A Lifetime Romance Bk. 02 Pt. 03

And although there was absolutely no reason to think anything more about the situation then the way it was, it felt like I was somehow betraying my wife.

Nonetheless, short of not showing up at all there was no way around it. And Janey had ordered me to go but it was a frustrating state of affairs.

I had hired a car for the evening. I like Maybach 62s as an evening town car because they provide the sort of quiet, sensual luxury necessary to make the right statement.

I was driven the mile and half to the Ferstel Palace and I told the driver to be ready to pick me up when I called.

The gala itself was being held in the main ballroom of the Palace. It was a fund-raiser for UNICEF and even though I was the invited guest of the organizer herself, I thought it was appropriate to drop off a draft for ten thousand Euros at Reception.

This Reception was like the herald's station for a grand ball. There were very polite and white-gloved minions who took your invitation and discreetly steered you to a place at one of the tables that were set around the marble dance floor.

I told them to tell Emma that I was here.

With the floor to ceiling windows the place was a baroque wonder, even if it was actually only about 200 years old.

This whole evening was Emma's doing. I had to marvel at her ability to create the classiest kind of ambience.

I wandered up to the full mahogany bar and ordered a double Marillenschnaps in a snifter and drifted over to stand next to one of the windows.

Looking around at the gala crowd I could see that I was a long way from the taconite docks in Duluth. And the part of me that still doesn't believe his good fortune was waiting for some snooty butler to come along and "remove" me.

I felt more alone than I have been in twelve years.

Then I heard a sultry, smoky voice next to me say, "You, look like a guy who would like to meet a girl like me. Why don't we go someplace private and you can see whether I'm easy?"

I recognized the voice and my head snapped around in total astonishment. There she was in all of her spectacular glory.

My mind was so totally blown that it took me a second to even reboot it. But I tried to play it cool.

I said as casually as possible, "I was waiting around for the hottest woman on the planet and it looks like she just showed up,"

Then I gathered her in an embrace and kissed her with overwhelming need and passion.

~

Janey

Paul is a good-hearted soul and I know that he loves me. But I had spent far too many nights watching Emma in action to allow her to have any time alone with the love of my life.

He is the sort of guy who has no idea of his effect on women.

He thinks of himself as an out-of-place, hulking red-neck. While everybody else sees this very dangerous looking man in a tailored tux, with eyes that miss nothing and that will look right through you to the bottom of your soul.

James Bond himself should be so magnetic.

And I knew that Emma would make a play for him tonight. I was certain that nothing lasting would happen because I am sure that he is mine and mine alone.

But he is a man with no social grace whatsoever and the minimum I could expect would be that whatever actually occurred would be unpleasant, if not totally embarrassing to all of us.

I had accomplished what I had set out to do. My level-headed daughter was thoroughly and comfortably engaged back into the life that she had been living before our great adventure.

She was upstairs playing with her two best friends; who I might add were the daughters of local middle-class tradesmen, not the social elite.

Hilley is more of a populist than Eugene Debs when it comes to her friends and confidants.

She was re-enacting some of the things that had happened to her on her trip. And there was not even a mention of kidnapping.

I know that she was aware that something bad had happened. But as Hilda predicted Hilley knew that she had triumphed, right to the bottom of her brave little soul. And she would be stronger because it had not defeated her.

Ada, who had a touching reunion with Fritz her fiancé. She was fussing around Hilly as she always did.

Zeus was lounging imperiously on a bed that we had made up especially to accommodate his appliance. He looked like a cross between Vercingetorix and the famous Roman statue of the Dying Gaul.

I could tell that Paul was beside himself with apprehension and I was no more than an irritation to my daughter, who was already treating me like she usually does; basically like I was in her way. So I knew where my duty NOW lay.

I would have probably joined him sooner than later since it was clear that I was not needed at home any more. But given the situation with Emma I had something a little more dramatic in mind and it did NOT involve telling them that I was coming.

