It's crazy how even just TWO reviews can get me going. I'd like to thank cenarko1986 and wwechaingangbabe for their inspiring reviews. You really inspired me to get this thing done.

I have tons of homework to do this week, so I may not be updating in a while but I hope you enjoy this short chapter right here!

Love, Marchesa

As of five thirty in the afternoon, Svetlana Clarke found herself being faced with three problems.

1. Her hair was an absolute mess. She looked like an electrocuted brunette ginger cat.

2. The town car wasn't working.

3. She still had nothing to wear for her date with John.

She could live with the first two. But the last one was just nerve racking. She had spent the whole afternoon staring at her suitcase but she still couldn't find anything worthy of a date with John.

She had no idea why this was turning out to be so hard. She'd been to hotel openings, birthdays, cocktail parties, Presidential inaugurations and a couple hundred dates. Why was this so different? Her vintage Valentino seemed too over the top, the Chanel LBD was just plain overused, the fitted off shoulder Viktor & Rolf made her look twenty years older and everything else was just horrendous.

In her standards anyway; her suitcase alone could feed a third world country for a day.

After twenty more minutes, she began to be desperate. Her hotel room was now beginning to look like a designer's factory outlet. Her clothes were strewn everywhere. Her shoes were out of their boxes. She finally decided to call her other best friend in the world, Georgiana. She was probably in Tahiti. Or St. Bart's. Or some other tropical island. Unlike Svetlana, she was actually born into a rich family. Her father was the ever-scandalous hotel tycoon Colin Yates and he brought her with him everywhere. They had met on a hotel opening at San Diego and they kept in touch ever since. Sometimes Svetlana wished she could see more of her best friend. She really was a genuinely good person. She wasn't fake and she spoke her mind, regardless of what you might feel about it. Svetlana felt she needed those kind of people in her life.

And of course, she knew Georgiana would never come in two hours late for a meeting.

She picked up on the fifth ring, her voice hoarse with sleep and thick with her cranky mood. "Babe, I love you to death, but I swear to God if this is less than a near-death situation, I'm going to Chris Brown your ass when I get back."

Whoops. Not exactly what she had hoped for.

"I'm so sorry, Giana! I thought you were still in the country. Is this a bad time?"

"Vi, it's three morning. There couldn't be a more perfect time."

"Okay, I get it. Stupid question. Are you in Cannes or something?"

"Close. Abu Dhabi, actually." Her voice was still irritated but Svetlana could feel her relaxing. "So what's up? You got ran over by a truck?"

"This is going to sound really shallow but – I have nothing to wear for my date tonight." She spoke fast, embarrassed at what her friend might think.

She heard Georgiana snort from the other line. "Really, Vi? Didn't you just get the world record for the world's largest collection of clothes?"

Svetlana rolled her eyes. "That was the largest closet. There's a difference. And I'm on the road right now, so you can't possibly expect me to bring all five thousand square miles of it all around."

"Jesus, Via. I'm going back to sleep now."

Svetlana felt her heart sinking. "No, Giana! I really, really need your help. I'm just stumped right now. This is really important."

"Not for me it isn't," she said rather irritably. "Look, just pick out something Givenchy. That always works out for you. But if not, I really don't give a shit right now. I'm sleepy as hell and you're annoying me. Good night, Via!"

"No but-!"

The line went dead. Svetlana groaned. So much for best friends.

But Georgiana had reminded her of a piece of Givenchy clothing she hadn't worn yet. It was a light pink silk trouser that she had been crazy about a few weeks ago. She hadn't thought about it since then but right now, she could just picture herself walking into Butter with those very trousers and her fitted black Topshop bodysuit tucked elegantly underneath it. Immediately, her mind began working on overdrive and her hands began searching for the pieces of clothing that she needed. Luckily, she found the trousers and the bodysuit in time and she even managed to locate a Hermes scarf and an almost sheer vintage cardigan to go with her outfit.

By seven thirty, Svetlana only needed to put on her favorite pair of Cartier rose-shaped diamond studs so that she could call herself ready. She took one last look at the full-length mirror, admiring the work she had done. She loved dressing up and she definitely loved what she had worn tonight.

The whole ride to Butter, Svetlana sweated her ass off. Her hands got clammy and she couldn't stay put as she got nearer and nearer to her destination.

She hated admitting it, but these past few months, John had grown her. She didn't know how but suddenly their getaways began feeling like a necessity; seeing him began to feel like this need that had to be satisfied over and over again and having sex with him began meaning so much more for her.

Okay fine. You like him. But that doesn't matter because he doesn't. Sure, he likes you well enough to have sex with you, but to have an actual relationship is out of the question. He's probably only just taking you out because he still feels guilty and shit. But what if he actually wanted something more?... Argh. There you are again, getting your hopes up. If you keep that up, you'll be heartbroken by the appetizer! Just accept the fact that he cant be yours and move on.

Svetlana continued her mental argument with herself all the way to the restaurant. When she finally arrived, she collected herself together one last time. That seemed to have strengthened her. And with one elegant step on the brick floor, she emerged out of the Rolls Royce.

"Jesus Christ, Svetlana. This is just a date, for crying out loud. What the hell are you nervous about?" she said to herself with a smile. But as she looked up, her green eyes met a pair of sparkling blue ones and her resolve melted away with her heart.