Erika Blossoms Ch. 22-25

I reluctantly returned to my room to get ready for my date.

I dried my hair and put on my makeup -- just a little heavier on the eyeliner than usual -- but went pretty light on everything else. My lipstick was the exact shade of my new red-orange dress.

I liked the effect. My green eyes blazed out from under my bangs. My lips looked full and natural. I had cheekbones.

I pulled out an unopened pair of the Wolford pantyhose -- nude color -- and pulled them up my long, sleek legs, feeling a little decadent in them. They are sheer and feathery light, but substantial. I couldn't imagine why wearing pantyhose had gone out of style. They are so feminine and feel so nice. And oh my, what they do for my legs and ass is nearly criminal.

I had decided beforehand to forego the panties. If he wants me tonight and plays his cards right, he will find me willing.

I opened the box with my new dress, and heard my phone go off with a text message coming in. I picked it up and looked. It was from Mr. Jackson. It read "Look out your window."

I went to my bedroom window and looked out. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, so I went out to the front and looked down to the street in front of the building.

There was a limousine parked in front of the building. The driver was standing on the sidewalk holding a sign that read "Ms. Thomas".

I squealed. "Jana, come here!"

Jana came running out half dressed in the cutest little panty and bra set I had ever seen. Her makeup was immaculate. Her hair put up elegantly atop her head. "What?"

I pointed. She looked. I held up my phone for her to see the text. She looked back down at the street.

"Oh. My. God."

She looked at me.

"Incredible."

She didn't say another word and walked back to her room shaking her head.

I texted Mr. Jackson back, "Is that for me?"

Immediately. "Yes, I thought it safest in the event that we have a drink or two. Can't have a DUI, now can we."

My reply. "So very thoughtful." I looked at the clock. "I'm nearly ready, but it's a bit early..."

Immediately. "Any time you wish."

I walked back to Jana's room. She was struggling to zip up her dress that was about half a size too small. It was a glittery pale blue that fit her like a smack in the mouth. Her generous bosom sat in it perfectly -- not too tight, not too lose -- and her hips and ass were poured in. It wasn't revealing at all, but the fit left little to the imagination.

I reached over and zipped her dress up.

She looked like a wet dream.

"Incredible." I said. "Tony will never know what hit him."

She looked up and smiled. "Thank you, Ladybug. You are going to kill Jack. He will take one look at you and just simply fall over dead. There is too much beautiful to take here." Her eyes were sparkling at me.

"Well. I guess I'm off then." Looking deeply into her eyes.

"Have a wonderful time." Her eyes, unflinching.

"You too." I turned to walk out.

I stopped before I reached the door.

"I don't think I can do this." I said, not turning around.

"Yes you can. I want you to. You want to. It's the next right thing for you."

"I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"Messing this up. Messing us up."

"I love you and want the best for you, whatever that is."

"I'm trying to... to know that."

"You do. And you love me and want the best for me, whatever that is."

"Yes, I do."

"So let's figure out what that is." She walked around to face me. She lifted my chin gently and looked into my eyes. Her eyes impossibly, deeply blue. "Don't be ruled by your fear. Face it. And then we'll face tomorrow together, come what may."

"Let go of this. Don't let fear hold you back. Face your future with your chin up and your heart free. I put no claim on you." she said. "Nothing can happen tonight that will make this go away." She pressed her palm over my heart in what was a surprisingly intimate gesture.

I took a deep breath. "I don't know if I can be so generous if the situation is reversed. If you fall in love with someone, what if I can't let it go? What happens then?"

"You will never, ever have to let me go."

She pressed my palm to her chest, over her heart.

"I promise."

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE -- Saturday night

I walked up to the limo driver. "I'm Ms. Thomas."

"Right this way, miss." He was an older man, about 60 I guessed. I couldn't help but see his smile as he looked at me.

He opened the door for me and I climbed in the back. Once inside and seated, I looked around. Three roses in a box on the seat next to me. I opened the box and read the card. "My lady's presence makes the roses red, because to see her lips they blush for shame." Shit.

I was already an emotional twit, and now this, the perfect card.

I looked out the window as the city slid by. I was excited, scared, nervous and happy, all at the same time, and my libido was bouncing around inside me like an excited puppy.