I chartered an airtaxi for the 300 mile flight to Vienna. The Bell 407 picked me up on the lawn and I was in my own room at the Sacher by 3 PM. I was planning a "surprise" for that evening.

I knew that Paul would be delighted. I was pretty sure that Emma would NOT be. Nevertheless, I wanted to make a point that neither of them would forget

I had guessed that Paul would finish his meetings around 4 PM and so I taxied down to the Ferstel Palace where the event was being held and made a "donation" from my own funds that guaranteed VIP treatment when I arrived.

That also kept me away from the lobby during the time I thought he would be wandering around down there,

Then, I made a couple of stops along the Jasomirgottstrasse to pick up some fashion accessories that I would need to complete my ensemble.

I assumed he would be leaving the hotel around 7PM and so I was slyly sitting in the Hotel's Blue Bar sipping Pernod and observing him as he exited.

He was dressed in a black tie ensemble that looked tailored for him. His blond hair shone like a halo above his rugged, deeply tanned face and his sailor's beard had been neatly trimmed.

But he did not radiate his usual confident jaunty self. Instead he looked like a Christian who was about to be fed to the lions. Without me there he probably would have been.

He got in a Maybach and was chauffeured off. It was an odd choice of transportation, one that made me wonder if he was not more under the spell of that woman than I had assumed.

I waited another fifteen minutes and took a taxi down to the Ferstel.

I had thought a lot about what I ought to wear and eventually decided on the classic tight black silk evening gown with my auburn hair piled up so that there was nothing but skin from my hairline down to the tops of my boobs.

I like my neck and shoulders. They are muscular rather than bony. My dress showed them off to their optimum.

I went with diamond earrings and the simple diamond necklace that Paul gave me on our first anniversary. It drapes nicely in my cleavage and the gold contrasts well with my coloration.

My boobs are bigger than Emma's. Hers just look bigger because she is so skinny. I wanted to make a point about that so I had the girls hoisted into two huge delectable mounds by a black bustier bra.

I had on a black a thong and garter belt contraption that held up my hose showed off my big round ass and protected my modesty without actually making anything unintended visible.

I had gotten all of that equipment on the Jasomirgottstrasse that afternoon.

The dress itself was classic length for evening attire, tight across my hips and ass but it had two slits up the side from my ankles to my hips. I wanted a flash of leg to appear as I walked. I know that my legs are my best and most unique feature and I wanted to use them.

I did the kind of makeup I rarely use on my eyes and cheekbones but I wanted to look my best tonight. I rarely outline my lips but I wanted to make them kissable.

I splashed on a liberal dose of the killer perfume that I buy from the little perfumery in the 1st Arronddisement. I have worn it all of the time we have been married and it reduces Paul to a little ball of lust. That was my general aim.

It also seemed to distract the cab driver. Since I didn't want to suffer the irony of being killed driving over to surprise my love I told the driver to keep his eyes on the road, not my chest.

I got the greeting I expected from Reception. They appreciated the donation to the point where they wanted to put me at the head table. Then they found out that Paul Larson was my husband.

Based on his donation I think that they wanted to hold a special ceremony as well. I told them that we were there to support UNICEF, not garner publicity.

I saw him the instant I came into the room. He was drifting away from the bar toward his usual position, which is lurking surreptitiously next to a wall.

He was looking very lonely and unhappy. I felt a pang of selfish joy that I had caused that.

I worked my way around out of his line of sight until I came up behind him.

Then, in my huskiest and smokiest voice I said something about seduction and how easy I thought I might be for the right man.

He turned startled. It was clear he had recognized my voice but it didn't compute. He actually stopped and gawked at me like I was an apparition.

His just standing there staring at me took me out of my game. So I ALSO just stood and gazed at him with a tentative smile on my face.

My little voice said, "Say something you idiot before he resorts to exorcism".

I said, "Well, are you happy to see me?" In response he absolutely crushed me to his barrel chest and I think there were tears in his eye.

I tilted my head back and he kissed me like he was 20,000 leagues under the sea and I was his oxygen supply.

