“Back to the usual then? Silly friends?”
“Absolutely. Best friends!” Michelle insisted. “But now, I really must get ready. Got to get ready to hit the bricks and see if I can find more job opportunities out there.”
The girls hugged and went their separate ways for the day.
*
Michelle closed her bedroom door and sat down on her bed. She counted to ten and then reached into her bedside drawer, lifting out a solid gold necklace with a heart-shaped ruby, a birthday gift from Dante. She had never worn it, but not because she didn’t love it—quite the opposite. It was more because of its value; she’d had it estimated at over five hundred thousand dollars. Right now, though, holding it in her hand, she didn’t think of the money he paid. She clenched it, picturing only his face.
“You were my strength,” she whispered to darkness before she lay down, curling up on her side and weeping.
*
Alex tried to remain calm, but her shaky feet betrayed her. Her scalp itched as the tightness of her ponytail irritated her. Every step she took brought her closer to Dante’s front door, and she felt like she could topple over at any moment. How was it possible for someone to be nervous, excited and terrified all at the same time?
Would she just have to turn her face, expose her neck to him? Would he kiss her first?
Alex hadn’t spoken to Dante about tonight. About what it entailed. Just that it was going to be the night. She didn’t ask him any questions and he didn’t probe for them. Perhaps he knew Michelle had spoken to her and thought she would have all the information necessary. Alex had said she was ready. She believed she was ready. Until about thirty seconds ago.
Alex knocked on the white door and found it ajar, the space behind it quite dark. No lights were on inside and she held her breath as she stepped into the foyer. She called out, but there was no reply. She carefully moved through the hallway, past closed doorways, haunting shadows thrown by strange sculptures, darkened paintings she couldn’t make out, before she came to a frosted glass door and behind it, a flickering, golden glow.
Alex reached out her hand and the door opened. A second later her breath caught in her throat.
Alex stood just inside a large white-tiled room. The ceiling loomed above at least twelve feet high, and was lined from corner to corner with lit candles—the only light source. She could smell lavender and…something else. In the centre of the room was what looked like an in-ground wading pool, steam rising from the still water. The surface was strewn with rose petals. Roses. That’s the other thing I can smell.
Beside the pool, Dante stood quietly, dressed in an ankle length silk robe the colour of red grapes, tied loosely under his bare stomach, holding what looked like an old style teapot in one hand. Next to him was a gleaming silver tray on a tall narrow table. On it sat a single teacup and two ceramic ramekins.
Alex didn’t know what to say. This was all for her. Dante placed a finger to his lips and indicated the pool with his hand. She kicked off her shoes rather gingerly, let her purse drop to the floor and moved forward. She stopped at the head of the pool and looked uncertainly at Dante.
“Welcome,” he said, pinching some of the contents of both ceramic containers into the teacup. As he poured the water from the teapot into the cup, whatever it was inside bubbled and frothed, letting a smoke-like steam escape. “I must apologise, I thought this would be ready by the time you got here.”
“It’s tea? What kind?”
“Something to help you with any nerves,” Dante replied.
“Oh,” Alex said. I’ll need more than tea. “I thought it might be something to… I dunno…make me taste better.”
“I have always wondered that about you,” Dante said, walking slowly over to her, cup in hand.
“W-wondered what? What I—what I’d…taste like?” Alex stammered.
Dante pulled on the robe cord gently with his free hand and Alex gulped. If Dante was getting naked, did he expect her to follow suit?
Oh god, she thought. I’m not ready for this. Shit…ok maybe I’ll go topless if I have to but that’s it.
But just as soon as the thought came, Alex dismissed it as childish. Dante wouldn’t make her do anything she wasn’t comfortable with. The tea, the candles and the roses were to help relax her. He would ease her into this. This was a big deal; a huge deal to Dante, and to her. She didn’t have to do anything.
“Yes,” he replied, untying it completely. He offered the tea to her and waited. Alex looked into the dark liquid, thinking she could smell a hint of liquorice? Weird. She gulped the spicy but not at all unpleasant concoction and returned the empty cup back to Dante, who took it and moved behind her. “Women of true beauty taste immaculate,” he finished, as Alex heard the light swish of the robe and cup being placed on the floor.
Alex wanted to turn toward him, but kept her face forward as she let his words wash over her. “Did you just call me beautiful?” Every boyfriend she’d ever had, even Matt, had only ever called her hot.
As an answer, Dante placed his strong arms around her, hands on her belly. “You shouldn’t need to be told,” he said, placing his nose against her hair and inhaling. “But yes.”
Alex almost got tears in her eyes, which embarrassed her. Why was it that she got so emotional at that simple sentence? But he sounded sincere, and it felt good to hear. Did he mean it? Or
