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Authors: Dana Aynn Levin

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BOOK: Hollywood Princess
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CHAPTER 8 - ELIZABETH

It’s difficult
finding time to spend together when you’re not a couple, and even more difficult when one of you is part of a couple. Now I treasured any time I spent with Danny even more than before.

Danny was spending an increasing amount of time with Juliette, and a diminished amount with me. It took great effort to put on a believable happy face. Yet within moments of glimpsing those sapphire eyes, I could put Juliette out of my mind and enjoy the relationship I had with Danny, one she would never experience.

 

One afternoon, a few weeks later, I was enjoying a cup of hot chocolate on the Café patio while Danny drank his usual black coffee.

“Eli,” he began tentatively, playing with my fingers, “I’d really like if you and Juliette ate lunch together sometime.”

“Why would I want to do that?” I asked curtly.

The question had caught me off-guard. Other than to assuage his guilt, I couldn’t imagine why Danny thought I should socialize with Juliette. It was like asking your wife to lunch with your mistress. And I was the wife.

“You’d like Juliette if you got to know her.”

“I have no desire to do lunch or anything else with that condescending albino.”

“Albino?” Danny laughed. 

“She’s completely colorless.”

“Eli, Juliette’s my girlfriend and you’re like my sister. I want you to be friends.”

“Daniel, I am NOT your anything.” I angrily turned away. My eyes stung. “There is not a single drop of Newman blood coursing through my veins,” I stammered.

“You’re jealous!”

Of course I was. Juliette had the one thing I’d always wanted. I fought the tears that were forming and fiercely looked Danny down.

“Of Juliette? Never,” I said emphatically.

I turned away. On the verge of crying, I needed my control back.

“You’re jealous of me!” Danny gasped. Then he brought his cup to his lips to sip.

“What? I don’t want to date Juliette. I’m not gay, Daniel!”

Coffee sputtered out of Danny’s mouth as he choked on laughter. “Of course you’re not. I mean you’re jealous that I’m getting laid and you’re not.” He wiped his face with a napkin.

How obtuse could Danny be?

“I am not jealous of you,” I said deliberately.

What did Danny not understand? Or was he afraid to?

 

By mid-October, there was only one flaw in my otherwise perfect relationship with Danny– I wasn’t in one. Danny remained with Juliette whom he wisely didn’t discuss. He enjoyed the best of both worlds: a strikingly beautiful woman he was sleeping with but had nothing in common with, and a strikingly beautiful woman he was not sleeping with but had nearly everything in common with. 

I worked this to my advantage, spending as much time with Danny as possible, but controlling my frustration so as not to piss him off.

As weeks passed, Juliette was having an increasingly difficult time with my role in Danny’s life. Sorry Juliette.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day Juliette caught up to us in the Café. Danny and I were next on line to order lunch when she appeared, ruining his gastronomic plans. 

I smirked at Danny’s frustration as he ordered, “Veggie burger with tomato and sprouts.  No fries, please. I’ll have carrot sticks.”

Juliette preened like a proud peacock. Holding back giggles, I smiled prettily and ordered, “Bacon burger, please, medium-rare, and extra crispy fries.”

Poor Danny! The longing in his eyes was painful. He had to exercise every ounce of control not to leap across the table and steal my food. 

“Want a bite?” I asked, a mischievous glint in my eyes.

The glare I received said it all and I smirked. The enticing aroma had to be killing Danny.  The Café made the best burgers!

I was poised to take my first juicy bite when Juliette interrupted my musings. “Elizabeth, you really shouldn’t. Beef is bad for your body.”

Bad for my body? I’d show her. I jumped up, thrust my chest toward Danny, and slowly pirouetted so he would not miss a single curve on my perfect size zero figure.

“Daniel, anything wrong with this body?” I asked while sending a flirty smile in his direction.

“No, Eli,” he stammered. But Danny’s eyes couldn’t hide their pleasure.

The following Sunday, Danny suggested we go to The Cellar after our study date.

“Doesn’t Juliette work there on Sundays?” I asked. That would certainly ruin my night.

“Not tonight. Juliette lives in that co-op. Tonight’s her turn to scrub the kitchen.”

“I’m glad I don’t live there. When I get my own kitchen, it comes with a maid.”

“Agreed. There is no glamour in housework.”

Sunday was a slow night at The Cellar and we had no problem finding a table. Danny ordered a pitcher of beer. After the waiter served it, I poured us each a foam-free glass. We raised our glasses and tapped them together. “Cheers,” we toasted.

