Jewels of Romance - 978-0-620-52914-3
Kes Moodley
There is something sweet and delicious about having a secret relationship. It is far more interesting than just being together and then having to stay together just because it is too hard to part ways. Yes, secret relationships are the crown jewels of romance. I, of course, did not believe this, not until the very day I laid my eyes on his magical face. I was shocked at my heart's response – I mean, I was going to be married soon and my heart was beating rapidly for a masculine man staring right at me. I wanted to hide; I could feel my cheeks shade red. He seemed to be staring and there was nothing I could do, so I stared back, deeply into his eyes. The mixture of a cloudy day and mischief, he smiled so sweetly I felt my spine crack. All of this was happening just four months before my wedding. I had no idea that this one meeting would change my life forever. I listened to Mother speak about the wedding dress as I watched him from across the room. Not much of what she was saying was sinking in; his looks and his style, however, was settling deep inside my brain and I felt my nipples stand erect as a thought of him holding me and caressing me passed through my mind. What was wrong with me? I really did not know, but I was sure that he knew what he was doing to me since he was staring at me with a seductive, passionate look in his eyes every time I looked at him. As my mother continued instructing Madam Sophia, the head designer and founder of Glamorous Diva's, I noticed that, as they walked off, he was coming towards me. My throat dried up and my tongue swelled up, disabling me from speaking. When he stretched out his hand to greet me, I looked at him, confused. He smiled gently and then sat down.
"So I guess you are getting married then," he said in an amazing, husky voice.
"Yes, unfortunately I am." That was all I could say before the reality of the words settled in. He had already caught on that I was opposed to my coming wedding. This stranger, no matter how alluring, had no right to know those personal details of my life and I wanted to stand up and walk away, but I was trapped in his gaze. Deep in his eyes I saw myself, I saw him and I saw a picture that sent my mind rushing into an emergency moment alone.
"Please excuse me," I said and went to the ladies' rest room. In the solitude of the rest room I thought I would find my peace of mind and get my thoughts in line. Yet, as I looked in the mirror and saw my pale skin with patches of red on either side, I knew that I would need to leave the shop in order to keep myself together. I stepped out the rest room a few minutes later, looking a little bit calmer. The effects that this strange man had on me where evident to him: he was smiling and when I looked at him and then touched my cheek, he burst into laughter that rang in my ears. As if by luck or higher power, my mother was finally done with her arrangements. She grabbed my elbow and ushered me out of the shop, leaving me feeling like a little child.
I looked back once; he was not staring. We walked across the street and as I looked back to the window of Glamorous Diva's, he was there, smiling back at me. The day seemed rushed; I followed my mother as she did what she did best. She was the kind of woman that could be trusted to arrange a wedding on a short notice. When we finally arrived home I reluctantly sat through dinner and more discussions on all that we had to do the next day. I, finally exhausted, made it up the stairs to bed and when I put my head on my pillow I just wanted to sleep. The instant my head hit the pillow, the phone began to ring. I knew who it was and I really did not wish to speak to him.
After a final gasp of frustration I picked up the phone and said "hello". It was my groom-to-be. He told me all about his day and everything that he had done. I told him about my day and skipped the details of the strange meeting. I eventually convinced him that I was tired enough to fall asleep while he was talking and he made some comment about me being a brat and then hung up. I felt sick, almost nauseous, at the thought that in four months I would be married, and I had no idea what love was like. I wanted to know but my mother had told me that it took a lot more than love to make a marriage work; that sometimes if you have everything else in place love would find its way into your marriage. What if that love didn't find its way into my marriage? What would I do?
My thoughts about marrying James Harry Fordson kept me awake longer than I wished and hoped for. I was startled when the phone rang again; I looked at the clock and it was 21:15. I picked up the receiver and said "hello". There was a short silence and then a deep husky "hello" on the other side of the line.
"I hope I did not wake you," he said softly.
"No, you did not. What can I help you with?" I asked urgently, wanting to end the call.
"I am Sam; I just started working at Glamorous Diva's," he said, waiting for me to make a comment.
"That is really nice, but what does that have to do with me?" I asked coldly.
"I think you are really beautiful," he pointed out seductively.
"I am aware of my looks," I said simply, although I was blushing.
"Will you be coming by the shop again tomorrow?" he asked.
"Yes, I think so."
