by Skyy
“Thank you, sir.”
“Enjoy, ma’am.”
Dakota made her way outside the hotel to wait on the shuttle. While waiting, she saw limos picking up and dropping off people as well as Town Cars. The last time she rode in a limo was prom. As she stared at the limo she pondered whether to go for it. She’d only been in Vegas an hour; she’d rather spend that kind of money on shoes versus a ten-minute limo ride.
“You should go for it,” she heard a female voice say behind her.
Dakota turned to see a tall, blond-haired woman who looked like she’d just finished up a fashion shoot.
“I see you looking at those limos like a hungry lioness seeking out her next meal.”
Dakota smirked. “I wouldn’t say all that, but, yeah, limo versus free shuttle. It’s a no-brainer.” Dakota didn’t want to just throw money away. That wasn’t being boring or not taking a risk. In her opinion, that was being wise.
“Exactly, it is a no-brainer, so why are you standing here contemplating? They really aren’t that expensive. But then again, I guess any ride in life can cost you more than you bargained for depending on where you’re heading.”
“Oh, well, I’m just heading over to Caesars to do a little shopping,” Dakota said.
“The Forum Shops. I love it! There’s Louis Vuitton, Christian Louboutin, Fendi, Gucci, Michael Kors, Tiffany & Company, Valentino. It’s orgasmic for someone like myself!”
The woman’s European accent didn’t go unnoticed by Dakota. Perhaps this woman was some famous model from France or someplace.
“I’ve never been.” And hearing the woman call off all those high-priced designer stores, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go; maybe to window shop, but not make a purchase. “The concierge inside suggested it.”
“He has good taste.” The woman eyeballed Dakota. “And obviously so do you.”
“Well thank you.” Oh, my God, did I just blush? What the...
“Are you a Vegas virgin?”
“Excuse me?” Dakota didn’t see that one coming.
“Is this your first time in Vegas is all I meant,” the woman cleared up. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Oh, yes. This is my first time in Vegas,” Dakota said. “And not to worry.” She paused and gave the woman a once-over, noticing her long, slender, tanned legs sticking out from under her short dress. “I don’t offend easily.” Did I just look this woman up and down?
Yes, indeed Dakota had. She had admired all five feet and ten inches of this well-endowed bombshell. Had she done it in a sister girlfriend way? Or, had she done it in a “this woman is hot” way? It didn’t matter. The free shuttle was pulling up, putting an end to whatever it was going on between Dakota and the woman before it could even get started.
“Well, here’s my ride.” Dakota smiled.
“So you’re not going to go for it, huh?” The woman tsked and then shook her head. “Too bad. You only live once.”
Dakota stopped and looked at the woman. It was as if the woman had just said the secret password. Like Dakota was on some 007 mission and her allies were given the secret code so she’d know who to trust.
“Trust me, you should take the limo,” the woman said. “As a matter of fact, if you want company, I’d love to join you. The Forum Shops are like my second home here in Vegas.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I dress people. High-profile people. They like quality.” The woman looked Dakota up and down again. “I like quality. And since I do this for a living, just look at it as a freebie from me.”
“So you’ll dress me for free?”
“Certainly,” the woman said. She then leaned into Dakota, her glossy lips barely brushing against Dakota’s ear. “And undress you as well if you’d prefer.”
This wasn’t the first time Dakota’s private had tingled, but it was the first time a woman’s touch, or barely touch, had made it tingle. This whole alter ego thing was going to a whole other level. Perhaps Dakota was getting lost in it all.
“So what do you say ...” The woman searched for a name to call Dakota, placing a hand on Dakota’s shoulder.
“Marie,” Dakota said, almost mesmerized by the woman’s touch, by the woman’s eyes gazing into hers.
“What do you say, Marie?”
Trying not to pant and to get her heart palpitations under control, Dakota replied with, “I say yes.”
On that note the woman signaled down one of the limo drivers who had just been standing against his car. “Are you available?” she asked the driver.
He looked at his watch. “I have a client coming out in about an hour.”
“I just need you long enough to take us over to Caesars hotel.”