Time to make some decisions, I told myself, I am a strong, confident woman in charge of her life.

I decided that I would believe Jana, and that come what may, we'll be fine.

I decided that I would have fun and enjoy myself tonight.

I decided that I was going to get laid tonight if the opportunity even hinted at presenting itself.

I decided that I was going to do everything in my power to see that a hint presented itself.

I saw the window between myself and the driver slide down silently.

"Ms. Thomas, there is a bottle of champagne chilled in the little compartment there in front of you, or if you prefer, a glass of chardonnay."

"Thank you." I decided that I would pass on any alcohol for now.

I suddenly realized that I had no idea where Mr. Jackson lived. I guess that I had assumed that he lived in one of the upscale neighborhoods on the west side of town, but we were heading south.

I watched the city, and then the suburbs, pass behind us. We were out in the rural area on a sparse two lane road. I looked at my phone. It was nearly 7:00. I hoped that I wouldn't be late.

Shortly, we pulled off the road onto a smaller road. It twisted and turned for several miles, not passing a single house. Woods and fields passed behind us.

We rounded a corner and a house came into view. It was a mid-century modern with a flat roof and windows that ran from floor to ceiling. The sinking sun hitting it from the west. It was smaller than I expected.

I was surprised. From the rural setting, I was expecting a more traditional farmhouse kind of place.

It looked well kept, but not fussed over. I could see that the house was perched on the edge of a hill, the back yard dropped out of view, rising again about a mile distant with a tree-covered rolling hill. To the left about 150 yards away, was a large barn.

There was a circular drive way. We pulled in. The driver hopped out and opened my door. As I stepped out, I saw Mr. Jackson standing in the doorway. He was holding a highball glass of amber liquid.

He walked down the wide porch steps to greet me, smiling boyishly.

He was dressed simply in khaki's and a white oxford. He was barefoot.

He walked up, took my hand, and bowed over to kiss the back of it.

Remembering Jana's lesson, I curtsied. I felt the roughness of his hand in mine. My libido was percolating happily.

"Erika, welcome. I thrilled that you are here."

"Thank you. I'm thrilled to be here." I tried to give him a dazzling smile through my nervousness.

Without dropping his hand, I pulled him closer and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, lingering for just a moment. He smelled wonderful. Clean and masculine, with just a hint of wood smoke on him.

I noticed that he had a pretty substantial bandage on his hand. "What have you done to yourself Mr. Jackson?" indicating the bandage.

"Erika please, call me Jack." he said with an exasperated smile. "This is nothing. Just a little scratch from a recalcitrant exhaust manifold."

I took his bandaged hand. It was bleeding and the blood had seeped through the bandage.

"Let me see."

"First, let me look at you." He raised his hand, somehow spinning me around like we were on a dance floor as he did. A pretty neat trick I thought.

"I do not have strong enough words to adequately describe how beautiful you are tonight. You are a vision. And seeing you now, I fear I am under-dressed."

I blushed and smiled. "Let's go in so I can take a look at that cut."

The limo driver gave a little cough. "Rupert, that will be all for now."

"All right. I'll be in my apartment when if need me." He walked toward the barn after giving me a little wink.

"Rupert has an apartment in the barn." he explained.

He turned and offered his elbow. I took it and we walked into the house. The last rays of the sun were streaming in almost horizontally. It was dramatically beautiful on the blonde wood floors and the eclectic collection of furniture.

"Your home is beautiful."

"Thank you again. I believe, after seeing you, that I should dress more appropriately. If you will excuse me for a moment."

"I will not excuse you, not until I've had a look at that hand."

I took his hand and led him toward the kitchen.

"My father is a mechanic, and I've tended these kinds of cuts a zillion times." I explained as I removed the clumsy bandage. It was a jagged, ugly gash across the back of his hand.

"Oh my. This is an ugly one. Where is your first aid kit?"

He looked at me, grinning boyishly.

"In the bathroom off of the bedroom. Last door on the right." He nodded toward the hall.

"You wash that thoroughly. Lots of soap and water. I'll be right back."

I walked down the hall, my shoes click-tapping on the hardwood floors.

