The Prince Charming Hoax (14 page)

“
If I
’
d have known that, I would have asked you out first. Come on, Leah. We have so much in common. We even live in the same neighborhood.
”

Leah hesitated. A girl has to eat, and one dinner was not an affair, she reasoned to herself.

“
All right.
”

“
I
’
ll pick you up at 7:30 in my convertible.
”

Leah was dismayed, picturing her hair flying all over.
“
You drive a convertible?
”

“
Yes. A Chevy Chevette.
”

“
Chevy Chevette? They still make those?
”

Larry laughed heartily.
“
No, I was testing you. The last woman I said that to moved away from me at the bar with lightning speed!
”

Leah wasn
’
t amused.
“
Do you really have a convertible?

“
Yes, a Jaguar. But I
’
ll keep the top up if you prefer.
”

“
Yes. Please. I have to go now, Larry. See you Friday.
”
Leah silently regretted her decision to have dinner with him. If he continued being such a jerk, it would make even having a business relationship impossible.

Despite the rocky start, Leah found Larry entertaining and continued seeing him after their first date. After dating for several weeks, they discovered they were both going to be alone on Thanksgiving. Ali and Melissa were each spending the holiday weekend with their other parent.

“
Why don
’
t we go away for the weekend, Leah? We could drive across to Naples and stay at the Ritz-Carleton.
”

Leah liked the idea. She was miserable about being without Ali on the holiday and didn
’
t want to be alone.
“
Well, I do have some work to do. How about we have dinner somewhere around here for Thanksgiving and leave for Naples on Friday or Saturday morning?

“
We have to leave on Friday. The game is on Saturday afternoon, and I don
’
t want to miss it.
”

“
What game?
”

Larry looked amazed that she did not know.
“
The UF-FSU game! You do know that University of Florida and Florida State have this huge rivalry every year on Thanksgiving weekend, right?
”

Leah shook her head.
“
Nope. Didn
’
t know. What time
’
s the game?
”

“
One o
’
clock, but the pre-game show starts at noon.
”

“
No problem. I
’
ll go to the beach or shopping while you watch.
”

Leah thought it odd that he would rather watch a game on television than be with her enjoying the Gulf Coast, but shrugged it off as a
“
guy thing.
”
She was a little nervous about going away, too, because they had not slept together yet.
“
Well, if I
’
m doing it the first time with someone, the Ritz-Carleton is as good a place as any!
”
she joked to Roxie when she told her about their plans.

Leah went home after Thanksgiving dinner so she could finish her assignment and they could leave early on Friday. She looked forward to getting away. She was so lonely without Ali at home. As luck would have it, Larry had a business emergency on Friday, and they did not leave for Naples until early Saturday morning.

Leah began to have misgivings as soon as Larry pulled up to her house. He had two huge University of Florida flags affixed to the Jaguar
’
s front windows. He drove very fast across Alligator Alley, the east-west highway from Fort Lauderdale to Naples, and kept cursing that he was going to miss the game. The minute they checked in their room, he turned on the television.

Leah went out on the balcony. They had a beautiful view of the Gulf.
“
Larry, come look at this!
”

Larry had pulled the desk chair in front of the television and was staring intently at the screen. He didn
’
t answer.

“
I guess I
’
ll have lunch and sit by the pool and read,
”
Leah said.

Larry
’
s eyes never left the screen.
“
Charge it to the room,
”
he said, handing her the room card.

Leah grabbed two magazines off the nightstand.
“
Bye,
”
she said and closed the door, glad to be rid of the noise of the game.

She enjoyed her lunch at the outdoor bar, having two glasses of Chardonnay with her lobster salad. Later as she stretched out on the chaise in the sunshine, she fell asleep reading her magazine. When Leah awoke, she was cold. It was almost dark. She went to their room and found Larry sitting on the balcony.
“
Hi, Larry. Is the game over?

