Love and Possibilities

s*x in the Open

Alexei

All day Saturday Alex can hardly think. He cranks his music while he works in his art studio as he is still behind in getting orders out, but it doesn’t help him get out of his head. He finally calls his mom and she picks up on the second ring. “Hey, baby boy.”

“Hey mama, do you have a minute?”

“Sure, what’s wrong?” He hears concern in her voice.

“It isn’t anything serious I was just wondering, how did you feel when you met papa? Did he make you nervous?”

“Alexei, have you met someone?” She sounds hopeful.”

“Mama what did you feel?” He persists.

“I was very nervous and felt like I couldn’t breathe most of the time. And whenever he came around I often lost my words and when he kissed me, the whole world went away. Who is she, or he?”

“Mama… for the last time I’m not gay. Her name is Luna, Luna Navarro.”

“What? THE Luna Navarro of LN Technologies?”

“I don’t know what that is so I don’t know.”

“Is she a beautiful, tall, dark haired woman?”

“Uh, yeah but that doesn’t mean anything as there are a lot of women with that description.”

“Look her up, baby boy, she is one of the richest women in the world. She’s worth billions.” The excitement in her voice worries him.

“How would you even know that?”

“I have talked about her in my classes, I use her as one of the examples of what is possible for women in today’s world.”

“Hold on, mama.” He looks at his phone, pulls up Google and taps in her name, a ton of articles pop up including information about her company and her image. “f**k!”

His mother laughs and she doesn’t even bother to scold him. “It’s her isn’t it?”

“What in the world does she want with me?” He groans. A billionaire, what could he possibly ever give her that she doesn’t already have.

“You, my darling boy, are a catch. Just because you don’t make the same kind of money she makes doesn’t mean you aren’t a wonderful man. Money isn’t everything, I’ve told you that plenty of times. If it goes well  invite her to brunch on Sunday, I’d love to meet her. You can tell her it was my idea because I am interested in meeting the woman I talk so much about to my students.”

“Mama… I barely met her last night.”

“Just ask her, please baby boy, do this for your mama.”

“Oh alright, if it goes well I will. Tell papa I said hi and I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“Remember to breathe, Alexei.” And then she is gone.

He read article after article online about her which had probably been a mistake because he was more than intimidated. Her company not only covers new and leading technologies in the industry as well as having a separate department that has innovative ideas on digital marketing, she also has her hand in building the new condo sky rise downtown and others in big cities all over the U.S. There is a scholarship in her name, affordable housing project, inner city food projects, technology awards, she seems to have her hand in quite a few things. What in the world did she want with him? He is a nobody compared to her.

He saw photos of her with beautiful women on her arm, all petite. The latest article from two weeks ago shows a woman with shoulder length, dark purple hair in a dress so short it barely covers her bottom. She is very cute though, he feels a stirring in his belly as he looks at her, and the contrast between her and Luna’s tall, dark haired, curvy frame. God the two of them look amazing together. Why would she seek him out when she has that cute pixie by her side? Were they still seeing each other? She hadn’t said she wasn’t seeing anyone just asked if he was.

He is ready thirty minutes before six. He is wearing his grey suit from the photo spread and even he thinks it looks good on him. He is wearing a white, button up shirt and a darker grey tie. He doesn’t like wearing ties but since she said he had to wear a suit he thought he should wear one.

At six precisely the doorbell rings. He opens it and his mouth drops open. She is wearing a burgundy dress that hugs her curves and strappy, spiked heels making her almost as tall as he is. Her hair is pulled up with tendrils falling around her face and thin, long earings with diamonds and a matching necklace.

She has a serious look on her face as she looks down and back up at him. “Perfect.” She says and steps up, kisses him hard and fast before grabbing his hand, and leads him out to the car after he locks up.

He stops suddenly and she looks back at him.

“What?” She smirks.

“Um, nothing.” He walks toward the red Lamborghini, Venemo Roadster and opens the driver’s side door upward and motions for her to get in.