The cold amber felt smooth going down. The tensions of the day vanished. Danny and I sat easily talking and laughing. We always had such good times together.

“Eli, let’s dance,” Danny suggested after he consumed a couple of beers. 

Danny took my hand and led me to the dance floor. Fast rock tunes were playing and we danced non-stop through three songs. I laughed when Danny purposely bumped my hip and he laughed when I pivoted and tripped over my own foot.
Two friends having fun!

A slow song played next. 

“I love this song,” I told Danny, expecting him to lead us back to our table.

Instead, Danny placed one hand on my waist and held my other hand up at his shoulder.  I placed my hand around him and Danny held me close, our bodies touching. I gasped at the electricity. Danny grinned; he felt it too.

A second slow song began.  Dreamy happiness consumed me as I tilted my head upwards looking into his sapphire eyes. They smiled back with gentle pleasure. He was as content as I.

Danny pressed me against his body.  Powerful current made us inseparable and I gasped at feeling him harden.

I glanced at Danny who was smiling. He moved our joined hands to where his knuckles lightly skimmed my cheek. Shivers ran through me. The intensity was so powerful our hearts were racing.

Unexpectedly, Danny leaned toward me and tenderly kissed my lips. My head began to spin. I felt unfamiliar urges. The raw pleasure was all consuming.

Abruptly Danny pulled back. “I shouldn’t have done that, Eli.”

I followed his panicked glance. Juliette was approaching, steam spouting. She was not happy finding another woman enjoying her boyfriend’s arms. Damn you, Juliette!

Danny immediately dropped his hands. Should I help Danny or make him suffer Juliette’s wrath? I had a split second to decide. The high road would serve me better.

“Juliette! How nice to see you,” I said enthusiastically. “We thought you were working here tonight.”

CHAPTER 9 - ELIZABETH

Until arriving at Donnelly I believed I was a good dancer. At home I worked my way through the Royal Ballet curriculum culminating with principal roles in recitals. So when the professor demoted me a class level early in the semester, I was humiliated.

Insecurities overwhelmed me. Had my academy not properly prepared me?  Should I have attended a more competitive program?  Worse, had another student been more deserving but their parents weren’t famous? 

The professor assured me that “fine-tuning” student placement happened every year. The bar at Donnelly was set higher. So here I stood, hard work personified. I had never tried so hard in my life. My blisters spawned blisters. Some days I cried in the shower after class.

Today we were learning a new combination. I didn’t need to master it. I simply needed to get it. Following the professor as she demonstrated, I seemed to get it, at least I thought I did. Instead, every time the pianist played the music, I became distracted by visions of Danny in a clinch kissing Juliette while in The Cellar last night. 

Concentrate, Elizabeth. Concentrate. 

The pressure was intense. I found myself concentrating more on the need to concentrate than on the combination. Sweat trickling from my brow and I wiped it.

After a water break I was more determined than ever. Failure was not an option. 

Then came my turn to solo. The pianist began to play. This time I didn’t get confused. The steps came fluently. Three grand jetes and it would be over. Then two.

“My ankle!” I cried out as I landed the second grand jete on a twist.

 

CHAPTER 10 - DANIEL

Professor Nash was lecturing on guns versus butter. A society with finite resources had to decide on the optimal utilization of its resources. Should it produce more guns or more butter? If country A more efficiently produced butter, then it should produce fewer guns and trade with country B which produced guns more efficiently and needed butter.

As with so many macro-economic theories, a plotted line graph was a
t the heart of the discussion. Line A represented guns; Line B represented butter. Where they intersected was the optimal mix.

While the class was discussing the factors that determined where the lines
intersected, my phone vibrated. I glanced down. Eli! Why was she texting?  She knew I had a class.

I grabbed the phone and pressed the link to our thread.

“911. Infirmary,” it read. “May have broken ankle.”

Broken ankle!
“On my way,” I texted back.

As I pressed the send button I f
elt Professor Nash glaring.

“Daniel,” she admonished as I closed my laptop, “There’s no texting here.”

“I’m sorry, Dr. Nash. It’s an emergency. My girlfriend just broke her ankle. I have to go.”

I collecte
d my computer and textbook. Without waiting for approval, I rushed out the classroom door.

CHAPTER 11 - ELIZABETH

“A bad sprain, Elizabeth.”

The doctor delivered the grim diagnoses. Then he wrapped my ankle in a neoprene-covered brace. 

“Stay off your foot and come back in two weeks.”

