue for our fashion show. Have a look.” She threw the blueprints in front of him.

“No, shit.” He said. “Really? How much did he ask for this place?”

“The same I was paying that place downtown.” Gary looked at her, his eyes wide. This place was worth ten times what they were paying that gallery in downtown. Something
was really in the air, he predicted.

“That’s great, Sharon. We are going to rock the
cover page of Vogue Magazine this year.” He said, positively beaming.

“Now, I am going to go upstairs to the boutique and find myself a sexy dress to wear on THE NIGHT.” She said and stood up.

****
 

Sharon stood in front of her mother, whirling around in her beautiful black sheath
dress. The dress was fitted from the waist which accented her beautiful breasts and fell in a skirt to her knees. She wore her mother’s diamond necklace with the dress and matching ear drops. Sexy black heels completed the dress and her hair fell in amazing waves of molten curls behind her back. She looked seductive in her dress and her mother told her so.

“You think Jake will like it?” Sharon asked.

“I’m sure he will love it.” Her sister said, positively beaming at her. Although Caprice was a year younger than Sharon, they were both like twin sisters. They had spent their childhood together getting caught in one antic after the other, and their mother had her hands full keeping both of them out of trouble. Sharon smiled at her sister and looked at her dress.

“You look amazing in that one. You know that, don’t you?”

“Of course. After all, I am also one of your models.” Caprice said and grinned. Before Sharon could say anything, there was a horn on the gate indicating arrival of Jake. Sharon grabbed her black beaded evening back, kissed her mother goodbye and telling Caprice not to be late, and sprinted out of the door. Caprice came running behind her, holding her cape. She caught up with her and said:

“You forgot this. Mother was worried you will catch cold.” She draped the cape on her shoulder and gave her a soft push.

“Hi, Jake.” She ran back inside before Jake could reply.

“Hi!” Sharon said as she slid into the front seat with him.

“Hey! You look ravishing.” He said, kissing her on the cheek.

“Why,
thank you for the compliment.” Sharon said, playfully which earned her a sparkling smile from the man sitting right beside her.

A chauffeur opened her car door as they reached and the lights
and the glare of cameras shocked Sharon into immobilization. She was not expecting such an entrance to her fashion show, although she was excited inside because of the publicity associated with this show, she was shocked that Jake had done so much for her. And touched as well. She looked at Jake, her heart in her eyes. He offered her his arm, she accepted it and hand in hand, they walked inside.

Jake couldn’t believe what he had seen in her eyes just now was true or not. What he interpreted there was love. Love and promises. He didn’t want to believe her, but deep down he knew he wanted to believe her but who was he kidding? She had looked gorgeous walking towards him in that seductive gown of black leather, her luxurious hair fell loosely around her face and how he wanted to feel that pile of silky hair slide through his fingers.

He wanted her.

Looking at her mingle through her friends and acquaintances, she had the natural grace and glamour of a true hostess. His chest swelled with pride when he saw her there, he loved everything about her. She had the grace and elegance to reside over any table and she would settle without a problem.She was like a regal princess, sure of herself. Every once a while, she would turn around and look for him and then she would smile. It was like she was looking for him in this crowd. He raised his wine glass to his lips, his eyes on her back appreciating the graceful sway of her hips.

The call to be seated as the fashion show was going to start rang out just then and he moved towards Sharon, intent o
n taking her with him. They moved towards the main hall as the show was getting started. All through the show, Jake’s eyes were on one female in the hall, one female who had captivated him completely, one female who was making him fall head over heels for her. That one female was Sharon Brown. As the show wound to an end, he watched Sharon get up from beside him and walk on stage amidst hoots and cheers.

“Thank you, everyone for being part of this beautiful fashion show and helping me showcase my talents in front of the world. Thank you very much in supporting me through this and making this show as successful as the year gone by.
I want to specially thank my sister, Caprice Brown, for being a part of this fashion show and modeling one of my best outfits. Thank you very much. Moreover, I would like to thank Gary Oldman for helping me out through the thick and thin and all the staff that helped us make it possible to be here tonight. Last but not the least; I would like to thank Mr. Jake Michelson for acquiring this beautiful venue for us and taking time out of his busy schedule to be here tonight. Thank you very much everyone. Have a lovely evening.” With that, she stepped down from the stage and straight towards Jake.

****
 

Jake could hear whispers around him as he took her to the banquet hall. Everyone watched him, pointedly talking about him.
He hated being the center of attention on a day when it was Sharon who should be getting all this attention. He soon began getting uncomfortable and was shocked when Sharon raised herself on her toes and whispered in his ear.

“Care to leave here and find some tastiest pizza of the town?”
She asked him. Jake nodded. All he wanted to do right then and there was leaving the whisperings and conversations about him and leave the place. Courtesy taught him to stay where he was because he was Sharon’s guest. She took his hand and dragged him through the guests to the entrance, where his car was waiting for them. A valet handed him his car keys and Sharon smiled at him as they moved towards the car.

The found a small café at the end of the plaza, near Sharon’s home.
Sharon beamed at him and walked happily beside him inside.

“So, what would you like to eat?” Sharon asked him.

You! He thought but kept his thoughts to himself. Jake looked over the plastic coated menu once and then closed it. He looked at Sharon, rolling a long stemmed glass in her hands and observed her.

“I want to taste something of your choice. Choose yourself.” He said. He stretched his long legs in front of him and lounged back in his chair, completely at ease. Sharon watched him from across the table, her mind on the conversations back in the banquet hall. Jake stared at her, a knowing smile on his face.

“So, what was that about? Why people talk so much about you?” she asked him.

“Finally, you asked what had been nagging you since we left the banquet hall.” He said and smiled at her. “Well, you see if it was someone else in your position today, they would never have gotten any answers from me but since we have become friends, I will tell you today that I have never told anyone. The media writes crap about me, calls me by the names of “The
Ironman” or worse “The Man Who Does not sleep”. Time after time, there have been other names associated with my name as well but I am accustomed to them now.” He took a sip of wine in front of him.