Man of the House: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance

by Sarah Rowling

  Andrea leaned back in her desk chair, looking at Trudy as she stood in the doorway. Her long brown hair cascaded down her ample chest. She was a little shorter than Andrea, though just as beautiful.

  “I am so glad we’re done,” Andrea said, exhaling sharply and smiling at her friend.

  “Me too,” Trudy said, coming closer to Andrea. “Are you packed? We have to be at the airport in like, an hour.”

  Andrea hopped up from her chair, grinning. She jumped over to Trudy and they hugged, squealing with delight.

  Earlier that month they had both agreed that they deserved something for being successful at twenty-eight. Trudy found a conference for young entrepreneurs at a luxury hotel and got them in. It was four days with a few hours of seminars and a lot of drinking by the pool. They had been waiting for weeks.

  “I’ve had a suitcase packed since Monday,” Andrea said with a laugh and sat back in her chair, returning half of her attention to her computer.

  Trudy turned to head back to her office to close down her computer.

  Turning back to Andrea she said, “We are going to have so much fun.”

  Andrea smiled back at her and watched her walk back across the hall. It was the best time for them to get away. They were ahead of schedule, had the funds, and most importantly, were both single.

  They had been through a couple of lousy boyfriends over the years of their friendship but had never had anyone really serious. Andrea was always more concerned about finding a man than Trudy was, but recently, even Trudy was more eager to go out and flirt.

  Either way, Andrea wanted to blow off some steam. There was an age specification of under forty for their particular conference in order to focus on the success of young business owners. She didn’t care why, she was just excited to be at a hotel full of young, successful men. She wasn’t concerned about the young women.

  She drew her focus back to her computer, closing her work and shutting it off. She got up from her chair and grabbed her purse, sitting on her desk. The smile didn’t leave her face as she shut the light off and closed her office door.

  Trudy was ready and waiting for Andrea.

  “Wow, you really are excited!” She said, giggling at Andrea’s permanent grin.

  She shrugged, “We deserve a break.”

  Trudy rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically, “Do we ever! We have been working our asses off. Let’s make sure we have an amazing time.”

  Her hand went onto Andrea’s back, pushing her gently towards the door.

  “Let’s go!”

  They stepped out onto the sidewalk and Andrea locked the front door. The day was fair with clouds blocking out most of the sun. They were more than ready to leave the city.

  Trudy hailed a cab and they put their bags in the trunk, hopping in the backseat.

  “Here we go,” Trudy said, resting her head on the back of the seat. She turned to look at Andrea, patting her hand.

  “Here we go,” Andrea repeated in a quiet voice. She smiled at Trudy before turning her head to look out the window.

  Chapter Two

  The plane ride was short and they were giddy the entire flight. Andrea bought them each a drink to help calm their nerves but it only made them feel even sillier.

  Before long, they were at the hotel and making their way up to their room. It was on the sixth floor, only half way up the enormous hotel. Andrea took the key and slid it into the lock.

  The door opened, revealing an amazing room with high ceilings and a beautiful bathroom. There were two queen size beds with ivory-colored silk sheets and down comforters. Trudy fell onto one of them, moaning at the softness of the fabric.

  “Wow,” Andrea mouthed, looking around the room.

  She went to the other bed, falling onto it and moaning the same way that Trudy had. They looked at each other, laughing and sat up.

  “This is a gorgeous room,” Andrea said. “I can’t believe this is a business expense.”

  “Yeah,” Trudy agreed, nodding. The smile grew across her face again, “Pool?”

  Andrea nodded excitedly and they got up to put on their bathing suits.

  * * *

  They got back to the room nearly two hours later, dripping wet. The pool had been busy. The girls hadn’t realized how many people were checked in already but apparently they all had had the same thought and had gone to the pool.

  Andrea felt like she was seventeen again, walking around scantily clad and checking out boys. After all of their hard work, she welcomed it.

  She had noticed a lot of young men, most of whom were eyeing her up. She smiled back at them, happy even to just make some new friends.

  Reclining in two lounge chairs, they looked overtop of their sunglasses and nudged each other as handsome men strode by. The pool was indoors but the windows stretched from floor to ceiling, exposing the gorgeous scenery.

  Trudy’s large chest and thin top brought over extra attention. Andrea flirted with a few guys and chatted about business. It was an odd topic to talk about wearing such little clothing, but it forced everyone to be comfortable with one another.

  They had left when their stomachs decided it was time for dinner and promised to catch up with their new friends later on. Andrea left a little reluctantly, despite her hunger but knew she would be seeing at least a few of the guys she’d met again.

  Andrea let Trudy shower first and lay on her bed, wrapped in the white hotel towel. Thinking about guys, her ex-boyfriend popped into her head. She had dumped him six months prior when he asked her to move in with him. There was nothing awful about him, but nothing really great either.

  When he asked her to take things to the next level, she realized that she wanted something more. Something exciting. She was tired of the ‘blah’. Her work was definitely thrilling, now she wanted a love life to match.

  She stepped into the bathroom as Trudy stepped out, catching a glimpse of her bare back as she let the towel drop. Andrea closed the door, thinking about Trudy. She was, in Andrea’s mind, one of the most attractive women she had met. She was also one of the most kind.

