There's a lot going on here, '45 days in Europe with Mr. Darcy' is almost published, almost... Giveaways, birthdays, hallmarks......
But as promised, here goes Chapter 2 of my erotic romance 'Image or Likeness'. Chapter 1 is here.
Lana fingered the lapel of her black dress
nervously.
“Figure
out what to wear to such an odd date is such a hard task.”
She considered her smart jeans with spiky
heals but thought it too casual. Then she considered white linen trousers and a
colorful top but thought it too cheery. One does not want to give the wrong
impression to the enemy.
Enemy? Was this woman really her enemy?
What she knew of this woman, besides her
reflection on Lana’s mirror?
‘Anais Robinson’ said her business card but
Lana thought it was probably not real. A cell phone number, but frankly, it
could be disposable. “What a waste to
print business cards if the data was disposable.” She thought and then
chuckled at her silliness. How stupid! Business cards were as disposables as
prepaid cell phones. For a few moments she lost herself in this useless
reasoning.
‘Try to compose yourself, Lana. Find your
wits.’ She rallied herself.
She would need every help she could get
this afternoon. And she wanted an outfit that would give her a boost of confidence.
After throwing the contents of her luggage on the hotel room’s floor, she
settled for the long black dress with an elegant cleavage. A beautiful big
leather necklace, flats, nice drop earrings. It would have to do.
She twirled in front of the mirror one more
time and frowned at her belly. Pushing it inwards she straightened her spine to
suck it in. Her baby girl was almost one year old and had just stopped breast
feeding, she was practically back to her pre-pregnancy figure and although Lana
felt beautiful, her stomach was still distended. She always flirted with size
six and at the moment she was a solid eight. She sighed.
Maybe she should keep wearing the girdle…
but Sam said she was hot so she decided to break free of that torture. Lana
wondered if her husband was telling her the truth or if he was just being
lovely as he always were. He was so happy with their baby that maybe he just
told her anything Lana wanted to hear.
‘You look beautiful, my Queen.’
‘You never looked more radiant! I can see
how happy you are.’
‘Your scar makes me hard, Lalie. Throw that
ugly girdle away.’
With another deep sigh she let her stomach
free and shook her head. Ten to.
Time to get down to the elegant hotel’s
restaurant. She checked her makeup, sprayed a little perfume on her neck and
left her room.
Vaughn’s annual college reunion was over
and the hotel was much less crowded. The organizing committee had elected this
hotel as the official lodge even though it was not close to the campus where
the meetings usually took place. Lana’s third time attending this reunion, she
was already used to the weekend’s schedule. Friday had meet and greet event with drinks, fake laughs and then guys’ night
at the fraternity. Saturday had late brunch and casual families’ night. Sunday
had business brunch and official farewells. Three days of social gatherings
where people compared their success in life by their kids and bank accounts.
At least this year Vaughn had little
Eddie’s pictures on his cell phone to show off. Alone in the elevator, Lana
smiled remembering his proud grin showing people the baby’s first steps’ video.
Eduarda was so very cute in a leopard onesie
and toddled heavily to his outstretched arms over the Persian hug. She sighed
and decided to call home one more time before entering the restaurant.
Vaughn picked up on the third ring.
“Hello, my Queen!” He said happily.
She groaned smiling. “Do you really have to
be that corny, Sam?” Lana complained again of the silly pet name. They had just
met when he started calling her ‘Queen’ and it gave her butterflies how much
this naming suggested. She was really scared when time confirmed that in
reality he was as intense about her as she had first guessed. Although she
still thought it corny, she loved the pet name. And she loved to tease him.
“Queen, queen, queen!” He answered.
“Working?” She asked.
“Just got here at the office, actually. How
are you enjoying your free days?” He asked good humored.
“I woke up just now, Sam!” Lana celebrated
and her husband chuckled.
“I have to tell you that – Hello,
Bernadette. Any messages for me? Thanks – Sorry, Lalie.” He said.
“You have to tell me…” She urged him,
smiling. His good mood was contagious.
“Ah! I have to tell you that I had another
woman in my bed last night.” Samuel said and Lana could hear the smile in his
voice.
