Aristippus Ch. 09 - Grt Expectations

Chapter 9

Great Expectations

Lacey finally learns who her mysterious benefactor is.

NOTE TO READERS: This is Chapter Nine and the final chapter of The Aristippus. It is the story of a young woman attending a training retreat for the world's oldest profession. We strongly suggest that you read the chapters in order, as this is an actual novel, with thirty seven characters, seventeen of them having sex with each other. So, reading the chapters in order is important in experiencing the complete story. Following the novel's nine chapters, there will be nine or more appendices. Each of the appendices tells the back story of one of the women in the novel. The appendices are written in the first person, as they are all told in the women's own voices. And they can be read in any order. Please enjoy, and we look forward to your comments.

* * *

Lacey slept until noon on Sunday. No alarm, no schedule, no Nina, and no yoga. Lacey loved the retreat, but she was dead tired and more than ready for a long, deep sleep. And it felt so good. She wanted to keep up with the yoga and the meditation. But time was money, and she needed money. She went online to check her bank balance, and it only read $567.32. Not even half enough to pay her rent. And she had to eat, so the vacation was over. She had to get back to work - fast.

Picking up her Aristippus notebook, Lacey flipped to the page regarding building a website. She had forgotten the presenter's name, but luckily, Nina had made provisions for that very thing. His name was Jamie Nelson, and the page included his phone number and e-mail address. It also included numerous tips about web design and the four Ps of any good design - Product, Price, Place & Promotion. Sitting at her kitchen table, Lacey surfed dozens of sites promoting escorts. She quickly saw what Jamie was talking about. Many of them were clearly worldwide Pimp sites. Hocking overpriced hookers from around the world. And the ones exclusively advertising local LA girls were often cheap and sleazy looking. Many of them showed pictures of Asian girls who just screamed human trafficking, and Lacey wanted no part of that.

Realizing that she could do better, she immediately started making notes. The product was obvious, but how to present it tastefully? She needed pictures. Photos that showed her assets, as well as a peaceful, secure, and serene environment. Something that invoked Los Angeles but didn't show her face or give out too much information. As for price, she didn't know how to address that. She would need help there. Place, that was easy enough. But many ads were for in-call only. She wasn't ready for that either. She didn't want anyone to know where she lived. And besides, her place was a dump, and she wanted to portray a higher class of provider. Then there was promotion. Of course, this is what it's all about.

She knew she needed Jamie's help, and she needed it fast. It was Sunday afternoon, and he probably wasn't working. But she wanted to be first in line in case any of the other Aristippus girls called him. As she had his e-mail address, she wrote him a sweet note, asking for his help, and sending him some of her ideas.

He didn't instantly respond, and of course, she didn't expect him to. But now that she was fully rested, her anxiety and energy level were both at full volume. Pictures - photos, she thought to herself. She picked up her phone. "Vivian," she shouted as her friend answered.

"What?" Vivian answered in a groggy half-awake voice.

"What are you doing?" Lacey asked.

"Sleeping," Vivian answered. "Why, what are you doing?"

"I need pictures Vivian," Lacey blurted. "Can you come over; I need you to take some photos of me."

"What for?" Vivian said, still not fully awake.

"For my website, silly," Lacey mocked. "I need some sexy photos for my website."

"Alright," Vivian sighed. "Give me an hour."

"Oh, faster," Lacey whined. "The sun is setting, and I really need these today."

Thirty minutes later, Vivian was knocking on her door. "Okay, Norma Desmond, are you ready for your close-up?" Vivian teased.

"Yes, I am," Lacey responded. "And what took you so long?"

"Fuck you," Vivian joked. "I got here twice as fast as I said I would."

"Okay," Lacey laughed. "I guess the thought of seeing me naked did excite you."

"Lacey," Vivian said. "I've seen you naked dozens of times." Referring to the time when Lacey worked at the strip club.

"Yeah, but this time it's just the two of us," Lacey said with a wink.

"Okay - okay, what do you want?" Vivian said, still a little groggy from her afternoon nap.

"I need these for my website," Lacey said, still clearly excited. "Here, look at these on the internet. I've bookmarked some good ones. See, on the couch, on the bed, maybe just standing and looking out the window."

After viewing a half-dozen pages, Vivian said. "Lacey, none of these show the woman's face."