  Andrea knew that Trudy always considered her feelings, but she was a little worried that Trudy would attract the ‘right guy’ before she did. What if Andrea’s perfect man went for Trudy instead?

  She shook her head, making her way into the shower. The hot water streamed down her back. She tilted her head back and let it run down her scalp. Her worries melted away.

  Andrea was gorgeous, blue-eyed, and blonde. She knew that she wasn’t starved for attention and wouldn’t be for the remainder of their trip.

  Just relax and have a good time, she thought to herself as she grabbed the shampoo.

  When she came out of the bathroom, wearing her underwear and toweling her hair, Trudy was nearly dressed. Andrea went to her suitcase, pulling out a dress.

  As she slipped it on, Trudy brushed mascara onto her eyelashes. She watched Andrea’s reflection in the mirror.

  “Ready to meet your future husband, the young entrepreneur?” Trudy asked.

  Andrea laughed. “Yeah, right,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “I think the best I can hope for is to get laid. Six months is too long.”

  Trudy smiled, nodding her head. She didn’t want to bring up how long it had been for her. She had been so focused on getting the magazine up and running, she hadn’t had the time to think about boyfriends. She didn’t know how Andrea had the time to fawn over every attractive guy she saw.

  She guessed that that was the difference between them. Andrea had her head in the clouds a little bit but it allowed for some truly creative ideas. Trudy was a little more focused and reserved. It was one of the reasons they worked so well together.

  They were going to head down to the hotel restaurant to eat and have a few drinks. They were both wearing dresses; Trudy’s a little longer and a dark blue. Andrea wore black as she often did.

  “Got the key?” Trudy asked, looking at Andrea.

  She nodded, holding
it up to prove that she did. They headed out the door and towards the elevators. One of the guys from the pool was waiting for one to appear.

  “Hey, heading to the bar?” Andrea called out as they got closer.

  “Hey, ladies,” he said, giving them a smile. “I’m going out to the bar across the street instead. Care to join me?”

  They looked at one another and Trudy shook her head.

  “We’re going to the bar on the main floor. Closer is better,” Trudy returned his smile before taking a step towards the elevator.

  Andrea smiled too, coyly as she looked at him.

  “See you around,” she said as she and Trudy stepped into the elevator.

  He waved, locking eyes with Andrea as the door shut, separating them.

  Chapter Three

  The restaurant was full but they were able to get a table in a corner of the restaurant. There wasn’t an empty seat at the bar and it took a while to get their food. Neither of the women minded, they liked having time to watch people and chat.

  Andrea brought the conversation to Trudy, wondering aloud why she had been single for so long. It wasn’t Trudy’s favorite topic but sometimes she wondered to herself. It had been nearly a year and her last boyfriend had been the friend of Andrea’s boyfriend.

  She had broken up with him when she realized she was dating him out of convenience more than anything else. Double dating was so easy. They were great as a group, but as a separate couple, they didn’t have much.

  “Well, this weekend we’ll end your dry spell,” Andrea said, taking a sip of her drink. “And mine!”

  Trudy nodded, smiling as she rested her chin in her hand.

  “Meeting someone new would be exciting,” she said with a bit of a shrug as she watched Andrea.

  The waitress came by to take their dishes and Andrea ordered more drinks. They returned to their conversation.

  “Did you like any of the guys we met at the pool today? There were like, two dozen of them! And I think that most of them were single,” Andrea said in a sing-song voice, smiling at her friend.

  Trudy smiled slyly, “Actually, that guy at the bar is really handsome. He’s sitting…”

  She looked around, trying to spot the man she had noticed before but couldn’t see him. There were too many people crowding the bar.

  “Who?” Andrea asked eagerly, looking for the mystery man but Trudy gave up trying to point him out.

  Twenty minutes had passed and the waitress had clearly forgotten about their drinks. Trudy said that she would go to the bar and try to order them more while they waited for the waitress to come back. She figured that even with how busy it was, she would be able to get a drink rather quickly.

  She approached the crowd, brushing her long hair out of her face and behind her shoulders. The man in front of her turned around, eyed her up and down, asking her if she wanted a drink. She said yes but that she needed one for her friend and he let her move ahead of him.

  Once she actually got to the bar, three men had offered to buy her a drink. She politely declined each time but took the opportunity to move ahead in the crowd.

  Andrea waited at the table, squinting at the bar and trying to discern which of the men were the one Trudy had her eye on. The waitress came by while Trudy was at the bar, setting down their long-awaited drinks with an apology. Andrea smiled and told her not to worry, acknowledging the crowded bar. Nearly ten minutes later, Trudy came back to their table, setting down another couple drinks.

  “Wow,” she said, raising her eyebrows as she saw their order had been brought to the table after all. “I guess we didn’t need these.”

  Andrea laughed, bringing one closer to herself, “Well, I’m sure we’ll find a way to get rid of them.”

  She sipped each of her drinks as Trudy giggled, then continued, “It took a little longer than you thought, I guess.”

  Trudy shook her head, “No, actually, I got to the bar right away but then,” she paused, grinning.

