Intimate Kiss (Bend To My Will #3) (8 page)

“I didn’t have a plan. I seem to be very
unplanned
around you, Jacob. But you have no right to be mad,” Vivienne said. “Getting this part means a lot to Lana. And I’m her best friend. There is no way I would miss her performance.”

“But you didn’t mention it to me.” Jacob waited, still unclear on what had been going on in Vivienne’s mind.

“I didn’t know how to tell you, Jacob. You don’t make it easy. You have all these rules; you’re so inflexible.”

“Inflexible?”

“Yes, Jacob. You are,” Vivienne said. “Sometimes plans change. You have to adapt. Things can’t always be just how you want them to be.”

“So you would have canceled Friday night to go to Lana’s show?”

“Of course not,” Vivienne said. “I was getting up my nerve to ask you to go with me. I knew you’d react just like you are now, so I hadn’t brought it up yet.”

Jacob began to see what was going on. The relationship with Vivienne was supposed to be based on trust, yet she had to build up nerve to invite him to a damn musical. “Well, you don’t have to worry about it anymore, Vivienne. I already told Lana that I’d arrange things with you, that is, if you still want to go with me.”

“I’d be pleased to go with you, Jacob.”

“I suppose I’ll have to be satisfied with having you for the rest of the weekend,” Jacob said, “since Friday night is spoken for.” He could almost see Vivienne smiling on the other end of the line. At least she didn’t rub it in by pointing out that attending the play would be
a date
, having been arranged in advance. He wished he hadn’t offered such a stupid definition.

“I’ll find out if Trace is planning dinner before or after the show, then I’ll let you know what time I’ll pick you up,” Jacob said.

“Wonderful,” Vivienne said. “It will be a great evening, you’ll see.”

Chapter 8

On Friday, Jacob and Vivienne showed up at the theater early, so they would be in their seats well before the curtain rose. Trace sat on the other side of Vivienne, having arrived even before they did, and leaned forward to chat with Jacob. “When the show is over, we can go backstage,” he said. “Lana will get us in.”

Jacob had been to the theater once before, and remembered that the sound was pretty good, relying mostly on acoustics due to the size of the place. On that occasion, the actors had performed without microphones, making it a very personal experience.

The Kraine was home to many offbeat shows, as well as some hits. The small playhouse was a good venue for off-off-Broadway productions that could get fairly creative, and there really wasn’t a bad seat in the house. The seats were very close together in the cozy little place.

The stage wasn’t raised, and was just a floor. The seating sloped, so the audience had a clear view of the actors no matter where they sat. With only a hundred seats, the back row was just as good as the first.

When the lights dimmed and the performance began, Jacob found it entertaining. It was a good production of
School of Rock
, with some impressive acting as well as singing and dancing. He held Vivienne’s hand, noticing how intent she was on the show.

Lana wasn’t hard to spot, considering the size of the stage. Although she was only part of a dance routine and not a major player, it didn’t matter. When Trace saw her, he whistled, much to the annoyance of the audience. And Vivienne pointed to her and grinned at Jacob.

“She’s really good, isn’t she?” Vivienne whispered.

Jacob leaned toward Vivienne, and kept his voice low. “Very. I’m impressed.”

The show was enjoyable, and Jacob didn’t regret attending, especially since Vivienne was having such a good time. At intermission, they went to the lobby. Trace decided to risk peaking backstage to catch a glimpse of Lana, while Jacob bought Cokes for the three of them.

“See, I told you we’d have a good time,” Vivienne said.

Jacob took a gulp of Coke. “It is a good show, better than I expected.”

“Lana has worked so hard. You just don’t know.” Vivienne grinned. “I’m so pleased for her.”

The audience milled about in the small lobby, with only a couple of benches for seating. It wasn’t what Jacob was used to, having mostly attended Broadway shows, but he rather liked the artsy atmosphere. He looked at Vivienne, but she was waving at someone.

When she flagged the person over, a guy about her age appeared. He gave her a big bear hug. “Vivie. What a nice surprise.”

Jacob didn’t like it at all. The familiarity irked him. He didn’t know who the guy was, but he didn’t even acknowledge Jacob, despite the fact that he was obviously with Vivienne.
Talk about rude
. But Vivienne didn’t object at all.

“It’s so good to run into you,” Vivienne said. “Did you see Lana onstage?”

“Yes, I didn’t know she was part of the cast until I saw her name on the program.”

