All this pent-up sexual tension has to be getting to Justine. Will she be on her best behavior, or will she break? Do you think Justine will make a move on this ride?
“What do you say, Lola? Cafe Du Coin is coming up,” Damien adds, pointing to the sign. Lola perks up with a smile, making eye contact with him in the mirror. Damien’s eyes spark deep gray, catching her glance. She looks scarlet from all the blushing and turns away to speak. “Sure, I don’t have anywhere to be,” Lola says, making me happy our time isn’t ending. Damien pulls into the small parking lot attached to the cafe. We get out of the car, and all I can do is stare at Lola. Even after working eight hours on her feet, she’s graceful and poised, adjusting her work uniform. Lola pulls at the protective sleeves and fixes the wrinkles of her dress. I think she looks sexy, but I can tell she’s self-conscious. Lola takes off her name badge, stashing it away in her purse. When she pulls up her hair in a bun, I spy a fresh surgical bandage on her ear. This new development confirms my earlier suspicions of physical abuse. I mask my discomfort with a smile when she turns to me. “I’m not
Lola-On the evening of Monday, the 26th Today has been quite a thrill, even though I had to work. Damien was a gentleman kissing me on my hand and opening my door to a waiting Justine. I can't believe she came herself. For a successful businesswoman, she’s genuinely kind, which makes it worth accepting a ride from her. After a small talk, we stopped at my favorite café instead of immediately taking me home. Another delight to my day. It's bizarre to be sitting here with two perfect strangers, but also comforting for some reason. They aren't judging me for still being dressed for work. Taking our seats, Justine is quick with what she likes and wants strawberries. This is the second time she’s ordered them, and her tart looks scrumptious. I got my usual shortbread and cocoa, and Damien got the same cookie with black coffee. I'm inspired by how carefree Justine is with everything she does and how she interacts with Damien. They’re natural in how they move and talk to each other. I wan
I take a deep breath to settle myself before returning for the plates. Nathan isn’t finished trying to entice me. He pinches my ass, pulling me back to him. Smelling horrid, he kisses me aggressively, making me gag. “It’s time to go, Nathan,” I say again with conviction. “Babe, I need it,” he says gruffly, pawing at my clothes. “Please, Nathan, I’m tired and not in the mood,” I don’t want to fight going slack in his arms. “But see, I can always help with that and get you there,” he moves his hands to unbutton my jeans. Daniel’s eyes shoot open, intently watching as my zipper comes down. He’s intrigued, becoming more alert in his crotch with each movement. Nathan’s hand finally pushes into my underwear, and I react quickly. “Stop it, not in front of Daniel. I don’t like it,” I stutter, shoving his hands away. “You’re being unreasonable,” Nathan says, running a hand through his hair, frustrated. I button myself back up and take another step away from him, fearing his anger. I can
Justine-On the afternoon of Tuesday, the 27th Working from home today could be more relaxing. But I’m up at one in the morning for international calls. Sitting in my office, I stare at the half-green and orange trees. The line rings while tapping my nails on my chestnut and iron desk. My international finance officer Hattori answers on the third ring. His voice is strained as he starts in on the proposal for a merger he has tomorrow. I roll my eyes, knowing he’s worrying for nothing. “Make sure you counter any offer they put forth,” I prattle off in Japanese, “I trust you and what you have presented.” “We can’t lose this deal. What is our funding cap for negotiations,” Hittori asks, making me smile. “Fifty million, but they should fold long before that,” as I’m confident in his abilities. After three hours of business, I crawl back into bed with Damien, who hasn’t woken yet. Cuddled into him, my dreams are filled with the luscious curves of Lola’s body, making me ravenous for her
After several hours of boring investment business, my mind returns to Lola. Those eyes of hers held such sorrow, not like the times before. She seemed less than hopeful about her date later with her shithead of a boyfriend. What a self-righteous asshole. He fans my anger, something fierce. How could he make her cook on their anniversary? And then invite that wretched friend to boot. I know Lola didn’t tell me everything. I can only imagine the reasons why, and I'm heartbroken for her. I’ll never press; I’m sure she gets enough of that from others. But I do want her to open up to me at some point. With a loud ring, my thoughts about her become a reality. I stare at my cell phone, seeing Lola’s name bold and bright. The anxiety I feel has my hands shaking to answer. “Hello, Sweet Lola,” I say, trying not to have my voice crack. “Hi, Miss Justine, Could I bother you for a ride home? I'm getting stood up again." Lola sounds incredibly disheartened, mentioning her inconsiderate boyfri
Lola - On the evening of Tuesday, the 27th Justine leaves the dinner as elegantly as she arrives. Another big tip makes me blush as I’m cashing out her check. It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, but it seems too much. I’ll have to talk to her about that as I have difficulty hiding my money. I’m busy cleaning up our mess when I hear a mom call her child Nathan, and the flood of emotions comes back to me. My phone rings, thinking of the devil himself. I still have a minute on break, so I will go ahead and answer. “Hey, babe. Boss is having us do some overtime,” Nathan sounds exasperated, trying to explain. “So, no date night again. Why am I not surprised?” I say sarcastically. “Hey! I can’t help it when it’s work,” Nathan retorts bitterly. I hear Daniel in the background laughing, and I scoff at his intrusiveness. That prick can never keep his nose out of our business. Yet another reason not to like him. “Fine! See you whenever,” I say in a huff hanging up. I don’t want to get t
Two more geisha servers come in. They’re holding trays of assorted sashimi, sushi, and rolls and kneeling to each side of us. The entertainment geishas return too but are dressed differently in thinner kimonos draped off their shoulders. Each bow gracefully, kneeling before the table, and remove their robes. To say I’m shocked again is an understatement. Both ladies are beautiful in their nude displays. Flawless even. They sit on the floor side by side, lay head to foot, and move into each other. There are painted decorations on their bodies, and once they are close enough, they form a yin-yang. The other two servers begin setting a beautiful scene, starting with banana leaves and large flower petals covering certain bits of the girl’s naked body. They then arrange the sushi in intricate patterns. Again, I can’t tear my eyes away from the scene; it’s so erotic. I would be too shy to lay there myself, but the thought is tempting. They conclude the prep by placing new chopsticks perfe
Lola - Late Evening on Tuesday, the 27th On the ride home, Justine asks me many questions, but I happily give her the answers. Most are about school, and a few about my family. The drive needed to be longer as we ran out of time—Damien parks outside my building and, like a gentleman, gets out to wait at my door. “I hope you had an enjoyable time. I know I did,” Justine takes my hand in hers. “And thank you for not running away.” I did think about it. But in the end, I was too enraptured by everything, especially Justine. I’ve never known anyone like her or Damien before. “Why would I run away from you,” I ask rhetorically. “I mean it, Lola. Thank you for staying,” she says thoughtfully. Justine even seems to be crying a little. She looks vulnerable, and I know that feeling. But how can a woman with her confidence be faltering right now? “No one has ever enjoyed that with me,” Justine admits. “Not like you did.” “Damien looked plenty at ease,” I grin. Remembering how easy it wa