"I know; we can crop the pictures later. Right now, just take them full body," Lacey said as she handed Vivian her cell phone.

Vivian examined Lacey's iPhone and satisfied that it was new and had a good camera, started posing Lacey around the apartment. First, there were several with her sitting on the couch, some fully clothed and then some topless. Several with her legs open, but not quite revealing if she was wearing panties or not. Then to the bedroom, where Vivian took more than twenty shots of Lacey lounging on the bed. Most of those were fully naked, but not really crotch shots. "Leave something to the imagination," Lacey said.

After about forty shots, Lacey pulled her shorts back on, and over a couple of glasses of wine, the two girls reviewed what they had so far. "This is great," Lacey said, reaching for the bottle of cheap rosé and refilling both glasses. "But we need some outdoor shots."

"Want to go camping?" Vivian laughed.

"Let's go to the beach," Lacey exclaimed.

"It's almost four o'clock," Vivian protested. "And it's a Sunday."

"Well, that's great. There won't be that many people there," Lacey said, as she ran to her room to get her bikini. "And besides. It's summer, and the sun doesn't go down until after eight. Oh - oh, we could get some sunset pictures."

"It will take forty minutes to get there," Vivian protested - but to no avail.

An hour later, they found a parking spot on the Pacific Coast Highway, crammed two bucks worth of quarters into the parking meter, and walked out onto the beach. It was a glorious California evening. The sun was still relatively high in the western sky, but it was sinking fast. Lacey dropped her cover-up and ran for the surf. "Get some pictures," she cried to Vivian, who was still just admiring the view and breathing in the sea air.

For the next ninety minutes, Vivian got about fifty pictures of Lacey running through the surf, playing in the sand and a bunch of the typical model wannabe photos. They even got a couple shots of them together, taken by a nice older couple who were just walking the beach. But the best shots were taken just moments before sunset. Lacey dropped her top, and standing bare-breasted, Vivian got some awesome snaps of her silhouetted against the setting sun. And one in particular that they both loved, Lacey squatting, as if she were peeing. But with her bikini bottoms still on and the sun directly behind her. Her boobs were perfect, her hair was windblown, and the sun beautifully backlit her near-perfect frame. If she hadn't been topless, the picture could have been a magazine cover.

* * *

When Lacey woke up Monday morning, she realized that Jamie had already written her back. He was very excited and wanted to meet with her the same day. Jamie worked out of his apartment over in the East Hollywood area, which wasn't all that far away. Lacey was there at 2:00, as he requested, and she was bubbling with excitement. The downside was that websites are expensive. She had to get a domain name and web hosting site. That wasn't too expensive, but it did suck another $165 out of her bank account. Money she just barely had. Then there was the fee for Jamie's services. He made it clear that he couldn't take it out in trade, but he would be willing to let her pay him over time.

Lacey showed him her ideas and downloaded all the photos from her phone. He agreed on no face shots and said that he would crop all the images he used. He also loved the picture of Lacey squatting on the beach and that her body didn't have any identifiable marks - no tattoos or piercings. That saved her money and made his job easier.

They discussed the arrangement of the webpage for over two hours. Finally, agreeing on the opening page reading:

It is no accident that you have found me... You will gasp in excitement and exhale a sigh of relief upon meeting me. And you will soon discover that my alluring outer beauty transcends to my charming personality and sweet soul.

I am a beautiful, confident, and engaging young lady wrapped in a golden California Girl body. My ink-free silky-smooth skin with soft feminine curves, will impress your business associates, and charm your socks off once we're behind closed doors. I'm your very own lucky charm and clearly marked with the dimples of Venus and all that it encompasses.

I appreciate a well-groomed gentleman who adores women and is generous, respectful, and healthy. If that is you, treat yourself and e-mail me now. It all starts with a kiss and will leave you relaxed yet re-energized to conquer your world! This is what you've been seeking and the true enhancement to your reality!

Traveling man friendly, along with local and mature gentlemen. I will come to you at a finer hotel in the Southern California area. Also available for extended dinner dates, over-nights, and travel companionship.

Jamie suggested the dimples of Venus line, after seeing some of Lacey's photos. She had never actually seen them, as they were behind her. But in several of the photos, they were clearly apparent, and Jamie thought it would be a nice touch. And that covered three of the four Ps - Product, Place and Promotion. So on to price.

