JENNIE
By the time the intercom alerts me someone's at the gate I'm so nervous that I contemplate ignoring it. I've paid, so it wouldn't be a crime to make Lisa head back into the night. In fact, I imagine she'd be delighted with the easiest twenty-seven hundred dollars ever made, plus it will save us both the awkwardness next time we see each other. The repetitive sound of the buzzer puts me on edge and although the black Honda Accord I see on my screen is discreet and doesn't carry a logo, I'm still imagining my neighbors talking about it as it pulls up on my drive. What had I expected? That she'd let herself in using her Pool Masters fob and suddenly appear in my living room wearing only a pair of dungarees and her red cap?
I wait, leaning back against the fridge door, hoping she'll get the hint when I pretend not to be home. But the gate buzzes again and again, and anxious to make it stop, I walk over to the device on the wall to open the gates anyway. Not raised to ignore people, the least I can do is offer her a drink and explain that this was all a big mistake. That I'm really not the kind of woman who would pay for physical pleasure and that I just got carried away, confused while going through a difficult time in my life.
When I open the front door and watch her get out of the car, I see that she's dressed not much differently to when I saw her in Sag Harbor, apart from her face that is disguised behind large Aviator sunglasses. Although her white linen shirt and blue jeans don't make her stand out, she looks sexier than ever, like she was born to wear them.
"Hi, Jennie. I was afraid you might not let me in," she says in a husky voice, removing her shades to take me in.
"Would that have been so bad?" I open the door further and she waves at the driver, then brushes past me.
"Yes. I think it would have been a shame for the both of us. You look gorgeous by the way." Lisa points to my new, soft pink satin robe. After trying on numerous dresses—none of which I felt comfortable in—Chahee came up with the idea of getting this instead. She assured me that it was the perfect garment as it's elegant and comes off easily but now I just feel like a fraud, like I'm playing some twisted game, that I'm trying to appear hard to get. I can't go through with this and I don't know how to tell her.
"Thank you." I instinctively close my robe a little further and step back. "I've ehm… I've actually changed my mind. I can't do this and I'm sorry you came all the way out here. Please stay for a drink, though, I don't want it to be awkward." Her car turns on my driveway and heads back toward the gates. "Maybe you should wave him back? Ask him to wait?"
"It's fine. He's never far." Lisa puts a hand on my shoulder. "And I totally understand if you've changed your mind." She smiles at me and holds up a bottle of champagne. "But since you mentioned that drink, we might as well have this. Shall I open it? It's cold."
"Okay. Thank you." I gesture to the couch. "Please sit down. Unless you prefer to be outside?"
"Yeah, let's go outside. It's a lovely evening." Lisa crosses the room to the back terrace and opens the bottle on her way. Instead of heading for the dining table, she chooses the two-seater couch by the pool and sits back with her legs stretched out in front of her and her ankles crossed, her chest pushed out as if she's ready to take on the world. She's behaving differently tonight, more assertive. Maybe she's playing a role, maybe this is the real her, but my reaction is the same either way. Arousal floods my system as I grab two champagne flutes from the kitchen cupboard. She looks so good, so fresh, so self-assured and she seems totally unfazed by this unusual situation. Yesterday, there were boundaries in place, but tonight, she has an air of command about her that is incredibly sexy. I really wish I could do this; God knows I want her, but I'm too terrified.
Lisa fills the glasses, then taps the space next to her. "Come sit here," she says, looking me over once more. Her smoldering eyes set me on fire and her gaze leaves a trail of flames all over my body. I know exactly what she's doing, but I sit down anyway. I'm sure this isn't the first time a woman has freaked out after booking an escort and Lisa's clearly trying to put me at ease so I might change my mind. I wonder why, though. What would she get out of it?
She hands me my glass and we clink before taking a sip. The way she licks away a drop from her lips, slowly, deliberately is an act of seduction—one I'm sure she's performed many times before. Is she enjoying this?
"Don't be nervous," she says, placing a hand on my thigh. "We're just having a drink and if you want me to leave after, I'll go. We don't have to do anything."
"I know." So many questions tumble through my head, and I take a moment to get my thoughts in order. It's hard to think with her hand there, sending a delicious ache between my thighs. "How long have you been doing this?" I finally ask after a long silence.
"Three years." Lisa smiles. "And you're probably wondering why I'm doing this…"
I shake my head. "I don't want to overstep. That's your private business and I'm sure you don't normally discuss things like that with your clients."
"True. But my clients generally don't know who I am. They don't even know my real name, but you do. So, I'm happy to tell you why I do this, if you tell me why you booked me. That's a fair exchange, don't you think?" Lisa takes another sip of her champagne and continues when I don't answer. "Like most, I started escorting for money. I was a bit of a wild child, three years ago, living with friends in New York and going out every night, when Lily suddenly became a part of my life."
"But I thought Lily was four," I say. "Did you adopt her?"
"Something like that. But that's a story for another time." A hint of sadness crosses Lisa's features. "I moved back to the Hamptons and needed to give her a home, a stable environment, and escorting seemed like a quick and fairly pleasant way to provide the means to an end." She shrugs, and as quick as it came, the glimmer of sadness is gone. "I like sex, you see. Sex with women, and so far, I haven't regretted doing what I do. A friend of mine suggested it; she's a booker for Hamptons' Escorts and I had a reputation with women back then, so she figured I'd be good at it. It was only meant to be for a year, this side job, until I got us an apartment and saved up enough money for emergencies. But here I am, three years later. We've moved, I've had my life—our life—in order for a while, but escorting is easy and fun and so I keep putting off quitting. I'll give it up soon, though. I don't want Lily to know and it's only a matter of time before someone in our circles—and with that I mean the moms from preschool—find out. But another couple of months won't hurt."