The nurse handed me printed instructions on how and when to ice it, a bottle of pain relievers, and my first ever pair of crutches. I studied them, confused by how to use them.

With the nurse’s help, I mounted the crutches. Uncomfortable from the pressure under my armpits, I wondered, was I doing it wrong?  I winced in agony. The ankle pain left me grinding my teeth. How would I survive the next two weeks? 

Urging me onward, the nurse opened the door leading to the waiting area. Danny was right by my side and I collapsed against him, quietly weeping, needing his strength, both physical and moral.

“Baby, you’re hurting,” Danny said softly while stroking my back. 

“Are you Elizabeth’s boyfriend?” the nurse asked.

“Yes,” Danny answered without hesitation. 

Had I heard right, or was it pain-induced hallucinating?  

The nurse handed Danny the instruction sheet.

“See that Elizabeth elevates her ankle. She’s going to need these today,” the nurse instructed while handing Danny the bottle of pills. “Follow the dosage. They’re powerful. And keep them secure.” 

Danny steadied me. Then he picked up my tote bag, and I hobbled out the door to his car, parked illegally in the handicapped spot.

Danny studied my face, wracked in pain. “Eli, I am so sorry. Let me take those.”

I handed Danny the crutches and he leaned them against the rail. Without warning, Danny scooped me up in his strong arms, so cozy on my body. And I was wearing nothing but a leotard and cut-off tights! Then Danny carefully placed me in the passenger seat of the BMW and went back for the crutches to put in the back seat.

No more than five minutes later, but feeling like an eternity, we arrived at Berkeley Hall.

“Don’t move,” Danny ordered as he completed parking the car.

My hands clenched. Hurting too much to even nod, and rendered incapable of making decisions, I was content to follow whatever Danny instructed.

Danny was removing the crutches from the car when I heard him call, “Hey Shane!  Some help here.”

As Danny opened the passenger door, Shane caught up. 

“What’s going on?” Then Shane noticed the crutches and my obvious pain. “What happened to Elizabeth?”

“Eli sprained her ankle.” Danny handed the crutches to Shane. Then he leaned toward me, took my hand and wrapped his other hand around my back.

“Put your left foot on the ground,” Danny said in a soothing voice. I obeyed and received the approval of his warm smile. “Now Sweetheart, press on that foot and lean on me, all your weight, and try to stand.”

Standing was difficult. I feared accidentally leaning on my right foot. With caution, pressing as hard as I could on Danny, I righted myself.

“Good girl,” Danny said.

I hopped away from the car and retrieved the crutches from Shane. After a few tentative steps I couldn’t continue. The pain was increasing. Danny held me to his chest, and I cried.

“Eli, shh,” he said in a soothing voice. “I’ll get you upstairs and give you the meds.”  Shane took the crutches and Danny lifted me into his arms.

“Good thing you weigh nothing.” 

If I hadn’t been in such extreme pain I would have enjoyed the close contact. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on tightly as Danny placed one arm under my knees and the other around my back. Then he carried me to the elevator. Shane’s starring made me blush.

“Drugs,” I pleaded once we were in Danny’s room.

Danny clasped my waist, gently placing me upright as though I were a fragile piece of china.  I wondered if holding me felt as cozy to Danny as it did to me.

Shane placed the crutches against Danny’s desk. He continued leering at me. 

“Shane, why are you starring at me?” I scolded.

Shane exchanged sly smiles with Danny who hugged me. I winced from the pain.

“Sweetheart, you do realize that you’re wearing practically nothing.”

“Oh!” I gasped and pivoted to hide against Danny. Of course it made no difference. My tank leotard was low-cut in front, but it was high-cut at the thigh. The guys shared a good-natured laugh at my expense.

“Shane, get Eli an ice pack, please,” Danny ordered while trying not to laugh.

He sat me down on the double bed as Shane left. Danny went to his closet and removed an oxford shirt.

“Here, put this on before Shane returns.”

“I hurt so much,” I cried.

“I’ll get you a glass of water so you can take your meds.”

As Danny left I pushed the leotard off my shoulders and down to my waist. I slipped the shirt over my head and fastened all but two buttons. Then, exercising the utmost caution, I pulled the leotard off and let it drop to the floor. 

“Much better,” Danny announced as he appraised my appearance upon returning. He came over and sat down beside me.

“Here.” Danny handed me the glass of water and shook a pill from the bottle. I took it and swallowed, washing it down with the water. I leaned my head against Danny, surrendering to the pain,. He lifted his arm and brought it around my shoulder.

