Pretense (closed for cnuveau)

[asetikish]

Jenna stared at the message from Will not for the first time.

I told you I can get you a pretend date. He's okay for a week-long beach getaway. I've arranged for you to meet at my Polo Club later for Sunday brunch? And yes, he actually has a reason to "keep your relationship a secret." That's covered for you. Also, it's the Polo Club. Please dress the part.

What does one wear at a Polo club anyway? She sent a message of thanks and agreement then searched online for what people wear in polo clubs.

It was still a wonder how they were even friends in the first place living in totally different social strata. But there they were buddies since college. Thankfully his current girlfriend was secure enough not to pay any attention to their friendship.

Sighing, Jenna finally decided on a white halter sundress and flat sandals. Then her phone pinged again

One more thing. I also told him that you're basically a virgin with relationship issues that never last for more than a month. He's cool with it.

Jenna cursed in her head. Of all the things...

*Ping*
Had to tell him. He asked why you're still unattached after I showed him your photo.

Jenna sighed. Well, nothing she can do about that now.

Putting on lipgloss and making sure her hair was in place, she hailed a cab and went to the Polo club. Giving her name, she was quickly led to one of the private rooms and, seeing as no one was there yet, she perused the brunch menu.

No price. Her stomach flipped. One of those places. Fine. She wasn't in debt or struggling for money, but years of experience made being frugal a habit that was hard to shake off. Sighing, she ordered a cup of coffee, just as the door opened behind her.

Jenna's first instinct was to jump out of her skin. But she froze catching herself. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and calmed herself. He already knew stupid things about her. What more could she do to make a fool of herself? With more confidence, she stood with a smile on her face to mask her agitation.

The man was alone. Will never gave his name but there was no one else who should have access to this reservation. The guy was handsome. Obviously coming from money like Will with the way he came in looking like he belonged. He probably even did. And she had to thank Will one more time. He also obviously took care of himself as his clothes outlined his form.

Goodness gracious! Who did Will set her up with?

"Hi! I'm Jenna. Thank you so much for helping out a total stranger."

 

[cnuveau]

Jacob would have liked to have been asking himself how he got himself roped into something like this but the truth was, when Will made the proposal to him, he jumped at the opportunity. There was something completely alluring about the notion of a true "blind date". He'd obviously been setup on them before but most times it was obvious when he met his date that there was a motivation beyond just meeting someone new. Though his life certainly had its privileges, it was one of the glaring drawbacks of coming from a wealthy family. The fact that he could never be sure if it was him or his families wealth that someone was interested in presented its own set of challenges he had to navigate.
Further complicating things, since graduating from college Jacob didn't make much time for dating anyway. From time to time his parents would attempt to force a match with someone's daughter from their community but for the most part, Jacob poured himself into his work and learning every aspect of his father's empire. It was his birthright and he was determined not to be one of those people that just coasted along on the rails that had already been laid for him. If he was going to inherit it, he wanted it to be because he was the best person to do it.

Stopping in front of the Polo Club Jacob checked his appearance one last time in the reflection of the polished glass of the door. His white linen slacks had been his traditional attire for Sunday brunches at the club and his crisp yellow dress shirt seemed to highlight his well defined chest and shoulders. He took a moment to re-tuck his shirt where it had come free from the drive then proceeded inside, his nerves far more rattled than he expected them to be.

"Right this way Mr. Bernstein. Your guest has already arrived." he host said as he greeted him at the door.

Jacob followed the thin aging man back to the private room he'd reserved then stepped inside just as his guest stood to greet him.

Though the picture that Will had provided represented Jenna well, it didn't quite prepare him for just how stunning she was. Her flowing sundress outlined her well proportioned form perfectly and there was something about her eyes that failed to be adequately communicated through the picture that he'd seen.

"Hi, I'm Jacob. Apologies for keeping you waiting." he said extending a hand to greet her just as the waiter poked his head in to take his drink order.

"A carafe of Mimosa's please." Jacob replied before turning his attention back to Jenna. "I've been looking forward to meeting you. Will's speaks very highly."

 

[asetikish]

Will spoke highly?

She stared at him. From what he messaged her he only told Jacob of her "un-virtues" that kept her single. It took her a moment to realize she was staring and cleared her throat. She was not starting this well. Not by a long shot.

"You might think I'm acting like an idiot right now and, you're probably right. Please, sit first before even my hospitality score drops too." Jenna grinned motioning to the seats, her actions marking her unflappable, but the heat in her face made her aware she was blushing in embarrassment.

She sat across him and discretely took a deep breath. "I'm not sure what Will told you about me, but he actually never said a thing about you. I'm sure he's just getting back at me for asking him a favor, but I hope to get to know more about you than your name."

