Make Believe (22 page)

I walk up to him and tap his bottom gently then place my arms around him.

“You didn’t need to do that. We can get our own drinks.”

“I know you can, Miss Independent, but I wanted to. I want us to have a good night.” He kisses my head.

“A vodka and coke would have done,” I tease.

He rolls his eyes.

“Now you know that’s not my style, Miss. Sit!”

Lou’s husband, James, joins us and Elliott pours him a glass as well. 

It’s quieter in the booths so you can talk better. Elliott pours me yet another glass of champagne; I find them so easy to drink. I notice that the club’s getting even busier now and people are starting to crowd round where we are.

“I need the loo,” I announce and push my way through the hordes of waiting fans.

When I arrive back Simon’s in full organisation mode and they part so I can get back through.

“Hey, Jess, it’s dance time,” Lou announces.

I smile and down my third glass of champagne.

I whisper in Elliott’s ear, “I’m off to dance. Do you want to come?”

He shakes his head.

“I can’t, not at the moment. I’ll just wait for Simon to get rid of the rest of these,” he gestures to his fans, “and I will be there.”

I lean down and kiss him hard on his lips. It takes him by surprise but he kisses me back equally as passionately. I stand back up and smile, having just stated my claim on him.

He smacks my bottom as I walk away.

The dance floor’s crowded. Jessie J’s latest song’s playing. I love this song. I start moving, dancing my a
rse off, loving every beat of the music. The champagne’s helped free up my inhabitations. I try not to bend too much as my skirt bangs against the tops of my legs. I feel someone dancing behind me.  I move with their movements; it’s as if we’re one. I feel him run his fingers up my legs and I back into him, feeling him grinding on me. I smile, enjoying the thought of me and Elliott dancing. I turn to look at him and, to my horror, it’s not Elliott. It’s the man from earlier. He smiles at me whilst still gyrating himself on my legs. I try and pull back but it’s packed. He follows, grinding on me, getting more into my space. I grab Lou’s arm and she sees what’s happening. She goes to swap places with me, but it’s too late. Elliott’s already at my side glaring at the guy. He lunges forward and pushes the guy hard. The guy stumbles back, looking shocked. He walks towards us again and this time Elliott punches him straight in the face. The guy falls back onto the floor.

Elliott leans down, towering over him.

“Don’t you ever touch my fucking girlfriend again. Next time I won’t stop,” he hisses.

I stand there rigid, shocked at Elliott’s reaction.

Taking my hand he pulls me hard off the dance floor.

“It’s time to go.” He’s cross with me.

I look back at Louise and mouth “sorry” to her. She acknowledges me and waves goodbye.

The car journey back to the hotel is awkward. Elliott sits as far away from me as possible, staring out of the car window. I see his reflection in it, he looks upset.

I touch his arm, he turns and looks at me, but withdraws it instantly.

I’m confused. I don’t understand why he is so cross. I was only dancing; the man came up to me. As soon as I realised it wasn’t him, I moved out the way. He surely can’t think I’m responsible. If he wasn’t so busy being “Mr. I’m-So-Wonderful”, he may have had time to actually come and dance with me himself.

I think it’s the alcohol making it more apparent, but I’m sick and tired of his crap. One minute he can’t get enough of me and the next he’s ordering me about like I’m his bloody assistant.

I can’t stand the tension any longer.

“Elliott, what’s the matter?”

“Like you don’t know?”

“I realise you’re pissed at the guy, but why are you angry with me?”

He glares at me.

“You let him touch you,” he spits at me.

“Whoa, I let him touch me? Are you stupid? I moved as soon as I realised it wasn’t you.”

“Yep, of course you did, Jess. Let me guess - that’s the same with Hudson?”

Oh my God. I can’t believe he just said that. I knew there was more to this. The bastard!

“How the hell can you say that? Is that what you really think? You bastard. I didn’t deserve tonight and I certainly didn’t deserve to be fucking sexually assaulted by that asshole. You’re just as bad as he is. How dare you treat me like this.” By now the tears are uncontrollable.

“Stop the car, Simon.”

“No, Simon, don’t. I’m not having her walk alone.”

“I said stop this fucking car!” Simon brings the car to a gradual halt.

