by Amy Isan
“Mmm, backless? That’s very sexy,” he said, a slight growl in his voice. I blushed, glancing at him and back at the dress. I held it in my hands, the material feeling divine.
I couldn’t help but smile just touching it, and dreaming of it being on my body.
“This is way too nice for just tromping around town though,” I said.
“You’re right. It is,” he said, matter-of-factly. “That’s why we’re going to go out tonight, on a date.”
I looked at him, somewhat astonished. “A date? Isn’t it a little late to be dating?”
“Because we’ve had sex?”
I looked to see if anyone overheard us and lowered my voice. “Well...”
“It’s never the wrong time to go on a date with someone I care about.”
“I hope this isn’t a ploy to get me to put out,” I teased. “But seriously, it’s probably a ridiculous amount of money. I don’t want you to be my sugar daddy.”
He cocked his head, “Why not? If I have the ability... why not let me use it?”
Thankfully, a young woman stepped up to us. She greeted us: “Hello, thanks for coming in to Daisys’. My name is Sara, and I’m here to help.” She flashed us a smile. “I see you’ve got you eye on that dress...” she traced my hand up and caught my eyes. “Would you like to try it on? If anything is amiss, we can alter it before you leave today,” she said.
I never had a single thing in my life altered. I barely knew what it meant, but it sure sounded fancy. Hugh nodded to Sara, who seemed to recognize him.
“Hugh? Is that you?”
“Don't tell me you're little Sara Medina? Wow, it’s been a long time,” Hugh said. He saw my expression and explained: “My family used to be friends with the Medina’s, they had a summer home right next to ours.” He planted his hands on his hips, “It’s been years though.”
“Yeah, I decided to move here a couple years ago. Summer is nice... but year round is better,” she said.
I felt removed from the conversation, but I never really knew how to deal with things like this. Do I just force myself on them?
I watched Hugh, he was never really good at including me either.
“I work at an energy company in Reno.”
“Oh wow, that’s awesome." Her eyes moved down and back up. I wondered if she thought I was his wife.
She turned to me. “So, would you like to try it on?” She seemed genuinely cheerful, not salesperson cheerful.
“Sure, that sounds nice,” I finally said, my tongue working itself loose.
“Just follow me to the changing rooms, and I’ll measure the fit while we’re getting you dressed. If you decide you like how it looks on you, we can alter it before you leave today.”
Sara joined me in the changing room, which was unexpected. It made me vaguely uncomfortable.
“It’s alright hun, we're friends here," she explained.
I slipped off my clothes and stepped into the dress. I guided it up my body and pulled it onto my shoulders.
I looked in the mirror. It was dazzling. The red color accented my hair in a way that was just so.
“Well I’ll be damned,” Sara said. "We don’t even need to alter it. It’s already a perfect fit.”
“Yeah it is,” my voice had vanished, and I was smoothing out the little wrinkles that had appeared around my hips. “I look like royalty.”
Sara chuckled, “If you’re sticking with Hugh, you’ll feel like it too.”
“Were you and Hugh ...close?”
“We were just kids back then, dear, don’t worry yourself.” Then she lowered her voice. "Although he did grow up to be quite delicious.”
“I know it,” I stared at myself in the mirror, “I know it.” I found the price tag hanging off the side, and I looked at it, cupping it in my hand like a secret.
Two thousand dollars. I gasped and let the tag slip out of my fingers.
“This is way too much,” I whispered. “I can’t let him get this for me.”
“I only knew Hugh when he was little, but I can already tell you one thing hasn’t changed: you don’t let Hugh do anything. He just does it.”
I nodded, and started getting undressed. My heart was racing from just looking at the price tag. It was more than I ever had in my savings account, let alone my checking account.
Dumbstruck was the word.
There was a gentle knock on the door.
“Can I take a look?” Hugh asked.
“Come on in,” Sara said, grabbing the handle and swinging it open.
