by Jamie Conner
All of a sudden Megan felt a little self-conscious about her appearance. She dressed comfortably for the train and now her jeans and tennis shoes made her feel out of place. Maybe I should have met Brandi at her apartment.
"Bonjour, Madame. Puis-je vous aider?" the woman behind the desk said.
"Oh. Um. My name is Megan Garrett. I'm here to meet Brandi Turner."
"Of course, Madame," the woman said with a friendly smile. "Ms. Turner is expecting you."
She got up from her seat and motioned for Megan to follow her down the hall.
"Here's Ms. Turner's office. She's finishing a meeting in the conference room, but she left word for you to make yourself at comfortable. Can I get you anything? Coffee or maybe a croissant?"
Megan noticed a crystal water decanter sitting on the table by the window.
"Thank you. Water will be fine."
The woman left and Megan just stood there in the middle of the room. Suddenly she felt just like she'd felt all those years ago when she first visited Brandi's house in New York. What did someone who worked in an expensive place like this want with her? Megan was suddenly very aware of feeling out of her league.
"Well, aren't you a beautiful sight at the end of my day." Brandi walked over and wrapped her arms around Megan.
"I've missed you," Brandi said as she nuzzled her head into Megan's hair.
The closeness made Megan relax — a little.
"What's wrong?" Brandi asked
"I… I guess I just feel a little out of place. I'm not exactly dressed for this kind of office."
Brandi laughed out loud. "Well then, I guess it's a good thing you don't work here."
She didn't seem the least bit concerned with Megan's appearance.
"But, I'm glad you brought up the subject of clothes," Brandi grinned. "There's a big gala tomorrow night for a charity I'm involved with and I'd like you to come as my date. Of course, that means we'll have to spend the rest of this afternoon doing a little shopping. That is unless you packed a formal gown in that bag," Brandi said pointing to the tote bag on the floor at Megan's feet.
Megan chuckled. "Actually I have two gowns in here so there's absolutely no need to spend an afternoon in Paris shopping." Megan rolled her eyes sarcastically.
"Well, at the risk that neither of your two gowns matches the dress that I'm wearing would you please indulge me and let me take you to get something new. I know you don't like shopping much, but I promise you I'll make it fun and painless."
Megan sighed. She couldn't resist the smile on Brandi's face. Brandi packed up a few things on her desk and then the two of them went downstairs to the lobby. There was a car and driver waiting out front at the curb for them. The uneasy feeling Megan had in Brandi's office rose in her stomach again. Brandi certainly lived in a world far removed from Megan's. She wondered if Brandi ever thought about that, but when she looked over at her Brandi seemed nothing but happy to see Megan and totally oblivious to any of the tension Megan was feeling.
***
"Come on out and let me see," Brandi coaxed from the seating area just outside the dressing room curtain.
Megan turned from side to side looking at herself in the mirror. This was the third boutique she and Brandi had been in and in spite of the fact that Megan still hadn't found a gown she liked she did have to admit that it was kind of fun trying on different dresses and modeling them for Brandi.
She took a deep breath and stepped through the curtain.
"I think I kind of like this one," she said spinning around in the dress.
The grey tulle skirt billowed in the air while the strapless embroidery covered bodice held Megan's ample chest snuggly.
"You look incredible," Brandi said with a broad smile on her face.
Megan blushed at the complement.
"This jewelry set would go nicely with that dress," the attentive sales clerk said as she held out a box containing a silver diamond studded necklace and matching earrings.
Megan had almost forgotten the woman was in the room. She obviously had mastered the coveted luxury sales tactic of only making her presence known when she was needed. She'd also mastered how to increase her commission, Megan thought as she looked at the price tag dangling on the side of the jewelry box. Megan could pay two months rent with what it cost.
"Let's see," Brandi said picking up the necklace and placing it around Megan's neck. "Yes, that's perfect." She tilted her head to the side in appreciation.
"I think we have a matching bracelet out front if you'd like me to get that too." Her voice sounded helpful but not at all pushy.
"No thanks. I think we'll just take the necklace and the earrings," Brandi said.
Megan was a little relieved. Brandi was already spending a lot of money on her and while it was fun it made Megan just a little uncomfortable.
Once Brandi paid for the dress and the jewelry she asked the store clerk to have those items, along with Megan's travel bag, couriered to her apartment. This must have been a normal shopping request for Brandi because the sales clerk didn't even ask for her address. She just thanked Brandi by name and hurried off to wrap the purchases.
"Come on," Brandi said taking Megan's hand. "Let's go for a little walk. I'm kind of hungry and I know a great restaurant not too far from here."
Megan and Brandi strolled hand in hand through the streets of Paris. The sun hadn't set yet and the sky was painted with pale pink and orange wisps of color.
"I feel like I'm walking in a dream," Megan said in a breathy voice. The statement made her think about her first conversation with Gerard. "No, I feel like I'm living in a dream!" she corrected.
She turned and looked into Brandi's eyes and a flood of warmth rushed over her. It was like everything she'd ever thought she'd wanted was coming true. Now she just had to let go of the sparks of insecurity she was feeling about how different she and Brandi's lives were.