I fumble for the door handle. Elliott grabs my arm.

“Please, Jess, don’t do this,” he pleads.

“Get your hands off me. I want to get out.”

“Please, let me walk. Simon can take you back to the hotel and you can have my suite. I will bunk in with him.” He looks genuinely sorry.

“I can walk you know. I’m a twenty-
two- year-old grown woman. I’ll be fine.”

“Jess, I won’t take no for an answer.” With that he opens his door and gets out.

Simon starts to drive off. I look out of the rear window and watch the sad, lonely figure walking in the distance.

Chapter 15

I snuggle under the duvet in Elliott’s suite.  The bed is so comfortable. I feel the mattress moulding to my body. As I lay there, I try and force myself to sleep. But who am I kidding? I have no chance of sleeping. Our first argument keeps playing through my mind. Why was he so cross with me? I bet what he said about Hudson was how he really feels. I sense the uncertainty creeping back in. How could he be so horrible? Then the awful image of that solitary figure walking home alone in the rain appears in my mind. He insisted on that because he does care about me, I justify. He’s such a complex character. At least with Henry you knew what you were getting - a moody bugger most of the time. He never had whiplash emotions. Jeez, how much has my life changed in the last few months.

My thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the bedroom door. Oh God!

I hesitate. “Come in.”

Elliott pushes open the door. He’s soaked. His black jacket is dripping. His hair all flattened down by the rain.

I burst out laughing, trying to stifle it. He looks at me, I’m not sure of his reaction, but to my relief his lips start to turn up at the sides and he joins me, laughing, bottom stomach laughing. He walks over to the bed.

“Do you mind if I change, Jessica. I want to get out of these clothes.”

I can’t believe he’s asking me. It’s his room.

“Of course not, carry on.”

I watch him as he unbuttons his trousers and drops them to the floor. He then takes off his socks. Even his Ralph Lauren boxer shorts are wet. He pulls off his jacket and then his white t-shirt which has gone transparent due to the rain. He runs his fingers through his hair moulding it back to his normal style. He turns and walks to the drawers. He catches me watching him. He really is perfection, his body toned and tanned. Not an inch of fat anywhere.

He smirks at me.

“Enjoying the show, Miss Ing?”

I nod.

He leans down and whispers, “Shut your mouth, Jess, you’re dribbling!” and laughs.

I immediately shut it. How embarrassing. I feel my cheeks turning red. I try to distract myself but the allure to look is just too tempting. My body has a mind of its own; I feel the excitement of seeing him naked. I want him, even though I’m angry with him. The realisation that he’s going home tomorrow dawns on me. How can I stay mad when this is our last night together?

“What you thinking about, Jess?” he suggestively asks.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I tease.

“Yes I definitely would. With a look like that in your eyes how could I resist?”

He climbs on the bed next to me on all fours and crawls up the bed towards me.

I feel my breathing becoming rapid. Calm Jess, you’ve got all night, I tell myself.

He leans down and starts kissing my neck, he works his way down towards my vest. He kisses across the top of it. He looks up at me.

“I’m sorry for embarrassing you.”

I look at him.

“It’s not embarrassing, well it is, but it wasn’t that. It was the fact you blamed me! I tried to move but by the time Lou understood what I wanted to do, you were there.”

He looks perplexed.

“It’s just…I couldn’t stop Hudson from attacking you and that was a big mistake, which I will regret for the rest of my life. I will never make that mistake again. Believe me. I will handle anyone who gets near you.”

“It’s all very flattering, Elliott, but Hudson wasn’t your fault, or mine! He’s just some over-powered asshole with no self-control. You couldn’t stop him because you didn’t know, but I did and I managed to twice.”

“Not before he hurt you though.” His face tenses up.

“Yes, I’ll give you that, but it could have been so much worse than it was. And I don’t think I did too badly for someone who is half his size.” I smile.

He brushes his fingers down the side of my face. He looks sad.