"Good. I have a surprise for you," he said and then added: "Get some sleep, and see you tomorrow."
Sam hung up the phone; it was amazing how this woman had gripped his heart with just one look. Elizabeth Fordson. Well, she was just Elizabeth for now; she was not married as yet so he need not acknowledge her soon-to-be husband.
"Elizabeth!" Sam said feeling the white silk in his hands. Sam worked on his surprise all night long. Elizabeth was a beautiful woman with a beautiful body and as he had seen it, her mother had practically taken her choice of a dress right out from under her and chosen something that looked ridiculous. He wanted to see her in a flowing silk dress with lace trimmings; something that draped softly yet looked elegant and dazzling. He could see her in the dress he had in mind and when he began working on a sample, his fingers trembled a little. He pictured himself undressing her on her wedding day and making sweet love to her. She was something else, the kind of woman he knew he had to have or he would die longing for a taste of her lips and the gentle caress of her body. The night was long and as he worked he thought about how he would explain himself to Madam Sophia. She was not going to be happy, but rather her than Elizabeth. She was too beautiful to walk down the aisle looking like a stuffed doll. He envied her soon-to-be groom; to have struck up a deal with such a beauty was really something to be proud of.
When the sun rose that morning, Sam stepped out his shower. He had not slept but he did not need to. His excitement would carry him through the day. It was such an amazing feeling; doing something to please Elizabeth was certainly out of his ordinary acts but it felt good. He loved the look of innocence in her eyes and he was sure that she had never known a man before – it was obvious every time she looked in his eyes and saw the lust he felt for her. Yes, he wanted her; he wanted every part of her. Time dragged by slowly and he watched the clock tick by at a snail's pace. All he wanted was to see Elizabeth in his creation and see her face light up with excitement; the kind of excitement that he knew he had to have or he would feel like a drug addict that could not find his supplier. Sam was deep in thought when the doorbell chimed Elizabeth's arrival, her mother and bridesmaids' in tow. Sam looked up and smiled. She had finally arrived. The shop was quiet and Madam Sophia greeted each of the ladies with a hug. Sam stood back and watched as she explained the dress she had taken out of storage for Elizabeth. Apparently it was a rare piece and she had personally selected it for her. Sam waited until the dress was presented and he watched Elizabeth's eyes widen with shock at the big ball of puff and clutter. Her mother, however, squealed with joy and jumped up to touch the dress.
"Go on sweetheart, go try it on!" her mother said excitedly.
As Elizabeth walked out with the dress on, she looked like she was suffocating. Her eyes told a tale of total disappointment. Then Sam stepped in.
"Excuse me ladies."
"Sam, what is it, honey?" Madam Sophia asked.
"She can't wear that dress to her wedding," Sam pointed out bluntly.
"What do you mean?"
"Madam Sophia, look at her, she is too fragile to wear such a heavy dress."
"Well, of course with a few tweaks we can make it fit better." Madam Sophia seemed pleased with his observation.
"I have a better idea,'" Sam said as he pulled out the dress from behind his workspace.
"Go try this on." He handed the dress to Elizabeth.
She reluctantly took it and when she walked out she looked so exquisite that even Sam had to catch himself. The soft silk draped from her shoulders and flowed down to the ground. It hugged her body just enough to see the curves and shape of her beautifully set body. The lace touch for the arms gave the dress a heavenly look: the lace wrapped against the skin of her arms from her shoulders all the way to her wrist and then extended to each middle finger with a little lace ring. Elizabeth looked in the mirror and smiled slightly. Sam came to her and then began to explain the dress to the rest of the ladies.
"Once I have proper measurements I will create the silk piece; the low neck line will allow for a beautiful necklace and I will do a pearl and diamond finish and the bosom line." He ran his finger from one end to the other on the silk just above Elizabeth's breasts. She sucked in a little breath of air and listened as he continued to speak.
"From the off shoulder I will do a tight fit lace arm and will let it end with a silver jewelled ring. Miss Elizabeth can choose the ring from our collection." He moved his hand down her arm to emphasize what he wanted for the lace arm. He went on to explain the close fit waist and flowing silk below the waistline. Every part of Elizabeth was alit, wanting to know more, and for the first time she was a little bit excited about her upcoming wedding.
"Miss Elizabeth can add silver jewels and a pearl and diamond tiara to complete her look," Sam finished saying and looked at Elizabeth for her approval. She smiled and looked at her mother and said: "I love it Mother, I want this dress."
