Adrien continued to message his lady every evening after work. It became a ritual. A new constant as he settled into his life post marriage announcement. She was confident and witty, but also sweet and vulnerable. He couldn't forget how he had made her feel after their first online conversation, but he was glad that she had forged ahead with whatever this was. And because they were involved in…something…this awkward moment had approached.
MrNoir: So…I have a date thing tomorrow.
Lady: Oh
MrNoir: It feels weird saying that to you but I guess it felt weirder not telling you. Like I was going behind your back.
Lady: I mean it definitely is weird, but I always knew it would be. I guess I'd wish you the best of luck but we both know I'm hoping you don't like them.
MrNoir: It would be weirder if you didn't want that. Should I…keep you updated? Or should I keep that stuff to myself?
Lady: Not sure. I guess keep it to yourself unless I ask you about it. I think that's a good compromise.
MrNoir: I can certainly do that. Well I'd better get ready for bed. Big day tomorrow. Good night
Lady: Sleep well. I love you.
Adrien did not sleep well that night.
Instead, he dreamt of a beautiful woman with raven hair on top of him and riding his cock, leaning down to his ear and whispering "I love you." He woke with a start, an erection straining in his boxer-briefs. Moonlight shone through his curtains; it was still too early in the morning. Just deal with it and get back to bed.
He closed his eyes and wrapped his hand around his shaft, diligently pumping up and down as he revisited the dream woman. Her thighs caged him in on either side of his hips, her hands planted above his shoulders. He slowly thrust up into her while pulling her down, his hands gripping her hips tightly.
He could hear her moans, his mind replaying the sounds from the night in the garden. And then there was another sound. "I love you." Black hair fell down around them, obscuring his view as she whispered this in his ear. "I love you" she whispered again. Adrien pumped harder; he could almost feel her clamping down on him like she had once before. As he pumped faster and he could feel his climax approaching, his lady pulled back to look him in the eyes. And he saw nothing.
He came as he looked into nothing. His brain could not piece together a face. He couldn't quite remember how her eyes looked or how her skin felt. How many freckles she had or where her body dimpled in. Fucking hell.
Throwing the blanket back, he hobbled out of bed to his bathroom. Normally he would have just grabbed a used undershirt or hand towel to clean himself up, but at that moment he decided that rinsing off in the shower was his only recourse.
Cool water washed down him as he rubbed his hands over his face. What am I going to do? I'm forgetting. Or I never really knew. I never saw her without the mask. Grabbing soap to clean the remains of his activities from his stomach, Adrien tilted his head back and sighed, letting the water and his thoughts run off of him.
I don't want to forget. I don't want to rush. I don't want this damn marriage mandate. I don't want my father to die.
I don't want to be alone.
He turned off the water, opened the glass door, and grabbed a towel. Rubbing his body once over, he wrapped it around his waist and shut off the bathroom lights. His phone on the nightstand said 4:47.
No use going back to bed. Adrien put on some sweats and a shirt, grabbed his work laptop, and began going through emails. He had to make sure he had enough work done before he had to meet his pre-approved candidates.
"Nathalie has sent you the list of potential partners, including basic information on them. All of the women have been directed to the back gardens where refreshments have been set up. You will have a chance to speak with them all today and then tonight you and I will discuss how you would like to proceed."
Adrien flipped through his tablet, pulling up the documents that Nathalie had indeed sent to him. There were eight files in total, each listing the first and last name of the women in question.
Genevieve St. Robert
Julia Blanchet
Vivienne de Coubert
Kagami Tsurugi
Claire de Lyon
Lila Rossi
Madelyn Laurent
Adeline Toussaint
"Kagami Tsurugi and Lila Rossi?" Adrien piped up. "Why are they on this list?"