I sit up on my knees and gently tug his arm, pulling him towards me. I feel him relax as I start tracing my lips up his neck towards his well sculptured chin. I kiss him all over. He closes his eyes, his breathing starts to deepen. For once I understand how vulnerable he is. He’s dropped his guard with me for the first time. I feel so empowered by him. I kiss him full on the lips, the passion is so uncontrollable but gentle. He scoops me up in his arms and lays me underneath him. He hands trail all over my body, his touch makes me a quivering mass. As he tugs my vest off, I realise that this is the first time we’ve made love instead of fucking!  This can only mean one thing. Love…

I watch as Elliott’s plane takes off.  I try and console myself with the fact that I will be back in the good old USA in just two days’ time, but it doesn’t stop the sorrow of him leaving. I make my way out of the private air strip at Bournemouth’s airport, and I head towards the Ferrari he’s left for me to use. I can’t believe he did that. I click the button on the key and the door opens. Whoa, that’s so cool. I climb in and adjust the seat. I’m so low down. I push my foot to the floor and there’s the rev of the engine. It’s so loud. I gently accelerate and stall. Dawn!  I turn the key again. He makes it look so easy. This time I have it. Lunging forward, it flies, throwing me back. By the time I’m on the road I have it all sorted out. I must admit, if I had the money I could get used to a car like this too. The attention it grabs. I can’t wait to drive it back up to London. Part of me wonders if he’s just left it so that Henry couldn’t drive me.

***

I stand at Heathrow, waiting to board wondering where the hell did the last two days go. I didn’t see Henry again, much to my mother’s disgust. Lou made up for her misgivings though by organising a lovely spa day for us. It was totally relaxing; it was exactly what I needed. I hear my flight number called out over the speaker and head towards the gate.

As I look out of the plane’s window I see the sun above the clouds. I don’t seem to be so scared of flying anymore. I’m not sure if my attack has put things into perspective. The air stewardess walks along offering teas and coffees and today’s newspapers. I opt for the LA times. Whilst I take my tea, the stewardess keeps staring at me. I smile but she doesn’t smile back. Maybe she remembers me from the flight home a week ago? It’s a little off-putting. Once she’s handed out the teas she continues on her way.  When she’s finished, I notice her again staring at me with her colleague.  I start to feel paranoid. Maybe she’s remembers seeing me with Elliott…I suppose I will have to get use to these kinds of looks.  It all seems like make-believe if you ask me. I open the front page of the LA Times and it dawns on me why she’s staring. There is a half-page photo of me and Henry standing by my bedroom window the night he dropped me home. What the hell? It takes a few moments for the headline to register, “Elliott Tate’s Girlfriend Cheats”
. 
I read on.

Elliott Tate’s latest girlfriend, Jessica Ing, was having far too much fun on her holiday in the UK. She shared it with an unknown male who she looked like she was getting very cosy with.  Jessica stood there in just a top whilst the unknown male was topless. We haven’t yet heard from a spokesperson with regards to Elliott, but we are sure Jessica’s regretting cheating on the most eligible bachelor in America.

My mouth falls open. I can’t believe someone has taken pictures of Henry and me? They’ve turned an innocent photo into a dirty lie. Shit, what’s Elliott going to say? I need to talk to him, but how can I at 34,000 feet? Shit, shit, shit. No wonder everyone’s giving me dirty looks.  It’s not me feeling paranoid. Oh my God, poor Elliott, how the hell am I going to explain this to him? He was so angry when he discovered that Henry was even there. What if he doesn’t believe me, but believes what the papers say.  I can’t control my emotions and the tears start to fall down my cheeks. Who would have done this to me? I don’t understand how they even got the photo. They must have had a long distance lens and been watching me the whole time I was there. But how did they get us both in the window at the same time? It must have been a fluke?  My mind starts working overtime and I start to question who I can trust.  I wipe the tears away but I need to get to the loo to sort myself out properly.  I push past the other woman in my row. She scowls at me. I keep my head down as I walk down the aisle, hoping no one recognises me. Why am I not wearing a hoody? I always bring one on the plane with me in case I’m cold. Instead I decide to be all girly and bring a pretty cardigan.  I rummage around in my bag to see if I have a hair tie. Thank
God I do.  I stand in the toilet trying to put my hair up into a bun but it’s so cramped. I dust my face with cool water and give myself a pep talk. Right Jessica, you just need to get through this flight. Don’t look at anyone, just head down and back to your seat.