The bedroom door was closed. I opened it and went inside. Everything was neat and tidy. I went to the bathroom. It looked and smelled clean. I found the first aid kit sitting open on the bathroom counter. I closed it and returned to the kitchen.

He was just drying his hands. The cut was bleeding.

I wash and dried my hand and dumped the entire kit out on the counter. I picked out three of the smaller band-aids and opened them.

"Scissors?"

He pointed to one of the drawers. I reached in and picked out the kitchen shears. I used them to cut divots out of the small band-aids, leaving only a thin strip where the gauze pad was.

"Put your hand down flat on the counter." I slathered antibiotic ointment on the cut.

Then, I used the altered band-aids to pull the cut together and hold it that way.

"This will hold the cut together and let it scab over quickly. It also makes it heal faster and not leave such an ugly scar." Then I used a gauze pad with tape to cover the entire area.

"There. That's how we do this." I picked up his hand and gave the gauze pad a little kiss. "And that's to make it feel better."

Feeling bold, I turned his hand over in mine, leaned down and kissed his palm, and then kissed his wrist. I let the kiss on his wrist linger a minute and even gave it a little suck.

I straightened up and smiled at him. "All better?"

He was looking at me with undisguised wonder. "Yes. Amazingly better. Thank you."

We stood there awkwardly for a moment. He quickly recovered. "I believe that I will go and dress more appropriately if you don't mind."

"Jack, you look fine."

"No, it's not gentlemanly of me to be so casual when you look so elegant."

He gave a little bow and walked back toward his bedroom.

"Feel free to look around." he said over his shoulder. "I'll just be a few minutes."

I suddenly noticed the most delicious smell. "What smells so delicious?"

"You'll see soon enough."

I walked out to the main room and looked around. The floor plan was open, so that the kitchen, dining and living space were all one room. It looked like two or three bedrooms down the hall at the opposite end.

There was a small fire burning in the fireplace in the middle of the room, even though it wasn't cold out. The décor was eclectic, but tastefully done. I walked around the room looking at the prints hanging on the walls. Etchings and woodcut prints, from what I believed were mostly well known artists. I vaguely recognized most of the names, but printmaking wasn't my strongest artistic suit. Some of the names I didn't have a clue about.

I walked to the large windows overlooking the back yard. The view was gorgeous. The back yard dropped off dramatically -- not quite a cliff, but steep. It would be a chore to scramble down. At the bottom of the little valley was a creek. The other side of the creek rose more gently than this side into a rolling meadow that ended with a pretty little wooded hill, beyond which I could see no more. The sun was almost set and the falling sunlight had lit up the meadow in a brilliant blaze of yellow and green.

It was breathtaking.

Tearing myself away from the view, I continued my inspection of the house. On the opposite end of the house from his bedroom, there were a couple of doors, both open.

I walked over and looked inside the first one. Clearly a guest bedroom. The odd thing about it was that there was a little antique wooden crib in the corner.

The second doorway opened to a small landing and a wide, cast iron, circular stairway. The house has a second story, open to the back of the house that you can't see from the front.

I was trying to decide to go down when I heard Mr. Jackson -- Jack -- walk back in.

I turned to look. He was wearing a tuxedo. An expensive, perfectly fitted tuxedo.

He stopped, spread his arms open, turned his head a little and smiled as if to say 'Taa-daa'.

"Oh my. Very dashing!" I beamed. I looked down and he was still barefoot. He saw me looking and wiggled his toes. I covered my mouth and giggled.

"Can't let things get too formal." he smiled.

He walked to the kitchen and put on an apron. "Can I get you something to drink? I have nearly anything you could want."

"How about a Manhattan?"

"Excellent choice. One Manhattan coming up."

He mixed and brought it over to me where I had settled on the couch and handed it to me with a little bow and a big smile. I had kicked off my heels, turned sideways on the couch and my long legs were stretched out in front of me. I saw him take more than a peek.

My libido noticed too.

He walked back to the kitchen. "Let me check on a few things here and we'll go for a little walk."

He rustled around the kitchen for just a minute or so and returned to where I was sitting.

He offered his elbow.

I very carefully swung my legs off the couch and stood beside him, hooking my hand in his elbow and covering it with my other hand. He escorted me down the stairs.

