Page 11 of Lau Ahi
“Think you have me pegged?”
“I’m sure I do. Just like I’m sure that you could read me like a book if you wanted to. But part of your allure is appearing unbothered with those around you. I’d hate for you to break character simply because I’m right.”
A ghost of a smile threatened to cross my face but I didn’t allow it to appear. Like he said, I needed to keep up appearancesafter all. Instead of speaking, I silently lifted my hand holding it out fully extended and palm up. This time it was his full lips that turned into a smile before he dropped the keycard that was used for all the rooms here into the palm of my hand. It was heavy and I knew it was made of titanium, which signaled his level of membership at the club. Mine was made of the same material because it denoted that the holder had the highest level of membership possible. That included use of private rooms, retreats and access to the private and secure entrance.
“You seem positive that I’ll use it.”
“I’m not. I don’t doubt that there’s a part of you that’s a contrarian. The multi-tasking, feminist/misandrist means that part of you is a given. You might be curious but again you don’t know me. But you’re here for something and I’d like to think that the conversation you had no problem holding means I’ve passed at least the first of your tests. The key doesn’t mean I expect anything more from you than what you’ve already provided.” He lifted the arm displaying the wrist that held the same black titanium bracelet that adorned mine. “I have the same restrictions that you do. I can assume that like me, you’re here but you don’t always partake, if ever. This isn’t a challenge simply an offer. If you don’t decide to take me up on it, leave it at the back on your way out. They know how to get it to me.”
He spoke confidently, his pitch never changing and his face remained carefully shadowed by the lighting in the room.
“And you’ll just stay in the room and be lonely all night?”
Our eyes met and held, breathing slowing until it seemed to sync with his. I watched his face, the parts I could see, to determine if he was being deceptive. But he had the same look as always. Which either meant this was all an act or he was guileless. My brain was practically clawing at me to affirm it was the latter.
“I know you’ve never slept on one of their beds from that comment alone. They’re the best in the business so if you don’t show I’ll at least get a good night’s sleep. No pressure either way.”
He gave me a wink, dropping the card in my hand before backing up a few steps not bothering to look behind him. It was unnecessary since he had the type of physique that meant people automatically moved out of his way. And he was clearly used to it. The reality that we’d had this entire exchange in the middle of a room of people fucking and going on the prowl for partners hit me in the face. Despite the women who seemed to want to approach him, the way he kept his eyes on me as he backed up acted as a warning sign for them to stay away. He didn’t say anything else but he did turn and make his way toward the elevator, the crowd parting for him and then staring after him in amazement. I could feel eyes on me as though they were gauging my next move but knew better than to approach because if I were considering a god, they had no chance of measuring up. I watched as he entered the elevator and his eyes immediately locked onto mine. Even at that distance, I knew the moment he winked before the doors slid shut and blocked him from my view.
I turned the card around in my hand the weight of it reminding me of the heaviness I’d felt when I’d entered the building. Nothing about him seemed dangerous but the nerves I felt playing with this card in my hand couldn’t be denied.
I entered the room calling myself every type oftrollopandfoolfor allowing my ego to get me in this situation. The reality was that I wanted to see what this man was so completely proud of that he would proposition someone like me so easily. I could see that he would feel like he won from this interaction but also that he was like me. There was an intense curiosity about me that he held. One that allowed him to do something as reckless as inviting someone he didn’t know into his room. I knew it went past my physical attractiveness despite my knowing my features were perfect enough to grace the cover of magazines. I was curvy and toned with the type of shape that Tee and Nev often called a coke bottle. I wasn’t blind to the fact that I had a nice shape despite the fact that I’d been called fat consistently my entire life. I felt as though my physical attributes had been last on the list of reasons that made him approach me. If they made the list at all.
So here I was trying to live for once and doing something that could crumble my carefully constructed reality. And yet I wasn’t retreating out of this foyer. He couldn’t see me yet, given how the room was designed, but I still wasn’t ready to back down.
Just talking, right?
I had to shake my head since it didn’t matter what he planned to do; I didn’t come up here to simply talk.
I took a step forward allowing the tension to build the closer I got to the open area of the room. None of these rooms were personalized but the owner took extreme care to ensure thatthey were clean and well stocked for whatever you needed. Although I never partook I knew that the bedside tables were filled with several kinds of lubricant, a myriad of dildos—for his pleasure and hers, and there were people who had the audacity to use them and not bring their own.
Hygiene is truly cultural.
There was nothing that you could pay me to use in these rooms besides the beds because there was a sanitation tab on all of it. I was sure those same efforts extended to the toys provided but I wasn’t about to insert a damn thing in my body that wasn’t purchased for my specific use. And no one’s cleaning efforts would be more thorough than mine.
The foyer area was short and was a light teal color with candid black and white photos out of the Kama Sutra. I guess they were there for encouragement or for those who lacked ideas. When I stepped into the actual room the color scheme was carried throughout. A massive one-way window stood at the opposite end from the door. I knew some rooms were designed so that others could observe the action but this wasn’t one of them. Not wanting to put his prowess on display was another sign that it was, in fact impressive. More black and white photos, now bigger than the ones on the way in, graced the same teal-colored walls.
“If you’re worried about there being any type of surveillance I’ve already made sure there wasn’t.”
My eyes went to the bed where his long body was stretched out as though he was expecting me. I should’ve been offended but I wasn’t. If I walked around looking like him I would expect the world to fall at my feet just as easily as I’d acquiesced to whatever this was going to be tonight.
The room was low-lit, only slivers of light from the bedside lamps and can lights in the ceiling provided a warm illumination setting a calming but sensual tone to the room. The bed wasmassive, more than enough to fit five adults, since one-on-one play wasn’t the norm here. The rooms were where people’s true predilections arose and I was sure this place had seen a lot.
I would hate to be the cleaning crew in an establishment like this.
The headboard was large and carved of wood but with strategic rings carved into the wood where restraints could be placed securely. My eyes drank him in wanting to make a move but not sure what the next step would be.
His reassurance of privacy quieted a part of me that was always reluctant to give voice to the potential issues being here would raise. It was the reason for the mask but people could still draw their own conclusions.
“Put up your own?”
Not quite an accusation but also not really a joke. Again, I knew the risks of being in here and I’d planned to keep my mask on no matter if all we did tonight was talk.
“I’m not the type of man who would creep on a woman no matter how intriguing I find her. My imagination is vivid and I have to say you have already etched yourself into my memories. I only need to close my eyes to relive each second with you. Filming you without your consent isn’t my style.”
He was again unmoved. Like he was so used to being insulted or having his character called into question that it didn’t bother him. He wasn’t emotionless but I knew enough to know he kept them constantly guarded.
“Intriguing? I feel it cost you a lot to admit that. You don’t seem the type to want to expose any part of yourself.” Never mind the flowery words he’d spoken. They had to be ignored before I did something stupid like actually believing him. There truly had to be something in me reacting to this man this way. I was behaving irrationally but I knew it wouldn’t go past tonight. I would give up my membership before I allowed it to.
