The majority of men I met disgust me. Their cheap ego traps, flamboyant displays of wealth and degrading talks of infidelity were far more detrimental to mankind than imagined. Taking another look at the term "filthy rich", the truth rears its ugly head and reminded me of the few men who raped me years ago, I felt the filth shrouding, rubbing off on me, but two different kind of grime.
I wanted out. But as time passed I gave up eventually. Maybe I was just looking the wrong places.
The little memo on my name card that Richard gave me was safely tucked away in my wallet. It felt like a glowing spark that emitted warmth, pulverizing at the dreaded cold of the surroundings. It has been long since I last went on a date.
Friday arrived, fashionably late as I barely made it past the early start of the week. Not wanting to give away the excitement that was running rampant through my cells, I slept through the whole afternoon, having taken off from work that night. It felt nice to wake up fully recharged. The nocturnal nature of my work made quality sleep something I could only fantasize about.
Cary knew my heart was bursting at its seams, having read me like a book all the time. But she was tactful enough to know I was not the type of person who liked to keep my hopes up for I had overwhelming fear of disappointment. She politely asked if I wanted her help with the make-up, cleverly declaring: "I am so bored, can I help you do your make-up?" to make it seem as casual as possible.
My hand ran over the dreamy fabric of the dress I had picked for the dinner.... since Monday. It was a beautiful maxi dress in creamy wheat, made of chiffon and featured a Grecian neckline. Clinched at the waist, the streamline of the fluid dress enhanced the femininity of my figure and elongated my height. I slipped on strappy sandals to compliment the Greek feel, and completed the look with gold accessories and my trusty embossed gold clutch from Aldo.
Cary's expert make-up skills ensured I projected sun-kissed cheeks, eyes that sparkled in subtle hues of gold and bronze, complete with full-on red lips. "Aphrodite!" She exclaimed as I did a small catwalk in my full outfit, asking nervously "Do I look okay?"
Misfortune, having been my best friend since young, had graciously arranged for a downpour to hit the road whilst I was on the way to Equinox. Being thrifty as usual, I took public transport, and that few minutes of walk without shelter was enough for the rain to do its damage. Caught totally unprepared, I was drenched from head to toe, with only my face protected by the Aldo clutch to prevent smudging of Cary's efforts.
I arrived at the doors of Swissotel absolutely soaked to the bone. And to my dismay, standing right in front of me, was... Richard. Dressed to the nines in his grey trousers and pure white shirt, the sleeves had been casually rolled up to 3/4 to look less intense. He ditched his tie for a carelessly unbuttoned fold right below his collar, showing just a glimpse of his chest. He looked at me with worry strewn across his face.
"I see you have been caught in the rain. Did you not take a cab?" He offered his arm, and gestured to a bellboy nearby to get me some napkins whilst bringing me to the check-in counter.
"Hi Mr Anderson, how may I be of assistance?" The receptionist gave a polite bow.
"Can I have my room ready please? My beautiful date here got caught in the rain." He gave me a quick wink as I mustered a feeble smile beneath my shivers.
The room was an elegantly furnished crest suite that emanated various Oriental fusion. I politely left my soaked sandals by the door mat, and consciously wiped my wet, flaccid feet against the plush mat, afraid to stain the snow white marbled floor with unsightly mud water.
Richard graciously offered to take my clutch and accessories as I headed straight for the toilet. Just as I was waiting for the shower temperature to hit the perfect degree, I could hear him moving. Faint sounds of paper, chair and television painted many images in my head as the soothing warm water trickled down my iced out body, thawing the freeze.
I tilted my head, unwilling to let the water smudge my porcelain make up. A view of me with mascara running down my eyes was ideal only if I wanted to ruin a first date. As I patted myself dry, I heard the sound of boiling water. My bra was soaked. Wearing nothing but a bathrobe and a thong, I desperately tried to blow dry the damp material when Richard knocked on the door.
"Violette, I've got something for you." His voice was muffled through the heavy wooden door.
"I.. err.... Alright I'll be out in a minute." I decided the homing sound of the dryer was giving away the fact that I was drying my intimates.
I dabbled on the fragrant body lotion from the extravagant range of exquisite toiletries before I slid open the wooden door and came face to face with Richard, who was merely an inch away from me.
