Max left his office and went to the elevator where he remembered riding up with the red head- Crystal, he had flashes of memory, but he didn't quite know what had happened.
He never got this drunk before. He wondered if she had roofied him.
He felt sluggish now. He looked for the red head in the lobby. Not seeing her, he had asked around.
A petite brunette spoke to him,"Oh, Crystal, yeah she is no longer employed at Jeff Allen towers." "What, why?"He asked. The young assistant said, " I'm too new here to know things, excuse me, Mr.Allen is waiting for his massage."
Max left the lobby, put in his ear buds and went outside for a run. He ran down the street toward the hospital.
He was listening to Imagine dragons, whatever it takes. He stopped to wait for a car to go by, pressing the cross walk sign.
He saw a black car parked out front of the hospital, he recognized it as the same type of car in Jeff Allen's fleet.
He stopped in his tracks to stretch his legs, pulled up his hood and bent over, stretching his hamstrings out. When he came back up, he saw her.
She was wearing a black skirt and a button down jacket. She moved quickly, hips swaying in the old familiar way. He moved back, so she didn't see him.
He took a deep breath. He saw her. She was right there. She was more beautiful than ever, only in a refined way. The soft swirl of her now auburn hair, highlighted with lighter hues.
The slender turn of her ankle. She was even more beautiful, this goddess walking toward him.
She turned to the car door, when she opened it, he had heard a child giggle.
He was gut punched. She had a kid. Who was the father? He didn't read anything about her having a kid. He turned then and ran back to the office. He needed to shower.
Jane felt her heart racing. She was having anxiety. She wasn't ready for this.
The door opened and Dave held out his hand, "madam," he said- as he helped her out of the car. She was wearing a beautiful scarlet gown, she didn't like the fit of the many others that she had tried on. It was low cut, as was the Victorian style.
Her corset forced her breasts upward and out, it barely covered the n*****s. She tried to breath, she stood up tall and caught her breath as Dave pulled her up and out of the car. Her full skirt piled out. She looked amazing.
She wore a pair of white nikes on her feet.
The dress covered them. She asked Dave, "Maybe we should just stop all of this nonsense and go back home, I can't have people seeing me like this, "motioning to her breasts. He turned his head to the side, you are a dream madam. She smacked his arm, "cut the madam crap!" He handed her the feathery mask that she would conceal her true identity with.
She smiled," The show must go on. Stay close, incase I pass out and need you to take me to a burger joint for an energency dinner."
He promised that he would. She nodded and floated into the massive hall entrance. She saw a beautiful swan ice sculpture and a full orchestra playing the waltz. She melted. I know what my next book will be like.
She moved to the bar and ordered an Aperol spritz. She sipped as she scanned the beautiful ballroom. A shorter, thick woman approached her wearing a blue gauzy gown. Her mask was crooked. It was Sasha. She kissed Jane on both cheeks, playing the part, "darling!" She laughed. Jane sipped her cocktail and they both went back to the bar together. Sasha made her do a shot of vodka with her. The whole room was full of people, buzzing all around them. The girls were giggling when Jeff arrived. He wore a tuxedo.
He looked very regal. His hair was graying at the sides now.
He had on a gray domino mask.
He looked around not seeing Jane.
He was looking for a dark blue dress, he had sent it to her to wear tonight.
He recognized Sasha and walked over to her. Standing next to her was the most voluptuous woman.
He introduced himself, not recognizing it was Jane, with her feathery mask on.
He kissed her gloved hand. She smiled. He was flirting with her. She realized that he didn't know who she was yet.
He bought her a drink.
She moved away, stung by his actions. He turned to Sasha, " Is Jane here yet,?"
He scanned the loud ballroom for her. Sasha was disgusted too, she said- no and walked off towards her husband.
Jane made her way out to the terrace. She breathed the cool night air in deeply for a while, trying to regain control. She walked over and gripped the railing looking down, thinking about escaping. She heard a movement. She wasn't alone. Her back stiffened.
A tall man quietly moved from the shadows. He was lean and well built. He wore a perfect fitting charcoal Armani suit and a mask over his face.
He bowed and took her hand, he slowly removed her glove and kissed her fingers as his brown eyes met hers. He didn't speak. He rose and held out his hand to her, he led her into the dance as the waltz played in the large ballroom below.
She felt a familiarity in his loose embrace.
He suddenly pulled her in closer to his firm body. She felt his arousal. She lowered her eyes as he moved her around the terrace. He was magical.
She wasn't a skilled dancer, she counted in her mind, step -one, two thee, step -one, two, three. She had been practicing at home to dance with Jeff tonight.
He stopped and moved back from her. He slowly looked her up and down. She felt flush. She pulled away, turning now.
"Thank you sir for the dance, but this- she motioned to the beautiful crimson gown, it's just not really me."
He nodded, "I know, I bet your daughter liked it though." She shook her head, " I don't have any children, don't get me wrong, I love children. I used to be a nan...she trailed off at the thought.
She had a tear in her eye now. He saw it through her mask. He had wanted to hurt her, he wanted to pay her back for all she had done to him, to his whole family. His heart melted, he saw the real Jane- his Jamie, just for a moment.
He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She thought maybe, it felt familiar. He dropped a small piece of something down her dress.
She looked down to pull it out. It was a piece of popcorn. She looked up to ask him,"why?"
It was then, she remembered the erotic time they had spent together alone, throwing popcorn in each other's mouths.
Glancing around for him, she saw that he had already walked away from her. She picked up her long skirt and ran after him in her tennis shoes. She saw him run now, down the stairs, he ripped off his mask and threw it on the ground.
She leaned down and picked it up, she called his name. "Max, come back!" He heard her cry out. He left her there at the top of the stairs. She ran down the stairs and jumped into her waiting car. "Dave, follow that man, hurry!" Dave slammed the car into drive.
He gave chase as the man quickly rounded the corner, Dave had to stop because of the thick traffic. She jumped out, tearing off her mask.
She ran after him as fast as she could. She was the one who taught him about running.
She saw a glimpse of him as he entered the Jeff Allen tower. She stopped cold.
He worked for Jeff? She turned around and went back to the car.
Dave took her back to her house.
She ripped off her clothes and threw herself on her bed.