by Martha Long
I watched as his face suddenly lit up in a gorgeous smile then broke out in a laugh. Then he started roaring laughing, thinking it was hilarious. ‘Oh, dear, please do not make me come and remove you. I will not be kind,’ he said, lying on his couch, sipping his wine and watching me lazily.
‘Threats – you are all puff and hot air,’ I said, lifting myself up, propped on my side, sipping wine and watching him.
‘You are teasing me,’ he muttered, watching me with his eyes half-closed.
‘Is that what it is? My, you do fancy yourself, Ralph Fitzgerald.’
‘I fancy you, darling,’ he muttered under his breath, blowing me a kiss.
‘Really?’ I snorted, at a distance. ‘You are terrified to get too close. Are you frightened you may not be up to the job?’ I said, tilting my head, keeping my eyes on him.
‘You are goading me, darling. Wanting to be cruel. Forcing me to the challenge,’ he said, speaking quietly and slowly.
‘No,’ I shook my head. ‘I don’t want to see evidence you may not be able to rise to the occasion!’ I said, giving him a long, slow, knowing smile. Then I threw my head back, roaring with the laugh at the sudden audacity of me.
I watched as he drained his glass then leaned back to put it on the table. ‘Have you finished your drink, darling?’ he said quietly.
I looked at the empty glass sitting beside me on the bedside table and nodded, seeing him stand up and slowly make his way towards me. He had a glint in his eye and I followed his movements, watching with a smile on my face. Then he stood looking down at me, saying, ‘You are a femme fatale.’ Then he suddenly whipped down the bedclothes and put his arm under me, swooping me out of the bed.
I grabbed hold of him, wrapping my arms around his neck, giving a little squeal with the laugh out of me. Then he stood still, holding me in his arms, staring down into my face with a glint of deep sensuality, making his eyes swim with longing. Then I watched his face bend closer and suddenly he was kissing me hard, letting his passion soar as his lips opened and he went deep down into me. Letting his tongue draw mine to him, then plunge deeper until our breath was one sound. I could feel the heat of him and the rise of every nerve in me screaming to melt into him.
He suddenly pulled away and looked at me, saying with a smile on his face and his eyes glittering with passion, ‘I do not take advantage of invalids. Besides, you are still my patient,’ he grinned, taking off and marching away with me. ‘I am taking you to your bed, darling. You need rest,’ he said, bending down and whipping open the door, then heading me up to the next floor.
I felt my heart dropping and the life leaving me as a sudden weakness hit me. The extreme tiredness was suddenly catching up on me. ‘Yes, Ralph,’ I whispered, feeling very weary. ‘You are right.’ Then I wrapped my arms more firmly around his neck, stroking the softness of his skin and pressing myself into his warm body, feeling him holding me close to his chest and stomach. I could feel his strength through the soft wool sweater, and the power of his masculinity made me feel safe and warm and cherished.
10
I watched Ralph drinking from the last of his brandy snifter then he laid the balloon glass down on the white-linen tablecloth and wiped his mouth with the heavy linen napkin, leaving it sitting on a side plate. ‘That was a fine dinner,’ he said, sitting back and giving me a smile.
I nodded, smiling back at him, saying softly, ‘Yes, it was very fine,’ feeling very relaxed and content. ‘The lobster was delicious. It takes the French to sate the senses. They do everything so well and have developed their appetite for all good things to a fine art. Especially the senses,’ I purred, giving him a slow smile, letting him see what I was thinking.
He looked at me, giving me a long, lingering look that spoke volumes about just how sensual he was feeling. My heart turned over at how incredibly handsome he looked. He was totally at ease, lying back in the chair with one hand sitting on the table while the other rested on the back of his chair. He looked so distinguished in his black evening suit, wearing a crisp linen Charvet dress shirt and black bow tie. I looked at his hands, with the gold cufflinks showing just below the sleeve jacket, then smiled up at him, thinking, I must be dreaming. A man with his looks and calibre feels I deserve his attentions.
Suddenly he leaned towards me and whispered, ‘Darling, you look absolutely enchanting. Really, I have never seen you look more beautiful.’
