Considerations (3 page)

I blushed, wondering what the lady would think
, but she was
probably
used to this kind of thing and showed no sign
s
of surprise or disapproval
. Finally they were done, and the items paid for.

We walked out the store holding three large shopping bags featuring the store's logo.

As soon as we turned the corner, we came face to face with them. A short but attractive grey-haired man, and two tall, skinny women whose prominent cheekbones and emaciated figures suggested that they were models.
             

"Hello, Brad," purred the blonde. Her
straight
hair came
down
almost to
her
waist, and I thought I'd seen her in an underwear ad at some point. "How are you?"

I felt Brad stiffen slightly, but he was composed as he replied, "Not too bad, An
n
a. And you?"

"How can you be anything but wonderful in
Paris
?" she laughed. "And who is this? Your new companion?"

Her green eyes travelled from Brad to me, and then down to our bags as she smirked and tilted her head.

I tried not to blush as I thought of how stocky and short I looked beside her. I was the odd one out in the group - my clothes were cheap and crumpled, my shoes were scuffed, my hair was a mess. A minute ago I'd thought my makeup was ok and I looked presentable, but before these gorgeous people I felt woefully inadequate and ugly.

"This is Alexis," said Brad, "And we really must be going…"

"Oh wait," said Anna. "This is Olga," she indicate the other woman, who had close-cropped orange hair, "And this is Sheikh Al-Ahmed."

The Sheikh bowed slightly to Brad, and then lifted my hand to his lips.

The gesture surprised me, and
I drew in a sharp breath
as his eyes met mine
and his lips skimmed over my hand
. There was barely contained curiosity in his face, as he murmured, "Enchante."

"The pleasure is mine," I smiled, flattered, even though I knew he was interested in me
only
because I was with Brad
,
and under normal circumstances would
n't
even have spared me a passing glance.

"Please, do join us for drinks," he said, addressing the both of us.

Brad shook his head, "Thanks, but we really have a lot to do."

I noticed the trio looking at our lingerie bags. Maybe they think I'm a hooker, I thought. No, hookers are better looking. And then suddenly I smiled, thinking that for once my average looks were an advantage.

The Sheikh turned to me and said thoughtfully, "I'd love for you to visit my yacht. We’ll be sailing to
Monte Carlo
tomorrow."

Anna and Olga looked impassive as he handed me his card; they must be used to this, I
mused
, as the trio walked away. Once they were out of si
ght
, I dropped the card into one of the shopping bags and exhaled with relief.

That had been awkward.

I wondered if every encounter with people from Brad's world would leave me feeling so small and inferior. They might be strange, but those people were glamorous, charming and beautiful - not to mention rich. Everything that I wasn't.

"Ex-girlfriend?"
I asked.

Brad nodded
, and
I remembered his words, "A model will probably want p
ublicity as well as more money". I
wondered how much the Sheikh was paying her to be on his yacht. She and Olga must lead a strange life
- s
urely it wasn't easy sharing a man with others… and there must be many others.

"So, when are you going over to his yacht?"
Brad laughed and I joined in, trying
my best to forget the encounter.

Of course, forgetfulness was made easier by the fact that our next stop was a boutique where I picked out three gorgeous dresses - a sleek, black number; a green and blue printed wrap dress; and my favorite, a
strapless, powder-
pink dress that fell just above my knees.

Our next
visit
was
to
a
slightly
more casual outlet where I picked up a pair of designer jeans and allowed the saleslady to select two silk blouses for me. Finally, we stopped at a shoe store, where I chose a shimmery Jimmy Choo stiletto and the softest
tan
leather
ballet
fla
ts.

As w
e walked down the winding streets, I marveled at how narrow they were, how old the buildings, and how romantic the vibe. I was finally in
Paris
!

This wasn't
exactly
how I'd
hoped my first trip to
Paris
would
be,
but at least I was here! T
he trip
was going
to be too short for my tastes
, so I tried to imbibe as much of the atmosphere as I could. It was S
aturday
and
there were a lot of people around - they had a relaxed, elegant style and added to the vibe of the city.

As we walked down the banks of the
Seine
I marveled at the
lights glittering on the water
. The Musee d'Orsay was visible on the other side. We wouldn't have time to visit it
this weekend
, but I hoped I could come back some day to see it.

I sighed and slipped my hand into Brad's. He seemed to be enjoying the walk as much as I was.

"I wish I could live here," I said softly.

Brad laughed. "You'd get tired after two weeks. I think you're more of a
New York
girl."

"Really?" I turned to him in surprise. I'd never felt like I fit in anywhere - too rebellious to live in my small-town home, too naïve to be able to navigate the waters in NYC.

"Well," he mused, "You're different, so it's hard to peg you down. Maybe you're too hungry for life and adventure to live in one single place."

I liked that explanation. It made me feel better about not feeling at home anywhere, and I smiled. I knew Brad thought I was being childish, being openly mesmerized by what I saw, but I didn't care.
I couldn't bother to act "cool",
as if the sights
of
Paris
didn't impress me.

Brad hailed a taxi, and as we
stepped in, he told the driver
we were tourists, and would like to see the
most beautiful places in the city
.

