what. James wrapped an arm about her when she shivered from the cold, and they made their way to his car on the other side of the road.
"Everything okay at work?" Sophia asked, remembering the note he left her. He glanced at her.
"There was a paper I had to sign and deliver," he said. "I think everything's all right now."
Sophia smiled. She hadn't seen him stressed out, and she could only imagine the amount of responsibility he had running a business. He always appeared strong, like nothing could faze him.
James took them away from Times Square. She wondered briefly if they were going to his place, but then he set the course in another direction. Sophia looked up at the large buildings housing the richest in the city. She wouldn't dare complain about the apartment she was lucky enough to stay in, but damn did this part of town enthrall her.
James squeezed her thigh and she flashed him smile, averting her gaze from the buildings.
He slowed down and waited until traffic cleared before winding down a street between tall buildings. Submerged in light, a grand building came into view and Sophia looked up at the monstrosity with apprehension. Its intricate façade, further dramatized by beams of bright lights shooting upward, made it quite the sight. They walked up the stairs to a wide set of double doors. Inside, music met her, and the warmer atmosphere made her relax somewhat. James kissed her hand, bringing her focus back to him and she gave a nervous smile in return. He seemed calm, at ease, perhaps at home.
The design of the building continued inside to a huge circular room with looping floral arrangements, and bursting into full life in the most spectacular set of stairs. On the first floor people mingled, talked, flirted, and hung out by the bar.
Sophia's gaze moved to the second floor with several rooms, all closed with thick drapes of red and gold, as well as a few with simple black drapes. A couple who seemed unable to keep their hands off each other disappeared behind one of the red and gold drapes. Further down, a woman peeked into a room before stepping inside.
"Are the rooms open?" Sophia asked curiously.
"People aren't really that uptight around here."
Sophia nodded; just her then.
"People either come here as a couple, or they find someone compatible for the night — or both."
"I see," she said, her gaze on the rooms.
"Do you want to continue?"
"Huh?" She jerked her head toward James. "Uh, I think I can," she said with a nod.
"Do you want to?" he asked again, his expression turning serious.
Sophia couldn't quite grasp the longing for this place and the openness of everything. She thought lovemaking was personal. She promised herself to give it a try, to give him a try. Their first night together was slow, skin against skin, introducing her to a new world. She could at least let him give her a tour, and if after that she still felt out of place then she could always back out.
"Yes." Sophia met his eyes. "Show me."
He sighed, drawing her hand up to kiss her palm.
"James," a voice interrupted them, and James acknowledged the man standing by them.
"Nicholas," he greeted casually.
"A newcomer?" Nicholas flashed a smile at Sophia. He was tall, with dark hair sleeked back. His deep green gaze met hers.
"This is Sophia," James said. "I'm giving her a tour."
Nicholas still held her gaze. "Be sure to show her the dungeons."
"D — dungeons?"
James leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. "I have to discuss something with Nicholas here." He distanced and squeezed her hand. "I'll be back in a moment."
She nodded, seeing him wait for a signal she was all right and then the two men walked away. She glanced around the place, across the lush sofas with groups of people. On the second floor, people stood leaning against the banisters, chatting, taking in the environment, having a drink. Two women dressed in fishnet stockings, tulle, lace, and corsets stood flirting, uncaring of the people who watched them. A
"Everything okay at work?" Sophia asked, remembering the note he left her. He glanced at her.
"There was a paper I had to sign and deliver," he said. "I think everything's all right now."
Sophia smiled. She hadn't seen him stressed out, and she could only imagine the amount of responsibility he had running a business. He always appeared strong, like nothing could faze him.
James took them away from Times Square. She wondered briefly if they were going to his place, but then he set the course in another direction. Sophia looked up at the large buildings housing the richest in the city. She wouldn't dare complain about the apartment she was lucky enough to stay in, but damn did this part of town enthrall her.
James squeezed her thigh and she flashed him smile, averting her gaze from the buildings.
He slowed down and waited until traffic cleared before winding down a street between tall buildings. Submerged in light, a grand building came into view and Sophia looked up at the monstrosity with apprehension. Its intricate façade, further dramatized by beams of bright lights shooting upward, made it quite the sight. They walked up the stairs to a wide set of double doors. Inside, music met her, and the warmer atmosphere made her relax somewhat. James kissed her hand, bringing her focus back to him and she gave a nervous smile in return. He seemed calm, at ease, perhaps at home.
The design of the building continued inside to a huge circular room with looping floral arrangements, and bursting into full life in the most spectacular set of stairs. On the first floor people mingled, talked, flirted, and hung out by the bar.
Sophia's gaze moved to the second floor with several rooms, all closed with thick drapes of red and gold, as well as a few with simple black drapes. A couple who seemed unable to keep their hands off each other disappeared behind one of the red and gold drapes. Further down, a woman peeked into a room before stepping inside.
"Are the rooms open?" Sophia asked curiously.
"People aren't really that uptight around here."
Sophia nodded; just her then.
"People either come here as a couple, or they find someone compatible for the night — or both."
"I see," she said, her gaze on the rooms.
"Do you want to continue?"
"Huh?" She jerked her head toward James. "Uh, I think I can," she said with a nod.
"Do you want to?" he asked again, his expression turning serious.
Sophia couldn't quite grasp the longing for this place and the openness of everything. She thought lovemaking was personal. She promised herself to give it a try, to give him a try. Their first night together was slow, skin against skin, introducing her to a new world. She could at least let him give her a tour, and if after that she still felt out of place then she could always back out.
"Yes." Sophia met his eyes. "Show me."
He sighed, drawing her hand up to kiss her palm.
"James," a voice interrupted them, and James acknowledged the man standing by them.
"Nicholas," he greeted casually.
"A newcomer?" Nicholas flashed a smile at Sophia. He was tall, with dark hair sleeked back. His deep green gaze met hers.
"This is Sophia," James said. "I'm giving her a tour."
Nicholas still held her gaze. "Be sure to show her the dungeons."
"D — dungeons?"
James leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. "I have to discuss something with Nicholas here." He distanced and squeezed her hand. "I'll be back in a moment."
She nodded, seeing him wait for a signal she was all right and then the two men walked away. She glanced around the place, across the lush sofas with groups of people. On the second floor, people stood leaning against the banisters, chatting, taking in the environment, having a drink. Two women dressed in fishnet stockings, tulle, lace, and corsets stood flirting, uncaring of the people who watched them. A
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