Jo was on a weeklong assignment for the magazine for which she worked. She was spending the week at a beach resort writing about the traveling adventures of adult singles. She had spent the afternoon in the office of 'The Dream Maker', as the name implies it is a sort of dating/fantasy planner for adventurous adults. She learned that people went to this and other similar places to arrange dream vacations or a dream date. Businesses such as this cater to men, women, and even some couples who wanted something special but could not plan it on their own. Their needs, she found, ranged from a getaway weekend to a night on the town. She was told of one man who was coming to town for his class reunion and wanted a beauty on his arm because he had been the class nerd. He dreamed of going to his 10-year reunion and showing his fellow alum that he had finally been a success with the women. Then there was the couple that was prim and proper business people that wanted to go somewhere exotic to spice up their life and their love life. They went on a weekend swingers retreat in the mountains.
She was amazed at some of the requests this place had fulfilled. They ran the spectrum from a mild mannered travel agency to a procurer of your wildest fantasy and all legitimate and on the up and up as far as she could see. She had a meeting with an attorney the next morning to review legalities of such businesses. While at the travel agency, they went over the 'analysis form' with her. This was the form that all clients filled out to help fulfill their dream. It even had a fantasy area. She filled out one, which they allowed her to have a copy.
She had been told to answer the questions openly and honestly with no concern for shocking them. With all said and done the 'agent' told her she was fairly bland and most normal compared to most of their clients. She already knew most of that but she had thought her deepest fantasy had been a bit kinky, yet they determined her bland and normal. In a way, she was a bit hurt and still she knew she was a normal, healthy woman.
She returned to the resort and went to her room. She dropped onto the bed and looked out her window at the private beach with all the people walking, playing, tanning and otherwise enjoying themselves and then she looked into the mirror at herself. She lay there in her stiff business attire looking almost severe instead of feminine and desirable. It was apparent to even her why she only drew the business sort when she had a date at all. Her evening was free and she was supposed to mingle and it was all at the magazines expense so she decided to experiment a bit. She called the office and asked about a hairstylist, she was told no one would be free for a few hours. She said that was fine she would be on the veranda and they could call her from there. She changed into a skort, tank, and sandals then went out to have a drink. She sat watching the people and the beautiful view. Off on the one side she spied a couple making out while off to the other side were a group playing Frisbee. She was lost in thought, enjoying the sights when a man in shorts approached her saying he was her stylist. He was in his late 20's, muscular, tanned and generally sexy. He had his bag and said they should return to her room and he would make her even more beautiful than she already was.
Once inside he asked to see her wardrobe. She looked at him quizzically and he explained that he would tailor what he did to her own personal style. He frowned at her clothes, telling her she needed more feminine attire, less formal and stuffy. He said if she liked he could show her how to still look professional but have a more womanly air. She thanked him but explained she was only looking to have her hair done and take in a late supper.
He frowned again and asked, "Please give me free reign to recreate you. You are so beautiful but you do not realize it. A new total look could make you feel so much better about yourself. I can tell you are feeling sort of 'ho hum' about yourself, you need a boost to feel a bit wilder. I saw that look in your eyes on the veranda as you watched the others.," he told her.
She balked but deep down she knew he was right and finally relented to the promise that he would not go extreme, nothing far out or sleazy. They discussed her assignment as he worked. She skirted around the events of the afternoon, which had lead to this. In no time he had her transformed, 'Bessie Business into the understated sexy mogul' she was amazed at the transformation. He dressed her and told her to go frolic and to remember the evening was about fantasy fulfillment and she would even be able to use it in her article. After he left she looked into the mirror and was amazed at what a difference a new hairstyle and some makeup could do combined with a few extra buttons undone and a necklace. She did not feel quite so 'ho hum' anymore.
She wandered around the resort a bit and bought a few 'out of character' things in the boutique, then had dinner. She sat on the veranda to eat and have another drink. She continued her observations of the surrounding people. After she was finished eating she kicked back and propped her feet up. She wore a short skirt so she had to be a bit cautious as she propped her strappy heels on the opposite chair. The crashing waves and dull hum of the people caressed her as she again thought of her assignment and herself. She thought of the couple she had seen earlier and the questionnaire, she knew she had not been very honest on it, had not really listed her deepest fantasies like it asked. She wondered what differences it would have made on the results. She was so lost in her thoughts that she was unaware she was being watched just as she watched the others.
Ty had been divorced several years and had thrown himself into his work to avert his problems, which was in part, nay, in total why his marriage failed. He was taking time at the resort to try to start anew. He had never been one for flings or one-night stands but he realized he needed a change and female companionship. As he was eating, this sexy yet somewhat business-like woman enters all relaxed and sultry looking. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off her. He could sense the business-like part and yet she had a sensual air that just seemed to captivate him. Something drew him to her and he wanted to go over to her but didn't have the nerve, not where beautiful, strong women were concerned. He just knew he had to meet her though. He called the waiter over and asked him to replenish her drink, he knew it was old hat but he had to do something.
The waiter brought Jo a drink and told her it was from the gentleman, nodding in the direction of Ty. She started to refuse but looked at him and saw he looked like a businessman, a regular type so she accepted. She smiled and mouthed 'thank you' to him. He nodded and tried to glance away. She thought her acceptance would bring him over to her but instead he looked out over the water as she had. She went back to gazing out over the crashing waves, suddenly she felt a presence. She looked up and there stood the man from across the room. He was tall, probably over 6', quite sexy with his dark hair and smoldering eyes. She sat frozen then found herself and asked him to join her.
"Thank you for the drink, I'm Jo," she said.
"You're welcome. I'm Ty nice to meet you Jo," he replied.
Momentary silence fell over them, they laughed at the aquardness. Both were used to dealing with people all the time, quite frequently strangers and yet they couldn't find a word to say to one another. The silence drug as they both looked out over the water.
Finally he broke the silence, "I'm in plastics in Atlanta. I'm on my first vacation in 10 years."
"I'm a staff writer for a magazine on assignment," she replied.
"Well we're off to a good conversation now. I'm 45, divorced and tired of being a stodgy businessman. My co-workers talked me into taking this vacation and I decided it would be a good place to start fresh and become a new man so to speak," he said.
"I'm 40, never married, unless you count to my work, and working on a bit of a change myself," she returned.
The waiter returned to see if they needed anything and gave them their checks. Neither wanted this meeting to end so he suggested a stroll along the beach. They strolled along and chatted about anything and everything. It grew dark and they were nearing a bar that turned out was near their rooms so they decided to stop in for a drink. They took a table, talked and danced a bit. She marveled at how good a dancer he was and he at how wonderful it felt to relax and dance again. Back at the table conversation turned to her article. She explained the purpose and how she was handling it. He was impressed. He asked if she had considered using herself as a subject for the article. He thought that maybe she could try out one of the fantasy dates or such and using that as a basis. She told him she generally preferred to observe as she felt she wrote more objectively as an observer than a participant.