John sat at the hotel bar sipping a drink after another long day at a finance conference. Most of the sessions he went through were fluff and seemed to drain more out of him due to the fact he simply was not interested. Time always seemed to drag more when you had no questions to ask and nothing to gain from listening to another puffed up ass who liked nothing more than listening to himself speak. "That's okay, " John thought to himself, " a couple of good drinks would do just the trick to take the edge off."
He brought the glass to his lips to take another sip. Liquor was not his usual choice but then again this conference seemed to need a better remedy than some red wine or a couple of beers. His mind seemed to drift not really centering on one thing and the sound of the chair sliding next him sliding back brought his gaze to rest on the culprit. Dark, red hair was the first thing he noticed about the woman. She was wearing a black skirt suit that covered a white button down blouse that showed the barest hint of cleavage in which a small diamond pendant rested. John smirked thinking how many lures woman liked to put out there. A diamond was pretty but it was really useful to draw attention to certain attributes...like a nice set of cleavage and probably surgically enhanced at that.
The woman asked the bartender for a glass of chardonnay as John's eyes traveled up to see her face. She was likely early to mid-forties but definitely had a confident quality about her which made her sexy despite being around ten years his senior. Her voice was very pleasant and her generous lips were colored a deep red. Her black-rimmed glasses matched her heels and hose which completed the ensemble.
John felt he must have gazed a bit too long for the woman seemed to finally notice him as the bartender placed a glass of wine in front of her. She smiled when she looked at him and asked, "are you here on business?"
"Yes, another one of those conferences we all love," he said with a little light-hearted irony.
"Mmmm," she hummed in recognition," me too but sometimes I actually like some of them."
"Meaning you are enjoying this one?" he questioned.
"This one has been pretty educational," she replied as she caressed the base of her wine glass with manicured white-tipped fingernails.
"I see. Now I am suppose to ask you what it is about," he said with a grin and turned to face her in his chair.
She looked over at him and said with a smile, "you seem to catch on pretty quick. If I did know better I would say you are a psychiatrist too."
"So you are a head shrinker," his hand finding his drink to take another sip," and now I just have to know what the conference is all about."
"Well since you asked, it's about treating patients with hypnosis."
"Does that stuff really work?" he asked skeptically.
"It can if the person allows it to. It can be good for changing habits, boosting self-confidence, losing weight, relieving tension and so on."
"Relieving tension probably comes in handy," he said taking another drink," but this seems to help too. I am John by the way," he said as he extended his hand towards her.
She gently shook his hand and replied," I'm Vanessa, it's good to meet you John. So is the conference inhibiting you from relaxing?"
John thought for a minute, "now that you mention it I guess so. Is this where my head starts getting smaller?" he jibed.
Eyes rolling, "I got into this business to help people John...even smart asses in town for a conference."
John held up both hands smiling, "point taken Vanessa. I'm sure you get enough of the pscyh jokes without me adding to them. Damn and I wanted to be different," he said with mock disappointment.