Jenna sighed. She was talking too much but she had to or her nerves would make everything in her head a jumbled mess. "I mean, I am roping you in as my pretend boyfriend. And did Will also say this wedding is going to take place in the Philippines? My sister and her husband-to-be met in an island called Palawan and now they booked an entire island for their wedding. It's a beautiful island called Banwa and the Rich's family--the groom--is rich enough to block off the place for an entire week. Family from both sides will be staying in the island and everyone else will be taken to it for the ceremony. Which means you'll be stuck with me and the families. I don't mind paying for your stay, but you might balk at the thought of spending the entire time with me in the villa. Or maybe it's a good thing?I could plead you having jet lag when you don't feel like socializing with strangers. There are only 6 villas and they're all separated so there's privacy, but there will be a ton of people during the ceremony itself. So...if it sound awful to you, you can back out now."

Jenna stopped herself from biting her lips, anxious to hear his response. If he said no, her family would be devastated with the lie. And she would have to suffer all her aunts nagging at her to get married. But in the end it was his choice. Will might have begun it but he didn't know the details.

 

[cnuveau]

Though Will hadn't exactly shared the details about Jenna in a particularly flattering way what he had shared wasn't entirely off-putting. Will seemed to focus on her need for control as being her most challenging characteristic but that only served to fuel Jacob's interest more. He'd been around his share of people so intensely driven that they lose sight of the beauty of letting go. It was a balance he himself struggled with in his life so it wasn't a characteristic he found particularly troubling. If anything, the prospect of helping someone else achieve the balance he had seemed like an interesting challenge.

It was obvious that Jenna was nervous and Jacob couldn't blame her. Whatever nerves he was feeling his was sure that she was feeling them ten times more intensely. It had to be awkward to be in her position at this moment and Jacob did everything he could to ease the nervousness she was feeling.

"I'm actually a little thankful that Will didn't share a lot about me with you." he started off as he casually crossed a leg over the other trying to convey a relaxed posture. "I usually like to make bad impressions of me all on my own." A broad grin stretched across Jacob's face and his attempt at some humor in the moment help to settle his nerves a little.

Jacob listened intently as Jenna lunched into her explanation of the trip she was asking him to make and the circumstances surrounding it. He'd gleaned some of the details of it from Will when they discussed it but the deeper context was helpful in allowing him to understand exactly what it was Jenna was asking of him.

"I've actually spent some time in Puerto Princesa so I'd love the opportunity to go back and spend some more time there." he said when she finished then fell silent. Growing up, his family had traveled extensively and there were few places around the world that he hadn't experienced at least briefly. Jacob knew full well what he'd be committing to in playing the role of her boyfriend and none of it entailed hiding away in a villa while she worked to make up excuses for his absence. "When Will brought this up with me I was honestly excited about the prospect of getting away from work for a while. I've been throwing myself entirely into it for far too long and I'm actually ready for a little break. Taking that break and also having the opportunity to get to know some new people actually sounds pretty good to me. Since you're likely going to incur the expense of the villa with or without me I'll let you cover that but I'd like you to allow me to cover our travel there. I'll likely be able to get access to a plane that'll make the trip a lot more comfortable."

As Jacob was speaking the waiter arrived with the carafe of Mimosas and poured one for each of them. When he finished Jacob reached for the glass and lifted it to his lips. "So is there any cover story I need to be brought up to speed on?" he asked with a grin as he lowered the glass.

 

[asetikish]

Jenna visibly relaxed when he agreed. Part of her was still unable to wrap her head around the fact that someone so obviously out of her league was agreeing to pretend to be her boyfriend. She itched to ask why he was still single (as he obviously didn't have a ring in his finger and that Will wouldn't set her up with an attached person), but she kept the question to herself.

"I wouldn't want to impose seeing as you're agreeing to a favor and all..." Jenna said when he talked about spotting for the flight. Given, she only had tickets for economy class which would suck on long-haul flights, and Jacob seemed they type to go business class at the very least.

The mimosas came in with the coffee she ordered. Huh. Well, that's one thing that needed clearing up.

"I guess maybe, we could start by getting to know one another a little bit so at least we can build a cover story that's believable. Like Will is a common friend and we met at the Polo Club when he invited me," she started. Because really, Cinderella stories like her sister were rare and they don't happen to people like Jenna.

She took her coffee and sipped it. "I...also don't drink alcohol if I can help it. Not only do I not like the taste, I'm apparently a light drinker and not the best drinking buddy." Oh yes, she can still remember that night when she got so drunk with Will complaining about her latest 3-week boyfriend bemoaning the lack of a real man who would take control of her. Nope. Not happening again.

Her phone vibrated on the table with a call. Jenna clicked her tongue and rejected it. "Sorry, that was work. I told them my hard limits on the weekends. Whatever it is, they can deal with it until I come back. I mean, you don't get promoted by being incompetent, right?" She grinned at Jacob.

