The Prince Charming Hoax (10 page)

“
Hold me Jonathan. Hold me until I fall asleep again.
”

He pulled her to him, but this time the snuggling wasn
’
t enough for Leah. She needed more. She pulled his hand down between her thighs and reached for him.

“
Are you sure, Leah?
”

Leah was trembling.
“
Oh yes. I
’
m sure. I need this now.
”

She slid on top of him and pressed herself tightly against his chest and groin, moving up and down as they kissed, gently at first. As the intensity of the movement and passion increased, Jonathan rolled over on top of her and began kissing her neck, then shoulders, and stopped briefly at her breasts.

Leah moaned softly, raised her pelvis and nudged him down her abdomen until she felt his tongue and fingers gently stroking the soft folds between her legs. Holding his head in her hands, Leah closed her eyes and leaned back into the pillows, arching her back and rocking her hips up and down until all she felt was spasmodic contractions of pleasure. She moaned with relief at the release of tension.

Jonathan stretched out over her, pushing himself inside her. He leaned into her ear.
“
Leah, you are incredible. I
’
ve never gotten this excited going down on a woman. It
’
s like you
’
re fucking my face,
”
he whispered hoarsely.

Leah pulled out from under Jonathan and rotated her body so that now she kneeled over him, sitting straight down on his erection.
“
Now I
’
m going to fuck the rest of you,
”
Leah said as she threw her head back and gripped his shoulders. She continued to slide up and down, pushing him deeper inside her with each thrust.

They took turns pleasing each other until the morning light came streaming in and she could finally close her eyes again without fear. When she awoke, several hours later, Leah realized she
’
d had her first peaceful sleep in weeks.

Chapter
10

Leah squirmed in the oversize chaise in sitting area of the Vanderholt
’
s master bedroom, trying to get comfortable and enjoy the water view. After a week in her new residence, she still wasn
’
t sure she liked watching the ocean from twenty-two stories above sea level. When she sat on the beach in Hollywood, she felt part of the landscape.

She leaned back into the plump chaise pillows.
Maybe it wasn
’
t so bad putting distance between her and the world right now.

Leah placed a roll-shaped pillow in the small of her back and sighed. Something didn
’
t feel right.

She was alone in the penthouse. Ali had left for Philadelphia right after graduation and wouldn
’
t be back for six weeks. Leah missed her already. At first she was grateful, thinking Ali
’
s absence would give her more time to concentrate on her work and future plans. But the extra time and freedom from parental responsibility hadn
’
t proved productive.

“
I still don
’
t have a clue what my next steps should be,
”
Leah muttered as she adjusted the pillows behind her again.

She frowned. Still not right, so she shifted her weight to her right side and propped a pillow under her arm for support. She settled back and closed her eyes.

The phone rang. Leah debated whether or not to answer, but opened one eye and picked up when saw Roxie
’
s name on the call screen. She didn
’
t get a chance to say hello.

“
Leah, I haven
’
t heard from D.J. in three days. We were together almost constantly for almost two weeks—and now, nothing.
”

“
Calm down, Rox. Maybe he
’
s away on business.
”

“
Not that I know about. His business is in Florida, anyway.
”

Leah pulled herself upright in chaise and crossed her legs under her.

“
Well, he
’
s not from around here. Maybe he went to see his family.
”

“
Why wouldn
’
t he tell me?
”

“
I don
’
t know. What did he say when you were last together?
”

“
Nothing, really. He didn
’
t say he
’
d call or make any plans. You know how guys act when they start to think you want a relationship. I think maybe he was feeling trapped.
”

Leah frowned. She detected that insecure, desperate feeling of being unsure about a new mate in Roxie
’
s voice.
“
Did he say that?
”

“
No. It was just the way he was acting. He was a little distant, like he was trying to put some space between us.
”

“
You know, he could have had other things on his mind. It may have had nothing to do with you at all. We always assume their silence has to do with us, but most of the time, guys are thinking about something else entirely.
”

Roxie didn
’
t answer, and Leah settled back and stretched out her legs. She waited for Roxie to consider that D.J.
’
s silence might be unrelated to their relationship.

“
Leah, there is something else.
”

“
What?
”

Roxie took a deep breath and then broke into a detailed account of what happened to her in the restroom at D.J.
’
s club.

By the time Roxie finished her story, Leah was sitting on the edge of the chaise with her mouth open, wondering what to say next.

“
Leah, are you there?
”

“
Yes, I
’
m here.
This is not something that happens to you every day, Rox. Geez. Did you tell D.J. about it?
”

“
Not the part about her touching me. But, I did ask him how he knew to come in and rescue me.
”

“
And what did he say?
”

“
He saw Rita go in shortly after me and when I didn
’
t come out for a while, he decided to see if I was all right. I was pretty tipsy, you know.
”

“
You did say it was obvious he didn
’
t like her. Now you know why. But what does this have to do with why he hasn
’
t called?
”

“
I
’
m not sure really. But I get a feeling he
’
s keeping something from me and it has to do with that club.
”

“
You don
’
t know much about this guy at all, Rox. Do you think he takes drugs?
”

“
Definitely not. He
’
s a total health nut. Vegetarian, works out, takes vitamins.
”

