the
pressure we’ve all been feeling.” Whatever was going on, he sure didn’t seem to
be too worried about it himself. He either wasn’t concerned or he was doing a
good job of hiding it.
“Are you ready to try on your dress? If for some
reason it doesn’t fit, we can find a suitable replacement.”
Ana glanced at her watch. “Really? You think you
could find something else before we have to leave?”
Rob winked and produced a devilish grin. “I’m
pretty resourceful.” He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his
chest and nodded towards the bathroom. Ana walked in where she saw the dress
hanging in a protective, white covering on the wall. She closed the door and
carefully unzipped the garment bag to reveal a beautiful, royal blue gown covered
in sequins, cut to just above the knee. Ana thought it was classic, timeless,
and elegant. After a few minutes of fighting with the back, she cracked the
door and summoned Rob. “Hey, can you help me out in here?”
Ana was standing in front of the full-length
mirror as Rob poked his head around the doorway. “Oh, sure,” he said, making
his way in and stopping right behind her. His hands gently stroked her bare skin
as he grabbed the metal piece with his fingers, pinching the fabric below to
hold it in place. Their eyes locked in the mirror, and they held each other’s
gaze as Rob slowly pushed the zipper all the way up. When he reached the top,
he pulled Ana’s hair around, letting it spill down the curve of her shoulders.
She felt tiny bolts of electricity dance across her skin, sending shivers down
her spine, making her realize just how much she wanted him. She sucked in a quick
breath of air, almost allowing a sigh to follow close behind. Rob seemed to
shake off the magic pretty quickly as he spun her around to take in the full,
frontal view.
“Wow,” he muttered. “You look absolutely
stunning.”
Ana smiled at him, but it quickly faded when she
remembered something critical. “Oh crap! I don’t have any shoes!”
“No problem. I told you I’d take care of
everything.” Rob told her to look in the armoire in the next room, teasing her
about what’s inside and only hinting that Beth had given him her shoe size. There
on the shelf lay the most beautiful black suede, open toed, stiletto heels she
had ever seen.
“Giuseppe Zanottis? Are you freaking kidding? I
went broke looking at a pair of those
online once.” Ana was acting like a giddy eighth grader, and she didn’t even
care. Without wasting a minute, she plopped down on the bed to try them on. Sliding
them over her heel, she felt the soft interior nestling her toes as the smell
of new leather penetrated her nose. When she stood up, she was at least three
inches taller. Feeling like a princess, she strode over to Rob, looped her arm
through his, and said, “Why don’t we go have a drink by the pool and start this
party early?”
Rob poured her a small glass of wine and made
himself a scotch on the rocks. They moved outside where they stood watching the
ocean waters swell in the distance. Ana could feel the alcohol relaxing her
right away.
“How can you stand living here? I would never go
to work or school, or get anything done. I’d be out here staring at the ocean
all day.” Ana said dreamily.
“It’s pretty awesome. I wouldn’t trade it for
anything in the world. The only thing missing is someone to share it with.”
Ana’s head snapped in Rob’s direction. He seemed
lost in his own thoughts.
“I don’t know. Somehow, I think I’d manage,” she
replied, somewhat confused.
Rob dropped his head and let out a sorrowful
laugh. “Yes, but you’re still so young. You have a lot more time than I do to
find that special person.”
“Ah, come on. You’re a nice guy… successful. I’m
sure you’ll find that person someday.” It seemed awkward giving him a pep talk
when usually it was the woman in these situations being told not to give up on
romance.
“Maybe I
pressure we’ve all been feeling.” Whatever was going on, he sure didn’t seem to
be too worried about it himself. He either wasn’t concerned or he was doing a
good job of hiding it.
“Are you ready to try on your dress? If for some
reason it doesn’t fit, we can find a suitable replacement.”
Ana glanced at her watch. “Really? You think you
could find something else before we have to leave?”
Rob winked and produced a devilish grin. “I’m
pretty resourceful.” He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his
chest and nodded towards the bathroom. Ana walked in where she saw the dress
hanging in a protective, white covering on the wall. She closed the door and
carefully unzipped the garment bag to reveal a beautiful, royal blue gown covered
in sequins, cut to just above the knee. Ana thought it was classic, timeless,
and elegant. After a few minutes of fighting with the back, she cracked the
door and summoned Rob. “Hey, can you help me out in here?”
Ana was standing in front of the full-length
mirror as Rob poked his head around the doorway. “Oh, sure,” he said, making
his way in and stopping right behind her. His hands gently stroked her bare skin
as he grabbed the metal piece with his fingers, pinching the fabric below to
hold it in place. Their eyes locked in the mirror, and they held each other’s
gaze as Rob slowly pushed the zipper all the way up. When he reached the top,
he pulled Ana’s hair around, letting it spill down the curve of her shoulders.
She felt tiny bolts of electricity dance across her skin, sending shivers down
her spine, making her realize just how much she wanted him. She sucked in a quick
breath of air, almost allowing a sigh to follow close behind. Rob seemed to
shake off the magic pretty quickly as he spun her around to take in the full,
frontal view.
“Wow,” he muttered. “You look absolutely
stunning.”
Ana smiled at him, but it quickly faded when she
remembered something critical. “Oh crap! I don’t have any shoes!”
“No problem. I told you I’d take care of
everything.” Rob told her to look in the armoire in the next room, teasing her
about what’s inside and only hinting that Beth had given him her shoe size. There
on the shelf lay the most beautiful black suede, open toed, stiletto heels she
had ever seen.
“Giuseppe Zanottis? Are you freaking kidding? I
went broke looking at a pair of those
online once.” Ana was acting like a giddy eighth grader, and she didn’t even
care. Without wasting a minute, she plopped down on the bed to try them on. Sliding
them over her heel, she felt the soft interior nestling her toes as the smell
of new leather penetrated her nose. When she stood up, she was at least three
inches taller. Feeling like a princess, she strode over to Rob, looped her arm
through his, and said, “Why don’t we go have a drink by the pool and start this
party early?”
Rob poured her a small glass of wine and made
himself a scotch on the rocks. They moved outside where they stood watching the
ocean waters swell in the distance. Ana could feel the alcohol relaxing her
right away.
“How can you stand living here? I would never go
to work or school, or get anything done. I’d be out here staring at the ocean
all day.” Ana said dreamily.
“It’s pretty awesome. I wouldn’t trade it for
anything in the world. The only thing missing is someone to share it with.”
Ana’s head snapped in Rob’s direction. He seemed
lost in his own thoughts.
“I don’t know. Somehow, I think I’d manage,” she
replied, somewhat confused.
Rob dropped his head and let out a sorrowful
laugh. “Yes, but you’re still so young. You have a lot more time than I do to
find that special person.”
“Ah, come on. You’re a nice guy… successful. I’m
sure you’ll find that person someday.” It seemed awkward giving him a pep talk
when usually it was the woman in these situations being told not to give up on
romance.
“Maybe I
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