Читать книгу Romance Backstage - Kim Shaw - Страница 12

Dreams are for Dreamers

“You are absolutely not wearing that,” Carley snapped, snatching the sleeveless black cotton turtleneck from Raven’s hands, balling it up and chucking it back into the closet. Carley, who had about three solid inches on Raven, dared her to reach for it again.

“Carley!”

“Come on, Raven, stop acting like some middle-aged Mormon. You’ve got to have something sexy in this closet of yours.”

Carley gently pushed Raven aside and moved into the closet herself. She scanned the contents of the closet with apparent disapproval.

“Okay, I thought you wore sweats every day so that you could change quickly for dance classes. I had no idea that that was all you owned!”

“Well, Carley…everyone’s not a clothes whore like you!” Raven said defensively.

“That’s true, but this is ridiculous. All right, let’s see what magic I can create up in here.”

Raven moved away from the closet and plopped down onto the foot of her bed. For the past two days Raven had reconsidered her date with Dru countless times. Every time she convinced herself that dating someone so closely tied to her professional obligations was not a good idea, she’d pick up her cell phone and find his name in the contacts folder. However, before she could depress the send button, an image of his face, his disarming smile and sparkling eyes would assault her memory and a warm flush would course through her body. Logic lost the battle every time as the physical and emotional urge to get to know him outweighed all reason.

“I should just cancel. I mean, I don’t even have anything to wear and besides, I should be spending all of my time practicing for the show,” Raven said.

Carley shot her a searing look from over her shoulder. She snatched a peach-colored vest from the closet.

“This will work,” she said, ignoring Raven’s comment. “Don’t you have a white skirt? You know the one you wore to Jackie’s party last month?”

“Carley, did you hear what I just said?” Raven asked.

“Yeah, I heard you. Where’s the skirt?”

Raven retrieved the skirt from a shelf at the top of the closet and tossed it to Carley.

“Raven, please knock it off. I know exactly what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong. There is not one good reason why you shouldn’t go out with this guy…not one.”

“Are you sure?” Raven asked, wanting desperately to cast her misgivings aside and believe in Carley’s optimism.

“I’m positive. He’s cute, he’s available, he’s successful and he’s totally hot for you. Everything else is trivial. Now, get dressed,” Carley said, thrusting various articles of clothing into Raven’s hands.

Raven gave up. Under Carley’s dogged determination to get her hooked up, she didn’t stand a chance. And in addition to that was the fact that Dru’s sexy singular dimple was permanently recorded on her brain.

“You look beautiful,” Dru said, momentarily forgetting himself. “Oops, I’m sorry. I forgot that I’m not supposed to tell you that.” He smiled.

Raven laughed.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t tell me that I’m beautiful. All I meant was that it shouldn’t be the motivating factor for everything one does in life,” she corrected.

Dru was wearing a crisp white cotton shirt, the top two buttons open to reveal a solid brown neck and a hint of jet-black hair on his chest. Raven’s eyes traveled down the length of his body. His shirt was tucked into black slacks. On his feet were black loafers, punctuating his overall sophisticated casual appearance. Dru took her hand in his, guiding her to a seat at the small table for two. As he leaned closer to her, she inhaled his signature scent and was immediately intoxicated.

“So how have rehearsals been going?” Dru asked.

“All right. I have to say, working with the ensemble is nothing like what I thought it would be. I mean, we’ve got a lot of onstage time and the numbers Meagan’s worked up for us are hot!” Raven exclaimed.

“That’s good. Everything is on schedule from the business end, but I’ve got to admit, it’s been back to back meetings and marathon telephone conferences getting things in order.”

“I’m sure you’re used to this…after all, your dad has been in the business for ages.”

“True. I was practically nursed on Broadway shows. However, and this is just between you and I,” Dru said, pausing to shift his eyes to the right and left and then leaning in conspiratorially. “This is the biggest production I’ve ever headed up on my own.”

Raven regarded him, uncertain as to whether he was being serious or not. In the short time she’d known him, she realized two things about the man. First, his was a sense of humor that was off-color and unpredictable. Second, he was very generous with it.

“Are you sure you can handle this?” she asked skeptically.

“I don’t know…between juggling the investors and negotiating with the unions, I’ve got my hands full.”

Dru’s expression was one of sheer panic, as if he had just now fully considered the weight of the task in front of him. Raven began to feel a deep sympathy for him, until the look of vulnerability in his eyes gave way to mischievous mocking.