Hugh was breathless, “It’s gorgeous Caitlin. You look absolutely ravishing.” He shot a glance at Sara, and she nodded.
“I have to walk the floor, I’ll be ready when you two are,” she said. She smiled and left us alone in the dressing room. Hugh waited for a moment, then stepped closer. He put his hand on the small of my back, touching my skin. It was a very low cut dress.
He pulled me close to him, making me lose my footing.
“You’re going to get it right?” he asked. “It’s perfect. It was made for you.”
“I don’t think it was made for me,” I teased. “I do like it though... but it’s too much.” I showed him the price tag. He ignored it. “You can get more things too, you know,” Hugh said.
I gawked at him. “More? This isn’t too much?”
“Too much? You were then when I got the raise.” He paused. “I insist, let me splurge on you.”
I finally agreed, raising my hands in surrender. “Okay, I'll let you get me the ridiculously expensive dress.”
“That’s better.”
I admired myself in the mirror, before realizing something. “You’re not going to get anything?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t need anything.”
“No, that won’t do. You have to get something. I’ll feel terrible if you don’t.”
He moved his hands to my hips and squeezed me, before leaning in and kissing me.
I opened my mouth for him, my face still flushed with warmth and my heart racing from it all. Was this what my life was going to be like? How could I go back to living the way I had before?
The kiss lasted, and evolved. I moaned under his touch for a moment, and he caressed my skin. His hands explored the dress, lightly touching my shoulders. He moved up and cupped my face, as if he didn’t want it to end.
He whispered in my ear, making my skin sweat. “We’ll get you this dress, then I’ll take you out to a dinner tonight. Lobster, soaked in butter. Afterwards we’ll head home, and I’ll have you tied to the bed, begging me choke you, fuck you, and make you scream.” I gulped at the image of my hands and arms bound to the bed posts, the cool breeze sifting off the harbor. His body towering over mine, making me his.
All his.
“That... sounds like heaven.”
“You don’t even know the half of it,” he kissed my neck. I shivered, feeling myself grow hotter and hotter.
He pulled away and spoke in his normal voice again. “I’ll let you get dressed, then we’ll buy that dress. We can go get other clothes too while we’re in town, or just walk around.”
He stepped out of the dressing room, leaving me a sweaty mess.
I got dressed back into my ‘real’ clothes and carefully held the dress on its hanger. It felt like something precious I had to be careful with, otherwise it might shatter.
I looked at the men’s section of the store. It was serviceable, but relatively empty compared to the women’s side. Then I saw exactly what he needed.
I picked up a paisley yellow and blue tie.
I joined Hugh at the counter, where he was waiting for me.
“How about this?” I held it up to his neck. “It really makes your eyes pop.”
“I never owned a paisley tie before...” He took and held it delicately, as if he were scrutinizing it. “Okay. I’ll get this. Will that make you happy?”
“It’s a start.” I winked.
Sara rushed over to meet us.
She slipped the dress off the store’s hanger and carefully folded the tie.
“Any big plans for you two tonight?” she asked.
“Nothing special, just a little date.” Hugh’s gaze found me. I felt like melting.
“That sounds nice.” She gestured for Hugh to finalize the transaction, and he swiped his card. She slipped the dress into a black bagged hanger into a black bag and handed it to me.
As we left the store, Hugh grabbed my hand and gave me a gentle squeeze.
Chapter 6
Hugh admitted that while a lot had changed since he was younger, there were still a bunch of old staples around town. The Daisys’ clothing store was there before, but under a different name. He didn’t know that Sara worked there.
“The town has really grown, which is kind of sad,” he said.
“Sad? I think it’s great. When I was at college, the town was tiny. Everyone said it was always like that.”
“Yeah, but I get the city lifestyle back in Reno, so it’s kind of nice to be able to get away from that.”
I shrugged, “I love the city atmosphere. But I can see what you’re saying, a little countryside house is really lovely.”
