The Eyes Have It
Chapter One
Marlena looked at her watch again. One more hour and she would have to head home to get ready for the dinner tonight. She hated these events…. boring business dinners with the Tyton executives and their even more boring spouses. If she didn't enjoy writing her columns so much she would quit Tyton just to avoid these evenings. She hated making small talk with people she hardly knew, plastering on a smile and pretending to be listening when she's really just wondering when she can sneak out and go home. And she especially hated dancing with overweight, balding business men while trying to avoid their groping hands and clumsy feet. Marlena had been single for almost 2 years now and everyone knew it. She was beginning to think that she had become some kind of contest for all the men in town…who can get her in bed first. She wasn't interested in any of them. She had been through 2 divorces and a bad relationship in the past 10 years and she wasn't about to ever go through that kind of pain again. She was very content with her life on her own and kept herself busy with her psychiatric practice and her columns for Bella magazine.
She knew she couldn't get out of the dinner tonight. It was being given in order to introduce everyone to the new owner of Tyton Publishing…Mr. John Black. Marlena was not looking forward to it. She had read about John Black in several magazines... wealthy businessman, very successful, never been married, always photographed with some beautiful model on his arm. Granted he looked very handsome in his pictures, but she knew the type. Men like this were always trying to hit on her, trying to impress her with their money and their power. She was never interested. They were all so full of themselves and treated her like some sort of conquest. They all bored her to tears. Unfortunately, John Black was now the new owner of Bella Magazine, so she would have to put on her charming face and make nice tonight.
Marlena finished up her paperwork and tidied up her desk a bit and then headed home. When she got home, she quickly showered and changed for the evening. She examined herself in the mirror and was pleased with the new midnight blue dress she was wearing. It came slightly off the shoulder and gathered in the back so it made her waist look especially small. There was a slit on one side of the skirt that traveled up to her thigh, but didn't show off too much. Marlena thought it looked very flattering. She did enjoy the dressing up part of these evenings even though the rest of the night was going to be a bore.
When Marlena arrived at the Penthouse Grill, she scanned the room for a familiar face. She saw Kate Roberts, one of the editors of Bella Magazine, sitting at a table having a discussion with an older man she didn't know. She decided to join them. Marlena didn't especially like Kate, but she knew she could easily carry on a conversation with her without much effort until she was able to make her excuses and leave. And at least Kate was an improvement over her previous editor, K.C. That jerk tried to get her into bed on more than one occasion. Marlena had been thrilled when his wife finally caught him cheating and took him to the cleaners in their divorce.
Marlena was introduced to the gentleman and began to make small talk with him and Kate when the voices began to get louder in the room. A small group of people had just entered and were being greeted by the people standing near the door. This must be the infamous John Black, thought Marlena, as the small group made their way towards her table.
As introductions were being made, Marlena got a good look at Mr. John Black. She had to admit that his pictures didn't do him justice. He was probably the most attractive man she had ever seen….thick jet black hair, wide shoulders, slim waist. He had a very strong chin and a long, straight nose and as he was introduced to her she couldn't help but stare into his gorgeous, deep blue eyes. He was definitely the definition of tall, dark and handsome.
John was stunned when he first laid eyes on Marlena. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Golden hair pulled up off her face, creamy white skin, delicate arms, a tiny waist and full figure. Her face was like a work of art, every feature in the perfect place. John was used to having the most beautiful woman in the room on his arm and she was definitely it.
"How do you do, Dr. Evans? It's a pleasure," John said as he reached out his hand to shake hers.
"Mr. Black, very nice to meet you. Welcome to Salem." Marlena replied in her polite, business like voice while shaking his hand.
"I believe you know Kate Roberts?"
"Yes, we've spoken on the phone several times. How are you Ms. Roberts?" John answered as he turned his attention towards Kate.
"Oh, call me Kate please. After all, we will be working very closely together." Kate responded as she moved herself closer to John.
Marlena knew that Kate would be after John Black as soon as she heard he was coming to Salem. She was always after the most eligible bachelors in town, but she couldn't believe she was all over him already. The man just walked through the door for God's sake.
When all the introductions had been made, Kate invited John to join them at their table. John sat next to Kate and they all made polite chit chat while dinner was served. Marlena spoke very little, giving short simple answers to any questions that were sent her way. Every once in awhile, she noticed John looking her way. She found his eyes unnerving somehow, like he could see what she was really thinking. He made her very uncomfortable. She was extremely eager for this evening to end so she could get away from Mr. John Black.
After the dinner dishes had all been cleared away, a small band began to play dance music. This was Marlena's least favorite part of the evening. She figured she'd have to put up with at least a few clumsy feet before she could make her excuses and leave the party. Kate was the first one up as she asked John to dance. John politely accepted and took her out onto the dance floor where she began to drape herself all over him. Marlena noticed that John was a very elegant dancer even with Kate hanging all over him.
The older, balding gentleman next to Marlena, asked her to dance. She politely accepted just hoping to get this over with quickly. He happily led her to the dance floor, where he held her too tight and proceeded to bore her with his knowledge of stocks and real estate. Marlena didn't notice that John was watching her face the whole time. He was almost laughing at how absolutely bored she looked. He decided that he would rescue her when the next song began. But Kate had other ideas.
