Opening the door of room 335, Bill thought it looked like any other Holiday Inn with its large, twin beds, separate bathrooms, and heavy curtains. The large TV and movie box sat in the corner by the window. As he observed his surroundings, Bill noticed the room had that scent which seemed to be a feature of all motel and hotel chains: dust, human sweat, and cleaning polish.
He threw his large--too large--carry on bag onto the surprisingly fluffy bed. It had been a long flight down from New York and coming the day after his arrival from London, he was tired and weary. Normally, this feeling would be compounded by thoughts of work the following day, but this trip to the Mid-West was different. He was there to meet a close friend, an intimate friend, a friend he had never met.
They had conversed often, always by email and mostly about their sexual fantasies. She had started to write to him after reading one of his stories, intrigued to know more about the man who wrote so knowingly about female submission. She had learned he was divorced and that he enjoyed being dominant in a sexual relationship. Lisa also learned that he was a bit of a softie away from the bedroom and this apparent dichotomy fascinated her; fascinated her almost more than her own longing to explore her deepest sexual feelings.
He discovered, with some disappointment, that Lisa was engaged. She had a somewhat stable relationship with her fiancé, but in her heart was still...questions. His parents accepted her with open arms, and thought she would make a perfect addition to their son, and company. She received her degree and was eager to begin her career, her life. Yet there was another side to her, a hidden, suppressed side.
Lisa yearned to explore these longings deep within her and explore her sexual boundaries. She yearned to explore submission, even pain, to heighten her sexual response. Lisa believed she could experience a greater fulfillment if she could just understand more.
Then one day she had found one of Bill's stories in which the female submissive seemed to mirror her own inner visions. It touched her like no story had before and she had sent him feedback, little realising that this would start their long and sensual correspondence. Eventually, she would send him a picture of herself and some of her own stories causing them to explore the possibility of collaborating on a single story. They made a few attempts to get started, but failed.
They lacked that shared concept which would enable them to write the story in their own styles. Secretly, they both had given up the attempt, yet did not want to discourage the other. Sometime later, Bill mentioned that he would be in the U.S. on business and asked if she could meet him in New York. It was only after he had clicked the 'send' button that he realised he was offering to take their relationship one step--one big step--further.
He was suggesting they both move out of the comfort of their own secret worlds in order to meet face to face. Lisa could not travel to meet him, but suggested they talk on the phone. Bill called her cell and in one brief phone call told Lisa that, if she could not come to New York, he could come to her. They could meet for an afternoon, he suggested, and discuss their story plans or whatever else they thought of.
He basically just wanted them to meet, look each other in the eyes, and compose the best story the site had ever seen. Now, sitting in the room, Bill was not quite so sure about things. It was easy, relatively easy, to play the dominant on the phone, but now the imminent meeting was making him less sure of his ground. With all his previous lady friends, the relationship had developed face to face.
It was much easier to tell if a lady would meet his own desires for a submissive partner or simply make pleasant company in or out of bed. Here he was, waiting for his cell to ring, to meet a woman who may not actually be any of the things she had pretended to be. Would she even phone, he asked himself. Would she turn up for the meeting, again he asked, his imagination running wild.
Certainly his current self-doubt would not help enforce his presence as dominant over women.
~~~~~~~~
Lisa sat in her vehicle, contemplating. She had already surpassed rational thought and knew it was too late to undo what they had arranged. She envisioned this scene in her mind many times and still did not know what to expect. Her curiosity, as well as desire for this stranger propelled her into making the decision many weeks, many emails ago. Lisa reminded herself of the story she had read and remembered the intensity she had felt from his words.
She understood sending feedback was customary, but did not expect a response. So when he returned her mail with a warm greeting, she was seduced into accepting his offer to stay in touch. Bill's cyber demeanour made her pulse quicken, his speech friendly and intelligent. She was thoroughly surprised to discover his whereabouts were in her beloved Europe, where she had lived as a child.
Visiting London was one of her other passions and thought of asking Bill to be her guide. However, at the time, Lisa was convinced that they would never meet; the distance--in both senses--was too great. The photo Bill sent her while on vacation came back to her mind. She could not see much of his eyes behind the shades he wore, but enjoyed the way one of his thick brows lifted ominously.
With his erotic letters, sexy accent, and sinister-looking brows, Lisa wondered just what the experience would be like with a man like him. Her appetite for experimenting reflected his own in many ways, from what he had described to her, and she found herself thinking of him often. Thoughts of being under the hands of such an experienced lover intrigued her for many months.
After their friendship began rising to different, irreversible levels, they both knew the possibility of meeting was growing shorter and shorter. And now she found herself sitting in her vehicle, redialling his number for the second time. Lisa looked around her and noticed the glow of the setting sun as it bounced off the autumn leaves. Being a visually stimulated kind of girl, the warm colours drew her into its beauty.
Her mood shifted as her body began to mimic that warm glow. She thought of the man waiting for her call inside the room and her heart beat rapidly. Her body was taking over and she found her in the moment, her decision was made. She allowed the call to continue, this time not hanging up.
~~~~~~~~~
He heard for the second time that voice, soft, sweet, and clear. Did he also notice a hint of apprehension? Of nervousness? He could barely ask the question, but pulled himself together and spoke in the coolest voice he could muster as to where she was.
"In the parking lot," Lisa's voice now noticeably edgy. "I've parked up in the back corner away from the road."
Bill went to the window and looked out. He could see a few cars. "Which car?" He asked, trying desperately to hide his own nervousness.
"The maroon Ford SUV," her voice said in almost a whisper.
For his part, Bill did not want to admit he could not tell an American Ford from a Chevy. But yes, yes he could see a dark red car, an MPV?, and just make out the shadow of a driver, a lady driver.
"Do you want to meet me in the lobby...?" He paused a while, "or would you prefer the privacy of my room?"
"I don't think it's wise to go through the lobby," Lisa's voice now very quiet.
"I'll go to the back entrance then."
Bill clicked off his phone. He rarely moved quickly, but now he was moving with speed. Grabbing the room pass key, he rushed out into the corridor and hurried down the back stairs. When he reached ground level, he pressed the bar on the Emergency Exit and opened the door.
