Finally, my work flow settled back in and I began to move along, accomplishing quite a bit and getting wrapped up in the complexities and factors of the movie business. I heard the front door open and looked up to see who’d come in. Marshall came around the corner with a large basket and an incredible smile on his face.
“I’ve gotten us some dinner for tonight. I hope you weren’t starving this afternoon,” he said.
“No, I’m fine. I’ve made a lot of progress…”
Marshall looked at me, giving me an impish smile as he cut me off. “I’m sure you have, but you must eat too.”
“Okay,” I said. Since when you have been such an obedient person, just dropping something at the request of someone else? I thought. The answer was easy though. I had never been around a man that was as intoxicating and intriguing as Marshall. In fact, I didn’t even know that they made such a man. Being around him seemed as dangerous as playing with dynamite by a fire.
I watched in fascination as Marshall pulled out two chicken dishes, loaded with steaming asparagus and a cream sauce, plus baby red potatoes along the side with rosemary and parmesan on them, instantly salivating at how fantastic they smelled. Accompanying them was a bottle of chilled white wine and some music that he turned on by pressing a few buttons on the console on the wall, making soft inviting music flow in the background. Wow—he knew how to make quite a presentation for a work dinner.
I was reading through an old movie contract while I ate, knowing that time was valuable. I’d have rather sat there and stared into those sapphire blue eyes that promised great sexual escapades, but unfortunately time was working against me.
As I read I didn’t quite realize that Marshall had been watching me so intently. I’d just assumed he was devouring his meal just like he had at the restaurant. I must have gotten particularly distracted by something in the contract because I suddenly felt the gentle press of a piece of chicken on a fork by my lips. I looked at Marshall and he was sitting there with the fork by my mouth, giving a lazy grin, and staring at me, waiting for me to open it up, which I did. He fed me a piece of meat and continued to feed me bits of food every minute or so.
The sweetness of the gesture of cutting up my food and feeding me caught me off guard. Marshall was indeed a confusing man. For being an actor, typically someone self-absorbed, and growing up in a tough environment he was extremely cultured. This moment was so different than the one at the restaurant. Everything about him had me mesmerized, and I was pretty sure it showed that he was very interested in me. The thought made my entire body want to shudder. It was something that I definitely wanted on a physical level, but was not ready to tackle on an emotional level. I was not a woman who could embrace that friends with benefits type of mentality, but heaven knows, in this case that would have been fantastic. I’d already had the visual of just how equipped he was to please a woman on every physical level.
“Becca, it looks like I’ll have to be going away to Vegas. The timing is horrible, having just hired you and knowing that I have to take care of this merger business quickly too. I can’t have you here alone working on it because nobody at the studio knows what’s going on.”
“You must be going for business so what choice do you have, but go?” I asked. Great Becca, are you trying to feel out whether he was going to Vegas for business or pleasure…with some woman. Real pathetic.
I was starting to think that Marshall was a mind reader because he looked at me, turning his head to one side, as if entertained by my thoughts. “There’s a convention there, an opportunity to pitch the movies that the studio is working on and also find new screenplays for us to work with. It’s also about promotions, connections, and all the other aspects of the industry that are essential to success. I was hoping that you wouldn’t be opposed to coming with me for the week. That way you could keep working along in secrecy and keep me informed on everything as you find out about it.”
I paused, thinking about spending a week in Vegas with Marshall, working closely with him. He’d just been so gentle and nurturing to me just now, as if I was a newborn infant. It was surprisingly inviting to me, though. I began to believe there was more to him than raw sex appeal, a dynamic face and body, and eccentricity.
“I’ll be ready to go. Just let me know the details, Marshall.”
“Pack for a week and be ready to leave tomorrow morning at 12 noon. We’ll take the jet over and get settled in.”
“Do you want me in before that?”
“No, that won’t be necessary. You’ll have your work cut out for you this upcoming week.”
“Okay,” I said. I looked at Marshall and tried to determine why the gentle man had gone away so abruptly and the dominate decision maker had returned. He could switch gears in a single breath.
“I’ll be ready.”
“Excellent. Well, I’d suggest that you call it a night. I’ll make sure all these documents are packed and on the jet to make their way to Vegas with us tomorrow. Don’t keep me waiting when I get to your apartment.”
“Would it be easier for me to meet you at the airport?” I asked.
“No, I’ll pick you up at your apartment,” Marshall said. He turned and walked out of the room.
As ordered, I packed up my things and headed to the apartment to pack and get ready to go. I wasn’t excited about calling my father and telling him I’d be gone to Vegas for a week with Marshall Kent, but I had to. After all, it was firm business. My dad, like most people, had heard of the infamous personality of Marshall and was hesitant that this account was sending the lamb, in this case me, to the slaughter. I knew my dad trusted me and that was the way dads acted, but I couldn’t help but heed his warning a little bit. If Marshall made a move toward something other than business what would I do? And would he do to me what he’d been doing to that actress that one day? I hope so, I thought. I couldn’t have had more confusing signals going on in my brain at the possibilities that came with the question of Marshall making a move on me. Time would tell, I guessed.
Chapter 7
I’d eaten an early lunch before Marshall had picked me up—actually his chauffeur had picked me up. Apparently Marshall had some last minute details to attend to so he’d sent someone for me, which disappointed me. I guessed I was expecting him to show the sensitive sweet Marshall side I saw yesterday. Not the all-business one. The minute we met at the airport and boarded Marshall’s jet the attendant brought out a gourmet plate of lunch to him, which he began to eat greedily. I couldn’t help noticing that he looked incredibly sexy when he put the grapes to his lips though before tossing it in his mouth and chewing it hungrily. Finally, three platefuls later, he was done and he looked up at me, showing that he was satisfied. He ate as sensually and as enthusiastically as he had sex, I thought.