Meeting James Ch. 01

My mind started whirling. It was Saturday afternoon and I thought of everything that I needed to get done before Monday. Damn, I had already wasted half the day sleeping. I thought of trying to sneak out of the hotel room, but, just my luck, all of my stirring had woken James.

"Good morning," he said, smiling at me.

"Good morning," I said shyly, pulling the sheet up to my neck, making sure my naked body was covered.

"Listen, I had a great time last night, but I need to figure out where my clothes are so I can get home," I said in a mortified tone.

My whole body was sticky from the sweat and I didn't want to think about what else it was probably sticky from. I knew I was a mess and I probably smelled like I had been having sex all night.

"What's your hurry? I don't want you to think I'm running you off," he said smiling.

"No, it's not that. I have a million things I need to get done before classes on Monday and I'm sure you have things you need to do as well. I don't want to get in your way," I said, looking down shyly.

Why couldn't I have just got up a half-hour ago and snuck out while he was still asleep. Now he's awake and I have to pay the piper, God, how mortifying.

"Nonsense", he said. "Why don't you get a shower and then we'll get breakfast, err, um, lunch," he said, looking at his watch and realizing the time, "we have things we need to discuss."

I smiled at him. "First, the only thing I have to wear is that wadded up cocktail dress in the corner. Second, I don't really think we have much to talk about."

He smiled confidently. "First, we have a lot to talk about. Second, by the time you've showered, I will have solved the clothes problem."

I thought about my options. I could either do the walk of shame wearing a dirty thong and wrinkled cocktail dress all the way to the cab stand outside of the hotel, with everyone I came in contact with in the Paris knowing I had just woken from a night of what turned out to be really great sex. Or, I could take a shower, hopefully put on some clean clothes, get something to eat (my grumbling stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten in the last fourteen hours) and salvage a little dignity from the previous evening's activities.

I finally relented and agreed to eat lunch with him, provided I didn't have to wear the same clothes I wore the night before.

About half an hour later I felt human again. I was scrubbed clean and at the very least, looked presentable. I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped outside the bathroom and saw a large shopping bag from Victoria's Secret on the bed.

"I've never been that great at picking out women's clothes, so I hope you like them," I heard James call out from the bathroom, that must have been located in the other bedroom in the suite.

I started taking the clothes out the bag. I found pink gym pants with matching pink socks; a white cotton thong and matching sports bra, a white athletic t shirt, a grey hoodie, and short brown Ugg boots. My jaw dropped open, how did he get all of this in the time it took me to shower, I wondered.

I stepped out into the great room of the suite wearing my new clothes and James met me with a smile. He cleans up nice, I thought to myself, admiring his tight blue jeans and pressed white collar shirt.

I returned his smile and asked, "How did you manage to get all of this, in my size no less, in a half hour?"

"I've learned that when you tip the concierge really well, he can perform miracles," he said laughing. "Now let's get going. You look beautiful, and you must be starving."

I listened to James talk between bites as I silently ate my chicken Caesar salad. He had picked a small and relatively secluded Parisian themed cafe for us to dine. He told me that he normally stayed at the Bellagio. However, one of his close business associates helped to organize the charity fund raiser last night, and his friend expected him to attend and make a sizeable donation, so it was easier to stay at the Paris for this trip.

He asked detailed questions about the classes I was taking this semester and he marveled at how the undergrad business program had changed since he attended USC. He was at ease making small talk and although I got the sense that he was genuinely interested in my college courses and my life in general, it felt like he was holding something back, an important subject that he had yet to broach with me.

As the waiter cleared the dishes from our table and refilled our wine glasses, James' face turned serious as he looked into my eyes.

"Melanie, I want to see you again when I'm in Las Vegas next month."

I looked down, flustered at his statement.

After collecting my thoughts, I said, "James, I can't imagine what you must think of me. We meet and a couple of hours later I'm in your bed. I know you might not believe me, but last night was something I've never done before with a man. It was an amazing night, probably the most amazing night of my life, but what we did last night isn't going to happen again. It was a one-time thing"

It broke me up inside to see the hurt look in his eyes. Like a little boy who had just lost his puppy. He looked down, his confidence clearly shaken.

"I shouldn't have expected a pretty young college girl like you to want to spend time with me. Hell, I'm old enough to be your father and then some."

My eyes widened as I processed his words.

"James, my decision not to see you again has nothing to do with your age, or how you look. My life is a mess, and even though I've built a nice façade for you over the past twenty-four hours, there is a lot about me you don't know."

His expression lightened once he learned that my not wanting to see him again had nothing to do with his age or appearance.

