It's Only Make Believe (2 page)

The Deejay picked up the microphone. “Okay all you single women, let’s go, front and center.”  Only a few came forward. With a little coaxing from Michele and Brad, he called a few names. “Come on, Lisa, Jenny, don’t be shy.”  He went out into the crowd to pull the more hesitant ones forward. The guests laughed, applauded, and shouted out some names themselves.

Finally satisfied that all the single women were gathered on the dance floor, the Deejay took his place. Before Michele turned around, Ruby stepped to the front of the crowd.

“On the count of three.” The deejay’s voice roared. “Ready? One... Two... Three! Michele threw the bouquet. Hearing a scuffle, she turned around to see a group of women fighting over the bouquet. Somehow Ruby came up with it. Michele cringed at the smug look Ruby threw her.

“Okay, single men,” the deejay yelled. “Let’s get all those single men out here. Come on, guys, front and center.”

Someone brought a chair to the center of the hall and Michele sat down for Brad to remove her garter. Music played in the background, but she hardly heard it. Her heart beat so loud she thought everyone in the hall heard it. It almost kept up with the drumbeat of the music. Brad’s eyes captivated her. He stared at her with a look so provocative - she almost leaped from the chair. Then, with a hand so gentle, so teasing, he removed the garter. She sucked in her breath. Wave after wave of electricity spiraled through her body as his hand crept higher up her leg. Heat crept into her cheeks, and she lowered her eyes, afraid to look at him. This couldn’t be happening. How dared her body betray her like this?

Still on his knee in front of her, Brad flung the garter to the waiting bachelors. Then, he stood, took her hand, helped her to her feet, and with one great swoop lifted her into his arms. He carried her from the hall. Guests cheered and followed them to the door. He set her down in the doorway, raised her chin, leaned down, and kissed her. A hard demanding kiss that took her breath away. The kiss drowned out the noise from the crowd. All she heard was the gasp and moan that came from her throat and the beat of her heart.

***

Taken up with the moment, Brad whisked Michele away from the crowd, not sure what had come over him. One moment he knelt in front of his wife, her long slender leg in his hand. The strip-tease music played in the background and desire inflamed him. Her eyes widened as he seductively removed the garter, desire filled them before she lowered long lashes, trying to hide it. The urge to kiss her became too strong – now he set her down in front of the door, oblivious to the crowd around them. He took her in his arms and kissed her the way he wanted to all evening.

Friends and relatives cheered him on, bringing him back to the present. He took her hand and hurried outside. Michele stumbled against him and he tightened his arm around her. Poor thing sure never expected any of that. Not that he was sorry. Far from it. He’d never enjoyed anything more in his life. He held the car door for her then ran around to the other side.

*** 

Anger replaced the sensual feeling when Michele got into the waiting limousine. “What was all that about?” She tried to keep her voice calm, while her insides threatened to erupt. What was he thinking, carrying on like that? “I know we agreed to act out this charade, but I think you carried it a little too far.”

Brad leaned back in the luxurious leather seat and laughed. “Just play acting, it’s what they expected.” He raised his hand to her face, caressed her cheek with his fingers. “Why not relax and enjoy it, we still have a year of this game and our parents expect an heir.” Lowering his mouth, his lips captured hers, silencing her protests. He moved away, put his arm around her, leaned back, and pulled her close. “Besides, I find you very desirable and you have to admit, I don’t repulse you.”

Michele made a half-hearted attempt to pull away. Repulsive, yeah right, that’s the last thing she found him. In fact the attraction she experienced overwhelmed her. She enjoyed being in his arms, liked his kisses. Giving in, she laid her head on his shoulder and relaxed for the first time in days. She sighed at the sudden contentment that rushed through her.

All too soon, the fence that surrounded the two acres of the beautiful brick mansion, their parents purchased for them, came into view. An electric wrought iron gate opened from a remote by the chauffeur, and they drove through the tree-lined drive. Although the picture of elegance, Michele hadn’t wanted a home like this. She hated it. She’d always dreamed of a long ranch in the country with horses and dogs and eventually children, but most importantly with a man she loved.

With a man who loved her. Would she ever find that man? Could it be Brad?  Not that she stood a chance with him. Ruby made that all too clear earlier that evening. Michele pulled away. What was she thinking relaxing like this? She was going to have to bring Ruby up eventually, but how? Could she just ask him outright? He’d certainly been an attentive bridegroom and except for that one occasion, he hadn’t gone near Ruby the rest of the evening. In fact, several times it looked like he avoided her. How to bring it up? Not now surely, at least not within earshot of the chauffer. She closed her eyes and leaned back on the seat. Somehow or other, they’d get through this year.

*** 

Brad relished the feel of Michele as she snuggled against him, her head on his shoulder. Play-acting, ha, he didn’t even know what came over him. But he liked it. Whatever caused the sudden attraction was going to make married life all the more pleasant. He stared out the window as they drove past the tree-lined drive and their house came into view. He hated this house, hated everything about it. It was the type of house they both grew up in. But certainly not one he’d have chosen for himself. Why did his parents think he shared their same tastes? Of course, Michele probably liked it, and he did have to compromise. Besides, the amount of time he spent traveling, he may as well live in a hotel room. Suddenly, Michele pulled away. Now what came over her?  He had to admit she puzzled him One minute giving in and the next withdrawing. The chauffer pulled into the circular drive in front of the mansion.

He helped Michele out of the car and led her into the house. Once inside he took her into his arms, his body smoldered with desire.

“Not now, Brad, I’m tired and our flight leaves early in the morning.” Michele backed away and turned her head, but not before Brad saw the desire her eyes. “Not that I’d mind missing the flight. I have no desire to go to Cancun.”

