Chapter 5
Five
Maeve
T he desire to spin in front of the mirror while belting the lyrics of “ I Feel Pretty,” is overwhelming. Maybe just one twirl. Fuck it. I throw my arms up as I spin in a circle. Who is that attractive girl in the mirror there. The red strapless, floor-length mermaid style dress shimmers under the light. It’s the perfect shade of red. Not too dark, but not so bright that it’s tacky and I look like a walking stop sign. Although, it’s definitely a dress that will make someone stop and turn their head. The stylish pleated design accents all my curves, but the best part is that the soft organza feels like a dream hugging me. The elegant designer gown is quite the upgrade from what I had in my lost luggage. Since it saves me money and precious time, I won’t turn it down. Honestly, I’m so in love with this I don’t think I could walk away from it even if my pride begged me to. I’m not a vain person by any means, but damn it, I look and feel beautiful.
The fact that in a matter of mere hours I went from having feces staining my underwear and losing my clothes to being pampered and dressed like a Hollywood starlet is insane. All the events and mental exhaustion of the day is starting to hit me at once. The backs of my eyes begin to burn. I frantically fan myself, trying to stop the tears, and keep my face dry. The lovely people worked so hard on my makeup. I don’t want to ruin this masterpiece.
“Madam, what’s wrong?” the one to my right asks.
“I’ve never looked like this before,” I confess. “I’m stunning.” A shock laugh escapes me and then I quickly straighten and calm down. “Just so you know, I’m typically not like this.”
All three laugh, but the one on my right speaks again. “Silly lady. You were beautiful before we arrived. We only removed that horrible makeup that was masking your shine. Enhanced and highlighted what was already there. Combed your hair. Found a dress that complements your figure rather than hides it.”
The other one holds a hand up. “All we did was pull the curtain back and reveal you. ”
The woman who brought my dress and shoes stands behind me. She opens a jewelry box to reveal a necklace that has the aesthetic of a vine with a rose that hasn’t fully bloomed. It’s made of several clear white diamonds of various cuts and shapes that loop around to have one lone branchlet gracefully hanging down with a flawlessly beautiful ruby suspended from the stem. It’s the most elegant and magnificent thing I’ve ever seen.
I can’t breathe. The dress is too constricting. My hair is pulled back too tight. Everything is spinning and my vision is blurring. It’s too much. I can’t wear this. This should be in a museum and not around my neck. The stone at the end of that probably costs more than I’ll ever make in a lifetime. Never mind all the diamonds accenting as leaves circling the entire necklace. Did he rob a palace to acquire this?
“Miss!” “Madame!” “Ma’am!” The people around me shout.
A loud voice booms through the room and jolts my body back into awareness. “What the hell happened?”
It’s Nicholas. His face is a mix of worry and rage. Except when he comes to stand before me, his touch is gentle and his eyes soften. “What happened?” There’s still an edge to his voice but not as sharp as earlier. “Did they overwhelm you?”
Hysteria takes hold of me. “Did they overwhelm me? You’re a real piece of work.”
His lips pucker together and I see the slightest twitch. “This is my doing, then?”
“Duh! You forced my hand. Preyed upon my insecurities. I’ve had a humiliating and horrible day. Honestly, before all this...” I gesture to my body. “I would’ve loved a quick shower. You put me in this luxurious form fitting designer dress after I shit myself.” The pregnant pause paired with his dumbfounded expression would be comical if it wasn’t my pitiful reality. “That’s why I jumped in the car with you in such a hurry! Why I had no underwear! I had to throw them away. I’ve been paranoid all day that I stink. Anytime I see someone wrinkle their nose or frown, all I can think is ‘Oh God, it’s me. They smell me.’ Then before I can even check in, my ex, Leo, and little miss perfect, Trina, show up, there’s no rooms, I don’t know where Grandma is, and all of a sudden, I’m swept up to the top floor and getting a Pretty Woman makeover.” I inhale and take a moment to fight back tears. In a barely controlled voice, I tell him, “So, yes, I’m a little overwhelmed.” I sniffle. “I still have to give a speech.”
Using two fingers he lifts my chin up to meet his piercing eyes, and despite myself, I’m lost in them against my will. I can’t remember why I was so upset. His lips twitch in a wicked smirk. “I promise that you smell fine, but I’m going to give you ten minutes to go to the bathroom and do whatever it is you need to do. I wish there was more time, but we have to be downstairs in thirty minutes. So...” He releases my chin to clap his large palms together. “Let’s get through the rehearsal dinner and then afterwards, I promise you a relaxing bubble bath. Hhmm?” This is surreal, but I nod. His eyes continue to stare at my lips. They part slightly and I’m tempted to take a step forward. Desire burns inside my chest. This is insanity, but he’s like a magnet pulling me closer.
“I need to change my suit.” With a curt nod, he turns around and heads toward the giant double doors on the other side of the room. His voice echoes off the walls as he reminds me, “Twenty-minutes, Little Bit.”
And for the millionth time today, I feel humiliated. I got distracted by his alluring eyes and stupidly handsome face that I almost threw myself at this unhinged stranger. I seriously need to get help when I return home, back to Memphis. It’s on the tip of my tongue to yell out that he has no right to use Gram’s nickname for me. Instead of arguing, because what’s the point, I hurry to the restroom. I do the best I can cleaning myself without damaging all the effort the mini crew outside had put into me.
When I exit the bathroom, Nicholas is standing by the door waiting for me. He’s wearing a black suit with a red button up. The red is of course the exact shade of my dress
“Did you choose the red dress?”
“Of course. I chose everything you’re wearing, and not.”
The man has excellent taste, I’ll give him that. “And not?”
His eyes narrow. “Are you wearing underwear?”
“That’s none of your business!”