It put a lot of things in perspective for me and it confirmed what I had suspected. He REALLY missed me.

~

Paul

I was feeling sorry for myself when I heard her voice. I had the momentary thought that I was hallucinating. Then I turned and saw her standing there. It simply blew my mind.

I just stood there with my mouth hanging open gaping like an idiot.

Had I summoned her through some form of superhuman teleportation?

The joy I felt and my love for this woman just soared out of the stratosphere.

And she was a vision of such superb beauty that it brought real tears to my eyes.

I have seen Janey dress for every conceivable situation. In all of those instances her appearance will range from fabulous to outright stunning.

But tonight she would have made Aphrodite the goddess of love melt with pure envy.

The dress she was wearing was some sort of silk thing that looked incredibly tasteful and expensive and which left her bare to the shoulders.

She has the highest, firmest and largest pair of tits a woman could ever ask for and she had hoisted her girls up to stunning proportions. The delectable mounds sticking up above the neckline of the dress were astonishing.

She was wearing some sort of contraption, that made it look like she was not wearing panties and at the same time nicely covered up all of the strategic spots.

The view of those magnificent buns twitching without the benefit of any form of cover was unspeakably moving to my male mind.

Janey has absolutely perfect legs and the dress that she had on was designed to show them off to their ultimate advantage as they appeared and disappeared in the swirling fabric.

She actually told me that that was a tactic she used to emphasize her sexuality. She knew that no man would miss the perfect musculature of those thighs or the shapeliness of those calves.

Her legs are so perfectly colored that she never needs to wear nylons. But in this case she had a black pair on that went just above the radically high cut slits of her dress and gave her legs a sparkle of mystery.

Her makeup was what was different about her though. Because of her bone structure and perfect skin Janey can go completely without makeup and look better than most women. I get used to seeing her that way.

However, when she goes all-out with those indescribably striking eyes and applies the other feminine touches to her face she has the potential to stop male hearts.

Apparently she was aiming for myocardial infarctions for the entire male population tonight, because she was so artfully made-up that her beauty made you want to weep.

Then you got close enough to her to smell her perfume. That was the final fatal touch. It works with her body chemistry in a way that should be outlawed by the Geneva Conventions.

Your first thought when it hits you is absolute and complete yearning.

I was probably snorting and pawing the ground as I stared at her. Then I gathered her into my arms and kissed her with all of the feelings of loneliness that had accumulated over the last two days.

That might have led to other things but she would not let me mess up her carefully done makeup. So she did a quick spin move out of my arms and headed toward Reception.

I followed in her wake watching those magnificent buns twitch. And bounding along like Pepe Le Pew.

Emma was waiting for us at Reception and she did not look pleased. She gave both of us a fake smile and said, "Janey, they told me you were here. How good of you to join us. And we can't thank you enough for the generous donation."

Her tone of voice actually seemed to say, "What the FUCK are YOU doing here!!?"

Janey said, "It was mine and my husband's pleasure." There was a heavy emphasis on the words, "MY husband".

"We want to support UNICEF's efforts any way we can. Children are the reason why Paul and I have been traveling around Europe together for the past two months". Again, there was a very heavy emphasis on the word "together".

"Our daughter was traveling with us but I had to take her back to our estate. Nevertheless, I couldn't wait to rejoin Paul.

"Thank you SO much for watching out for him while I was taking care of our child. I know he missed me while I was gone".

The emphasis on "our child" couldn't be overlooked as she gave my arm a proprietary squeeze smashing it between her weighty breasts.

This conversation was taking place in a highly refined and civilized manner, like the two of them were long lost friends who were absolutely delighted to see each other.

However, the subtext was more along the lines of a hair pulling, rolling around on the floor bitch fight between two broads in a biker bar.

I marveled at the sophistication and ferocity of the jungle that women live in.

Emma said, "Your donation qualifies you two to sit at the head table with me and the other dignitaries.

"Paul is my guest so he would have sat with me in any case. But you are welcome to join us".

