Page 22 of The High Price Of Loneliness

“May I have both?” she said smiling.

“Of course.” Gray added two of each to the growing tray for them to share.

Outside, they found a pair of chaise lounges with a round table between them perfect for holding the tray, and Gray spoke more seriously as he said, “I would like to discuss something new with you, Angelica. If you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” she replied, digging into the food with eager energy.

Edward broached the new subject with her. “I would like you to let me take care of you, including things like a clothing allowance for when we go out. You may be accompanying me to functions, etc.”

She paused for a moment. Caught off guard by his offer, she spoke her first instinct saying, “No. I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking money from you, Edward,” she sighed, adding, “That would just feel—odd to me.”

“Listen. The places we will be going and the kind of clothes I would want you to be wearing are also a reflection of me,” he explained. He paused momentarily before adding, “And, no offense, but I don’t think your current salary would cover the kind of clothes that I would like you to wear when we go out,” Edward pleaded his case.

She listened while sipping more of her wine and retorted, “There is a name for what you are talking about, Edward, and I wouldn’t like that to be how you think of me.”

Gray paused before replying, “I’m not putting any labels on our arrangement or understanding, Angelica, and no limits on how we might grow and develop as a couple later on. Plus, if two people take care of one another’s needs, I see nothing wrong with it, and, quite frankly, it is no one’s business but ours anyway. This would be a completely private arrangement. I just want to take care of you and spoil you a bit.”

“Well. Let me think about it, Edward. Ok?” she offered. “I’m just not used to the idea.”

Edward watched her face and her look of sweet innocence as she was reluctant to accept his generous offer and found himself ever more drawn to her. “Which, quite frankly, Angelica, makes you all the more adorable to me and rare to find,” he complimented, smiling as he lifted his glass towards her. “Cheers,” he said as they clinked. Little did Angelica grasp just now, but that toast in Edward’s mind had sealed their deal.

Angelica woke that morning in Edward’s master bedroom. She hadn’t even remembered drifting off into her velvety sleep last night. She loved waking up to the soft ocean breeze blowing through the French doors. They opened directly onto that ocean view from the third-floor balcony. It was expansive and beautiful but also so serene and peaceful. She could listen to those ocean waves crashing on the beach forever.

She couldn’t remember when she had slept that deeply anywhere but in her own bed. Perhaps it was the combination of her energy being drained repeatedly in Edward’s Red Playroom, all the wine she drank, and the sound of the ocean waves rolling steadily all night that had led her to sleep so deeply. But now, she desperately needed coffee.

Angelica went roaming through the spacious, estate-sized home looking for Edward and finally found him outside by the pool having his morning coffee. She walked up, still wearing his white linen shirt, to give him a good morning hug, leaning over him from behind. Edward beamed with the energetic smile of a morning person and reached up to pull her closer. As he did, Angelica whispered playfully, “What does a girl have to do around here to get a cup of that coffee?”

Edward, ever the great host, smiled and said, “Let me help you with that.” Together, they made their way to the gourmet kitchen where everything was already prepared. Edward’s Keurig coffee machine was surrounded by a rotating rack with every possible flavor of coffee, plus a crystal bowl with packets of every type of sugar and sweetener one could want, with an assortment of creamers to top it off. He showed Angelica where to find the coffee mugs for the future, but she asked, “Do you happen to have a to-go cup instead? I have to hurry off to work soon.”

Armed with her coffee, she made her way back to the bathroom where she had changed into the dreamy robe the night before. She quickly did her best to restore her hair and touch up her makeup before leaving him.

It was hard leaving Edward’s goodbye embrace in his muscular arms. He held her close at his front door before she had to leave to head home. She didn’t want to pressure Edward, but she simply could not resist asking him, “When will I see you again?” She winced inside as the words came out of her, but she had the aching feeling of missing him already, even just as she was about to leave.

Edward’s eyes narrowed, as he said more seriously and with intention, “You’ll never have to worry about that, Angelica. You are mine now, and I will take care of you like a princess. You will soon see.” She gazed deeply into his eyes smiling with equal parts of relief and happiness at the energy in his answer.

As he walked her to her car and kissed her softly one last time that morning, she whispered into his ear, “And I will treat you like my king, Edward.” Hearing her parting words, he held her tightly but gently as if possessed by his protective power, one more time.

