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“Thank you so much, Heather. That looks beautiful!” Emerald admired her stylish up-do in the mirror. This afternoon, she had an appointment at Verve Salon, a posh location reserved for celebrities and significant players within Hollywood. Tonight was a special occasion as Emerald was attending an exclusive performance at the Amelia Caruso Opera House, and she wanted to look her best.
Emerald looked at Romy, seated in a chair in the waiting area. As Emerald expected, Romy needed to accompany her to the appointment. Typically, Emerald preferred to do her personal errands in private. But considering her plight and her attraction to Romy, it was a pleasant change to have company.
Poor woman, she looks so bored! I should do something to cheer her up tonight.Romy sat patiently, her eyes glued to a random fashion magazine. But as Emerald studied her hair, turning her face to the side, she caught Romy looking at her in the mirror's reflection. They locked eyes for a split second as Emerald smiled, causing Romy to look away.Hmmm! Well, at least I know she's paying attention to me. It will be fun to tease her a bit—I mean, what's the harm?
Heather clapped her hands together, beaming at the actress. “You look stunning, Emerald. It's always such a pleasure to see you.” As Emerald stood, the hair stylist removed her cape. “What's the occasion?”
Emerald strolled towards the front area to pay for her service, and at the same time, Romy stood to move beside her. Opening her designer wallet, Emerald replied, “Tonight, I'm—or rather, I should saywe—are attending the Amore Faralla Opera. The tenor, Maria Bartolli, personally invited me. We've known each other forages,” Emerald purred as she pointed to Romy. “My goodness! Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce you; this is my associate and new friend, Romy Russell.”
Emerald was not yet at the point where she wanted to reveal that she had a bodyguard. Luckily, most people in Hollywood were shallow enough not to ask questions. Emerald was also known to be seen with different people, depending on the occasion, so the fact that she had brought a new face to the salon was nothing new.
Romy politely extended her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Heather replied, “Hi, Romy. Emerald has been coming to my salon foryears.I hope you enjoy the show.” Then, turning to Emerald, Heather added, sounding sympathetic, “Listen, I'm so sorry to hear about your divorce. How are you doing?”
But Emerald waved off Heather's concern. She didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her, and she certainly wasn't going to discuss the threats or imminent danger. “Oh, I'mfine!As the world knows, this isn't my first divorce. He was a jerk anyways.” Then, dismissively, she brushed off the topic.
Heather leaned in, placing a hand on Emerald's arm. “Well, my husband Frank just hired the most handsome lawyer at his firm. So whenever you are ready to jump back in the saddle, so to speak, give me a call, and we can set you both up on a blind date.” Her stylist winked, giving Emerald a nudge.
Internally, Emerald cringed. She had no interest in dating a man that served no purpose outside of appearances. If Thomas weren't so aggressive, she would have been elated about the divorce; the only thing holding back her happiness was the ongoing threats.
For now, she was happy to fly under the radar and be seen as straight. That perception was valuable to Emerald's career, and while she often entertained the thought of coming out in her later years- she knew the world was changing, she wasn't quite ready. And aside from the female, fly-by-night lovers of her past, Emerald had not yet met a woman that would have inspired her to turn her life upside down; coming out was not on Emerald Crowle’s agenda.
“We'll see; I'll keep you posted,” Emerald casually replied. Thanking the stylist, she and Romy left the salon to prepare themselves for the opera. As they strolled down the sidewalk, Emerald turned to Romy. “Have you ever been to an opera before?”
Romy looked at Emerald; their height was similar, allowing their eyes to meet easily. “No, I haven't. But I've been a bodyguard to a performer, and I've been backstage as security.”
Emerald tittered. “Well, this won't be the same kind of experience, I can tell you that. I have my own VIP box seat and security for that section. So, you can sit back and enjoy the performance.” Then, pausing for a moment, she added, “I mean, I know you are technically working, but I want you to take it in.”
Romy shrugged and grinned. “Okay! Of course, my focus is on your safety, and I want you to relax. But I'm sure it will be interesting. What is the opera about?”
Emerald was pleased to see that Romy was warming up in her presence. She seemed more at ease with Emerald. It had been almost a week since Romy moved in, and the pair had developed a nice routine. However, Emerald could tell her charms were having an effect on Romy, and it tempted Emerald to test the powers of her seduction.
Placing a hand on Romy's shoulder, Emerald leaned in. “Well, it'squitea story! The lead character—or tenor, as she is called—Elizabeth Carrington, is a Queen in the 18th century who falls in love with her servant Harmony. The Queen can't reveal her love because the Court would behead her. But Elizabeth and Harmony have a torrid love affair, in secret.” Emerald lightly squeezed Romy, feeling the firm muscles beneath her cotton shirt.
“One day, Elizabeth and Harmony decided to travel to the countryside to enjoy a picnic by the lake. Elizabeth decides to go skinny dipping in the lake, and Harmony joins her. But a strong undercurrent sweeps up Elizabeth, and sadly, she ends up drowning.” Emerald pauses and looks down at the pavement. “Sometimes, I feel like Elizabeth, actually.”
The actress could feel Romy's eyes on her and sensed curiosity from her. Secretly, Emerald was hoping that Romy would question her statement. She often felt lonely in her feelings, more than anyone in her life knew.
In a way, it was safer for Emerald to confide in a stranger than her closest friends. Everyone she knew was involved in her industry and everyone wanted a piece of her fame and fortune.
But Romy replied, chuckling, “Is that the whole story? I guess I got the spoiler alert!”
Emerald couldn't help but laugh. “Well, the opera is in Italian, so you wouldn't have known what was happening anyway unless I told you. So now, you can follow along and enjoy the music and the stage.” She playfully tapped Romy. “You should be thanking me!”
But Romy, who possessed a quick wit, quipped, “We'll see about that. How about this? I'll thank you for introducing me to something new, and you can thank me for protecting you. That way, we are even.”
“Hmmm, I'm not so sure about that. I prefer to have the upper hand.” Emerald winked again, giving Romy another light squeeze before they called the driver to take them home.
The women went to their respective rooms to prepare for the evening. As Emerald slipped her body into a long, black ball gown with a daring slit up the side, she couldn't stop thinking about Romy's strong physique and piercing blue eyes.
She imagined Romy beside her, with a firm hand resting on her knee, inside their private box seats. Emerald thought about what it would be like to feel Romy's lips on her neck as her hands slid up her dress. Her body came alive, and wetness grew between her legs. Fanning herself in the mirror, Emerald resisted the urge to pleasure herself while getting ready. Even at 58 years old, Emerald's sex drive was still revving, and she loved to simmer in her desire.
Adding her signature cherry-red lipstick, she surveyed her appearance once more before exiting her master suite. Emerald looked down the hall, wishing she could peek inside Romy's quarters to watch her dress. But as someone who often fought for her own privacy, she decided to wait in the parlor for her bodyguard. Then, running into Marilyn, Emerald requested that the housekeeper serve her a dirty vodka martini while she waited for Romy and her driver, Jesse Stone.
“Here you go, my dear. I hope you have a lovely evening.” Marilyn sat the cocktail on a table next to Emerald. “When are you leaving?”
“Jesse should be here in about fifteen minutes. Romy is going to follow behind us in the SUV.” Emerald took a delicate sip of her martini just as Romy appeared in the doorway. The actress nearly choked on her drink when she saw her handsome bodyguard dressed in a tuxedo.Holy shit! She looks incredible!
