Summerstone Stories - London

Night

The evening had a palpable air of excitement over it, having been building up over the last couple of hours. Erik Stone and his small team had been flown into London a few weeks prior to advice on the divestment of the natural gas subsidiary of a larger, local energy supplier. They had been working tirelessly to not only set up an evaluation that made all included parties feel happy, but to also establish a network of buyers. The natural gas company, operating in the North Sea, just off the Scottish coast, was a sticky investment that few wanted to touch.

In the end, they had managed to find an American buyer with ambitions to enter the European market. Erik had personally spent a few nights and early mornings on transatlantic video calls, negotiating terms. Now, with the sale having gone through a couple of days earlier and all the paperwork officially filed away, him and his team were enjoying a well-deserved celebration.

The restaurant they were at was the new it-place in the ever-changing eco-system of the London nightlife, where they had gotten a table through some contacts at their local head office. The style of the place was a kind of futuristic, vaguely Asian aesthetic, with non-defined oriental décor and electronic music covering every edge and surface with a layer of bass. The ambiance was busy, loud, and electric.

Around the table sat two other men, and three women, all wearing the same suits and power skirts they had worn to work that day. They had come straight from the office after dotting the last I's, having shared a few bottles of champagne already in the car ride over. Erik was the only one still wearing his necktie, a broader, silk tie in a deep navy with streaks of deep, golden yellow across it.

He had a satisfied smile across his lips as he was sat back in his chair at the head of the table, listening to one of the younger associates entertain two of the girls with some war story from business school. This had been an important assignment, with a very respectable and now lucrative client, and Erik had brought some of his best co-workers. As managing, senior associate he had been leading the project. However, his team was indispensable.

The younger man with the loud mouth was one of his favorite financial analysts. He was hard to shut up when he got going but he brough a sort of energy to financials that Erik as well their clients appreciated. The two girls with him at the end of the table worked in the same department, doing finance and risk assessment respectively. The third woman was a little bit older, a senior associate with much experience in the energy sector, especially in strategic ESG transitions.

She had brought some incredibly valuable insights throughout the whole process, and her and Erik had spent a few late nights discussing the ethics of the energy market, and who they would feel comfortable selling the company to. She had been his right-hand person in developing the final say on the strategic direction of the whole project. The man next to her had a similar experience working in the energy sector, but from the other side of the aisle. He had years of work for natural gas and oil companies under his belt and had transitioned into consultancy just a few years ago.

He was an associate, barreling his way up towards a senior level. There had been one or two heated discussions between the two, and Erik would have been worried about their group dynamics if it wasn't for the open secret that whenever they got off work, they fucked like rabbits. Now, they were sitting next to each other after the third bottle of wine had been cleared off the table, completely locked into a hushed conversation.

Erik grinned and then did like the rest of the table, looked away and pretended not to notice the way the lovers were looking at each other. There was a palpable notion in the air that if the table wasn't covered in empty plates, glasses, and bottles, they would have their way right then and there. Erik instead looked over at the three younger team members as they were only starting their night. He hadn't picked up on anything between any of them yet, at least not as far as office gossip went.

However, as the younger man spoke loudly to not be drowned out by the constant of the music, he could see the hand of one of the women slip under the table. A second later, the woman sitting closer to their male colleague darted her head back towards the first girl and gasped a flushed smirk, before quickly biting down on her lip and looking back at the man.

Erik smirked, his team deserved a night out after the hard work they had done, however he himself did not intend to stay for dessert. Getting up from the table, he buttoned his suit jacket and placed his napkin folded up over his now empty plate of whatever Asian fusion taste sensations they had had last. To her credit, his right-hand woman looked up from the sweet nothings her lover was undeniably whispering in her ear and tore her eyes from his lap to Erik.

"You heading out already boss? We're just getting started."