She looked back up at his expansive home that contained the history and mystery of their first night together in his Red Playroom. Adding to the dream had been waking up in his master bedroom that morning, but now, she finally had to wave goodbye to Edward. She slowly pulled out of his circular driveway in the crisp morning air and onto the Gulf of Mexico Drive to head home. Her mind raced, reliving the night before and all that had happened. She felt her adrenaline flowing and her heart racing as she made her way along the spectacularly scenic drive back to town. She was soaring with newfound energy as she loved the views on each side of her; Sarasota Bay on her left with the early morning skyline of the charming city and the Gulf of Mexico on her right. The wind blew her hair in the open convertible as she cruised slowly and beamed with her morning glow to her modest home back in town.

She hoped his words were genuine and would not be their last. Angelica was a worrier. As it turned out, she would not have to worry for long. As she pulled into her driveway at home to get ready for work, Edward texted,Home safe?She smiled, thinking,Still watching over me protectively, I see. Somehow that kind of attention from other men she had dated had seemed annoying or bothersome. But not from Edward. She liked being the center of his attention. It felt different than with anyone else she had known.

Yes, sir, she texted her reply, still in “character” from her first training night with Edward as her Dominant and her as his very willing submissive.

Excellent, his message said in return.I placed an envelope in your purse with an important note. I hope you will be ok with my request, Ms. Hart.

He rarely used her last name unless he was making an important point and wanted to add a bit of significance. She quickly opened her purse to find her second ivory-colored envelope with a red wax seal embossed with the letter “G.” She peeled it open, wondering what it would be this time.

Inside, she opened a card with a handwritten note from Edward, a platinum American Express card in his name, and two more of his business cards.

The note read:Angelica, I am watching you sleep as I write this note; watching you breathe, drinking in your beauty. I want more… Today, after work, I would like you to do me the honor of shopping for two new outfits. One is to wear to a fancy Tampa event this weekend, and the second is to wear for me only—in the Red Playroom. Would you do this for me, Angelica? If so, you will find my American Express card, and if there are any questions about you using the Amex without me there, hand them my business card and ask them to please call me. One last thing… When you are shopping, please text me a photo or two of the outfits you are considering for the fancy black-tie event; I would like to help make the final choice if you don’t mind. But text me photos only for the evening wear. The private outfit I will leave up to you—as I will enjoy the anticipation and then the surprise of seeing what you choose to wear and model for me. Yours, Edward

The last two words were her favorite. Angelica beamed as she went to shower, her mind racing with anticipation. First of all, she loved that he had watched over her while she slept. That meant far more to her than his American Express card. But shopping for Edward! A first. No man had ever done this for her before. She even loved that he wanted to see photos of the dresses before she chose to gain his input. And, quite frankly, she would be relieved to have his final approval before she spent a fortune on one of those types of dresses. As she showered under the steamy jets of water, washing away all the sins of the long steamy night in his Red Playroom, she wondered about this fancy event in Tampa and envisioned what that might be like—arriving at a black-tie event and socializing on his arm. Exciting did not even begin to describe it. She was giddy with the feeling of anticipation.

Today felt like another new beginning in life at the next level. Time to get downtown and open the office. Work would be a bit of a letdown from the high she had felt all night and this morning because of how Edward made her feel. Angelica could not stop watching the clock all day, waiting for 5 p.m. so she could head out shopping as Edward had requested. She texted him to ask where he would suggest she look for the dress. He recommended Saks Fifth Avenue and told her to ask for Sandra as she was the best person to work with there. It seemed he was a regular customer, and they would take excellent care of her if she dropped his name when she arrived.

Angelica finally wrapped up her workday, which seemed to crawl by. She was simply dying to head out shopping for both of her assignments from Edward. After she went through rush hour traffic, she parked a short distance from the entrance to Saks with her energy thumping. She always loved shopping, but this time it was a different feeling. Armed for the safari with Edward’s credit card, she felt both a twinge of guilt and a rush of delight about what lay just ahead in the mall.

The cool air inside Saks Fifth Avenue rushed across her skin as Angelica opened the second set of stainless-steel doors to step into the store and perhaps into a better life. So, she walked with a bit more confidence than usual, armed with his credit card. At the end of the shopping day, she wouldn’t have to worry if her card limit could afford what she would be trying on. This was certainly a first for her in a store like this where dresses, bags, and shoes could sell for thousands each. A lady greeted Angelica in the dress department, and she asked for Sandra.

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