Hello Treasure (2 page)

She peeled back the tissue paper revealing a black leather high heel shoe. Celia gasped, her heart hammering in her chest as she admired the most beautiful shoes she had ever seen. Cradling one in her hand like a delicate flower, she stroked the butter soft leather. With a trembling fingertip she traced the Celtic knot detailing etched onto the edge of the platform sole, then gently caressed a line of blue gemstones lining the heel that looked suspiciously like sapphires.

Sapphires had always been her favorite gemstone.

"Those are the prettiest princess shoes I ever saw!" One of the girls announced in a squeaky voice.

"I agree. These must have cost a fortune. Who would buy these for me?" Celia asked as she set the shoe down in the box so it wouldn't get any glitter on it. Lifting the second shoe she set them side by side revealing a note on red paper tucked down the side.

Opening the note, she read it to herself first.

"Well come on. Read it out. This is so exciting!" Kayla said, her arms around two of her girls as they leaned in with flushed faces.

Hello Treasure,

Another clue, another step.

It's been a lifetime since we met.

Friends come and friends go,

but true friends will always show.

Dreams were shared,

some fears bared.

Now the time has come,

for some riddle & rum.

"Riddle & Rum? That's the boutique store over on Clinton Street. Very posh and high-end. You better hurry, I bet they close at six and it's almost five now. Oh, I wanna come! I wish Scott was home so he could stay with the girls." Kayla reached out to stroke one of the shoes.

Celia's mind was racing as she rubbed her palms on her jean-clad thighs. Really expensive shoes and now a high-end boutique store? Who would do this? She had dated a few guys over the years, but never anything serious. She simply didn't have time, or maybe none of the guys had struck her as worth the time. Either way, she couldn't think of a single guy who would consider her his princess and worthy of this.

"Who do you think’s behind it?" Kayla interrupted her thoughts.

"I don't know. I haven't dated anyone seriously in years."

"Yes, but you have dated. Maybe one of the guys wants another chance. Come on, quick, before you leave let's make a list!"

Ten minutes later Celia stepped out the door, a piece of pink paper clutched in one hand with a list of every guy she had dated in the last ten years written in purple glitter pen. Any guy that seemed more likely to be behind the scavenger hunt had a heart after his name, all done in her friend's curly handwriting.

With her other arm she clutched her new shoes to her chest protectively.

Blowing out a breath, her head swimming with excitement and curiosity, Celia jumped into her BMW and drove the ten minutes to Riddle & Rum.

CHAPTER 4

She was so distracted and scattered she arrived at Riddle & Rum but couldn’t remember driving. Parking right in front of the doors she rubbed her temples with her fingertips. She needed to focus. The identity of her secret admirer should be obvious. She was a smart woman, she could figure this out.

Pulling out the list she considered the names. She couldn't imagine any of them doing this. Sure she had dated some great guys but she hadn't developed a very strong connection to any of them. In fact, most of them really only qualified as friends with benefits. Sometimes just benefits, she thought with a chuckle. The joy of being a successful, independent woman, she felt confident enough to call the shots when it came to her sexual needs. She had found some great men over the years to help her meet those needs, but she was also comfortable meeting her own needs and didn't ever feel she had to rely on a man in that department. Or in any department really.

But that didn’t mean she wasn’t intrigued by this flirtatious game.

Folding the paper, she tucked it into her purse along with the first and second clue. Grabbing the shoes—she was scared to leave them alone in the car—she stepped into the dusky evening.

At the door to Riddle & Rum she paused. A sign taped to the glass read: Closed for private event (Celia Huxley).

They closed down the whole store just for me?

A flutter of anticipation blossomed in her stomach. No man had ever gone to these lengths for her and it was extremely flattering. Smiling from ear to ear she opened the door. A set of chimes announced her arrival.

Two women raced over, smiling broadly. One was young, maybe twenty-five with a stunning body that she flaunted in a snug wrap dress and shoes that gave her at least another five inches in height. The other woman was older, a well preserved fifty, Celia guessed.

