Irresistible You (10 page)

She worked the room like a professional. She had learned from the best. Madame Jacqueline was an exceptional instructor with a superior eye for talent. She was the founder, artistic director and choreographer of the Cheva Ballet Group, a small poorly maintained studio in the southwestern part of Russia. The moment Madame Jacqueline laid eyes on Vanya she was spellbound. Vanya had been her pupil for the next six years and in that time she had learned a lot about dance and about life.

At the tender age of thirteen she had left her father’s homeland and come to America to dance with a world famous company. But now, at the age of eighteen, instead of fulfilling her mother’s prophecy, she had been relegated to the second position and soloist because Juliet Bridges was jealous of her talent and her youth.

Everyone knew that Juliet was well past her prime. But no one had enough courage to stand up to her. It was time for new blood at center stage, and the new blood was her.

Vanya greeted her fans with all the poise and grace of a queen ascending her throne. She smiled and laughed while strategically planning her next casual meeting. She held her hand out to be kissed as soon as she walked up to her fans. They loved it, they loved her.

The women, thrilled at meeting her, marveled at her prettiness and her small waiflike frame. The men were attracted to her body and sensuality, and were excited by the possibilities. She knew the game and played it to perfection. Every new face in the crowd noticed her she made sure of that. As Madame Jacqueline always said, the more the patrons loved you, the further your star will rise and the brighter it will shine. She learned early on that money moved the ballet world, not talent.

Vanya swayed her narrow hips across the room and stood by Chester. She tiptoed to whisper in his ear. “Who is that man? I’ve seen him before.”

Chester leaned down and inched closer to Vanya. The nearness of her tiny body sent a lustful shiver down his. He couldn’t wait to get out of there and take Vanya to his bed. As a dancer she was limber, as a woman she was seductive and as a Russian she was her father’s child.

“What man?” Chester asked.

“Him, over there in the blue, talking with Peter and Richard,” Vanya pointed out.

Chester looked across the room and found J.T. in her line of vision. “You probably do recognize him. That’s J.T. Evans from E-Corp.”

“What’s E-Corp?”

“It’s a major player in the computer software industry. J.T.’s in the business section of the newspapers or magazine a least once a month. His family is one of the wealthiest African-American families in the States.”

An interested smiled tipped her full lips upwards. The moment he mentioned wealth
her interest level was piqued. He was just what she was looking for, all she needed was a wealthy benefactor and Juliet would be out of her way. J.T. Evans was perfect. All she had to do was pay him a little attention and she’d have everything she ever wanted. She smiled sweetly as Chester continued. “He came to meet Juliet.”

“What?” Her sweet innocent expression instantly faded.

“Juliet, he came specifically to meet her.”

“Why her, why Juliet?” she demanded.

Chester shrugged. “I don’t know. I got a call from his office requesting that I set up a meeting tonight.”

“But Juliet’s not here, so he hasn’t met her yet.”

“No, they met earlier in her dressing room. I introduced them right after her performance. I wonder where she is?” Chester began looking around through the crowded room.

Vanya rolled her eyes. Again Juliet was the topic of conversation. “I want to meet him, introduce me,” she insisted.

“Okay,” Chester agreed reluctantly. The two made their way across the room just as Richard was pulled away. “J.T.,” Chester began. “I’d like to introduce you to the company’s next great star, Vanya Kastavah. Vanya, this is J.T. Evans of E-Corp.”

Vanya stepped closer, eased and raised her hand for J.T. to kiss. He took her hand, lowered it and shook it. Her disappointment was obvious. “How do you do Monsieur Evans.” She added with a pert nod and fluttering lashes.

“Nice to meet you Vanya,” J.T. said looking down on what seemed to be a mere child pretending to be an adult. He raised his brow knowingly. He’d certainly noticed Vanya earlier. She entered the room like a star. He also noticed how she connected with every wealthy patron in the room. And now, apparently it was his turn. This was a woman on a mission. She was definitely after something. He knew her type instantly. Young, hungry for more and eager to get it anyway she could.

But J.T. was definitely not interested. She was far too young, too bold and too hungry for his taste. Besides he had recently acquired a taste for a certain prima ballerina, Juliet Bridges to be exact. Her boldness excited him and her brazen bravado enticed him. She said exactly what was on her mind and each time he looked forward to hearing more.

“If you’ll excuse me,” J.T. said, turned and walked toward the doorway.

Vanaya huffed indignantly as she watched J.T. walk away. She was so tired of Juliet getting everything. But not this time, this time she was going to have everything she wanted and deserved. She turned away as Peter and Chester began talking. It was time to get to work seeing that the perfect person had just walked in.

“Phillip’s here,” Peter said as soon as Vanya left.

Chester looked around the immediate area. He spotted Phillip smiling and greeting patrons as they passed by. Vanya, ever savvy, had attached herself to him like a Siamese twin. “I know I saw him earlier, he’s already asked for Juliet.”

“I know, he asked me too.”

“She is coming tonight?” Peter asked rhetorically.

“I told her how important tonight was,” Chester insisted.

