by Wolf, Alex
“Well, you can pick anything, and I was specifically told not to let you see any price tags.”
Of course he told them that. He knew I’d feel guilty and pick the cheapest thing. “Not even a little peek?”
She grins. “Nope.”
I stop in my tracks and think. “Okay, well, I like red, I guess? What do you think? I’m open to any suggestions.”
She eyes me up and down, and holds her thumb to her bottom lip, sizing me up from head-to-toe. “Follow me.”
I breathe a sigh of relief and laugh. “Thank you!”
She leads me over to a wall on the far end and starts thumbing through dresses. She glances back at me several times, then her focus returns to the dresses. “Yep, I think this will do. How do you feel about it?”
Before I can think, I rush up to her and just stare at it. “It’s perfect, seriously.”
“Narciso Rodriguez, sleeveless crew neck knit pleated, the last red one I have in your size.”
“How?” I blink a couple times. “Just, how did you do that? And how do you know my size?”
She smiles right at me. “It’s my job to know. Let’s get this on and see how it looks.” She takes me by the hand and pulls me toward a fitting room.
I put it on and twirl in front of the mirror, and I’m not going to lie, I feel just like a princess. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so—pretty. There’s no way I’d ever buy this dress, or even a cheap hundred-dollar knock off version.
“Come on out, I need to have a look.”
I momentarily forgot I was in the fitting room by myself, and ever-so-slowly I walk out. I don’t think I’m self-conscious by any means, but what woman wouldn’t be in this place? It’s a store for models and millionaires, of which I am neither.
I take a step out, and she gasps a little when she sees me. I’m sure it’s just part of her job, but it makes me feel amazing. Special, maybe? I think everyone should get to experience this at least once, because it’s incredible. Words can’t describe how much confidence I have right now.
For the past day, I’ve wondered why me? Over and over again, what does Rick see in me? But now, I fit the part. Maybe he’s not so much out of my league in the looks department. It’s silly, I know. Sure, he’s hot. It shouldn’t matter. People are people. But, in my limited life experience, gorgeous men have never really been interested in me. To be fair, I don’t go out of my way to try to gain their attention.
It still doesn’t change the fact I have myself a hot man, and I’m going to look beautiful for him in this dress.
The lady walks slowly around me. “I don’t mean to brag at all, but I do have a good eye, don’t I?” She grins, teasing.
“Pretty much the best, because I think I love this dress.” I can’t stop the enthusiasm that pours out of me, and now, I don’t want to know what this thing costs, because I just want it to be mine without any guilt.
“Think we have a winner, it’s gorgeous. You’re gorgeous. Don’t even think of putting that skirt and blouse back on in my presence.”
We both laugh. She walks up, leans down and follows the edges of the dress, probably seeing details I have no clue about.
“The lines are perfect. You were born to wear this dress. You want it?”
I nod relentlessly, and I don’t think the smile on my face will ever leave now.
“Put these on with it so you’re not walking around in subpar heels with that dress. There’s no way I’ll allow those shoes with it.”
She pulls out a pair of Jimmy Choo black heels. I only know they’re called Jimmy Choo because she says the name. But they’re beautiful, works of art really. I put them on and, surprisingly, I can walk in them pretty well. I wear heels at work, but they’re just the cheap Target kind. Regardless, the practice has paid off. “I suppose I can wear these with it.” I laugh. “It’s all fantastic, thank you so much.”
“Good, get out of here then. Your driver is on a tight schedule. We were told to get this done quick. Someone wants to see you as soon as possible.”
“Thank you so much. Sorry to keep saying that, but I mean it. I was so nervous coming in here. I wouldn’t ever… You know? I just, you made me feel so comfortable and I appreciate that.”
“It’s no problem. Tell him I said hi and we’re even now.”
I start toward the door, then turn back. “You know Rick?”