They walked for a few blocks holding hands except for the moments when Megan let go to spin around admiring buildings she'd only seen in movies or in her Paris tour book.
"This is incredible. I can't even imagine what it must be like to live here. To walk these streets every day."
"I'm glad you like Paris," Brandi said with a smile. "There's so much more to see and I'd be happy to be your personal tour guide." Brandi winked at Megan.
Just then they turned a corner and Megan stopped dead in her tracks.
"Oh my god! Is that the Louvre pyramid?"
Megan tugged at Brandi's hand as she hurried forward toward the huge glass structure. Megan stood at the base of the pyramid looking up in amazement.
"I'm sorry we don't have time to go inside today," Brandi said.
"That's alright. I'll be back soon enough." Megan squeezed Brandi's hand and smiled at her.
They continued walking until they reached a bridge that crossed the River Seine. As the two women made their way across the wooden bridge Megan could see the domed top of the Institut de France sitting majestically at the other end. They'd made it about halfway across the bridge when Brandi' slowed her pace.
"Megan, do you mind if we sit down for a minute?"
They crossed over to a set of benches in the middle of the bridge.
"Have you ever seen pictures of this bridge before?" Brandi asked.
Megan looked around. She spotted a sign in the distance.
"Pont des Arts? Hmm, I don't think I'm familiar with this one."
"You've probably heard it called by its more colloquial name, the Love Bridge," Brandi said softly.
"Oh yes! This is the bridge where couples used to put locks on the railing and then throw the key in the river."
Megan looked up and down the bridge. The railings were now free of locks and covered on one side with glass panels.
"I get why they took the locks off," she said feeling a little disappointed that she didn't get to see what the bridge looked like when there were thousands of locks attached to the railings on either side. "All that
extra weight was causing a safety problem, right?"
Brandi nodded, but her attention was focused on looking for something in her purse.
"I think I'd be a little sad if I was one of the couples who'd put a lock on the bridge to commemorate our love and now it was gone. Wouldn't you?"
When Megan turned to Brandi for an answer Brandi was holding out a small box in her hand. When Megan looked into her eyes her heart fluttered.
"What's this?" she asked timidly.
Brandi opened the box and inside there was a charm bracelet with a tiny lock charm.
"Since we can't put a lock on the bridge," Brandi said with a smile.
Brandi took the bracelet out of the box and held it up for Megan to see. There was a small diamond set in the middle on one side and on the other side, the initials M.G. and B.T were engraved in the sterling silver charm.
"Oh, Brandi, it's beautiful."
"I don't know exactly where things will go from here, Megan. But I want you to know that I love you and I want that love to last."
Megan's eyes filled with tears as Brandi clasped the bracelet around her wrist.
"Oh, Brandi. I feel the same way," she said as she leaned in and kissed Brandi softly on the lips.
When she pulled away, Brandi held the box up again.
"There's a matching key for the lock too."
Megan reached into the box and pulled out the tiny sliver key.
"Oh my goodness, but this is so pretty. I can't just throw it in the river, can I?"
"That's the tradition, but you don't have to if you don't want to."
Megan looked at the key in her hand. Not that they needed any silly tradition to seal their love but… She extended her hand to Brandi and the two of them walked over to the bridge railing. Megan looked at the key in her hand and then looked at Brandi.
"Forever," she whispered as she tossed the key into the Seine.
Chapter 17
"Hey, sleepy head. Are you awake?" Brandi asked as she spooned up behind Megan and whispered in her ear.
She squeezed her arms around Megan's waist and buried her nose in her hair.
"Umm," came a moan. "What time is it?" Megan's voice was still thick with sleep and the raspiness sounded incredibly sexy to Brandi.
"It's almost 10:30," Brandi said regretfully. "We'd better get up and get something to eat."
Brandi knew they had a full day ahead. She'd gone all out with the preparations for the gala. Two massage therapists were scheduled to arrive at 1 pm, followed by a hair and make-up team at 3:30 and a manicurist at 5:30. That would give them just enough time to get dressed and ride to the hotel in the limo she'd ordered.
Brandi had considered renting a suite at the hotel where the gala was being held. That way they'd only have to go downstairs when it was time for the event. But after being away from Megan for almost two weeks she liked the idea of them spending as much time in her home as they could. There was something about sharing her space that brought Brandi a new level of excitement. She'd spent almost two years remodeling and decorating the perfect home, but she didn't realize at the time how much more homey it would feel if she was sharing it with someone she loved.
Brandi let that four letter word dance around in her mind. Yeah, she really did love Megan. Truthfully, she felt the same way she'd felt about her when they were in high school, it had just taken her more than ten years to realized that feeling was love.
Brandi leaned over Megan's shoulder and looked down at her face.
"Hey! Are you falling back to sleep on me?"
"Hmm," was the only response.
"Alright then, I think I know how to wake you up," Brandi said coyly.
Brandi slowly traced Megan's body with her finger beginning at her shoulder, moving down the side of her body, and circling her thigh before slipping her hand gently between Megan's legs.
