Bound by Her (24 page)

It was 12.15p.m by the time I arrived at the Academy. I headed straight to Mr Olsen’s office, praying that he would be in there so I could get our agreement finalised and find Emily. As I reached the corridor that housed his office a tall girl, made even taller by her skyscraper heels, practically skipped in front of me making me stop abruptly.

“Hi, I’m Jennifer. We met when you did that talk in our class,” she trilled in a ridiculously high pitched voice that resembled one of an immature teen. She held her hand out towards me as an invitation for me to shake it, I assumed. I ignored her hand and smiled tightly. “I heard you’re funding the theatre production here, I mean, that’s just like so generous of you,” she continued before I had the chance to even say hello. I nodded my confirmation, there didn’t seem much point in speaking as she clearly wasn’t interested in my funding of anything, I could tell by the way her eyes raked up and down my body. It was disgusting.

She continued to linger in front of me, pouting her bright cherry-red lips at me as she apparently tried to think of something to say. I felt my eyebrows rise as I waited to hear what the hell she actually wanted. Every minute she stood in front of me was one minute less I had to spend with Emily, and the very thought was aggravating me.

“How about we go for a drink tonight and I can tell you all about the play?”

Ugh, yes, I remembered this girl now. She was in Emily’s drama class. She had invited me for a drink last time she saw me when I had given the ‘determination’ talk in Mr Olsen’s class. Once I had recognised Emily at the back of the group all I had wanted to do was speak to her, that’s why I had offered to stay for the students to ask questions, but I hadn’t expected Emily to move further to the back of the room. I had expected her to come to the front and speak to me, but she had obviously recognised me and not wanted to be anywhere near me. That realisation had wounded me more than I thought possible. Her obvious rejection had somehow managed to hurt me. Although, at the time, I was sure it was just my ego that had been dented. I wasn’t used to girls trying their damned hardest to get away from me. I was used to them practically throwing themselves at me, just like this one was doing now. I had watched her scribbling on her notepad at the back of the room, desperately trying to figure her out. Then I had seen the beaming smile that she flashed Adrian when he had interrupted her apparent note taking. I was sure the pair were more than just friends, and I had felt an instant hatred towards the man that I had never met. Then I had had the displeasure of this Jennifer girl flaunting herself in front of me and asking me out. I mean, did some women have no shame? This Jennifer I was sure didn’t even know the meaning of the word dignity. She had leaned over the table in front of me as far as possible, squeezing her arms together to give me the very best view of her particularly unattractive cleavage as she licked at her lips in what I was assuming was supposed to be a seductive manner. Women like her repulsed me. She was probably the image of many men’s dream woman with her bleached blonde hair, false lashes and huge fake tits, but she was just that. Fake. And fake women just didn’t interest me in the slightest. I had politely declined her offer of a drink the last time she had invited me, so surely it was obvious to anyone with a brain that I would say no again.

“No need, thanks. I already know everything I need to know.” I smiled as politely as I could manage and attempted to step past her but she blocked my way. She was that close to me that her breasts were actually touching my chest.

“Did you know I’m playing a major part in it?” She stroked a finger tip across her bottom lip. What I wanted to say was ‘that’s all the reason I need to withdraw the funds and put an end to it’, but of course I couldn’t.

“Congratulations,” I replied, taking a step back to avoid her plastic tits. “Excuse me, I have a meeting.”

“With Mr Olsen, right? I’ll show you to his office.” She smiled whilst raising a single dark drown brow at me. Why anyone would draw on dark brown eyebrows when their hair was blonde was beyond me. Did girls not realise how ridiculous that looked?

“I know the way,” I insisted and tried to step past her again but her tits were back and blocking my way before I could escape.

“Hey, baby. What are you doing here?” Emily’s voice startled me as she appeared at my side. I instantly felt my body tense, hoping that my standing here with another woman’s tits pushed against my chest wasn’t going to give Emily the wrong impression of what was actually going on here.

“Just attending to some business before I came to find you.” I twisted and pressed a soft kiss against Emily’s lips.

