'I can't believe she's taking me speed dating...' Jean thought to herself as the hot water stung her flesh. She knew it was time to get out, be social...it was the right thing to do. The past six months had shut Jean down. From moving across the country, to breaking up with her fiancΓ©, to starting a new job...Jean had run the gamut and lived to tell about it.
Tonight was a chance to start over, to reinvent herself or at least start the journey. She was confident this evening would be a good change of pace for her. Her new boss Ariel had the idea a few weeks ago and Jean could only put it off for so long. Not only had Ariel hired her at the agency, but she had also been by her side when she found out her fiancΓ© Ed, was gay.
Ariel's comments at that time seemed profound and Jean took them to heart. "Don't hate him sugar, understand where he is coming from. Repressing whom you are, ashamed at what makes you whole, that's a hard life to lead..." she said with an experienced tone. As Jean emerged from the shower, her skin was slightly pink and her nipples were firm from the cold air. As she approached the shopping bag given to her by Ariel, she anticipated the outfit that awaited her.
First was a beautiful white lace bra and panty set. Jean blushed just from the cut and feel of the garments on her flesh. She saw herself in the mirror and stopped to take the sight all in. Her long brown hair framed her face and it swept down to the small of her back. Jean couldn't remember the last time she felt sexy, but tonight she felt empowered.
She continued to pull garments from the bag. A white short sleeve button down blouse held her breasts and a short black A-line skirt ended just about the knee. The slit in the back sent a breeze up the back of Jean's thighs leaving her exposed, but the sensation drove her wild. The final touch was a pair of black heels and thigh high stockings. A quick splash of crimson lipstick and a Smokey finish to her eyes finalized the look.
Jean made her way downtown and arrived at the Marriott as planned. She saw Ariel just inside the lobby chatting up the event staff. Her outfit was fierce and even with all of her feminine charm it still threw off a masculine tone. As Jean entered the lobby, Ariel's attention turned and so did her body. Like a lioness claiming her cub, Ariel took Jean by the arm and led her past the registration table.
"I've taken care of all the paperwork and fees. Just relax, be yourself and you'll have a wonderful time...I promise," she concluded with a grin. The rules of the evening were simple and Ariel informed Jean a few days prior to eliminate any surprises. Twenty men and twenty women started the evening. Ladies were sat down at the tables and the men had five minutes before they were instructed to move on. A 15-minute intermission was scheduled at the halfway point and once the evening concluded each participant received call back cards from their interested matches.
As Ariel escorted Jean to table 13, she kissed her on the cheek and explained that they would talk at intermission. Once seated Jean cased the room's layout and the people within. Apparently Ariel was a regular, because her presence wasn't only known, it seemed expected. Everyone attending the event seemed older than Jean. For most young women this may have left them feeling uncomfortable, but for Jean she felt right at home. She was only twenty-five, but she had always carried herself as if older. Her independence made her self-motivated and at times that work ethic hindered any attempt for weekend plans, led alone being social at a bar or club like most people her age.
'This could be a better avenue,' she thought to herself. Instead of a drunken meeting or a one-night stand, maybe this experience would allow her the freedom she craved. As the waiters filled the room and their seats, Jean caught Ariel with a rugged, handsome gentleman in a dark corner. They talked and smiled, like two old friends reconnecting... Jean felt her face flush as they both turned and caught her staring. She felt mortified and dropped her gaze to her table. Shortly after and much to her surprise, Ariel's friend started to her left at Table 14.
She studied his face, it was well defined and his mannerisms were cool and confident. He locked eyes with Jean before the event started, his gaze was tender and seemed to explore her features. The event began and her first date was Tom, the broker. As their five-minute chat came to a close, Tom thanked her for her time. Being polite was always Jean's style, but her attention was currently drawn to the elegant stranger moving to the next table.
The evening had progressed and Jean had already met half of the event. A few lookers in the group, but all had little to no personality. There were two men out of the first ten that Jean tried to connect with, but one rambled his way out of contention and the other's lack of confidence was more of a turn off than she expected. As the intermission began, Ariel tracked her down and swept her off to a private corner.
"How are you feeling so far?" Ariel said with a concerned tone.
"It's going...Nothing too captivating so far, but overall I'm glad I'm here. At least I'm out talking to people, I feel like I'm starting over again. Like I've forgotten how to connect with someone..." Jean said with a slight sigh.
"Maybe you just need to find someone worth connecting to. By the end of tonight you are going to meet a friend of mine. He was the eye candy I caught you enjoying before we started..." Ariel said almost in a giggle.
That embarrassed flush once again filled Jean's face.
"I was really hoping you either didn't see me or you weren't going to bring it up. I felt so stupid and awkward..." she said as she dropped her gaze to the floor.
Ariel tenderly placed her forefinger under Jean's chin and lifted her gaze to meet her own. "Never be ashamed of how you feel...ever. When you are open and honest with yourself, you will find what you are looking for." As she finished the statement, she drew Jean's face towards her own. Leaning in she offered her mouth and Jean responded immediately; like she internalized Ariel's comments and Jean stopped trying to control the situation.
Their mouths met with a tender embrace, their lips and tongues exploring each other. Both bodies intertwined for an instant and as this kiss grew deeper their breasts and thighs rubbed against each together. Ariel brought her hand behind Jean's neck and controlled her movements skillfully. Jean responded by lightly sucking and biting Ariel's lips and once their gaze met and they smiled at each other. Ariel felt winded and a bit warm, where Jean seemed dazed her body craving more. This was a first for her and she wanted to burn this image and these feelings into her mind.
Ariel looked at her and said, "Enjoy the rest of the night, we'll meet up later." As she finished she raised her hand to Jean's mouth to fix some lipstick that smeared to her face. When she cleared it away, Jean's eyes closed from the touch and her body let out a light shudder. She opened her eyes and nodded to Ariel, fixing her hair before she returned to her table.