I smiled, whispering, ‘Thank you,’ suddenly feeling shy. I dropped my eyes, not wanting him to see how overcome I was. I was being fast swept away into another world. His world, and he was laying it at my feet.
‘Darling! What is it?’ he said, lifting my chin.
I couldn’t speak or meet his eyes.
‘Are you happy?’ he whispered, taking up my hands and examining them.
‘Yes, very happy,’ I murmured, overcome with the way he is giving me his full attention, like he is losing himself in me, and I felt lost in him. It was like I was taking his masculinity and letting it swallow me up, leaving me soft and warm and filled with a sense of my own femininity. Serene, gentle and happy to delight in being a woman. I had a quiet sense of knowing my worth and did not have to prove myself.
Then he pressed my hands to his lips, sighing. ‘You are positively ravishing,’ he murmured, as his eyes left my face and travelled down my body, resting on my breasts.
I was wearing a long, pale-green and grey chiffon dress that clings. A string was drawn across and tied just where I wanted the frock to sit on my breasts, then drawn around to the back, tied high up with a ribbon, emphasising the cleavage while leaving the rest to flow and sweep away. When I walk, it leaves a billowing mass of chiffon floating out behind me. It was light as air and made of pure chiffon. The design was from the early Georgian period and like something from the Russian court of the Tsars when the nobility of St Petersburg were at their dizzying height, enjoying a period of immense power and privilege, bought with a fabulous store of wealth. Now here I am, wearing the same kind of frock, feeling I have gone into another world and it will end soon when I wake. I felt myself shiver inside, feeling as if someone had just walked over my grave.
‘Are you cold, my love?’ he said, running his hands along my bare arms. ‘Would you like me to move closer to you? Keep you warm?’ he grinned.
‘Yes, lovely,’ I smiled, wanting to feel his closeness. He lifted his head to the waiter, who was standing at the ready, keeping a discreet distance.
‘Monsieur!’ the waiter bowed.
Ralph said something in French and instantly the table was lifted, swung and Ralph’s chair was moved closer. Then we were alone again.
‘Is that better, my sweet?’ he said, resting his arm along the top of my chair, leaving his fingers dangling and rippling along my shoulder, sending shivers of delight up and down my spine.
I sipped my brandy liqueur, feeling the heat fill my chest, making me feel intoxicated from the sheer happiness of being wrapped in a mellow haze of love and warmth. ‘You have spoilt me, Ralph,’ I sighed. ‘After all this, I will sure have a long way to fall,’ I said, sweeping my hand around the restaurant with the glittering chandeliers, the bow-tied waiters, the tinkle of crystal, the subdued laughter and the controlled quiet conversation rippling around the dazzling room. The other diners were among the very sophisticated and well-heeled elite of France.
‘Do you know, Ralph, I have seen Paris as I have not seen it before,’ I said. ‘I have been many, many times to France, and especially Paris. But I was always slumming it,’ I laughed.
He grinned at me, listening.
‘Oh, yes, the backpackers’ hostels out in the suburbs, or the flea-ridden pensions down the back streets of Paris. Once I ended up in Pigalle! But I didn’t realise it was the heart of the red-light district until that night when the sex shops opened,’ I laughed, ‘and the women lined up against doorways all along the street. I was a right bloody eejit, Ralph! But it was great! Have you ever been there?’ I said, suddenly t
hinking it was a ridiculous question. He was always busy doing something more serious.
He shook his head at me, saying quietly, ‘No, but my uncle wanted to take me when I joined the priesthood. My mother learned about it and thought it was a ridiculous idea! I did not become privy to that until years later,’ he grinned, throwing his head back and roaring laughing.
‘Would you liked to have gone? A huge blowout before you gave it up for ever?’ I said, grinning at him, watching his face.
He thought about it, staring at me, keeping himself very still. Then said, ‘No, darling. It would not be me. I would prefer the real thing, like you, my divine woman!’ he said, leaning over me, whispering into my neck.