He chuckled and nodded, “Exactly. Some variety is okay.”
***
We headed back home in the late afternoon to get ready for our date. He was quick to dress, throwing on a new button-up and suit jacket. He put the finishing touches on his ensemble with the paisley tie I picked out for him. Just when I was getting undressed, he moved back into the bedroom and watched me. He was practically salivating, his hands running all over my skin, which made me tingle inside.
“Hey! No, you have to leave the room. It has to be a surprise.” His eagerness gave me goosebumps, but I had to put my foot down. It was going to take me all night to get ready with his constant distractions.
“I already saw the dress,” he whined.
“You didn’t see the whole package, now shoo.” I pushed him out of his own bedroom and locked the door.
I pulled out my modest collection of jewelry and dumped it on the bed. I raked my fingers through it. Gold or silver? I held up each to the dress. Definitely gold. I popped the gold hoops in my ears. I had gotten them as a birthday gift years ago, but never wore them. I never had anything that looked good with them. Until now.
I pulled out my shoes, and sighed in disgust. Why hadn’t I thought of getting new shoes?
I had a pair of red ones that would work, but they weren’t perfect. All I needed now was a necklace. Gold to match my earrings.
I dug in the pile and found a pendant I thought I had lost. It was from high school. Hugh had given it to me. I forgot I even owned it. It was a small bundle of grapes, gold vines circling amethyst jewels. It was beyond words.
I put it on and latched it. Just my hair now.
I moved into the bathroom and started fussing with it. It was thick and unwieldy most times, but I had to make it work for tonight.
A handful of bobby pins and some creative braiding, and I was finally presentable.
I unlocked his bedroom door, and cracked it open. “Hugh, you can come in now.” I stepped back and opened the door all the way.
His mouth gaped open. “Caitlin... wow...”
“I clean up well don’t I?” My hair was slung over my shoulder, but a small part of it was hanging on my exposed back, slightly tickling me.
He stepped closer, and his eyes widened when he saw the pendant.
“You... kept it?” He touched it, holding it between two fingers.
“I actually forgot I still had it,” I bit my lip. “I’m glad I found it though, it’s perfect.”
“I’ll say so. You look amazing.”
Plenty of people had called me gorgeous, but not like he did. His tone, his eyes, and everything just made it mean so much more. I wasn’t used to feeling so torn from a compliment. I turned red, and wanted to look away. I moved into the kitchen, and pulled down two glasses.
“Shall we have a little drink before we go? To start our evening off right?”
He nodded. I poured us two small glasses of wine, splashing a bit of extra into mine.
He knocked mine with his, and we drank. I was a bit faster than him.
The past wouldn’t get in the way tonight.
***
We arrived at the restaurant at seven. The sun was hanging in the sky, but not quite low enough to wash the sky in pastel.
Hugh told me that the restaurant, simply dubbed Flame, was known for its exquisite view of the harbor. Their outdoor patios extended out across the water, and their lobster was second to none in the state.
“This place is the best,” he said, his dimples moving as he spoke.
“It sounds like everything is the best around this town.”
Hugh stepped forward and held the solid glass door open. Insider the foyer, two hostesses held the double doors open, which was a little too much for me.
“Don’t knock it,” he said. “I remember my father talking about it with my mother,” he said, “but that’s all.”
The place wasn’t all talk. The building was more subdued than I expected, but once you reached the entrance, the mystique was unmistakeable. This was a restaurant that didn’t put the prices on the menus. Where if you had to ask, you couldn’t afford it.
I felt entirely out of place. Hugh came up behind me and put his hand on my back, reassuring me. He whispered in my ear.
“Are you nervous? Don’t be. You’re the only one who belongs here.” His breath tickled my neck.
The hostess smiled, “Good evening, do you have a reservation?”
“Yes, under ‘Evans,’” he said.
