Chapter Eight
Believe in the Magic
I took a deep breath and opened the door. When his eyes looked me over, the heat in them nearly made my knees buckle. He gave me a sexy grin complete with hooded eyes, and I could see why women would throw themselves at him.
“Elizabeth, you look absolutely stunning. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful creature. All the women are going to be envious of you and all the men will want to be with you. I’m honored to have you on my arm.”
My heart beat a staccato rhythm in my chest at his words. I already felt beautiful, but he made me feel more. He made me feel sexy and like a woman. That was the only way I could put it. The way his eyes drank in my body, and his hands flexed at his sides made me feel powerful. I wanted to believe that he was dying to reach out and touch me. That he wanted it as much as I did. God, I felt like a teenage girl who didn’t know what the hell to do on a date.
Rein it in girl. This is not a date, Elizabeth. It’s a business function.
“Thank you. Come on in. I’ll be right back,” I demurred and headed to my bedroom for the blue clutch purse on my bed. I needed to take a breather from the intensity of his stare. From the intensity of him.
Once I was in my bedroom, I took a couple of deep breaths and reminded myself that I could do this. It was just one night. Nothing was going to happen between us. I had nothing to be nervous about. My rules were still intact. It wasn’t like Grant had been fantasizing about me all this time. If anything I would just be another in a long line of women, regardless of what Tina thought. That was enough to sober me up and make me less nervous.
“I’m ready,” I said when I joined him in the living room, pulling a wrap from my bedroom around my shoulders.
“You have a nice place,” he said conversationally while looking around the room. “It suits you.”
I blushed a little at that. It was always a bit nerve wracking when someone studied your home, especially when you put as much of yourself into it as I had.
Playing down how pleased I was that he appreciated my apartment, I murmured, “I like it.”
I followed him out the door and locked up before taking the elevator down. When a driver opened the door to the limo, I got a little giddy. I hadn’t been in a limo since my Senior Prom. Town cars, sure. Limos, not so much.
I slid across the bench seat and Grant folded in next to me. He was so close I could smell his cologne. That wonderful citrusy and woodsy smell that worked perfectly with his natural scent. I sometimes took a deep breathe of his shirts when I did his laundry, it was such an addicting smell.
Our thighs touched from hip to knee with how close he sat. The warmth radiating from him felt good on my exposed leg, the slit up my thigh barely concealing my flesh. I suddenly felt slightly awkward. I didn’t consider how the slit would look when I would have to sit at dinner.
“Garrison. Take the long way and give me a five minute warning before we arrive,” Grant said into the intercom. That’s when I noticed the privacy screen was already up. Seemed like someone may be jumping the gun.
“Dare I ask why you want him to take the long way?” I raised my eyebrow and attempted to hold his gaze, feeling a little uncomfortable about being alone with him in such close proximity. It wouldn’t take much for my resistance to crumble if he did, in fact, want to push the issue of physical intimacy with me.
“I figured we should talk before we arrive. Is this your first gala?”
I nodded my head and accepted the glass of champagne he had poured me.
“This event is to benefit music in the inner city schools, where there is so little funding that they can’t even provide instruments and teachers for the kids. There will be many important people there tonight. Politicians, celebrities, musicians, people with old money, hell people with new money. It’s important to be seen at this function. I’ll expect you to stay by my side the whole night. And I don’t want you publicizing the fact that you work for me. Understood?”
“Are you ashamed of me?” I’m not sure why, but the thought that that could be the case hurt more than I’d like to admit.
He gave me a wry grin and explained, “No, Elizabeth. Not at all. Let’s just say I have a certain reputation to uphold and if people thought I had to hire a date, it would spark the gossip mills. Something I loathe to do.”
“Okay.” Liking his explanation I agreed with him.
“Good. Do you have any questions?”
“Actually, I was wondering where the gala is being held. You never did tell me and I was too busy today to research it myself.”
“Ah. My apologies. As I mentioned, there will be a lot of old money present, so the organizers chose a more established venue – the Waldorf.”
I felt my eyes widen. Even though I’d been living in the city since I was eighteen, I’d never actually been inside the Waldorf Astoria. I’d seen pictures of course and people have talked about it, but I’d never gotten the chance to experience the rich history contained within its walls. I was beyond excited to have the chance to do so tonight.
“I take it that excites you?” Grant easily deduced from my expression.
I nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, I’ve never been.”