The sweet smile she gave Janey looked exactly like a Bengal Tiger showing somebody its teeth.

Janey took my hand and said, "I want both of us to be seen as clearly supporting you. After all you are my best female friend. And since Paul would never sit anywhere EXCEPT next to me I accept your kind offer".

The threat was clear and she did everything to highlight it with the exception of actually flexing her claws in and out.

This was getting scary. It was the most cordial conversation that I had ever witnessed where death threats were implied.

To separate the two combatants I said, "Why don't we find our seats and I can get the two of you a drink."

They both turned to me brightly. I had the feeling that they were now thinking about sawing me in half and divvying up the spoils.

They both said almost simultaneously, "Pernod" and went back to looking at each other like a mongoose and a cobra.

I went over to the bar and ordered up another Marillenschnaps and two Pernods and headed toward where the two of them were taking their seats.

There was some more jockeying going on, but in the end they compromised and left the seat between them empty. The unspoken stares made it look like I was now sitting in their version of no-man's land.

Throughout this anybody looking at the two of them would have assumed that the world's most refined and pleasant conversation was taking place.

I made a note to myself to NOT forget that I was totally out of my league with those two.

Dinner was the usual drone of self-congratulatory speeches and ego stroking. The food was excellent, which seemed to be one of Emma's trademarks.

The two of them exchanged conversation around me along the lines of catching up, as well as establishing their position for further negotiation.

It was like I wasn't even there.

Then the tables were cleared and a DJ started setting up what looked like a bank of 2 million watt speakers. The room darkened and a series of spotlights in the roof came on highlighting the dance floor.

The Viennese ball was about to begin. Except, the music was not exactly a Straus waltz and this was clearly the 21st, not the 19th Century.

I was hit by a wall of techno sound that turned the elegance of the place into something else entirely.

Of course as soon as the music started my wife headed for the dance floor like the Pied Piper was playing lead guitar. And she didn't stop until she was spotlighted in the middle of the room.

She was out there with her arms over her head doing something with her hips that made you think of sultans and dancing girls and drifting sensual clouds of hashish smoke.

Janey never waits to be asked to dance. All she has to do is appear on the floor and she attracts partners.

Tonight, in a formal evening dress that covered everything but still left her amazing body for everybody to see, she actually had a couple of men stop dancing with their partners and follow her as she walked to the spot where she had decided to post up.

Knowing the perfume cloud she was trailing I could understand why.

Emma looked at me with a question in her eye and we both got up from our seats and made our way over to the bar. The crowd more-or-less parted as she walked along and filled in behind her.

All I could think of was Moses and the Red Sea. Except this version was a lot better looking than Charlton Heston or any of his Hollywood leading ladies.

I bought a pitcher of gin and tonic and we appropriated a table right next to the dance floor.

Janey was in the middle of the floor dancing with what appeared to be three guys simultaneously. The sound was deafening so talking was out of the question. It was also getting hot.

We hadn't been there 3 minutes when some 60 year old guy who looked like a former Eastern European Count asked Emma to dance.

She smiled at me with her eyes and went out onto the dance floor.

Her moves were nowhere near as polished and graceful as Janey's but they might actually have communicated more raw sexual promise.

I was doing what I normally do, which is to watch the people around me.

They were all my social superiors. That fact was for certain. Most of them were older than me but a few were mid-30s.

Oddly enough, the music was stuff I recognized. It was mostly the late '70s and '80s tunes that I remembered from my off-base military days.

Janey came over; after thoroughly demonstrating what the difference between an amateur and professional looks like.

She actually downed a drink. She was hot so she slammed the gin and tonic I had poured for her, which is a heavy dose of alcohol for her and then asked for another. She gulped that down and went back on the floor.

Emma appeared, with the same glow on. She asked me if I would buy another pitcher of gin and tonics. I said, "Sure".

The bar was a rat-race so I ordered three pitchers just to keep from having to go up there again. I drank another glass while Emma finished one of the pitchers.

I remembered what Janey had said about her problems with alcohol but she looked just fine to me.