“I very much doubt it was good for you!”
She laughed. “Eddie is a kicker!”
“My ribs are sore.” He said chuckling.
“Maybe we should find her a soccer practice. There is too much Brazilian blood
in her.”
“That’s why you’re arriving at the office
by lunch time?” She asked inspecting her dark curls on the foyer mirror.
“I had a lunch meeting, Lalie. It’s already
two pm.” Samuel said and closed his office’s door behind him. “You really slept
in, my Queen.”
“Oh!” Lana startled. She was going to be late. “Love, have to go. I just
called to check if you two were doing fine.”
“We’re great, but missing you. Eddie asked
what you’ll bring her.” He said scowling at this laptop screen.
Lana laughed. Eddie was not even one yet,
how could she be asking for gifts?
She barely said ‘mama’! “I’ll find something. Maybe another book.” She said
eying the restaurant’s door expectantly, hoping to see her date enter.
Distracted, she didn’t realize the faux pas.
“Book? Are you going to a book store
outlet?” Sam asked raising his head from his computer and frowning.
“Er… no. But books are always a good gift
for a child.” She said recovering quickly. “For our child.”
“Lalie, are you up to some mischief?”
Vaughn asked suspicious. Not for one second he doubted his wife’s fidelity but
he started to give credit to his hunch that by asking to stay behind when he
returned home from the reunion she had some surprise planned for his incoming birthday. “I got you!” He thought and chuckled.
“Not at all.” She lied.
“You liar!” He accused. “You hate crowded
stores. Tell me, my Queen: you never planned to visit the outlets near my
college campus, did you?” He smiled to himself, amused to have discovered her
scheme so easily.
“These are not common outlets, I told you.
These are special exclusive shops.” Lana tried to sustain her story. “Sam, I
really have to go. Love you.”
“You are such a bad looser!” He joked. “Go,
my Queen. Call me in the evening?”
“Sure.” She said anxious to disconnect.
“And you’ll still catch the morning flight?”
He asked.
“I’ll arrive before lunch time tomorrow, as
we planned.” Lana answered.
“Bye, my Queen.” He said and disconnected.
Lana took one last look at the mirror,
arranged one rebel curl behind her ear and marched to the restaurant.
The posh hotel lobby was big and although
not as crowded as it had been during the weekend, was busy on this Tuesday
lunch hour. As she trudged her way towards the upscale restaurant, her mind in
turmoil, Lana tried to command her breathing to a calmer rhythm. Why was she so
worked up for a lunch date? How many has she already had in her life? How many
potentially hostile women did she already meet? In her interior designer
practice she had dealt with several business associates, clients, co-workers.
Why was this woman so different from all the others?
“Because
she’s a hooker who earns her living by pretending to be you.” She told herself.
---
When Lana and Samuel arrived at this same
hotel only four days earlier to attend his college class’ reunion, the happy
couple was sided by their good friends Kevin and Dorothy Lewis.
Kevin had been Samuel’s friend since high
school almost thirty years before. The shy blond boy had seen on the tall,
dark, cool guy a friend and someone to look upon. While Samuel was outspoken,
funny and popular; Kevin was kind, good humored and very quiet. They attended
the same college and although had different majors kept as close friends
throughout the years.
Their friendship was solidified when
Kevin’s longtime girlfriend befriended Samuel’s muse at first sight. At the
time, Samuel shared only flirts with Lana even if he craved much more and by
chance he introduced the women who instantly formed an almost sibling bond. The
women got as close as to be maid-of-honor for one another what caused Dora some
headache as she had three actual sisters.
The two couples got rooms at the same floor
and Lana complained about not being closer to Dora as each room was allocated
at one side of the elevator’s hall. By Sunday night Lana was glad the concierge
hadn’t been able to find them rooms closer together, there was at least some
physical distance between them.
For the families’ party Saturday night,
Lana had dressed in a beautiful silk one shoulder dress that made her feel sexy
and classy.