The driver thought for a moment.
“Come on. You’ll be back in less than a half hour for sure.”
“Ahhh, all right.” The driver then walked around and opened the door for Dakota and the woman to get in.
“After you,” the woman said to Dakota.
“Thank you.” Dakota went to get inside the car. Right before getting in she stopped and then turned to the woman. “Wait. I don’t even know your name.”
“How rude of me. It’s Aquilla. Aquilla Humphrey.”
Dakota smiled. “Nice to meet you, Aquilla. And thanks for the ride.” Dakota got in the limo and Aquilla slid in after her.
“Giving you a ride is my pleasure, dear,” Aquilla said and then the driver closed the door. “Hopefully it will be considered one of the best rides of your life.” With that, Aquilla rested her hand on Dakota’s knee and they drove off.
Chapter 5
When the two women stepped out of the limo, Aquilla handed the driver a hundred dollar bill and then escorted Dakota into the Caesars Palace hotel. Dakota found this hotel to be beautiful as well. It didn’t have that posh, groovy feel like the Rio, but it was very elegant indeed, classy even. It looked like money. Smelled like money. If Dakota ever did make it back to Vegas, she was going to give Caesars Palace a try for sure.
“Thank you so much for the limo ride, Aquilla,” Dakota said. “I’ll take care of it on the way back.”
“No worries,” Aquilla said. “This is where I’m staying. I was just at the Rio doing an emergency dress for one of my peers. My real client who flew me here is actually staying here.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Do I hear a hint of disappointment in your voice that you’ll be riding back solo?” Aquilla asked, placing her index finger on Dakota’s chin and just slightly lifting it up.
“Ummm, perhaps.” Dakota pouted her lips. “You were pretty good company.”
“Well, don’t be sad, dear, let’s take advantage of the time we have now. So let’s go shopping.”
After taking a set of escalators up to the shops, Dakota was in awe. The shops were absolutely exquisite. It didn’t take her long to realize that she should have gone with her first instincts and hit Ross. She was way out of her league here. If she bought one outfit in this place, more than likely she’d have to wear it her entire Vegas trip because it would exhaust her budget.
“I know the perfect shop for you.” Aquilla grabbed Dakota by the hand and took her into a shop in which every outfit the mannequins had on looked like something someone more of Aquilla’s shape and size would look good in rather than Dakota.
“Uh, I don’t know.” Dakota began to fidget.
“What? Not your taste? Too risqué for you?” Aquilla fondled the red sequin dress that one of the mannequins was wearing.
“Oh, no. Everything looks absolutely beautiful.” Dakota looked around. “Everything in here is beautiful. You have amazing taste indeed to bring me here. It’s my taste I suppose. Or should I say my size? I don’t think I can fit into the dressing room, let alone the clothes.”
“Nonsense!” Aquilla spat. “You are perfect for anything in here. Come.” Aquilla once again grabbed Dakota by the hand. This time she led her over to the dressing room mirror. “Look at that. Do you know how
many women I dress would pay for these curves?” She laughed. “Screw that. Do you know how many women I have dressed who have paid for these curves? What are you, a size sixteen?” Aquilla began to run her hands down Dakota’s sides. She paused. “Do you mind?”
All Dakota could do was shake her head in the negative. So Aquilla continued.
I bet if she were a man her dick would be hard right about now, Dakota thought, and then chuckled. Hell I ain’t a man and my dick is hard. Dakota chuckled even louder at the foul-mouthed voice within.
“What’s wrong?” Aquilla asked her giggling new friend.
“Oh, nothing. I’m sorry. It just tickled a little, that’s all.” Dakota straightened up and got serious.
“I’m very serious here. You are a beautiful woman. I’m sure you might hear that all the time, but do you believe it?” She turned Dakota to face her. Staring into Dakota’s eyes she repeated, “Well, do you believe it? That you are a beautiful woman?”
