by Blue, A. J.
“Yes, thank you. I’m ready,” I say taken aback and clutch my purse.
The drivers nods and presses the elevator button. I close the door to the apartment. We silently stand at the elevator and wait. It was somehow different when Liam was there. Being alone with the driver feels a little awkward. Mustn’t be as hard-boiled as I thought. Maybe Liam’s right when he says he finds my innocence cute. I definitely still have to do a bit of getting used to situations like these.
It’s probably best if I sit in the back and look for the button to activate the partition, I think while twirling a strand of hair between my fingers. On the other hand, this may be a welcome opportunity to find out more about my roomies. If I play my cards right, Liam and Alex’s chauffeur may just part with some information.
The elevator arrives and the driver gallantly lets me go in first.
“How long have you been working for Mr. Gabriel and Mr. Alvord?” I ask.
He seems to consider the question for a second before answering: “Nearly three years.”
Three years, I think. He must have witnessed quite a few things so.
“And how long have they lived in this apartment?” I chance my luck again.
“I can’t tell you,” he replies hesitantly. “The gentlemen definitely had this place ever since I started working for them.”
“And you’ve also been chauffeuring certain women around ever since?“ I probe in what I hope is a firm voice.
“Listen, lady, I believe that the gentlemen are happy with me because I don’t ask questions and don’t talk too much. You should do the same!” he replies and escorts me to the limo. Disappointed, I follow him.
I don’t even have to activate the partition. The driver’s already done that just after I’ve climbed onto the back seat. Presumably his way of showing that he doesn’t want our conversation to continue.
Great. That really didn’t get me anywhere either. The only extra bit of information is that the men have shared their communal apartment for at least three years.
Pity the driver won’t tell me anything more, I think and contemplate the ring Liam, Marcus and Alex have given me. I guess the chauffeur also had to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Twenty minutes later we arrive at our destination. I study the building. It’s a sweet little old villa which seems a bit lost wedged in between two modern commercial premises.
“Carpe Noctem”
it says in big letters above the entrance.
Carpe noctem? Seize the night? Strange name for a restaurant. But that’s what’s written in black under the gold lettering:
“Carpe Noctem”
RESTAURANT
I heave a sigh of relief. Perhaps Alex really only wants to take me out to lunch. The reticent chauffeur leaves me to my fate with the words: “Mr. Gabriel is expecting you.”
Well then, I think and straighten my shoulders. Let’s go on my first date with Alex.
My eyes need a moment to adjust from the bright daylight to the dim light inside the restaurant. I’m standing in a kind of antechamber. The walls are painted black and merely a few candles illuminate the room. There are no windows.
A small, brunette, middle-aged woman behind a reception counter smiles at me.
“Hello! Welcome to Carpe Noctem. Please hang up your coat in the cloakroom over there. You’re being expected.”
“Hi! I will,” I reply while wondering why the hell she’s wearing shades in this gloomy light.
“Follow me, please,” says the woman and opens a large black door beside the reception. I see a spiral staircase leading to the basement. My high heels clatter on the timber floor when I walk over to the opening.
“You better take your shoes off,” the woman suggests pointing to my feet.
Take my shoes off? I think. Why? What kind of a restaurant is this?
Fair enough, the spiral staircase is only dimly lit, but I’m sure I’ll manage to make it downstairs in one peace despite the heels. I’ve mastered far more challenging stairs in my day.
“Really?” I check with her, just in case.
“Yes,” she confirms. “You’ll have to take them off down there anyway.”
I shrug my shoulders, slip out of my stilettos and pick them up. Frowning, I follow the strange lady with the shades downstairs. I have never heard of having to take off your shoes in any restaurant except Japanese ones. That’s where they give you those cute little embroidered slippers. But “Carpe Noctem” doesn’t sound at all Japanese.
My hope that Alex simply wants to have lunch with me vanishes completely when my attendant opens the heavy wooden door leading to the restaurant.
Because I see nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
The room behind the door is pitch-dark.
“Please leave your shoes over there,” she says and points to a little bench to the right of the door.” I park my shoes beside a pair of black brogues. Alex’s I guess. Ours are the only shoes on the bench. Is nobody else here?
“You better take my arm so I can bring you to your seat,” the brunette lady suggests. She doesn’t seem to have any intention of turning the lights on.
Shit, I think. What is this place? One of those restaurants where you eat in complete darkness? The dim light upstairs and the name of the restaurant should really have made me guess. And the shaded lady is presumably blind. That’s we she doesn’t care.
I should have known that it would have been too easy to simply have a normal lunch date with Alex.
I shake my head, take the woman’s arm and carefully put one foot in front of the other.
27
Unlike me, my attendant maneuvers her way very deftly through the darkness.
Nearly like a feline predator creeping through the night, I think. And I’ll be the prey being dragged to the lion’s den – in my case to Alex who’s waiting somewhere in all that obscurity. I wonder what he’s planning. I strain my ears, but I can’t hear him. Is he actually sitting down? I really hope those shoes beside the entrance were his.
“Right, here we are,” the woman says and places my hand on some soft upholstery. A bench? Or a bed?