She had chosen this dress carefully since the last time these
people saw her she was very pregnant, now she wanted to show off her figure
that was (practically) back to normal. The delicate gray dip dyed pink scarf
styled dress showed her curves but also gave her some space to hide anything
she was not completely satisfied with, like her stomach. Sam hugged her from
behind when she studied herself on the mirror to compliment her beauty but
instead of reassuring her, his effusiveness made her consider once again if he
was lying to make her feel good about her body.
There was only one way to be sure, so Lana
pointed her ass back to rub it on his crotch. He groaned and let his hands dive
into her dress to touch her panties. She was surprised to feel him already hard
and turning she kissed him while reaching down. Several years together, Vaughn
was well trained and he kept to her lips and neck avoiding smudging her careful
make up. She pushed him backwards until he bumped on the table and turned them
so she could take a seat. He smiled and took off her panties, arranged her
kaftan short dress around her waist so not to crease it and entered her.
It was a balm to Lana’s insecurities. It
didn’t last long, it wasn’t even necessary to last long.
When they arrived at the party, she felt
sexy and powerful. Cocky even. And that was her weakness.
In reality Lana had one more reason to want
to look fantastic at this party. Not only to look good after giving birth or to
make her husband horny and proud of having her on his arm. But Gui would certainly be there. He had
made sure she knew he would by posting cryptic notes on Facebook or Twitter.
Last year she hadn’t seen him, but she learned later he had been there, just
not in the same events Lana attended.
It wasn’t a nice thing to do to a very pregnant
woman’s pride – to avoid seeing her – and Lana had made an effort to not let
this bring her down. He was only her ex-boyfriend who she never considered much
more than a lover, she had chosen Sam over him after all but estrogen running
freely through her body helped blow his contempt out of proportion.
Tonight Lana Zaraki would show him what
contempt was made of.
Guillaume Lefebvre was a very handsome
French man; tall, thin, light auburn hair that he carried a bit longer than
necessary, usually sporting a carefully cultivated five o’clock shadow. If not
for her budding passion for Sam, Gui would have had a chance with Lana. They
connected very well from the moment they met and some months later had a
passionate fling after Lana and Sam broke up on a terrible fight. He was very
attentive to her, Lana thought him a nice distraction that would do her good
and so she let him warm her up in his bed. But Gui overdid his offer in a crazy
delusion.
When this fling lost its zest, Lana had returned
to Sam’s arms for good since Gui had taught her what she really wanted and,
there was no more questions about it. Nevertheless, the Gui months had been great. He was a nice man, authoritative as well
as good humored. Lana had had fun with him…
His maneuvering to avoid seeing her fat and
bloated killed her ego.
---
The party was the same as always, nice but
a little boring. A wedding band sang
merrily, elegant waiters offered the women colorful drinks, men talked
animatedly over scotch. All was fine until Lana saw a beautiful woman casually
stroll the big ballroom far from where she was.
‘Dora, look at that woman.’ Lana said
squinting.
‘Where?’ Dorothy said looking aimlessly
around the room.
‘There, Dora! By the side windows…’ Lana
pointed discreetly ungluing her pinky finger from the wine glass she was
pretending to be sipping.
‘Horrendous yellow flowers in her dress?’
Dora asked in a sneer.
‘No!... The beautiful one, hair up in a
neat bun. Black pencil skirt. There!’ Lana wanted to point the woman to her
good friend but social skills prevented her.
‘Ah! I see her. A bit over dressed for the
occasion, wouldn’t you say?’ Dora asked and sipped her own wine.
‘My thoughts exactly! I guess it’s the
shoes… Too high. Or the designed stockings.’ Lana said and sipped her wine just
to frown as the bitter taste hit her tongue.
‘You
use designed stockings.’ Dora turned to look at her friend. ‘Lalie, you can drink now.’ She said.
‘No I can’t. I keep forgetting.’ Lana
looked miserably at her glass.
‘Eddie is waned.’ Dora said patiently.
‘But my belly still has a mind of its own.’
Lana said wanly.
‘Damn it, what you need is therapy! You
look wonderful, better than before getting pregnant. What’s wrong with you?’
Dora complained losing her patience with her friend and feeling like repeating
herself for the last five months.