Lacey knew that many established girls advertised an opening price of a thousand dollars per date, or more. And many of the girls in the next tier down charged hourly. She wasn't comfortable with either. She hated the hourly rate, as it sounded too Blue Collar or pedestrian (street walker). She was looking more for the date night, GFE (Girl Friend Experience), with business class men. But she felt a thousand dollars a night was too much and might scare off eligible candidates. But due to her recent graduation from the Aristippus Retreat, she and Jamie agreed on six hundred per date. She normally only took one client per night anyway, which seemed about right. Besides, she could always charge more for extras. And some men still do tip for good service.

She had met with Jamie on a Monday afternoon, and by Wednesday morning, her website was up and running. He had texted her late Tuesday night, but she didn't see it until the next morning. She knew it was early, but she couldn't help herself. She punched in Vivian's number and just let the phone ring. "What?" Vivian finally said as she fumbled for her phone.

"Log on to Valleygirlprincess dot Com," Lacey squealed.

"I can't," Vivian mumbled. "I'm talking to you."

"Oh yeah," Lacey said, realizing that Vivian only had her phone. "Hang up, check it out. And call me back."

Four minutes later, Lacey's phone rings. "Oh my God, Lacey," Vivian shouts. "That's awesome."

"Come on over," Lacey said, so excited she was about to wet her pants - if she had only been wearing any.

Lacey started the coffee, and wearing only an oversized tee-shirt and flip-flops, ran across the street and stole a couple of sweet rolls from the neighborhood motel's continental breakfast bar. Vivian was there by the time the coffee was ready, and together they munched on the heisted Danishes and drank weak coffee while pouring over the website.

"This is awesome," Vivian said as they flipped back and forth through the several pages of her new site.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Lacey said, as she squeezed her friend.

"How much did this cost?" Vivian asked.

"Well, $165 up front, but I owe Jamie, the web guru, seven hundred dollars more," Lacey admitted.

"Can you take it out in trade?" Vivian joked.

Not realizing that Vivian was joking, Lacey sadly responded, "No, he made that clear before I even had a chance to ask him."

"Well," Vivian said, "I guess he has to make a living, and he probably already gets way too many offers."

"Exactly," Lacey confirmed. "But he is a nice-looking guy, and after I pay him off, I may have to just show him how much I appreciate his help."

As the two friends poured over Lacey's new website, they saw that Jamie had used the picture of Lacey squatting on the beach with the sun behind her. It showed her full body, but somehow, Jamie had darkened her face, so you couldn't recognize her. It almost looked natural, as if the photo had been under-exposed. He then added a variety of other alluring, yet tasteful photos.

Then, at the back, he added a Contact Me form. It must have been similar to other girls' websites, as it had a standardized look to it. It required the client's full name, cell phone number, e-mail address, hometown, and occupation. Lacey hadn't really thought about this before, and as she read it, she realized the advantage of hiring a professional to help her with her page. This way, her phone number was nowhere on the site. The only way to contact her was through this portal. And that gave her a way to verify who they were for her safety.

After finally getting dressed in a pair of Daisey Dukes and a bare-midriff top, Lacey and Vivian went out for a real breakfast. Sitting at McDonald's and munching on Egg McMuffins, the two girls were glued to their phones, reading and rereading Lacey's new website. As noon approached, Vivian finally said, "Lacey, I've got to go to work."

"Are you dancing today?" Lacey inquired.

"Yes, I promised Jorge I would work lunches all week," Vivian said, as she crushed her McMuffin wrapper into a ball.

"Is Jorge still there?" Lacey asked. "I thought he got fired."

"No, he's still there. They just demoted him to the day shift," Vivian said as she tossed her wrapper toward the trash can - and missed.

"Why do you still work there?" Lacey asked. "You can't make any money working days. Why don't you join me? It would be fun, and we could tag-team these guys."

Vivian laughed, "I don't know, girlfriend. Let's see how well you do. Then I'll think about it." She bent over, kissed Lacey on the cheek, and headed out the door after picking up her trash that missed the can.

