by Celia Styles
Be there. I will be waiting for you.
D.S.
Was all one note said.
D.S.? Was this Daniel Strauss?
That note intrigued her the most. The others had just been ordinary. Flattering, but ordinary none the less.
“I think you are very beautiful. I would like to get to know you.” Was one.
“Your curves entice me.” Was another.
“The beauty you radiate is breathtaking.” Was the third.
“Can I be the lucky man who will win you over?” Was the fourth.
It was hard for her to believe that in that garden filled with beautiful women, she, on her own, had managed to win the admiration of five men. What she wouldn’t give to be able to taunt Brandon with these letters…
But of course she couldn’t let him know. If she did, she wouldn’t be able to compete in the pageant.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“I’m here for the pageant.” She announced, when the guard asked if he could help her.
“Yes ma’am.” He answered, smiling courteously then proceeding to open the gate.
She thought it a little strange that he didn’t asked her for name. Was anyone allowed to compete? Instead he let her in as if having been privy to the knowledge of her arrival. Maybe he actually did.
Maybe this happens often, she thought to herself. Maybe D.S. always sets appointments.
The car drove in, coming to a halt in front of the grand wooden doors. She watched the driver steal a glance at the large mansion, then proceeded to drive off with a look of awe on his face. The doors immediately opened and a butler stepped out. He stretched his hand out to help her up the stairs, then took her arm in his and led her inside.
“May I take your coat?” he politely offered.
“Thank you.” She replied, handing him her long black, leather coat.
“This way,” he said, leading her into a large and spacious lounge. “Mr. Strauss will be with you in a moment.” He confirmed.
Christine used the opportunity to glance around the place. The brown and gold linoleum floor glowed all the way from the entrance, past the foyer and into a spacious lounge. Stairs, both on the left and the right of the foyer, led upstairs to what must be more lavish architecture. And pictures hung on the wall which displayed two very handsome gentleman, always together. There were few of each of the two alone, rare ones, but in those you could clearly tell one as the elder and the other a few years his junior, most presumably his brother. Which one was Daniel Strauss?
Footsteps came from upstairs and a smartly dressed maid walked down the silver, winding staircase. She curtsied, then proceeded to step forward and ask, "Can I get you anything to drink ma’am?"
“Thank you but I’m alright.” Christine answered.
The maid left, leaving Christine to continue her sightseeing.
Everything looked opulent, from the tiled floors that were a different color and pattern in every room to the carefully selected throw rugs and sheer curtains billowing on the walls. Every piece of décor was an antique and others were ensembles of collections that she was sure you could only get for a pretty penny. The wooden furniture looked like hand carved workmanship that added to the beauty of the interior, which amply complimented the delicate settee that sat next to a heavy looking stack of bookcases. The fireplaces that mated with the walls appeared to be actually used.
“We ask you to arrive early so you can get ready,” a hoarse and sexy voice said from behind. “Today’s pageant will actually commence at six.”
Christine turned to find the one of the most handsome men she had ever seen standing in front of her. His tall build and broad shoulders made her weak to the knees. His hair was dark, and he kept a well-groomed beard, right in the center of his chin. His smile was dazzling, dark hair falling across a fair-skinned face, and soft, curious-colored eyes flashed through the haphazard strands. His jaw was firm and strong, and his nose long but slightly crooked, like it had been broken and left to its imperfections. There was an odd lightness about his eyes, though, and a small curve to his lips, as if there were something terribly funny that only he knew the answer to, and it was that brief, wicked glance I caught that said maybe he hadn't broken it, but he knew what it looked like. And he liked that. The hint of danger. It made him seem more like something he wasn't.
He wore a perfectly fitting grey suit. Inside it was a white shirt, grey tie and matching waist coat. Complete and total elegance. Golden cufflinks peaked from either side of his wrists, and she could see no wedding band on his hand. Unmarried huh? She thought to herself. How could such a man not be taken yet?
“You look beautiful.” He said, Christine’s cheeks turning pink. “I knew from the moment I saw you that you would be perfect.” He remarked.
“Perfect for what?” she asked.
“Just perfect.” He replied.
“I’m Donovan by the way. Donovan Strauss.” He said, extending his hand.
Strauss! Is he somehow related to Daniel Strauss?
Christine walked forward and shook it, squinting slightly at how strong his grip was.
“Christine, nice to meet you. So what do I do now?” she asked.
“Follow me.” He said.
Chapter 4: The pageant
Christine was led upstairs to a room where she found other women getting dressed. The room was filled with women the same size as her, and others who were larger. She nodded as she passed them by, and smiled to herself that there actually was a place in the world for everybody. She thought of how it would shock Brandon to learn that there were, in fact, many men who loved plus size women; men who would dedicate their entire day just to watch these women walk back and forth in all of their beauty.