 

[cnuveau]

Jacob found himself stuck between wanting to insist that they took his family's plane and not wanting to drop the fact that his family had a plane. It'd be far more comfortable and it would save them a ton of travel time but he didn't want to come off as pretentious. In the end he decided to just leave the offer vague. "Totally up to you but if you decide you want to fly private and skip all the hassle of international commercial, just say the word. It really wouldn't be any trouble at all." he said before moving on.

"Right so we met here and hit it off. From what I've heard you're pretty successful so I imagine that takes a lot of your time. My work also takes a lot of my time so we see each other when we can. Since we're both focused on our careers we've been taking it day by day and not trying to put too much pressure on the relationship." he started out as a picture of their relationship started to form in his mind.

Her disclosure about not drinking caused Jacob to raise an eyebrow. "Guess I should have asked that before I ordered a whole carafe huh?" he said laughing lightly. In his life he'd always been a little suspicious of people that didn't drink. In his experience it was always a cover for some underlying problem. It was either a drinking problem they were recovering from or control issues. The latter seemed to track with what Will had shared with him. "Upside I guess is that makes you a cheap date." he added with a shrug.

Her admired the fact that she'd put some boundaries up around work on the weekends. He'd attempted that in the past but in his position it wasn't really an option. Problems happened when they happened and as an owner of the business it really wasn't an option to push things off until Monday. He envied her a little in that regard. "No, it sounds like you're more then competent which is probably why they're calling you on the weekend. It's a bit of a double edged sword isn't it?"

"Ok, so back to us..... What's our favorite restaurant and what do we like to do on dates?" he asked, curious to see what her answer might be.

 

[asetikish]

A private jet at his command. Not even the "more common" first class. He must come into even more money than Will! Jenna quirked a smile. "I would be lying if I said I'm not intrigued about flying private. I haven't bought the tickets yet and I don't think economy class will cut it for a long-haul flight, eh?"

She nodded as he expressed how busy he was and wove it to the narrative of their relationship. "And I told them we've only been seeing each other for 3 months so that's perfect if we don't know much about each other and discover it there."

At the mention of being a cheap date, she laughed. "So sorry, I should have said something earlier but just being here at the polo club is making my brain stall like a deer in the headlights. And yes, frugal is my middle name. Don't you forget it." She winked at him and looked up at the ceiling. "Though I am trying not to be but old habits die hard." She looked back at him. "Right now I'm thinking of asking the waiter for a take-out since I'm sure you don't want to be drinking that entire thing. I'm living with a roommate who actually loves mimosas. Don't worry, I'm not actually going to say anything and embarrass you."

She gave a sad smile at the comment of her competence. "Sometimes you just wish you can let go, you know...? Anyway, yeah yeah. About us." She shook herself right back into the moment.

"So since we've established that I keep money on a tight leash and you don't, this is a little tricky..." Jenna tapped a slender finger to her lips. "Maybe random local mom and pop shop is our usual go-to since I am always for supporting small businesses and then sometimes you manage to talk me into treating me out to a posh dinner--the ones without the prices of course, since you know if balk if I see that you're paying to feed a family for a soup. Maybe we like variety and switch things up. That way, we won't get cornered. Sometimes we just go to parks and walk and talk, sometimes take a long drive to wherever, sometimes we go hiking or join some people at the park playing ultimate frisbee. Or maybe, you're trying to teach me to actually learn polo." She shrugged grinning. "What do you think?"

 

[cnuveau]

Jacob raised his hand "It's settled then. I'll see about arrangements for the plane." Most times it was sitting in a hanger idle so getting use of it wouldn't at all be an issue for him. When he was younger his family made extensive use of it but his parents started to travel less when he'd left home and now it was mostly used for his fathers occasional oversees business trips.

Jacob chuckled at the thought of asking for a takeout container for the remainder of the carafe. Outside of the fact that the club likely couldn't let anyone walk out the door with alcoholic beverages, he had little concern about being able to do a descent job of taking care of it himself. "Not to worry, I think I'll be able to pull your weight too." he said as he topped off his glass with the carafe then took another long sip.

Jenna's comment implying that his spending was over the top caused Jacob to bristle. He understood where the perception might have come from but he wasn't the type to go around spending money like a drunk sailor in port for the weekend. Fact was, he liked to lead a very simple life. Sure, he had access to more than most but it wasn't something he typically flaunted. "You can rest assured that I don't own a monocle or a top hat. I spend way more time in a mom and pop diner than I do at the Four Seasons or at Le Cirque." he said before continuing to call out some of the things she listed where he assumed they have some overlapping interests. "Hiking, frisbee, long drives. All good stuff. We can definitely go with that though if someone breaks out a frisbee I hope you'll be able to hold your own. I'm not going to have you embarrassing me." Jacob smiled then gave Jenna a wink before taking another sip of his drink.