“
Do you think he deals drugs, then?
”

“
Nah. He
’
s pretty straight. A Southern Republican.
”

“
I don
’
t know, Rox, but I think you should stay away from that club. Why would you want to hook up with a bunch of people who socialize with someone like Rita?
”

“
I didn
’
t get a chance to meet anyone else, so I don
’
t know what they
’
re like. D.J. said Rita was a misfit who used to go with one of the members, but she
’
s been banned now, and it
’
s not an issue anymore. So…do you think he
’
ll call me?
”

Leah sighed.
“
Yes, but I think it would be better for you if he didn
’
t.
”

“
Don
’
t worry, Leah-Mama. I
’
ll be careful. But, I
’
ve got to find out what the big secret is about that place.
”

“
You
’
re a big girl. Speaking of girls, I miss our Girls Night Out. Let me know when you
’
re available. I sure as hell don
’
t have any plans right now.
”

“
Maybe this Friday, then. I
’
ll call you.
“

Leah heard a break in the line.

“
Rox, I got another call. Talk to you later.
”

She clicked over to the other line.
“
Hello.
”

“
Leee-ah! How you doing up there in your ivory tower?
”

Leah winced.
Why did that question annoy her?

She didn
’
t try to cover up her irritation.

“
Hi Jonathan. I
’
m managing. What
’
s up?
”

“
What are you doing on Friday night? Some of the gallery people are going over to the new bar in Riverfront for happy hour. Want to join me?
”

“
I think I
’
m doing something with Roxie. I
’
ll have to let you know.
”

“
This might be a good networking thing for you. There will be a lot of P.R. types at this thing,
‘
cause it
’
s kind of a grand opening. You got to let people know you
’
re back in the biz, you know.
”

“
To tell you the truth, I think I want out of advertising, marketing, and public relations. I want to write about things that matter to me, Jonathan.
”

“
As long as you can get paid for it, baby, go ahead and write what you want. You know I understand how that is. Do you have any work lined up?
”

“
No, not yet. Look, I
’
m working on something right now. Let me get back you to about Friday.
”

“
We don
’
t have to go to happy hour, you know. We could do something more private.
”

Leah felt a twinge of guilt at his not-so-subtle hint. There was a moment of awkward silence.

“
Jonathan, I…I
’
ll let you know. But I really have to go now.
”

“
Yeah, Leah, sure. Talk to you later.
”

Leah looked around. She was in the library, on the complete opposite end of the penthouse, the side facing west.
“
How the hell did I get over here?
”
Leah shook her head. When she was feeling anxious, she paced—most of the time without realizing it.
“
The chair at the desk in here looks pretty comfortable. Perhaps I need a change of venue.
”

She turned suddenly to return to the bedroom for her laptop and tripped over Mitzi. The dog yelped and limped away.
“
Mitzi, wait,
”
Leah called, but Mitzi didn
’
t turn around.
“
Serves you right for getting under my feet, you little dust mop,
”
Leah fumed.
“
Now I have to worry about your feelings, too? I don
’
t think so.
”

When Leah returned to her bedroom, Mitzi was curled up in her basket, licking her paw. She gave Leah a sorrowful glance and went back to nursing her injury.

“
Oh, I am sorry. But you
’
re going to have to learn to stay out from under my feet.
”
Mitzi put her head down between her two front paws, sniffed and half-closed her eyes, gazing at Leah the whole time.

“
All right. I
’
ll have to learn to watch out for you, too.
”

Leah looked out at the ocean. The beach was calling her. The laptop and writing could wait.
“
Come on Mitzi, let
’
s go out for a walk.
”
The dog leaped from the basket and started jumping and up and down.
“
I see your injury has completely healed, you little faker. I am such a sucker.
”

Leah took the elevator down to the garage level to exit out to the beach. She felt uncomfortable walking through the lobby in her sports bra and yoga pants, which was what she wore most days when she was inside writing. But The Sands was like an elegant hotel, and she imagined mostly of the elderly residents would disapprove of her informal attire and whisper to one another,
“
Did you see that woman who
’
s staying in the penthouse? She walks around here practically naked!
”

Once she opened the door and felt the warm ocean breeze waft past her, Leah forgot her discomfort and imagined critics. She took off, basking in the sunshine and watching the waves. She headed toward the water, stopping momentarily to take off her sandals and put them in the small mesh bag she carried to hold her key and a few dollars. Mitzi seemed to enjoy frolicking near the waves, too. She waited at the shoreline and as soon as the wave was about to hit, she
’
d run back on the sand.

Sitting down on the sand and watching her, Leah was transported back to an almost identical scene on Fire Island in New York, almost thirty years before.

* * *

Leah and Richard had rented a beach house with two other couples. It was pleasant, but crowded, and by the second day, Leah felt the need for some privacy. She offered to walk her friend
’
s dog, Willie, as an excuse to get away.

It felt so peaceful that day on the beach. No one was around as she threw sticks and watched the joyful Willie jump in and out of the waves with big splashes to retrieve them. She enjoyed being totally removed from Richard, their friends, and her hectic everyday life in the city.
“
How wonderful it is to have something like this so close to New York,
”
she thought.
“
One day I will own a house on the beach and get away whenever I want.
”