‘I have mirrors at home, Dora!’ Lana
counteracted.
‘Muffled mirrors. You look great, friend.
Believe me.’ Dora said and intent on changing subjects she continued. ‘Look!
Miss Fancy embroidered stockings is
talking to French Gorgeousness…’
Lana turned and felt a tingle in her spine.
There he were, Guillaume Lefebvre, looking as good as ever. A bit older, maybe
a little bit fatter, but all beautiful. And he was talking to the Stockings woman as if they were
acquaintances.
‘I guess he knows her.’ Dora said, her eyes
intent on their conversation.
‘Maybe she’s attended college with them.’
Lana shrugged but failed to avert her eyes.
Gui leaned down his head to hear what the
woman was telling him, his hair fell on his eyes and he smiled charmingly. Lana
felt her spine tingle again, but now it also burned dully.
‘Oh, pretty smiles for one another!... Miss
Fancy stockings will soon be Miss Pantiless…’ Dora sneered again.
Lana felt a weird twist in her stomach but
before she could comment the couple raised their eyes scanning the room until
they found her. She felt awkward and restrained from shifting from foot to
foot. Distracted by Gui’s eyes on her figure, she failed to notice the woman
doing the same. Finally he smiled at her; he smiled her favorite smile at her,
and raised his glass. Her nostrils on fire, Lana forced herself to recompose,
nod haughtily and give him a sideways smile. Then she turned her back to them.
At the same time, Kevin approached and with
a hand on the small of their backs, urged Lana and Dorothy to their designated
table as dinner was about to be served. Lana felt ashamed of her exchange with
her ex-lover thinking that her husband’s best friend had witnessed it and
that’s why he was fidgety. He looked over his shoulders twice while escorting
them to their table but didn’t comment or made any communication with Vaughn.
During dinner, Lana rationalized that she
didn’t do anything wrong. Just a nod and a half smile. If Sam found himself
offended by that, he could bite his own ass. She still had to rename an
occasional contact on his phone as his previous conquests’ offered him booty
calls. When she found one, she renamed the bitch’s contact to:
‘Last: Get
this call
First: and
your dick
Company: shall never rise again’
Or some mean variation of that. She always
knew when those bitches called him because he guffawed out of the blue.
Nowadays, years after their marriage, the calls were not as frequent but some
women were diehard.
By the end of the meal she had relaxed. The
band was starting to warm up again and soon the dancing would resume. Maybe she
could convince her handsome husband to join her on the dance floor for a few
songs. He was such a smooth dancer but avoided public shows, only giving her
the pleasure of dancing when alone or in family gatherings.
She needed to check her makeup, retouch her
lipstick and visit the restroom before using her charms on him. Lana invited
Dora and as they headed for the bathroom the wife of a friend of Samuel’s and
Kevin’s approached them. As any women who only met once a year they chatted for
a while until Lana’s bladder called for attention. She excused herself and
continued to the bathroom that had a small line of women waiting.
Her bladder wouldn’t last that long so Lana
asked a passing waiter for directions to another restroom and he pointed a
small toilet down the foyer. Her bladder still had the pregnancy months’
memory, a brisk walk was less risky than standing in line, she thought.
Finding the restroom empty was a blessing.
Once relieved she left the stall to wash her hands and see to her makeup. She
inspected the vanity to deposit her cute clutch to the side and when she raised
her eyes to the mirror, Lana saw the Stockinged
woman behind her. She frowned and waited.
‘Hello.’ The woman said politely.
Lana nodded and washed her hands as if not
affected by the woman’s presence. Why would she be? She was just another human
being, a beautiful woman who was talking to a man she knew… and on that train
of thought she raised her eyes to the mirror once again.
The woman had a small smile on her luscious
red lips, eyes neatly painted black, exquisite make up really; enchanting pink
mother-of-pearl scales earrings, hair tied up.
‘You see it now?’ The woman asked in a
silky voice.
Lana nodded.
They stared at each other’s eyes in the
mirror for a while. Lana believing herself insane; the woman smiling sweetly.
‘Hello, Lalie. I’m Anais.’ The woman said.