  “Then?” Andrea asked in anticipation.

  “This guy started chatting with me and I gave him my number. We’re going to meet up after the seminar tomorrow evening,” she said through her growing smile.

  “That’s great!” Andrea said, raising her glass. “Cheers to that.”

  They clinked their drinks together and Trudy told her a little about the guy. She was clearly smitten with him. Andrea hadn’t seen Trudy with such a dreamy look in her eyes in years. She was happy for her friend.

  “Is it the same guy that you noticed earlier?” She asked and Trudy nodded.

  “Yeah, he was right there when I got to the bar. And,” she gestured to their glasses, “He bought our drinks. Isn’t he nice?”

  “Even better. Yeah, that was nice,” Andrea said, taking a sip and looking at the bar to get a glimpse of her friend’s love interest.

  After their drinks were gone, Andrea signaled the waitress for more.

  “Got another ten minutes to wait for a drink?” She asked Trudy, giggling and feeling a little tipsy.

  Trudy smiled, her eyes getting blurry. She shook her head.

  “No, I’m going to bed,” she said slowly, taking out her wallet.

  “No, I’ll get this. Don’t worry,” Andrea grinned. “I’m going to have one more.”

  Trudy nodded, smiling, “Ok. Goodnight,” she said slowly as she got up, more than ready for bed.

  Andrea watched her walk out of the bar and head towards the elevator. She relaxed again in her seat. After a few minutes, when she couldn’t see the waitress, she left the table, bringing her purse with her.

  She made her way towards the bar to find a seat even though it was still fairly busy. A couple was getting up from their seats to leave as she got to the bar and she snuck in to snag one of them.

  Before long, a man sat next to her. She waited for him to buy her a drink but to her surprise, he didn’t turn to her. She got a drink from the bartender and brought it to her lips, frowning.

  When the drink was half gone, she took a breath and turned to the man beside her. He was tall and wearing a nice shirt, unlike most of the other guys there. His hair was dark. It was just a little longer on the top so that it fell over his forehead a bit. She couldn’t see his eyes.

  She opened her mouth to say hello but as he turned toward her, she froze.

  Chapter Four

  He was incredibly handsome. His eyes were a dark blue and made his mature face appear much younger. She felt like she was in an old movie as she looked at his rugged, but kind features.

  “Hi,” she said, a little breathlessly.

  “Hey,” he said, smiling at her. “I was hoping you’d say hello.”

  She frowned again, “Why didn’t you say hello first?”

  He raised one shoulder in a shrug, “Now I know you’re interested in me.”

  She raised her eyebrows, beginning to smile at him and extending her hand.

  “I’m Andrea,” she said, with a coy glint in her eye.

  “Vincent,” he took her hand in his, wrapping his long, thick fingers around her delicate ones.

  She felt her body jolt with the excitement of his touch. Her boobs heaved as she took a deep breath trying to steady her nerves. She felt electrified.

  “Nice to meet you,” she said quietly, bringing her drink to her lips.

  He turned to her in his chair, leaning closer, “You’re here for the seminar?”

  She nodded, asking him, “And what’s your entrepreneurial undertaking?”

  He laughed and told her about the business he started with his brother doing small scale welding and carpentry jobs. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he talked and she had trouble paying attention to exactly what he was saying.

  She started a little when he asked her about what brought her to the conference, realizing she was staring into his eyes.

  “Oh, well, my friend and I started an online magazine about high fashion and interior design. Stuff like that,” she said, wrapping her fingers around he
r glass.

  As they talked, she started to like him more and more. He was smart and funny, not to mention unbelievably good-looking. He was just the kind of guy she was searching for.

  After an hour, she looked around and saw that the bar was clearing out.

  “I didn’t realize it had gotten so late,” she said, looking into her empty glass.

  He nodded and said slowly, “Yeah. It’s probably time to leave.”

  She frowned at him, turning her body to face him. He frowned back, genuinely confused.

  “What?” He asked, smiling a little.

  She glanced down and then back up into his eyes, putting her hand on his leg.

  “How do you feel about me staying over in your room tonight?” She said plainly, causing Vincent’s face to break with surprise.

  He cocked his head, laughing a little, “I feel pretty good about it.”

  Andrea grinned, biting her lip, “I’d invite you to my room, but Trudy’s up there.”

  He narrowed his eyes a little, “Trudy?”

  “Yeah, my business partner,” she said, sliding her hand up his thigh.

  The name shot out of his head as he felt her hand move closer to his cock. He controlled himself, clearing his throat a little. He was used to women being forward with him and he really liked Andrea. She was smart and beautiful; two qualities he didn’t always find in one woman.

  Normally, he would put the women into cabs and send them home. He liked a bit of a chase, he was a little old-fashioned, but Andrea was different. She was assertive and tactful, she came off as charming.

  He looked down at her hand and back up to her face. She was smiling sweetly at him, waiting for the next move. Her hand dragged back down his leg and onto her own. She brought her other hand to her neck, running her fingers along her collar bone.

  Vincent stood up and held his hand out to her. She took it, getting up and grabbing her purse. He held her hand, leading her to the elevators.