This story is about a wife planning a surprise for her husband, only to have the tables turned and is surprised herself. A special thanks to dragonmann72 for feedback and support.
London Treat
It was on a trip to London, to surprise my husband on his business trip that ended with a night neither of us will ever forget.
He'd recently been promoted and his company had insisted he visit all of his new clients in person. This meant he needed to stay in London for the week, because he was expected to entertain his clients making it impossible to take the train home each night. I remember teasing him about not visiting any lap dancing bars, but he's not that type of guy. Still, it was the first time we'd spent more than a day apart since we married.
He'd be home on the Saturday, which was both his fortieth birthday and our seventh wedding anniversary. His mother had insisted I arrange a surprise party, which I knew would not be, given how many 'surprise' parties his family had.
Our children aged five and three kept asking where Daddy was, and I'll admit I was a little weepy when I went to bed alone that first night. It wasn't like we were teenagers, rutting every night, but having not slept alone in nearly ten years, his absence seemed to focus my mind on him and our sex life. By midweek it felt like I'd not had sex in a month and I was resenting the party I'd planned for the Saturday. The house would be stuffed with in-laws, and it meant I might have to wait almost another week before we could satisfy our urges.
On the Thursday I had the idea to surprise my husband by meeting him in London and stay with him on Friday night. I called my parents to ask if they could come a day early so they could
baby sit
. My dad grumbled at missing his weekly golf but my mother, with her annoyingly accurate intuition to my love life, said 'of course' and hoped I'd enjoy my trip.
The trip itself didn't start well. The train was late leaving, so when I got to London I hit the late afternoon rush on the underground. And anyone stuck with an overnight bag on a busy train knows how hellish that can be.
When I got to the hotel I hit another speed bump. Foolishly, I'd assumed I could waltz in and ask for a duplicate key to my husband's room. So I could go up and change into my lovely new dress and extra sexy new underwear. Do my hair and makeup and surprise him in the hotel bar. Instead I spent over twenty minutes arguing with the receptionist. I even went as far as to show him our wedding photos on my phone. However, he pointed out even if we were married seven years ago we may not be now. And I might be there for malicious reasons. The only concession he could make was to put a flag on the key card so reception would be notified when it was used. They could text me in case I missed him.
Mollified slightly, I dragged my overnight bag in to the hotel bar. I remember it being huge, but at 5pm on a Friday it was nearly empty. Three business men in suits, two elderly couples dressed up for a night at the opera and finally a Chinese couple hunched over a map.
"Can I help you madam?"
The barman startles me. Young with very black hair, dark grey waistcoat and black bow tie. I've always had a thing for guys in a bow tie, so I return his smile.
"Any chance of a coffee?"
"Certainly."
He turns toward a complicated machine and I try to place his accent. It has a hint of American, mixed with something else.
"Actually, can you make it an espresso?" I call.
"Sure, single or double shot?"
"Single please, I'm too wired as it is."
As he expertly works the machine and I notice him using the mirror behind the bar to scan the room for customers. He returned with my coffee and moved off to deal with the Chinese couple with the map. Taking a sip and trying to take stock. Things weren't going to plan, but it wasn't hopeless. Just because I couldn't surprise my husband in my new clothes, didn't mean he wouldn't be surprised to see me. Taking out my phone I sent him a message 'How's it going?' If he's still in meetings, he might not be able to reply.
Downing the rest of the coffee, I heard the Chinese couple struggling with very broken English. Then I'm astonished when the barman replies in Chinese. The couple became all smiles as he grabs a photocopied map from under the bar and marked a destination and route. They look happy and he came back to me.
"That's impressive." I comment nodding to the retreating couple.
He grins with perfect teeth. "I'm studying hotel management and they like us to have a smattering of languages. I don't know much Chinese, but enough for simple directions. My dad's family came here from Italy, but my mom's Canadian. So I get Italian and French at home. My Spanish and German are pretty good, but I struggle with Russian."
"Still impressive, I can barely order a meal in French and I studied that for years."
"If you're impressed by that, you should see my dancing." Moving back from the bar and strikes a dramatic pose, either Flamenco or some Latin stance. "I'm really studying dance, but my dad insists I do something academic to fall back on. And as he's paying for my education." He shrugs. "Do you dance?"
"I used to love it, but my husband claims he has two left feet and I rarely get the chance."
"No coordination?"
"Only when he's vertical." I blush, not meaning to imply what I had. Perhaps I've been thinking too much of my plans when I get hubby upstairs. He grins and I note his name badge says Zack.
My phone vibrates, startling me. The screen lights up with a picture of my husband and baby laughing at the camera. The message says 'Just trying to wrapping up this meeting. One left, and then I'll call from the hotel. Sometime after 7 o'clock. '
"Cute!" Zach said seeing the picture.
"Which one?" I ask and see him struggle, as he realises he's walked into a trap. If he says my child, I might think he's a paedophile, or he says my husband, and he's gay. After a few moments I take pity on him. "The correct answer is both, at least to me. However..."