‘Lalie?’ Lana raised her eyebrows and dried
her hand in a paper towel.
‘I’m sorry. Lana. Mrs. Vaughn.’ Anais
corrected herself.
‘Zaraki.’ Lana said.
‘Ms. Zaraki. I apologize.’ Anais
acknowledged.
‘I’m sorry, Miss?’ Lana asked, her throat
suddenly parched.
‘Robinson. Anais Robinson.’ Another sweet
smile on her familiar face.
‘Ms. Robinson. You seem to know a lot about
me but I’m at a loss here.’ Lana squinted. ‘I didn’t have anything to drink
today, still…’
‘How is your baby daughter?’ Anais smiled
more openly. ‘She’s almost one, right?’
Lana raised her brows once again and for
the first time felt afraid.
‘Don’t get me wrong Ms. Zaraki. I saw your
lovely belly last year. By your waddling, I guessed you were close to term and
if you are not drinking, the baby must still be breast feeding.’ She risked a
sideways smile.
Lana groaned and hung her head. ‘I was so
big… Wasn’t I?’ She asked rhetorically.
Anais giggled and nodded. The sweet sound
took Lana out of her self-pity.
‘I haven’t had more than a sip of wine and
still…’ Lana squinted again. ‘Don’t we look alike?’ She then turned to face the
woman for the first time.
Anais nodded and raised her brows smiling
cynically as if Lana had finally noticed
the obvious.
Actually, Lana had noticed their similarity
a few hours earlier when her ex-lover’s body language towards this woman had
been the same he used when with her. Seeing them she had remembered a
particular picture taken by friends in common where he was bending forward to
level his ear to Lana’s mouth and smiling sexily to what she was whispering. It
was a Twilight zone, out of body experience: She watched
herself talking to Gui.
‘We do. I’m a little shorter than you so my
Louboutins are higher.’ She bended one leg to show her spiky heels. ‘My hair is
straighter than your curls so when I don’t spend hours with the curling iron I
use a bun.’ Anais said and twisted her head so Lana would see the hairdo. ‘Also
I’m two years younger and a little thinner.’ She finished.
Lana didn’t have to be facing the mirror to
be assured her face had fell.
Anais frowned and leaned her head to the
side ever so slightly while Lana examined her.
She was thinner and leaner than Lana. Her
facial features were slightly sharper and maybe she wore green contacts. But
aside from that they looked very similar.
‘It was not a snide remark, Lal- sorry, Ms.
Zaraki. I just pointed our similarities. I tried to gain a little body but gave
it up and returned to my normal size. It proved to be unsafe for me.’ Anais
said cryptically. ‘You are a stunning woman, and you have excellent taste in
fashion.’ Anais pointed to both their outfits.
Lana felt another ‘zing’ run through her spine: Anais’ black pencil skirt, her light
mauve flounce front halter top, her black stilettos and even her fancy
embroidered stockings could belong to her own closet.
‘Should I be worried?’ Lana asked.
‘Absolutely!’ Anais said seriously.
‘Too late.’ Lana answered.
‘I wanted to present myself to you.’ Anais
said as Lana raised one eyebrow suspiciously. ‘I was curious. You look stunning
tonight so I didn’t resist.’
Lana didn’t know what to say. Was this a
weird dream? Could she wake up?
‘Here’s the thing.’ Lana said still eyeing
Anais suspiciously. ‘I’m in the foyer bathroom alone. Suddenly you materialize
behind me looking very much like myself and making cryptic remarks as if I
should understand exactly what’s going on.’ Lana frowned. ‘I don’t.’
‘You don’t know who I am?’ Anais asked.
‘Anais Robinson. Shorter, slimmer,
straighter hair; otherwise looks very much like me as I said.’ Lana said
annoyed.
Anais smiled saucily. ‘You have no idea who
I am… How extraordinary!’
Lana crossed her arms on her chest and
waited, trying to keep a poker face.
‘I’m a call-girl.’ Anais locked their eyes.
‘A very expensive one.’
Lana raised her brows surprised.