Disappointed and frustrated, he released her. He didn’t want to push her, she’d come to him willingly later. He sensed the desire in her, and she probably was tired. It had been a long day. He was tired himself.

He dropped his hands, backed away and went to fix himself a drink. “Would you like a nightcap?”

***

“No, thank you.” Disappointed, Michele shivered as he moved his warm body away from her. She hurried upstairs to their room, looked around, and found the décor not to her liking. Too tired to worry about it now, she got out of her dress, slipped into bed, fluffed up the pillow and fell instantly asleep.

CHAPTER THREE

Michele woke before the alarm. Brad lay on the far side of the king-size-bed, his muscular arms and chest uncovered and bare. She longed to reach out to smooth the disarray of his wavy black hair, mussed from what looked like a restless night. It begged her to run her fingers through it. She wanted to touch his cheek, run her fingers across his lips. Lips that had tantalized hers from the slightest pressure to those hard demanding kisses. Who was this man? What made him tick?

She thought back to when they were children.

Remembered him, playful and teasing. Now he moved in different circles than her, with a much faster crowd. She smiled, remembering the crush she had on him - a silly school-girl crush - which ended when he went to high school. After that she seldom saw him, having her own group of friends. So how, she wondered, as she lay next to him, had she allowed them to talk her into marrying him?

Michele had gone to the best schools, the most expensive summer camps and took the usual tour of Europe. She had conformed, always doing what her parents expected. At least she had until she opened her Interior Design business. Her parents, mostly her mother, had tried to arrange her life. Mother didn’t like the idea that her daughter started her own business, no matter how successful. After all, “Markey” women got married and had families, not careers. Her parents had expected her to marry the right man and for years she dated men they expected her to date. But she ignored all the prospects and had gotten away with it until they suggested she marry Brad. More of a demand than a suggestion.

She had laughed at the idea. She and Brad had nothing in common. Yet somehow, all of a sudden their parents managed to bring them together at various events. Brad appeared polite but disinterested, which was fine with her. She had no desire to marry anyone. Her career had just gotten underway.

Since their parents and grandparents had grown up together, they had always assumed she and Brad would marry. And pressure mounted from them until suddenly she and Brad found themselves thrown together and left alone to “get to know each other better.”  Brad became an attentive date. Six months later, their parents laid out their plan. In order to inherit the vast fortunes each family had amassed, Brad and Michele had to marry. “To keep the money in the family, so to speak,” Brad’s grandfather said.

Brad’s grandfather usually intimidated Michele, but not this time. This time she couldn’t help it. She laughed at him. Loud and hard. At least, she laughed until she realized her grandparents and parents agreed with him and seriously expected the union. A little over a year ago, Brad approached her with a proposition of his own.

“I’m getting a lot of pressure about this marriage thing,” he said. “So, what I’m proposing,” he raised his hand to silence her protest, “is we marry for one year to satisfy them and to save the family business. After the year we can get a divorce. We’ll say we gave it our best shot and it didn’t work out.”

Was he crazy? “A sham marriage, somehow that’s too dishonest.” Besides, Michele didn’t care about the money. She had her career and with time she’d make it a success.

“Just give it some thought.”

“The idea’s insane, what’s to think about?” But something in his eyes made her agree to at least think about it. In a few days she’d tell him to take a hike. The whole idea of marriage appalled her.

Her parents and grandparents continued to pressure her. She hadn’t realized how important it was to them. They seemed to think she and Brad made the perfect couple and a union between them benefited the company. Always the company.

“We built this business up from scratch. I’d sure hate to lose it to a stranger.” Grandpa told her

“But it won’t go to a stranger, Grandpa – it’ll go to Brad.”

“No, it’ll all be lost. Your father and I worked too hard to let that happen. And you have no interest in working there so it’ll dissolve. If you marry Brad, you’ll be part owner.”

“But won’t I still be part owner even if I don’t marry him. I mean won’t I hold fifty percent of the stock?” Michele argued with him.

“No, the agreement was to remain part owner you either had to work at the company or marry into it. There’s a clause that in order to keep the company going both families have to own it jointly. Otherwise we dissolve it. Jacobson will see to it.”

“What does Mr. Jacobson have to do with it?”

“More than you know. He’ll take over the business if you and Brad don’t work in it or marry.”

“Change it. Surely it isn’t ironclad.”

Grandpa shook his head. “I’m afraid it is.”

That absolutely made no sense to her. Granted, she wasn’t a lawyer, but surely if the owners could change anything they wanted. Something seemed awfully fishy about this whole deal.

“Okay, then I’ll work there. I’m just not ready to get married. Especially to a man I don’t love. Who doesn’t love me.”

He shook his head. “You wouldn’t like it. Besides, you have your own business.” Grandpa wasn’t someone who took no for an answer. Besides he’d always been her confidante, even when she was very young, she went to him with her problems, and he always helped solve them. He’d always been there for her when everyone else was too busy. How could she refuse him now? The very look in his blue-green eyes pleaded with her. Somehow this meant the world to him. But marriage, Michele thought, that was a bit much to ask.

“But, Grandpa, marriage is supposed to be special. I’m not ready. And I want to marry someone I love.”  Michele tried one last argument.

“Love is highly over-rated, my dear. Friendship – that’s what counts. And you and Brad grew up together, you’ve been friends forever.”

Yeah right, friends. She didn’t even know Brad anymore. It had been ages since they hung out together. Sure he seemed attentive on their dates and treated her well, but his reputation as a lady’s man – wasn’t that enough to make her refuse?

“You’ll see, Michele. Look at your grandmother and me. And your parents. Do you think we could have made such a success of our marriage if we hadn’t been best friends?”

“Ah, but see, Grandpa, Brad and I aren’t best friends. Until lately we hadn’t seen each other in years. I hardly know him anymore.”