“Sit down, please. I wish you a pleasant stay.” With those words she leaves me alone in the darkness.
Great, I think, and carefully sit down on the soft fabric. Just leave me here. I’ll manage. I can’t see a thing and have no idea what’s going to happen, but hey, I’m nothing if not spontaneous.
“Hi Kate. I’m so glad you made it!” Alex’s gentle voice takes me by surprise. He must be real close. But I can’t see him!
“Where are you?” I whisper.
“Here,” he tells me. “I’m sitting right beside you!”
I take a deep breath when he places his hand on my thigh. The whole thing is quite spooky. I’m not a great fan of total darkness. I like seeing where I am and what’s happening around me.
“What’s going on?” I want to know. “I thought we were having lunch?!”
“And so we will,” Alex replies. “But in the dark. I want you to switch off your brain and just trust your senses. And that’s much easier when you can’t see anything.”
“Oh, right,” I respond, not exactly enthusiastic.
“Come on, Kate. You’ll love it, I promise,” says Alex, reaches for my hand and caresses the back of it when he finds it. “Besides, I had to think of something special for you. Liam and Marcus already had a lot more opportunities to spend time with you. And the way I know those two they pulled out all the stops to impress you. Now it’s my turn!”
I sigh inwardly. That’s presumably the reason the three men share the one woman: their having an in-house competition for the thrill skills medal.
I can only hope that the game will turn out alright for me, too.
Up to now I can’t complain. That’s true. I’ve never had such amazing sex before. But where will it all end?
“And now?” I ask.
“Just relax,” he replies. “We have the whole r
oom to ourselves and everything we need is right here beside my.”
I haven’t the faintest idea what Alex is planning, but I decide to trust him. I really don’t think he has a bad bone in his body and I liked him right from the start. He always seems to kind and balanced. The total opposite to Marcus who keeps getting my back up.
“Concentrate on your breathing. You have to embrace the darkness and feel it.” Alex’s hand wanders along my throat and strokes my neck. More or less automatically I close my eyes. It really does feel good. I take a deep breath and enjoy his caresses.
For a while, he massages my head, then the tips of his fingers gently glide over my face and trace the outlines of my lips. His touch is so tender, I have goosebumps.
“And now open your mouth,” he whispers.
I slowly do as I’m told and feel how he explores my face before he carefully places something on my tongue. It’s very strange not to know what kind of taste to expect.
Whatever it is, it’s creamy and melts on my tongue like a dream. It tastes sweet with a hint of vanilla and espresso. Delicious!
“Vanilla mousse,” I say. “Coffee flavored vanilla mousse.”
“Right,” Alex confirms. “Do you want a little more? Then don’t move, so I can find your mouth.”
“Okay,” I answer.
He unerringly locates my mouth. How does he do it? I can’t see a thing. Maybe he’s wearing some kind of night-vision goggles? But that would be pretty unfair.
“Vanilla is something very special,” Alex explains while feeding me with the spoon. “It’s been a popular aphrodisiac for hundreds of years. Its smell is chemically related to the human pheromones. And espresso or mocha, to be more precise, is meant to prolong sexual activity.”
“Well, that’s a super combination, so,” I remark. “It definitely tastes good.”
“I agree,” Alex says. Then he asks: “Are you ready for more?”
I’m not quite sure if he’s referring to a different kind of dish or something else.
“Um,” I say.
“This is a different taste,” he explains and I dutifully open my mouth.
This time I feel something leafy on my tongue. What is it? I chew carefully. Spinach? With a sauce that tastes of nutmeg.
“Spinach and nutmeg,” I guess.
“Right again. You’ve got a well developed sense of taste. Nutmeg is a highly aphrodisiac spice. One should use it sparingly or it can act like a drug.”
“Is this an introduction to sexual food science?” I enquire cheekily.
Alex laughs. “A little, perhaps. I just want to get you in the mood.”
“And then?” I ask.
“Then I test your other senses,” he says and every so gently strokes my thighs.
I can feel the little hairs on my skin standing up. Unlike Marcus and Liam, Alex seems to prefer the more gentle approach.
Makes a nice change, I think in anticipation and taste the next dish. Something fishy. Or is it a mussel?
“Mussel?” I guess.
“Exactly. A St. James scallop.”
“And what do scallops do?” I want to know.
“Scallops enhance the sexual vibe.”
“Is this what you always do?” I ask into the darkness. “Get women in the mood through food?”
“I don’t have to. There are more ways than one!” he replies.
“And what would they be?” I ask flippantly. I’m slowly starting to enjoy our little game in the dark. It’s quite exciting not to know what Alex plans to do next. And he’s right. I feel that the darkness enhances my senses. I taste the food more intensively, I feel more intensively and I can hear his gentle voice much more clearly.
“You should taste the red wine first. It’s really excellent here. Stay where you are,” he says. Seconds later I feel a glass on my lips. I cautiously fumble for it, take it from him and take a small sip.
Even a simple task like drinking a little wine is really difficult in the darkness, I think and awkwardly clutch the glass. I’ve no idea where to put it down.
“It’s lovely!” I remark and take another sip. “And now? Are we leaving now?”