“Oh, please!” she said, slapping at one of his hands which lay on the table between them.

She silently chided herself for being so foolishly taken in by his pretense. Dru’s laughter bubbled from his gut, tumbling from his full lips. He tipped his head backward as he laughed with his mouth opened wide.

“Here I am feeling sorry for you, and you’re making fun of me all the while.” Raven pouted.

“I’m sorry…I couldn’t help it.”

Dru reached across the table and closed his long fingers around her hand. He resisted the compelling urge to kiss her pretty little frown.

“It’s cute that you were worried about me,” he said.

“Puppies are cute,” she snapped.

Dru rubbed his forefinger lightly over the knuckles of Raven’s hand, his intense gaze resting on her eyes. There was a powerful concentration in his look that drew her in and held her captive. It was as if he had connected with someplace deep inside her soul and they were now locked together in a warm cocoon.

“So, Miss Raven, tell me something about yourself that I don’t already know.”

“Well, I really don’t know what to say, Mr. Davis. You seem to know everything.”

“No, not everything. Not the things I want to know about you.”

The deep timbre of his voice sent a shiver through Raven’s body. She looked away from his gaze, but only for a moment before her eyes were forcefully pulled back to his by a concentrated magnetism.

“What makes you smile?” he asked.

Raven didn’t have to think about that question. There was only one answer that came to mind.

“Dancing,” she said breathlessly.

“Is that all?” Dru asked, marveling at the glow that had descended on Raven’s face.

“Dancing is everything to me. Performing in general, I guess. It’s…I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s like, no matter what else is going on around me, when I’m dancing…when I’m up on stage, it just doesn’t matter. It’s like I’m removed from everything in the world and my body is sugary sweet and singing…notes that carry me away. It’s heavenly.”

Raven studied Dru’s face, trying to determine if he understood what she was trying to explain to him.

“That must be an amazing feeling. To have something in your life that can make you feel so close to yourself…so close to God.”

“I usually don’t tell people that. I don’t think most people understand what I mean. They think I’m blaspheming or something.” Raven chuckled.

“You make perfect sense to me,” Dru said.

They looked silently at one another for a moment and Raven knew that he was telling the truth. He did understand her.

“Is there something in your life that gives you that same feeling? I mean, something you’re passionate about?” she asked.

Dru didn’t answer right away. He was uncertain how much of himself he was ready to reveal to her so soon. Yet, somehow he knew that he had no reason to fear exposing himself to her. Instinctively, he trusted her.

“The other morning…when you came into the studio before rehearsals and started to dance—”

“Yeah, what about it?” she asked quizzically.

“Well, I was sitting there, just thinking. All my life, I’ve watched my father in this business and, like I said, I was raised on the entertainment industry. While other kids were out practicing their Michael Jordan dunks or skateboarding, I was watching tapes of musical theater productions and studying contracts. I never had to answer the question of what I would like to be when I grew up…it was always a given.”

Dru looked away from Raven, his eyes staring off into the distance for a minute. When he returned his gaze, there was a deeper fire evident in his look.

“Watching you dance, so beautiful and so graceful…the way your body moved across the stage so effortlessly. I felt your radiance all the way back where I was sitting. If I could feel so much peace just from watching you, I can only imagine what you felt doing it.”

“It feels like I’m flying sometimes,” Raven said.

“See, that’s just what I’m talking about. I can’t imagine what that’s like. That ability you have to create beauty through your motions is a gift, you know,” he said.

“Yes, I know it is. I worked hard to get to the level I’m at right now, but I think that even if I never land another dancing job, I truly do feel blessed to just be able to dance.”

Dru leaned back in his chair suddenly overcome by the heaviness of their conversation.

“Creative people don’t always know how special they are. Sometimes they take their creativity for granted, you know. They don’t realize that there are so many people in the world who wish they could do what they do.”

“Are you one of those people?” Raven asked.

Their hands had remained connected the entire time they talked, Dru’s fingers laying lightly on top of hers. Now, Raven turned her hand over and closed her digits around Dru’s. He smiled slightly.

“Real talk?” he asked.

“Real talk,” she answered.

“Every time I read a story or a script for a stage play, I have these visions. I actually see the story laid out with characters, sets and everything.”

“So you’d like to what, write…direct for stage?”

“Maybe. Maybe even do both. And movies, too. I have all of these ideas for stories floating around in my brain. I can’t read a book without visualizing it on the big screen.”

