Emmanuelle. A fantasy.
I was sitting in the bar of the functional hotel, looking at the BBC news on my phone, when I noticed her, sitting, with a book, two tables down. I don't know why I hadn't noticed her before - she must have been sitting there when I arrived. Too self involved I supposed. But something made me look in her direction.
Physically, she was slim and elegant. About forty I'd guess. She was wearing a striped blue and white tee-shirt... a tight one - with a v-neck - that accentuated all the right curves of her petite figure and a short red pencil skirt. I could just make out that her tights were black and sheer. And not being the kind of guy who studies the physicality of a complete stranger, my gaze didn't wander down to her shoes, but also because it was her face that had made me double take. Short, black, almost boyish hair framed a pretty dark features - pale skin but brown, huge eyes. High cheekbones. Full, almost pouty lips. A face that was both exotic and familiar.
She looked up and caught me staring, before I had a chance to look away.
'Can I help you?' She said in a not unfriendly way and it then I first caught the trace of the accent. Not English. Probably European, but not French...maybe German?
'I'm so sorry,' I spluttered, 'I didn't mean to stare. You just reminded me of someone.
'Oh. Someone you know? A friend?'
'Not exactly,' I was blushing now, 'It's ridiculous that I should-...it's just a resemblance, that's all. Someone...sort of famous. Was. A while ago.'
She looked at me grinning.
'Oh now you have to tell me,' she said and yes, I was right, the accent was European, but I still couldn't quite place it. Although I probably should have been able to.
'Well,' I said, 'it's an actor...actress from the seventies...have you ever heard of Sylvia Krystel?'
She smiled. A bright beautiful smile.
'As in the Emmanuelle films? I'm flattered. Oh and I'm Dutch as well, like her, so who knows, maybe we're related in some way.'
A sighed, slightly relieved, glad that I'd effectively admitted watching an early seventies soft porn film, without making her think I was a sleaze.
'I wasn't sure you'd know of her.'
'But of course. She was quite something, wasn't she?' She added, 'I'm Anna.'
'She was. Peter. Pete.' I said and because it seemed appropriate, although terribly British and formal, offered my hand for her to shake.
She slid up to my table, and shook it. Our first touch.
'You like those films?' She asked.
'Well,' I said, aware that I was blushing and that it was probably quite obvious, 'I've seen clips of them. On line.'
Truth was, I'd only really seen one clip, but I'd watched it several times. More than several. I was sort of obsessed with it. A scene from early in the first film, the story of a sexual adventuress, the bored wife of a diplomat, where the central character, played by Sylvia Krystel seduces a guy on a plane. Two guys in fact, over the course of the flight. Mile high. Twice. Two miles high.
Anna was plainly aware of my discomfiture.
'There's no need to be embarrassed. We all like a little eroticism, yes? It's natural.'
This was true, but...
'Yes, but I don't usually gawp at a complete stranger then talk about it.'
She giggled amused. I indicated her book.
'What are you reading?'
'This?'
She picked it up. I could see it had a very luring cover of a scantily clad woman (nothing but a black lace bra).
'This is an erotic novel from my country. Women like to be aroused too, you know,' she said wryly.
She shifted her position slightly and I got a better view of the v-neck in her tee-shirt. It just went down far enough to give me a hint of her cleavage and round breasts underneath the tight fabric. I did my best not to share.
'And that erm...that...' I said, meaning the book, 'that does it for you?'
She lowered head slightly and looked up at me so I could really get the best of those dark brown eyes.
'Not as much as this conversation,'
She was grinning again, a warm, welcoming grin. I too, was feeling very warm indeed.
'So I'm guessing... you are thinking of that scene on the aeroplane?' she asked.
'How did you know that?' I was slightly taken aback at this insight. Or educated guess.
'Well, I've seen the whole film,' she said, 'and some of it's not very nice, but well...'
She patted her book on the table,
I decided to try and relax, It wasn't easy because now, on top of feeling overly warm, I was starting to get aroused too. Just a little. There were very definite stirrings in my groin.
'It's very-....I like that scene very much,' she continued, 'I like it because she's seducing the guy without even touching him.'
I realise now, in hindsight, I was being seduced too, but that's the point of seduction. You don't realise it's happening until it's happened.
'No,' I said, 'he doesn't stand a chance.'
I think I knew exactly how that guy felt.
'So,' she said, 'seduction. How are you at this? How would you seduce me?'
This was very direct. Okay, it was a direct question and an exciting one. It was my turn to be direct back.
'I don't think you're easily seduced, Anna,' I said, 'seduction implies deception, being duped into doing something you wouldn't do, normally. However,' I added,'in your case I'd be very easily tempted to try. I mean, I'd probably hopeless at it, but I'd be sorely tempted.'
'Why?'
'Because, you must know you're very beautiful.'
There. I'd said it.