Mimi's limo arrived to pick up Jessica, Jane, and Marie at about 8:30, only a little late. As the three of them swept through the lobby in their fur coats, drawing admiring stares from everyone they passed, Jessica felt like the queen of the world. She even waved regally at Josie behind the front desk; Josie waved back enthusiastically and then looked away, embarrassed.
A light snow was falling as they exited the hotel. There was no missing the limo waiting for them -- it was the biggest and, somehow, the blackest that Jessica had ever seen. The driver, an enormous African-American man -- at least 6 foot 6 -- nodded to them and opened the door.
The three of them sat down facing the rear of the vehicle, opposite Mimi, Tara, and Blondie. Settling back into her seat -- the leather was the softest she'd ever felt -- Jessica suddenly found herself feeling unesy. It was like this was all too much -- too decadent, beyond the pale. It was just wrong somehow. But they were here now, the car was pulling out onto the street, so she shook it off.
They all had a cocktail, and then another, as the limo left the city and cruised down a dark, tree-lined highway. Jessica had no idea where they were going, and this bothered her a little bit; she liked to be in control of these kinds of things. She could have checked her phone but made a conscious decision not to -- instead she concentrated on her cool, delicious beverage and the five beautiful women she was with. Tara, in particular, looked extremely fetching that night in a chic black dress that showed off her lovely shoulders.
In her mind's eye Jessica pictured Tara dropping to her knees, crawling across the floor of the limo, and diving between Jessica's legs. She probably could have made this fantasy a reality by opening her mouth and asking. But at the moment she was content just to imagine, let her mind wander.
By Jessica's reckoning it was just under an hour later when they made their way down a long, meandering driveway to an imposing old mansion -- dating from the 1930s, she guessed. It looked like something out of The Great Gatsby.
After leaving the limo they climbed a flight of stairs to the front door, which was flanked by two imposing-looking men in suits and sunglasses. Mimi nodded to them and the one on the left moved his head, just barely visibly, in response. Apparently they were expected.
In the expansive foyer they were greeted by a glamorous-looking redhead in an old-fashioned red gown. She was tall to begin with and was wearing extremely high heels, so she towered over all of them, smiling pleasantly but a little intimidating nonetheless.
She took Mimi's hand and kissed her softly on each cheek. "A pleasure to see you again."
"I'm glad to be here," said Mimi. "I can't tell you how much I've been looking forward to this."
An older woman in a maid's uniform took their coats, and their hostess invited them to be seated on a large sofa against one wall. "Do you have anything in particular in mind?" she asked.
Mimi shook her head. "No, let's see the selection."
"Very good." The redhead walked to the corner of the room and rang a bell. Almost immediately, women began to appear, one by one, each one more beautiful than the last. Within five minutes there were maybe 25 of them arrayed across one side of the room, up the stairs leading to the second floor, and on the balcony above. Every race and color was represented, and every size -- from a slip of a girl who looked about four feet tall, to a six-foot-plus amazon with powerful shoulders. Jessica shook her head in amazement.