“So why don’t you do it?”

“Nah, that’s not part of the plan. I’ve got an MBA and I develop and balance budgets. Period. Recently, my dad’s been giving me more and more responsibilities at Davis Theater Initiatives and my plate is pretty full. He expects me to take over where he leaves off one day.”

“But are you fulfilled?” Raven wanted to know.

“It’s an amazing job. What we do is handle the money for Broadway productions. My dad has always believed that playwrights and artists are a dime a dozen. They come and go, but the producers are what make it all possible. Besides, I enjoy producing. Don’t get me wrong, I do love being the glue that pulls a production all together. It’s rewarding work.”

“But it doesn’t speak to your creative side at all,” Raven pushed.

“No, but it’s enough,” Dru said in a tone that sounded as if he were trying to convince himself and her at the same time.

Raven considered Dru’s statement skeptically. She opened her mouth to say something else, but realized that it was not her place to second-guess him. By the time their meals arrived, the conversation had taken a much lighter tone. They laughed and joked about everything from music to fashion to nicknames.

“Pooh? You actually went into high school with people still calling you Pooh? Oh, my God. How’d you get any girls to take you seriously?” Raven laughed.

“Oh, you’ve got jokes. I’ll have you know, I did pretty well in the dating department. Never had any trouble at all.”

“Yeah, okay. Tell me anything.” Raven smirked.

“All right, well, what about you? What was your teenage love life like?”

“What?”

“You heard me. Were your Friday and Saturday nights booked or were you one of those girls who sat home popping popcorn and watching the late, late movie? Rollers in your hair and pimple cream all over your face?”

It was Dru’s turn to tease. Raven rolled her eyes.

“Uh-oh, looks like I hit a sore spot.”

“No, not even,” she insisted. “Look, in high school I was too busy to even think about boys. I took my studies seriously. And dance has always been a full-time commitment. You know how you guys are…selfish, demanding. Not able to understand why your girl would prefer studying or working on her pirouettes instead of going with you to the big game on Friday night. I just didn’t have the energy to deal with all that.”

Dru considered Raven’s admission for a moment, realizing that she was right to a large extent. Except for one thing.

“If I had met a girl like you in high school, one who was so talented and driven, I would have carried your ballet shoes to class, served as your dance bar and held your textbooks open while you read.”

A smile spread quickly across Raven’s face and she was about to hit Dru with a smart-aleck response. However, her tongue stalled as she looked into his eyes and realized that he was not trying to be funny. The sincerity of his words was unmistakable as she gazed at his bright eyes and unsmiling face.

“I wish I’d met a boy like you in high school,” she said at last.

Dru squeezed her hand warmly.

“Well, you’ve met me now…well, except that I’m a grown man.”

“And I’m a grown woman,” Raven countered.

At the door to the Harlem brownstone where Raven lived with her parents, Dru found it difficult to say good-night.

“So, when can we do this again?” he asked, taking Raven’s hands in his.

“Why?”

“Why? What kind of question is that? Because I had a good time. Didn’t you?” Dru’s eyes were wrought with confusion.

Raven snickered.

“What? What’s wrong? Is it my breath?” Dru asked, cupping his hand in front of his face and blowing hard. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he commanded.

“Relax,” Raven said, trying to gain control over herself and stop laughing. “Dang, you’re sensitive.”

“Oh, so you’ve got jokes. All right, I see what I’m dealing with here. Come here,” he said, pulling her closer to him.

“I enjoyed spending time with you tonight,” he said, this time he stared deeply into Raven’s eyes. “Did you enjoy me as well?”

“Yes. Everything was perfect,” Raven answered softly.

“May I kiss you?” Dru asked.

“Yes.”

With his eyes open, Dru moved slowly, dipping his head toward Raven’s. When his lips met hers, he closed his eyes, succumbing to the colorful sensation of their first kiss. The flutter of a million butterflies rattled his rib cage as he drank her in. Their lips locked and tongues danced for endless minutes as they explored one another like harbingers discovering new territory.

When they parted, Raven kept her eyes closed for a moment, until the woozy feelings that threatened to overcome her subsided. When she opened them, her gaze met his, and she was lost in a smoldering heat that made the balmy summer evening pale in comparison.

“I’ll call you,” Dru said.

Raven nodded her head, words having momentarily escaped her. She watched Dru walk down the steps and to his black Infiniti sedan. From the curb, he turned and gave her that dazzling smile she’d already begun to cherish.