The man had a trendy look, dark spiked hair, an earring in one ear, and a tight shirt that showed off the fact that he worked out. Clearly he knew Vivienne pretty well, which made Jacob want to whisk her away before things got any more intimate.

Vivienne looked up at Jacob and said, “I’d like you to meet a friend of mine, Bentley Carson.” She waved her hand at the man. “Bentley, meet Jacob Rinaldi.”

Bentley stuck out his hand and smiled at Jacob. “Good to meet you. I didn’t know Vivie was seeing anyone.”

The man was racking up points against him. Jacob was peeved that he called her
Vivie
, and even more, that the guy would know whether she
was or wasn’t
seeing anyone. But there was no way to avoid shaking the guy’s hand without risking Vivienne’s annoyance, which was all too easy to do.

Jacob shook his hand, and Bentley squeezed, too aggressively. Maybe he was just being friendly, but it was a bit much. After withdrawing his hand, Jacob gave the guy a don’t-mess-with-me look. To his credit, Bentley had the sense to flinch.

“We were in drama school together,” Vivienne said. “We used to hang out a lot then. Bentley knows Lana too.”

As if that made it better. “Interesting,” Jacob said.

“Well, I have to get back to my seat,” Bentley said. “We should catch up sometime. I’m working part-time at Stage Right, the costume shop on Madison. Drop by and see me.” He waved and, thankfully, made his exit.

Jacob looked at Vivienne. “Who names their kid
Bentley
?” he said. “It’s a car.”

“Well, the car was probably named after a man, for all you know.” Vivienne narrowed her eyes. “You weren’t very friendly. What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing is wrong with me,” Jacob said. He took her hand and headed back to their seats. On the way, he dumped his empty cup in the trash, along with Trace’s drink. His friend must have sneaked backstage, since he hadn’t made it out to the lobby.

This was yet another reason that Jacob wasn’t comfortable in relationship settings. He was more in his element in the playroom, where control was maintained. Random people or
friends
didn’t show up without warning, threatening, or invading his territory.

“You’re acting awfully possessive,” Vivienne said in a low voice. “I haven’t seen this side of you. I’m not sure I like it.”

Great, now she was irritated. “Well, too bad,” Jacob said. “You two acted like former lovers.”

“We did not.” Vivienne glared at him. “You are making too much out of it. I had friends before I knew you. And I’ll continue to have friends. That isn’t going to change.”

Her comment only proved that Jacob didn’t belong in social settings. When manners were called for, sometimes he was at a loss. If he was annoyed, it was difficult to hide. And he didn’t see why he needed to anyway.

They found their seats, but Trace wasn’t there yet. Vivienne leaned over to speak in his ear. “Besides, I already told you that there was no man before you, not anyone that I cared about,” she said. Her tone sharpened. “So you have no reason to be jealous.”

The subject wasn’t worth further discussion. Bentley wasn’t sitting close to them, and if Jacob had any luck he would be able to sweep Vivienne backstage before another encounter. When the lights dimmed, Jacob focused on the stage, ignoring Vivienne’s ire.

Trace slid in next to her at the last minute. “You made it,” Vivienne said to him.

The rest of the show was as good as the first part had been, and it gave Jacob a chance to cool down. He had let emotion get the better of him, which was frustrating. At every turn, Vivienne got to him. She stirred new feelings, emotions he wasn’t familiar with, and he didn’t like it.

Jacob hadn’t considered that he was the jealous type. But then, he hadn’t needed to be. The women he had were locked in a playroom with him, except for the escorts who he didn’t care about anyway. Was that what was going on? Was it that Jacob cared in a way he hadn’t before? The thought rattled him. He needed to get it together, and fast.

When the play was over, Trace led them backstage to see Lana. She rushed over for hugs all around, gushing over the show, and how relieved she was that it went well. Trace made a dozen roses appear out of nowhere, and, overcome with joy, Lana cried.

“You go and get changed, love,” Trace said. “We’ll wait for you. Are you hungry?”

“Starved,” Lana said, heading for the dressing room. “I won’t be long.”

When she was gone, Vivienne smiled at Trace. “You planned ahead.” He didn’t respond. “The flowers…”

“Oh yes, well, I knew she’d like them,” Trace said, without explaining further. “So is Japanese food agreeable?”

“Good with me,” Vivienne said, and Jacob nodded.

As soon as Lana was dressed, they all left the theater together. Trace looked at Jacob. “Is the Saki Bar okay? The one just off Times Square.”

“Sure, I know the place,” Jacob said. “Ian can get us there. See you shortly.”

