Two weeks Later...
Gideon has let me in. It took sometime but I finally made my way in. It honestly feels weird to date the one thing that I made fun of while back in Philly. I lay across my bed reading a Stephen King novel when suddenly there was a knock on my bedroom door.
"Come in!" I say loudly. The scent that filled my room was my favorite scent. A huge smile came across my face and I rolled over. "Well, if it isn't the billionaire playboy." I say with a smile.
"Um. Excuse me! Former billionaire playboy. I am now the billionaire who is spoken for. I wanted to know if you would like me to accompany me to a charity dinner this evening?" I go wide eyed. I don't have anything to wear nor is my hair, nails and toes done and I'm not waxed! Damn you Gideon!
"Gideon...I don't..." He stops me from talking by placing his lips on mines. I love it when he does that.
"Don't worry. I have something for you to wear but you can't see it until after your spa day with Sammy." I am speechless. A spa day? I always wanted a spa day but I was always too busy to go to the spa.
"Gideon you are way too much right now. Thank you." I swung my arms around him and kissed his cheek. I walk him out of my room and into the living room near the door.
"Now, I need to run out of here and pick up a few items for tonight. I will see you at 6:30." He says as he walks to my apartment door.
"Bye Gideon!" I kiss him one more time and shut the door. I let out a sigh and Sam is leaning in the door way of the living room.
"You're swooning again Chanelle." Sam says with a huge grin.
"I can't help it. The guy has my heart and he really knows how to treat me." I landed on the couch.
"Chanelle, I still don't know about him. Just promise me you will keep an eye out on yourself." Sammy says with concern. I know she has an eerie feeling about him. I can't say that I don't blame her though. She was there for my very first relationship in high school with James DiSimone. He was the star Quarterback and led out team to 3 consecutive state titles. I was shocked that he would date a black girl though but nonetheless he was a sweetheart until he left for USC. He cheated on me with the high school slut Melissa Holmes. I was depressed for quite sometime but I eventually got over it and just went on with my life at Temple. She follows me into my room and noticed the dress bag and shoe box on the bed. "What's this?"
"Gideon wants me to accompany him to some charity event. I've never been to a fancy dinner party before. I was more so worried about what the hell to wear because you know me. Besides the work clothes I own, I don't own fancy dresses." I said with a small snicker. Sam picked up the dress bag and unzipped it.
"Oh my God Nelly! This dress is beautiful! Have you seen it yet?" I shook my head trying to get my bathroom stuff in a neat pile. I turn around and I'm speechless. The dress was beautiful. It was a champagne colored one shoulder dress that looked like it hugged me in the middle and was really flowed at the bottom. It had swarovski crystals all over the dress. "Open up the shoes!" I ran to the box and opened the cloth bag. I nearly fainted when I opened the bag.
"He...got...me...YSL shoes Sam!" I said with a little voice. The room was spinning. I've always wanted a pair of Yves Saint-Laurent shoes.
"YSL? As in Yves Saint-Laurent?" She said. I held up the very sparkly shoe and she screamed! "Girl you need to get ready like right now. She's right but I still have a spa day to attend to.
It's 4:30 in the afternoon and Sam and I just walked back in from the spa. I feel so much better. I feel light and thanks to that damn Brazilian, I'm feeling a bit turned on. I take a shower with a shower cap on so I don't mess up my curls. 15 minutes later, I'm standing in my room with just a towel on and I can't stop looking at this dress. I decide to match my strapless bra, panties and garters to the dress. I put it on and I'm can't believe what I am seeing in the mirror. Sam comes in and she is floored.
"So what do you think?" I ask her. She couldn't formulate words at first but then she picked up her jaw from the floor.
"You look stunning Chanelle!" I look at the clock and there was a knock on the apartment door. We both smiled. "He is right on time." Sam said as she shut the door to my room. I can hear Gideon talking to Sam. I am putting the finally touches to my makeup and let out a heavy sigh. I slid into my shoes and walked out into the living room. He turned around and begins to smile.
"I must thank my personal shopper. This was a very good choice especially with your skin color. You look absolutely incredible Chanelle." I smile and look into his eyes.
"Thanks Gideon. Are you ready?" I ask him putting the last thing in my champagne clutch.
"Yes I am Ms. Howard-Jones." He says extending his elbow to me.
"Ms. Howard. Mrs. Howard-Jones is my mother." I say with a smile. "Sammy I'll be back later. Tell everyone I said hi and I can't wait to meet them." Sammy waved to me and like that we were off. We get down to the first floor and I can feel eyes all on me. We walk out and I see a limo waiting for us. I smile at the driver and slide in. I see Gideon and the door closes. We begin to pull off in New York traffic.
"So, I have never been to a charity dinner before. How do these things normally go?"
"Well, since I am a very well known man so, people will be wanting to take pictures and there are people that I need to speak to." He goes on and on about what normally happens at these events and by him telling me, I'm exhausted. We reach the event and there is a red carpet. "Are you ready?" Gideon squeezes my hand and I nod. The door opens and Gideon gets out and then helps me out of the car. The abundant amount of flash photography going on blinded me but I manage to get through it all. We finally made it in the building and I begin to marvel at the architecture. I was walking without knowing where I was going. I bumped into a hard body and stumbled backwards.
"Whoa! Are you okay?" A pair of blue eyes locked with mine. Not as blue as Gideon's but equally amazing and it felt like I was frozen in time. "Hey! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" I shake my head and held my head.
"Yeah. I'm fine thank you." I walk away and try to find Gideon. I felt a pair of hands on my lower back and I stiffen but suddenly relax. Gideon walks around me and hands me a glass of champagne.
