by Eden Davis
Livia opened the envelope and read silently to herself, unsure if what had been written was appropriate to share with her date.
When one reaches a milestone like fifty, one can’t help but look back and ask: What if? But fifty is also the age when one should either find out the answer or forget the question. Happy Birthday, Livia. Enjoy your special evening with a special friend. Whether you decide to cross Bobby off the list, or keep the fantasy alive, is up to you. All we’ve given you is the opportunity. Dinner is on us at Asiate. For dessert, we’ve booked you a suite here for the night. Do with it what you will, share it with Bobby or treat yourself. Just promise you’ll go wherever the evening takes you.
Much love, Jasi and Belinda, Lena and Me.
PS. Walter and I had big fun at this hotel; hope you do too!
Enclosed were two condoms and a hotel key. Livia quickly tucked them it into her coat pocket. Her friends had set her up right and given her sage advice that immediately cleared her head and soothed her anxiety—“just go wherever the evening takes you.”
“We’re having dinner here at the Asiate. I hope you like Asian,” she said as she turned to fill Bobby in.
“I live in California, need I say more?” His words did not reveal his thoughts. With all of the great restaurants to choose from in New York City, why were they sent to a magnificent hotel for dinner? True, the Asiate had a world-class reputation, but he had to wonder, were the beds surrounding this splendid eatery included in her birthday surprise? Staring at a beautiful piece of a mostly happy past, Bobby’s imagination whet appetites that had nothing to do with what was on the menu.
They walked past the huge glass floral display and into the bright, stark and airy aesthetic of the award-winning restaurant. Livia was immediately struck by the giant, silvery white tree branch sculpture that adorned the ceiling. It was like standing under a snowy branch in Central Park. Looking around, it was clear that the simple décor was a decision to let the city and park views from the floor-to-ceiling windows speak for themselves. The view’s only competition was the wall display of what looked to be thousands of bottles of wine.
Bobby gave the maître d’ their names and Bobby placed his hand lightly on the small of Livia’s back as they followed him to one of the private booths lining the sides of the room. Livia noticed heads turn as foreign tourists and well-heeled New Yorkers looked up and wondered who they were. Few faces of color populated the dining room, and the question marks swirling around the room seemed to punctuate the same ignorant thoughts—they must be somebody if they can afford to dine here. Because of Bobby’s height, most, she was sure, took him for some famous, albeit retired, athlete. Livia noticed several complimentary gazes directed at her as well. She smiled. They recognized what she herself had in the elevator. She and Bobby still made a stunning couple.
The two slid into the booth on opposite sides of the table. They sat across the table, alternating their gazes between each other and the gorgeous city vista outside their private window. Silence between them was the perfect soundtrack for the moment. This was all so beautiful and perfect. It was impossible not to feel the romance surrounding them.
“May I take your drink order?” the waiter inquired.
“Champagne?” Bobby asked her.
“Sure.”
While Bobby and the sommelier discussed the wine selection, Livia stared down on Columbus Circle and made the decision to turn back time. This setting was too incredibly romantic, and she wanted to be part of a pair way too much to pass up the opportunity. Tonight, she was back to being Livia Draper, young and in love with her man, Bobby Jeffries. But instead of a nervous, untested vagina in her pants, she had Quincy, a horny hot box who was ready to pull out all of the tricks in her newly acquired sex bag, and give Bobby a taste of what he’d been wondering about all of these years.
What makes you think he’s been wondering about it? the pesky naysayer within queried.
One, because I’ve been thinking about it, and two, it’s pretty clear by the way he’s looking at me.
In her heart, Livia knew that Bobby hadn’t missed much way back when. Hell, if this evening had happened a few short months ago, he probably wouldn’t have missed anything then either. But thanks to her accelerated tutorial at the very capable hands of one island boy toy, the newly liberated, grown-ass, “bringing sexy back” Livi Charles was about get Mr. Bobby’s belated homecoming party started.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because it’s really nice to see you again,” she said, giving him a flirtatious grin, followed by the Mitchell-approved lip bite.