Erik smiled warmly at her and gave a subtle nod. He knew that the night was only beginning for his colleagues. There was a car waiting to pick them up and a table booked at a nightclub close by. He even knew there had been a phone number circulating for a local supplier of party favors. That being said, as a manager he did not officially condone any kind of recreational drug use, but what he didn't know or see couldn't hurt anyone.

"I've got another appointment, you kids have fun though."

He gave her a wink and a smile before turning to the rest of the table, waving over the loud music. His team all perked up as they saw that he was leaving, making sure to give their proper good-byes. Some words of encouragement and congratulations later, followed by the obligatory 'couldn't have done it without you' speech, Erik Stone was making his way through the restaurant to the coat check. On his way, he caught the maître d and put his card down for the table, together with a cash tip.

He knew that he would wake up to a hefty restaurant bill, but the bonus he was geared to receive from the sale was sure to make that a non-issue. He collected his coat and stepped out into the late summer evening. It was beginning to turn towards fall and there was a hint of a crisp in the air, still the day had been warm enough and Erik chose to keep his coat folded over his forearm as he walked up the street. He appreciated the moment of silence, with only the urban buzz of the city around him as company.

He felt like he had spent the last two weeks in a constant state of alert, constant state of control. He felt a deep set need to unload, to unleash that wound up ball of wires in his guts. Like one of those mechanical toys, he felt as if his crank had been turned, and turned, and turned, and now all that locked up energy needed somewhere to go.

Walking down the block, Erik passed other restaurants, bars, and night clubs. It was a Friday evening in downtown London and there was a sea of people flowing as if by some force of nature between the different watering holes. It would be so easy to just join the stream, go anonymous and become just another body in a crowd. However, that was not going to scratch this itch, Erik needed something more feral, something primal.

Making his way out of the area, Erik was finally able to hail a unoccupied cab. He ducked down as he got in, tossing the petty coat on the seat next to him. He gave the driver the name of his hotel and as the wheels ground into motion and the car took off, Erik sunk down into the soft leather of the seat and exhaled a deep, relaxed sigh. Out of sight of anyone else, he finally felt like he could breathe properly again.

The cab made its way through the urban sprawl, zig zagging between other cars, speeding up and slowing down with the rhythm of the traffic that surrounded them. Erik loosened his tie with two hands, his strong digits undoing the Windsor knot with an experienced ease before pulling the tie from around his thick neck. He begun to roll it up but gave up about half-way. Instead, he simply folded the dark navy silk in his hand and bunched it down his jacket pocket.

Then, with a feeling of thorough liberation, Erik undid the top two buttons of his white button up shirt. Finally letting his mind run free, he felt a pang of longing fall over him. He had been away from home for just short of three weeks now and he missed his wife. They had spoken on the phone every other day or so, but he could feel his body need hers. Erik kissed his teeth as he sucked in air between clenched jaws, he hadn't been taking care of his own physical needs for the last few stressful days and the mix of emotional longing and deep-seated lust washed through him.

Images of her body ran through his mind, her slender neck, her soft skin. The way her breasts would push against his chest when she pulled herself closer to him, her lips against his. Suddenly, the cabdriver spoke and pulled him from his fantasies and the images dispersed like vapour.

"Long day, Sir? Getting an early night?"

The man had been silent for most of the trip but had finally turned to make conversation. Erik caught his eyes in the back mirror for a split second, before the man turned to the road again. He had always had an appreciation for polite conversation, but he had other things on his mind. Erik replied with a polite smile and a finality to his voice that shut down the line of questioning without being too much of a dick, he hoped.

"No, not turning in just yet."

The black cab pulled up in front of the entrance of a hotel, stopping at the rounded driveway under a glass roof supported by statuesque pillars of a metallic brass. Erik pulled a few ten-pound notes from his wallet and thanked the man before stepped out of the vehicle. A valet from the hotel lobby had come up to open the car door for him but Erik beat him to it. The young man looked somewhat sheepish but only followed along as Erik made his way up towards the entrance.