“Absolutely not,” Alex says, gropes for my hand and takes the glass off me. “Now it’s time to attend to your other senses.”
I don’t get a chance to ask him how he can manage so well in the darkness when he pulls me to him so suddenly that I have to gasp.
“You’re a little too jumpy,” he declares. “Lie back and relax!”
I slowly lie down on my back. The upholstered object under us appears to be some kind of a divan or bed. At any rate, it’s big enough for me to stretch out comfortably.
My heart’s beating in a wild staccato when Alex very delicately starts to undress me. He gently unbuttons my blouse; a clearly masterly performance in the circumstances. His fingertips slide over my bare midriff, caress my cleavage and my neck. I raise my upper body a little and he opens my bra to expose my breasts. I feel him ever so gently blowing air over my nipples. They stand up almost instantly.
“Take off your skirt and your panties,” he whispers.
I slip the skirt and the thong off and carelessly discard them. Now I’m lying completely naked in the darkness. My senses are strained to the limit. Alex starts teasing my body with small movements. He briefly lingers at different parts, caresses them with his fingertips and then blows a little air onto my skin. I never know which place he plans to conquer next. Each touch triggers little adrenalin rushes surging through me. My clitoris starts pounding although Alex hasn’t paid it any attention yet. I moan in frustration.
“What is it?” he breathes. “Do you want more?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“With pleasure,” he says and briefly releases me.
Seconds later I sense something soft on my skin. It mercilessly tickles my bellybutton, wanders further down and caresses my loins. What is it? A feather? It actually feels more like several feathers.
Suddenly Alex moves the object over my labia and a little shriek of pleasure escapes my throat. The tickling feather toy wriggles over the lips of my vulva and then teases my clitoris. I pant, tormented.
My womb starts jerking like made. Don’t stop! Oh, please, don’t stop!
I’m so wet, Alex could enter me right away.
But apparently he has no intention of releasing me. Relentlessly the feathers keep on tickling while Alex’s fingers stroke my thighs.
“Please! Oh, please!” I shout and arch my pelvis towards him.
“Shush!” He places his hand on my mons pubis, enters me with one finger and teases my G-spot while the feathers continue to torture my clitoris.
I am overcome by waves of desire that make me lose control over my body and tremble with passion. The blood is pulsating in my womb. I dig my heels into the soft upholstery, raise my pelvis and scream my pleasure into the darkness.
28
Unable to speak, I just remain how I am for a few minutes. My whole body is tingling and still covered in goosebumps. I’ve never experienced such intense pleasure. And I didn’t even see my partner!
“You okay?” Alex asks quietly.
“Yeah,” I breathe. My voice sounds all hoarse, I screamed so much. Hopefully nobody heard me.
“Then I hope you enjoyed our luncheon, My Ladyship, and I sincerely hope to have the pleasure again.” It’s hard to miss the amusement in Alex’s voice.
“Are we done then?” I ask and secretly hope that we are. I’m so overstimulated, I guess it would be painful if he were to penetrate me now.
“We are. You still have a demanding evening ahead of you. I should really go easy on you now if we want to celebrate your initiation later.”
He’s right, I think. I had nearly forgotten. Let’s see what awaits me tonight. So far I actually quite enjoyed everything the three of them did with me. Hopefully that won’t change. My time with Liam, Alex and Marcus really is bizarre. Bizarre but unbelievably sexy.
I raise
myself up and try to locate my clothes. However am I meant to find them again in the pitch-dark?
The only thing I can feel is the upholstery.
“Oh, oh,” I say.
“What is it?” Alex wants to know.
“I can’t find my clothes.”
“Wait. Just a moment!” he replies and suddenly the room is bathed in light.
Finally I can see my surroundings.
The dining room at the “Carpe Noctem” is quite small. All in all, I count six tables with two seats and three large beds each. We’re using one of them right now. Fortunately there really is nobody else here. It would have been too embarrassing if the other tables had been occupied. The thought alone makes me wince.
At last I can also see Alex properly. He looks stunning in his jeans and a white shirt. His dark hair provides a beautiful contrast to the shirt clinging tightly to his sinewy torso. He isn’t quite as muscular as Liam, but still extremely attractive. His brown eyes are watching me with a smile. His hand holds the remote control for the ceiling lights.
“You had that the whole time?” I point to the remote.
“Yeah,” he nods. Just in case you may not feel so well at some stage.”
“How considerate,” I remark with a slightly wry grin. Then I start gathering my clothes which are spread all over the bed and the floor.
My eyes spot the black stick with feathers attached to the end of it lying beside Alex. Ha! That’s what he used to torment me!
Alex is visibly amused. “Did you enjoy my toy?” he asks.
“Not in the least,” I say coquettishly. “Wasn’t it obvious?”
“Really?” he laughs. “You were pretty loud. But I like that. It felt like your body totally responded to mine.”
“Um,” I mumble and get dressed. I still wonder how Alex managed so well in the darkness. Granted, the different dishes and the wine glasses, too, have been conveniently arranged within easy reach on a little table, but I would definitely have spilled and upset the whole lot had I tried to pick anything up.