“It’s going to be alright, Eli,” Danny told me as he tenderly stroked my arm.

All I could do was nod. 

“Let’s get you more comfortable, Sweetheart.”

Sweetheart?  I knew it didn’t mean anything, but maybe it did. 

I smirked, imagining Juliette’s reaction if she walked in and found me sitting on Danny’s bed partially clad. How I wished that she would.

Shane returned with an ice pack as Danny propped plump, down pillows against the wall.

“Thanks, Shane. Show’s over,” Danny smiled.

Shane threw Danny the pack but otherwise ignored him.

“How’s the ankle?” Shane asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe a little better.” My words came out unexpectedly slurred. I rose from the bed and I giggled. Shane raised an eyebrow.

“Catch you later, Danny. You have your hands full today, buddy.”

“Bye, Shane,” I flirted.

Danny glanced over as I blew a kiss. Then I lost my balance.

“Elizabeth!!”

Danny caught me around my waist just as my right foot was about to hit the floor.

“You scared me! Eli, are you trying to hurt yourself worse?”

Danny was angry. He never got angry with me. My heart felt hollow. I didn’t like this sensation and I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.

“You hate me!” I wailed. Danny spun me around so we were face-to-face.

“Eli, those drugs are messing with you. I could never hate you.”

I smiled, drunk, and then I wrapped my hands around Danny’s neck. Completely uninhibited, I pressed my lips against his face. It was soft and warm.

“I’m a little loopy. Is this what being drunk is like?” My speech was slurred.

“For you, probably.” Danny smiled an amused smile.

I might have to get drunk sometime. This was fun! I smiled at Danny and he smiled back, his sapphire eyes twinkling. Did he know how appealing he was?

“Let me ice your ankle,” Danny suggested.

“Okay,” I answered breathily, pressing myself against him.

I pulled Danny’s face to mine and pressed my lips against his. Danny’s lips were warm and soft. His hands firmly held my back. Our lips moved in concert. His tongue gently touched mine. This was heady. Danny Newman was kissing me!

Abruptly Danny broke apart from me.

“Eli, what are we doing?” He frowned.

I smiled. “I don’t know,” I shrugged, “But it sure feels good.”

“Eli!  You’re worse than drunk. I’m not doing this.”

“Danny, you’re no fun!” I pouted.

“I’m lots of fun,” he laughed, “But not when you’re drugged.”

“I want to have fun, Danny. Please.”  For emphasis I opened two buttons on my shirt, revealing my breasts. Danny gaped. His eyes lingered.

“Elizabeth,” he nervously laughed, “Not when you’re drugged.”

“Daniel…” I protested, and I pulled him to the bed, on top of me.

“Elizabeth!” he said uncomfortably.  I grabbed Danny’s hand and placed it inside the shirt, pressing it against my bare breast. I flashed him a triumphant smile.

“This is so wrong, Elizabeth.”

“Not to me it isn’t. You feel so good.”

“You do too, but I won’t let this happen,” Danny said firmly.

He removed his hand and buttoned the shirt.

“Daniel!” I pouted, disappointed.

“The nurse never said anything about those meds making you horny,” he laughed. 

I glared. How could Danny not want me? Tears welled in my eyes.

“Shit!” Then Danny tenderly wrapped his arm around me, “If we do this now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. I won’t do that, Eli. You’re too important to me.”

“Danny,” I protested.

“Elizabeth, you want love and romance, not drug-induced horniness.”

Danny lifted me up and placed me in a sitting position against the pillows.

“Let’s ice that ankle and we’ll forget this ever happened.”

I still pouted. I wanted to win, but Danny was right.

With utmost care, Danny placed my foot on a small decorative Los Angeles Dodgers’ pillow.  He then removed my tights and the brace. Danny’s smile faded to a grimace.

“Eli, your ankle’s the size of an orange and it’s all black and blue.”

He reached for the ice pack from the desk. I sat straight up and tried to see, but Danny already applying the ice, obscured my view.

The cold sent a new wave of pain through me. I gritted my teeth and gripped the comforter, trying not to scream. “Ow, ow, ow!” I cried. “It hurts so much.”

Danny lay propped on his elbow facing me. His left hand skimmed my cheek. “I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I hate when you hurt.”

“It’s passing now.”

Danny smiled, relieved. “Is there anything I can get you? Do you want lunch?”

I hadn’t thought about food, but now that Danny mentioned it, “Lunch would be good.  And a change of clothes.”

“Clothes,” Danny laughed, “Good idea. It’ll keep you out of trouble.”

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