I walked out of Alex’s building with a folder in my hand and a list of all the things he expected of me today. Alex’s secretary gave it to me along with the information that the driver from this morning was downstairs in the carpark waiting to take me to my appointments. The driver opened my door as I got close to the car and I slid in after saying thank you, I even managed a weak smile. I was dreading it all; the whole pampering thing wasn’t for me. I hadn’t decided how I felt about the situation yet or the fact that Alex could drag such an explosive reaction from me with just a kiss. We’d always been good together, I have no experience of another man to compare him to, but I figure he’d be the best even if I did. I couldn’t deny the chemistry was still there between us, he’d proved it with a kiss. To my deep shame, I couldn’t stop my response to him, my body knew him and it wanted him even after his rejection, his threats and his words of contempt for me. As for the other things he’d said, that I’d left him for a richer man who turned out to not be as rich as Alex, I knew I could deny them until I was blue in the face and he’d never believe me. Why waste my breath? I could only hope he would eventually see I wasn’t like that, that he’ll see me as the same woman he fell for in the first place.
There were more important things to think about right now though, like the fact Alex wanted me in his bed tonight. I should feel disgusted, but I was excited and that made me angry. When did I turn into a woman ruled by lust?
The car slowed to a stop, and I waited for the driver to open my door. “Here we go,” I mumbled.
“I’ll be here when you’ve finished Miss Michaels to escort you to your next appointment.”
“Thank you.”
“Not a problem, just doing my job.”
Me too I nearly said because it felt like it.
And so it began.
My first stop was a hair salon where I got a trim. The hairdresser tried her hardest to talk me into having my hair cut to my shoulders and feathered so it would frame my face, but I told her no. I know my curls are a pain, but my hair was my favourite thing about myself. It reached down to the middle of my back and I love it, I only toy with the idea of cutting it off when I’m painting and it falls out of the bun I’ve put it in to dangles in the paint.
Next stop was the nail salon. My nails look good after the manicure considering there was paint under them most of the time, I feel more womanly and it’s a nice change to have shiny buffed ones.
The third stop was the boutique. It’s fancy and as soon as I walk in the door I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford their underwear. I instantly hate it and feel uncomfortable wanting nothing more than to walk back out again, but I couldn’t do that. I don’t want to imagine what Alex would say if he found out I didn’t have a dress for tonight.
The sales assistant looked down her nose at me and she made me feel inferior. That pissed me off. When did I turn into such a wimp? I ignored the stuck-up bitch that didn’t look much older than me and turned to glance around the shop. All the dresses were beautiful but none were for me. They were too sparkly, too showy and definitely not something I could wear. I was close to walking out empty-handed when I saw it. The dress. My dress. It was black, strapless and ankle length and it looked like any other dress until I tried it on. The fabric rippled over my legs like a waterfall when I moved, the slit that ran to mid-thigh added to the allure without being over the top sexy. It was perfect, and I was in love. There was a built-in bra so I didn’t need to purchase one but I added a pair of lacy black French knickers. I had shoes at home I knew would be comfortable so I told her no when the sales assistant tried to get me to buy a pair that cost three times more than my monthly mortgage payment.
When I walked to the counter I saw the driver walk in the door. He handed me a card to pay the bill. I hated that Alex was buying my dress, but I gave in gracefully because I couldn’t ever afford to buy my items, there wasn’t even a price tag on the dress and my mother always told me if there isn’t a price, you can’t afford it and she was right. I watched as the snooty woman wrapped up my dress and underwear in tissue paper and then placed it carefully into a box. No carrier bags here. Smiling half a smile I took the box after saying thank you and followed the driver out of the door and onto the street where the car was parked. As I slid into the back seat I sighed with exhaustion, with no sleep last night and all the pampering today I could do with an early night, but what I wanted and what I would get are two different things. All I knew was that I would need a truckload of coffee to get through tonight.