The more they talked it seemed the more Jacob was becoming comfortable with Jenna. He could already imagine the long flight there being relaxed which took one of his worries off of his mind. Trapped in a confined space with someone for that long could be taxing if you didn't have much in common but he didn't imagine they'd run short of things to talk about and she seemed pretty capable of entertaining herself with a book in the times they weren't talking.
The waiter arrived again to take their order. Jacob, knowing the brunch menu by heart now, just ordered a standard breakfast of eggs, bacon toast and hash browns before the waiter turned his attention to Jenna for her order.

 

[asetikish]

Jenna grinned. Oh she can hold out her own at frisbee. She had no qualms diving or smashing into another person to win. But more importantly, it surprised her that he wasn't like Will who would spend at a drop of a hat. That was interesting.

She ordered steak and eggs trying not to think about the price and just letting her stomach take the lead in what she wanted.

Also, shed have to tell her sister that they were going in on a private jet. At least that's a reason why they have to keep their relationship under wraps, but it doesn't feel enough. "Why are we keeping our relationship secret. Will told me you have a reason--"

Just then the door burst open and Will came in with his girlfriend on his arm grinning at both of us.

"Oh you're right..." Brittany smiled looking at both of us before shaking her head. "Sorry about this, Will said he had to see you both. How are you, Jenna, darling?" She sat beside Jenna as Will took his place beside Jacob, the waiters holding the seats out for them as they promptly placed their orders leaving the four of them alone behind closed doors once again.

"I was wondering why the set was for 4." Jenna shook her head. "We're good. So nice of you to join us Brit."

"Yeah, sorry we were late. Time flies when you're having fun." She winked.

Beside Jacob, Will leaned in, his voice low. "So is she the type you'd get bored with? It's a week long excursion."

 

[cnuveau]

Though Jacob's parents made a big deal about religion it wasn't something that he spent much time at all thinking about. In his view, his parents seemed far out of step with the times. They frowned on him dating anyone that wasn't also Jewish which was why the idea had come to him when Will mentioned the need for some reason why the relationship was a secret. He was just about to explain his idea about his parents threatening to cut him off from the family business if he defied their wishes when the doors burst open.

The quiet of their brunch erupted into chaos when Brittany and Will walked in. When they hadn't shown up earlier Jacob had hoped that maybe they decided to give them some time to themselves to get acquainted. Before he knew it they were making themselves comfortable at the table and adding their orders with the waiter.

Will's question had put Jacob on the spot. His normal reply would have been something flirty and laced with innuendo but given what he'd been told about Jenna and their interactions so far, he wasn't sure just how that would go over. "No I can see us having a good time for a week, maybe even two." Jacob replied looking over at Jenna and giving her a quick wink. He was sure that she was well acquainted with Will's antics so she would have had to have at least a decent sense of humor.

Will leaned back into his chair and grinned. "Good. Yeah, sorry we're late. We got a little hung up." As he spoke he pressed his hand into the pocket of his slacks then withdrew it showing Jacob a bit of the white lace panties he had stuffed in his pocket. "You know how those things go." he continued with a devious grin.

"Guess some things never change." Jacob responded as he laughed and shook his head.

 

[asetikish]

Jenna grinned at Jacob's polite answer. "Probably even longer if you two hasn't showed up and ruined the mood." She stuck her tongue out as Will made an over the top hurt gesture.

Brittany blushed and squrimed in her seat knowing what Will pulled out from his pocket, "Will..." She moaned pouting like a kid.

But as the table blocked Will below his chest, Jenna couldn't see what was up. "Uh...what's going on?"

"Just putting ideas in Jacob's head," he grinned. "After all, it's going to be a long flight and an exotic holiday."

Taking her cue from Will, Brittany turned to Jenna as she tried to puzzle out the cryptic response from Will. "So, tell me do you really have no experience with men?"

Jenna groaned. "Oh come on, Will! Did you have to tell the world?"

"What? Brit's my girl and Jacob is pretend dating you. That about sums up everyone who I blabbed your dating History. Sad, really. All kisses no sex."

"You're the worst..." Jenna rolled her eyes. At the back of her mind, she knew it was her fault too. Sure, she was good at her job and had gone up the rings of the corporate ladder quite quickly by doing what needed to be done, but the duty of constantly making decisions, not just for herself, but also for her co-workers, made her just want to let go. None of her boyfriends understood and she really wasn't about to admit it either. After all, old habits die hard and she needed a harder man to actually take matters into her hands.