Lacey sat studying her cell phone for another ten minutes, before getting up, flirting with a cute guy in the next booth, and then slowly walking home. Her phone's battery was just about dead, so she stuck it in her back pocket as she was walking. But just as Lacey approached her apartment, she felt it ding. She pulled it out, and glancing at the screen, realized it was a response from her website.

She bolted up the stairs to her apartment, three steps at a time. She was so excited; she couldn't stand it. Flipping her laptop open, she clicked on the Gmail icon and jumped from foot to foot while it opened. The very top e-mail was from her web hosting site. Apparently, when anyone responds to her Contact Me form, it goes through the hosting site. Which Lacey realized was a great advantage, as it further protected her identity.

Valleygirlprincess:

Hi, I couldn't help but notice your charming invitation to contact you. I'm here on business for a couple of days. I'm staying at the InterContinental downtown and would love some company for the evening. I'm in my mid-fifties from Salt Lake City, and I think I more than met all of your other requirements. I hope to hear from you soon.

His name was Philip Newquist, and he provided his cell phone number and e-mail address. For his occupation, he simply listed Hospitality Consultant. Shit - that could mean anything, Lacey thought. But this was her first response, and she was so excited. Lacey immediately Googled his name. Apparently, Philip Newquist was a little more common than she had expected. But searching the Online White pages, there was a Philip Newquist listed for Salt Lake City, and it listed his age as fifty-four. Well, that's mid-fifties, Lacey thought.

There were several Philip Newquist on Google Images, but none that were clearly him. She went to LinkedIn and Facebook, but there were multiple listings, and if she tried to friend any of them, he would know it was her. So, she was satisfied that she had done her due diligence. She would ask for a selfie at the last minute. But that was just one final check before they met face-to-face.

She started to immediately write him back but figured it would look better if she waited for a few minutes - maybe even an hour. She didn't want to look too eager. Dropping her Daisey Dukes right there on the kitchen floor, and throwing her top on the bed, she raced for the shower. She quickly lathered her whole body and slowly ran her soapy hands over every crack and crevice. She just felt so sexy. It wasn't like the Aristippus, where she was in a class, performing for a grade. This was the real thing. This is what she really wanted to do and the way she wanted to do it.

Wrapped in a towel, with another towel tightly wrapping her hair., Lacey sat at her kitchen table and composed her response:

Hi Philip, thank you so much for your sweet note. Actually, I'm available tonight if that works for you? I'm familiar with the InterContinental, and I could meet you in the lobby lounge at 7:00. If that's good for you, please text me at (213) 555-6869. I hope to see you then.

She reread it several times before hitting send. It went back through the website's server, so she didn't have to use her own e-mail address. But she had now offered her personal cell phone number, a number she has had since high school. But she felt good about it. She wasn't giving out anything she hadn't given out hundreds of times before. And besides, she had a good feeling about Philip.

Lacey texted Vivian the good news, but never heard back. She wasn't surprised. For if Vivian were working at the club, her phone would be in her locker, and she probably wouldn't be able to check it until she was ready to leave. The day shift at the club wasn't over until seven, when the night girls came on duty. So, it was very likely they would miss each other.

Lacey poured over her wardrobe, trying to decide what to wear. Ultimately deciding on a black leather miniskirt and black and gold paisley top. Staring in the mirror, she debated whether it looked too slutty or not. The top was form-fitting and sleeveless. But it had a high rounded neckline, and she had worn it while cruising for guys before. Finally deciding it looked good, she added black stockings and mid-high heel sandals. Her mother's gold chain necklace finished her ensemble and reminded her that she needed to return the necklace before her mother realized it was missing.

* * *

The parking garage cost her another six dollars, but she was about to make six hundred, so she considered it a wise investment. As she approached the door leading from the parking garage to the lobby, she remembered that she was supposed to text Philip for a selfie. At the last minute, she sent the text and waited for a response. One minute went by, then two, then three. She was starting to get nervous when suddenly her phone dinged. For some strange reason, he looked exactly like what she expected, down to his crew-cut hair and meticulously trimmed beard. She stopped for a moment. Do I know this guy? she wondered. She studied the picture on her phone for a few more seconds and decided that she didn't. Maybe his description of himself had been too accurate. Or perhaps it was the Salt Lake - Mormon thing. But he was a handsome guy, there was no doubt about that.