I stared at him with a smile on my face, sipping my liqueur, then said softly, ‘Now, with you, I have seen Paris at its grandest. I have spent two glorious nights in a top hotel close to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysées, attended the theatre with all its glamour, then dined magnificently along the Seine. Wonderful,’ I sighed, thinking of the magic of it. ‘Then that first day you took me shopping! Insisting I needed something “suitable” to wear, you said. I didn’t really understand. I thought I had perfectly good stuff to wear. “Oh, no,” you said. “We must get you something special.” Then you took off, waltzing me through the incredibly expensive shops. Voilà! I end up with this frock,’ I said, staring and smiling at him, seeing him look very amused.
‘You have wonderful taste, Ralph. Remember I refused to look at this frock when you whipped it up, telling me to try it on?’
‘Yes, I had to march you to the changing-rooms,’ he laughed, shaking his head at me. ‘Or goodness knows what you would have chosen.’
‘But how did you know this would suit me, Ralph?’ I said, looking up at him. ‘I mean, you don’t even think like that. You have never really been involved in women’s doings!’ I said.
‘Nonsense! I had sisters, remember? I learned all I need to know about your species from them,’ he laughed.
‘But you were all away at school, so you didn’t exactly grow up together, did you?’
‘Oh, darling, we had summers and winter holidays together. Of course I did!’
‘Yes, I suppose so,’ I said, thinking how close they all were. ‘Oh, yes, then, the coup de grâce!’ I laughed quietly, still not able to take it in. ‘When you swept me into Cartier and sat choosing diamond earrings for me,’ I whispered, then roared laughing, getting the picture all over again with him and the very proper Frenchman discussing what would suit me and my earlobes best. ‘Then I walked out with these,’ I said, putting my hand up and gently caressing them, feeling a million dollars with my ears flashing and sparkling, glittering when the lights hit the diamonds. ‘I’m ruined,’ I laughed, shaking my head and leaning into him. ‘There’s only one place for me to go now and that’s down!’ I said, wondering if I was speaking the truth. ‘They cost you a bloody fortune, Ralph!’ I said, getting a bit worried. ‘Are you sure I didn’t break the bank with all this extravagance?’ I whispered, looking at him seriously.
‘Don’t fret, you silly goose. This is simply a bauble! Designed to bring out the best in you, darling. You look divine! Now, no more of this. Let us relax and enjoy,’ he said squeezing my waist and planting a kiss on my lips.
‘Yeah! But now this!’ I said, looking around at the chic sophistication of the women and the men holding themselves with a haughty indifference while the waiters beetled about making sure they had every comfort and convenience. All they were short of doing was standing behind them and fanning away the cigar smoke that wafted up like Indian smoke signals. The men and women sat impervious to all this, arrogant in the safe belief they were born to rule. They were so in command of themselves it sent out a silent message saying, You may speak to God, but you will need an appointment to speak to me.
My breath caught as I slowly let my eyes wander around, taking in the grandeur of the place. Chandeliers hung on long chains from high ceilings. Statues of women leaned off the walls, lighting the way. Candles and flowers graced white-linen covered tables, gleaming with silver, and crystal dazzled with sparkling light. An intoxicating diffusion of scents and sounds all mingled, sending me messages of being in an exalted place with exalted company. It was the perfume of the women, including my own, the smell of the candles and the flowers, and the steam from the food as it was suddenly produced from under silver serving dishes. Not to mention the cigars and the crinkle of silk and the smell of freshly coiffeured hairdo, including my own, of course. My coiffeured hair, done by a Frenchman at a fancy hairdresser’s, had left me looking breathless at myself in the mirrors. Gawd, there’s a lot to be said for having money. And for this moment, I was part of it all. I was sitting among the great, the good and the glorious, especially Ralph! I thought, sliding my eyes to take him in. He was nodding at the waiter, who appeared in a flash, bowing and ready to do Ralph’s bidding. The whole thing was going to my head. Jaysus, I thought. When I wake from all this, I hope the Samaritans are still in business. I will have enough woes to keep them on the line for the next month.