She picked a corner, and began to unpack the bag filled with lingerie that she had brought with her. Christine had packed so many that she didn’t know which to choose. Her favorite was a light blue semi sheer nylon baby doll nightie that came coupled with a stocking and garter set. She also liked the red lace and leather corset that tied up at the back, with really sexy barely-there low rise underwear that had lace stockings attached to it, and a black see through lace/mesh robe with feathers around the sleeves.
There were many others, but she wasn’t sure yet just how many times she would be asked to walk up and down the ramp. She settled for the red lace one, knowing that red was always a color that shouted confidence and allure.
While dressing, the other women sneakily peeked at her, watching how she carefully put on her beautiful costume. Her curvaceous body was accentuated by the lingerie she had chosen, and it was clear by the way other women looked with jealousy. Once dressed, she did her hair and make-up, and when finished she stared at herself in the mirror, proud of what she was seeing.
“You look beautiful.” One of the ladies said. “The men are surely going to bet on you.”
“You’re beautiful too.” Christine replied. “And to be honest, I’m really nervous.”
“You have nothing to worry about.” The girl assured. She then went on to explain how the pageant actually worked.
“The red and green lights are your cue. Just look for those. I always just look at those when I’m nervous. Your turn will come, and you will just walk down the ramp. You’ll stop at the end of the ramp and wait for the light to turn green. When it does, you’ll just turn around and walk back. Simple.”
“And how long does it usually take for the light to turn green? How long do they stare at you for?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” she said chuckling. “It doesn’t take more than a couple of seconds.”
Christine’s pulse began to race. She wasn’t sure how the men would react. What if they didn’t like her? What if the red light turned green immediately after she stopped? Christine could hear hearty laughs and chatter coming from down the hall. It sounded like there was quite a large crowd in attendance. How was she going to manage this? She was so nervous.
A loud bel
l was rung and the girls could hear the noises begin to settle down. They began the final touches to their outfits and went on to spread the last layers of lipstick on their lips or powder on their noses. Once done, they all lined up, ready for their names to be called.
Christine followed what every other girl was doing. She watched as they confidently stood in line, all chattering with the person next to them but the topics having nothing to do with the terrifying walk that was about to happen.
“Gentlemen!” A hoarse voice said, welcoming the guests.
“Welcome!”
“A very good evening to all of you and a warm welcome to yet another pageant. Tonight we celebrate the beauty held by the women who are about to walk in front of you, and we can assure you, these women are very beautiful.
It is an exceptional night today. Four years ago we witnessed beauty after beauty on this very ramp and I started to think I had seen the best of the best. But I promise you; I was wrong. Behind this wall are some of the most beautiful women in this town, most of which you have never seen, never knew existed, but tonight are going to get a chance to adore. It is thanks to all the special people who joined us here today that we are able to celebrate this wonderful night of not just running this pageant but also being successful at it. To all those people who could not join us here today, we miss you.
You are about to witness beauty at its best. Women who embody the definition of fullness. Women who are inch by inch breathtaking, and they are here. It’s up to you to make the perfect move.
Tonight, is about enjoying ourselves. Not looking at tomorrow but celebrating the present. So go ahead, get your pens and notebooks ready, and prepare yourself for the beauty that is about to become. Have a magical night! You have all worked so hard for it. Grab some champagne, enjoy the show and thank you for making all of this possible.”
The crowd roared. It sounded as if there were close to a hundred people in attendance.
“Without any further delay,” he said. “Let us bring out our first contestant!” he shouted.
“Joan Winters!”
She was tall, her body swaying gracefully as she walked down the ramp. Christine watched the movement of her hands as they swung rhythmically beside her curvy hips. Christine would have loved to know if she looked just like that when she walked. To see if her skin looked just as smooth as hers. She paused at the front of the ramp, her legs crossed. She was very lady like, the view of the thickness of her thighs underneath her tight short skirt and lace bra enticing many. They whistled and cheered, and she smiled in appreciation. The girls envied the attention she was getting, and hoped that they too, when it was their turn, would receive the same.
The light was red for what seemed like five seconds, then it turned green.
“Maxine West!”
Maxine was busty with tiny waist and wide hips. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean. She has long thick wavy brown hair. Strong cheekbones with plump medium size lips and a small pointy nose. She wore a sexy two piece lingerie set that was held together by garter straps with a pair of matching stockings. She had a modest neckline whose main function was seemingly to accentuate the well-upholstered and delicious form of 38DD size breasts that she had. Her waist line curved inwards and her 36 sized hips were then made to look much bigger and much more alluring.