"Elizabeth, please don't be ridiculous. You need to go big and bold; after all, this is a high profile wedding," her mother said.
"Excuse me Ma'am, but I think the dress is actually the bride's choice and not yours," Sam said and then looked at Elizabeth.
"You need to feel comfortable, yet feel beautiful, and it is your day and no one should be able to take their eyes off you," Sam said and then walked back to his workstation.
Madam Sophia had not said anything, but once the ladies had left the shop she cornered Sam: "What was that all about?"
"Her mother is trying to make her wear a dress designed for an elephant woman," Sam smiled and touched Madam Sophia's chin.
"They will call back to let us know; I gather that you will handle this order," she smiled smugly.
I lay in my bed thinking about the beautiful dress that Sam had designed for me. It was an amazing feeling to be wrapped in the soft silk. It was almost sensual and seductive and yet still presentable. Mother was not happy but I convinced her that James would not mind. He would be happy just as long he was marrying me and I was going to be his forever. I imagined how he would want to rush the wedding ceremony just so he could ravish me. He was not happy with my decision to wait till our wedding day. I wanted it to be special when I lost my virginity and I wanted to be with someone I would never forget. As my life transpired I never met any man that made me feel like I would never forget him, and so I remained a virgin. James had not known these finer details of my life and I knew he would appreciate it once he found out on our wedding night. Of course I had the odd boyfriend, each of whom tried to get between my legs, but they never stay long when a woman does not give in easily. James, however, was an exception. He had waited all those years through our high school and through his 4 years of law studies, and when he finally came back to take over his father's law firm he was marked as an eligible bachelor looking for a wife. Naturally, when he approached my mother, she agreed immediately. Knowing that he was well educated and established and he was fairly good looking, my mother felt like he was a God sent angel. I wanted to date, meet people, but mother needed me to marry James so our social status would rise, especially after my brother had married a widow with 3 children against my mother's wishes and she had cut him off from our lives. Father had died leaving us with very little and mother decided the only way to live a normal life would be to marry a rich man and life would work itself out. I craved love; I craved lust; I craved the passion of a crazy romance and up until I had seen the look of want in Sam's eyes I had no idea what I was leaving behind. I closed my eyes and imagined him in front of me; looking at me; smiling at me, and all I wanted was to feel him inside of me.
Mother had arranged the measurements for the dress to be taken with Sam the very next day. It was after breakfast and I could barely eat anything. I was nervous and afraid. Madam Sophia had called early to say that Sam would come over to our house. Mother felt it was very nice of him.
"Do you think this Sam fellow is gay?" Mother asked me.
"Oh mother, please do not do that," I said feeling embarrassed, more because if he really was gay than I would have imagined all that electricity between us.
By the end of breakfast Mother had decided that Sam was gay and that was why he worked as a designer and had a good eye for fabric and beautiful jewels. I felt a little silly and when Mother told me that she would not be home when I was busy with the measurements I felt okay to be alone with Sam. Apparently Madam Sophia had told Mother to stay out of Sam's way and that I was perfectly safe and had nothing to worry about. I suppose that was where Mother got the notion that Sam was gay. I went up to my room to freshen up and waited for Sam to arrive. My silly fantasy that he would make passionate love to me had me going for a while but my mother assured me that Sam was definitely not interested in woman. I feared being alone with him and being basically half naked in front of a dreamy man made me very nervous, but now with the new revelation that he was not a ladies' man I felt a great deal better. I was even calmer than usual when he arrived and said he would prefer to work in my bedroom. We didn't say much until we were in the room. I smiled and offered him a drink. He declined and handed me Glamorous Diva's box; I took it and once opened I pulled out a white lace bra and a matching thong. I looked at him and blushed.
"This is for?" I asked confused.
"You will wear this on your wedding so I need to measure you with it on."
I took the lace garments and began to undress; he turned the other way and took out his tape measure and a notebook.
"You can turn around now," I said.
He turned and sucked in his breath with a look of utter remorse in his eyes. I looked at him and the heat of his eyes made me feel like I needed to hide. How could this very handsome, alluring man be gay? He came up to me. He was close, too close. I could smell his strong, manly scent. The moment his hand touched my face I felt electricity run up and down my spine. He could not be gay; he had to feel this magic between us too. It was too strong to ignore.
