Her
I awoke alone in bed, feeling content and satisfied. My body was warm and relaxed in a way I had never known. I remembered everything that had happened last night, how Levi's tongue had felt as it explored the secret parts of my body. How he had worked my flesh until my body exploded in a wash of pleasure.
I had never been able to explain myself, how I was holding out on becoming sexual because I had always felt like there was someone out there who would make my wait worth it. That no one really interested me sexually, until Levi. Or maybe David and Verity had broken me so completely with their humiliating betrayal that I was a completely changed woman.
It didn't honestly matter to me why I had changed so drastically. Not when everything in my life was feeling right. I felt like I was finally my own person, not a collection of spare parts for Verity, not the dutiful partner to David who kept putting her own needs to the side. I had always compromised on what I wanted somewhere. Not any more. I was going to get what I wanted now.
I liked this change. The sun was brighter, air clearer. The ache on my heart that I had thought I would carry forever after my wedding was stolen was gone. Replaced by a light, content feeling. It didn't make any sense, but everything just felt good in a way I had never experienced. This was the peaceful joy I hadn't felt on the wedding day.
I couldn't wait to move back into my comfortable loft. Levi said he owned the building, I let myself dream that maybe he lived in another unit or nearby. That he would be close to me always as whatever our relationship was, progressed until it ran its natural course.
I was giddy thinking about what would happen tonight. Tonight Levi would make love to me and sleep next to me all night. I felt my face flush, remembering the hungry look in his eyes as he asked to eat me out. How I saw fireworks and called his name as he wrenched a powerful orgasm from my body before tenderly cleaning me up and taking care of me. Tucking me into the bed with a kiss.
It was early, but I felt well rested after a solid night of sleep. I called down to the front desk, checking if any food had already been ordered to my room, after being told no requests had yet been made I ordered a breakfast platter and a bowl of mixed berries. While I waited for my breakfast to arrive I started to fill the large tub in the suite. Wanting to soak and relax my body before tonight.
A knock at the door announced breakfast had arrived, I said an internal prayer that it wouldn't be the bellhop who had called me a whore. I was not so lucky. My visage turned icy at seeing the cocky rude bellhop wheeling my cart of breakfast into my room. Looking at me up and down while I was only dressed in a hotel provided robe. I hated how he looked at me, he made me feel dirty and sullied.
A smooth smile crept up one side of his face, it wasn't a kind smile, "So how much does a night with you run sugar?"
I didn't say anything, I walked directly to the phone, calling the front desk. "hello, yes this is Merritt Stonem in room 323, yes Mr. Wallace's guest, I just wanted to let you know that," I eyed the name tag on his uniform, "Ryan the bellhop who delivered my room service offered to pay me for sex." I glanced back at the now pale bellhop as he ran from my room while the unfortunate desk clerk was trying to placate me on the phone, telling me security was on their way and Ryan had certainly breached his employment contract with his request and would be promptly terminated.
I thanked her profusely, for her quick response, and assured her I was OK, the offender had fled the scene. I just didn't want him propositioning other hotel guests who might not cope as well with such a grievous insult to their person.
Suddenly I found myself with the room comped, and a two hour booking at the on-site spa and salon. I smiled. I had never done anything like that in my life. The old me would have frozen, unable to think of what to do or say. Until he had just left, and never would have told anyone. Another sign of all the positive changes I was experiencing. All the bellhop had to do was be polite to me, everything would have been fine. Sex work was valid work, but asking a girl in a hotel room her rate is unacceptable.
I brought my breakfast to my waiting tub. Feeling like a princess as I ate while soaking in the big bubble bath. It felt like a ridiculously indulgent thing to do. I deserved it. Food gone, belly full, and most of a new trashy romance novel read on my phone, I left the cooling water getting dressed in yoga pants and a loose top to head to the spa.
I enjoyed the spa, I had a massage, a pedicure and a facial, before having a professional do my makeup, and another person did a blowout and styled my hair. It might have been a bit much, but it was free, and I wanted to look nice tonight. I thanked everyone and used my own card to grab some cash from a machine to tip everyone for their time. Manners, always important.