During the brief drive to the restaurant, no further mention was made of the Bentley incident. Jacob had regained his composure. And Vivienne seemed so thrilled over Lana, the flowers, and going out for dinner that she didn’t look upset anymore.

At the restaurant, they ordered several dishes to share. Many of the items were unpronounceable, but it didn’t stop them from being tasty. Trace lifted his sake glass, and toasted to Lana: “A superstar in the making.” She laughed, but was clearly flattered. And Jacob couldn’t get over how Trace behaved around her. There was no question his friend was smitten.

The meal was pleasant enough, and Trace didn’t linger for dessert. He and Lana seemed anxious to be alone, which fit with Jacob’s plans. He still had the weekend with Vivienne, what there was left of it, and he intended to make the most of it.

*****

Their time together had flown by, and Jacob had not been disappointed with the weekend. Vivienne had been in a better mood than usual, which he had taken note of. Apparently, dates and socializing with friends had an upside. It made Vivienne happy, and Jacob benefitted from that.

No longer new to the playroom, Vivienne had acclimated quickly once they arrived at the penthouse. Jacob had forgotten about sacrificing by attending the play, socializing with friends at dinner, and even about the encounter with Bentley.

For the rest of the weekend, there had only been Vivienne. In the playroom Jacob had taken charge. It was the way he sought not only pleasure but relief. The haunting dreams abated when Vivienne was near. And the darkness seemed to recede. But the weekend hadn’t been long enough.

Jacob had lost out on most of Friday evening, and Sunday afternoon had arrived too soon. When it had been time for Vivienne to go back to her life, he hadn’t been happy about it. After she left, Jacob had poured a double whiskey and starred out the windows until it was dark outside.

Something was very wrong. Until Vivienne, he hadn’t bemoaned a woman leaving. Once Jacob had been sexually satisfied, he had been anxious to get on with his week. It was disconcerting that he thought about Vivienne, well after she was gone from his penthouse.

Throughout the week, Vivienne was not far from his thoughts. Jacob attempted to lose himself in work, but was unsuccessful. It was damned annoying the woman had such a grip on him. But he didn’t need to continue to suffer.

After all, Jacob had set the rules. He could break them. So on Thursday of that week, he went to Vee’s Scents, without taking the trouble of calling first. As he walked up to the door, he saw Vivienne through the window. She was laughing at something a male customer had said, which instantly rubbed him the wrong way.

Across the counter was a man, who talked animatedly, motioning with his hands. He appeared to be in his forties, and gave the impression of an older guy trying to charm a younger woman. Unable to see beyond that, Jacob yanked the door open.

When he stepped inside, a bell announced his entry, and Vivienne looked over to see him. Her look of surprise did nothing to allay his aggravation. Jacob stared at the man, who returned the glare with a charming smile. Blind jealously consumed Jacob, over the thought that this asshole would attempt to seduce Vivienne.

“Jacob…”

Ignoring Vivienne, he walked up to the counter, still looking at the man. But Jacob didn’t say a word. The man seemed unaffected. “See if you can order that for me, Vivie. I’ll check back next week.” He had the nerve to reach across the counter and squeeze Vivienne’s hand before leaving.

Jacob had no patience for being tactful. “Why were you laughing and entertaining that guy?”

“That’s Milo Jenkens. He shops here all the time.” Vivienne looked insulted. “He’s just a customer.”

“It didn’t look that way.”

Vivienne refused to address the issue. “Why are you here, anyway?”

“I happened to be in the neighborhood,” Jacob said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his tone. “What? You can drop by my office anytime, but I can’t do the same?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Well, I wanted to let you know that I’m planning to take you to dinner tomorrow night before you come to the penthouse.” Jacob let that sink in.

“You’re
planning
?” Vivienne widened her eyes. “So it’s
a date
?”

Jacob was still pissed. “I’m in the mood for Masa’s. You seemed to enjoy the Japanese food the other night, so I thought we’d revisit it.”

Vivienne’s green eyes pierced into him. “Are you just asking me to dinner because you were jealous?”

“No, I’m asking you because I want to eat out.” Jacob looked back at her. “Unless…you’d rather I hire an escort to dine with me?”

Vivienne expelled a breath. “You are
so
…exasperating,” she said. “Why is it that you turn everything to your advantage?”

“Is that a yes?”

For a beat, Vivienne held his gaze. Then she sighed. “I haven’t been to Masa’s before.”

“Chef Masa creates a premium dining experience,” Jacob said. “I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”

“Is it fancy? I don’t know what to wear.”