"Oui, oui," nodded the driver, "La belle Paris."

As we drove along,
he
pointed out the sights
. Darkness had descended
, and the Arc d'Tr
iumph and Eiffel tower were li
t up spectacularly. I leaned back as
Brad and I enjoyed our tourist experience, oohing and aahing appropriately as the driver
proudly
pointed out different landmarks.
Paris
was beautiful in the night, but the drive ended all too soon.

Back in our suite,
I quickly changed into nicer clothes.
I found a light pink set
in one of the lingerie bags
- bustier, tiny panties and thigh high stockings that were held up
by the bustier's straps
. The lingerie was silky, and shiny without looking tacky. I breathed in, looking at my reflection.

I'd never been too fond of the way I looked naked,
or
even in underwear, but this
, I thought
- this is how money makes you sexy. My waist was suddenly narrower than it had ever been, and any flabbiness was covered with silky fabric. I smiled, thinking that this was one of the rare times I looked good.

I slipped on the pink dress we'd bought earlier, tousling my hair and redoing my lipstick. When I stepped out, I felt Brad's eyes on me, and I felt a shiver of triumph. I might never look like a super-model, but even as myself, I did have some good moments.

Brad must've thought that too, and I felt his eyes on me throughout the dinner. We were eating at the Guy Savoy, and the crowd was sophisticated
and wealthy, but for the first time in this kind of environment, I felt like I could hold my own. The knowledge of how surprisingly good I looked in the expensive lingerie buoyed me up, and I smiled and glowed through
out
dinner.

I wasn't hungry, and only had a
small appetizer and
pea soup - with two glasses of champagne. Brad raised his eyebrows when I ordered a third glass, but he seemed amused at my lightheartedness. I'd felt awkward and out of place when I first stepped out with Brad in the afternoon, but by now the champagne was affecting me a little, and I was determined not to care what other people thought, and to have a good time.

When we got back to the hotel I was in a great mood. I found a bottle of mini chocolate liqueur in the bar fridge, and poured myself a bit.

"Please don't get a hangover," said Brad, "We're meant to spend tomorrow at the Louvre."

I merely smiled, finished my drink and went over to Brad. He held my hands and pulled me towards him, kissing me
softly
.

He began to stroke the length of my bare arm gently, up and down, sending shivers through my spine.

"Are you having a good time?"

I nodded, trying to avoid the thoughts that had been plaguing me since landing here. But I'd had a
little
too much to drink, and they blurted out, "It's fun, considering the fact that I'm just a glorified hooker."

But Brad only laughed, and said, "So is everyone here. Do you think people ever get together for love in this world? It doesn't happen, there's too much money pulling everyone's strings. Your parents dictate what career you get into, and couples trade money for sex and good looks. Don't let it bother you, it's just how the world is."

I nodded, trying to believe him. He was probably right - his world was complex, and people were far too practical to involve their emotions in decision-making.

"Now," he said, "You're wearing the pink lingerie set, aren't you?"

I nodd
ed
.

"I knew you'd like it. Pink suits you."
He stared into my eyes and commanded, "Take off the dress."

I lowered my eyes and heard him say, "Look at me."

I met his gaze again, and undid the zip slowly. The dress slipped down, past my hips and onto the floor. I stepped backwards out of it, watching as his eyes travelled over my body, drinking in the sight of the powder
-
pink fabric wrapped
tightly
around my skin. I knew what he was seeing and felt a slight thrill as his eyes met mine again. I leaned forwards to pick the dress off the floor, and my breasts swung forward as I bent down.

When I stood up and tossed the dress away, I saw Brad's eyes were hooded, his lips slightly parted with lust.

"I want to see you on your knees again," he growled, his voice deep with desire.

I slipped out of the high stilettos and walked forward till I was inches away from him. Brad pressed down on my shoulders and I found myself kneeling before him, my own sex clenching in anticipation as Brad undid his zipper and slid his member out.

I grabbed it in my hands g
reedily,
wrapping
my palms around it
.

I
slid one hand dow
n and over the tip, and let
the other hand follow. He grunted and grew harder, so I repeated the motion a few
more
times, till he grabbed the back of my head
, pushing me forward till I kissed the tip. I ran my tongue
all
over the head, holding his cock steady in one hand as I licked him round and round in circles, exploring the ridge around his shaft.

I let my hand slide down to his balls and I squeezed gently as I began to lick the entire length of the shaft. When he grunted and jerked his hips I wrapped one hand tightly around the base, and began to slide the shaft into my mouth.

He let out a groan and started thrusting his hips, forcing me to suck him faster and faster. My own heat began to increase, and I used my free hand to rub myself over my wet panties, pushing the fabric aside as I rubbed my
swollen entrance
and sucked him harder.

With a low guttural groan, Brad grabbed my head with both hands and pulled himself free.

"You can't wait, can you?" he growled, as he pulled me to my feet and pushed me against the wall
, sliding my panties down
.
He pushed my legs apart
, and his strong arms lifted me higher as I
wrapped my legs around him, squa
shed between his hard body and the wall.
I felt his tip probing my entrance, and I gasped with pl
easure as he pushed into me
.