My heart did a somersault as a slight blush tinged my cheek. As though wanting to make the tension less overwhelming, Richard stepped back and pointed to the coffee table.
"These are for you. I hope I guessed the right sizes." Three boxes laid before my eyes. I felt adrenaline escalating in a flurry as I opened the first box - It was from Ashley Isham, a beautiful evening gown of silken beige that gave an effervescent and polished flow. The dress shone in futuristic shimmer with a modest V cut at the bust line. It clinched at the waist and hips and was extremely soft to the touch.
"I'll wait for you at the restaurant. I've boiled some water for you as well. Please do pop a tea bag to chase away the cold." Richard took his jacket, and smiled genially at my appreciation of the dress before closing the door behind him; Leaving me to indulge in the material feast before my eyes.
I was so beguiled that I did not notice Richard exiting the room.
The next box had a huge "Jimmy Choo" nestled right on the lid, giving away its content. I opened the box. The pair of stilettos took my breath away. It was muted gold, with a mash-up of straps that crissed crossed without being over the top. And it was standing at the perfect height of 5.5".
The last box laid flat on the bed. The brand embossed in silver was indistinguishable with its cursive and french language. Toying with the softness of the Isham dress, I contemplated spoiling the last surprise, playing a mini game of "What is the last item Richard got for me?" I inspected the box, not wanting to to lift it up for fear its weight and noise made may give the surprise away.
It was a rather medium sized box, but flat. Probably the approximates of an A4 sized paper. I gazed lovingly at the new dress and shoes before looking at what I wore previously, determining what got soaked in the rain. I got it! Richard must have gotten me a new clutch seeing that my Aldo one has been remotely destroyed from being used as a shield from the battering rain.
I tried to visualize how it looked like as I took my time with the lid of the box. As the wrapping papers fell away, a gasp escaped my lips. I could have sworn my cheeks went red from what was right in front of me. It wasn't a clutch, but a set of lingerie. Not modest cotton bra and panties, but sheer black lace. It was delicate, tasteful and not the least bit disparaging. But the thought of Richard requesting for such lingerie was appalling but incredibly arousing at the same time.
In my entire career, I have had men buying presents for me every now and then, even Gerald with the trinkets he gathered from various countries he visited. But none could compare to these 3 things lying right before me. And they weren't even considered a "gift". It felt as though with one look, he knew the fundamentals of my heart.
I slipped into the lingerie and glanced at my reflection in the full length mirror. My naughty bits were suggestively covered by the semi opaque material. For a split second, I pictured Richard sitting by the window, sipping on cognac as he watched me get dressed. A jolt bolted at my nether region upon that lewd thought. The dress and jimmy choos came together perfectly as I did final touch ups on my hair and lips before heading down to where Richard was waiting.
Equinox was beautiful. The waitress directed me to where Richard was seated, a romantic corner tucked away at the corner of the restaurant. The free falling windows gave a generous display of the mesmerizing city lights. Richard looked up from his phone just as I approached and broke into a smile.
"You look more amazing than I imagined" He whispered, tucking his phone away.
I mustered a meek smile and reached for the glass of ice water in front of me. My lipstick left a small half mooned stain at the tip of the glass, and I wondered if that was considered rude and uncouth.
"What would you like to have? Please, just order anything that tickles your fancy." Richard gestured for menus. I glanced through rather briskly, feeling quite uncomfortable as both the waitress and Richard were staring at me and decided to just settle for a safe option of grilled halibut with cauliflower mash and roasted spinach. Richard ordered steak, and a 90s wine.
"Thank you so much for your gifts. I can't believe you know my size just by looking. Ha ha." I said jokingly, feeling goosebumps rising on my arms at the thought of the last gift. Subconsciously, I rocked gently in my seat, as though trying to shake the goosebumps away.
Richard have probably sensed my awkwardness and questioned with deep concern: "Is everything Ok? Are the items not to your liking?"
I looked up directly into those beautiful eyes and shook my head. "No, no, I love them. They are perfect."
His shoulders relaxed, as though heaving a sigh of relief, he smiled and remarked "Sorry, I did not see what shops got for you, I just gave your size and asked them to deliver it up as soon as possible."
Upon hearing that, my heart eased up and I realized I was simply over-reacting. Richard did not select that on purpose, especially since my Isham dress covered whatever I was wearing below.