There were two rooms, the entire wall facing the valley was glass. One room was a small, neat office with a tidy desk, a computer and a small couch. A door at the back promised a bathroom, or maybe even a laundry room.

The larger room was a den. The den looked like the room he spent the most time in. There were neat stacks of magazines, a big TV on one wall, what looked like an expensive stereo, complete with a turntable. A very comfy looking, but ugly recliner, a rocking chair, a large L-shaped couch in one corner. More etching and engravings lined the three walls that weren't glass.

"My little man-cave." he explained.

Outside the oversized sliding glass doors, there was a large deck with several Adirondack chairs, a couple of chaise lounges and a covered hot tub.

My libido pointed out the hot tub to me.

"This is perfect timing." He picked up my hand and led me to out to the deck.

The valley lit up like neon. The spring colors blazing as we watched the shadow from the hill that the sun was dipping behind race across the valley.

'Please kiss me, please kiss me, please kiss me' my libido was begging him.

I felt him tug on my hand.

He led me down the wide steps of the deck. A little footpath stretched out before us.

We walked on the soft grass in our bare feet, holding hands. I was in heaven.

The little path rounded a corner and climbed gently toward the barn. I could see from this viewpoint that the barn was also two stories, the second story dug into the side of the hill overlooking the valley.

In one final burst of blazing color, the sun sank behind the hill to the west. It was dusk.

We walked into the bottom story of the barn through a set of sliding doors like the ones at the house.

We entered into a little office that immediately reminded me of my father's office at the garage. The desk was stacked with papers and magazines and catalogs, along with a computer and a phone.

"Rupert's office." he explained.

At the back of the office was a door that I assumed was Rupert's apartment.

We climbed the stairs to the top story. The stairs opened into a very large space.

One side of the barn was dominated by what I immediately recognizes as a working garage. Several antique cars in various states of undress were parked neatly against one wall. Another was on a hydraulic lift. There were a couple of very old looking motorcycles parked in one corner. New and modern tools were lined against one wall.

"My father would love this place." I finally said.

"That's right, he owns a couple of repair shops, doesn't he?"

I nodded. I pulled his hand up and turned it palm up. "This is why your hands are so rough." I dragged my fingertips across his palm.

"I spend more time than I should out here. Rupert and I have a little business restoring old cars. Rupert does most of it."

"It's beautiful." I said, looking at his hand.

I looked up at his face. He was blushing.

He recovered again and gently pulled me around. The other, smaller side of the room had a couple of antique hand presses -- the kind you make engraving prints on, a large drafting table, a couple of easels and art materials of all kinds.

"My other time killer."

I walked over.

"You're an artist..." I said softly.

"I had a double undergrad degree. Art and History. Still not sure how I ended up in law school."

I was speechless. There were depths to this man that I had never imagined. I turned to face him, determined to make him kiss me.

I heard a door open on the other end of the garage. I looked over his shoulder and saw Rupert emerge. He didn't notice us at first.

"Hello Rupert." Jack said.

Rupert looked up, surprised. "Oh, pardon me. I didn't know y'all were up here."

"It's fine. Just taking a little tour of the place."

"I was going to work on the '63 a little." indicating a little roadster.

"Good man. Dan has been bugging me about when we're going to finish it up. I got the starter put in earlier."

"It's about done then." Rupert said. "I'll check the timing and the dwell, and he can come and get it."

Jack held my hand and started walking over to the other side of the shop.

"You don't see many '63 Cobra's in this good a shape." I said.

Rupert looked at me like I had two heads, and then looked at Jack and grinned. "Well, aren't you full of surprises!" looking back at me.

"My father is a mechanic." I smiled.

Jack had walked around to the front of the Cobra and was peering under the hood.

"We need to make sure the points are set too. I'm not sure what we did when we dropped the distributor in it." He said from underneath.

I leaned in close to Rupert and whispered, "I'm not going to need a ride home tonight."

An enormous grin broke out over his rugged face. He raised his hand between us and crossed his fingers.

"Jack, what in heavens name are you doing under the hood of that car when this beautiful young lady is obviously starving to death?"

Jack looked up over the hood. "Of course! Where are my manners?"

He walked back over and offered his elbow. "Shall we?"

I took his arm, and gave Rupert a wink as we walked out.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR -- Saturday Night