She pressed the second quarter into the payphone slot, feeling the ridges of the coin slip away as the pad of her index finger lingered to touch that dark crease.
"Hello?" His voice was deep.
"Hi...Its Dana. I just arrived at your airport. I have a hotel reservation, but I am hoping I don't need it."
The pause was dreadful.
"You won't. I can't believe you are here."
"I'll explain when I see you."
"I'll be there in about half an hour. Meet me outside the doors of the last baggage carousel on the right, as you come off the down escalator. By the taxi stand." Checking her watch: 10 PM, then.
"I'm on my way."
"Okay. See you there. I'm wearing a pink jacket."
A pink jacket. A sheer white silk blouse. A black, high-waist skirt. Black stockings. Two-inch heel, open toe, strapped shoes that hugged her insteps and coiled around her ankles. Demure and professional: a style she'd cultivated to cloak a buttoned up sexuality belied only by two hidden facts. One, black-satin and lace lingerie. Two, its being half-cups and garter belt.
She got a pleasing number of second looks in the airport bookstore, thumbing a new-release novel and glancing nervously at her watch. She'd gathered her light bag from the carousel and retreated back up to the second level.
A half-hour passed, then a few minutes more. He would be waiting. She headed down toward the taxi stand.
He stood beside his car. Recognizably him-nature, being cruel and man adoring, had only made the years carve him into a more distinguished animal. Yes, character is revealed and not made. What had made him attractive ten years ago was clearer now. He saw her then and waved, his smile told her he was delighted at seeing her.
It was the handshake and hug of a dear friend. Her bags swept into the car's trunk, him closing the car door as she sat, and the car moving before her brain caught up with events. He stole glances at her as he drove them from the airport. She stared out the windows at the city.
Away from the press of the terminal, his hand closed over hers and he lifted her arm to brush her wrist with a kiss.
"This is a surprise."
"Well, I'm supposed to interview for a job in town in a couple of weeks. I'm not sure about it, though, and I thought maybe I'd just spend a day here to get a good feel of it before I make a decision."
"I see."
"Are you happy to see me?"
"Yes.... Need to go to your hotel?"
"Should I?"
"No."
They smiled at one another while waiting for the traffic light.
He carried her bag and steered her-"up those stairs...to the left...now right"-to his apartment. He hung his keys on a hook, faced her and placed his hands on her shoulders before pulling her to him in a long hug. He held back from a kiss, and instead looked intently into her eyes.
"I'm glad you are here."
"It was a mad decision. I just said 'what the hell' on Thursday morning and got a ticket. I leave late tomorrow night. I do have work to get done by Monday."
"I'm sure."
She walked around the place. She sat down in the office chair. A smile flickered at the corner of his mouth. He made his own seat in the recliner next to it.
"So, tell me about this interview...."
"Well, it is a research position. I'm really excited about the possibility, but I also have some doubts."
"Hmm."
"I feel like I'm getting mixed signals about it, and I'm not always sure what I think of it, either."
"Sounds normal."
"Well, yes.... Its one of those things you want to feel certain about first, though."
"I see." He took the crease of his trouser leg and slowly sharpened it between his thumb and forefinger. He looked up at her, and held her gaze with his until she found herself lowering her eyes to look down at her knees. Her left hand was absently playing with the collar of her blouse and the lapel of her jacket.
"It's a bit warm in here. Let me turn up the air conditioning." He stood and took the few steps to the thermostat. She stood up behind him, and removed her jacket. She was most aware of her silk blouse, and the electricity it caused in the tips of her breasts. She waited.
When he turned back, the corners of his mouth lifted and he took her in with an endless look.
"I have to go pick up some wine. You stay and freshen up. I wasn't expecting company-though delighted to have it-so I ask you to sort out for yourself where to put your things. I'll be away twenty minutes. Just let the machine pick up if there are any calls." With that, he was out the door.
Dana went into the bathroom. Done, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her nipples showed hard through her blouse, the black of the half-bra emphasizing her breasts still more. He'd left her with a decision. The way he looked at her was clear enough: he would take her...if she wanted. How she wanted.
Checking luggage for a day trip. It had been necessary. Her bag X-rayed anonymously was more bearable than the possibility of having to open that bag at the gate. One supposed that the security people saw everything in the course of their work, but she didn't want to encounter the look that might follow what they saw revealed.
She took several vibrators, a bottle of Astroglide, a box of condoms, and a hairbrush from her suitcase and placed them on his nightstand atop a face towel taken from the bathroom. How she wanted...she thought.
Then, she made for the kitchen to form her plans for how she'd answer her appetite in the morning. How she'd answer her appetite tonight was settled.
She was pulling down the wineglasses from their shelf to the sound of his keys in the lock. Working through the drawers by the sink, she found the corkscrew and held it up as greeting just as he closed the door behind him.
He removed his sports coat, unbuttoned his cuffs, and rolled his shirtsleeves before carrying the bottle to the counter. She put the corkscrew in his hand and then watched his fingers as he opened the wine.
He was deliberate in the way he poured the Merlot, but generous in the amount he gave to their glasses.
"We'll let it breathe a few minutes. Take a seat."
He made his way to the bathroom, but not before he stopped and surveyed all that she'd placed upon the nightstand. It took him longer in there than one normally expected. Dread crept into her stomach and curled up with claws out-had she made a mistake?