That's when all of her exes gave up. She wouldn't put out when she made the decisions because she was too exhausted doing it. Where do you want to eat? What do you want to do? What time do you want to meet up? She wanted to shake them. Why can't they just tell her? They were men, they should be making decisions. She remembered her father doing so and navigating their entire family until he died of an accident in a construction site. She was 14 then and her mother was too stricken with grief, so as the eldest, she stepped up. And since then, she became "dad" and she didn't enjoy it one bit.

Just then the waiter arrived with the rest of the food before leaving them to their brunch.

 

[cnuveau]

Jacob had been doing his best to make a good impression on Jenna but Will being there made things infinitely harder. The two of them always had a way of feeding off each other, often escalating things well beyond where they likely should have stopped. Jacob had avoided falling into the trap on Will’s first question but as the banter continued he couldn’t resist joining in. If they were going to be spending as much time together as they were she might as well get to know the real him, he thought to himself.

“No, no. This is good. We probably needed to get to this anyway.” He said, grinning at Jenna. “So kissing but no sex. I feel like that leaves a handy on the table.” Jacob said, laughing a little as he did.

“I don’t know Jenna, that’s seems like a fair compromise.” Will chimed in. “Like every time someone asks if you two are next.” His words cut off as he lifted his hand, curling his fingers and making a stroking gesture.

“Oh Jesus.” Jacob spat out, immediately regretting giving Will something to build off of. “Ok. Let’s just pump the brakes here.”

“I don’t know, that sounds fair.” Brittney chimed in giggling.

 

[asetikish]

Jenna couldn't help blushing at all the innuendos, but at the same time, she was so used to Will and Brit that she actually expected it. "I'm not even sure you're up to it, Jacob," she can't help but quip. But they were right her family would chide her and Jacob for being the next to get married. She just had to handle it so that Jacob would not feel the pressure of her meddling family.

"Ooh...am I hearing a challenge?" Brittany wiggled her eyebrows.

"More like he'll probably give up with my inexperience," Jenna tried to backtrack realizing that she was stepping on a minefield.

"Or maybe you'd enjoy teaching her a thing or two," Will eyed Jacob. "Think you can tame the frigid wildcat?"

"Excuse me! I am not frigid." Of course she wasn't. She's had her fantasies. Touched herself and played with her body, thinking of a faceless man who would take her without asking. She read erotica--on kindle of course so no one could see the cover--and she tended to prefer stories with men on the more dominant side. No, she wasn't frigid. She was just waiting for the right guy.

What Jacob must be thinking of her with this conversation! But that was what made being with Brittany and Will fun. They were amazing, loyal friends, but sometimes, you just didn't know what you were coming in for hanging around with them.

 

[cnuveau]

If Jenna's family was anything like his, Jacob knew that the kind of comments Will had mentioned would be coming fast and furious. Old Jewish women raised medaling in the younger ones lives and trying to fix them up to an olympic level sport. Had that bargain been made for a week with them she'd end up with carpel tunnel from jerking him off so much.
When Will had initially proposed helping Jenna out to Jacob he'd of course thought of the possibility that it might end up being something more than an act. He'd seen her picture and knew that she was attractive so why wouldn't he. From what Will had told him, he had his doubts about how open she might be to something like that but the banter seemed to reveal another layer to Jenna that wasn't obvious before. A successful, attractive woman like her would clearly have a lot of options and her proclamation that she wasn't frigid seemed to indicate something else was at play there.

The good news was that she didn't wince with disgust at the suggestions of something physical between them. Had she truly been frigid he would have expected her to recoil at the mere suggestion and seek to shut down the conversation. She leaned into it a little though and that made it all the more intriguing.

"Oh right. She's just not giving it away. She needs you to take it." Will blurted out then instantly regretted allowing himself to get carried away. It was a bit of herself that Jenna had shared with him in a drunken moment and she knew there was an expectation that he'd keep her confidence.

The look on Will's face told Jacob that his comment was more than just casual teasing. It was as if a secret had been blurted out unintentionally so he tucked that bit of information away then decided to change the subject and steer the conversation back on track. "So the reason our relationship needs to be kept secret is because my parents forbid me to date outside our faith. If they found out that I was I'd be cut out of the family business. It's sort of an old school Jewish thing but would probably work as a decent cover story." he said, redirecting the conversation back to where they'd left off when Will and Brittany barged in.

 

[asetikish]

"Damn it, Will!" She laughed hoping to pass it off as a joke. That was said in drunken confidence! Not the best kind of way to keep a secret, but it was a secret nonetheless. She stole a glance at Jacob but she could t tell anything from his expression. The worst thing was, he must be thinking she was a slut and would have nothing to do with her. Ugh...

But thankfully--THANKFULLY!--he got everyone back on track with where they left off. Thank goodness for someone retaining sanity in the table.

