There are just some things that shouldn't be talked about out loud, out in the open. Somehow, wanting something didn't mean she could talk about it -- ever -- not in the circles where she operated. She had sophisticated friends, who went on about politics and music and wore expensive clothes to brunch. Admitting what she wanted sexually, no matter how open minded they were, would make them secretly think she was a freak. But she could think about it, and even act on it, all in a discreet, not-in-my-neighborhood sort of way. Every once in a while she would take long cab ride to a far part of town to meet new people, find a random one-night stand with a weightlifter, or some other meathead, or better yet, she would find an eager couple wanting a third. Couples were always so loving and eager, and most importantly, discreet.
It wasn't that she was ashamed, it was that she thought very highly of her friends. She was one of those people who worked hard at everything, a true perfectionist. She chose quality people for her life, the kind who read important books, understood philosophy and politics, had complicated lives and good taste. She picked perfect people, perfect parties, perfect men. Sometimes too perfect, too in love with themselves.
That perfectionism was also part of why she was so damn pretty... and unapproachable. She worked very hard at her body, way harder than her flabby socialite friends who got by on expensive Italian couture and eccentric personalities. While they were nursing hangovers at brunch, she'd be running up mountains, dancing all night, almost passing out in demolishing yoga classes, pushing herself in cardio and sculpting classes to points that would flatten most girls halfway through. And it showed. She had the body of a superwoman, and the genetics to match. At 5'11" she was just a little bit taller than most girls and shaped like a Barbie but with more muscle. Long runner's legs, elegantly flared hips, a high, iron-hard ass, a tiny 24" waist, short torso with a full set of 34DDs, the long neck of a dancer, and the shoulder and back muscles of a surfer. Below the neck she was downright striking in that way that is hard to hide. On a Saturday night, add a "pinup" look in stilettos, satin short shorts, and sassy halter tops, and it was hard not to stare, and that wasn't even at her face. She had striking European features, high cheekbones, darting dark eyes and glossy brown hair, and that full, pouty mouth that begs to be kissed ... or something else.
Girls like her weren't supposed to go after what they wanted, they were supposed to wait until it came to them. And that was the problem, it almost never did. She was that kind of pretty, where men were afraid to even start the conversation with her. Men that she wanted, anyways. She had a unlucky penchant for big, strong, silent types. Men that were monsters but in some way handsome, and shy, often unable to fit in with the regular guys, maybe because they were a little intimidating, maybe a little too strong, too silent. But that was exactly the kind of guy she craved. There was so much mystery, they were such a challenge.
In her social circle, the overeager, chatty, socialite types were always the ones who came after her, like butterflies. Too self-absorbed, always in love with themselves, always (ultimately) interested in her because she was a trophy, she made them look good, get noticed. It was an inescapable loop. Pretty girl attracts pretty boy, pretty boy turns out to be a bore, pretty girl: 0, pretty boy: 1.
After a long, interminable summer of this same frustrating pattern, she was finally fed up and she still hadn't really found what she wanted. After one too many bleary-eyed hookups with just the wrong sort of fellow, already too drunk to realize he was afraid of her, she was still bored, full of desire, full of curiosity. She decided to take matters into her own hands.
With much careful and discreet planning, she took action, and booked a solo trip to Prague with just one plan to execute. The men she really liked were the giants you only sometimes spot in an American nightclub, usually lurking in the dark corners, unnoticed, massive, and awkward in a gentle, forgivable way. She had a weakness for them -- tall, broad-shouldered, ruggedly handsome with square jaws and strong Slavic features, eager, broad mouths that were sternly quiet. In Prague, she had heard that these types were as common as pigeons, and nevermind the language barrier. Most of her fantasies involved three or four of them, so the odds were far in her favor. Before her flight, she printed just 25 discreet notecards with simple instructions translated into Russian. It read,
You get one chance to have me. Be discreet and clean. Be gentle yet firm. Come prepared, eager, and alone. No danger, no strings attached. Hotel Europa, 9th Plaza, Room 131, key at the desk.
She hoped the language barrier and the strange city would help her fulfill her darkest wishes without interference, once and for all. It was risky, but there was no other way.
Once checked into her hotel room downtown, she scouted out the best nightlife the city had, and there was a lot more than she expected. Everything from shy, loungey mixology bars to sweaty, thundering underground dance clubs was there for the taking, only now she did not have to keep up appearances with her friends, or even hold halting, awkward conversations with strangers, which was just as well. She hardly spoke the language enough to catch a cab.
To compensate for her limited Russian, she developed a sort of system: she would dress with just enough foreigner glam to drop every jaw and turn every head, enter each place at its busiest time of night, with a swish to make an impression. The pinup look was still new to Prague and she was definitely working it, her endless legs towering in platform pumps, her full breasts spilling just slightly out of prim little halters. Then she would settle into a lonely spot in the club, order up her favorite drink, (expensive, dry champagne) and carefully, calculatingly scan the crowd. Her mystery, aloneness, and perfection formed the perfect bubble around her, and hardly anyone worked up the nerve to approach her. This time, that was exactly what she wanted, it gave her space to make careful selections. With only 25 notecards and only 5 days, she was very, very picky; every candidate had to meet exact requirements, had to be just right. She watched how they dressed, how they moved, whether they could dance, or flirt, how much they drank, the shape of their hands, their hygiene. There could be no unpleasant surprises. It was sort of a fun game, sizing up men this way, guessing what they would be like in her hotel room. They would eye her warily, feeling watched. Then, when she was certain of her picks, she would deftly hand them each a note and before they could respond, she'd be gone.
Compared to her usual "waiting for it to come to her" method, she reckoned this would be as easy as shooting fish in a barrel, shy men were kind of pitiful in how eager they secretly were. They would make responsive, willing lovers. But even with this overt, calculated approach, she had to wait several days for a response. Prague had its share of beautiful women, but the culture was not used to this, and these strong silent types were not used to being picked by beautiful women.