It only took a minute for Megan's body to respond to Brandi's touch. As she let her fingers play in Megan's wetness Megan began to gyrate her hips against Brandi's. Brandi pushed her fingers deeper into Megan's center and Megan pushed her butt back against Brandi's increasingly wet pussy.
"You don't play fair," Megan said in a slow pleasure-filled voice.
"Do you want me to stop?" Brandi teased and slowed the movement of her fingers.
"No," Megan giggled.
"Alright then. Meet me in the shower and I'll finish what I started."
Megan just groaned and pulled the covers over her head.
"Come on now sleeping beauty," Brandi taunted. "I promise I'll make it worth your while. In fact, I suspect you're going to enjoy this so much you'll want to fix me breakfast afterward."
With that, Brandi smacked Megan on the butt, slid out of bed and headed into the bathroom eager to position the shower jets at just the right angles to make Megan's morning wake up very special.
***
Brandi was just about to cut into her second bite of fluffy pancakes when Megan walked over and snatched the plate from in front of her.
"Hey! What gives? Didn't I hold up my end of the bargain?" Brandi whined.
"Yes, but you didn't tell me about this?"
Megan slapped and envelope down on the table where the plate of pancakes had been.
"I found it pinned to the side of the refrigerator."
Brandi looked down at the envelope frowning. "What are you talking about," she asked as she made a grab for the plate of pancakes. "That's the invitation to the gala were going to tonight."
Megan playfully pulled the plate further out of Brandi's reach.
"Yes, I know, but you didn't tell me you were being honored as Woman of the Year during the awards part of the event."
"Oh. That." Brandi sighed and looked up at Megan with a sad puppy face hoping that would help get her pancakes back on the table.
Megan put one hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side, unmoved.
"I didn't mention it 'cause I just don't like to make a fuss about the charitable work I do. I get enough satisfaction just from helping the organization. I don't really need anyone to make a big deal out of it."
Megan's expression softened. She smiled down at Brandi.
"I love it that you're so modest about the helpful things you do."
She kissed Brandi on the forehead and put the plate of pancakes back in front of her.
"But you're going to have to learn to let people celebrate you when you do something nice. It's not something to be embarrassed about."
Brandi stuffed several bites of pancake into her mouth so she didn't have to speak. How could Megan understand how she felt. Doing nice things had always been part of Megan's nature. For Brandi, it was all kind of new. She still wasn't sure of she did nice things for the right reason or because she felt guilty for some of the more questionable choices she'd made in the past. Maybe all the work she did for Le Sanctuaire was just her attempt at paying penance.
"Yoo-hoo." Megan was now sitting at the other end of the table waving her hand at Brandi. "A penny for your thoughts."
Brandi forced herself to smile. "I was just thinking it's too bad we don't have enough time to work off these pancakes with a little extracurricular activity before our massages." She winked and kept eating her breakfast. There would be time to analyze her motives later. Right now all Brandi wanted to do was focus on having a fun night with the beautiful woman in front of her.
***
Megan's grin stretched so far across her face that her cheeks ached. She allowed herself to be swept up in the romance of it all as the plush limousine carried them through the streets of Paris toward their destination. Megan recognized the area they were traveling through from her one night visit to Paris when she first arrived in France. So much had changed since then. She glanced over at Brandi and squeezed her hand.
"This is incredible," she beamed.
"Just wait until was get to the ballroom. There's an upside to having the head window dresser at Gucci in charge of the decorations," Brandi gigg
led.
When they arrived at the hotel the doorman opened Megan's door and she stepped out of the limo. Brandi came around from the other side of the long black car and took Megan's hand.
"Are you ready, Cinderella?" Brandi teased.
"Absolutely!" Megan giggled. "But I have no plans to disappear at midnight!"
They followed the stairs up to the second-floor ballroom. Attendants dressed in all white stood outside the doors checking in guests and handing out table assignments.
As soon as they walked into the ballroom Megan's vision was pulled upward. The center section of the ceiling was made of glass window panes and it felt as if the Parisian night sky was spilling into the ballroom. In addition to that hundreds of translucent balloons hung from the ceiling at various heights. Each balloon contained a flickering light that made the air above their heads seem like it was filled with twinkling stars.
The centerpieces on each table were made of tall vases with bouquets of long stemmed lilies jutting into the air and cascades of tiny white wisteria vines flowing down the sides and onto the table top. In two corners of the room, there were champagne glass pyramids miraculously balanced despite the waiters repeatedly pulling glasses down to serve to guests flowing by.
"Oh, my! It's beautiful!" Megan said looking over at Brandi. Judging by the wide-eyed expression on her face she was equally impressed.
"I have to give it to him. Franco has really outdone himself this year," Brandi said.
Before going to their table, Megan and Brandi circled the room greeting some of the other guests. Everyone was dressed in some variation of white, silver or grey and the whole room looked as if it was glowing.
"There you are!" a familiar voice called out.
Megan spun around to see Sophia and Renee walking toward them.
Sophia swept Megan up in a big hug.
"It's so good to see — the two of you," she said with a wink.
Megan couldn't help but blush.