One Night in Detroit

"I never thought you were."

"I'm glad to hear it." She walked across the room to the windows and looked down to the empty snow covered street.

"Can I ask you a question, Liz?"

"Can I answer it before you ask it?"

"You know what I want to ask?"

"You want to ask what every guy asks."

"Am I that ordinary?"

"You are far from ordinary. But you are a guy."

"Fair enough. So?"

Elizabeth took off her jacket and laid it over the stool. She leaned on the window sill and crossed her arms. "I had just finished my first year of college when my Dad lost his job. Downsized, you know? If I wanted to continue, I was looking at accruing tens of thousands of dollars in debt, or getting a job and going to school part time. I didn't like either option. So when a girl in my dorm approached me and asked me if I was interested in escorting, as she called it, I thought about it."

"You were, what, nineteen?"

"Yep. High demand. So, I decided I would at least try, and so I did."

"But you kept doing it after you finished school."

She shrugged. "I had my education paid off, a nice apartment, a good car and had started building a substantial nest egg. I couldn't walk away from that for an entry level academic position."

"What is your degree in?"

"Archeology."

Ray laughed. "You're kidding?"

"If I was kidding I could make a better joke than that. No, really, I went on digs in the Yucatan and everything."

"Think you'll ever return to it?"

"I doubt it." She thought about the woman on the corner. "I'll have to get out of the game at some point, but I haven't decided what to do then. I've been good with my money, I'll be alright."

"Thanks," Ray said.

"For what?"

"Your honesty."

"Well, it feels good. I tell so many men so many lies."

"Really? Like what?"

"Well that my name is Amanda, for starters," she laughed.

"Really, that's your work name?"

"Yeah, I thought it had the right mix of fancy and girl next store."

"I suppose. I like Elizabeth better."

There was a minute of awkward silence. Ray went to the stereo and put in a compact disk.

"Brubeck?" Elizabeth asked when the music started, "Isn't that a little bit on the nose for the situation?"

"Do a lot of guys put on Brubeck when they try to seduce you?"

"Is that what you are trying to do?"

Ray asked if she would like a glass of wine.

"Sure, that would be nice," she said, "whatever you have open."

He went to the kitchenette while she looked at some sketches that were taped to the brick wall. Most were rough figure studies of women. Ray had a delicate hand, there was a lightness and elegance to each drawing.

He brought back two glasses of white wine and handed her one. She took a sip, then wandered toward the drawing table.

"Why don't we go sit down?" Ray asked, an edge of nervousness in his voice.

Elizabeth stepped behind the drawing table and looked at the sketch pad propped on it in the bright circle of light from the desk lamp. She looked at the drawing for a long moment and took a sip of her wine.

"Elizabeth..."

She looked up at Ray. "That's me," she whispered, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah," he stammered, "Just a sketch."

She looked down at the sketch again. He'd drawn her face in three quarter profile, her eyes turned up and to the side. She thought the expression he had captured was sweet, yet at the same time seductive.

"You did this tonight?"

"Yes."

"You didn't take a picture or anything, you just drew this from memory?"

"Yes."

"If I pose for you, will you want to paint all of me or just my face."

"I want all of you," he said.

"You haven't seen all of me."

"No, not yet. I will imagine it if I have to."

"You haven't already imagined it?"

"Oh, I have."

"I don't think that's good enough."

"I don't either," Ray said. He stepped over to her and took the wine glass from her hand. He set both glasses on the window sill, then turned back to Elizabeth, put his hands on her hips and leaned forward to kiss her. She raised her face to his and parted her lips as his mouth crushed against hers. Their tongues met, gliding over and caressing each other. She ran her hands up to the back of his shoulders and pulled him against her, while he reached behind her neck and fumbled with the halter of her dress. When it fell loose, he took a step forward and pressed her against the wall. The coldness of the brick on her back barely registered in her mind.

He peeled the drooping dress top from her breasts and lowered his head between them, kissing and licking each in turn. She ran her fingers through his hair as he squeezed her breasts in his hands and moved his mouth from nipple to nipple, sucking, nibbling, circling them with the tip of his tongue.

"Kiss me," she moaned, and he did, raising his face to hers. When his tongue slid into her mouth she sucked on it, flicking her own tongue against it. Ray grasped the back of her thighs and pressed his groin against her. She could feel the hardness in his jeans and reached down to cup it in her hand.

Ray stepped back, pulling her with him. Her dress sagged aross her hips as he turned her around. The back of her legs bumped up against the edge of the swivel chair by his drawing table. Ray guided her into the seat, kissing her throat and her breasts and her stomach.

