It wasn’t like any ballet he’d ever seen. The dance was more like a mix of Latin salsa, modern jazz, ballet and hip-hop. She twirled around several times them stopped ending with her body doing a grinding motion then fell to her knees and eased to the floor. She laid down a second then pulled up arching her back first then kicking one leg up as she instantly sprang to her feet.
As the tempo increased so did her movements. On her toes she performed a ballet step then she spun around and ended by leaping into the air.
Leap after leap, jump after jump, she flew around the room with the grace and agility of a gazelle. Higher and higher she flew as the crescendo enveloped the room. She danced and he watched. Every move she made sent his heart thundering in his chest. He’d never seen anything like it before. She was more than a dancer, she was an artist. Her body was a picture of beauty, grace and elegance that easily vied with her amazing feats of athleticism.
She danced a private dance. But he was there and he watched, enjoying what he saw. Her movements were erotic as her body swayed and gyrated to the sexy rhythms. The music climaxed and she threw her body against the barre. He walked toward her. She turned awkwardly, detecting the presence of someone else in the studio for the first time. As the music continued she stared and then squinted across the room. Their eyes connected. She knew who it was even before he spoke. There, standing in the shadows, she recognized him instantly.
His private dance was over.
Juliet walked over and turned off the music then grabbed her towel and slung it around her neck. She looked up at the shadows dancing across the far wall and sighed heavily catching her breath. “This room is off limits,” she said into the darkness knowing that he was still standing in the room. With her back to him she began gathering her things and shoving them into her bag.
He ignored her comment. “That was beautiful.”
She dabbed her face and neck, turned then walked toward him as he stood at the open door. She paused briefly and looked up at him. “I know.”
J.T. chuckled. “Your confidence is limitless.”
“I know that too.” She brushed past him and headed down the hall. He followed.
“We need to talk.”
She sighed loud and long, seemingly from boredom. “Look, rich men are a dime a dozen,” she threw out over her shoulder. “I’m not interested.” She continued to walk.
“Of course you are.” He continued to follow.
She stopped and turned. “Enough. You’re obviously a man who gets exactly what he wants. You want something from me or you wouldn’t be here. What is it?”
He nodded. She was just as he remembered. Smart quick and determined. “You’re right, I do want something.”
“What do you want?”
“Your time,” he said.
“My time is valuable.”
“You’ll be adequately compensated I assure you.”
“I think this conversation just slipped into an indecent proposal or something I’d be arrested by the vice squad for. What is it you want?”
“The question is, Ms. Bridges, what
you
want?”
Her expression didn’t change. She turned and continued walking. After several turns they were back at her dressing room door. She opened the door and turned to him. “I don’t need or want anything from you. Goodnight Mr. Evans.”
J.T. nodded and stepped back as the door closed in his face. He smiled as he walked down the hall. Just as he turned the corner he walked into Roger.
“There you are,” Roger said running toward him breathlessly. “We were afraid that you’d already gone. We’re just about to close the auction.”
“Auction?”
“Yes, a silent auction. We hold several throughout the season each year. It’s a way to generate interest and raise additional funds for the scholarship program.”
J.T. was only half paying attention. His thoughts were still on the private dance. “Sounds like a worthy cause.”
“Oh, it is, it is. Everyone participates. Basically, the company auctions off a dancer’s basket which usually contains an autographed photo, playbill, ballet slippers and in some cases, as with our principal dancers, a personal studio visit or tour of the company, invitations to exclusive dancer and executive social events, dinner with the principal dancer and an exclusive dress rehearsal. The highest bidder of the night receives dinner with the dancer of his or her choice and admittance in special platinum partners program.”
“Does Juliet Bridges participate in the fundraisers?”
“Not lately. But if I’m not mistaken she does have a basket this evening. Oddly enough, she used to participate all the time. Believe it or not, the whole silent auction thing was her idea a few years ago. Of course, now it’s grown to include a wide range of fundraising perks, including personal tours from dancers and even the shadow dancer program.”
“Shadow dancer program?”
“Yes, very popular, but very expensive, if of course you’re lucky enough to be the evening’s big winner.” Roger went on to elaborate about the activities available for the evening’s entertainment.
“What’s usually the top bid?”
“That depends. It could be anywhere from a thousand to ten thousand dollars. When Juliet is auctioning the bids go as high as twenty thousand.”
J.T. nodded. As they approached the reception area, J.T. noticed that a table had been set up on the side of the room covered with several baskets of ballet slippers. Beneath the basket was a clear glass bowl filled with small folded pieces of paper.
Roger grabbed a blank piece of paper and pen and handed them to J.T. “Interested?”
J.T. took the pen and paper, wrote a bid then walked down the table of slippers. He stopped at Juliet’s basket. It was already filled to capacity. He smiled knowingly and dropped his paper into the overflowing glass bowl.
“I hope you have a bid for me as well,” Vanya said as she eased in front of him drawing his attention. “I assure you I am very accomplished, I will certainly be worth your while.”