“It is, isn’t it? I’ll admit, uh, that when Aleesa contacted me, I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. I mean, it’s been a long time and I didn’t know what had become of you or your life.”
“Completely understandable, but I’m glad you decided to come, and hope…” Livia paused to lower her eyelids for two seconds and then lifted them and looked directly into Bobby’s eyes, “that you aren’t disappointed.”
A slash of white spread across his face. Any forthcoming comment was waylaid by the appearance of their wine. A delicious tension began to percolate in the silence while the waiter uncorked the bottle and poured their flutes.
“To be honest, I am slightly disappointed,” he teased, “but only in myself for not having the guts to contact you years ago. You, my Livi Girl, are a sight for very sore eyes.”
This time it was Livia’s turn to smile. “Let’s toast to new light through old windows,” she offered, raising her champagne glass.
“Beautiful words, almost as beautiful as the woman who spoke them,” Bobby commented, raising his glass and touching hers.
“It’s hard to believe how fast time has gone by,” Bobby commented.
“It seems like yesterday that I was on the sidelines cheering at your basketball games.”
“I used to love watching those long, sexy legs of yours. Made me proud, knowing you were mine.”
“So did either of your kids follow in your footsteps? Were they sports’ stars in college as well?”
“No. Neither of my sons had the discipline necessary to excel at sports, or business for that matter,” Bobby admitted. The disappointment in his voice was real.
“Oh, so what do they do now?”
“Honestly, Livia, I don’t know. We had a business disagreement. The boys and their mother seemed to think that because it was a family-owned company that they should be able to walk into the executive offices on day one, following a very lackluster college career. I thought otherwise. They sided with her and we haven’t spoken in over three years.” His tone was lackluster and confusing. Was he upset or indifferent?
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Livia remarked without revealing her surprise. True, she didn’t have any children of her own, but she couldn’t imagine Aleesa or any of her other friends letting an argument—over business no less—keep them from being in touch with their own flesh and blood.
“What about you? No children?”
“No.” The tone of her voice and shortness of her reply made it crystal clear that Livia did not intend to discuss the subject any further.
The appearance of a tray-laden waiter changed the conversation from children to food. Livia watched as he placed before them several Asian-inspired appetizers. Some she recognized, some she didn’t, but none she’d ordered. She hadn’t even put an eyeball on the menu yet.
“I’m sorry, but we haven’t ordered anything yet,” she told the waiter.
“The gentleman…”
“I took the liberty of ordering for both of us,” Bobby interrupted the server to tell her. “I hope you don’t mind me taking care of my Livi Girl. Old habits die hard.” He punctuated his statement with a disarming smile.
His gallantry erased any initial thoughts Livia had about Bobby being somewhat presumptuous. When it came down to it, he was simply being thoughtful. Had she been away from those two desirable qualities for so long that she didn
’t even recognize them anymore?
Livia smiled into her glass as she drained its contents and began to enjoy the buzz. She refused to allow reality to interject its practical self into the evening. Livia wanted more than anything to celebrate her fiftieth year with an evening full of fantasy, romance and lust. And love, she declared to herself as Bobby refilled her glass. Even if it is thirty years late.
They took their time nibbling through the appetizers, and catching up on the events that had populated their individual lives over the past three decades. Bobby talked while Livia sipped, and soon she could no longer hear the words he spoke. Her mind was busy weaving past memories with present fantasies, while her eyes remained focused on his lips.
As a young woman, those lips had been the first ever to kiss her until her panties got wet. They’d been the first to tease her breasts and taste her skin from her face to her feet. Most importantly, those manly lips had been the first, other than her father’s, to say the words “I love you.” And right now, at this moment, grown up Livia wanted to feel those lips in all those same places, and in a few more they’d yet to discover.
“May I?” the waiter asked, bringing Livia out of her head and back to the table.
