Temptation and Fate III

He took me to this brand new, almost modern art restaurant.  The restaurant has a normal looking lobby where you put in your order then you are seated in a room with absolutely no lights, not even a candle.  It is pitch black, and the waiters are all blind, which makes sense since they are used to getting around without having to see.  It is supposed to give you a sense of being blind and also it is a true adventure for the palate, there is no visual construct to help you determine what you are eating, you simply rely on taste.1

We had a fantastic dinner.  Without light I didn't have to worry about staring at him, or him staring at me; although throughout the meal I felt like he was staring regardless of the lack of light.  The only downfall of such a new experience and the lack of light was that there seemed to be a lack of conversation too.  After dinner he suggested some wine and somewhere a little more well lit so we could actually talk, as I had promised him that.  I cannot explain how or why, but I somehow felt complete trust in him.  We left the restaurant and as we drove off the main road of town I started to wonder where we were going.  As I was about to ask, we pulled up in front of a beautiful mansion.  It was old, a southern plantation house, and you could feel the history of it.  I started to hesitate as he pulled through the gate.2

"It's just wine and conversation," he said, "We won't do anything that you do not wish to do."3

My nerves seemed to calm at once and I stepped out of the car.  Gazing up at the mansion it had more of a gothic feel than a southern feel to it.  Up close the stones were large and carved with images of angels and demons, and each corner of the house had a gargoyle on it.  When we entered the main hall he closed the heavy wooden door behind us and my mind was reeling with the beauty around me.  All of the floors were either marble or hard wood and the walls were decorated each a different color from one room to the next.  There was  a huge fireplace in the parlor with a fire already burning in it.  4

"Look around, make yourself at home," he said as he headed towards the back of the house.5

In fear of getting lost I tried to follow him, but he turned the corners and moved too quickly through the house for me to keep up.   Before long I was lost, I had wandered into a back portion of the house that had obviously been a greenhouse at some point.  The walls were entirely made of glass, with inlaid stained glass windows scattered around.  There were no plants in there now, but some basic furniture, and a telescope.  The moon was bright overhead and lit the room almost as well as a lamp would have.  As I gazed around me I suddenly felt him behind me.  His hands went to my shoulders and began rubbing them.  He had such strength just in his fingers, I couldn't imagine the rest of his muscles.  He then reached around with a glass of wine and handed it to me.  I took a sip, it was a marvelous wine with a deep flavor that played with the senses.6

He continued to rub my shoulders for a while and kissed me so gently I could barely feel it.7

"So what shall we talk about?" He asked.8

"hmm...you, what do you do for a living?"9

"No," he said, "actually I want to talk about you."10

"But you just asked me what I wanted to talk about?"11

"Well I have changed my mind, I am curious about you, I would like to know more about this relationship you have."12

I blushed at this for embarrassment that I was here with this stranger and about to talk about my boyfriend.  "What do you want to know?" I asked.13

"Well, what is it about this relationship, why would you rather be with him than me or anyone else?  What is it that you call love?"14

I hesitated for a moment, "He is a great guy, he is the type of guy a girl marries.  He has a steady job, owns his own home, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, and he would never hit me."15

With that he got a sly smile on his face and asked innocently, "But what if you wanted to be hit?"16

My senses prickled at this suggestion and I blushed a little.  "You know what I meant, he would never abuse me.  There is no reason for me to screw that up for some lust."17

"So I get it, he is safe, but in all of what you said you never said he made you happy?"18

"I am happy simply in that he loves me."19

"Then why did you accept my dinner date?"20

"Because you threatened to say something, something that would hurt my perfectly good relationship," I paused for a moment and finally admitted, "and because you intrigue me."21

"I will never understand some things, such as your choice of safety over happiness.  Wouldn't you rather experience true happiness for a short time than safety for a long time? Obviously there is some part of you that would since you admitted you are here out of intrigue."22

I had no answer for him, so I just sipped my wine.  I was trying to think of some reply when he stood up and moved over beside me.  "Have you ever felt real pleasure?"23

I looked up sharply at him, "What are you asking?"24

"Well it is clear that you are not truly happy with this man, are you getting anything from this relationship other than safety?"25

"Yes, he is great in bed thank you, not that it is any of your business."  I just glared at him and finished off my wine.  "Perhaps I should go, I think this was a big mistake."26

"Please," is all he said, "I'm sorry, I did not mean to offend you, I just do not understand relationships, or at least not yours.  Let me refill your wine, and you will stay just a little while longer?"27

I felt confused at this point, my conscience was telling me to go home to my safe thing, but every other sense in my body was telling me to stay.  After all we were just talking right?  28

"Alright," I gave in to him, "just a little while longer," and I handed him the wine glass.  29

While he was gone I got up and started to look around the room.  Aside from the other things I had seen I was now able to make out some details.  In one corner there were some plants, I could identify a Venus Fly Trap and I knew that the other plant was also a carnivorous one, although I could not think of its name.  I also noticed that none of the windows in the room opened, they were all sealed, I suppose to prevent water from leaking in during rainstorms.30

He returned and handed me back the glass.  At that point I noticed that he had not drunk any wine at all, so I put my glass down. 31

"You do not want any more wine?" He asked.32

I just shook my head, I would like to stay clear headed."33

I turned around from the window and we were face to face, he was staring deeply into my eyes.  He took a step forward towards me and I retreated a step.  Then another step from him, and more of a retreat from me.  I was now up against the glass and my heart was racing.  He took one more step forward so close that our bodies barely brushed against one another.  He reached down and wrapped a hand around my waist and pulled me up to his lips and kissed me more deeply than I had ever been kissed.  I melted in his arms.  I wrapped my hands around his shoulders so that I would not fall if he let go of me, but I am sure he had no intention of letting go anyway.  He then moved around to my neck and kissed my neck, massaging it with his tongue.  He then kissed along my collarbone and moved back up towards my ear.  He sent tingles down my spine as he ran his tongue so lightly over my earlobe as to just barely brush the hairs.  His breath was sweet and warm on my face.  34

"Just give me one night," he whispered, "one night to teach you true pleasure and happiness."35

I was his, and I think he knew it.  He had some sort of spell over me that I could not break.  No matter how loudly my conscience screamed I could not hear it.  I think he knew this, he knew that I could not turn him down, no matter what he asked of me at this point.  My only answer to him was to kiss him back, as deeply and passionately as he had kissed me.36

He picked me up and I felt like a feather in his hands, he didn't seem to even exert any energy picking me up.  He carried me through several smaller rooms and into this great hall.  The floors were wooden, the walls were brick, though they were covered in exquisite tapestries, and there was a large fur rug in the middle of the room.  There was a distinct lack of furniture in this room, a couch along one wall, and some pillows on the floor in front of the blazing fireplace.  He carried me to the center of the room and put me down on the great fur rug.  I ran my hands through the fur, it was the softest thing I had ever felt.  He kneeled down beside me and took my hand from the fur to his chest.  I could feel his well formed body under the shirt as I undid his tie.  37