“Thank you, Alexei.”

“You look beautiful, Luna.”

She leans toward him and kisses his cheek before getting in the car. He walks around and gets in. “So, where are we going?”

She presses a button and the Lamborghini growls to life. “Bella Lucia’s.”

He hadn’t heard of that restaurant, but it sounds Italian. “Are you Italian?”

“Half Italian and half Cuban.”

He takes a long slow breath in and then out and thought with that combination she probably has a temper. He chastises himself. He knows his mother would smack his shoulder for even thinking such a thought.

“Is something the matter, Alexei?”

“I…I’m just not used to quiet women. All my female friends talk a lot.”

She looks at him out of the corner of her eye and then asks. “What do your parents do?”

“My mother is a high school teacher and my father is a Professor at the local college.” He hesitates. “My mother knows who you are.”

“Does she now?”

“I mean, when I called to ask her some questions she figured out I met someone and when I told her your name, she knew who you were immediately. Seems she talks about you, as well as other successful women, in her classes. She teaches high school. She wants ‘the young women of tomorrow to realize their possibilities.’ Her words not mine.”

“Tell me, Alexei, what did you call to ask her.”

Alexei groans. That isn’t the question he thought she would ask. He really hadn’t thought through how his conversation with his mother would intrigue her and he hesitates not wanting to admit how he is feeling, at least not yet.

“Alexei, has your mother not taught you it is rude not to answer a woman?” She’s frowning.

“No, ma’am, I mean, yes.” He groans again, for a moment she almost sounded like his mother. “I called her because I wanted to know how she felt when she met my father.”

She takes his hand, threads her fingers through and holds it on his thigh. “And…”

How can he speak when she is touching him? “She said she had been very nervous, tongue tied, couldn’t hardly think and didn’t have much of an appetite for awhile.” He said in a rush.

“Did it help you, her answer?”

He let out a long sigh. “Yes.” He said reluctantly.

She presses her lips to the back of his hand and then she puts his hand back in his lap and puts her hand back on the steering wheel.

“Thank you for telling me the truth, Alexei, it means a lot to me. The truth is the most important thing to me. Do you understand, I always want the truth no matter what.”

“In my experience, women don’t always want to hear the truth especially if they are asking how something looks on them, they just want to hear that it looks good. Anything else gets a man in trouble.”

“Is that the only time the truth is complicated in your mind?”

“Um, well, I’m not sure as I’ve not had that much experience with women except with my friends.”

“Haven’t you had girlfriends?”

“I’ve dated, but no girlfriends.”

“And how old are you?”

“I’m thirty-two, I know it’s weird.”

“Unusual maybe, but not weird. I can see why your mother thought you were gay, though. Why haven’t you had any girlfriends?”

“I haven’t found anyone I wanted to get serious with.”

“That’s it, nothing else?”

Alexei was quiet for awhile.

She pulls the car over, gets out and a valet is opening his door. The valet steps back so he can get out. She is waiting for him just a step away. She holds out her arm and he takes it. They are at a high rise building that he doesn’t recognize. Of course he doesn’t normally come into the city. The doorman opens the door and says, “Ms. Navarro, lovely to see you.”

“Thank you, Franklin, this is Alexei Mishkin.”

“Hi Franklin,” Alexei holds out his hand, but Franklin bows instead.

“Pleasure to meet you, Alexei Mishkin, enjoy your evening, sir.”

The older gentleman has a sparkle in his eye and Alexei can’t help but wonder what Franklin knows that he doesn’t.

Luna guides him through the open door and into the elevator which takes them straight to the penthouse. She whisks him through a large room that he barely gets a look out before they are on a huge patio overlooking the city as the sun dips down low. There are chandeliers, cozy chairs around tables in corners and a stage set on a low platform in front of the windows. There are people sitting at tables chatting and eating. Tiny lights twinkle on all around them. Each table  is well spaced away from others giving the diners much more privacy as there are bushes between and some have curtain partitions. A very attractive woman in all black walks up.