‘I’m a lady
of pleasure who is lucky enough to look like you.’ Anais continued
challengingly.
‘Excuse me?’ Lana blinked.
‘I have excellent rich clients who pay me
good money to have you.’ She said and Lana felt the jab in her chest.
‘I’m sorry. I don’t understand.’ Lana shook
her head frowning.
‘You saw me talking to one of them. Mr.
Lefebvre is one of my good clients. There are others but I don’t like to be
approached by costumers in public, even though this is a work related event for
me. Most of my clients avoid acknowledging they’ve met me and I like that.’
Anais said calmly as if discussing her business dealings was something very
natural. ‘One of these special clients invited me here as he had the previous
years you attended this reunion.’
‘Wait.’ Lana raised one palm in front of
her and leaned on the vanity for support. ‘You are here because I am?’
‘Yes, Ms. Zaraki. In fact, I’m being paid to be here. You can call it… a research.’ She said failing to
hide a mischievous smile.
Lana was loath of giving this crazy woman
the satisfaction of seeing her discomfort but this story was too outrageous to
be plausible.
'You are being paid to talk to me? Am I wasting someone’s money?’
Anais laughed. ‘No! I wasn’t supposed to
approach you at all, just watch you from a distance. My client has a partiality
for watching me- sorry, you act in
public.’
‘Excuse me?’ Lana fidgeted with her belt,
feeling offended and confused.
‘You know, he can only interact with you in
public… Poor fool… You can see why I wasn’t supposed to talk to you. His poor
head would explode seeing you who he
can’t have talk to you he can afford.’
Anais shook her head cynically.
Lana eyed the beautiful woman in front of
her and laughed. Suddenly she couldn’t hold in her mirth any longer.
‘I’m sorry…’ Lana said but couldn’t stop
laughing. ‘No! I’m not sorry at all! This is hysterical!’
Anais smiled sexily back at Lana’s
laughter.
‘You say you are paid to be me in bed and
that’s luck!’ She laughed even harder.
‘I do.’ Anais nodded smiling.
‘This is precious! What a gaudy story!’
Lana held her breasts to catch some air, her tears of laughter were about to
ruin her make up.
Anais frowned.
‘I don’t use that kind of bun, Fake Lana! Your clients should see
through you!’ She said in mockery and fanned her face with her hands.
‘Men don’t care for these details. They
want you naked and compliant, and I
deliver that.’ Anais said and her saucy smile returned to her shiny lips when
Lana’s laughter died in her throat and her eyes widened. ‘You are very yielding to anything that concerns their smallest
impulses.’ Anais slurred her words and ran a well-manicured finger on her own
lips.
‘You are suggesting?...’ Lana whispered.
‘You could teach me how to tie my hair.’
Anais avoided Lana’s question deliberately and enticingly while twisting her
head to groom her hair looking at the mirror.
‘I don’t quite understand what you mean.’
Lana blinked, eyes glued to the woman’s hair.
‘Lunch? Mmmm, let me think…’ Anais looked
up at the ceiling as if considering her schedule. ‘With you in town I’m fairly
busy so… Tuesday?’ She directed her eyes to Lana’s again.
‘Lunch?’ Lana choked. ‘Why would I want
meet you?’ She asked disdainfully.
‘Because I can see you are everything they
say you are: stunning, enchanting, sexy, witty… and curious.’ Anais said.
‘Am I?’ Lana challenged.
‘Aren’t we?’
Anais answered and opened her classy purse to take out a business card. ‘Call
me if something comes up. If you don’t, I’ll be at your hotel’s restaurant at
two pm Tuesday.’ She handed Lana the card between her beautifully manicured
index and middle finger.
Not sure why, Lana reached for the card and
felt it sting in her fingers.
‘Thank you for your time, Lalie- Ms.
Zaraki. I apologize for hinting an intimacy that we don’t actually have.’ She
smiled and Lana thought that it was not sincere. ‘And you look even more
beautiful this year. Maternity did you well, you are very arousing.’ She gave
Lana a once over and turned to leave. ‘Good bye.’
---
This book is 15 chapters long and is available in Kindle or paperback.
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