She sighs. “Yes, I owed him a favor. I think everyone in town owes him favors. He did some jobs for the store a long time ago, before he went to work for the fancy law firm. We tried to pay him, but he just said, ‘Nope, one day I’ll need a favor. Until then, we’re good.’”
It sounds so much like Rick. No wonder.
“Okay, well thank you again.” As I walk through the door, my mind goes to bad places. Did Rick sleep with her? Did they date and that’s how he ended up working for them?
Where in the world is this coming from? Oh my gosh, am I jealous right now? I don’t know if I’ve ever been jealous of another woman over a hypothetical thing that probably never happened, but my hackles rise a little. I think I am jealous. This man is making me insane. Part of me is proud this is happening. Strangely, it makes me feel kind of normal.
The jealousy quickly passes as our driver hurries out to meet me. He gives me a quick double take, like he wants to comment on my appearance, but decides not to.
Instead, he just gives me a thumbs up, and it makes me smile even more.
He opens the back door and says, “One more stop, right up the road.”
We head out onto the road, and he makes a left on Chicago Avenue and pulls up a few blocks down. We do the whole charade again; him leading me to a door.
This time it’s Arsova Salon. The place is sleek and modern. There’s a team of three people who greet me by name at the door. They lead me through, and the driver doesn’t even bother to tell me he’s waiting, he just gives me another thumbs up and gestures to the car. They lead me to a room, and I change into a robe, then come back out to the whole team of them waiting for me.
It’s about an hour of heaven. They ask me what I like. I say, “I don’t know.”
They show me pictures and I point to one that looks gorgeous, and they go to work, doing what they do.
I like the wavy look, even though I don’t know what you call it. They all start conversing about things I don’t understand because I know nothing about hair styles. But before long there are curlers and blow dryers, someone is trimming with scissors. Truth-be-told, I picked something out a long time ago at the salon down the road from my apartment, the cheap one, and she knows what it is every time I go in. I’m thinking this will look a little different, considering I can’t remember the last time my hair was curled.
A while later, they start taking things out of my hair, and spraying me with some product that smells amazing. Usually, hair spray makes me gag.
When they clear out of the way, they have me look in the mirror, and wow. I literally look just like the hair in the picture I chose. I look like I could be heading to the red carpet for a movie premier.
I head back to the changing room and put the dress back on. When I walk out, they all gush over me.
I thank all of them a million times, and they’re all so nice and full of smiles and compliments. The driver meets me at the door and takes me to the limousine, and I pray the next stop is wherever Rick is, because I just want to see him now. I want him to touch me. I want to see how he reacts when he sees me.
The next stop is the Waldorf Astoria, and butterflies take over not just in my stomach, but my entire body.
The driver gets out and opens the door for me.
As soon as I step out, I stop and turn to him. “I am so sorry. I haven’t even asked your name.”
He grins. “It’s no problem, ma’am. And my name is Don.”
Don leads me up to the hotel entrance.
A concierge is waiting at the door with a smile.
I stop and turn to Don. “Thank you so much
, Don. I’m sure it’s just another day for you, but I’ll never forget this. And I’ll never forget you.”
“Well thank you, ma’am. That means a lot. I hope you had a great time.”
I lunge into him and give him a hug. I think it takes him by surprise.
“Well, okay. Have a great night then.”
I finally let go of him, a little embarrassed. “I will. Thanks again.”
The concierge grins after watching what went down, and leads me to the middle of the lobby. I crane my head around. The hotel is incredible. Epinephrine pumps through my veins because it’s just, yeah. This whole experience is one big wow.
I pretend to be admiring the hotel, but I know exactly what I’m looking for. Rather, who I’m looking for. He has to be here, and I know exactly why he did all this.
I don’t see him anywhere, though. I stand there for at least five minutes, in the heels and dress, hair professionally styled. Enough time passes I start to feel silly, when a hand meets my lower back, and a gravelly voice lands in my ear.
“There’s my little prostitute. Almost didn’t recognize you.”