"You have beautiful lips, Elizabeth," he said into my ear.
"You are not gay?" I asked for my own sanity.
He laughed out loud and I felt so embarrassed; the worst part was once I saw the look of desire in his eyes I knew that I had been a total fool. He was breathing deeply and I swore I could hear his heart beat louder and faster. He wrapped his hands around me and held me close. I felt like I was going to die. Why was he holding me? Why was he being gentle? I felt his lips find mine and when our tongues met my whole world came crashing down. He was the one I'd seen in my dreams; the man I knew would rock my world and make me come alive like a raging fire. My wedding was four months away; I could not fall in love with this strongly erotic, blurring man. I could not let my mother down! As these thoughts crossed my mind I knew it was too late.
As Sam held Elizabeth in his arms and gently kissed her he felt himself slip away. He could not explain or understand how, after years of being a ladies' man; he could give into the feeling of love now. If his heart was not in it he would have made love to her right there and walked out of her life and forgotten all about her, but she was different. She made him feel like he had found his home – a home he never thought he would ever find. Just being close to her made him feel like he was in a trance, but when the closeness and dreamy feeling faded slightly and he heard the soft whimper underneath his kiss, he had to stop. Sam would not take the one thing that made Elizabeth so alluring away from her, especially if he had nothing to give her in return. Sam knew that all he could offer her was heartache and pain; the kind of pain he didn't wish for her. He gently stepped back and looked at her flushed face. She was shocked and aroused and in her eyes he saw her need. He wanted to act on it but the strong sense of right kicked him hard and he could not. He grabbed his things and left. As he walked away, leaving the beautiful, half naked woman who wanted him behind, he smiled and knew she would hate him. Rather she hated him than fall in love and get hurt. Hatred she could overcome, but heartbreak was something that left you damaged forever. Sam rushed out of the house and left as fast as his legs could carry him. Once inside his car he placed his hands over his face, he didn't know what he was doing but he didn't want to wait and find out what could happen. He drove fast with the windows wide open; somehow the sound of the cars whooshing past him made him feel better. When he arrived home, he grabbed a bottle of vodka and drowned his urge to go back, take Elizabeth in his arms and tell her that he was falling madly in love with her. He had no idea how he would manage the next four months but he had no choice. He told himself that he was doing it for Elizabeth – he was saving her from the heartache. Sam called in sick the next day and after a few weeks Madam Sophia went to his house to find him drunk and in a very bad state. He hadn't returned to work and she didn't hear from him since the day he called in sick.
"What is going on Sam?"
"I just need some time, I will be fine."
"What about the Fordson wedding dress?"
"It will be done on time."
"Do you love her?" Madam Sophia asked.
"No!" Sam said bluntly.
"She is in love with you," Madam Sophia said, standing up.
"I will be back tomorrow, I promise," Sam said, ignoring Madam Sophia's words.
"She has been to the shop every day since you went to her house." Sam looked away and Madam Sophia continued: "She keeps asking where you are and when you will be back. If you think you look bad, you should see her. She looks like a train wreck." Madam Sophia paused at the door on her way out. She wasn't getting anywhere; Sam was lost in his confusion and nothing she did or said would change that. She left feeling glum. She had known him to always be happy and ahead of his emotions, but the Sam she left sprawled in his madness over a woman she didn't know. He was in too deep and she could do nothing but shake her head and hope that he would get over it.
Sam stared at the door after Madam Sophia had left; he felt like he had committed a terrible crime. Why did he ever go to Elizabeth's house? He had to pick things up and go on like she had no effect on him. He had done it before and it was easy, but why was it so hard now? He got out of bed and made his way to the shower. He shaved and cleaned himself up and set out freshly ironed jeans and black t-shirt. He took a long shower and thought about what he was going to do about his situation. It was hard and it was going to be heart-breaking but he had to push Elizabeth away. In the weeks that followed Sam was cocky and arrogant, especially when Elizabeth was in the store. They were never alone and every chance Sam had, he would indirectly insult Elizabeth. Finally Elizabeth stopped going to the shop, she had tried endlessly to talk to him, to get the answers to the questions in her head, but sadly Sam was just too stubborn and the final draw was a month before the wedding. Elizabeth was booked for a fitting and when she arrived at the shop Sam was nowhere in sight. After hours of waiting for him, he eventually surfaced from one of the dressing rooms with a high-spirited blond in tow. The message was clear: he was a man after all and his desire for a woman only lasted till the next pretty face came along. After that day Sam never saw or heard from Elizabeth again. She didn't go to any more fittings and asked for the dress to be delivered by Madam Sophia. Sam, relieved, carried on with his work, although deep down he wished that he could have held Elizabeth and told her that he really loved her and that he did not want to ruin her reputation in any way. If he wasn't going to marry her, he was not going to touch her. His coldness was just a method of protecting her.
