The hour was late and the night cool and clear. Even in the city she could see Venus, and glimpses of the stars of the northern sky.
She thought herself bathed in starlight.
The room is still, silent. It feels a different night to the opera and late night supper only hours and minutes earlier.
Over dinner they had spoken like the old friends they were. He made her laugh and relax. He was the perfect gentleman, as promised. A reassuring hand on the small of her back as he guided her from Opera house to cab to their discreet table. His big calloused hand resting on hers as she told an anecdote, his thumb absentmindedly stroking her soft pale skin. His fingertips danced with hers in a playful quadrille.
And then, what she was expecting, dreading, longing for. He didn't visibly change but she knew him well enough to know he was steering the conversation in a particular way.
She held his gaze. Maybe it was the champagne but she was not going to blush and duck her head with a whispered apology.
"I hope you're not so gentle with me in private. I want to feel like you're truly in charge of me. And I'm yours to do with as you please. "
"I need to be fucked. I need to feel something. I need to not be in control, I want you to.... why are you making me say this? You know what I want." She cursed herself as she blushed and broke his gaze, her words left trailing in the air.
But she had said enough and when the question came she was able to say a "Yes" in a voice more confident than she felt.