“
You could say that.
”

“
Why didn
’
t you come find me?
”

“
I wouldn
’
t be good company.
”

“
What
’
s the matter?
”

“
The Gators lost.
”

“
Did you have a lot of money on the game?
”

“
No! I don
’
t gamble on UF!
”

“
I
’
m sorry they lost, but it is just a game.
”
Leah was starting to get annoyed. She tried another tactic.
“
Why don
’
t we shower and go out? We could have a nice dinner and then walk on the beach afterwards.
”

“
Sorry, Leah. I
’
ll try to cheer up.
”

But Larry
’
s spirits never improved. Before they left for dinner, he insisted on checking his business voice mail and then brooded over a customer complaint.

He barely spoke during dinner and said he was too tired for a walk on the beach. They were back in their room before ten o
’
clock. By the time Leah came out of the bathroom, Larry was snoring. Leah was glad their room had two queen beds. She slipped into the other one.

Room service woke her the next morning. Larry had gotten up early and ordered breakfast sent to their room.
“
I
’
m sorry I was such an ass yesterday, Leah.
”
He handed her a rose from the tray.
“
Can you forgive me?
’

Leah was inclined to say no, but she let him get into bed with her.
He kissed her briefly and put two fingers down her panties, rubbing what he probably thought was the spot to get her excited. Leah shifted to try to get him better positioned. Larry apparently took that as a sign that she was ready and pulled her on top of him. He started to push himself inside her, but he ejaculated as soon as his erection touched her skin.

To add to her dismay, he pushed her off of him and wiped himself with the top sheet, grinning ear to ear.
“
Wow, now I
’
m really hungry! Let
’
s eat!
”

“
I think I
’
ll shower first,
”
Leah said and ran into the bathroom.

After breakfast, Larry suggested that they spend time in town before going back.

“
No, Ali is going to be home early this afternoon. Let
’
s go.
”

He listened to football games on the radio during the two-hour drive back. Leah thought the ride would never end. When they reached her door, he helped her with her luggage and leaned over to kiss her.

Leah drew away from him.

“
I
’
ll call you later, Leah.
”

“
No, don
’
t.
”

“
Why not?
”

“
I have nothing to say to a man who would rather watch football and brood over a favorite team
’
s loss than enjoy time in a beautiful, romantic setting with a woman.
”

“
Come on, Leah.
”
He winked at her.
“
I thought we got along real well this morning.
”

Leah opened her front door and went inside with her bag. When she turned to close the door, she saw him still grinning at her.
“
Larry, you suck in bed,
”
Leah said and shut the door.

Chapter
13

While Leah was delving into the past, Roxie was firmly planted in the present with an eye toward her immediate future—her evening with D.J. While driving to his townhouse in Lighthouse Point, she couldn
’
t help but be excited about the prospects for the evening. Drinks and dinner with his partner and then… Roxie grinned in anticipation of a good night of sex.

Prior to meeting D.J., she had been getting fed up with her pattern of bar-hopping, partying, and one-night stands. After all, her mid-forties body was not as resilient as it had been ten years ago, and the whole scene was getting old, very old.

Although Roxie doubted she would ever want to settle down, she wanted more stability. A partner who enjoyed excitement, travel, glamour, and sex as much as she did. Was that asking too much? Most of the men who frequented the club scene were cheating on their wives, looking for a fling after divorce, or were just plain losers trying to latch on to a good-looking woman with money.

Roxie certainly had her share of the latter. More than one handsome smooth-talker had wormed his way into her bank account. Most of the requests had been for business loans, money to cover ill-fated investments, or offers for her to partner with them in some
“
sure thing
”
deal. All of them had left her abruptly when she turned off money flow.

At this point, Roxie was confident that her money would last longer than her looks. The real estate investments she had made over the years continued to escalate in value and solidified her financial future. Now she just wanted to get comfortable with someone who shared her lifestyle ideals while she was still young enough to enjoy some fun.

She was beginning to think D.J. fit the bill. He had no idea about her money. He only knew she made a good income from her job. He didn
’
t need her money, as far as she could tell. His own income from his business seemed to afford him a good lifestyle, and she felt secure that his attraction to her, like hers for him, was based on chemistry as well as similar interests. He married at twenty-two, and his wife left him three years later because she wanted to start a family and he didn
’
t. D.J. said married life didn
’
t really suit him anyway—he felt enslaved.

Roxie felt the same way. Neither of her two marriages lasted a year. She liked her independence. Having her own place and stable finances gave her a freedom she treasured. She wanted a steady man without any legal commitments.