The large sliding doors were lined with the same golden brass fixtures and as he stepped through the doors, he sat foot in a similarly decorated lobby. The hotel was a remnant from early 1900's. The style had an art deco tinge to it, with golden detailing running across the walls, white marble floors speckled with dark lines of granite, and a deep green tiling running along the top of the walls.

The lobby desktop was a massive piece in some darkened wood, with brass lamps lighting up the faces of the expectant clerks working there. Erik had made himself familiar with the place and the grandeur of the location was sort of lost on him. It had become commonplace over the last few weeks. He stopped in his tracks, not making his usual turn towards the elevators, but instead turning to the valet.

"Could you do me a favour? I'm going to grab a drink, do you think you could drop my coat off for me? Room 714"

Erik held his coat out towards the boy, together with a folded up five pound note from his pocket. The valet smiled and stood to attention, a stiff relic of the service industry.

"Certainly, enjoy!"

Just like that, the young man grabbed his coat and folded it over his arm with the grace and precision of someone who's just been given something incredibly important. Erik couldn't help but smile as he watched the boy turn on his step and head towards the elevators. There was something incredibly endearing about the vigour by which he took to his task.

Unencumbered, Erik went the other way, further into the lobby. Making his way past a lounge of deep seated, Cambridge couches in oxblood leather, he stepped through an archway that was lined with deep green, heavy silk drapes, and into the hotel bar. The room was long and lined to one side with an incredibly stocked bar. The other wall had tall, floor to ceiling windows that arched to a rounded semi-circle at the top.

The area reminded Erik of a train car, where everything was on full display as he stepped through the door at the end. The bartender behind the counter looked up as he arrived, smiled, and then returned to what he was working on currently. The bar was not very crowded, unlike the rest of the city's nightlife. This was the charm of hotel bars and Erik always found himself returning to these oases of anonymity. Not many people spent their nights in hotel bars, and those who did usually had a reason for it.

Erik stepped up to the bar and waited his turn and as he did, he turned to scan the room. The bar ran across the length of the room and across from it were groups of seats lining the other wall, each by its own window. Each pair of tall armchairs was facing each other, with a small drinks table in between them and between each pair of seats hung heavy drapes, bound up by golden ropes. The tables closest to him were already occupied, one older couple looking out over the street outside, sharing a bottle of wine.

The other table occupied by two women in their 40's, each housing what looked to be their second or third martini. At the end of the room, Erik met the green eyes of a woman. She was sitting with one leg crossed across the other, and a soft tilt to her head. She looked relaxed, comfortable, and inviting. As if she was waiting there just for him, a soft smirk spread across her lips as their eyes met. Erik's jaws clenched, she looked magnetic.

He kept her eye contact for what felt like an eternity before the bartender snapped him out of it. It was the second time that night he had been pulled out of his fantasies and the pattern was getting tiresome.

"Gin sour, please. With a crack of pepper if you don't mind."

Erik ordered and the bartender smiled and got to work immediately. Erik paused for a second, stuck in thought. His knuckles beat out a rhythmic tap-tap across the wooden bar counter to signal action, movement, and with a decisive spring to his step he turned where he stood and begun to move towards the woman. The distance across the room was more than enough to take in her stunning beauty. She had a big pair of piercing green eyes under a subtly smokey eye make-up that gave her face a cat like look.

Her skin was tanned, as if she had just came back from a vacation somewhere sunnier than the British isles and she glowed with a subtle golden hue, sparkling like the golden fixtures of the room where she sat. Her hair was an auburn brown but slicked back in a tight ponytail that stood at the back of her head. The hair-do sharpened her features, letting the light travel down her cheek bones and sleek nose. This contrasted her softer features beautifully. The ridge of her nose ended in a beautifully rounded button nose and was peppered with soft freckles.