“Well, I’m glad I get to be the one to show it to you.” His voice had taken on a low and seductive quality, and his index finger lightly trailed up my exposed thigh. “I’m looking forward to showing you a lot of things, Ms. Ward.”
As he began leaning towards me, his driver announced we were only a few minutes away.
The moment effectively ruined, I straightened in my seat to put some much needed distance between us. Grant let out a low chuckle, and I glanced over to see his eyes dancing. “We’ll play things your way for now,” he cryptically said, and I swallowed hard.
What the f*ck did that mean?
There was a determination in his eyes when he said it, and I started to get nervous about what he expected. I sure hoped it wasn’t for me to be like all his other whores, for a lack of a better term.
He set his hand on my knee and squeezed it lightly. “We’ve arrived,” he said as the car came to a stop and pulled me out of my thoughts.
I quickly checked my lipstick in my compact mirror and readied myself to follow Grant out of the car.
He held his hand out and when I took it to pull myself out of the limo, I felt a charge from the contact. It was thrilling. No one had ever done that to me with just a touch.
His hand was exquisite. The perfect example of what a man’s hands should look like. His fingers were long, and his hand had strong veins running along the back. When his hand wrapped around mine, I felt oddly at peace. It felt natural and right.
Excited energy shot through me as we walked under the marquise to the flash of the paparazzi’s lights. I shuddered, realizing that my picture would be on Page Six tomorrow, just like all the others.
We walked up the marble steps into the main lobby, and I couldn’t help but look around in astonishment. An elegant crystal chandelier hung from the enormously high ceilings. The color scheme was creamy white and gold with dark, rich woods. Dominating the lobby was the famed, ornately carved, bronze Waldorf Astoria clock. Its octagonal base was made from marble and mahogany and was topped with a Statue of Liberty. Everything looked so expensive. I was afraid to touch anything. You know the whole you break it you buy it mentality.
As I rubbernecked my way through the lobby, Grant led us to the large ballroom elevator with cast nickel doors.
“Impressed?” He asked after we stepped on the elevator and the doors closed us in.
“Thoroughly. I always wanted to take the tour they offer, but I never had the time. This place is gorgeous. The only thing that would make it better would be seeing old photos of the way it looked decades ago. I love to look at old photos and imagine what it was like back then.” I gushed and then felt my face heat at the way Grant was watching me. He had a funny look on his face that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Before I could try, he blanked his expression.
The elevator doors opened, and we stepped out on the third floor into the Silver Corridor. It had a silver and white arched ceiling, massive chandeliers, wood and mirrored walls, and black and white checkered tiled floors. Red velvet benches ran along the walls and there was a black piano at the end of the hall.
Grant murmured hellos to mingling guests, who we passed on our way to the Grand Ballroom. With his hand on my exposed lower back, he guided me into the room. A waiter passed by with glasses of champagne, and Grant’s hand left my back so he could grab me one. Sipping the bubbly champagne, I knew this was an expensive brand. It was crisp and went down far too easily, especially seeing as how I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
I couldn’t help but feel like an out of place tourist as I took in the grandness of the ballroom. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. There were two levels of balconies on three sides of the room that were the equivalent of theater boxes. Each one accommodated a table with two chairs. There was a large stage at the farthest end of the room, where a school orchestra was playing. The floor directly in front of the stage was open as a dance floor. The rest of the room was filled with round tables seating eight individuals. On each table were spectacular centerpieces of roses, lilies and lush greenery, along with sparkling crystal and china.
Holy cow! I was way out of my league on this one.
“Grant.” An astute looking gray-haired older gentleman approached from my right and shook Grant’s hand. “I was wondering if I’d see you here tonight. Honoring Devereaux’s memory still I see.”
I felt Grant stiffen at my side. I idly wondered who Devereaux was and why Grant seemed uncomfortable with this man talking about him.
“Indeed,” Grant said with a hard voice. “If you’ll excuse us.” He didn’t wait for a reply before he started guiding us away.
“Well, that was rude,” I noted once we were outside of hearing distance from the man. “You didn’t even bother to introduce me.”
“That man is a snake. I didn’t want him breathing your air, let alone knowing your name.”
Hmmm… that was interesting and kind of sweet. Crap.
“Care to explain?”
“Not a chance. Fisher,” he abruptly changed the subject by calling out another person’s name. Well then.
“Morgan. Good to see you!” The good-looking man replied before shaking hands with Grant and kissing my knuckles when he took my hand. His hair was blond, and his eyes were blue. A dimple poked out when he smiled. He looked fit and trim beneath his tuxedo.