The older woman held out her hands as she approached, taking Celia's into hers. "Welcome to Riddle & Rum. You must be Celia." She looked over her shoulder at the younger woman. "She's just as gorgeous as he said! This is going to be fun." Turning back to Celia she led her across the room. "My name is Jackie and this is Lorelei."

"Um, hi." Celia laughed, her emotions bubbling over as if intoxicated. She felt silly and crazy. "So can you tell me who 'he' is?"

They stopped beside a wall of luxurious silk curtains.

Both women shook their heads. Jackie answered. "Nope. That's up to you to figure out. Oh, this is so romantic. I wish a man would do this for me! Can I ask what else has he given you?" Jackie's eyes were shiny as she clutched her hands together.

Celia presented the shoe box. Lorelei held out her hands so Celia could rest the box on them and open the top, pulling out one of the shoes.

"Oh, my. Oh, my,” she exclaimed with awe. “Celia, you realize these are real sapphires, right? One of a kind shoes?" Jackie exclaimed.

"So beautiful," Lorelei murmured.

"I know, it's crazy," Celia said as she carefully placed the shoe back in the box. She took a moment to touch the sapphires, awe flooding through her that she had been given something so special before making sure the tissue paper was carefully tucked back in place.

Jackie's voice jolted Celia out of her wandering thoughts.

"Well that will go perfectly with what he has planned. Your task here is to pick out a complete outfit. Dress and lingerie. And we'll make sure they go with those fabulous shoes. Lorelei, get the gem set, I'll go get some dresses. Celia, you are in here." Jackie pulled back the curtain revealing a pedestaled circular change room surrounded by mirrors and lit by a crystal chandelier. "Get undressed. Everything off. Don't be timid, it's just us girls today."

Swallowing hard, Celia pushed down the rush of shyness. She was a confident woman and she took great care of her body. She could get naked in front of these women.

Sucking in a breath, she stripped and stared at her nude body reflected back at her from all directions. Pulling in her stomach and thrusting out her breasts she did a little turn, admiring her body. Her careful diet and exercise definitely paid off. She wasn't curvy, never had been, but she was lean and muscular with small, perky breasts. She could use a tan though. Hours and hours spent in doors had left her beyond pasty and in the the blindingly white stage. Oh well, one day she would take a vacation and catch some sun.

"Not bad for forty," she muttered to herself as she pulled her hair clip out, letting her hair tumble softly around her shoulders. She did a little shimmy to the music that was playing throughout the store, it was an old 80’s anthem she hadn't heard in years and it made her feel young again.

"Ready?" Lorelei's voice called from the other side of the curtain.

"Bare as the day I was born!" Celia called back, a little thrill in her stomach at her boldness.

Lorelei's face appeared between the curtains. "Perfect, you’re going to love this!"

And she did, Celia thought as she stared at her body a few moments later. Now cinched and lifted into a stunning indigo blue bustier with garters, a silk thong and sheer hose with cute little black vines going up the back of her legs. On the vines were little crystal flowers. The crystal flowers also edged the top of the bustier setting off the bit of cleavage it had miraculously given her.

Jackie appeared with a rack full of dresses but Celia knew her dress the moment she saw it.

Spinning in front of the mirror she watched as the spiderweb-like black lace dress swirled around her thighs, providing a provocative glimpse of her garters. The waist was cinched in with leather strips wrapped into a web-like corset that went from just below her bust to her hips. It made her waist look itty-bitty. The top was a simple scoop leaving her toned arms bare.

She spun in front of the mirrors, flipping her hair and smoothing her hands over her waist. Her face was hurting from smiling so much. She had never felt so amazing. So beautiful.

"You look stunning. Wait!" Lorelei spun away, returning moments later with the shoes. Kneeling down she helped Celia slide her feet into the buttery soft leather. They fit perfectly.

Celia gasped as they stepped back. She was hot. No, she was sizzling on a griddle hot. She didn't think it was possible for her to look this good.

"You look ready for the most amazing night of your life. Oh, which reminds me. You need this." Jackie presented Celia with another red envelope.