Her mouth was in a soft, half smile as Erik made his way over. Her lips were full and plump, with a luscious shine to them. She was wearing a black dress, with thin spaghetti straps across her collar bones and a form-fitting shape that hugged her body. It was simple, by all accounts, but a closer look at the material, the perfect fit and the craftmanship would let anyone know that it was far from simple, and probably had a price tag to match. It was elegant, sleek, and not so short that it looked cheap.

Her body was toned, lithe but with a fullness to the hips and the thighs that gave her a beautifully sleek curvature to her body. Her breasts sat perky and firm under the dress, holding up the fabric without a bra. Erik tried to not let his eyes linger on her cleavage but as his eyes shot up to meet hers, there was a knowing look to the woman's eyes and a smirk on her lips. Erik simply smiled back before he let his eyes wander down her body.

Her legs were long and her thighs looked strong. Her shoes were ankle strap heels in a matching, black velvet and the compliment of the shoes with the short dress made the woman look like an Athenian gladiator, pulled into the modern times. Her posture, her dress and her body gave the impression of someone strong, capable, and fierce. However, at the same time, there was a divine femininity over her. Her soft features and elegant make up, her hair and nails, all immaculate. The combination gave her an almost mythical image and Erik couldn't help himself be drawn to her. The fantasies of his wife were promptly replaced.

"Is this seat taken?"

Erik had stopped by the chair facing her, laying his hand on its back rest. He smiled down at her with a warm smile and a suggestive spark to his eyes. He had held eye contact with the woman for most of his way over there, but as soon as he spoke, their connection suddenly became much more palpable. She looked up at him, smiled and relaxed back in her chair. Her hands were on each armrest, and she looked up at him with a curious expression, inspecting him.

She had no doubt had her time to let her eyes take him in as well on his way over there. Erik was averagely tall but with broad shoulders and chest that filled out his darker navy suit jacket. He had blonde hair that turned darker during the winter, that he kept in a well-groomed side part. The work he did required a clean, professional look, and he was well shaved, and his white shirt ironed and pressed.

His hands were wide, gripping the back of that chair with strong knuckles and a vascularity that seemed to run up his thick forearms. The woman softly bit her lower lip and nodded slightly before smiling up at him with an inviting look.

"Please, I could use the company..."

Erik was sitting down before the woman could finish her sentence. Unbuttoning his jacket, he made himself comfortable as he eyed the woman with a warm look.

"What is a..."

He was interrupted by a waiter bringing over his drink, silently placing it down on the table and backing away. Erik smiled up at them before turning back to the woman with an amused look.

"What is a beautiful woman like you doing drinking by herself?"

He finished his sentence before leaning forwards and taking a sip of his cocktail. His eyes only really left hers as he raised the glass to his lips, returning with a curious warmth as he put the drink back down again. He crossed his legs and rested back in the seat, settling into the conversation. The room wasn't loud, with only some lounge music playing softly in the background. The heavy drapes and the large armchairs muted much of the voices around them, and when they sat there facing each other, it was like they were in their own little universe.

"I was waiting for my husband, he was going to meet me here, but it looks

like he's been caught up with work. He's always so busy..."

Her voice was velvet soft but with a subtle sharpness to it. She had a soft smile across her lips as she spoke and when she finished, she tilted her head to the side and shrugged her shoulders playfully. It was a motion of amused resignation, of someone who's way past trying to control something they know is out of their reach. Erik nodded and kissed his teeth, he had often felt those pangs of guilt over how much he worked, but he always tried his best to make up for it by giving his wife the most of him in the time they did spend together. Matching her mannerism, he tilted his head to the side too, and smiled warmly at her.

"He's an idiot to stand you up, especially in that dress... He doesn't know what he's missing."

She laughed a short, sparkling laugh that made Erik's insides heat up and soften. Her energy reverberated through him like a ray of sunshine. She looked up at him from under her eyebrows and licked her lower lip subtly, a flirtatious heat to her green eyes.

"You're sweet, thank you. I hope you're not as tied up with business as him."

"I've been here for business but that was all finished today, so now I'm just here for pleasure... What about you, business or pleasure?"