Page 16 of Forbidden Desires

Eric

Iarrived at Baudelaire at ten AM sharp, a boutique on the west side of Coral Gables that catered to custom clothing, costume fitting, and anything in between that might strike the fancy of someone with too much money to spend and plenty of time in which to spend it. For many of Felix’s parties, I had purchased suits here. The owner, Meriwether, had known me for nearly fifteen years, and there was nowhere better to get a suit fitted, no matter what people said about overpriced designer label clothes.

Walking through the front door a half hour early, the melodic chime signalled my arrival. Not a moment later a squat, older woman with fly away grey curls pinned away from her face came around from the back. She may have been tiny, but she was a firecracker in personality and could wrangle even the toughest client into submission.

“Eric! So nice of you to come back. After that fiasco with that strumpet you brought the last time, I thought you were gone for good, too embarrassed to come back to my humble shop and browse my wares.” She grinned, showing off two rows of perfect veneers. “Of course, you’re never one to run away from a good thing, are you? It’s nice to see our relationship is still intact.”

I tried not to wince at the unpleasant reminder of that last visit. “And it’s nice to see that you’re still as lively and trouble making as ever, Meri,” I said with a grin.

We walked between several prominent displays of pre-made gowns and suits, a few period pieces—looking like they were styled for eighteenth century England fashion, probably for themed parties—and to the section of the boutique that I always booked for fittings with my girls. A nice, private room with plenty of light and mirrors to capture all angles, and a bar for drinks if we wished to indulge. Depending on how long the fitting went, there was the possibility we’d order something to eat, but that depended entirely on Jasmine.

Admittedly, after my night, and then the next day with Jasmine, I was more impressed with her than I had expected I would be. I’d been wholly intrigued by the conversation we’d had during breakfast and hearing how she’d ended up as an escort. She clearly considered Dominque her saviour from a bad situation, which made me even more curious about the particulars of her becoming first a cam girl, then an escort. For as much as Jasmine had shared with me, I had no doubt there had been more she’d kept close to the vest. Not that I blamed her.

She was young, yes, but clearly an old soul. She was full of wisdom and insight and possessed an emotional maturity that most of the women I had dated lacked. It had been a week since I’d last seen her, and she’d consumed my thoughts to the pointof distraction. An anomaly for me, considering no one in recent memory had preoccupied my mind the way she had.

As I sat down on a plush, red velvet settee and wine was poured for me, I couldn’t deny the anticipation coursing through me. I sipped my wine, enjoying the sweet tartness that hit my tongue before looking back to Meriwether.

The older woman stared at me with a knowing smile and a cheeky, raised brow, as if she were in on some secret that she had yet to share with me. “What?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I’m just very interested in this girl you’ve brought today. After last time, I was certain you were done with your lady entertainers. What’s different?”

In a wry tone, I said, “What’s different is she’s shown she’s not likely to be a woman who gets drunk in a fitting room boutique and spills red wine all over polished hardwood floors and restored traditional Chinese garments that are, quite frankly, irreplaceable.”

Because I was such a good customer, Meriwether had insisted that I didn’t need to pay back the acquisition and restoration cost of the piece, but it would have been insanity not to reimburse her. Besides, thestrumpetin question certainly wouldn’t have had the funds to do such a thing, and she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to ruin the garment had I not brought her here in the first place, so the fault was mine.

“I think you’ll like her,” I continued. “She’s quite charming. I think Felix will enjoy her company and I imagine that she’ll find him delightfully entertaining. No historical garments harmed in the process.”

Meriwether chuckled. “Mhmm. Well, I’ll bring her back when she comes in. You relax and enjoy the quiet. I made sure that the only people here today were myself and Stephanie, who is busy in the back tailoring a few pieces for me, so you’ll havethe shop to yourself and your lady. I’ll bring out the pieces I selected when she arrives.”

Meri walked out of the fitting area and I waited patiently for Jasmine, enjoying my wine. I just finished my drink when the front door chimed again, then the soft voices of Meriwether and Jasmine carrying over.

“Welcome, welcome, dearie,” Meri greeted her in a jovial voice. “You must be Miss Jasmine.”

“Just Jasmine,” she said in a sweet, friendly tone. “Uhm, is Eric Maxim here?”

“Just back this way. Come, I’ll take you to him.”

I couldn’t hold back the amused quirk of my lips as Meriwether chattered with Jasmine, asking how her day was (it was lovely so far), if she had ever been to Baudelaire (she hadn’t), and how she felt about the 1920s (she loved the fashion of the era and wished she had the face for a short bob hairstyle).

I set my glass down on the small table beside the settee as they came into the private fitting area, Jasmine in a pair of jeans and a loose red blouse. Hair up in a ponytail and minimal makeup on her face, she looked a vision of casual comfort. It was a difference that I wasn’t opposed to and liked very much.

I offered Jasmine a smile and stood. “You’re early,” I said, even though I was pleased she wasn’t late as others had been. But she still had about fifteen minutes before the probably-should-book-it-here time frame that I had given her.

She glanced around the beautifully appointed fitting room with a bit of awe in her eyes. “I figured for something like this it would be best to arrive early. I’ve never been here before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

“Only the best personal treatment that Coral Gables, Florida has to offer,” Meriwether said proudly. “I can guarantee you’ve never been to a boutique like mine and I doubt that you ever will. I’d apologize in advance for ruining any future experiencesof yours, but I’d have to actually be sorry for that.” Meriwether gave her a wink, and there was a slight flush on Jasmine’s cheeks in response.

I shook my head and looked to Meriwether, knowing how long winded the other woman could be. “The dresses?”

Meriwether clicked her tongue. “Oh, you never let me have any fun, no matter how well I treat you, Eric. The audacity.”

Still, she fluttered out of the room to retrieve the dresses for the event, leaving Jasmine and me alone.

“Sorry,” I said, turning to her. “Meri’s very bold in personality, but she’s truly one of the sweetest people I know. She’ll be the one that handles any fittings for any dinners that you’ll be needing formal dresses for.”

Jasmine smiled and nodded, approaching where I was still standing by the settee. “She is quite nice and welcoming. I didn’t expect it. Honestly, most of the boutiques in Coral Gables are run by…very particular people.”

“It’s alright to call them uppity,” I said, enjoying the slight surprise on Jasmine’s face that I’d say such a thing. I shrugged a shoulder. “I understand the way that most boutiques treat women in your line of work. Eager to accept the money as swiftly as they are to pass judgement. I don’t like subjecting the girls I spend time with to those kinds of places. Meriwether simply doesn’t care. She likes creating a memorable experience and showing off her pieces to willing test subjects,” I said with a wink.

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