she slipped inside.
“Don’t mention it,” Jeff said. “Where to?” he asked Oliver.
“Back to the Empire.”
“You got it.”
Oliver entered the car and resumed the place where she wanted him most. He was once again at her side.
“That okay with you?” Oliver asked as Jeff was already en route.
“Yes. I… I only got to see the lobby. But it was stunning.”
Oliver grazed his fingers against her exposed knee. Cassandra quivered as his hand played about her flesh.
“That’s nothing. The rooms are spectacular.”
So it was going in that direction. Iris had pointed that she wasn’t a prude. She also wasn’t a slut. Had he been anyone else, she might have demanded that they stay in their balcony seats and wait for Tosca to fall. But he was stirring thoughts beyond the opera. She knew she’d be powerless to deny any request he might make.
And she was hungry to know exactly what he wanted.
Jeff pulled up to the hotel and held the door open again. He gave Cassandra a quick wink as Oliver led her inside. She expected him to stop at the front desk and request a room. They bypassed a trio of men in matching suits. Oliver held her arm and guided her towards the elevator bank. It had to have been his plan all along. Was he so sure of himself? Or did he like a challenge? The former was obvious. Cassandra could barely pretend that she was the latter.
They entered the room. Cassandra saw the crisp white sheets perfectly reflected in a large mirror. She smiled to herself at the thought that he would want to watch her enjoying yet another aspect of the evening.
“Care for another drink?” he asked.
Absolutely.
Cassandra nodded, and he reached into a bucket already chilling on a nearby table. Waiting. He had been sure of more than himself. He had been sure of her faced with him.
Oliver poured the wine and offered her a glass. Cassandra sipped the sweet, golden liquid with a perfect aftertaste and looked deeply into his eyes.
“Mmmm. That’s delicious.”
“Isn’t it.”
He had yet to even taste his wine. But it was apparent that the promise of something sweeterwas unfolding across every corner of his mind.
“Join me on the bed?”
Cassandra grew dizzy. Was it the wine or the man? Before she could decide, Oliver guided her to the edge, and they sat together. She sipped again. Oliver finished his wine in one shot and quickly poured another. She felt drunk just looking at him. He returned to her side and stretched out. Awayfrom her. Cassandra didn’t like that. Oliver loosened his tie, and his eyes followed her waiting form from her head to her toes.
“I like the dress,” he finally said.
“What this? It’s nothing. Just collecting dust in a closet.”
His interest was piqued.
“Really? Are you in the habit of keeping gowns to collect dust?”
Cassandra wanted to be mysterious for him. She wanted him wondering about a double life where she donned formal wear as a spy or a movie star. The movesshe could performif he indulged the fantasy were infinite.
“I like to be ready.”
That’s right. Keep him intrigued. Keep him guessing.
“For what?” he asked. “The next time you catch the bouquet?”
So she hadn’t fooled him. Even though she hadn’t advertised her always a bridesmaid status on LeaseALady, Oliver was quick to connect the dots of just who and what she was.
Cassandra started to stand when his relaxed posture tightened, and he took hold of her wrist. She thought of wrenching her arm away, but his eyes held her in a space where she couldn’t comprehend motion.
“Easy,” he said. “I didn’t mean anything by it. And I do like the dress.”
Her body eased back to the bed. She could think of nothing else to say, and she finished her wine. Oliver was on his feet in a flash, pouring her another. She eagerly accepted the glass and forgot about playing the lady. She downed a large swallow in a single gulp. The wine dribbled down her chin, and she wiped her mouth with her bare
“Don’t mention it,” Jeff said. “Where to?” he asked Oliver.
“Back to the Empire.”
“You got it.”
Oliver entered the car and resumed the place where she wanted him most. He was once again at her side.
“That okay with you?” Oliver asked as Jeff was already en route.
“Yes. I… I only got to see the lobby. But it was stunning.”
Oliver grazed his fingers against her exposed knee. Cassandra quivered as his hand played about her flesh.
“That’s nothing. The rooms are spectacular.”
So it was going in that direction. Iris had pointed that she wasn’t a prude. She also wasn’t a slut. Had he been anyone else, she might have demanded that they stay in their balcony seats and wait for Tosca to fall. But he was stirring thoughts beyond the opera. She knew she’d be powerless to deny any request he might make.
And she was hungry to know exactly what he wanted.
Jeff pulled up to the hotel and held the door open again. He gave Cassandra a quick wink as Oliver led her inside. She expected him to stop at the front desk and request a room. They bypassed a trio of men in matching suits. Oliver held her arm and guided her towards the elevator bank. It had to have been his plan all along. Was he so sure of himself? Or did he like a challenge? The former was obvious. Cassandra could barely pretend that she was the latter.
They entered the room. Cassandra saw the crisp white sheets perfectly reflected in a large mirror. She smiled to herself at the thought that he would want to watch her enjoying yet another aspect of the evening.
“Care for another drink?” he asked.
Absolutely.
Cassandra nodded, and he reached into a bucket already chilling on a nearby table. Waiting. He had been sure of more than himself. He had been sure of her faced with him.
Oliver poured the wine and offered her a glass. Cassandra sipped the sweet, golden liquid with a perfect aftertaste and looked deeply into his eyes.
“Mmmm. That’s delicious.”
“Isn’t it.”
He had yet to even taste his wine. But it was apparent that the promise of something sweeterwas unfolding across every corner of his mind.
“Join me on the bed?”
Cassandra grew dizzy. Was it the wine or the man? Before she could decide, Oliver guided her to the edge, and they sat together. She sipped again. Oliver finished his wine in one shot and quickly poured another. She felt drunk just looking at him. He returned to her side and stretched out. Awayfrom her. Cassandra didn’t like that. Oliver loosened his tie, and his eyes followed her waiting form from her head to her toes.
“I like the dress,” he finally said.
“What this? It’s nothing. Just collecting dust in a closet.”
His interest was piqued.
“Really? Are you in the habit of keeping gowns to collect dust?”
Cassandra wanted to be mysterious for him. She wanted him wondering about a double life where she donned formal wear as a spy or a movie star. The movesshe could performif he indulged the fantasy were infinite.
“I like to be ready.”
That’s right. Keep him intrigued. Keep him guessing.
“For what?” he asked. “The next time you catch the bouquet?”
So she hadn’t fooled him. Even though she hadn’t advertised her always a bridesmaid status on LeaseALady, Oliver was quick to connect the dots of just who and what she was.
Cassandra started to stand when his relaxed posture tightened, and he took hold of her wrist. She thought of wrenching her arm away, but his eyes held her in a space where she couldn’t comprehend motion.
“Easy,” he said. “I didn’t mean anything by it. And I do like the dress.”
Her body eased back to the bed. She could think of nothing else to say, and she finished her wine. Oliver was on his feet in a flash, pouring her another. She eagerly accepted the glass and forgot about playing the lady. She downed a large swallow in a single gulp. The wine dribbled down her chin, and she wiped her mouth with her bare
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