"Hmmm...kinda like the Chinese thing of families disowning their children if they dated a non-Chinese? Yeah. That definitely works." Jenna tapped her chin thinking how her family thinks. "Okay, then my family will definitely be asking how we plan to get married with that problem, and I guess the best answer to that will be that we'll cross the bridge if we get there." She shrugged. "Unless anyone has better ideas?"

Brittany shook her head. "But it would be an interesting drama if you both did manage to hit it off," she grinned.

"Yeah, after you two just exposed me for being the unmarriageble bitch I am, probably not." Jenna grinned, saying her self-disparaging joke as lightl-heartedly as she could to take the sting off the truth she believed herself and to save Jacob the awkwardness of Brit's directness.

Will laughed buying into the joke. "Hey! We're not that bad of a friend."

"Yeah, you know I love you both to bits," Jenna smiled genuinely.

 

[cnuveau]

It’s always said that every joke has a good bit of truth in it and this seemed to be one of those instances. “If it’s true this trip just became infinitely more interesting.” Jacob thought to himself. Power exchange and dominance were things he’d dabbled with in college when he was dating a girl that was into that sort of thing. It was definitely something he enjoyed playing with but hadn’t had the opportunity since they’d broken up.

Jacob thought about it for a minute and considered what he’d actually do if he found himself in that situation. He’d known people who had been pressured like that and most of them caved, passing on relationships that likely would have made them very happy. “I think it’s reasonable to say that for the right person I’d walk away from it all. It’s just too soon for us to put that kind of pressure on ourselves.” He suggested.

“Plus, we all know your dad is retiring soon so it’s not a stretch to think his conviction on something like that might be tested if it meant he couldn’t call it quits and enjoy his golden years.” Will chimed in.

Jacob nodded. “True. Leverage only works if you’re willing to accept the consequences of exercising it.”

“Damn Mr. CEO of Bernstein Enterprises.” Brittany said, playfully sliding her chair closer to Jacob like she was trying to cozy up to him.

“”Hey, what the fuck?” Will protested.

 

[asetikish]

Jenna laughed at the pair's antics. That was a pretty secure relationship if they could joke about things like that so blatantly.

She had heard of Bernstein Enterprises and Jacob being the successor is massive news. And in truth, way out of her league. Sure, Will was the son of a CEO of a publicly listed company, which means he had to work his ass off if he needed to achieve the same as his father. Jacob's, on the other hand, was one of the largest private firms in the world which means their family controlled the entire thing. Sure he still had to work hard but it still wasn't the same as plebs like her who needed to prove themselves and fight office politics and even then their shareholdings in company stock options meant absolutely nothing except for dividends and hoping they can sell it for a high price by retirement.

"But...I want a rich man, Will." Brittany put her head on Jacob's shoulder.

"Oh, is that really all you want?" Will raised an eyebrow. "You know I can give you more than that."

Brit lifted her head from Jacob's shoulder and shurgged standing to walk to Will and sit on his lap. "Yeah, sorry Jacob. All you have is money. This man has my heart." She kissed Will's forehead.

"Okay, i think it's time for us to go." Jenna stood and took Jacob's arm. "I think these two need the room all to themselves. We can continue outside in the fields. They can have the rest of the mimoss."

Will grinned at them as his friends retreated out of the room.

"My goodness! Sometimes Will and Brit can be a bit handful! I mean, they're usually normal around other people, right. If they're like that with you too, they must be dear friends to you." Jenna sighed. "Sorry I know I've been asking you a ton of questions that might make you feel like I'm interrogating you, but I have to ask one more. I'm just so curious...what's a guy like you doing still single?"

 

[cnuveau]

The whole scene had made Jacob uncomfortable. With Will and Brittany, it was all fun and games but the banter hit a little too close to home for him. When Jenna excused them he was happy for the opportunity to escape the chaos. It wasn't that he minded them showing up and being there. It certainly made their meeting less awkward than it otherwise had. It was just that the distraction had outlived it's usefulness and now he and Jenna needed their own space to find their footing.

Walking out into the fields it felt like Will and Brittany had fast forwarded their relationship by days. Well past the point of struggling to come up with things to talk about and the basic introductory questions, Jacob felt at ease with her. They had a decent chance of pulling this off for her and Jacob decided that now was as good a time as any to start getting used to the act. Reaching down he took Jenna's hand then threaded his fingers into hers as they walked. "Well I think there are a couple reasons. One of them is entirely about the amount of time I've been throwing myself into work. I feel a lot of pressure to earn what I'm being given so that occupies a lot of my time." Jacob started out then paused for a moment as they continued on. "The other is kind of the display you just witnessed. It probably seems like a silly problem to you but always having to question someone's motivations for why they want to be with me has kind of forced me to build a wall. I've let myself get attached only to find out peoples true motives and it's not great."