All Dakota could see was Aquilla’s pearly pink glossed lips staring back at her. Waiting. Waiting for her answer or waiting to be kissed? Dakota wasn’t sure which. Those lips appeared to be getting closer and closer to Dakota, the longer she stared. But was she the one moving in, or was it Aquilla moving in close to her? All she knew is that she could practically count every little piece of shining glitter in that lip gloss. Dakota felt her own lips parting and before she knew it, she was being sharply turned back toward the mirror.
“Well.” Aquilla waited. “Do you?”
“I do,” Dakota said, almost in a trance. She then repeated, “I do,” with much more confidence, lifting her shoulders up.
“Now that’s more like it. There is nothing worse than dressing a client with low self-esteem and doubt, too afraid and ashamed of their figure to even try on garments that were absolutely made for them.” She threw her hands up and clapped. She then turned Dakota back to face her. “My, oh my, am I going to have fun with you.”
Dakota felt like Aquilla’s little Baby Alive doll that she was about to play dress-up with, especially since she kept grabbing her hand and dragging her around the store like she was her favorite dolly.
Aquilla had summoned clerk after clerk to assist them with different styles and sizes. In an hour’s time, Dakota had dang near tried on everything in the store.
“Perfect!” Aquilla gasped when Dakota came out of the dressing room wearing a sleek black dress. It hung just right off the shoulders; not too much. It was about two inches above the knee, showing off what Aquilla referred to as Dakota’s delicious knees. “And I know where to grab you the perfect pair of shoes.” Aquilla looked at the clerk. “We’ll take it!”
“Whoa, whoa.” Dakota held her hand up and then searched for the tag. Although she’d had a ball playing dress-up, after trying on a pair of pants that cost $495, she knew she wouldn’t even be buying a pair of socks out of that joint. She didn’t even want to embarrass herself by looking at the price tag on a whole dress, but she was about to do just that. Having her credit card declined would be even more embarrassing she surmised.
Aquilla put her hand right back up. She closed her eyes and started shaking her head. “No, no, no. I will not take no for an answer. You must let me purchase this dress for you. My friend, I have been dressing people for years and it’s very rare to come across a garment that was specifically made for that person. Darling, no one, and I mean no one, can wear this dress the way you are wearing it. Don’t do this to me. You’ll totally bruise my ego.” She walked close to Dakota and lifted Dakota’s dark, shoulder-length hair that was a mixture of kinks and waves. “If you turn me down, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to dress another woman the same.”
Was Aquilla this darn sensual or was Dakota hearing things? Seeing things. Her voice purred like an arching kitten. Her lips were like luscious pretty pink cotton candy that spoke only sweet words.
“But I—”
Dakota started to speak but was silenced by Aquilla’s soft index finger. Dakota could only imagine what else Aquilla could do with that finger as that damn tingling shit started again.
“Shhh. Please. How often in your lifetime will a complete stranger meet you and just want to buy you a thousand dollar dress with nothing in return. No strings attached?”
Dakota couldn’t give Aquilla an honest number of times that could happen. Well, an honest number was probably zero. Once upon a time Dakota recalled her churchgoing auntie saying that God can put it in people’s spirit to bless complete strangers with a house and a car if He saw fit. For some reason, Dakota didn’t think God had anything to do with this, but still, in the words of her auntie, she wasn’t about to pass up this blessing.
“You are right. I seriously doubt if a perfect stranger will ever buy me something this nice.” Dakota turned to look in the mirror and admired herself in the dress one more time. She had to admit, Aquilla knew her stuff. It did look as though this dress had been made for her figure. A size eight couldn’t do what her size eighteen was doing for this dress; no way, no how. “And you’re right about something else, too. I do look good in this dress. It was made for me indeed.” Dakota ran her hands down her sides as Aquilla had done earlier. She closed her eyes and enjoyed her own touch.
“Not here, darling,” Aquilla whispered in her ear. “Later, when you’re back in your hotel room in the shower, save it for then. And imagine my hands instead of yours.”
Dakota opened her eyes. She was looking into Aquilla’s eyes through the mirror. “But you said no strings attached.”
“I just said to imagine it is all.” Aquilla winked and began to walk away.
The clerk who had been assisting them stopped her. “So does she want that dress?”