She grinned as she pulled away. “Looks like I’ve saved u a job then.” She turned to Jennifer, who was still standing disturbingly close to me. “You okay, Jennifer?” she asked more politely than the girl deserved. Jennifer was simply gawping at Emily like she was something from another planet. Why was she looking at her like that? I had no idea why, but I didn’t like it. I pulled Emily close against my side and kissed her temple firmly as I breathed her in.

“If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to have lunch with my fiancée,” I said, trying desperately to hide my hatred for this girl in my voice. I stepped past Jennifer, pulling Emily with me, and this time she didn’t try to stop me.

“I’ve already had lunch,” Emily informed me as soon as we were a safe distance from Jennifer.

“It’s a good job I’m not hungry then, well not for food anyway.” I smiled what I hoped was my best seductive smile, purposely lifting a single brow. Her cheeks reddened as they always did when I referred to anything sexual. “Relax, I’m kidding. I just need to drop in to see Mr Olsen quickly, I’ll be five minutes.”

“I’ll wait here.” She smiled that deliberately seductive smile of hers and I felt myself twitch in response. Great, so now I had to enter Mr Olsen’s office with a hard on.

My five minutes with Mr Olsen had turned into twenty minutes before I finally managed to escape his questions. Emily was still standing in the corridor when I exited his office. “I’m sorry, baby,” I gushed as I hurried towards her.

“It’s fine, I had to go over this anyway and it’s peaceful up here,” she said, waving what looked like a booklet of some description.

“What’s that?”

“I’ve got dance next, just making sure I know the routine.”

Ah yes, the part of studying drama that you absolutely have to do yet absolutely shouldn’t have to do. I hated dance when I was here. Why would I need to dance to become an actor? I had never planned on prancing around on a stage so I could never understand why they had made it compulsory.

“What style have they got you doing today?” I teased as I pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Contemporary. I’d better go and get changed.”

Contemporary? Now, that was something that I absolutely had to see. “Do you mind if I watch?”

“Is that all you think about?” she mocked as her eyes pointed to my groin.

“I meant watch you dance, Emily, not change.”

“I’d probably rather you didn’t, I’m not very good at it.”

“I’m sure that’s a lie. Please?” I flashed what I hoped was my best puppy dog expression.

“Sure, come. Then you can apologise later for calling me a liar.” She nudged my shoulder with her own before turning and walking back down the corridor. “See you in a minute, if Mr Olsen will let you in.”

Of course Mr Olsen would let me in. That man could never say no to me and, given my recent generosity, I was pretty certain he wasn’t about to start now. The thought of Emily wearing nothing but a leotard had my erection pressing firmly against my fly. I buttoned up my jacket to disguise the evidence and made my way to the auditorium.

It still smelled exactly the same as it used to. The deep red velvet chairs obviously still hadn’t had a clean as the musty, aged smell surrounded me. I was aware I had to be back at the office in an hour so I checked my watch several times whilst the first dancer managed to completely cock up her entire performance. She lost her footing and fell over at one point which would be sure to earn her a terribly low grade. Falling over was not something that was tolerated in dance, obviously. I breathed a sigh of relief when the lights dimmed for a second time before Emily appeared on the brightly lit stage. She looked incredible. She was wearing a pale pink coloured leotard, but thankfully had a small pair of shorts covering her modesty. I’m not sure how I would have coped if she hadn’t have been wearing those, especially as Adrian was watching her from the other end of the hall.

Emile Sande’s ‘Clown’ began and I felt my entire body come alive as goose bumps covered every inch of my skin. Emily dropped to the floor and began to move slowly in spectacularly controlled twists and turns. Every movement was sharp and precise and not once did she allow a single slack limb. As she slowly rose to her feet it was like watching an angel. She moved with nothing but sheer elegance and grace. She was incredible. She was beautiful. More than beautiful. Her dazzling blue eyes were wide as they seemingly fixed on nothing. She looked completely in a world of her very own, lost in a place somewhere far away where nothing existed except the music and the very stage she was dancing on.