 

[asetikish]

Jenna knew that she did the right thing as she felt Jacob relax beside her. Half of her was worried that he preferred to stay and join in the antics, the other half--her self-forged leadership--had said, nope and just acted to get them out of there. And that part of her usually won out just because it was exercised the most. From family life to work life, taking the lead had become second nature. But the more she did it, the more tired she got.

So when Jacob held her hand and entwined his fingers with hers, it felt...right. It showed that he knew what to do and she could trust him to not become the overbearing men who thought they were dominant but were just throwing their assholery around. His move took charge of the situation, but still having her in mind. And she couldn't help but smile at him as she felt his warmth in her hand. She felt...safe. Besides, this was a good opportunity to start getting used to playing out their parts.

As Jacob told his story, she couldn't help but empathize. She didn't have the same experiences so she couldn't sympathize, but she felt the disappointment from him and squeezed his hand. "It seems like your father trusts you enough to have no doubts about giving you the reins to the empire. So if you feel the pressure, just remind yourself that it's harder for you to botch it since you're good enough to be your father's successor without needing to be better than you are now. Of course, you can always be better but that's more of a choice."

Jenna grinned as he told her about unsavory motivations of women around him. "Well, I doubt you'd have a worse motivation than me using you to lie to my family. Worst motivation if I ever knew of one. Just...don't have that wall up when were in front of my family. Especially my aunts. They're absolute hounds! They can smell relationship issues from a country away. Right now, they're asking me if my relationship with you is terrible since I've never even introduced you once."

 

[cnuveau]

There was never really any concern from Jacob whether or not he'd be ready then it was time for him to take the reigns of the business. The people who managed the day to day operations at a tactical level were infinitely qualified to continue on and see to the business's success while he found his footing. For him, it was more about being seen as worthy. The thought of being viewed as an undeserving nepo baby around the organization kept him up at night and he would do anything in his power to keep that from happening. "Thanks. I just want to be seen as deserving around the company and not just someone who had it all dropped in his lap." he replied though his words seemed distant as if he was deep in thought.

"I don't know if I agree with that. Sometimes it takes extraordinary measures to deal with family situations like this. Besides being used for my spectacular body and charming personality will be a refreshing change." he said with a laugh as they slowed to a stop and he considered how to word his own question. "I'm pretty confident that I'll be able to handle your aunts. I guess I could ask you the same question though." Jacob paused again as the words he wanted to say formed. "I couldn't help but gather from earlier that you aren't exactly thrilled with your current dating situation. It's clearly not a lack of interested men." Jacob made a show of looking Jenna up and down as if he were appraising her.

 

[asetikish]

"I can't really say I understand what it's like. And there will always be people who would just chalk it up to you being a Nepo baby, and I just don't think you should be listening to your enemies...unless you think they're worth your time?" Jenna's thumb caressed the back of his hand.

Jenna couldn't help but laugh at his quip. It was true though. He did have a spectacular body...at least as far as she could glean when the breeze made his clothes cling in places. She pursed her lips at the question.

"No, I'm not." She sighed. "Some guys, I can't speak for. Maybe I'm just not for them. The others...they just...feel like a wet blanket, you know? It's like telling me what they want could land them under the crosshairs of the DEI movement. It's frustrating to keep being the decision maker for everyone. Maybe some people like to always be in charge, but I'm not built for it. Don't get me wrong, I know I can, but I just get so, so tired of it all." She grinned at herself disparagingly. "You must think I'm a failure as a modern woman."

 

[cnuveau]

When he'd taken her hand there was an awkward ness that Jacob felt. He wasn't sure if either of them knew whether they were doing it to practice the role they would be playing or because it just felt right. The brush of Jenna's thumb against the back of his hand seemed to banish that little bit of awkwardness and he gave her hand a light squeeze.

"I don't care about the haters but as someone trying to lead it's hard to hold the respect of an organization when they don't feel like you deserve it. I'm just trying to avoid that." Jacob replied. It seemed like a minor point but he didn't want to leave Jenna with the impression that he cared too much about what random people thought of him. To him, being seen as deserving by the people he would be leading seemed important to maintain the continuity that the organization already had.

"Well I think you can definitely expect a knock on your door at any time for someone to be taking your feminist movement membership card." Jacob said with a light chuckle after listening to Jenna describe her frustrations. "I don't think most people truly understand control and people's motivations for it. There are some that just crave it and look for control in all aspects of their life. We all know at least one and most times we don't look at them favorably. There's an insecurity to it all. To most, control and leadership are burdens that we don't want to carry in every aspect of our life. It's freeing to let go and let someone else take the wheel for a while. It opens you to new experiences when you allow yourself to trust enough to let go. I completely get it." Throughout his life Jacob found himself battling against the control that his parents had over him while at the same time coming to grips with the role his family's status had him play in other aspects of his life. For him there was always a push pull that allowed him to find comfort in whatever situation he found himself in. As oppressive as it felt at times it helped him to understand the nature of it that much more.