Giggling as she fumbled with the paper, Celia grabbed the edge and ripped it open, pulling out the note. She read it out loud for Jackie and Lorelei.

Hello Treasure,

Do you love the gems and dress?

Know who I am? What's your guess?

More clues await at your next stop,

Staying at the very top.

I hope the room does not lack.

Make haste, no need to pack.

Head to the place of fairy lights.

Laid out below are all the sites.

Celia read it again silently, trying to sort out the clue when Lorelei started jumping up and down.

"Oh, oh, I know where that is! It’s that really posh boutique hotel, The Devonian. They have that beautiful rooftop terrace with millions of little fairy lights everywhere. It's like
the
place to go for romantic evenings. You can see the whole city from up there and the most beautiful sunsets. And it sounds like you have a room there! It's the ult, so posh. I'd give anything to see the inside of that place. Royalty has stayed there and tons of celebrities." Lorelei's words tumbled over each other ending in a high-pitched squeak.

"Wow, really?" Celia had heard of the place, but like Lorelei said, it was really exclusive and expensive. No one she knew had ever stayed there. Her mind raced trying to narrow down her list to men that could afford The Devonian, but realized no one on her list could. The shoes, the clothes, now a posh hotel. Someone was spending a lot of money on her and Celia was no closer to identifying her secret admirer.

CHAPTER 5

After a quick change, she didn't want to risk damaging her new clothes, Celia packed everything into her car and drove over to The Devonian where a valet was waiting at the curb.

"Good evening, Ms. Huxley. I trust you are having a wonderful evening."

Quickly trying to mask her shock that he knew her name, Celia smiled and handed him her keys. "I am, thank you."

Another man, dressed in a finely tailored suit came up to her, followed by yet another man in the red dress uniform of a bellhop.

"Ms. Huxley. A pleasure to have you here. My name is Ralph Winston. I will be your concierge during your stay. Anything you need, anything at all, let me know and it will be taken care of. George, please take Ms. Huxley's bags and boxes up to her suite." Ralph smiled and immediately made Celia feel warm and welcomed. "Please, come this way."

When they entered the elevator, Ralph swiped a key card, then punched the button beside the word 'penthouse.' Her stomach flipped, there was no way the penthouse had been booked for her. He had obviously made a mistake.

"Wait, I think you pressed the wrong button."

"No error, Ms. Huxley. The penthouse has been reserved for you this evening."

Inside, Celia was squealing and jumping around like a school girl. She couldn't believe she was staying in the penthouse! But she tried to maintain a calm exterior despite that massive grin on her face.

When the elevator door opened they were greeted by a large foyer. The walls were accented with crown molding and wainscoting, and directly in front of them was a massive, arched carved mahogany door.

Ralph opened the mahogany door and stepped to the side allowing Celia to enter first.

Her jaw dropped open.

It looked like something out of a castle - luxurious fabrics, opulent antique furniture and massive arched windows that framed the twinkling lights of the city below and the last remnants of the sun setting on the horizon.

"I trust this will be acceptable?" Ralph said as George set her belongings in a dressing room that connected to a bathroom with the largest claw-foot tub she had ever seen.

"Absolutely. Thank you," she said, barely containing herself as she tried not to race about the room checking everything out.

"Some toiletries and other comfort items have been provided. Once you are settled, I will bring up your evening meal."

Yikes, that was going to cost a lot, Celia thought, getting ready to protest, but Ralph raised a hand stopping her.

"Everything has been taken care of for your stay." His smile was kind and he spoke gently. "I will return in an hour with your meal."

After they left, Celia counted to ten then with a squeal ran and launched herself onto the massive four poster bed with a lace canopy.

"Who are you, mystery man?" Celia asked the silent room.

Smiling and giggling, Celia scrambled to her knees, bouncing for a moment before sliding to the floor. Doing a twirl she went to the window and stared at the streets below. Her fingers tapping a little beat on the glass. With another spin she went to the huge oak writing desk. There she sniffed a massive bouquet of Gerbera daisies. She had always enjoyed the bright colors and cheery faces of Gerberas.