“Ms. Navarro, we have your table ready.” She turns and leads them to a table in the far corner giving them a view to the west and south.

“Thank you, Sylvi, please let Bella Lucia know we are here.”

“Of course, Ma’am, right away.” She rushes off toward the open glass door.

“Is this a restaurant?”

“It is by invitation only.”

He is intrigued. He had never heard of restaurants that were by invitation only. He wonders what a person has to do or be to get invited.

A moment goes by and he is surprised to see the petite woman from the latest article he had read from a couple of weeks ago, walking toward them smiling dressed in a chef’s outfit.

She speaks a language that sounds like Italian and Luna stands up, he stands as well, and Luna kisses her on her lips and then turns her toward him. “Alexei, this is Bella Lucia, my companion.” Bella Lucia steps out of Alexei’s arms and on tip toes, pulls his head down to her and kisses his cheeks, hesitates and then presses her lips to his and her tongue licks across his lips before letting him go and stepping back.

“It is very nice to meet you, Alexei,” She says with a strong Italian accent and an amused look on her face. “I’ve heard nothing but your name ever since that article came out. I can see what she sees in you, you are definitely…” Her hand strokes his cheek. “Bellissimo.”

He has a strange look on his face but only says, “Nice to meet you too. Are you the chef here?” Indicating her outfit.

Her smile is so bright it almost lights the whole area. “This is my place. I live here and I serve a select few. I heard great things about the meal you served, Luna, yesterday.”

Heat spreads across his cheeks. “That was, um, just something I like to do for friends.”

“Yes, we seem to have that in common. I look forward to finding what else we have in common.” She winks at him, kisses Luna one more time, says something in Italian quickly and then she is gone.

They both sit back down. Luna sees the confusion on his face. “I am in an open relationship with Bella Lucia, she knows I do not commit to just one and she accepts that. Can you?”

He is quiet for a moment, thinking about it. Is he willing to have a relationship where he is not the only one?  He’s never felt for anyone the way he feels for Luna. Maybe…he can see how things go and if he doesn’t like it he can always walk away. That last thought has a knot forming in his belly.

“I am willing to explore it. It isn’t something I thought I would want for myself, but my parents taught me all love matters no matter what it looks like.”

“I am really starting to like your parents.”

“Good because my mother really wants to meet you. She extended an invitation to brunch at my house tomorrow morning at ten.”

She chuckles. “Really, when things are so new you are willing to introduce me to your parents?”

“My mother said to let you know it was all her, if you had any doubts. She truly just wants to meet the woman she talks about all the time. Though you might want to be careful, she is very good at getting what she wants and she’ll have you coming to her school to speak to all the girls before you can turn around.”

“I think I am going to like your mother very much.” She grins.

“What about your parents, do they live here or…”

Her face smoothes out, almost expressionless. “My parents died in an earthquake while they were assisting Doctors without Borders in Haiti a little over eleven years ago.”

“Oh… I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” He had stopped reading after the first page of Google so he hadn’t read about that. His hand reached out and covered hers.

“Thank you, Alexei, does your mother run the household?”

“What do you mean?”

“Does your father…cater to her wishes?”

He laughs, “My father adores my mother and would give her the moon if he could.”

She seems pleased with his answer but another woman is bringing them wine and setting down their glasses, opens the bottle, and pours a small amount into a wine glass. She hands the glass to Luna, she inhales and then takes a sip. “It is good, Gabriella, thank you.” He is impressed how she knows everyone’s name, no matter their job or position.

Gabriella fills both glasses then sets the bottle down and walks away. Moments later Gabriella brings their bread, a small bowl of olive oil and two ice waters.

“Americans like to eat the bread first but in Italy we eat it last, to soak up the juices. You may try the bread with the oil if you like.”

He decides to slice a small piece off just to try the oil. As soon as it hits his tongue his eyes close. The flavor is exquisite and he wonders what type of olive oil it is because he’s never had any that tastes this good.