I sat staring at James as if he were a ghost. His words were ringing through my ears and I felt like I was going to choke on my shock or, rather, my happiness. Pride, however, made me stand up and walk away. I smiled as I stepped out of the Royal Blue. The sun was out and I felt like I was on top of the world. Yes, it was indeed a fine day. James had invited me to discuss a last minute issue and I was not very keen on seeing him. With just three weeks to the wedding I was looking forward to some alone time; time to put strange feelings to bed and forget about the devastating way in which I humiliated myself in front of Sam. Although those feelings felt so real I finally told myself they were pre-wedding jitters, but I never expected James to look me in the eye and tell me that he could not marry me.
"What do you mean by 'you cannot marry me'?" I asked him, shocked.
"I am in love with someone else," he pointed out.
"What are we going to tell my mother?" I asked.
"Nothing; I sent her a letter and she will surely understand."
"James, are you sure this is what you want?" I asked just to make sure.
"Yes, I have never been surer in my life."
"Well then, here is to you and your partner." I raised my teacup and so did he and when our cups clinked, I saw a hint of a tear in James' eyes.
He was afraid but yet he felt brave; I promised him that I would make sure his mother and mine stayed out of trouble and behaved at his wedding. When I arrived home I found my mother crying, she was looking out the window and weeping like a little child.
"Oh Mother, don't be such a baby," I said, laughing.
"This is all very funny to you but what will I tell the people? What will they think of us now?"
"Why does it matter? They will soon get over it and find someone else to gossip about." I sat next to her and patted her hand.
"How long do you think he knew?" Mother asked.
"Probably for a while," I said.
The three weeks to the wedding went by fast. James called every day to make sure I would be there, and I was going to. I sat right at the back and slipped in very last, just before the ceremony began. My heart skipped a beat as the doors opened and the smell of masculine musk filled the close by air. He was there; of course he'd come. He wanted to see his design on me, but it was not I who was wearing the dress. Sam walked a few rows to the front and settled in his seat. As the musician played 'Here Comes the Bride', all the guests stood up and a smallish figure appeared through the doors. The shocked gasps of the guests were loud and evident but Pete carried on strolling down the aisle. Most astonished was Sam; he stared bewildered at James and Pete and then quickly searched the crowd with his eyes. I saw him get up and walk towards me and I felt my heart jump out of my throat. He sat next to me and quietly asked: "What the heck is going on here?"
I smiled, looked at him and replied: "I am sure he is gay but what's your excuse for rejecting me?"
"Had I known that he would not marry you, I would have without a second thought!"
I looked into Sam's eyes and I could see he was telling the truth; in his eyes I could see the fire that burnt deeper than it did the first day I met him. In the short space of time I'd come to realize that love and romance was something one could not control. James had spent a lifetime trying to get me to say 'yes' to him, but when I finally did he found his true love. Sam had spent a lifetime breaking hearts and when he finally gave into his heart it was to someone who was going to marry another man. Then there was me; I'd waited forever for my Mr Right and when I was ready to settle he came along and stole my every bit of sense. I smiled at Sam and moved closer. He was warm and everything about him made me feel like I was going crazy. I pulled his head down to mine and put my lips to his. I kissed him hard and passionate and then I pushed him away and said: "If you want to walk away from that feeling, than I suggest you do it now." I looked into his eyes and waited for his next move.
When he stood up my heart stopped and I felt tear begin to form, but when he grabbed me, picked me up and threw me over his shoulder I was at a loss for words but my heart was filled with happiness.
"I am not walking away ever again," Sam said, and after that statement he stuck true to his word. He was everything I ever wanted and needed and life was so much more worth living.
Six months later, when Sam kissed the lips of his beautiful new bride, he felt like every painful moment was a worthwhile price to pay to end up in Elizabeth's arms. Their love was priceless and rare and because they knew that they always valued and treasured it.