The fact that D.J. was mysterious about certain aspects of his life intrigued her. She wanted know more about him. He was hiding something, and she was determined to find out what it was.

Stopping at a traffic light before turning into his neighborhood, Roxie pulled down the visor mirror and surveyed her hair and makeup, then checked her dashboard clock. 7:15. Perfect. She planned to arrive before Nicky and Belle, but not early enough for a pre-dinner tryst. She preferred to have the whole evening to entice D.J. and build the anticipation for an all-night romp. As sort of a twenty-first century version of not giving the milk away for free, she simply wanted to create a major thirst before supplying the goodies. Her satisfaction with executing her plan increased when she saw only D.J.
’
s truck in the driveway. She was the first to arrive.

Roxie decided not bring in her overnight bag just yet. Let D.J. wonder about whether she
’
d stay or not. Roxie smiled with glee at how well things were working out. Her new clothes fit as if custom-made. As luck would have it, the Manolo Blahnik slip-on sandals she bought at Neiman
’
s last week matched her new clothes perfectly. She wore silky red knit capri pants that hugged her hips and clung smoothly to her rear, topped by a clingy white crop top, which crisscrossed her breasts and tied at her waist. One tiny tug and it would be on the floor. And because the pants were a stretchy knit, one pull and she
’
d be naked. For once, it seemed the stars conspired to tip circumstances in her favor. This was going to be a great night.

When D.J. answered the door, he was bare-chested and looked like he just stepped out of the shower. His hair, pulled back tight in a ponytail as usual, was still wet and he was tying a pair of linen drawstring pants.

His face lit up when he saw her.
“
Babe, you are something else. God, I missed you, woman. Come in here and let me taste you.
”

Roxie took a moment to appreciate his bronzed, muscular build and stepped inside. Closing the door behind her, Roxie leaned into him for a kiss. Instead, D.J. circled her waist with his hands and pulled down on her pants. As they fell to her ankles, he dropped to his knees and began tasting between her legs. Gasping in shock and pleasure, all Roxie could do was hug the back of his head and squeal. She leaned against the door and closed her eyes as D.J. thrust his tongue up inside her while his lips encased her soft folds and sucked. Once her hips began their rhythmic undulations and she was dripping with excitement, he brought his tongue out to lick the now protruding mound of folds and slid his finger deep within her until he felt her crescendo with pleasure.

“
D.J.
”
she gasped.
“
What about Nicky and—
”

“
Won
’
t be here until eight o
’
clock.
”

“
In that case…
”
Roxie undid the drawstring on his pants and stared appreciatively at his enlarged manhood.
“
…I
’
ll return the favor.
”
Stepping out of her pants and sandals, she untied her top and let it drop to the floor as she knelt before him. She began to lick the sweet liquid trickling from the tip of his erection before placing him deep in her mouth, moving her lips up and down on him until he penetrated so deeply that she gagged slightly. She slowly pulled back and looked up at him as she leaned back to lie on the marble floor with her knees bent and legs spread apart. Ignoring the cold hardness of the tile against her back, she pulled him to her.
“
Do me now,
”
she ordered.

In an instant he was upon her, sliding easily up and down into her wetness. He took one of her breasts and squeezed her nipple gently until it hardened and then he placed his mouth over the enlarged pink circle and sucked harder and harder as he grew closer to orgasm. Suddenly he let go of her breast and grabbed her buttocks with both hands. Roxie raised her hips and he thrust one last time, so deep she thought he
’
d come out her mouth. She dug her nails into his shoulders and held him tight until they both shuddered with release.

The doorbell rang. Roxie froze but D.J. sprang into action. He grabbed his pants and quickly pulled them up, tying the drawstring. Then he scooped up her clothes and whispered,
“
Get dressed in the bathroom.
”
Roxie rebounded quickly, grabbed her shoes, pants, top, and purse and sprinted down the hall to the powder room.
“
Don
’
t open that front door
‘
til you hear me close the door,
”
she hissed as she ran, giggling.