Stopping along the fence that separated them from the polo fields Jacob turned to Jenna. "There's probably one thing we need to get out of the way before we are under the gun to perform." he said as he released Jenna's hand then lifted his hand to her cheek. There was a moment of hesitation as he looked into her eyes before he pulled her lips to his and kissed her.

 

[asetikish]

"I know. I wasn't paying my dues, anyway." Jenna grinned at him as he rode on the wave of her joke.

One thing Jenna discovered about her pretend boyfriend was that, although he looked put together very well, he was struggling in his own way. He had felt the constant need to prove himself, which is much more pressure on any one person and nothing that she could help with. And then there was an undertone to his sympathy for her need to be controlled. On the surface it seemed like he was just agreeing with her, but there was something in his tone. Something that needed to be set free.

Jenna wanted to follow on that train of thought, but stopped as he turned to her and felt his hand on her face. It sent her heart thrumming and her breathing went a tad shallower as he neared. Is he...?

"There's probably one thing we need to get out of the way before we are under the gun to perform."

A slight hesitation. It gave her the chance to push him away. To tell him no. Did she want to? She usually knew what she wanted and she didn't kiss at first meetings and that warred with wondering how it would feel like to be kissed. Before she could make up her mind, she felt his lips on hers, and she practically melted. Her eyes fluttered close and she sighed leaning into the kiss.

It wasn't often that she had butterflies in her stomach when she kissed. This one was one of those rare ones...including her very first kiss in college. Hardly any other kiss made her want more and that was saying a lot considering how chaste this was. Her hands grabbed at his shirt a few moments before they parted. Her eyes fluttered open looking at him.

"I...hope I didn't disappoint," she whispered, biting her lower lip.

 

[cnuveau]

When their lips met Jacob's hand slid from Jenna's cheek down to her neck while the other landed on her hip. The tension he first felt in her lips gave way to something more as heard the soft sigh escape her. The heat between them caused his pulls to quicken and when her hands clutched his shirt all the pretense of it being a trial run seemed to fall away.

When their lips finally parted Jacob let out a long breath and his tongue brushed across his lips gathering one last taste of hers. "Yeah, I think we can sell that." he replied with a grin that spoke to just how much it affected him. There was a moments pause where Jacob floundered to figure out how to continue the conversation they'd been having. The kiss however seemed to have derailed any notion he had of what else to discuss. "We should probably get back before Will and Brittany run up my bar tab too much." Taking Jenna's hand again, Jacob led her back into the club then too their private room.

"Good lord, get a room you two." Jacob shot out when they entered the room and found Brittany straddling Will's lap.

"Thought we had one." Will replied with Brittany's face still buried against his neck.

Brittany let out a sigh then lifted herself from Will's neck. "We probably should get going. You've got something you need to take care of." she said, offering Will a wicked grin as she snaked her hand between their bodies and rubbed it along his hardness that was straining against the fabric of his slacks.

When Brittany stood Will plucked his napkin from the table then draped it quickly over his lap. "Yeah, we should probably get the check." he said, trying to mask the hint of embarrassment he felt.

"Don't worry, I've got it." Jacob said before poking his head outside the door then motioning to the waiter that they were ready for the check.

 

[asetikish]

Jenna opened her mouth to ask how much she owed, but as neither Brittany nor Will said anything, she didn't either. She looked back at the table and saw the mimosas gone and few other empty glasses have appeared. Jenna scrunched her face envying the way people can down alcohol. Though she did console herself that for health reasons, she was doing great not drinking.

Brittany grinned as she sauntered over to Jenna. "Hey, you're flushed but I know you don't drink. Did you have a bit of a good time yourself?"

"No!" Okay, so that kiss was really good but it wasn't the 'good time's Brittany was talking about.

"But something happened...fine, don't tell me." She puffed out her cheeks. "But I have it on good authority that you won't be disappointed with him." She nodded at Jacob.

Will grinned grabbing Brit's purse and positioning it against the tent in his pants which Jenna really tried to ignore. "Hey, you'll never know, maybe you'll finally be rid of the V word."

"Damn it, Will!" Jenna smacked Will's back in embarrassment. "What a friend you are putting pressure on an innocent guy!"

Willl laughed and leaned in to whisper low so that no one else could hear. "I just really think you two look good together."

"Alright, break it up. I need my bad boy now" Brit pulled Will away leaving an even more flushed Jenna behind with Jacob.

"Sort about that. I guess it was retribution for them since we caught them at an embarrassing situation..." But even as she played it off, her friends' suggestions niggled in her brain. What would it be like with Jacob. Or for that matter what would it be like at all to actually have a partner in that way?

"A-anyway...maybe we should go on some dates in the interim so we can have stories to tell people when they ask?"