“It is from Bella Lucia’s family farm in Southern Italy. They always ship her a couple of cases as soon as it is pressed so it is usually quite fresh.”

“Do they know about you?”

“They pretend we are friends and nothing more when we have visited.”

“How often do you visit?”

“Once or twice a year.”

“So you two have been seeing each other for awhile?”

“Four years.”

“And you still date others, I’m just trying to understand.” He adds quickly.

“I have a very…large appetite.” She gives him a heated look. “One person has never been enough for me and I learned the hard way that it is easier to have an open relationship with much communication than it is to cheat and everyone gets hurt. Usually I date those who are already in this world and understand about this lifestyle.” She takes a small sip of wine. “You are the first who I’ve dated who doesn’t meet the same criteria.”

He shakes his head.

“What is it, Alexei?”

“I don’t understand, I know what you said last night but I still don’t understand why you sought me out. I’m not from your world, any part of it. I’m an artist, I keep to myself mostly except for my friends who come over every Friday so I can feed them my latest experiments, otherwise I spend most of my time in my art studio or in my gardens. Not only have I never had a relationship, but I’ve never experienced even a quarter of what it looks like you have experienced. Why me?”

She sighs. “If you must know what first attracted me was your eyes. They…spoke to me…called to a part of me that hasn’t been drawn out for quite some time. As I said, I’ve not been with a man for many years so when I felt that pull, I had to investigate, had to see if the possibilities were real.”

 “Right, I don’t really know what that means.”

“I am drawn to you like a flame and one or both of us could be burned or it will be very, very good.”

Her eyes are so dark in this light. He leans back and doesn’t say anything but he feels heat spreading through his body. He decides to change the subject. “Do you stay here with Bella Lucia, and is that her name or is Bella something that is added to her name?”

“I have my own place at the top of LN Tower, but I do stay here sometimes. Other times she comes to me.”

“So you don’t live together?”

“No, I care a great deal for her, but we would get on each other’s nerves if we lived together all the time. We both have strong personalities. And as for her name, Bella Lucia is her name, or rather, Bella Lucia Albertini. And, she has given her approval. She thinks you will fit in nicely.”

He notices her accent is stronger when she talks about Bella Lucia. His eyebrows rise. “What does that mean? You want me to spend time with both of you?”

“That will depend on you, but yes.”

He is shaking his head again, but at that moment Gabriella is heading toward them with salad. She plates it up, serves Luna first and then sets his plate in front of him. He realizes they always serve her first. He glances around the patio and sees mostly women and only two men that he could see. One is being fed by the woman he is with and the other is kneeling in front of a woman and when Alexei realizes what he is doing he quickly looks away. He clears his throat and moves in his seat.

“What is it, Alexei?” She takes a bite of her salad and waits for him to answer.

He doesn’t want to answer but he remembers what she said in the car about telling the truth. “I…noticed there are mostly women here and the, um, men, one is being fed by the woman he is with and the other…” He clears his throat again and then says quietly. “The other is servicing his woman.”

She swallows her food, takes a drink of her ice water and then looks at him. “Yes…”

First thing he realizes is she isn’t stunned at all and the second is he hasn’t actually asked her a question. “How, why…the second one, isn’t that illegal in public places?”

“First, this isn’t a public place. Second, the men you see here have consented to doing what their woman want no matter when or where and believe me, they love every minute of it. The women here, they come here because it is a special place, a place where very strong women will be treated with respect and are allowed to bring their men but only if the men are very well behaved. Most of the men you will see here are submissives.” As she explains her eyes never leave his face.

He swallows hard. “But you brought me here.”

“Yes…”

“How did you know I would… behave.” His face is so hot and his chest feels like a two ton truck is sitting on it.

“I was hoping you would be on your best behavior since it is our first time out. Does it make you uncomfortable being here, seeing those men being commanded by their strong women?”

