"Okay, but you have to close your eyes and promise not to look."
He pulled her up from the sofa and brought her to the mirror.
"Keep your eyes closed, okay?"
She laughed softly but didn't protest. She felt the cold stones graze the skin of her neck. She had to twist her neck to avoid being strangled - what a klutz! Could she peek?
"Don't peek, I'm not done."
It wasn't quite right. The string of purple pearls curved around her neck and down her neckline, but then spilled untidily over her blouse. The canvas was not what it should be. He knew what would work better.
Her breath caught when she felt his fingers unbutton the next button on her blouse. This was the time to grab his hand and stop him. But she stayed still and kept smiling her enigmatic smile. The string of pearls now fell against more of her bare neckline and a hint of black lace rose from her exposed cleavage. Was she wearing La Perla? But it wasn't quite perfect yet . . .
They had met again after a long time, years even. This time he had flown in, making excuses about a business trip. Their rendez-vous for lunch was the hotel lobby. He arrived early, unable to fake coolness any longer. She was late, as usual. When he saw her, he felt the old familiar ache that only she inspired. The years had only made her eyes bigger and darker and her walk more sensuous: she wore the leather pants that had provoked such delightful dreams since he saw them first. Over lunch, he was mesmerized by her long, graceful fingers that punctuated the ends of her sentences. Her husband was still swimming, competing semi-professionally every week. His wife was still immersed in her studies. He picked the wine, even though she had once brought a man to his knees by describing a Pinot Noir.
He watched her face in the mirror, her beautiful eyes still hidden by her eyelids, as he unbuttoned the next button of her blouse. Her smile flickered for a moment but then, perhaps strengthened by a decision, returned. The string of pearls was still too long for the v-shaped bareness of her skin. One more button, then.
It was La Perla, the new season. Black, of course. Mainly lacy nothingness, but modestly covering her nipples and the undersides of her small, pert breasts. The pearls hung down to the front clasp of her bra.
Not quite, though. In a flash of artistic inspiration, he pulled her blouse out from her pants and undid the remaining two buttons . . . perfect, perfect, perfect: white neck, white breasts, white belly, purple pearls, black lace, framed by the red silk of her open blouse.
"Now. Open your eyes."
She looked at herself in the mirror. The artist in her was admiring. The woman in her felt her heart beating quickly, she was so . . . exposed.
"You are incredible."
"I love them, thank you, they are beautiful."
"Do you . . . is it . . . are you wearing La Perla . . . everywhere? You know . . . "
She blushed and laughed.
"Show me, please, pretty please, please, please . . . show me."
She considered this. Show him? Show him what? Show him how? The very thought would never have occurred to her. Before. But now, in the moment . . . what could be the harm? There is no one else here. It was exciting. She met his eyes.
Not believing his luck, he stepped backwards. One step, two steps, and sank on the sofa.
"Show me."
She took a step away from him and paused. She looked at him and took a deep breath. She slowly slipped her blouse off her shoulders, letting it slide down her back. He watched mesmerized as the blouse was removed, felt the ache in his groin as his body reacted to the sight of hers.
Now what? She theatrically set her hand upon the button of her black leather pants, playfully winking at him. With her two hands, she went about unbuttoning her pants and slowly sliding down the zipper. There was more La Perla!
What next? She thought about it for a moment and turned around, facing away from him, towards the mirror. She kicked off her heels and grabbed hold of the leather covering each of her thighs and slid her pants down, sinuously swaying her hips to ease them down. He watched, eyes wide open, open-mouthed, as the black leather gave way to black lace and white skin. He loved the way her spine led his eyes to the top of her Brazilian shorts, right where her narrow waist rounded into her full, rounded buttocks. A blessing of her latina heritage.
Did he like? She looked at him in the mirror, catching the expression on his face. Yes, he liked. Your move, she thought to herself.
He got up from the sofa and in three steps was right behind her. He bent his head down and looked over her shoulder into the mirror. He raised his hands from his sides and skimmed her bare belly before alighting on her lace-covered breasts.
They both watched his hands, now covering her bra, barely touching, now reaching for the clasp in the front, now unhooking, now opening, now, now, now. His pupils dilated and feasted at the sight of her perfectly round, reddish-brown nipples, at last captive to his eyes, her white breasts small and round, but then hidden by his eager brown hands, the greedy fingers trying to engrave every speck of her bare skin into his memory forever.