Picking up my phone and bringing up my husband's favourite photo. Holding out my phone out to show him the picture is of me and my daughter on a swing laughing as we swing high. He takes the phone smiling then zooms in. I lean forward to see he has zoomed in on my exposed legs. My summer skirt has blown back nearly to my crotch. Hence it being my husband's favourite. As Zach handed back the phone I notice he glances down my top and I get a frisson of excitement from it. Having a handsome young man attracted to an older married woman gives me a little buzz.
"I stand corrected you have a cute family. Are they with you?"
As my story spilled out he listens closely, his eyes flicking away to check on his other customers only once or twice.
"So here I am with a bag of clothes I cannot wear."
Zach looks thoughtful a moment. "There's a disability toilet in reception. I'm sure nobody would mind if you used it for a couple of minutes to change your dress and shoes."
I also needed to change into my sexy new underwear, but I wasn't going to tell Zach that. However, I might hint at it later.
"Men! You have no idea what a woman needs to get ready. I need to sort out my hair and makeup."
Zach studies me intently. "Why? You look fine?"
"Fine?" I exclaim a little too loudly. "I don't want to look only fine."
He held his hands up in submission. "Ok, ok. Let me think. I know!" He pulls out his phone and dials a number. "Shona? Hi, it's Zach. Yeah I'm working again tonight. Are you still open?"
He leans across the bar and automatically I lean in to listen. Only as I do, do I wonder if it's just a ploy to look down my top again. Not that he can see much. That's not to say there isn't much to see, I'm proud of my body and worked damn hard to get back in shape after my kids. I just mean my blouse only exposes a little of the upper slopes of my 'C' cups.
"Yeah, but I'll be closing up soon, Why?"
"I have a guest here who's looking for a little help."
"What's she looking for?"
"Just a little styling and a little makeup." I call into the phone.
"Ok, if you can be here in ten minutes I'll stay open. See ya soon Zach."
Zach drew me a map, stored my bag behind the bar, and ten minutes later I walk through the saloon door to be greeted by a larger than life Caribbean lady. Bubbly and outgoing, who once she found out I was here to surprise my husband on our anniversary, insisted on heavier makeup than I was used to wearing. She claimed it would look better in the dim lights of the bar.
While she worked she told me how she had been married for 15 years and how important is was to keep the spark going. For their last anniversary, her husband had sent her and her two sisters to a strip club, while he stayed at home to watch the TV. It sounded as if the night had paid off for the pair of them when she got home.
Walking back to the hotel and feeling a little self-consciously about the makeup. I wondered if my husband would even recognise me, and the idea of doing something other than simply saying 'Hi' when my husband walked in seemed a little tame now.
Zach did, and he was all smiles and compliments. I was flattered; it had been quite a while since my husband had been so appreciative. Not that I'm complaining about him, much.
"So what can get you? Another coffee or..."
"A glass of white wine please."
"It's cheaper by the bottle. You still have nearly an hour before hubby arrives. Actually, can you show me the photo of him again?"
Confused I pass over my phone and his room number.
"I thought so. He's been in here every night this week entertaining, and has racked up quite a bill. I'm sure we can sneak another bottle or two on to the bill without anyone complaining."
The wine was excellent, but Zach had to deal with a sudden influx of customers. I was aware many of the businessmen eyeing me as the passed. I don't know if it was the makeup or simply a woman by herself, but their attention was confusing me a little. I wasn't sure if I liked It or not, and I'd drunk half the wine in hardly any time. To avoid getting drunk before my husband arrives, I took my bag, ignored the annoyed look from duty manager as I entered the disabled toilet and locked myself in to change.
It felt weird to strip naked in a public toilet and the stories of Shona's adventures included sex in a toilet. At the time I was grossed out at the thought of a filthy cubicle, but this space was spotlessly clean, if rather uncomfortable to have sex. Dressing quickly, I returned to the bar. I appreciated the exaggerated double take from Zach as he spotted me. It gave me the boost I was hoping for.
Sitting at the bar on a high stool, sipping my wine more slowly, I watched Zach as he worked quickly and efficiently. Several times I noticed businessmen standing closer to me than necessary given the size of the bar. Each would linger and made no effort to disguise their looking at my legs. Each time I felt a flutter of excitement that I could still turn heads. Only when the duty manager curtly gestured Zach to talk to him at the end of the bar and nodding in my direction did I think anything of it. After Zach talked, the manager barely looked any happier as he left and Zach turned and rolled his eyes at me, before hurrying off to deal with more customers.
It was several minutes before he came back and wiped down the bar close to me.
"What was that about?" I ask, nodding towards were the manager had left.
"It was nothing."
"Really?" Not believing him.
"OK, but promise not to get mad."
"Not at you certainly."
Zach looked uncomfortable, but continued.
"He thought you were a prostitute."
