Chapter 11 take the money and run

ONE

I soon ran out of money. On Thursday night, the night before the first fashion show, I asked Yvonne if I could have some more money. I had used all the money in the drawer and all my traveler’s cheques. Since leaving the apartment for the world out there, I had spent over nine hundred and fifty dollars, but that included my half of the hotel bill, my first expensive lunch and my sandals, but not the beautician or my clothes. “It’s all those taxis,” I rambled, “and those Paris sights out there. It’s expensive being a tourist, and my sandals were really expensive. Remember all those CDs I bought you and that ─”

“Help yourself. Just leave me enough for a taxi in the morning.” Yvonne stepped out of the shower, all dripping wet and scrummy-looking. “Lyn, I don’t mind,” she said, noticing me still standing in the bathroom doorway.

“I’m perving, not…” I shuffled my feet. I was embarrassed about the money. When I looked up, Yvonne was busy drying herself. She walked towards me, held my face in her hands and kissed me, then walked past.

“I am embarrassed,” I said. Yvonne stood naked on the window seat, looking out over the city, her towel on the seat beside her. She had two of the louvre windows open. We could hear people on the street below and cars tooting. It was a really warm, muggy night. The red evening sky looked slightly psychedelic through the funny green windows. It felt like we were on Mars.

I opened Yvonne’s wallet and took out a handful of notes, leaving enough for two taxi rides.

“Come here,” I heard. I looked up. Yvonne sat on the window seat, her legs open, the towel in her hands casually between her thighs. She leaned back, her long legs stretched out, and smiled very seductively at me. Sex and sensuality oozed from every square centimeter of her. I swallowed, put her wallet away and sat down on the nearest thing, the chair at her dressing-table, with all those make-up, perfume and hairspray smells.

“You come here,” I said. My voice trembled ─ it actually trembled. I was nervous, sweating, felt all mushy inside. Yvonne could change my feelings so easily. Ten seconds before, I had been a perving, embarrassed woman, worrying about money. We were living on Mars. Ten seconds later, I was dueling with her over “come here”. Who would win? Who could lose?

I stood up. I put the money on the dressing-table. Yvonne gathered her long body together and stood up. Her hair dripped. Water ran down her shoulders, over her chest and onto her deliciously, gently curving breasts. One droplet of water clung to her erect left nipple. When would it fall? My eyes were glued to that wonderful nipple and that persistent droplet. My legs shook. She walked towards me slowly, my breathing heavy and fast. Then she was kissing me, holding me, her body warm and wet. It smelled wonderful, passion fruit and lavender, her shampoo. We were in a world of our own, maybe alien, but it was ours. We fell on to the bed and Yvonne undressed me as she kissed me and I kissed her.