“Yes,” she said, not bothering to look up. Instead, her eyes dipped to the table before rising to look into those of her dinner companion’s. Livia ran her finger seductively around the rim of her wineglass.
Bobby returned her grin with a “message received” one of his own. Clearly, after all of this time, he and Livia were finally on the same page.
Like a Virgin, Touched for the Very First Time
“You were beautiful back in the day,” he told her, “but you are positively sexy as hell now.”
“Thank you, though I think you deserve some credit for me feeling this way,” she flirted.
“I’m glad you feel that way.”
“Bobby?” she said, adding a touch of dreamy to her tone.
“Yes?”
“I’m suddenly feeling a little light-headed…and warm,” Livia said as she smiled across the table.
“Are you ill?”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it an ill feeling. More like an ache.” Liv reached in her pocket, perplexed by Bobby’s apparent confusion.
“I don’t quite understand.”
“I’d like to go upstairs and celebrate my birthday.” Livia slid the key card across the table, making her intentions crystal clear.
Her frank comment sent Bobby’s eyes in search of hers for clarification. They were met with a wide grin that tiptoed the tightrope between shyness and seduction.
“Now?”
Pffffft. Livia felt a miniscule pinprick to her lust.
“Yeah, there’s no time like the present, wouldn’t you agree?”
“But I’ve already ordered dinner.”
Pfffft…pfffft. Her lustiness continued to leak. Bobby’s initial reaction to put food over fucking shocked her. Mitchell would have jumped at the chance. Wouldn’t most men?
“So, we’ll ask them to send it up to room 4221,” she suggested, refusing to be waylaid. “I’m sure it won’t be a problem. Please? I am hungry for those lips of yours….I can’t wait.”
“Well, when you put it that way…” he finally acquiesced. As Livia gathered her belongings, Bobby called the waiter over to make the arrangements to turn dinner out on the town into room service.
Livia called for the elevator the moment she saw Bobby head in her direction. As they stepped inside, Liv had a sudden inspiration. Mitchell would be so proud, she thought as she pushed the button for the thirty-sixth floor and turned to plant an I’m about to rock your world kiss on her old flame before he could notice.
Just as his toes began to curl, the elevator stopped, and the two stepped out onto a quiet floor face to with face several plaques hung on the dark wood wall, directing them to various ballrooms.
“You’re on forty-two. We got off on the wrong floor,” Bobby said, stating what he believed to be the obvious.
“No, we didn’t.” Livia grabbed his large, meaty hand and led him over to another sign.
“What are you looking for?”
“The restroom.”
“You couldn’t wait until we got upstairs?” he asked, still not catching on.
“Nope,” she informed him, as she cracked open the door to the ladies’ room. “Wait right here.” Livi took a quick reconnaissance tour inside and determined two encouraging things: first, the bathroom was empty, and second, the doors on the stalls went from floor to ceiling, so if they were joined in mid-boink, no one had to be the wiser.
Feeling a similar, but markedly different rush of sexy adrenaline than she’d felt in St. Bart’s, Livia checked her image in the mirror before heading out to retrieve her lover. In the islands, she’d allowed herself to be led into one sexy scenario after another. Tonight, she was the tour guide. Livia smiled at her reflection as she unbuttoned her blouse to reveal her up and at ’em breasts showcased in her favorite fuchsia-colored bra. The lessons she’d learned from Mitchell had taken hold. And what a joy it was to truly love her body enough to actually desire sex—when and how she wanted it—as opposed to simply going along when someone else did.
“Care to join me?” She invited Bobby in, opening the door wide enough to reveal her awesome breasts and naked intentions.
“Oh, well…”
Livia refused to hear the sad hissing sound of escaping lust. She quickly analyzed his reaction, noting the admiration in his eyes as they quickly scanned her body, as well as his confusion and discomfort.