I headed back to my room, and found lunch, and several new outfits waiting for me. I smiled as I looked at the note from Levi, "I heard about your troubles, lunch is on me. Well arranged by me, the hotel refused my card.
I had some clothes selected since your own things wont be delivered to your apartment until later this evening.
Enjoy your afternoon.
Yours always, Levi"
I ate a reasonable portion of pasta, and a salad. Before washing my hands to look at what kind of clothes Levi would send for me to wear to enjoy an afternoon. I flicked through, seeing some excellent day dresses, and two beautiful jackets.
I picked a red day dress with long sleeves, and a fitted waist that flared into a full circle skirt. The Boat neck was classy and pretty . Matched with a royal blue long coat that had lovely little embroidered flowers and vines along the pocket and at the end of the sleeves. My black handbag wasn't the best match, but since the alternative was my uselessly tiny bridal pocket bag; black was the obvious choice. Soon I would have access to my full wardrobe, and the crooked ceilinged large closet of my loft.
The only place in my life where I had managed to find a little bit of joy, and I had it back. Tonight would be the start of new, happier memories. All thanks to Levi. Fed, dressed and looking significantly better than I ever had for just a normal day, I decided I wanted to strut out in public, feel sunshine on my skin and walk in fresh air.
Tucking the keycard into my bag and wearing my sensible flats from my overnight bag, I headed out. It was another warm fall day, the sun was out with a breeze that was cold on my skin, warning that snow and dark nights would be here soon. I hated winter, I liked to feel sunshine on my skin, and hated being cold or damp.
A couple dried crunchy leaves disintegrated under my feet, releasing the smell that could only be found in fall with dry decaying leaves. I picked up a hot chocolate from the first coffee spot I passed as I headed down towards the public gardens I had been able to see from my room. It was a perfect afternoon. The gardens were already well into being winterized, but there were lots of different trees and shrubs that were pretty in any season. Plus the geese, swans, and ducks were all still flocking in their respective ponds. I felt like what I imagined people meant when they described something as being like Grace Kelly. I felt like an American princess, just out walking the gardens and having a lovely day.
Cheeks red and rosey from the brisk winds, I headed back to the hotel to make sure I had packed up my handful of belongings from my overnight bag, and that the additional items from Levi were packed as well. Moments after the sunset, my phone buzzed with a message from Levi, all my boxes were already delivered to the apartment, and he was on his way to pick me up and take me home.
Levi arrived, a wide smile on his face as I opened the door, I watched as he looked me over, his eyes flickering between all the colors hidden in his hazel eyes. He looked hungry for me. I loved the way he made me feel with just a look. Making me feel wanted. He looked at me with reverence, nothing lewd or dirty. He picked up the single bag, and a hotel provided laundry bag for some of the clothes he had bought, and a garment bag for the nicer things. "Ready to go home love?" He asked, and I had never been more ready for anything.
Levi had a larger SUV, still in black which seemed to be his favorite color, he never wore anything else, and all the vehicles I had seen were black too. He loaded my small collection of things into the car, helping me step up into the higher ride, before getting into the driver's side beside me as I buckled up.
He made our way through town, meandering through side streets, not always taking the most obvious way, through some of the older parts of the city, until we were in a familiar neighborhood. My favorite hidden restaurants, the best corner stores in the area. The one really good grocery store. Finally coming to the row of colorful townhomes that had been further divided into apartments. Around the back, a small courtyard turned semi private drive was the entrance to my happy place. In between the stairwells to the main units, was a single door, down a short hallway were two doors one up a shirt flight of steps and one at the base. The lower level door I had always guessed was a maintenance door, to something for the buildings, I had never seen it open. The other, was my sanctuary.
Levi handed me the familar key, with a smile, I unlocked the door and it was just like coming home. The stairs up to the loft had a new storage space underneath them now instead of being open. All of my things from storage were here now, and I hoped the boxes of my memories would fit in the new space. The walls had been freshly painted. The furniture was simple, but looked nice and fit the space better than the random assortment of pieces I had been able to cobble together. The windows seemed to have been replaced or treated with something that made the light weird, but it was still my bright happy place.
