rose in her she forced them away, reminding herself that it was finally her time, finally her time to be free. Perhaps when she got settled in her new career there would be room in her life for a man again and perhaps it would be Lucas, but the thought of having a relationship now seemed more like an obstacle to her rather than support. The last relationship she got involved with put her life on hold for six years, so now her career and her dreams had to come first. She would make sure that she made plans for the divorce as soon as she could. It was the best thing for all of them wasn’t it?
“Lucas I think that you are an absolutely wonderful man and I know that some woman would be lucky to have you.”
“But not you?” he said guessing that she was about to add on one of her usual politely veiled protests to his advances.
“ I don’t want to lead you on. I am really focused on having a career now and I don’t want anything to jeopardize that! The last thing I need right now is another relationship when I am still in the middle of one, do you understand what I am saying?” she asked with a note of panic in her voice, like she really needed him to understand this.
“Natasha, not only do I understand you, but I respect you. I am willing to wait for you, just let me be your friend in the meantime,” said Lucas. The lights over the dance floor danced and reflected in his eyes making them almost serpentine in their allure. Natasha felt herself shudder involuntarily as the association came to mind but she forced that thought away and tried to be positive and cooperative.
“Ok ay, I can live with that! We will be friends, but nothing more!” she replied cautiously.
“Come let’s dance, let’s loosen up a bit. You just signed a major contract and we are here to celebrate not to feel gloomy or burdened.”
“I don’t know Lucas, I’m not really up to it right now! ” she hedged hoping her disinterest would dissuade him.
“Come on, dance with me!” he said tugging her gently off the stool.
Being with this woman did funny things to him. Although she was entering the industry by what many would call an old age at twenty-six, the younger stars had nothing on her. The blue dress she wore accentuated her toned arms and narrow waist and her hair now long and straight hung midway down her back. Unlike many of the women it was all hers and he could get lost in her green eyes just by looking at her. He was not about to mess this up even if it meant pretending to be just friends until she worked out the details of her life.
“Come on, I love this song! Let’s have fun as friends. I promise no hanky panky!” he continued coaxing her gently with a reassuring smile.
Natasha could not help but return his infectious smile as he led her out to the floor . But as she did, she kept seeing visions of times she and Marcus had danced and how much fun and laughter had once filled their relationship. How once they had been dancing in the living room of their home in Manderley just after it had been built and one thing led to another and before they knew it they were making love right there on the brand new sofa. It had always been like that between them, very passionate and very spontaneous. So the last few months when they hardly talked or made love was something so foreign to her.
Even though she knew that she was the one pushing him away, deep down she missed Marcus, she missed the feeling of being free with him, missed feeling that she was loved. Well that was over now and maybe she should look forward to a new life, after all things really seemed promising right now. She was not sure how her art and advertising degree would be finished now with her schedule about to fill up but who knows she might not even need it anymore. She was about to be a star and that was one thing no one could ever deny her again.
October 19 th , Six Years Earlier
Wiltshire Heights
“Natasha, we are so disappointed in you! How
“Lucas I think that you are an absolutely wonderful man and I know that some woman would be lucky to have you.”
“But not you?” he said guessing that she was about to add on one of her usual politely veiled protests to his advances.
“ I don’t want to lead you on. I am really focused on having a career now and I don’t want anything to jeopardize that! The last thing I need right now is another relationship when I am still in the middle of one, do you understand what I am saying?” she asked with a note of panic in her voice, like she really needed him to understand this.
“Natasha, not only do I understand you, but I respect you. I am willing to wait for you, just let me be your friend in the meantime,” said Lucas. The lights over the dance floor danced and reflected in his eyes making them almost serpentine in their allure. Natasha felt herself shudder involuntarily as the association came to mind but she forced that thought away and tried to be positive and cooperative.
“Ok ay, I can live with that! We will be friends, but nothing more!” she replied cautiously.
“Come let’s dance, let’s loosen up a bit. You just signed a major contract and we are here to celebrate not to feel gloomy or burdened.”
“I don’t know Lucas, I’m not really up to it right now! ” she hedged hoping her disinterest would dissuade him.
“Come on, dance with me!” he said tugging her gently off the stool.
Being with this woman did funny things to him. Although she was entering the industry by what many would call an old age at twenty-six, the younger stars had nothing on her. The blue dress she wore accentuated her toned arms and narrow waist and her hair now long and straight hung midway down her back. Unlike many of the women it was all hers and he could get lost in her green eyes just by looking at her. He was not about to mess this up even if it meant pretending to be just friends until she worked out the details of her life.
“Come on, I love this song! Let’s have fun as friends. I promise no hanky panky!” he continued coaxing her gently with a reassuring smile.
Natasha could not help but return his infectious smile as he led her out to the floor . But as she did, she kept seeing visions of times she and Marcus had danced and how much fun and laughter had once filled their relationship. How once they had been dancing in the living room of their home in Manderley just after it had been built and one thing led to another and before they knew it they were making love right there on the brand new sofa. It had always been like that between them, very passionate and very spontaneous. So the last few months when they hardly talked or made love was something so foreign to her.
Even though she knew that she was the one pushing him away, deep down she missed Marcus, she missed the feeling of being free with him, missed feeling that she was loved. Well that was over now and maybe she should look forward to a new life, after all things really seemed promising right now. She was not sure how her art and advertising degree would be finished now with her schedule about to fill up but who knows she might not even need it anymore. She was about to be a star and that was one thing no one could ever deny her again.
October 19 th , Six Years Earlier
Wiltshire Heights
“Natasha, we are so disappointed in you! How
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