As the chorus kicked in Emily’s body span around quickly at the same time as it bent and manoeuvred, creating an absolutely outstanding picture of pure beauty. She looked like a ballerina. The perfect ballerina. The music engulfed me and I felt every hair stand on its end as I let the lyrics sink in. It was a beautiful song, quite possibly my new favourite. A pleasurable shudder travelled down the length of my spine as I watched her spin on a single foot before dropping spectacularly back to the floor again. And then the music stopped and she graciously bowed her head before leaving the stage.

I was vaguely aware that another song had started to play, yet I couldn’t bring my eyes into focus. All I could see was Emily’s face. She had looked so at peace. So free. How could she have ever doubted her talent? I had never seen anything so ... magical. My throat tightened in response to the lump that had now formed there. I jumped to my feet and quickly left the auditorium. I had to see Emily. I had to tell her how much I loved her.

I walked straight into the changing rooms without even thinking to knock first. “Emily?” I called out before going any further as the terrifying thought crossed my mind that I might possibly be walking in on a room full of half naked women, one of those women being Jennifer. Her chest had been disgusting enough pressed up against me with clothes on, without them didn’t even bear thinking about.

Emily popped her head out from around the corner, startling me just enough for her notice judging by the grin on her face. “What are you doing in here?”

“Looking for you, obviously. Are you on your own?”

“Yes. Most of them stay to watch the others before coming back to dress,” she stated as she started to walk back to where I was assuming she came from. I had noticed she was holding a towel or something in front of her when she approached me, but now she had turned I saw she was wearing nothing but a bra and a lace thong. Ah God, all I could think about was bundling her into the nearest changing cubicle as I watched her fine backside sway as she walked ahead of me.

“You really should put some clothes on,” I told her through my tightly strained jaw as I continued to watch the movement in her cheeks.

“You don’t like what you see?” She smiled over her shoulder and pushed her arse out further as if posing for me, and I couldn’t physically stop myself. My hands were grasping at her skin within seconds and my mouth was moving greedily over hers as I coaxed her into a cubicle.

“How could you possibly think you’re not a good dancer?” I asked Emily as I tucked my shirt back into my trousers.

“I’ve never been very confident with dance,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders. I watched her as she pushed her leg into her jeans and somehow even watching her dress was turning me on again. It was supposed to be the other way around, surely. I stood and grasped her waist, turning her to face me. She looked up at me through her lashes, her eyes revealing her uncertainty. “I think you owe me an apology now,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

“For what?”

“For calling me a liar.”

“Firstly, I didn’t call you a liar, that’s not a word I’m particularly fond of. And secondly, that was the most beautiful, emotional performance I have ever seen. You are an incredible dancer.” I paused and pressed my slightly parted lips against her forehead, inhaling deeply, drinking in her scent that I seemed to be becoming increasingly dependent on. “I owe you nothing, baby.”

Her cheeks reddened as her eyes wandered down to my chest. This bothered me. Why did she do that? Why did she always put herself down and criticise herself, especially when it came to something that she was so damn brilliant at. I hated the fact that she just couldn’t see how amazing she truly was.

“Don’t do that,” I said, lifting her chin with a single finger to encourage her to meet my eyes. I wanted her to see that I meant every word of what I was saying. “That was beautiful, Emily, it really was. The way you move ... the way you just seemed to zone out as if nothing was there other than the music. Nothing has ever touched me more than watching you up there. Stop doubting yourself, you are so talented.”

She didn’t reply, instead she pushed up onto her toes and wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeply. Every movement of her lips, her tongue, was controlled and deliberate as she poured herself into me.

“Will you be staying at mine tonight?” I asked before pressing one more soft kiss to her lips.

“I would say yes, but if I’m moving in at the weekend I might need to start packing.”

“Good point, I suppose. Would you like some help? I’ve got something for you.”

“I’d love some help, but I don’t want gifts,” she scolded as she raised a brow at me.

“It’s not a gift; it’s just something I thought we could both look through. I’ve got to go unfortunately; I’ve got a meeting, but I’ll see you later then.” I pulled her into another kiss before releasing her waist.