Wine came, and we chatted heartily. Glass after glass, we downed the food; the Halibut was heavenly. As we talked and laughed, the stars were out. As I was looking out of the window, I noticed Richard looking at me from the corner of my eye. I pretended I did not know, and continued looking out. He had a small, happy smile, and at that moment, I felt on top of the world. And I was, too, literally.
As I finished the last bit of my berries compote with cream cheesecake, I was feeling a lovely sense of intoxication from the bubbly.
"Are you tired? Violette? Do you want to stay the night in the room? Or would you prefer I send you home?" Richard offered his arm as we walked out of the restaurant.
"Anything is fine really. Whichever is more convenient for you."
"You look worn out. Just have a good rest in the room. I'll get someone to send you home tomorrow." Richard gave an assuring smile as we made our way up.
My head was light, and so was my heart.
As I took off the shoes, it was apparent that the atmosphere was quickly becoming suggestive due to the nature of the place.
Richard realized and attempted to shake off the awkwardness by gesturing to the bathroom.
"You can go ahead and wash up. I'll take my leave then, busy day tomorrow!" He finished the sentence with a tired smile.
I smiled, and retreated into the bathroom. The hot shower soothed my pores, but my spirit was not the least bit relaxed. Flashbacks of his gentlemanly demeanor clouted my head forcefully. Could it be possible that I may start to take a liking to him? He is 20 years my senior! I pondered the past life journey I had taken, the misery I was put into and the painful steps I have taken to achieve what I accomplished now. It'd be good to hope Richard may make everything feel better.
The entire bathroom was steamy when I stepped out of the shower area. I toweled and brushed my teeth, standing naked in front of the fogged mirror. My fingers reached forward in attempt to wipe off the mist. I started with the bottom half, and saw the reflection of my nether region staring back at me. I do crave passionate sex. Sex that involves two willing and loved up parties, both hungry for each other. And somehow, my subconscious mind drifted to Richard.
I felt my nipples tingle and stood erect from the mental excitement, as my mind boldly took me to a dimly lit room, with soft lights and plush, downy pillows, where Richard and I feasted on each other in that rendezvous. I pictured his strong hands on my body, whispering gently to me in his engimatic voice. My hands wandered to my crotch, wanting to ease the sexual tension building up. No. Wait this is wrong. I forced myself to snap out of it and almost trembling, held on to my towel and continued drying my hair which was still wet.
The atmosphere in the bathroom was getting stiffing, thus I decided to dry my hair in front of the television, probably tuning in to my favorite channel, Fashion TV. The song "More than words" was stuck in my head as I sang out the lyrics. As I opened the door and took a turn, I got the shock of my life -
Richard was bent over at the work desk as though searching for something. My heart nearly exploded from the palpitations. He heard my voice and looked up. And I was naked. He froze from that unintentional view of my display, as my fingers iced out, clumsily fumbling with the towel in a bid to wrap up my nudity with a makeshift cover. I knew he didn't mean it, and I was worried he may feel very guilty and uncomfortable thus I decided to break the awkwardness by looking concerned. I walked over and said
"Did you lose something?" I tried to avoid his gaze by pretending to be searching for something, with my eyes darting across everywhere but his face.
"Oh.. Yeah. Err. I can't seem to find my organizer. Its black .. and quite small. " Richard had difficulty feigning composure.
I nodded and tried to look everywhere. Finally, I found the organizer wedged in between the tea bags and espresso shots.
"I found it!" I grinned as I held up the tiny book.
"Thank you so much Violette. I am very careless. Must have left it there when I was trying to make the tea for you just now. I should really go now. Sorry for disturbing your rest." Richard looked at me and smiled before walking past me and heading for the door.
"See you soon Richard. I really had fun today." I waved as he walked off, catching a glimpse of his polite smile before the door clicked shut.
I took off the towel and dropped onto the bed.
What the fuck just happened. God. Richard doesn't seem like the careless kind of person to me...
I shook off the uncanny thoughts and focused on how much fun the date panned out. The talk we shared, wining and dining. Such unforgettable reveling with Richard made butterflies blossom in my stomach, flitting around and causing my lips to break into a contented, blissful smile.
Alcohol was waltzing in my bloodstream as I drifted off to sleep, the images of just now on replay.
life'd always give you two options. one for the heart, one for the mind.
