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Hugging her pillow, Emerald thought about the night before and how she loved worshiping every inch of Romy's lean, toned body. The taste of Romy still lingered on Emerald's tongue as she craved more of her. As Emerald lay in bed, she thought about her life and intermittent lovers. Between husbands, Emerald always found solace in the arms of the beautiful women she encountered. But no one had her heart since Lana, that is, until she met Romy.
Emerald knew she was falling for her bodyguard and she was struggling with what that might mean. Lines had been crossed by both of them. Many lines, both professional and personal. Well and truly crossed.
She tossed and turned for the next few hours, wishing to fall back asleep, but her stomach was in knots, knowing that, soon, Romy could be gone. The thought was too much for Emerald to bear.
Maybe it is time for something different, Emerald thought to herself.
I’ll ask Romy if she wants to be my girlfriend. Like real girlfriend. Then when she doesn’t need to be my bodyguard anymore, she can be my girlfriend instead.
Once she was resolute in her decision, Emerald could finally rest until her agent Chet called at 10:00 am. During their phone meeting, Chet set the time for the meeting with the film director, which was to be the following day. They would gather at Crystalline, a swanky lounge in the heart of the Hollywood studios. The venue was known for its expansive rooftop bar, which was a popular meeting spot for directors, actors, and screenplay writers.
“I'll be bringing Romy with me,” Emerald stated to Chet, who responded, “No problem, babe. How is that working out for you?” Emerald was aware that Chet was referring to her issues with Thomas; after all, it was Chet who arranged Emerald's bodyguard.
Emerald thought to herself,Well, I'm getting laid regularly, so it's working out well in that way!But out loud, she replied, “It's been great. Romy is very professional, and I certainly feel safer with her around. And it shouldn't be too long before the police arrest Thomas, or so, that's what Romy told me.”
“Good, good. I'm glad to hear it. See you tomorrow at 11:00 am. Oh, and make sure you look your best.” Chet and Emerald said their goodbyes and ended the call. Emerald felt renewed; she needed to be back on set after all of the drama with Thomas. And she was looking forward to bringing Romy tomorrow, even more excited to have her as a partner potentially.
Emerald finally left her bedroom in search of Marilyn. She requested that a special meal be prepared, by candlelight, outside in the garden. “I want the most romantic setting that you can imagine.” Marilyn agreed without question and Emerald considered how lucky she was that although her housekeeper was aware of her affair with Romy, as a loyal employee, Marilyn would never speak out of line or ask about her personal life.
After spending the early part of the afternoon suntanning by the pool and rehearsing what she would say to Romy, Emerald decided to treat herself with a trip to Verve salon. She knew it was risky to travel alone without Romy, but Emerald felt restless, and she wanted time to be alone with her thoughts before dinner. The actress always felt most confident when she was fully coiffed, and as she explained to Heather, her hairstylist, tonight would be a special occasion.
“Oh my, well, that's exciting! So who's the lucky fellow?” Heather added a spritz of hairspray to Emerald's blowout, keeping the hairs in place.
Emerald thought quickly. While she and Heather were close in a customer service manner, Heather was excluded from the details of Emerald's personal life. She wished she could be more candid as her heart burst with love for Romy. But Emerald couldn't risk the negative attention, should the secret of her sexuality be leaked to the public.
“Oh, um, I'm meeting with my film director tonight. There's been a lot of chaos with the recent filming, so we are gathering to discuss how to move forward.” Emerald glossed over the question before adding, “It's an important talk, and I want to look my best.”
Heather nodded. “Wow, it sounds like a big deal. Best of luck, my dear.” Emerald peered at her reflection, shaking her hair. “I love it, Heather. Thanks so much.” Emerald left the salon feeling fresh and inspired as she returned home to prepare for her date.
Hours later, while finishing her makeup, Emerald heard a knock at her bedroom door. “Hey Emerald, it’s Romy. Can I come in?”
“Of course!” Emerald’s heart fluttered to greet Romy. “Perfect timing. Dinner will be served in the garden soon.” Romy lingered in the doorway as Emerald thought to herself,God, she is so handsome! I wish I could just rip off her t-shirt right now!But to Emerald’s surprise, Romy looked concerned. “You look different. Did you go anywhere today?”
Giving Romy a coy smile, Emerald replied, “Yes, I went to see Heather at Verve.” Then, turning her head, she added, “Do you like it?”
Romy sighed, shaking her head. She approached Emerald and crouched in front of her. “You shouldn’t have done that. It’s dangerous for you to be out alone. I wish you had called me. I would’ve come with you.”
Grabbing Romy’s hands, Emerald apologized, “I know. I’m sorry. It was a last-minute decision. But nothing happened. I was fine.” Romy’s expression softened. “It’s okay, but your safety is my utmost concern; it’s why you hired me. So please don’t do that again, at least not before Thomas is arrested.”
“I understand. I promise I won’t.” Then, changing the subject, Emerald stated, “Why don’t you get ready for dinner, and I’ll meet you in the garden.”
Romy nodded. “Sure, I’m excited about this dinner. I’m absolutely starving. I’ll grab a quick shower and meet you out there.”
Moments later, the women were seated outside as Marilyn placed two filet mignon dinners in front of their place settings. Emerald was impressed with the table. There was a large bouquet of fresh flowers as a centerpiece, and the candles provided a warm glow. “Marilyn, this looks incredible. Thank you so much.”
“Yes, thanks. This looks like an incredible meal,” Romy echoed Emerald’s sentiments. Marilyn smiled, bowing her head. “Enjoy, ladies. I’ll be inside; call me if you need anything.”
Once Marilyn left, Emerald looked at Romy. “Um, before we begin, I’d like to talk to you. I have something important that I want to share.” Emerald was typically confident, and there wasn’t much that could rattle her. But as she stared into Romy’s lovely blue eyes, Emerald felt nervous.
Romy put down her glass and leaned in closer. “Sure. What’s on your mind? Is it about Thomas?”
Shaking her head, Emerald replied, “No, no. It’s nothing like that.” Taking a deep breath and gathering her courage, Emerald continued, “Romy, I-I’m falling in love with you. I know that this wasn’t supposed to be a romantic arrangement. But after all the time we’ve spent, and the times we’ve been intimate, I can’t deny my desire. I haven’t felt this way since my first and only girlfriend, Lana.”
Emerald paused to observe Romy’s expression. Romy froze in her seat, looking stunned.
I can’t read her. Does she understand what I’m trying to say?
Emerald continued, reaching across to grab Romy’s hand, feeling that the conversation needed more clarification. “I know that Thomas will be arrested soon, and then, I won’t have any reason for a bodyguard. But I don’t want you to leave. I’d love it if we could continue seeing each other outside of this role. Would you like to be my girlfriend? Of course, it would have to be a secret relationship. But I’ve done that before. I can do it again.”