Ralph said something and the waiter was back bowing and producing a big cigar box for Ralph to peruse. He pointed one out and the waiter bowed then took off, coming back in a jiffy to cut the cigar and hand it to Ralph, producing a light he seemed to whip from behind his back like a magician. It was all theatre, the carry-on of the waiters, with the waving of their arms and the bowing, keeping the back straight. I felt as if we were all like actors somehow. Oh, I had the better part. I was being waited on hand and foot. I only had to raise a nod – well, Ralph did – and whatever Madame desired it was produced. I wonder how long it takes you to get fed up with all this?
Then I woke up, realising I was missing out on something. ‘Ralph! I would like a smoke too. What about getting me something for a lady?’ I said, looking into his smouldering green eyes that were alive with his heightened sensuality. I wanted to dive in and swim in them. Bury myself inside his lovely green eyes that were like deep pools of raw sex.
‘Like what, darling?’
‘Oh, you know, something long and slim and sexy-looking,’ I mewled. ‘I need something to go with my new image. I can’t very well take out my roll-ups now, can I, sweetie darling?’ I demanded in my best new voice. Sexy, smouldering and definitely sounding like the ‘Hooray Henry Brigade’. Terribly upper class. Jaysus, I’m a smashing mimic!
I saw Ralph grin at the allegations of me, then straighten his face as he nodded to the waiter. He spoke a few words and another box was produced for my perusal. I stared in and decided on a couple, then thought maybe I should have three – that’s better. I lifted my fingers, pointing them at the waiter, then decided it would be better to refer the matter to Ralph. After all, it was most definitely not the done thing for a lady like me to be fraternising with the serving class. No, no, I am to stick to my own now! Yes, it’s not taking me long to learn the ropes. Keep the nose in the air, look bored, sated. When you’ve money, you can do anything. Jaysus! I was born to rule.
‘Would you like another drink, darling?’ Ralph said, as the waiter finished lighting me up, then whipped up the silver bucket with the bottle of ice-cold wine, cooling for our delectation. I had refused champagne. ‘Don’t like the stuff,’ I told Ralph.
He was astonished. ‘Darling, you should try a little! We are ideally placed here in France to have some good vintage! Shall I order a bottle?’
‘Yes, OK, thank you.’
I still didn’t like it. So now I have my very own bottle while he drinks his champagne. I sipped on my dessert wine, enjoying the sweet taste after the liqueur. I wondered if I would be able to stand straight when I got up, and decided Ralph could carry me to the car! Ah-ah! Behave, Martha! You are a lady now! Yes, Ralph is a stickler for decorum and good manners.
I leant back into him, enjoying the strong comforting feel of him. Then he lowered his head, whispering into my ear, ‘Darling, I cannot take my eyes off you. You are deliciousl
y ravishing,’ he said, dropping his lips and breathing his way down my neck.
I gave a sudden shiver and laughed, looking up into his face, saying, ‘Sir, I do believe it is safe to say you are . . .’ I stopped to think of the right word.
‘Darling! I do think we may leave if you are ready! What do you think?’ he said.
I looked at him, wondering what he was thinking. ‘Is that a proposition?’ I said, breathing into his mouth with my lips close to his.
He smiled, giving a slow blink, then let his eyebrow raise a fraction, still staring at me.
‘I think this frock has gone to your head, Ralph! Now I know why women were mad for diamonds,’ I said, patting my ears. ‘It really does work! I have a feeling you would eat your dinner off my belly if I asked you to, Ralph.’
He let out a roar, laughing his head off, then breathed in and rested his eyes on me again. ‘No, darling, not dinner. I would fling that to one side and simply start with you! Then,’ he said, ‘if music be the food of love, then play on, maestro. Let us go home and relax with some music.’ Then he lowered his head to me, waiting for my answer.
‘Yes, Ralph, I am all yours to command.’
He took in a deep breath and smiled without parting his lips. Then he nodded at the waiter, who rushed off and then came back with a leather book and the bill inside. Ralph took a second to examine it, then slipped money out of his wallet and stuck it inside the leather book. The waiter materialised like he was on wheels, bowed solemnly and skidded off with the bill and the money hidden inside.