“I didn’t include any, did I? So you shouldn’t be wearing any.”
It’s true that I’m not because I don’t have any, but he doesn’t need to know that. I change the subject. “Why red? It’s a rehearsal dinner.”
His eyes scan my body and his face turns to one of pure desire and promises of sin. “Because I like you in red.”
I roll my eyes. “You’ve only seen me in red. I don’t know. I love this dress. But red is such a bold color.”
“It’s good to be bold sometimes.” He leans in and whispers against my ear, “And maybe I plan to see you in either red or nothing at all this entire weekend.” I’m five seconds from slapping him for being so bold, but he takes a step back. He reaches over and picks up the priceless necklace from the jewelry box sitting on the counter.
“If you’ll allow me.” He extends the necklace to place around my neck.
“This really is Pretty Woman. ”
“Hardly,” he grumbles. “If only you were a hooker for hire, this would be so much easier.” He brings the necklace around my neck. The material feels cool in contrast to the warmth radiating from him.
“You’re not as charming as the guy. No snapping of the jewelry box.”
“Plus, we’re not attending the theatre. Although we will be acting tonight.”
“I’m not doing any role play with you.” Who knows what stuff this guy might be into.
His fingers graze my neck, sending a shiver of goosebumps along my skin. Once again, those damn lips invade my personal space as they come to my ear. “You’re going to act as though you’re madly in love with me. I’m your fiancé, remember?”
“What’s your role? Besides having me fawn all over you.”
“With my help, everyone will desire you. Especially that tool you used to be with. It’ll be fun.”
Lying to my family doesn’t necessarily sound like a blast. My cousins are extremely intelligent and observant men. They’ll see through this charade. Then there’s their best friend and business partner Mark, who is equivalent to the grim reaper. Suddenly I’m hit with a realization that shocks me more than anything else he’s said.
“You’ve watched Pretty Woman ?”
“Who hasn’t?”
That’s true. It’s just hard to imagine him watching it, though. I shrug. “My best friend Katie Rae probably hasn’t seen it. But she’s seen every sports game.”
“No way. I bet she’s watched it.”
I frown at him. Why are we even arguing about this? “You don’t even know her. And I can almost guarantee she hasn’t.”
He moves to stand in front of me with his hands in his pockets. Arrogance radiates from him. “But I bet she’s watched that movie.”
“That’s a bet you’d lose.”
“Wanna bet?” He arches a brow.
“Bet.” Instead of texting my family for help or notifying them where I am, I text Katie, asking if she’s ever watched a romantic comedy from the early nineties. I’m not sure what this is between me and Nicholas. No clue as to why I care and want to prove him wrong.
My phone dings and I quickly read the message.
What the hell?
Katie: Yes, I have! I might not have seen all the classics, but I’ve seen pretty woman dammit!!!!
I don’t even have to read her response to him. When I look up, he arches a single brow at me and gives me a look of smug satisfaction. Cocky bastard. He steps back and walks over to press the call button for the elevator. It immediately arrives and we step inside. My fingers keep traveling to the necklace. It’s surprisingly heavy. Guess this is how real luxury feels.
“Why doesn’t this elevator have music?” I ask Nicholas as the doors shut.
He crosses his arms and smirks down at me. “That’s what you’re wondering right now?”
“It’s disappointing when you get into an elevator with no music. Movies and cartoons always show the classic elevator music, so it’s…it’s like quicksand. I haven’t heard of anyone in real life being lost to quicksand or even so much as stepping in it.” I hate the way he’s just staring at me. I suck in my lips but then remember I have this gorgeous red lip color on so I release them as not to mess it up.
“What does quicksand have to do with anything? Where’d that even come from?”
“I’m nervous. You’re a stranger.” I turn and point my finger at him. “Who by the way – I thought you were a driver.”
“We’re on a first name basis and already sharing embarrassing stories, how again am I a stranger?”
“You’re something. You could’ve told me you own the casino at the front desk.”
“What difference does it make if I’m a driver or the owner? You don’t strike me as the type who cares about a person’s status. Would that have really made you treat me differently? I rather like how rude you’ve been to me. You weren’t rude to the valet guys so that stung a bit. Or does that mean that I’m special?”
This guy. A part of me wonders if he’s bored and this is a more entertaining way for him to meet with my cousins. I’m not too na?ve. My cousins are dangerous men. They’ve become somewhat tame now that they have people to lose, but they’re still a force.
Nicholas Deschamps is more than likely a dangerous man as well. The smooth sexy voice and handsome face, the lavish treatment and gorgeous dress, these are all distractions and tools to get what he wants.
“I find it strange you have yet to tell me anything about you. Why are you having me wear all this?”
He takes a single step and invades my space. Though his body doesn’t touch mine, his warmth and woodsy smell invade my senses. “Because tonight, you’re mine.”
The intensity in his eyes as his gaze locks on mine has my knees trembling. I’m embarrassingly aroused. Again. I need to shut this down and put distance between us. This is psychotic. He appears out of nowhere, seduces me with lavish gifts and his charm, and I know I agreed earlier to us having a weird arrangement – but the possessiveness in the way he said mine.
I side-step around him and pray for these doors to open up to free me from the tension. Alarm bells are ringing in my head. I’m smarter than this. I don’t fall for strangers, and this guy is waving a giant red flag. The elevator stops and dings.
“That’s a bold statement.” The doors open and I hurry out, tripping a little bit, but I don’t fall. I recover quickly, which is reassuring that the universe doesn’t completely despise me. I turn around and proclaim, “And an outright lie.”
I storm away and walk as quickly as my feet in heels will allow. I feel more confident now that I’m free. I’ll put some distance between me and him. Not sure how I got into this mess, but I need to go find my family, especially Grandma, get away from him, and probably check into a new hotel.