Elizabeth leaned back and put her elbows on the table, knocking the sketch book to the floor. Ray sank to his knees and took hold of her calves. He raised her legs and leaned forward between them. As he began to kiss his way up her inner thigh, Elizabeth rested her legs on his shoulders. He tugged her thong to the side, and she felt his warm breath on her labia, and then his lips. He licked up each side and then the tip of his tongue slipped inside her. He slowly moved it up her slit, applying a slight pressure from side to side, until he just grazed her clitoris.

He licked back down the way he had come, then up again, and this time he circled her clit with his tongue.

Elizabeth drew in a sharp breath. Ray responded by cupping his lips over her clit and gently sucking. She took hold of his head, tangling her fingers in his hair, and squeezed her legs tightly around him. She was not going to let him go anywhere for a while.

His hands reached up and caressed her breasts, his thumbs rubbing her nipples. This guy is good, Elizabeth thought, as Ray's tongue continued to do its work. He kept changing his motions, varying the pressure, the speed, the pattern his tongue travelled.

Her legs began to tremble and she squeezed them tighter and gripped his hair in her fists. He responded by sucking harder, and she came, rocking her hips against him and nearly tipping the chair over.

"God damn, Ray, god damn," she muttered. He paid her no mind, continuing to lick and suck until she came again, and this time he had to hang on to her to keep her from falling out of the chair.

Elizabeth sat up straight, dropping her feet to the floor and draping her arms over his shoulders. Her hair was hanging in her face, and she blew it back out of her eyes.

He leaned forward and kissed her deeply. She could taste herself in his mouth. He drew back and gazed at her. She had the feeling that he was memorizing her expression, that she would soon see it on paper.

"Your face is all wet," she said.

"Well, who is responsible for that?"

"Uh, you are, of course."

Ray laughed, but then looked serious. "Can I ask, do you ever..." He faltered over his question.

"Cum with my clients?"

He blushed. "Yes, I shouldn't have asked."

Elizabeth shrugged. "Not usually. Once in a while. I'll tell you what I don't do, though."

"What's that?"

She leaned forward, her face close to his. "I don't kiss them." She touched her half opened mouth to his and slid her tongue inside it. As they kissed, she ran her hand down to his crotch. She ran her hand over the bulge in his jeans. She sat back and cocked her eyebrow at him.

Squeezing his cock through the denim, she said, "This feels rather...substantial."

"I'd be happy to show you."

"Yes, please do."

He stood and unbuckled his belt. Elizabeth unsnapped his jeans and pulled down his zipper. He pushed the jeans down over his hips. He was not wearing underwear, and his cock sprang free. She had been right. Dangling, half erect, she guessed it was about eight inches long. When she wrapped her hand around it, her fingers did not meet her thumb. She gave it a few twisting strokes and it rose to attention. It did not get much bigger, and she felt some relief at that.

"I'm starting to understand your popularity," she said, leaning forward and kissing the tip.

"It's not my sparkling personality?" Ray laughed.

"Your personality could use some work, but this is nearly perfect."

"Let's go over to the bed," he said holding out his hands. He helped her to his feet, then pulled his pants up over his hips.

Elizabeth crossed the loft, letting her dress fall to the floor as she went.

"Anybody ever tell you that you've got a great ass?" Ray asked.

"Not for a couple of hours."

She sat on the mattress, leaned down and took off her shoes. She tried to remember the last time she'd fucked with her shoes off.

"What's wrong with my personality?" Ray asked, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Well, you're arrogant. You demand to be the center of attention. And look around, how old are you?"

"Thirty five."

"And you still live like a college student."

"And you're miss respectable adult?"

"Excuse me, I live in a fully furnished townhouse in Royal Oak."

He stepped out of his jeans and leaned over her. "I'd love to come visit some time."

"I didn't think you crossed Eight Mile Road."

"Only if I have a very good reason."

Elizabeth scooted back further on the bed, laid down and raised her legs high in the air. She lifted her hips and slowly peeled off her thong. She let it hang from one ankle and dangled it in front of Ray. He took it and dropped it to the floor, then knelt on the bed and crawled toward her. She felt the head of his cock drag along her leg as he moved up her body, hovering over her. He lowered his head to kiss her. She ran her hands up his arms and across his shoulders. His body was firm, his muscles taut. He kissed her beneath her chin, on the side of her throat, under her ear.

"I wanted to fuck you the first time I laid eyes on you," he whispered.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Ray rolled off of her and, lying on his back, reached to his nightstand and flipped open a small wooden box. While he fumbled inside it, Elizabeth slid down his body and took hold of his cock. She bent her head down and sucked his balls into her mouth. She could feel his cock swell as she swirled her tongue around them.

"Oh christ, Liz," he moaned. She looked up and saw that he had unwrapped a condom. She gestured for him to hand it to her. When he did, she released his balls, making a loud slurping noise. He groaned and she laughed.

