It is ten at night when I reach the hotel. The company has booked a cottage for me and I can't wait to check in after a long, tiring flight.
As always, I video call Praveen, starting the tour of my room with the stunning sea view.
My room is more gorgeous in real life than the photos I'd seen on the website. French windows open out into a verandah, with bright pink bougainvillea flowing out. Lights from ships and buoys dance gracefully on the gentle waves.
"I wish you were here with me." I sigh.
I move into the room and turn my camera to the regal bathtub with elegant golden legs, perched in a glass cubicle.
"Okay, I'm going to soak myself in the bathtub for a bit and then go to bed. Missing you already. Wish you were here to pamper me." I tell Praveen.
The truth is that I feel liberated. This is after all the first time I am travelling solo after my marriage.
"Missing you too, baby."
****
As I leave my room the next morning for breakfast, I hear someone call out my name.
It is him. I immediately feel butterflies in my stomach. I can't believe it - even after all these years, he still has the same effect on me.
He looks pretty sharp in his crisp white shirt and khakis.
"How've you been? It's been so long," he asks.
"Uh, hey, I'm really good.." I'm so tongue tied, I can barely string a sentence together.
"Wow. You're really dressed up. So early in the morning? Who is getting married?"
"Shut up. I'm here for the entrepreneur conference."
"That's so cool! I'm a speaker tomorrow," he exclaims.
"How did I not know about this?" I ask.
"Uh ... because I'm just the sideshow. You're the main event clearly."
I check the time nervously - it's already quarter past nine.
"Gosh, I'm so late for breakfast. I have to run!"
"Cool. Catch you for a drink later?" he asks.
"Sounds like a plan!" I blurt out.
I have a lot of work today. My company is one of the co-sponsors of the conference. Not only do I need to network, I also have to ensure nothing goes wrong and that all our speakers have covered their talkpoints. But honestly, through all this craziness, I can't stop thinking about him. I find myself looking for him. Whenever I manage to steal a glance at him, he always seems deep in conversation. He catches me looking at him and flashes a cocky smile. My phone buzzes right away.
"Drinks on me today ;)"
He's so cheeky. He knows I'm married. He has some nerve asking me out for drinks. But I have to admit, I'm flattered. It's been a while since I've felt sexy. I love Praveen with all my heart, and he means the world to me, but we barely have any physical intimacy anymore. I've not really been taking care of myself. In fact, I have almost completely stopped investing any time or effort in how I look. I haven't shaved myself for months, my bush is like a rainforest, and I look like a yeti. So I can't really blame Praveen for the spark fizzling out.
The truth is I want to feel sexy again. After the conference winds down for the day, I head straight to the salon. A full-body wax, facial, threading, hair styling, manicure and pedicure-I really spoil myself. Aside from my wedding, this is the most I've ever spent on such self-indulgence.
After about three hours, I head back to my room to get dressed for the evening.
Black dress-red heels is always a winning combination. Thank god I carried my lacy underwear with me.
It's very crowded at the bar, but I notice him checking me out.
"I wanted your advice on my business idea." I say, placing my hand on his arm to get his attention.
I show him my product line-ups and explain the brand positioning.
"What's the model?"
"We're just planning to sell online, through our website and Instagram."
"Ok. Looks like you have everything figured. So what do you need my advice for?"
"You're such a brilliant business brain. So I wanted your help in figuring out what we should do."
"Thank you. I'm flattered, but that's so general..." he laughs.
This quickly turns into a discussion on the work he's doing. He's now the country managing director of a Fortune 500 company. The passion in his voice as he speaks about his work is turning me on.
Time flies as he tells me about how he is building up a new division at his company from scratch. It's already half past eleven at night. I have an early morning again the next day. While he's chatting with a colleague, I quietly slip away.
When I reach my room, I video call Praveen. He tells me I'm looking really hot -- this is why I love Praveen. We've been married six wonderful years now and he still treats me like a queen.
I complain about how crazy it was at the conference today. After 10 mins of everyday conversation about domestic help and household chores, we say "love you" to each other and hang up.
I'm just curled up on my bed, blankly staring at the WhatsApp he sent me earlier in the evening.
Suddenly a new message pops up. It's him again:
"Where?"
"I'm in my room, really snug. Going to bed. Goodnight!"
"Lovely seeing you today. You looked amazing :)"
That message made my heart skip a beat. I don't remember when I last felt this ecstatic.
I'm trying to distract myself by replying to work mails in between scanning through some instagram photos. I'm still a little buzzed from the three tall glasses of gin and tonic I downed.
Another message: "Still up?"
"Yes, sadly! :( What's going on?"
"I'll tell you ;). Open your door"
Knocks on door. I quickly run to the loo and touch up my make up.
Knocks on the door again.
"Wait!! Give me a minute!"
Everything tells me not to open the door and to ask him to go away, but it's almost as if I'm in a trance.
"Are you crazy?" I exclaim, opening the door.
Without saying a word, he steps in.
We're now standing inches apart. I'm tingling all over, as if electricity is coursing through my veins. He holds my face in his hands and draws me into a kiss. I place my hands on his chest to push him away and say "stop", but he makes me feel so weak. Instead I buckle in his grip and let his tongue slip into my mouth.
He's quite a bit taller than Praveen. He's around six feet two inches or so, whereas Praveen is only about five feet seven inches. One of my legs lifts off the ground as I kiss him. He slips his hands inside my dress, caressing my back and sides. As he holds my waist, I suddenly feel a bit conscious. I've put on a bit of weight.
My instinct is to go down on him. I get down on my knees and unzip his fly. I'm still fully clothed in my red heels and black dress. He's quite a bit bigger than I remember. He moans as I tickle the tip of his cock with my tongue — I pull his pants down. It's strange because I never suck off Praveen anymore, but here I am, licking his cock like lollipop. He's the one guy I've always really enjoyed pleasuring.
I love his gentle groans when I suck his balls. I'm dripping wet.
"You have a really hot dick" I say admiring his erect, veiny penis.
To my surprise, he pulls me up against the door, removes my panties and starts kissing my clit. He buries his tongue deep inside me, then gives my pussy lips long slow licks, as he repeats the process. He then starts using his fingers to play with my clit, while making out with my pussy -- within minutes I orgasm.
"I want you to have sex with me," I whisper, still catching my breath after orgasming so hard.
He aggressively rams his cock into my pussy as he pins me against the wall. That potent mix of aftershave and perfume is driving me mad. I've never felt this much raw attraction with anyone else.
We've somehow stumbled across the room while making love. He's now on the couch and I'm riding him. He takes finally takes my dress off (but I'm still wearing my heels) and I pull off his shirt and run my hands through his chest hair. Suddenly, I feel a bit conscious of my post-marriage body.
He doesn't seem to care—he has thrown his head back and is moaning. Just as I'm admiring how broad shouldered and muscular he is, I feel his hands clutching my ass.
"I'm going to cum" I moan. The whole sofa is drenched. I've never squirted so hard in my life.
"Fuck. That's so hot" he exclaims.
"I squirted. What are you! I've never done that with anyone else."
"Let's go to the bed."
I bury my head in a pillow as he pounds me doggy so hard that the heels fall off my feet. I love being taken rough like that -- It's a big change from Praveen, who is very gentle with me and generally likes to take things slow.
My phone is ringing. Fuck, Praveen is calling. Not a video call, thankfully. I don't pick up for a few rings -- why isn't he cutting the call? What if something's wrong?
"Hi" I say weakly, with him still inside me.
"Are you sleeping?" Praveen asks. "You sound really tired"