For the first time he sees a hint of worry in her eyes and it releases his chest making it easier to breathe. He holds his hand out, palm up, and she places her hand over his, lightly stroking his palm with her fingers. It shoots right to his core and he twitches between his legs but he doesn’t pull back. He breathes deeply trying to force his body to relax.

“I am uncomfortable because being in your presence has my nerves on end. What the others are doing, I’m not sure how I feel about it.

She frowns but her fingers are still stroking his palm. “You don’t know how you feel about it?”

He is feeling overwhelmed and her fingers are causing him to bulge in his pants. “No, if I did I would tell you. I have a feeling I’m going to need time to process all of this, the open relationship, the submissive men, how you make me feel, your…companion, it’s all a bit much.”

Her fingers are still lightly caressing his palm and his eyes slowly close as he narrows his focus to the sensations.

“I appreciate your candor and I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but I do understand. How long do you think you will need to process,” She waves her hand around encompassing everything. “all of this?"

She slowly takes her hand away. She takes another bite of her salad and he drinks almost all of his water down.

When he feels more in control he says, “Last night you didn’t want to come to dinner at my place because you were afraid of scaring me off yet you bring me here."

“I needed to see if any of this would be agreeable to you to see if there was even a chance that you could become part of my world.

“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be difficult, I just don’t know if this is what I want for my life. I just need some time.”

Luna stood up and came around to his side of the table, straddled him and sat down facing him. Her hand strokes his cheek. “I can help you with your problem.” She moves over him and he knows she can feel how hard he is. He glances around quickly.

“No one here cares what we do, everyone respects the space of each woman here.”

He feels like he can’t breathe. Part of him wants to let her do this, it excites him and he pulses beneath her. Another part is horrified that he would even consider it.

She stares into his eyes as all of this and more go through his mind. “Alexei,” She lifts just enough so he can undo his pants. “let yourself out. Follow your feelings.” She hovers, waiting.

His hands go to his pants and he quickly unbuckles his belt, unbuttons his button and unzips his pants before he can change his mind. He reaches in and pulls himself out from his underwear. She immediately moves over him and he feels she isn’t wearing panties as she slowly slides down onto him.

He moans and starts to look around.

“Look at me, Alexei, you and I are the only ones in the room as far as you are concerned.”

He forces himself to keep his eyes on her. He can’t believe they are having s*x right here in the open. Her hands move between them and strokes his chest until her fingers find his n*****s and she pulls and pinches them. He moans louder.

“That’s it, Alexei, let go and take all I have to give.”

She leans in and takes his mouth, forcing his mouth open and their tongues dance as she pinches harder and harder. He cries out into her mouth as she moves over him until he is tensing, thrusting up into her as his hot seed fills her. She moves over him several more times as she lets go of his n*****s, puts her forehead to his forehead and whispers. “Thank you for letting go, Alexei, do you see some of the pleasure you can have being with me? That was only a taste, I want to give you so much more.” She finally moves off of him, gets up and sits back in her seat.

He fumbles with his pants and gets himself put back together. He quickly looks around but no one seems to be paying them any attention.

“Luna, I understand what you want, I’m just not sure if I’m going to be able to give it to you. I want to go.” He stands up. “I have to leave, now.” He turns toward where they came out from.

Luna stands up. “I’ll take you home…”

“No.” He puts his hand up toward her. “I’ll find my own way. “Please give me some time to think about this, Luna. I just need a little bit of space. Can you give me that?”

She slowly nods. “Yes, I’m sorry I upset you, Alexei, please let me get a car to take you home at least.”

He sees worry in her eyes and knows he can at least do this to ease a bit of it. “Alright.” He turns and finds his way back to the elevator. Sylvi stands in front of it, frowning. Alexei sees her looking over his shoulder and he looks back seeing Luna nodding at her.

“Yes, Ms. Navarro.” She steps aside and pushes the button.

He wonders what Sylvi thought she could have done to stop him as she didn’t look strong enough, but who knows, maybe she is specially trained or something. He steps up and into the elevator after the doors open. He turns around and Luna is watching him, her face expressionless as the doors close.