J.T. looked down at her understanding her meaning perfectly. Her green eyes and bronzed skin glistened and sparkled with a shimmer that covered the rest of her overly made-up face. Small in stature, she seemed more like a child begging for table scraps than an accomplished dancer. “Maybe next time,” he said, suppressing the urge to pat her on the head and send her on her way.
“It is a shame to grow so old,” she said as she glanced down at Juliet’s overflowing basket. “People tend to pity you.”
J.T. followed her line of vision to the basket. “Juliet is certainly not old.”
“Yes, I’m afraid she is. This business if for the young and age is very important. Juliet Bridges is very old. In dancer’s terms she is well past her prime.”
“I find that very hard to believe.”
“It is true. A professional dancer can dance for ten years, more if she is very careful and avoids injuries. Juliet has been dancing ever since I was a child of two, nearly sixteen years now.”
“But her performance tonight was exceptional.”
“
Carmen
is an excellent piece and it is very forgiving to those who do not see and understand its subtle eccentricities.”
“I see.”
“Her body cannot continue to take the rigorous punishment of the dance. Practices and rehearsals alone can be brutal. A masterpiece like
Carmen
is physically and emotionally draining. Juliet is probably resting now from the grueling performance this evening. I doubt she will last until the end of the season. She will certainly have to retire soon.”
“Leaving you center stage, of course.”
“Of course, I am the soloist. I am the obvious choice.”
“So what happens to Juliet then?”
“I understand she has already found a benefactor who will take care of her needs. A senator I believe. This is good.” A muscle in J.T.’s jaw twitched and tightened. “I wish her luck.” Vanya added smugly then turned and walked away. She paused and turned. “But for now, if you are waiting for her to join us, I am afraid that you will be disappointed. She hardly ever attends these fundraisers. I doubt she’ll attend tonight.”
Instant applause rang out drawing everyone’s attention across the room. With the mass of heads turning J.T. had no idea what was happening. Excited whispers and chatter traveled throughout the crowd like wildfire.
Roger walked back over to where J.T. stood. “That can only mean one thing,” he said breathing a sigh of relief, “Juliet has arrived.”
Smiling like a perfect angel, Juliet entered the room amid a whirlwind of adoration. Dressed in show-stopping red, a crowd instantly surrounded her as soon as she walked in. Smiling, laughing and greeting her admirers, she was the polished celebrity ballerina and it seemed that everyone adored her except for one. He watched as Vanya glared angrily, turned and stalked away.
J.T. looked after her curiously. Her age belied her true nature. She may have been young, but she had the killer instincts of a seasoned hitman. His concern shifted to Juliet. He wondered if she knew what her understudy was up to.
As if magically transformed into a celebration, the once muted room was suddenly alive, all because the vivacious Ms. Bridges had arrived. Like a queen bee they swarmed to her, her fans, her admirers, all begging for a glance or a touch from Ms. Juliet Bridges.
She was clearly comfortable on stage. Every smile was brighter, every laugh merrier as her eyes twinkled with just the right amount of amusement. She was untouchable yet approachable. Those who met her for the first time instantly fell in love. Those who knew her reaffirmed their adoration.
J.T. watched from across the room as conversation continued all around him. He was again amazed by her ability to charm. Bubbly, bright and intoxicating, she entranced everyone in the room.
As the cocktail conversation circled around him, J.T. half-listened and participated as he continued to watch Juliet work the room. To his relief the conversation was interrupted by the company’s publicist, Chester Banks, congratulating him on not only winning Juliet’s basket, but also having the highest bid of the evening. Soon after, Peter Flemings and Phillip Waverly approached, adding their congratulations as well and extending an open invitation to visit the company rehearsals at any time.
Never yielding an opportunity, Phillip immediately went to work citing the merits and benefits of becoming a platinum patron of the Cultural Center. As J.T. endured a session of long-winded fundraising filibustering, he watched Juliet from across the room. J.T. promised to mention his monetary concerns to E-Corp’s Community Relations and Development Division.
Phillip turned to see what or who had drawn J.T.’s attention as he continue his pitch. A true professional, Phillip was tenacious. Yet seeing that his fundraising attempts were fading, Phillip grabbed the passing Juliet in a last ditch effort to garner additional donations from J.T.
“Have you met our Juliet Bridges yet?” He said to J.T. as he nearly lassoed Juliet’s arm and pulled her to J.T.
Juliet’s mind raced,
I am not a coward. I can do this
.
J.T. turned. “Yes, we met earlier.”
Juliet smiled innocently and nodded graciously to him then smiled at Phillip. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with someone across the room.” She stepped back in an attempt to leave.
“Nonsense,” Phillip insisted as he guided Juliet to stand beside J.T.
“This is a perfect opportunity for you two to talk. Juliet, J.T. not only won your basket but he also won the evening’s top bid, the shadow dancer program. You two will be spending a great deal of time together in the coming days.”
Juliet looked at the smiling J.T. “Congratulations.” Her smile and salutation was anything but genuine.