"Now pay attention, this is hooker tricks 101," she told him. He raised his head and leaned on his elbows to watch as she put the condom in her mouth, then pursed her lips over the head of his cock. Holding the shaft in both hands, she lowered her head past the rim, then drew back. The condom encased the first couple inches of his cock. She rolled it the rest of the way down.

"I could have put it all the way on if you weren't hung like a fucking rhino."

"You're complaining?"

"No, of course not."

She crawled up his body, dragging her breasts and then her stomach over his cock. She straddled his thighs and sat up. Looking down at him, she reached between her legs and began playing with her clitoris.

"Ah, Liz, don't tease me."

"Alright, baby." She moved forward, running her labia along the length of his shaft, then took him in her hand and guided him into her vagina. She wiggled a bit to align it, then sank down, feeling it stretch and fill her.

She tipped her head back, closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Jesus, that's a lot of cock, she thought as her hips began moving as if they had a mind of their own.

Ray held her waist as she ran her fingers through his light coat of chest hair. She tweaked his nipples and his hips began to move, rising to meet her motions. As she became more comfortable, she increased her tempo, and soon she was bouncing up and down, riding him with enthusiasm. His big cock was hitting her just right. She sagged forward, dropping her head to his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, raised his knees and began pounding into her from below.

"Oh fuck, Ray, fuck me."

He held her with one arm, while his other hand roamed across her ass, squeezing and lightly patting it. His fingers slipped between her cheeks and teased her asshole for a moment, then moved on.

She arched her back as she came, and he raised his head, sucking on her breasts, tonguing her nipples. She ground down on him, wiggling from side to side, and her orgasm kept coming. Her hips bucked back and forth and Ray kept pounding. He gripped her ass cheeks so hard that it bordered on painful and he thrust upward with surprising strength, once, twice, a third time, then dropped his ass to the mattress and lay still.

Elizabeth continued to gyrate on his cock, even as it lost rigidity. She felt a series of trembling aftershocks, then lowered her self down, lying across his chest. When his cock slipped out of her, she felt a flash of regret at the sudden emptiness.

Ray held her in his arms and placed tender kisses on her forehead. She raised her face to his and gave him a long deep kiss, then rolled over and lay beside him.

"Jesus christ, Liz," Ray said after he had caught his breath.

Elizabeth laughed and sat up. She scooted over to the side of the bed and picked her thong up from the floor. She stood and crossed the loft to where she had left her purse.

"Where are you going?" Ray asked, "You aren't leaving, are you?"

"I always leave, honey," she said, stooping to pick up her dress.

"Aw, don't treat me like a trick. You should stay. I thought we'd get some sleep, then maybe go to Lafayette Coney Island for breakfast."

"Yeah, I'm not really into chili dogs for breakfast."

"They've got eggs."

"You know what, honey? Maybe you could take me out to dinner sometime."

"I will. But I still wish you'd stay."

"Ray, Sunday is my self-care day. I am going to go home..."

"To your lovely townhouse."

"To my lovely townhouse, sleep for about nine hours, then take a long soaking bath. Then I am going to get Chinese food and watch Netflix the rest of the day."

"Alright, I hear you. But we ought to go out to dinner. Maybe next weekend?"

"I'll be working."

"Maybe, uh, Tuesday?"

"Maybe. Where's the bathroom?"

He pointed her to it, then, as she was about to enter, asked her, "Hey, can I ask you one more question?"

"What, Ray?"

"Do you fuck on the first date?"

She gave him the finger and went into the bathroom to clean up and get dressed. When she came out, he had his jeans and shirt on and was putting on his shoes.

"Thought I ought to walk you to your car, at least," he said.

Elizabeth put on her jacket while Ray opened the elevator. They rode down in silence. The clouds had parted and the moon shone brightly, its light sparkling off the freshly fallen snow. Ray took Elizabeth's hand as they walked to her car. She unlocked the door then turned to him. He leaned in and they shared a lingering kiss.

"I can't wait to paint you," he said.

She smiled. "I'll see you at the Cat."

She got in the car and started the engine. Raymond waved as she drove away. She turned the heater up all the way and set the fans to full blast. The warm air blew the hem of her dress up her thighs. She rubbed the chill from her legs as she passed through the silent city streets. Her hand drifted between her thighs and squeezed her mound. Her pussy felt tender and swollen. If I fuck Ray again...when I fuck Ray again...I need to make sure it's not just before I see a client, she thought.

She turned on to the entrance for northbound I-75. As she drove down the ramp, she switched on the radio. Aretha was singing.

What you want,
Baby, I got it.
What you need,
You know I got it.

"You fuckin' tell 'em, homegirl," Elizabeth said, and stepped on the gas.