“I don’t know about you, but for years I’ve thought about what I was missing for the past thirty years. I can’t wait another moment to find out,” Livi told him as she led him to the handicapped stall in the back. She latched the door before turning and latching her lips on his.
Her hands slipped inside his jacket, easing the garment from his shoulders while sneaking a feel. Despite being in his mid-fifties, Bobby had held onto his muscular body. As his jacket slipped onto the floor, Mr. Jeffries slipped from her grasp.
He hurriedly picked up his jacket and took two steps toward the door. “Let’s go to the room.”
“I told you, I don’t want to wait that long,” she informed him.
“I’d really rather go to the room, Livia. What if someone walks in? Plus, it’s the bathroom. I mean, it’s not really sanitary.”
Livia paused before answering as what was left of her lust flew across the room before fully deflating and landing in a big pile of what the hell? This was the bathroom at the five-star Mandarin Oriental Hotel, not some grubby gas station. There were orchids and goddamn cloth hand towels on the sink, for Christ’s sake. If you’re going to fuck in the bathroom, this would be the goddamn bathroom to do it in!
You’re missing the point, Quincy broke in to adroitly clue her in. There will be no fucking in the bathroom for us tonight.
“Come on, my beautiful Livi Girl,” Bobby said, taking over as tour guide as he reached over to button her blouse. “Let’s go to the room and find out what we’ve both been dying to know.”
Livia allowed her lips to give him a quick, toothless grin. She was disappointed and his refusal had rocked her confidence. She’d approached him feeling seriously sexy and adventurous. Now she was back to feeling unsure and confused. After her unsuccessful come on, did he think that she was a desperate, old slut? Had she turned him off by throwing herself at him? Mitchell had told her that he loved women who were bold and went for what they wanted. Was Bobby the polar opposite?
Livia, back to being the go along to get along girl, followed Bobby out of the bathroom and back onto the elevator. They traveled to the forty-second floor in silence, but it had a totally different feel than their earlier ride. When they’d first arrived, it was companionable silence that provided the soundtrack. Now it was a discomfiting lull of an unbearable duration.
“Here we are,” Bobby said with a forced cheeriness as he opene
d the door. He stepped aside to allow her to enter a sumptuously sensual bedroom suite designed for nothing but some major lovemaking. The city lights flickering through the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows set the tone and eliminated the need or desire for any further light. The bed was covered in a textural masterpiece of silky Egyptian cotton and nubby raw silk pillows and accents, strongly suggesting that the best way to enjoy it would be through a bare skin experience.
Livia, feeling a whisper of lust skimming her body, walked into the bathroom and stood wide mouthed. Cool marble floor and walls, a double sink stretching across the back wall. A glass enclosed shower and separate toilet stall stood on the opposite side of the room’s piece de resistance—a sunken marble tub with an amazing city view.
Wonder if he’d have sex in this bathroom, Livia found herself thinking. She tried to beat back the sarcasm, not wanting to spoil the rest of her birthday evening.
“Okay, this was worth waiting for,” she said, stepping back into the room. “Now, where were we?” For the protection of her ego, Livia didn’t move, letting Bobby come on to her.
“Come here,” he said, patting the bed beside him. Bobby waited for her to sit down before taking Livi’s face in his hands and giving her a perfected kiss, one that let her know that they were back in sync. They sat on the bed smooching, as they’d done so many times years ago. Only this time, in both their minds, they were going all the way.
Feeling more timid than before, Livia once again pushed off his jacket and continued undoing buttons and removing items of clothing until he was sitting on the bed with his muscular chest exposed. Looking at him, it was clear that the things her hands had revealed were true. Bobby was still a hot and handsome hunk of man. The sight of his bare pecs and broad, toned shoulders made Quincy hiccup. Livia wanted to see more and reached for Bobby’s belt buckle.
“Let me go hop in the shower first,” he told her, once again stopping all forward progress.
“It’s okay. You’re fine.”
“It’s been a long day. You know…all the traveling and everything.”