"It seems you are the talk among the men Chanelle." My face heats up and I end up downing my drink.
"Oh really? How so?" Gideon laughs and turns me around and points with his chin.
"The guy you ran into. That is professor Gabriel O. Emerson. Dante' Specialist at the University of Toronto." He says with a subtle scoff.
"As in Dante' Alighieri's 'The Divine Comedy' Dante' Specialist?" I ask with excitement.
"Yes! You know about The Divine Comedy?" Gideon asked.
"Know it? I love it! I read it in school. It actually made me want to learn Italian so I can read the original copy. Can you introduce me to him?" I asked but I can see the hesitation in Gideon's face.
"I don't want you near him Chanelle. I have my reasons so don't ask." Geez! What crawled up his ass?
"I have to use the bathroom. I'll be right back." Gideon kissed my cheek and I walked off. I get to the bathroom and I feel someone grab my arm. I am spun around and I see this really gorgeous brunette. She looks to be Hispanic but I'm not sure. "Can I help you?"
"Forgive me. My name is Magdalene Perez. A good friend of Gideon's. My oh my Gideon sure knows how to pick them." I narrow my eyes at her. Slowly the Philly girl is starting to rear her ugly head.
"Excuse me?" I say with attitude.
"And she has a smart mouth! So have you and Gideon..." I cut her off right there because I know where that is heading.
"That's none of your fucking concern! If you'll excuse I need to use the bathroom." I bump pass her and she chuckles.
"He will toss you like the trash you are. You are nothing but a worthless whore!" I turn around and walk back to her. I am now nose to nose with her. I cock my hand back to slap her and someone stops me. It's not Gideon's hand though.
"Leave her alone. Go somewhere else!" That voice. It sounds familiar. Magdalene smiles and walks off. I turn around and I see Professor Emerson standing tall. He releases my hand and smiles. "You know you are too gorgeous to be in fights." I'm in awe of this man.
"You're...You're..." Fuck! I can't speak.
"I'm Gabriel Emerson and you are?" He says calmly. I shake my head.
"I'm sorry! I'm Chanelle Howard-Jones. Sorry! I just found out about you and I have to say that I am a huge fan of Dante'." He smiles.
"Oh really. Well, I'm in New York for awhile." He hands me a piece of paper with a number. "Call me. I would love to discuss your version of Dante' with you." I blush as he walks away. I really need to pee. I run to the bathroom and use it! After I clean up, I walk out the door only to be taken away by a furious Gideon. Yup! Something has crawled up his ass and now has died!
"Gideon! Slow down! I can't walk fast in these heels." I say as I try to keep up with him. He isn't speaking to me. "Gideon! I said slow down. I'll fall in these!" We reached the doors of the place and I fall slamming my knee into the marble. I'm screaming because the pain is unbearable. Tears are streaming out of my eyes. Gideon turns around and picks me up and carries me out. He puts me in the limo not minding my knee. I let out another scream as the pain shoots up my leg. "GIDEON WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR ISSUE?!" I yell out.
"I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM EMERSON AND YOU DECIDE TO TALK TO HIM ANYWAY!" He yells back. Oh no! Not having this right now!
"OH SO IT'S PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE TO HAVE YOUR "FRIEND" COME UP TO ME AND CALL ME A WORTHLESS WHORE THOUGH?" He looked at me and tilted his head.
"What friend Chanelle?" He asked with concern.
"Magdalene Perez. You know what? Just take me home. I don't feel like dealing with this tonight." I say as I try to move my leg. The pain is too much and I begin to cry again.
"Chanelle. I..." He touches my arm and I snatched it back.
"It is in your best interest not to touch me right now Gideon!" I snapped back. We finally reached my apartment. I messaged Sammy to meet me outside to help me up to the apartment. She opened my side and pulled me out. Gideon got out and she shot him a look.
"Gideon get back in the limo. I got it from here!" Sammy put her arm around my waist and I limped into the apartment building. I'm leave Philadelphia to get away from drama and yet the bitch follows me to New York and takes on a new form. She opens the door to the apartment and walks me to the couch.
"Ok. Let's take a look at that knee." She pulls up my dress and I look down. Damn that is a huge bruise. I slammed my head back on the pillow. Sammy runs to the kitchen and grabs the ice pack out of the freezer.
"Sammy. Can you help me into the room. I just want to go to bed and forget about tonight." She nods and picks me up. She helps me out of my dress and slides on my sweats carefully.
"Goodnight baby girl!" She says smiling.
"Goodnight Sammy!" I say and like that I nod off. The next morning, I wake up cold. I forgot that I had the ice pack under my knee. I take a sniff and my room smells like flowers. I slowly turn around and noticed that my room is filled with at least 8 dozen white roses. I look in the corner and see a sleeping Gideon still in his tuxedo from last night. How did he get in here? I can't be completely mad at him. He looks adorable sleeping. I text Sammy.
"Hey! How long has he been in my room?"
She replies 5 minutes later.
"He has been in there since 1:30 this morning. I told him to go home but he insisted on sleeping in the room with you plus he sounded a bit intoxicated. Then before I left for work, your roses came in and I moved them into your room. You both are made for each other. You sleep like hibernating bears lol."
I have to remind myself to slap her later. I sit up on the bed with my back flat against the headboard and I stare at how cute and peaceful he is. I don't want to wake him but he needs to get up. I throw my small Hello Kitty plush at him and he snaps awake. He looks around and rubs his eyes.
"Good morning Mr. Cross." I say with my arms folded.