“So, where is she?” Peter hissed gritting through his clenched teeth.

Chester shook his head and shrugged. “I have no idea. I sent Roger to look for her.”

Peter nodded and scanned the immediate area for Juliet. As he turned behind him Phillip appeared and stepped into his line of vision.

Phillip Waverly, the Washington Cultural Center’s president approached, startling the two men. Carrying a glass of champagne but never drinking a drop, he smiled his customary Cheshire cat grim. “Gentlemen,” he announced with his usual grandness, “this is truly a great event.
Carmen
was an excellent choice for the shows finale this evening. What a profound experience, truly inspiring. I am truly pleased as were the patrons that accompanied me. We were all truly touched and truly blessed.”

Then, as usual, he recounted every scene and act of the performance giving a full rendition of the various interpretations and putting the ballet in context for everyone. He critiqued the costumes, lighting, scenery and the dancers. He ended by giving his opinion about possible changes, making note of his years on stage.

Smiling and thanking Phillip for his astute observations and excellent taste, Chester and Peter hesitantly waited for the appropriate moment of reflection knowing Phillip’s next remark.

“Speaking of which, where is our lovely leading lady?” Phillip finally asked.

“She’ll be here momentarily,” Peter assured Phillip.

“She’s probably still getting changed. You know how long it takes for Juliet to get down here sometimes. She‘s usually the last one to leave and the first one here in the morning,” Chester added.

“I hope so,” he warned. “I have several patrons looking forward to meeting her this evening. I’d hate for them to be disappointed.”

The veiled threat was understood as Peter and Chester looked at each other, and then once around the room quickly and finally back to Phillip.

“I’m sure she’s just a few minutes away. She knows how important tonight is,” Chester said hoping he didn’t sound as desperate as he was.

“See that she does. I’d like to keep this money in the room.” Phillip turned on a dime and welcomed a passing patron with an exaggerated hello. He instantly threw his arm around him and grabbed a waiter with a tray of champagne and placed a glass into the man’s hand.

Chester and Peter looked at each again. The shadow of concern covered their faces. They were pretty much at the whim of Juliet’s mood, and attending after performance events wasn’t exactly high on her priority list. Tonight didn’t seem to be any different.

“She’s not in the main lobby,” Roger said as he hurried to Chester’s side.

“This is ridiculous. The rest of the dance troupe has been here for the last twenty minutes.” Chester looked around scanning the area for Juliet. Can’t you do something about this?” he said looking to Peter.

“What do you suggest, strap her down and drag her here. Juliet is a grown woman. If she chooses not to attend, so be it.”

“Look I know she’s your lead dancer, but there are times that the company needs her for publicity reasons and this is one of those times. She’s more focused on those rundown inner city studios than attending these patron functions.”

“She enjoys teaching young dancers.”

“That’s fine, just as long as she’s here when we need her. We pay her to be here.”

“Why don’t you tell her that? I’m sure she’ll be interested in your opinions of how she spends her free time away from the company.”

Chester ignored Peter’s suggestion. The last thing he was going to do was confront Juliet about how she spends her time. The last time he suggested she be more accessible, she nearly took his head off. “The guests are getting anxious. Did you impress upon her the importance of her presences this evening?”

“Yes,” Roger said nervously looking from Chester to Peter.

“Then where is she?” Chester anxiously asked again.

“Maybe she’s in one of the back studios,” Peter offered.

“I already checked there.”

“Go see if you can find her again,” Chester insisted.

“I’ll head back to her dressing room, then make a sweep around the back stage exit, then head back to the…”

“Whatever… Just hurry up and find her,” Chester said cutting Roger off, drawing the attention of those standing close to him. He smiled, greeted them, introducing himself as he watched Roger disappear through the doors leading to the rehearsal studios and office areas.

Juliet sat in her dressing room staring in the mirror at the spot J.T. stood earlier. Her heart still pounded at seeing him again. She took a deep breath and let out a ragged sigh. No man had ever made her feel so nervous and panicky inside. She knew the feeling, she remembered it well.

Seeing him standing there in her dressing room brought a flood of memories back. When she awoke the morning after the blackout to find him gone, she was insulted and ran. And now here he was again, but unlike before there was no place to run. She needed to face her attraction to him once and for all.

A muffled phone began ringing drawing her attention away from her troubling thoughts. She grabbed her dance bag and began digging through the cluttered piles as the phone continued to ring. When she finally found it she slide the scene and answered. “Hello.”

“Hey girl,” her best friend Patricia Burke-Franklin said in her usual cheerfully manner.

“Hey yourself, I got your message and you’re late. You were supposed to be here half an hour ago. “And don’t tell me you can’t go.”

“I can’t go.”

“You talked me into going to this fundraiser tonight, so if I have to deal with this I’m not doing it alone. Get your butt here now.”

“That’s what I called to talk to you about. Kimberly isn’t feeling well. I’m gonna have to pass tonight.”

“What wrong with her?”

“She and Jasmine went shopping at the mall. They couldn’t find anything to buy so they ate dinner at the candy store.”