“Fisher, this is Elizabeth Ward. Elizabeth, this is Michael Fisher. We went to law school together.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” I smiled at him, and he winked.
“Not as pleased as I am, sweetheart,” he shamelessly flirted.
“Do you mind not trying to pick up my date, Fisher? Remember, I can still kick your ass.”
The other man chuckled and put up his hands in a placating gesture. “Of course. Wouldn’t want to turn your girl’s eye. It’s happened a time or two,” he leaned forward and mock whispered.
I wrapped my hand around Grant’s bicep and confided, “It would be nearly impossible to do I’m afraid.” For some reason I had an odd compulsion to defend his honor.
Grant’s hand wrapped around my hand and squeezed before staying there, blanketing mine.
“You’ve got a good one, man.” Fisher slapped Grant on the back. “It’s about time. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go find someone who won’t mind sneaking away with me for a few.” He winked again before disappearing into the crowd.
Once we were alone, Grant released my hand and unwrapped it from his arm. The fact that he was distancing himself now that we were alone made me feel slightly distressed. Once I reminded myself this wasn’t a date, I felt slightly better. But only slightly.
“Grant darling,” I heard the cultured voice and immediately froze. “You came!”
Corinne came up to us and kissed both of Grant’s cheeks in an intimate and welcoming gesture. Her hair was back in a fancy chignon. Her black dress was cut low, practically to her navel. It was sleeveless and backless with a drape that was nowhere as indecent as mine. There was a modest slit running up her right leg. She looked elegant and polished. I instantly felt like a poser. Completely lacking in every way possible.
“Hello, Corinne. Have you met Elizabeth?”
Corinne barely spared me a glance and a murmured “Hello” before turning back to Grant. “You must come see Jameson with me. Remember that week we spent together naked at his chateau in France? It was one of my favorite times with you.”
My stomach dropped, and my fist clenched. I forced myself to loosen the hold on my champagne glass so as to not break it. It was quite obvious Corinne wanted to throw her relationship with Grant in my face.
What a f*cking bitch.
Grant cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable, while I settled in waiting to see how he would handle this situation. Date or not, I didn’t want to spend my time with someone who would allow another person to treat me like I was a nothing.
“Corinne, you’re being rude to my guest. Let’s take a trip down memory lane some other time. Tell Jameson I’ll catch up with him later.”
She quickly schooled her face, which was a picture of shock, into a mask of cool sophistication. “Of course. My apologies.” She turned and gave me a smug grin before rallying. “I’ll be sure to call you tomorrow. We have much to catch up on.”
She kissed him lightly on the lips. And with that she was gone.
“Well, that was a bit awkward,” I mumbled before taking a huge sip of my champagne. When a waiter passed by, I swapped my empty glass for a fresh one.
“Corinne has trouble letting go of the past,” he strangely stated.
“Well, there couldn’t be much past there if you just gave her diamonds worth thousands of dollars.” I clamped my mouth shut and mentally kicked myself for having such a weak filter on my mouth. Twice in one day I was regretting speaking my thoughts out loud, thanks to Grant.
He looked confused for a moment before giving me a knowing smirk. “And how would you know what I gave her?”
My mouth opened and closed. It looked as if I was going to have to fess up to being nosy seeing as how my brain couldn’t come up with a well-fabricated lie fast enough. “I might have asked the saleswoman what was in the bag. It’s not like I looked in it or anything.”
He took a step closer to me and ran the backs of his fingers down the side of my neck. “Careful, Elizabeth. You almost sound jealous.”
“I… I’m not jealous,” I stammered as his fingers glided over the exposed portion of my collarbone and down the side of my breast. There was no way he could miss my pulse point fluttering beneath his fingertips.
“You are. And I’m enjoying every minute of it. But to put you out of your misery, that gift was picked out by my mother for Corinne’s birthday. Good to know she has no problem frivolously spending my money by giving Corinne expensive gifts, leading her to believe we will ever be more than we are.”
He stepped away from me and greeted a Senator who had walked up to us, leaving me to process all that he just said. My mind was spinning with the realization that I had misjudged him and his relationship with her.
Coming to terms with the fact that I needed to stop assuming I knew everything, the stupid and nonsensical girlie side of me thrilled at the fact that Corinne didn’t have Grant at all. And I couldn’t stop the smile that stayed on my face while we looked at the silent auction items and all throughout dinner either.