"So you enjoy this…" I say, sounding surprised. "With all your clients?"
"Most of them." Lisa smiles. "So far, at least. Every woman is beautiful in her own way, and I like to make them feel good." She moves her arm to the backrest of the couch and plays with a lock of my hair.
"Hmm…" My eyes flutter closed for a beat and I shudder, the sensation so overwhelming that I have to remind myself to breathe. In, out. In, out. It's just my hair. The champagne is going to my head as I haven't been able to eat all day.
"Your turn, Jennie," Lisa says softly. "When I saw that business card, I knew it was yours, and not your ex-husband's. I hope I wasn't out of line."
"No, it's fine. But how did you know it was mine?"
"You were nervous around me. And that meant you'd been checking out the women."
"It must have surprised you," I say. "I'm not the type."
"Not really. Most of my clients are actually married to men and would consider themselves to be straight."
"Really?" Mentally scrolling through my list of female friends and acquaintances, I wonder if anyone I know has slept with Lisa.
"Yeah. So why you?" she asks.
"A friend recommended me to the company; she'd booked a male escort through them," I say. "I only looked because…" My voice trails away and I pause. "I don't really know why I looked, I was curious I suppose, and I found myself going straight to the female section. And then I saw you…" I stop myself again; I can't tell her I have this ridiculous crush on her.
"And your curiosity turned into interest," Lisa concludes.
"It appears so."
"Have you been with a woman before?" Lisa trails a finger down the length of my neck and rests her hand on my shoulder.
"No," I say in a breathless voice, staring down at her hand as if it's about to pull me into the vortex of all my fears and desires combined. A warm glow spreads between my legs and I feel something I've never felt before. It's an intense sensation, a need for her to touch me there so strong that I almost drop my glass. With a trembling hand, I put it on the table and have no idea what to do with myself. Leaning back again is daunting, so I stay perched on the edge of the couch.
"Do you mind if I touch you?" Lisa asks, shifting closer and facing me. "Be honest."
"No, I don't mind. I like it." I wish I had the ability to say something witty, or at least something more articulate, but words fail me. When she brushes my cheek and looks into my eyes, I know I want this more than anything in the world.
"Good." Lisa's lips pull into a small, flirty smile as she leans in, agonizingly slow, bringing her mouth to mine. Her hand moves to the back of my neck and she caresses me with her thumb. "Can I kiss you?" she asks.
I hesitate for long moments, then nod, and the moment her soft lips brush mine, I become liquid. It's like every part of me melts until there's not a single solid cell left in my body. Even my thoughts feel like hot lava, slowly rolling over rock, demolishing the old and creating a new, yet unknown landscape. Somewhere in the back of my mind, vague thoughts linger. Soft… So soft… More…
Lisa's luscious lips part, and she pulls me tighter against her. In a sexy, languid pace she explores my mouth, taking her time before her tongue meets mine. I moan and allow myself to sink into the kiss, to let her have me. It's indulgent, exciting, arousing and so many things I can't even name. I read somewhere that escorts don't kiss their clients, and I forgot to ask Chahee about it, so I wasn't prepared for this. Not for the kiss, and not for what it would do to me. Not for how it would turn me liquid.
For one blissful moment, I also forget that I've paid for this and when I remember, I immediately push the thought away again and run my fingers through her silky, dark hair. Right now, I just want to pretend. She tastes of mint and champagne; a strange but delicious combination I'll cherish in my memories forever. Everything about this kiss will stay with me; I'll make sure I never forget. The scent of fresh citrus on her body, the sensual touch of her hand slipping into my robe, stroking my shoulder blade, her lips, more persistent now as she tilts her head and deepens the kiss. I moan again, louder this time and the sound of this newfound pleasure—my own sound—is alien to me. Lisa moans too, so quietly that I can barely hear it. Is it real? Or is this just what she does? I push that question away too, as I don't want anything to ruin the moment.
When she pulls away and trails a thumb over my cheek, I shiver and meet her eyes. She looks aroused, but maybe that's just my wishful thinking.
"Did you like that?" she asks.
I don't need to answer; I know my expression says it all, but I stammer a reply anyway. "That… That was amazing."
Lisa bites her bottom lip and leans in again. "You're a very, very good kisser, Jennie." This time, she's less careful in her approach, kissing me like she's taking what she wants, and it sends me into a frenzy of sensory overload. All I want is more, and Lisa gives it to me. Pushing me back into the couch cushions, she shifts so her upper body covers mine. Her warmth and weight feel like water after crossing a desert, and I drink her in greedily. There's no going back now; I couldn't even if I tried.
My nerves have subsided, pushed away by a desire so deep I could drown in it. I don't need to prove myself to her; she just wants to make me feel good, and so I relax into her caress and decide to trust her entirely.
Kissing her way down my neck, Lisa sucks and bites at my flesh and with every tiny sting, I twitch and moan. She shifts and wedges her hand into my robe, tracing the curve of my breasts over my new bra. I gasp when she skims my nipples that have never felt so sensitive before. My body is ready for this. I'm ready for this.
"How about you show me your bedroom," Lisa says when she tears herself away from my neck. Her gaze lowers to my mouth, as if she's genuinely dying to kiss me again.
"Are you sure?" I whisper, then chuckle when I realize how ridiculous that question is.
"Yeah." Lisa shoots me an amused look. "But only if you are."