“Yes, she’s taking the size sixteen,” Aquilla replied.
Dakota poked her head through the dressing room door, as she’d already walked back inside to take the dress off. “No. Eighteen. I wear size eighteen.”
“Perhaps,” Aquilla said, “but you look better in a sixteen. Take a look at the tag.”
Dakota lifted her left arm and grabbed hold of the tag underneath with her right arm. “What?”
Aquilla smiled. “Mostly everything you’ve been trying on has been a sixteen,” Aquilla said proudly. “The minute you said you wore a size eighteen I immediately knew that was incorrect. I’d sized you up the entire ride over here. And I know a woman’s body. It’s my job to know,” she expressed. “You wear a size eighteen because that’s what you feel most comfortable in. Darling, life is not about being comfortable. Life is about looking fabulous.” Aquilla looked to the clerk. “Like I said, she’ll take the size sixteen.” Then she walked off not sticking around to take any lip from Dakota. Before she left Dakota’s earshot, though, she threw over her shoulder, “Disrobe, darling, so you can ring out. We still have a pair of killer pumps to get to go with the ensemble.”
Dakota went into the dressing room and changed out of the dress. The clerk was waiting at the door to take it and go ring it up. By the time Dakota put her clothes back on and came out of the dressing room, the dress had been rung up, paid for, and was bagged. Aquilla stood at the exit door waiting for Dakota with bag in hand.
“All set?” Aquilla asked, extending the bag to Dakota.
“All set.” Dakota took the bag from Aquilla.
The two women exited the store hand in hand. Only this time Aquilla didn’t have to snatch up Dakota’s hand and drag her along. Dakota took the liberty of placing it inside Aquilla’s.
They entered a shoe store where the shoes weren’t too pricey, at least not for the quality anyway. Dakota looked around, but Aquilla appeared to have known just the right shoe to set the dress off. Dakota didn’t even have to try on a million pair.
Dakota watched as Aquilla instructed the clerk to bring out two different pair of shoes. She’d called them out by name without even having gone to search the shoe rack.
“In black,” Aquilla had told the clerk.
“Wha
t size?” the clerk asked.
“Hmmm.” Aquilla turned and looked at Dakota’s feet.
“Oh, I wear—” Dakota started once she noticed the clerk and Aquilla looking at her feet.
“Seven,” Aquilla said to the clerk.
“Yes, ma’am,” the clerk said, then scurried off into the back where the shoes were stored.
“How did you ...” Dakota didn’t even finish her query. She’d answered herself by resolving that it was Aquilla’s job to know.
A couple minutes later the clerk appeared with two very similar looking shoes. She slipped a stocking on Dakota’s foot and slipped one of the shoes on her foot.
“I love it!” Dakota said.
“That was my first choice,” Aquilla said, clapping her hands again in excitement. She looked to the clerk. “You can put the other pair back.”
The clerk nodded and did just that.
Dakota slipped on the other shoe. She then stood up, walked over to the mirror, and modeled the shoes, turning her feet this way and that way. “What a simple yet gorgeous shoe. I will not argue with you about taking these.”
Aquilla cleared her throat as if she had a problem.
“What is it?” Dakota asked confused. She turned and looked at Aquilla.
“The dress was on me. The shoes are on you,” Aquilla said.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that,” Dakota apologized. “I meant that I won’t argue with you about them being perfect for me, therefore me buying them. I hope you don’t think I’m that kind of girl because—”
“Ahh, enough.” Aquilla walked over to Dakota. For the second time Aquilla placed her index finger on Dakota’s lips.
Internally Dakota vowed that if that pretty little finger touched her lips again, she would suck it like a lollypop.
“It’s fine. Relax. I know you are not that kind of girl.” Aquilla’s eyes rolled over Dakota’s body nice and slow. “That’s what I like about you.” She slowly dragged her finger down Dakota’s lips.
By the time the tip of her index finger reached the opening of Dakota’s lips, Dakota had indiscreetly, but purposely, stuck out the tip of her tongue, capturing just a bit of Aquilla’s fingertip.