Before I can respond, he says, “Kidding. You always look amazing, but just…fuck.”
I still haven’t turned to look at him yet. “How would you know? You haven’t even seen my face yet.”
He leans into my ear and whispers, “Yes, I have, for the past five minutes. I always see you. I’m always watching.”
I grin, straight ahead, shaking my head, but goosebumps pebble up and down my arms at his words. I don’t know why him watching me from afar turns me on, but it does. “I don’t know how you did this. l just, I told you about Pretty Woman at break…” I turn as I’m saying the words, and WHAT?
My eyes get huge.
It’s definitely Rick in front of me, but I have to let my eyes adjust to make sure. The voice was the only thing that gave him away.
All I’ve ever seen Rick wear, even at work, in a professional office, is tattered jeans and some kind of vintage t-shirt, usually Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones, other than our first date when he dressed up, but it was nothing like this. He’s always got some ten-day scruff going, hair disheveled.
The man in front of me could put any of the men at work in suits to shame.
I reach up for his face and put a hand to his cheek, just to see if I’m in some kind of dream or alternate universe. “Is that really you?”
He nods a little and leans into my hand. “You’re not the only one who can clean up, you know?”
He has on a tuxedo.
A tuxedo, in case I wasn’t clear the first time. And not some stuffy, old-man tux. It’s a cover-of-GQ, modern, stylish tux that’s tailored to him just right. His hair is slicked back, and he still has stubble, but it’s carefully trimmed into a neat beard with sharp, symmetrical lines.
Before I can say anything else, his hands find my hips, and he’s eyeing me like he wants to rip my new dress right off me. His fingers dig in a little, holding me in place so he can appraise me, and he’s stone-cold silent while his harsh glare examines me from head-to-toe to make sure they got everything correct.
“Words cannot describe how gorgeous you look right now. Do you know that, Mary?” His eyes roll up my body, burning a trail in their wake, and land on mine.
It’s so intense I can barely hold his gaze. How does he make me feel this special? This beautiful? But that stare… He may be the hottest man I’ve ever seen in my life. I mean he was attractive before but this, is just…
He did this for you. All of it, just for you.
For some reason, that hits me all at once, and I think I might tear up. I have to fight it back because I don’t want to ruin the moment, but it’s incredibly intimate and emotional. More than anything I’ve ever experienced.
He hooks an arm in mine. “Follow me.”
I glance over to him. “Where are we going?”
“To eat.” He pauses, then glances at me to his side. “And so I can show you off to everyone in this damn hotel, and let every last one of them know one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“That you’re mine.”
Rick Lawrence
I lead Mary with a hand at the small of her back into Margeaux Brasserie, the French restaurant in the hotel. Heads turn as we walk in, and a host leads us to our table. Fuck, it takes everything I have not to sniff her hair, she smells so damn incredible.
It takes everything I have not to haul her to the elevator, up to the room, rip that dress off, and fuck ten orgasms out of her.
They seat us back in the corner, very private as I specified, with candles and everything. As soon as we’re at the table, I scoot the host out of the way and pull Mary’s chair out for her, then walk around and take a seat. He needs to fuck off. She’s mine now, for the rest of the evening. I already ordered everything. They need to just bring things out and leave.
Two glasses of water are already set out on the table, because Mary doesn’t drink alcohol, and whatever Mary wants, she gets. It’s difficult to even speak every time I look at her. Her shoulder-length brown hair is curled and bounces off her neck in long waves. Her warm, brown eyes stare back at me, and there’s a sparkle in them. She’s happy.
You’ve made her happy.
Fuck, if I wouldn’t give anything to make her look at me the way she is now for the rest of our lives. I don’t give a shit how soon it is, I wasn’t truly me until she came along. She makes me better. She gives me purpose.
“This looks amazing.” She cranes her head around.
My eyes stay locked on her. “Yeah, you do.”
