***
‘Do you think you might be ready any time soon?’
‘Yes, absolutely.’ Relief rushes over me. He didn’t mention anything about my promise, thank goodness. I quickly scoop all the packaging together into one of the bags and carefully place the lids back on the jars. I’m particularly careful with the perfume as the scent is truly gorgeous and I’d love to take it home with me.
‘I’ll just dry my hair and be out in a minute.’ I locate the hair dryer, flip my hair over my head and quickly blow-dry the damper parts underneath. It is wavier than usual, but I decide to leave it out anyway, hanging just below my shoulder blades. My face and body are glowing and I can’t help but smile back at the person grinning at me in the mirror. Nothing like a five-star hotel, French champagne, an orgasm sent from heaven in a luxurious bath and every beauty product under the sun to make a woman feel utterly pampered, at least for a while. I grab a giant, thick bathrobe (they never seem to be made for the average size woman), wrap it all around me and then some, before stepping out from my confined euphoria of the bathroom into the cool elegance of the hotel suite, and Jeremy’s arms.
‘You look excited,’ he says as he squeezes me tight.
‘I feel as guilty as sin in a wonderfully decadent way.’ I return his embrace and the passion in his eyes leaves me momentarily breathless.
‘Come here, you, time to feel a little more decadent. I want to show you something.’
His arm drapes over my shoulders and he steers me quickly through the master suite and into the walk-in robe. We are like young puppies finding a basket of new toys to play with. I gasp when we come to a sudden stop. A grin explodes on his face.
‘I have always wanted to do this, Alex, but wasn’t brave enough at uni. Would you wear this dress for me tonight?’
I walk over to an exquisite dress, simple, elegant, sophisticated and the most beautiful colour — deep red, blue-red. It is cut on the diagonal and across the shoulder, leaving one shoulder bare.
‘Jeremy, it is simply gorgeous, I’m … I’m speechless. Why are you doing all of this? I feel like I’m missing something. I don’t understand.’
‘There’s no need to understand. I want to do this, I’ve wanted to for a long time and now I can. Everything you need should be there to get dressed. I can’t wait to see you in it and I’m so pleased you like it. Try not to take as long as you did in the bathroom, or I’ll have to help you speed up the process,’ he says with a grin. I stand motionless, staring at him, then the dress. He slaps me lightly on my bottom to reinforce his words.
‘Okay, okay,’ I reply as I move into action.
I walk over to the dress and run my fingers along the satin; it feels silky smooth and soft. I quickly remove my robe and slip the dress over my head. It slides easily over my body and I’m grateful to find it has a built-in bra that just happens to fit my bustline beautifully. It slithers along my waist with the left side of the dress cascading exquisitely down my legs before coming to a stop; just long enough to tickle my ankle. I find an accompanying box of stunning stiletto-heel shoes that I’m almost not game to try on. I haven’t worn shoes like this since my twenties and I silently wonder whether I will be able to maintain a stylish sense of balance in them.
I have never worn such a bold colour and I stare at myself in shock. The creation is tantalising. The person in the mirror is sexy, confident, alluring. I notice an intricate, antique-style clasp on the bench so I pull my hair up into a loose chignon on the same side as my bare shoulder and clip it into place. Now the reflection in the mirror has an added dimension of unanticipated sophistication. No question about it now, I am well and truly living my version of Pretty Woman, and so far, for me at least, it is better than the original.
I can’t remember the last time I was this dressed up — I could be walking the red carpet at the Oscars perhaps, with a little more make-up, possibly, and a professionally-coiffed hairstyle. After allowing myself one last look at my reflection, so glamorous I hardly recognise myself, I steady myself to walk out into the lounge room.
Jeremy stops and turns toward me. His mouth opens as I enter the lounge room. I desperately try to be the sophisticated, confident woman in the mirror, rather than the causal, clumsy uni student he had once known, as his eyes rake in my appearance. His sharp intake of breath and the open admiration in his eyes tell me that he likes what he sees.
‘Oh my … oh,’ he says slowly. ‘Oh, Alexandra, now I’m speechless, you look … absolutely breathtaking.’
‘The dress is beautiful, Jeremy. I don’t know what to say either.’
‘No, sweetheart, you are beautiful. The dress merely complements your best assets.’ I laugh a little apprehensively at his words as his eyes linger appreciatively on my breasts.
‘It does a little more than that, Jeremy, it hides all the worst … Oh, by the way, there was only one thing you forgot.’
‘Really?’ he asks, sounding surprised. ‘And what was that?’
‘Knickers.’
He remains expressionless.
‘Undies?’ I continue.
No response.
‘Panties, if that is what you prefer to call them?’
I had looked everywhere for them in the walk-in robe but they had all mysteriously vanished.
‘Oh, right.’ He finally seems to comprehend. ‘No, I didn’t forget them, you are wearing everything you need.’
He turns his head, his stare penetrating my eyes.
‘You know I appreciate access, Alexa, at all times. Just the thought of it makes me hot.’
He winks at me and I blush again so hard that the dress and I become indistinguishable.
At that moment I notice several dozen roses in a vase on the table. I have never seen so many together. They are unopened and deep, blood red, exactly the same colour as the dress I am wearing. They are magnificent, each and every one of them perfect. I walk over to study them in detail and inhale their heady scent. I sense Jeremy move as he positions behind me, his breath light against my neck. I am a little taller in high heels so he conveniently doesn’t have to bend so low.
‘Each one of these roses represents the experiences I want to give you this weekend. Imagine what they will look like when they have all fully blossomed, every layer opened up. They are beautiful now, just as you are, Alexandra, but just imagine what they will be, as one by one they explode into their full potential.’
His lips lightly caress the exposed nape of my neck as he speaks. Oh my goodness, his lips and his words ensure my knees almost buckle beneath me.
My voice is slow, breathless. ‘You are certainly well on your way … I can honestly say I have never experienced anything like this before, Jeremy, ever.’
‘You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, babe.’ He instantly lightens the mood with his newly acquired, light American twang.
‘We need another cheers,’ he states ceremoniously and turns his back to me as he starts to concoct something set up on the buffet with some elaborate glasses and lots of ice.
‘Oh no, not vodka shots?’
‘Not quite, but good memory though. Something different this time, you’ll see.’
The tone of Jeremy’s voice and the look in his eyes takes me directly back to one of the most playful, surprising and tantalising sexual encounters I have ever participated in and probably ever will in my lifetime …
Jeremy and I have finally finished our mid-semester exams and we can’t wait for a night off; it feels like we have been hitting the books non-stop for the past few months. Just as we are heading out to the pub a few blocks away to meet some friends for a