Her light was on for slightly longer than Joan, but within seconds it turned to green too.
“Liz Rivera!”
She looked as though she was an angel, in the form of one of the most beautiful girls on earth. Her eyes were sapphire eyes that were so crystal clear that you could probably see your future in them. Or, at least any man would think so. She had chestnut brown hair that shone and rustled with every word she spoke. She had the body of a dancer, supple and beautiful. With every step she took, more and more men took to their feet, clapping.
Oddly, despite the raving attention from the crowd, her light stayed red for only a couple short seconds, then quickly turned to green.
Who was controlling the light?
“Bernice Peterson!”
Bernice looked amazing. It was something about her smile. There was something behind that smile - a certain amount of mischief maybe? She might even had been laughing on the inside, certain that she would not make it out of the mansion alone. But there was definitely was an aura of confidence around the way she moved that made men find her more interesting than the rest. Her eyes seemed to speak to the crown and immediately she reached the center of the ramp, many men stood in applause. Her skin glowed under the gold one piece lace bodice that she had selected. It was the kind of skin every man wanted to touch. Her lips curved into a wide smile that lit up her face. They were fuller, curved lips that stood out under the ruby red lipstick that she wore.
Red – then green.
“Chantelle Brooks!”
Chantelle seemed like the ideal sexy girl. She had a smiling face with inviting eyes and rosy lips. Her long hair and soft velvety skin glowed, heightening the complexion of her body. She was the type of woman who didn't always need make-up to look hot, instead just the pulling up if her long blonde hair and all her features were there for the admiring. She had the best kind of body that was top heavy with a chest that was supple and perky. Her thighs were statuesque and she looked like a big beautiful woman right out of a magazine. The rest of her body was endowed with playful features and one could be sure that her bubbly personality would win anyone over.
Roxanne Summers, Anna Hayes, Monique Rose and Bridgette Fox, were the next to be called out. Each took their turn to walk down the ramp and enjoy the admiration from the men. In a few seconds, they were back, just as Rachel had said.
“Christine!” the host said, and all of a sudden her heart began to race and her feet began to tremble. She didn’t know what she was going to do or how she was going to do it but and she prayed the reaction to her would be positive. Please cheer, she prayed, please cheer.
Christine began her walk down the ramp and immediately a chorus of loud cheering began. Many men whistled while others screamed her name. She continued to walk, noticing that there were almost three times as many men present than there had been in the first event. She wondered where all these men came from.
Reaching the front of the ramp, Christine paused, her legs crossed with one hand on her hip. The noise made by the crowd gave her the confidence to look around, rather than look at the red light like as she had planned to.
All the men were good looking. It was astounding. She imagined Brandon being here, seeing all these men cheer at her. She wondered what his face expression would be like. How red his face always turned when he was either embarrassed or angry.
Screw Brandon, she thought to herself. She was here right now and this was the only place she wanted to be at the moment. She had no regrets.
Christine turned towards the light, noticing that it had stayed red for quite a while now. It should have turned green by now, she thought, but the light still stayed red. Christine looked around, hoping to be able catch a glimpse of Daniel Strauss, whoever he may be, but though she looked carefully, there was still no indication of who he was. Christine looked at the light once more, and it was still red.
The crowd continue to scream and shout, the noise getting louder as the light stayed on for longer. It was as if someone was deliberately keeping her there so that the men could look at her longer. Could it be Donovan? She wondered.
After a long while, the light eventually turned green. Christine turned on her heels and began to walk away. The crowd roared when they got a view of her gracious rear, and she smiled to herself, thankful that for once someone other than herself had appreciated the beauty of her body.
“Oh my God! How long was that?” Rachel shouted as soon as Christine got backstage.
“It seemed like forever!” Christine said, laughing.
“It’s never been on that long for any girl!” Rachel screamed.
“Really?” Christine questioned.
“Yea. They must have really liked you.” Rachel said, and with that the two girls walked back to the changing room, laughing and giggling about what it must have meant.
All the girls went silent as soon as Christine entered. Some had smirks on their faces while others had genuine looks of admiration. They were truly happy for her.
“Don’t mind the others.” Rachel said rubbing her shoulder. “They are just jealous.”
“I’m sure there are enough men to go around.” Christine said. “There’s enough for all of us.” She said and they broke into a heartfelt laughter.
“Christine.” A warm voice called up behind her. “Congratulations.” She said, reaching out to shake her hand.
It was the same woman from the first event. She wore no name badge today but Christine remembered her name was Lisa.