“Okay, that was kind of cheesy, Lawrence.”
I reach over for her hand. She lets me take it.
I smile and shake my head. “Don’t care. I want to be cheesy nonstop when you’re with me.”
She looks away and her cheeks tinge with pink.
The waiter brings out some appetizers. I give him a quick little stare and he drops them off and hurries away.
Good boy.
Mary takes a sip of water then sets it down. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
Mary looks down at her dress, then around the room. “For all of this.”
“No need to thank me for giving you what you deserve. This is just a start.” I give her hand a little squeeze.
“Rick?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I ask you something? And you promise to not get mad?” She leans back a little and lets go of my hand.
“You could never make me mad.”
“Yes, I could. And that would be normal. Nobody gets along nonstop, every single day.”
I grin at how pragmatic she wants to be, when I’m trying to fulfill her fantasies. She’s so—real. “Ask your question. I’ll try not to tip the table over.”
She laughs. “Okay, why me?”
“I need you to be more specific.”
“You know what I’m asking. Why do you want to be with me? Why did you do all this for me? Why have you been so fixated on me? It’s confusing.”
“I feel like we’ve been over this before.”
“Well, I’m still a woman, and I need reassurances.”
I smirk. “Well, I’ll reassure you every day if you want. If that’s what you need. And honestly, I don’t always know. I don’t know why you. I have guesses.”
“You don’t know?”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t know why. It’s not some piece of data or information in my brain that says, you should fall for this woman. I just feel it.” I gulp because my words get caught a little. “I feel it, always. I don’t know if it’s spiritual, biological, whatever, but I feel it. The world is different when I see you, when I’m near you. It always has been, from the first time I saw you at the office. So, I don’t know why, I just know.”
She looks at me for a long time. “Can I ask one more question?”
I smile. I love everything about her. “Yes.”
“I
t’s another tough one, but you did so well on the last one, I have hope.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Her smile fades a little. “Will you please be honest—brutally honest if you need to be? It’s really important to me and I need to know these things.”
“I promise.” I mean it too. I might end up cockblocking myself by being brutally honest, but there are more important things in this world than getting laid. Even if I want to be with her more than anything.
“Do you believe in God? You volunteer at the church and all that stuff, and I think you read all those books around the office, but is all that just an act, for me?”
I swallow. I should’ve seen this question coming. It should’ve been at the top of a list of possibilities but somehow, it escaped me. This could make or break everything. This is so important to her. If there’s one thing I do know, it’s that I just made her a promise, and all the deception and dumb shit I did before wasn’t what worked on her. Being honest, being myself, that’s what got Mary Patrick to actually go on a date with me. That’s what got her to trust me.
“Well…” I pause, trying to gather my thoughts.
Mary’s eyes narrow on mine.
“I know the answer, I’m trying to think of how to word this, to be as truthful as possible.”
She nods. “Okay, take your time.” The hope returns to her eyes, a little.
Be honest, fucker.
“The hard thing about this question, is that I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
I shake my head. “I’m still figuring a lot of things out. But, what I can tell you is, I didn’t for a long time. I’ve seen a lot of bad things, Mary. I’ve experienced bad things. I didn’t understand how the God from the Bible could allow those things to happen. When I first saw you, I did pretend for a while—memorized things, tried to impress you. It seems so stupid and foolish now. It had to be obvious what I was doing.”
I take a deep breath.
“But as I started memorizing things, I found myself reading a little more every day. When I volunteered at the church, I found myself listening to Pastor Jeremiah’s sermons a little more, soaking in parts of the Bible and his analysis of it, talking to him about stuff when we were alone together. So, being totally honest, I don’t know that I believe all the supernatural things like people in whales, parting seas, animals on a giant boat, Jesus rocketing up from the dead into the clouds. But when I look at you, and see your kindness, your heart, your patience, your beauty and talents, I see God’s work in that. I don’t know if that’s good enough for you, but it’s the truth.”