"Ms. Tsurigi and Ms. Rossi both come from families which would greatly benefit you and the company if you needed help with either the Chinese or Italian market. Beyond their potential use for the business, of the many of applications we received, they, along with the other six on that list, had great personal accomplishments, their own source of wealth, and impeccable social standing." His father paused and looked his son up and down. "I know…that you had some issues with both of them in your school days, but it has been ten years. Speak with them today. If you do not wish to keep them around, then we can discuss that tonight. Any of the other women would make wonderful wives."
"Alright. I'm going to spend a few minutes reading over these files. Please let them know that I will join them soon."
The files were a compilation of both materials submitted by the women as well as research that his father had commissioned. Age, education, where they had lived. Major and minor family drama. General family medical history. Career information. Past relationships. Everything and anything that his father had deemed important in determining the suitability of his bride. There was nothing left to do but meet them.
No better place to face these women than the place where I met her.
Exhaustion lined Adrien's face. Bags had formed beneath his eyes and his mouth was set in a frown. His hair was hanging limply as he had only rinsed this morning instead of washing it.
"What were your impressions, Adrien?"
His father sat at the other end of the long dining room table. As cold and distant as the scene would seem to an outsider, Adrien was not used to this level of closeness. He could count on one hand the number of times his father had joined him for a meal as a teenager. Neither of them ate very much, Adrien due to his exhaustion, Gabriel due to his cancer, but it was still more than Adrien usually experienced.
"A few of them are immediately out of the running. Ms. St. Robert, Ms. de Lyon, and Ms. Rossi. I wouldn't feel genuine moving forward with any of them."
"Your objections?"
"Ms. St. Robert, while she seemed nice…., she wasn't…"
"No physical attraction?" his father intoned from across the room.
"Ah…yes. Ms. de Lyon while very pretty, had a voice which put me to sleep. And that is not hyperbole" he interjected at his father's raised eyebrow. "We were sitting out at the gazebo, and I found myself waking up to her talking about something completely different than what I last remembered. And she didn't seem to have realized that I hadn't been paying attention which is its own issue."
"As far as Ms. Rossi…unfortunately she does not seem to have grown out of her childhood habits, nor have I grown out of my aversion to them. Although I wish her the best of luck as a lawyer. She always was good at spinning a story to suit her needs."
"And the other candidates?"
"I am…willing to see where things go. None of them put off any immediate red flags. And Kagami…well we talked a bit and I am willing to look past what happened in the past."
"Good. I will let each of the women and their families know of your determination and have those leaving sign their final non-disclosure agreement."
"What comes next?"
"Over the next month you will meet with each of them one on one twice. Nathalie and I will handle the details. I would suggest you spend the next few days thinking more closely on your criteria for a wife. I want you engaged by October, so you have three months to narrow down these five women. Do try to narrow it down after this round of dates. The more time you can dedicate to getting to know just a few women, the better your chances of finding happiness."
Six. Six women.
As he finished his dinner and excused himself, Adrien thought over what his father had said. What are my criteria? What do I need from a wife?
Someone I'm attracted to.
Someone I can speak with—intelligent conversation and silly puns.
Someone who cooks.
Someone who cares about more than my name and looks.
Someone who loves me.
I love you.
His lady had written that every night as they signed off. He was attracted to her. He could speak with her. She could cook. She said she cared about more than his name and looks. She had made it very clear she loved him. What more did he need? What other criteria did he need?
Someone that I love back.
Someone I can be vulnerable with.
Someone I can rely on.
Someone who will be my partner, so I'll never be lonely again.
The car ride home was quiet. His father's chauffer dropped him off at his building and waited until he had made it inside safely. He didn't make eye contact with the doorman or the receptionist, simply nodding his head when they welcomed him. The small two-person elevator trundled up to his apartment and he remained engrossed in his thoughts.
His bed beckoned as he locked his door behind him.
He stripped off his suit pants and dress shirt, leaving them in a trail behind him which marred the normally clean and tidy environment. He closed the blinds tight, clambered under the covers, and shut his eyes.
I need to be loved and I need to love them back. Those are my criteria.
Adrien had come to that conclusion on the car ride over. As he drifted off to sleep, another question remained unanswered.
Can I love them back?