Boy was I in trouble where Grant was concerned.
?????
Swaying in Grant’s arms on the dance floor was magnificent. I felt warm and safe when he held me close. It was safe to say that my body had taken charge and wouldn’t let my mind do anything but enjoy the moment.
“I want to show you something,” he whispered in my ear, and a shiver ran down my spine when his breath caressed my skin.
“What?” I asked, more than a little curious about what he had planned.
“You’ll have to wait and see.” He sported a devilish grin that made him look a lot younger. Seeing him act carefree tugged at my insides.
He took my hand, and I let him lead me out of the ballroom towards the elevators. We boarded the car, and he hit the button for the eighteenth floor.
“What’s on the eighteenth floor?”
I was more than a little surprised when he put his arm around my shoulders and drew me towards his body.
“You are quite an impatient soul, Elizabeth. If I told you, it would ruin the surprise.”
His mouth grazed my temple, and I looked up to see an amused look on his face. His eyes were dancing, and that had to have been the first time I saw him so playful. It was downright adorable.
Against my better judgment, I allowed my body to melt into his, and I wrapped my arm around his waist to steady myself. I refused to think about what this meant. The fact that I felt so comfortable and familiar with him, it was as if we had known each other for years. For all I knew, he gave this type of treatment to all his women.
The elevator doors opened, and we were immediately welcomed by photos of the past. We walked up the hall, and I stared at black and white pictures of what the Waldorf Astoria used to be like. “Holy cow!” I breathed and reached out to touch one of the pictures before I pulled my hand back thinking it probably wasn’t wise to do so.
“Come.” He laced his fingers with mine and pulled me along as I continued to soak in the history within these halls.
I glanced up and saw the recessed ceiling with a chandelier hanging from it and the Starlight Roof placard with stars around it. Outside the room, in the main vestibule, was a feather-motif chandelier. It was so unbelievably chic.
Once inside the room, the gilded ceilings on either end were at least twenty feet high and were illuminated by Austrian crystal chandeliers. The floor to ceiling windows extended along the whole wall, as did an outdoor terrace. Above the entrance was a second floor balcony with wrought iron railings. It was broken up into smaller alcoves by the thick columns of the entryway. The main ceiling of the room was covered with a large wooden grille that covered the lighting on the ceiling. I knew from stories that the lighting could change colors from warm pinks to cool blues, reflecting the tones of a setting sun.
This was Art Deco at its finest. You couldn’t look around this place and not be astounded by all the beauty in the intricate details.
This was by far one of my favorite places in the hotel so far. Maybe even better than the old photos.
“The Starlight Roof was the first supper club to have a retractable roof, but when it was restored in 2001, they didn’t restore that feature.” Grant’s words broke my trance as I took everything in.
“That’s too bad. This place is amazing. I can only imagine what it would be like if the roof was open and you could look right up into the stars.”
“It was pretty special,” he murmured with a bit of wistfulness in his voice.
“You’ve seen it with the roof retracted?” I asked in disbelief.
He nodded. “A few times. My grandfather was Devereaux Morgan, one of the original architects that designed the Waldorf before its opening in 1931. He used to bring me here a lot before he died.”
“Wow. That’s fascinating. He must have had so many stories to tell.”
“He did. He always recounted stories of dignitaries and celebrities. He believed this place held magic.”
“Well, it’s hard not to believe in the magic just being here. Imagine the love stories and romances that took place within these walls.”
He studied me for a few moments before he spoke. “This place speaks to you, doesn’t it? You feel the same overwhelming sensation that I do when I’m here. Don’t you? It’s as if this place is as special to you as it is to me.”
I swallowed hard, not knowing what to say to that. I did feel connected to the rich history that you couldn’t help but sense in this place. It felt like home. It was a crazy way to feel, but I did. And by the look on his face, I knew he understood.
“I want to show you the views out on the terrace.” Resigned at not getting an answer from me, he showed me the way outside.
I followed him out onto the terrace and looked out on Manhattan. I couldn’t believe I was standing here right now, getting a private tour. And the best part about it was that the stories he shared with me, as the lights of the city twinkled and anything seemed possible, came firsthand from his grandfather. There was a passion in his voice when he spoke and a light in his eyes. This obviously meant a lot to him, and I was honored that he was sharing these memories with me.
I felt his tuxedo jacket slide around my shoulders and it startled me.
“You looked cold.” He shrugged and looked away.
