“I will when I take office. In the meantime, I like to see what I've done in the last few months. I think drinking wine without eating properly is going to be a terrible idea.”
“I agree. But I’m done with hotel food. How about pizza? I'll order on the app,” she said.
“Pepperoni. No onions for me.”
“Perfect. I’m getting a Margherita for myself. It shouldn't take long to get here from Brooklyn.”
We sit together while I call the front desk for an ice bucket. After a few sips of the red wine, the reality of my empty stomach hits me.
“What are your plans for Christmas?” I asked.
“Probably nothing. I have to head to L.A. right after for some business.”
“A couple of friends are coming here. I thought about staying with my mother, but she prefers the holiday dance at her... 'condominium.'”
“I thought your mother was in a nursing home?” Vanessa questioned.
“If you say that around her, I think you'll be uninvited to anything. My mother calls it a luxury residential community for those who have lived long lives and require tranquility.”
Vanessa throws her head back, laughing. “So... is this an invitation to spend the holidays with you?”
“It is. Dinner at the hotel, maybe exchange gifts. I’m not one for grand celebrations.”
“Sounds perfect. My initial plan was to work and maybe hit the BDSM club.” She watches me, a spark of intensity in her eyes. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment to tell you that I’m a regular there.”
“Are you... like Kelsey?” I asked.
“Not at all. I like to watch. That’s all.”
“There's a word for that... voyeur?” I snap my fingers, searching for it. “So that's what you like?”
“I could explain it to you in many ways. I was tired of going to these places with Kels and just drinking or working on my phone. It was boring. One day, I sat down to watch a wax play scene. It was beautiful, but not that exciting.”
“So you went back to your emails?” I teased.
“Exactly. It’s like being an investigator behind a two-way mirror. I didn't find the 'art' of it sexy at first. But then I saw two men in a scene. That one was really good. They were so into it that, in the end, they just held each other for a while, just breathing.”
“Did you answer any emails that day?” I asked with a smile.
“No emails that day. I had fun on my own and then called a guy who was at the bar to join me. I'm bisexual,” she specified.
“Oh. Well, that makes sense now.”
“And you? Kelsey mentioned she’s introducing you to Charlie, the club owner. I’m curious, do you like being in charge, or being told what to do?” Vanessa asked, brushing her hand against my cheek.
“I went two years without good sex. You know I was married. That meant giving up my sex life for my career.” Her hand continues to caress my face. “When Kelsey and I had sex... can I talk about it with you?”
“Of course, it's no problem.”
“I’ve actually been looking into it more. I’d read the books and seen the movies, but those are just shadows of the real thing. Talking to Kelsey about it so openly... it changed everything. It felt right.”
“It’s wonderful that you’re allowing yourself to discover what you actually want,” she whispered.
I lean in, cutting her off with a kiss. It’s firm, controlled, and deep. Her tongue dances with mine in a slow, wet caress. We break away, foreheads touching, as the doorbell rings.
We eat while watching the national news. New nominations for legal positions are being highlighted.
“Did you know that, even as I was climbing the ladder, I always loathed the fact that we need political appointments just to secure a seat on the bench?” I muttered.