"Go on love," Levi encouraged me, "Its your home, look around, if something doesn't suit just say the word and we can change it." I looked back at him. I loved how often he said we, instead of I or you. Ugh it was too soon, I was too messy, I could not keep deluding myself that these were real feelings. Just a rebound. Just a fling. Fun until it's done. No matter how right and wonderful it felt, this wasn't forever. I had to keep reminding myself. To protect myself from giving too much away ever again.
I went upstairs, a giant king size bed taking up the floor space, more pillows than I had ever seen in one place puffed and arranged in front of the tall intricate wrought iron headboard. "Nothing is unpacked, but all your things are here now." He called up the stairs. "I did have someone stock the kitchen with some basics to get you started and make sure you don't go hungry when I'm not around." His tone was light and teasing, but even the thought that he wouldn't be around made my breath hitch.
I went back to him, jumping up into his arms. He caught me easily as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. Holding me against his chest like I was weightless. "Thank you for taking me home." I said, as he set me down on my feet, his hand on my cheek tilted my face up as he pressed his lips to mine. Chaste and sweet.
"Anything to make you smile love." I was a gonner, I was falling for him. Hard, fast and completely. Levi quickly moved the boxes from my childhood into their new home under the stairs, before easily carrying the three boxes that held my wardrobe all at once up the stairs to the closet at the back of the lift bedroom. Everything else had already been done by whomever planned to make this a fully furnished short term rental for vacations or parties.
It was far nicer in here and better equipped than I would have ever been able to pull together on my own, especially now with my even more limited resources, and no support from anyone. While Levi set the boxes in the closet, I became distracted and caught up dreaming of how the sturdy bar height table would feel underneath me if I were splayed out on top, legs over Levi's shoulders while he ate me out like it was his last meal. It wasn't my fault, the man had long muscular legs and his behind made me drool as he walked up the stairs, muscles moving under his jeans.
"We should get dinner, do you fancy Filipino? Or maybe Spanish tapas tonight?" he said as he came back down the stairs.
I knew both the restaurants he was likely thinking of, there was a wide variety of multicultural shops and restaurants in walking distance, Pinoy Yum was a favorite of mine, he smiled when I told him that would be my choice.
He held up my coat for me, helping to put it back on. "You look ravishing tonight Merritt, red suits you" he purred in my ear as the jacket slipped over my shoulders. His deft fingers reached to do up the buttons as he held me close.
"I hope to be ravished tonight." I heard myself say, before I heard it out loud, my face burning red with embarrassment,
Levi sucked in a sharp breath, nostrils flaring, looking at me like he would eat me instead of the dinner we were heading out to, "All in good time sweet girl." he took me by the hand, leading me to the door, "I need to take care of you first, make sure you have the strength and energy for all the ways I am going to pleasure you tonight." a beautiful promise spoken with a dark glint in his eye.
All I could do was nod my head as I locked up my apartment, and we headed out into the night. The sky overhead had some clouds. The moon was out, but no stars could penetrate through the unnatural glow of the busy city. Even with the night air crisp and cold the sidewalks were still pretty busy. We were in the oldest part of town here, everything so close together with residential and commercial spaces spilling over each other. It was an easy neighborhood to live in. I was glad to be back.
Walking through the familiar streets, on Levi's arm was making my heart do funny little skips in my chest, while my panties grew more and more damp against my skin. I wanted him. I wanted to feel his skin under my hands, I wanted to taste him. I wanted everything Levi could give me and maybe more.
"Patience little dove. Food first." his nose was against my ear, breath fanning over my skin, "food first then everything your heart desires." I heard him take a deep breath in, like he was scenting my hair and the air around me. "I will make your body sing Merritt." I shivered with anticipation. It was going to be hard to get through dinner. I had never had these feelings, never wanted anyone or anything like I wanted Levi right now.