“Oh, thanks.” I pulled the material tighter around me and attempted not to be too obvious when I couldn’t help but smell him on the jacket.
A comfortable silence surrounded us as we gazed at the night. No words needed to be said, for we both enjoyed the view more than we needed words.
“We should probably head back to the gala,” I suggested, even though that was the last place I wanted to be.
He shook his head. “It’s not necessary. I’ve been seen and my money’s been given.”
“But what if you won that trip to Napa you bid on?”
“They’ll let me know. It’s getting rather chilly up here, though, so maybe we should go back inside.”
He let me precede him through the doorway back into the room. I started to head for the exit, assuming we were heading back down to the ballroom. I walked slowly taking in the room one last time, knowing that I would probably never get another chance to experience it this way again.
I abruptly stopped when the sounds of a piano filled the room. Startled, I spun around to see Grant sitting at the black Baby Grand piano that was in the far corner of the room. The melody he played was beautiful and filled with melancholy.
My feet swiftly brought me to him. His head dipped towards the seat next to him, and I slid onto the bench. His long, deft fingers flew over the keys in a sure manner that immediately had me entranced, as did everything about the man I was slowly getting to know.
When the song finished he set his hands on his knees and turned his head to look at me.
“That was beautiful. I didn’t know you were so talented,” I said in amazement.
“My grandfather taught me. He loved music, especially jazz. That’s what I grew up on. That’s why I’m so involved with tonight’s charity. I think every child should be able to experience the beauty of music. When I was younger I lost myself in the music he shared with me. I dreamed of worlds I never knew and a life I could only hope for. I want that hope for others.”
Uh… wow! There was nothing I could say to that. It was so moving.
His fingers lifted back to the keys and began a light melody. “Tell me about your parents,” he said while continuing to play softly.
I sighed. Sharing intimate details about myself probably wasn’t wise, but he had surprisingly shared so much of himself with me tonight, that I felt it was only fair.
“It’s just my mom now. My dad died when I was in college. And well you heard about my mom. She’s doing better though. She’s off the oxygen so that’s a plus. I have hope that she’ll be around for many years to torment me.”
Grant chuckled at that. “Ah. Maya alluded to the fact that your mom was special. I see now that she’s challenging as well.”
“You have no idea,” I concurred with his assessment on a giggle.
His fingers paused when I laughed, and his eyes moved over my face. When I sobered, he asked, “What was your father like?”
“He was everything a girl could have wanted in a father. He was loving and protective. He made me feel safe and cherished. It really hurt when he left us so suddenly. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.” My bottom lip trembled, and I felt the tears overwhelming me.
Grant reached up and placed his hand on my cheek. His thumb swiped at the moisture as it fell down my face.
“These eyes should never leak tears and these lips shouldn’t do anything but smile.” His thumb then grazed my lower lip.
I sucked in a breath at his words and watched as his head descended and his mouth brushed mine.
“I’ve wanted to do that for far too long,” he whispered and his soft breath brushed against my cheek.
And then he kissed me. This was no brush of the lips. This was a full on assault. My mouth immediately parted open for him and allowed him to explore me with his tongue. He tasted so good. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to get enough. The practiced strokes of his tongue against mine made me imagine other parts of him stroking me in the same manner.
His hand ran up the inside of my exposed thigh and brushed lightly across the front of my panties. I involuntarily made a low sound of need in the back of my throat and he pressed harder at my reaction.
“Oh, excuse me.” A woman’s voice accompanied by laughter made us jump apart. “I didn’t realize anyone was up here.”
She and her companions turned and walked out, leaving us staring at each while we breathed heavily.
Grant reached for me again, but I stood quickly and backed away.
“This was a mistake. I’m so sorry for leading you on, but I don’t get personally involved with my clients.”
“Elizabeth…” He started, but I couldn’t let him talk me into anything. I just couldn’t. I had worked too hard to get to where I was. If I started sleeping with a client, I couldn’t take myself seriously anymore. And Grant Morgan was dangerous, just as I knew he’d be. He was more wonderful than I imagined, and he had the ability to make me forget reason and act far too impulsively.
“Please don’t,” I took a big sigh. “Can you take me home?” I really needed to get out of there before all my resistance crumbled at his feet.
“If that’s what you really want.” He watched me carefully and in that moment, I despised being studied by him.
“It is. Thank you.” I didn’t waste any more time talking. I walked as fast as I could without looking like I was running and left our moment behind us, in the Starlight Room.