After turning on the light and inspecting the damage to her makeup, Roxie slipped back into her clothes almost as quickly as D.J. had pulled them off. She heard D.J. greeting Nicky and Belle as she pulled a brush from her purse and through her hair. A touch of powder and a slick of lip gloss and she was almost ready for introduction. As she surveyed her reflection before opening the door, she laughed at herself for allowing her plan to hold out to be foiled in less than one second. Then she shrugged, turned off the light, and walked out to meet the guests.

The couple stood in the living room with their backs to her, so she had time to observe them unnoticed. Nicky was about two inches short of six feet, broad and muscular with jet-black hair slicked back. He had his arm around Belle, a tall and curvaceous blonde. Her hair was tied back in a long, loose braid. They were dressed casually in sports clothes and sneakers, like they were on their way to play tennis.

As Roxie entered the room, she saw that D.J. had donned a blue T-shirt. He caught her eye and interrupted the small talk.
“
Here she is. Nicky and Belle Kostas, I
’
d like you meet Roxie Stein.
”

Roxie tried to contain her surprise as the two turned to greet her. They were not nearly as attractive as they appeared to be from the rear view. Nicky had thick Greek features, and looked more like Adonis gone burly. He had bushy black eyebrows (or should she say eyebrow?), a large wide nose, and dark olive skin. Belle was one of those girls who looked like she should be pretty, but wasn
’
t. She wasn
’
t exactly unattractive, Roxie thought, but plain. As Roxie came close to greet them, Nicky drew her in with a big hug, and then Belle did the same, kissing her as well.

Roxie was caught off-balance. They were the complete opposites of D.J., who would never greet anyone he didn
’
t know so affectionately. Roxie liked them immediately. They emanated warmth. No, a heat, she decided. Or, perhaps she was still feeling flushed from the passion of her short, hot matinee with D.J.

“
Let
’
s get to know one another while these guys take ten to catch up on the business of the day,
”
Belle said.
She took Roxie
’
s hand and drew her away from the men and toward the outside patio.
“
Hey, you two, you have exactly ten minutes to lose the shop talk and be on the back deck with the drinks and a party attitude,
“
she said as she looked back at the male duo with a wink.

Roxie, momentarily overcome by Belle
’
s familiarity, looked over questioningly at D.J., who nodded slightly.
“
We
’
ll be out in five, ladies,
”
he said.
“
With a couple of pitchers of martinis. Why don
’
t you stop in the kitchen on the way out and grab the cheese tray and the chips and dip plate I have on the counter?
”

Roxie took his cue to act as hostess and quickly took over the female lead. She let go of Belle
’
s hand and strode into the kitchen.
“
Belle, why don
’
t you give me a hand with the food?
”

As Belle followed her in, Roxie picked up the two platters.
“
I
’
ll take these. Could you bring out the paper plates and napkins? They
’
re over there, near the stove.
”
She leaned her elbow on the doorknob lever of the French doors leading outside and started to back out onto the terrace.

“
You certainly know your way around here.
”
Belle was smiling and Roxie grinned back and shrugged.

“
It
’
s not that I spend much time in the kitchen, but I have been here a lot since D.J. and I met.
”
Roxie set the platters on the patio bar, placed the plates and napkins she took from Belle next to the food, and flopped down on one of the plush lounge chairs. She patted the seat next to her.
“
Let
’
s take advantage of this view,
”
she said as she leaned back and looked over at the Intracoastal Waterway.

D.J.
’
s townhouse had a corner position in a four-unit building, which was landscaped front and back so that so that each resident had complete privacy. D.J.
’
s outside deck was designed in three descending levels. The top level with the bar, tables and chairs, and cabana bath was tiled with the same marble as the first floor of his house. The roofline extended over the area to create a covered patio.

The next two levels were made of wide wood slats. D.J.
’
s cigarette boat was docked at the bottom level. The second level was enclosed on three sides by a trellis of flowering vines. An oversize hot tub sat in the center. The landscaped structure provided privacy from neighbors and boaters, but afforded an open view from the house.

“
Have you been in yet?
”
Belle nodded toward the hot tub as she sat down next to Roxie.

“
Oh, yeah,
”
Roxie said.
“
Love it.
”

“
Me, too. Ours is in-ground, attached to our pool. But I actually like this one better because it
’
s bigger and you can stretch out, if you know what I mean.
”
Belle grinned mischievously.