"Has anything you told me been a lie up to this point?" he said, looking seriously into my eyes.

I gasped, "Of course not."

"Then fill in the details of your messed up life for me," he said, as a smile returned to his face.

I let out a low sigh. I didn't even like to think about my problems, much less admit them to myself, and now I was about to air my dirty laundry to someone I hardly knew.

I looked down, trying to collect my thoughts, thinking of the best way to proceed.

"James, I've only been in college for a year and a half, and I already have a mountain of student loan debt. The lease is up on my apartment and my roommate is moving in with her boyfriend, so in another month I'll probably have to move back into the dorm, because I can't afford to pay the rent by myself. I drive a beat up Honda Civic that my parents bought me when I turned sixteen and it's on its last legs. The dress and shoes that I wore last night maxed out my credit cards, but I didn't have the heart to tell my friend I couldn't go with her because I didn't have anything nice enough to wear. I am probably the most proud person you will ever meet, and a couple times a month I have to call my parents and beg them for money."

At this point I could feel the tears start to well up in my eyes and I felt like a foolish child for unburdening my soul to someone I barely knew.

"And don't think I told you this to get your sympathy, because I'm not asking for it and I don't want it," I added.

He tried to force back a smile, then his expression quickly changed to concern when he saw that I was about to cry from my revelation.

"I can't see you again James, because my friend Sue is going to help me get a job where she works and as much as I'd really like to, between my studies and working, I simply won't have the time to see you when you are here."

"What type of job is she going to get you?" he said, looking into my eyes with concern.

"She's a cocktail server at the Rio," I replied. "She has arranged an interview next week for me with her boss."

"I don't want to further upset you, but can I suggest an alternate plan?" he said.

Without really thinking, I said, "all right."

"I come into town once, sometimes twice a month. If you'll agree to see me, more specifically agree to stay at my hotel with me, I'll take care of whatever you need and I can solve some of these financial problems that seem to have you so upset."

My jaw dropped as my mind started to understand the type of arrangement he was suggesting.

He broke the silence with another question.

"Melanie, you told me last night you had a 3.8 GPA and that your advisor has already suggested that you consider an MBA program or Law School, once you've completed your degree, right?"

"That's correct," I said, my mind still racing.

"Do you honestly think that your GPA will remain that high if you are working a part time job? I know you have big aspirations, and I'd like to help you achieve them.

Silently, I considered his last statement. I was pretty sure I could keep my GPA even with a part time job, but all of my spare time would be devoted to academics. I had come to the realization that my life of clubbing and partying would come to a quick end once I started working, or I knew my grades would suffer.

"I don't want to sound condescending or self serving, but you have the rest of your life to work Melanie. I'm offering you an opportunity that few college girls your age will ever have. You'll have time to do the things you want. To study and maintain your grades, while still enjoying the club life that you told me you love. And if we do this right, every time I'm in town can be like last night for both of us, only better."

I looked into his eyes, and I could feel his words winning me over. I had always been a good judge of character. When something wasn't right, I felt it. With James, I felt at ease. That was worth everything to me and I knew this idea of his was worth considering.

"I need you to listen to me Melanie," his words snapping me back into reality. "I want to be upfront with you, even if what I'm about to tell you queers this deal."

I smiled at him. Queers this deal? That was the first time I had ever heard the word queer used in that context. It's going to be different being with an older man I thought.

"Yes James Dear, I'm listening," I said sweetly.

He gave me a mock stern look. He could tell I was joking, but I made a mental note not to tease him that way until he got to know my sense of humor better.

"I'm married and I have two young children" he said softly.

My heart sank. I sensed that there was a woman in his life. I was hoping that when he was ready, he'd tell me that he was divorced. The last thing in the world I wanted to hear was that he had a wife and children.

"I understand," I said, and I knew he could see the look of disappointment on my face.

"After our second child was born my wife lost interest in having sexual relations with me. Now we only have sex a couple of times a year and even when we do, it's not that good. I've tried everything to change the way she feels, but nothing has worked." He looked down, unable to look into my eyes as he continued, "My children mean the world to me, and I love them dearly, and I'd never put them through a divorce. So whatever happens between us, I want you to know that I'll never leave my wife."

We sat silently for a few minutes contemplating what the other had said. I didn't expect any of this when I agreed to go to lunch with him. Maybe I should have put on that crumpled dress and left when I woke up? Maybe I need to get up from the table and leave now and never see him again? This is a complicated situation I thought. Our lives were messy and neither of us was perfect. That much was obvious. The more I thought, the more I kept asking myself one simple question. Did it feel right being with him? That question was very easy to answer. It did.

I looked him in the eyes and smiled. "I'm in James."