Β©Nora Quick 2013
Chapter Five
Sitting in my room I shook off the worry and thought over how to prepare. The magic had made it so I never had to shave nor moisturize, but still there are sacred rituals of femininity one could never give up. And I needed them now more than ever; those rituals relaxed me.
I drew a bath and scented it with relaxing salts and oils I adored, cotton blossom and light jasmine. My hair was still clean from the shower the night before, so I pinned it up and sank in. I scrubbed and scraped until all my skin was cloud-soft. I soaked until I thought the perfumes were a part of me. Then I dried off and smoothed in moisturizer that was soft and as thick as cashmere.
To impress, but classy, Julian had said.
First I dabbed on perfume that was an echo of the bath scents. My skin no longer needed concealer or foundation of any kind, a relief, so it was simple. I lined my eyes softly, smudging the eyeliner, and brushed on very subtle smoky eye shadow. I lined my lips and filled them in with blood red stain, smoothing gloss on top. I brushed through mascara darkening and lengthening my already long, thick, black lashes.
As I worked I heard all three men climb the stairs, laughing and joking, going into their own rooms to change. For a moment my heart pounded and I smiled at the memories of the previous night. For the next adventure, I vowed to push my concerns aside and live in the moment, but the urge to over-think was lurking constantly at the edges of my thoughts.
Keeping my hair pinned up I dressed carefully. I wore Cuban-heeled back-seamed stockings attached to a black and nude garter belt. Over that slid matching panties and I topped it off with the demi bra that matched. The effect was overly-stylized, a caricature of the forties style that somehow worked.
I found the black slip that was low cut enough and put it on before adding the little black dress. It was tight, skimming my curves, the neckline sweetheart and low. From the side my breasts, hefted up, looked like they were almost trying to escape, surely enough to tempt any man into sin.
I looked sexy, but not sleazy. I had a few steps to go until classy, so I did my hair carefully, curling the tips and letting it fall long, covering one eye. Lastly I added a string of freshwater pearls and four inch stiletto velvet pumps.
Sex on the hoof, sure, but still I'd be welcomed in any home in America. Just what I was going for. I knew Pierre's night had been relaxed, casual, just the way he was. Julian's was going to be beautiful and orchestrated just as he was. I was perhaps getting ahead of myself in wondering what Andre's would be like.
I was nervous, no doubt about it. What made tonight different than the night before was my growing suspicion that impossibly fast, I was falling in love with them. The thought froze me in my tracks and I wished Diego was with me, but it sounded like he was romping in the back yard with a toy. Too fast, it was too fast, but I would relax and not worry. I swore it to myself and pushed the thought into the back of my mind. Somehow this was easier to ignore than the worries, and I guess that spoke volumes about me.
I came down the stairs to see them waiting in the foyer, and it was a sight that would make any woman pause and consider swooning. Each was dressed in a suit, their tie showing off each owner's favorite color. Julian looked respondent in a grey suit, his tie glossy and green. His hair was slicked back, still damp, giving the soft-eyed artist a hard-edged look. Pierre's navy suit highlighted the broadness of his shoulders and the trim size of his waist. His bright blue tie matched his eyes perfectly, and he wore his curling hair loose to his shoulders. He'd trimmed his beard, which now became the swooping mustache and canny goatee of a musketeer. He looked younger and happier, more...Pierre than before. Andre wore a black suit with a maroon tie nearly the same shade as his hair. He too had dampened his hair on the side and pulled it back. What shocked me was he was clean shaven. The promise of his bearded face was fulfilled in the most beautiful yet masculine arrangement of bones I'd ever seen.
But what stole my breath and nearly made me trip on the last few steps was the look in their eyes. In that moment I felt the power of the goddess, the ancient degree of control every woman was born to. In that moment I knew for the gift of touching me they would do anything. A woman could rule the world with that kind of power, but alas I had no use for it. I'd rather just take the touching. Still, knowing I had brought forth such desire was a heady cocktail that made me want to swing and dance, laughing.
I reached the bottom and they were all still watching me with a curious mix of hungry male conqueror and dutiful, humble, devotee.
"Well you three look great," I managed on the second try, my throat parched.
Julian unfurled my coat and stepped forward. "Tonight, she's mine." His voice was a deep growl, wholly masculine as it made me shiver.
I didn't like being claimed like property but I let it go, since Julian seemed so happy he fairly vibrated. He held my coat for me as Pierre let me know Diego had been attended to and left in the yard to spare our black clothes.
I kissed Julian's cheek or at least went for it, but he turned and claimed my lips. Pulling back he had red gloss and I laughed, sending him to the mirror.
"Since you're mussed anyway," Pierre said and grabbed me, spinning me to him where he kissed me soundly. Chuckling, he passed me off to Andre.
"You're a walking felony in that dress," Andre said and bent his head slowly.
"I promise I'll make doing time fun."
He laughed at my words and crushed my mouth beneath his.
I flounced away and opened my small purse, pulling out my gloss but Julian stopped me. "Best wait on that. Shall we?"
Intrigued I took his hand as he escorted me. Pierre lead the way, opening doors, and Andre followed behind, closing them. Diego ran up t o us but Pierre kept him away with a rub to the head and a promise tomorrow we'd all play with him. In the Porsche Julian bundled me into the back, giving Andre shotgun. Pierre climbed into the driver's seat and we were off.
Julian quickly shifted, turning towards me as his fine, long-boned fingers danced over my stockings, toying with the bottom of my skirt. "You're wearing panties, aren't you?"
I felt shocked by the question. In the car, with Andre and Pierre so close, the world just a single pane of glass away, and he got playful
now
?
"Julian..." I began, reaching for his wrist.
"Anna," he playfully cooed back as his hand pushed higher, teasing my bare skin right at the edge of my stockings.
"We're in a moving car!"
Pierre chuckled. "Don't worry about me driving off the road. But I will adjust the mirrors and enjoy the show."