Several songs had played when John finally made an excuse and got himself away from Kate. He noticed that Marlena was now dancing with another, rather rotund gentleman and looking absolutely miserable as she was trying to avoid his rather large, clumsy feet. He decided to cut in.
"Hey Steve, how about giving the new guy a chance?" John teased, as he tapped on his shoulder.
"Oh certainly…" stammered Steve as he let go of Marlena and backed away.
John quickly took Marlena in his arms and began to gracefully twirl her around the dance floor. Marlena wasn't thrilled to be dancing with John Black, but she knew that after this dance she would be able to easily make her excuses and head home. It had been a very long evening and she was tired of making small talk and dodging the advances of boring businessmen.
"I thought you might need some rescuing." John said.
"Rescuing?" questioned Marlena.
"From that rather bad dancer. You looked like you were very bored"
"Oh, well I guess I'm just tired of dancing. Do you mind if we sit this one out?"
Marlena felt extremely uncomfortable in John's arms. She couldn't deny that she was attracted to him, but she knew his type. Arrogant, cocky, always thinks he can get anyone or anything he wants. She had no desire to play games with him tonight. She was happy when he agreed to sit down.
They sat back down at the table and Marlena proceeded to ask John the usual, standard questions. How did he like Salem? Did he have any family? Where was he from? John gave her the answers which he had already repeated several times this evening. He tried to ask her questions, to find out something about her, but her responses were short and simple. She wasn't interested in giving out any information about herself. It was like she was on auto pilot just giving out the standard canned answers that didn't mean anything. John felt like he was giving her a job interview. Too bad, John thought to himself. She was a gorgeous woman, but not much personality. No wonder she was single.
After a few minutes, John excused himself and went off to chat with some board members at another table. Marlena was surprised when he left. She expected him to hit on her or ask to take her home like most men did. She had been all prepared to deliver her "I don't mix business with pleasure speech" but, he never gave her the opportunity. Even though she wanted nothing to do with him, it bothered her that he didn't try anything.
"I'm probably not young enough for him" Marlena thought bitterly…"Him and his 20 year old models". Marlena quickly got up from her table, said her goodbyes to the few people that were nearby and left the restaurant as quickly as she could. Thank God this evening was finally over.
John noticed Marlena leaving the party out of the corner of his eye. Even though she was boring as hell to talk to with that wall she had built around herself, he was disappointed to see her go. She was really something to look at. And he would have loved to get closer to that incredible body. He noticed the eyes of the other men in the room following her too. Obviously, he wasn't the only man who felt that way.
John began to say his goodbyes shortly after Marlena had left. Kate Roberts was still clinging to his side, obviously waiting for an invitation to leave with him. He had no doubt that Kate would happily accept an invitation to his bed this evening, but he had no interest in having company tonight. He made his excuses about having an early day tomorrow and made his way out of the Grill.
Before heading to his car, John decided to take a little walk in the cool night air. He liked being in this smaller, quiet little city of Salem. It was a nice change from the large cities he'd lived in before. He had gotten tired of the constant noise and dirt and traffic…the hustle and bustle. That's why he had decided to make this change. He had gotten bored with his life lately. He was extremely successful in business and he had more money now than he would ever need. He almost always had a beautiful woman on his arm and never lacked for company. It was all too easy. There never seemed to be any challenges any more.
John kept walking, just enjoying the peace and quiet of the evening. He ended up on a little pier down by the waterfront. It was a lovely remote place, a great place to sit and think and look out at the water. John relaxed and just let the calm soak into his skin. He leaned back and closed his eyes. As soon as his eyes closed, he saw Marlena's face in front of him. He still could picture her perfect face to the last detail. And he could even remember how her body felt in his arms for that brief moment that he held her on the dance floor. He could even remember what she smelled like. John jerked his eyes open. "What the hell?" thought John. He usually never gave a second thought to women that he had just met….especially women as cold and closed off as she was. Why was he thinking about her? "Because she had absolutely no interest in you John Black" …he answered himself. That was it. John had never met a woman who was so obviously not interested in him and it bothered him. "Well, I may have actually found that challenge I was looking for", John chuckled to himself. He headed back home with a new found goal….to break through that rather large wall around Dr. Marlena Evans.
John had a new apartment just a few miles from the waterfront. One of his assistants had found it for him and he had just moved in a few days ago. It was large and had a terrific view. There were still some boxes on the floor that needed to be unpacked, mostly books. They could wait.
John poured himself a drink and sat down at his computer. He decided to do a little research on Dr. Evans. He found several of her columns that she had written in the last year. They were quite impressive…..some got a little dry and technical for his taste, but he was very impressed with her knowledge and insights. She was obviously a very brilliant woman as well as being beautiful. "Well, she writes a hell of a lot better than she talks", he thought to himself. John couldn't find very much personal information about her. He did discover that she had been married twice, but was single now and she didn't have any children that he could find. But there was no mention anywhere of any other interests or hobbies. She apparently was all about her work. John had known his share of women, from competitive business women to attractive, young models and most of them, he never gave a second thought. But for some reason he couldn't stop thinking about Marlena Evans. "This IS going to be a challenge" thought John as he leaned back and finished off his drink.