“Right this way Mr. And Mrs. Evans.” I gulped as the words left the hostess’s mouth. She grabbed two steel menus and guided us to our table. We had a lone table out on the patio. “Here you go. I hope you two have a fantastic evening.”
Hugh pulled my chair out and I sat, feeling awkward. We were the only ones out on the patio, and the outdoor heaters were turned on and pointing at us.
Between the pillars on the outside of the deck, the sun was cupped by the ocean. Soon the sky would bleed color, and it felt like it was all for us.
“Shocking, isn’t it?” Hugh said, cracking a smile.
“How nice this town is?”
“Yes, it doesn’t seem like much from the outside. Or when you look at it on a map for that matter. But once you get here, it sinks its teeth in. You can’t help but be caught up by it.”
I nodded, picking up my menu. “What should I get?” I scanned the menu for prices, and I was right. There weren’t any.
“The lobster. There isn’t any reason to get anything else. Unless you wanted grilled cheese...?”
“Oh no, I want the lobster.” I set the menu down. He had wetted my appetite earlier, that was for sure. I didn’t even remember the last time I had lobster, was it when I turned sixteen?
Hugh lowered his gaze over the table, making me smolder. He looked stunning himself, his tie really did make his eyes pop. His suit jacket was jet black, which nicely contrasted with his tie.
“Caitlin,” Hugh said. “I’m glad you here with me. I don’t know if I’ve said it enough.” He reached out and took my hands, leaning down and kissing my palms, one at a time.
“I know.” I closed my hands over his, giving him a gentle squeeze. “I’m glad to be here too, Hugh.”
Everything was going great, just one thing bothered me: why was it all so private? A lump grew in my throat, and I realized I was scared. What was he really thinking...?
Our server showed up and took our order: two lobster tails. As she turned to leave, Hugh called out to her. “Also can we get a bottle of wine? The best you have. It’s a special night.” The server nodded, and walked back inside.
After she left, I lowered my voice. “Are you still going to take me home and tie me up?” I touched his leg with my foot, pushing his pants up and touching his skin. “How’d you k
now I wanted wine?”
A sly smile crossed his face. “How did you know I just didn’t want it for myself?”
“I didn’t,” I said. I touched my necklace, lightly running my fingers on the polished metal. The jewels were sharp. I looked back over the harbor, the sun low on the horizon. Orange and pink colors flooded the white clouds, overpowering the darkening blue sky.
“It really is beautiful here, Hugh.”
“I wouldn’t even be here if you didn’t come.”
I smiled at the thought, “Really?”
“Yeah, I would have turned down Scott’s offer, and just gone home probably. I felt like I needed a good reason to come here.”
“That’s... surprising.”
We watched the harbor while we waited, basking in the atmosphere. A low chatter could still be heard from the main section of the restaurant, but it wasn’t distracting.
Dinner arrived, and it was astounding. The lobster meat wasn’t like anything I had ever tasted before. I’m convinced that whatever I ate before then had to have been imitation crab or something.
The juiciness was like sucking on a oyster, and the butter just ran all over the ridged meat in channels. I wanted to inhale it as fast as I could, but I tried to stay modest.
Hugh was quiet for a while, his eyes wandering across the horizon. I was resting after finishing my plate, two glasses of wine in my stomach, making me a bit buzzed and floaty.
“Caitlin,” Hugh whispered. I looked at him, my hair brushing into my eyes for a second. “You’re absolutely incredible.”
I blushed and covered my mouth. “You’re sweet Hugh. Thank you for the great dinner.”
“The pleasure’s been all mine.”
The sky was getting darker, and we started getting ready to head back home. To his summer home.
I was excited.
***
As we drove, I nestled into the passenger seat and watched him. After the seafood and wine, I didn’t want to wait until we got back home.
I thought about doing something that might make him pipe up a little bit. Something a little dangerous. I slid my eyes across the windshield and eventually landed on Hugh.