His voice sounded resentful, but his words did not. And Jayda was thrown. She knew she had heard him wrong. And this time, she looked him dead in the eyes. “Your guest?”
“That’s correct.”
“What do you mean your guest? I was paid to be a server at your dinner party. You said nothing about me being a guest. I thought I was supposed to serve.”
“No.” He kept both of his hands on her small arms and was staring into her eyes. “I never intended for you to serve me. You were invited to come to dinner tonight.”
But Jayda wasn’t so easily convinced. She was searching his eyes. “But why would you want me as your guest? I’m the person who said you. . .”
“Who called me a perv?” Then he frowned. “Yes, I know that.”
“Then why would you invite somebody like me to your dinner party?”
Because you’re the one that makes me feel unlike anybody ever has. You’re the one I honored and didn’t go all the way with when all within me wanted to. But that was before I looked into your sweet, tender, scared eyes. You’re the one that just may accompany me to my father’s estate. You’re the one who just might be the one and only person for me, and that I cannot overlook.
But he could not bring himself to admit any of that. “We just had a very intimate moment. And I enjoyed it.”And want more of it, he wanted to add. “You were never meant to be my servant,” he said instead. “You’re my guest. My date for this evening. Now do you understand?”
It sounded too good to be true. Which meant to her it wasn’t true. She was so distressed that she couldn’t stop searching his eyes. “But why? You aren’t telling me why. Why would you want me, of all people, to be your date?”
He wasn’t ready to tell her why. But he was ready to tell her the truth. “I found you to be a fascinating person when I saw you for that extended period of time at the restaurant. You impressed me as a strong, independent, go-getter who seemed interesting enough to get to know better. And spending these moments on this terrace with you only reinforced that belief for me.”
But it still didn’t have the ring of truth to Jayda. He was a rich and powerful man. Why would he want to choose somebody like her,a waitress, out of all the women in this world he could have chosen? And that feeling of being placed in a position she wasn’t accustomed to being placed into caused tears to appear in her eyes again. She never felt these many swing of emotions in her life!
Her distress concerned him. And his voice softened. “What’s the matter, Jayda?”
“You don’t understand,” she said to him, shaking her head.“I’m not like that.”
He smiled and attempted to pull her into his arms. “Oh I know that already.”
“No you don’t,” she said, refusing his embrace. “I just met you and already I’m allowing you to . . .” She shook her head. “I’ve never allowed anybody to come onto me like that. Not after just meeting them. It’s never happened before.” Then she looked at him as if she had to be clear. “And it never will again. I don’t know what came over me, but it’s gone now and I won’t let that happen again. I was told I could make good money if I worked this party. That’s the only reason I came. I need the work,” she said heartfelt. “I don’t need to be your guest. And let’s get this one thing straight: I’m never going to sleep with you.”
He was disappointed by the definitiveness of her comment, but he was more concerned about her. His heart melted when he saw just how distressed she was. “Your work is to be my dinner guest. That’s your job. Nothing more and nothing less. And you will be generously compensated. You were not asked to come here to serve me. You were asked to come here to be my guest. I need somebody who isn’t looking for love, but who can use a good payday, because love is notsomething that I can give. Since you aren’t looking for love, either, I’ve decided that you would be perfect.”
Not looking for love? Was he insane? Love was all she’d ever been looking for her whole life. Love was all she ever wanted her whole life. But apparently nobody on earth believed she deserved it.
Harrison could tell she was still doubtful and ashamed. And that was why, despite her protestation, he pulled her into his arms again. She resisted, but he insisted, and his will won out.
“I know how you feel,” he said as held her and as her cheek pressed against his chest. I’m a very experienced man, but I’ve never experienced feelings like this before either, he wanted to add. But he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
Then he pulled her back and looked into her eyes. “I’m not going to disrespect you, Jayda. I’m not going to hurt you. And no clothes will come off just like I said in that breakroom. I promise you that.”
“I’m not going to sleep with you,” she said with all sincerity. “I promise you that.”
He smiled, although it did hurt him. It felt like a rejection. “Understood,” he said.
He seemed truthful, but she was still worried.
“What is it now?” he asked her.
“This dinner party. I’m sure you aren’t having dinner with people like me. You’re having dinner with people like you. How can I possibly fit in with people like that?”
“You can’t,” said Harrison honestly. “And I don’t want you to try. I want you to be yourself. That’s all anybody can ask of you. That’s all I’m asking of you. Be yourself.”
Jayda stared into his eyes. She knew there had to be more to this than he was telling her. It felt like aTrading Placeskind of story where Eddie Murphy was treated like a laboratory ratthan a real person. “Am I an experiment for you?” she asked him bluntly. “Is this one of thoselet’s see how the poor girl behaves around the rich folkstest? Is that what this is about?”
Harrison stared at her. He loved her perceptiveness, and her intelligence. And he wasn’t going to lie to her. “Yes,” he said. “That’s why I need you to be yourself. This dinner party is one part of it. Of which you’ve already been compensated.”
A part of her felt rejected again. Here she was getting all worked up over this man, while he was getting worked up over his experiment! Was she ever going to be enough for anybody in this world?
