?I?m planning a sort of reunion,? said Karl.
Alice stared at him blankly.
?A reunion for what??
?All the people that were at that memorable holiday on that Greek island. I?m talking to people who were there to see if they would like to do it again. It would be rather like a class reunion but more fun.?
A feeling of relief but also disappointment spread from Alice?s heart outwards until it reached the tips of her ears and the furthest extremities of her toes.
She felt relieved because she wouldn?t now be under pressure to do what she really wanted to do which was to wrap her arms around this well-dressed man in his smart suit and golden wrist watch and succumb willingly to his wandering hands.
She felt sad because sometimes the things that are right are not always what you really want.
?I think that would be very nice,? she said, simply.
?In fact, you were the most difficult to find and are about the last in the list so I?ve already got lots of gossip for you.?
Alice giggled, self-consciously, and touched her hair.
?And I thought you were inviting me here because you couldn?t forget me and your only intention was seduction.?
Karl gazed at her cautiously, playing with his gold wristwatch.
?And how would you have felt about that,? he enquired. His voice was gruff.
?It would have been against my will and better judgment but quite possibly with my co-operation, so it?s quite a relief that you?ve other things in mind and it?s nice that I can now feel relaxed.?
Their meals arrived, together with one of the tastiest red wines that Alice had ever experienced. Karl chatted amiably, bringing her up to date with the news of who had married whom and, as far as he could remember, the numbers of children they?d had.
?Would you consider going back to the island for the reunion?? Alice asked at last. They were just finishing dessert.
?It?s funny you should say that because your friend Greta in the photograph asked me that only yesterday,? laughed Karl. ?It would be a fantastic idea, wouldn?t it??
?But you said that she now had three children and a husband,? said Alice. ?It would be rather a lot of people to take over to a Greek island.?
?For that reason, we agreed it was a nice idea but impracticable. After much thought and a great deal of consultation, I think I?ve a better idea.?
?I?m all ears,? said Alice.
?What I am proposing is that we take over the penthouse suite here at this hotel with its excellent swimming pool and roof garden for a weekend. It has loads of rooms, excellent service and we can throw a party to end all parties. We could even import the Retsina specially.?
?It sounds absolutely wonderful,? sparkled Alice.
?Since we?ve finished the meal, would you like to go up and see it? I have the keys.?
So now Karl had said the magic words that Alice had dreaded so much. But, after the beautiful meal, the excellent wine and with the reassuring explanation about his intentions, she agreed.
Fifteen minutes later, they were strolling through the gardens on the roof and admiring the light as it reflected through the glass ceiling into the swimming pool.
Then they sat on its huge balcony with London lying at their feet, admiring the view. Alice felt warm, well fed and looked after. When he touched the back of her neck and asked if she minded if he kissed her, she replied, cautiously, ?Why not - for old times sake??
He leaned over and found her lips with his, resting them on hers with little movement and the lightest of pressure. It was not seductive. It was hardly a preliminary to seduction.
Alice leaned back away from him.
?So you had no intention of bringing me here to seduce me??
?None at all! But I have to admit that kiss was very nice.?
?For me too. You?re still a handsome man.?
?And you are still a very good looking woman.?
Alice stood up and twirled around.
?Not such a bad figure after so many years,? she said, proudly.
?You remember the game we played, occasionally, at the villa. We called it ?double dare?, I think,? said Karl.
?The game involved daring somebody to do something silly in return for accepting their dare, I seem to remember,? said Alice, pertly.
?It was fun,? said Karl, his eyes twinkling.
?And what dare did you have in mind,? asked Alice. ?It might be something I don?t want to do.?
Karl?s smile was now ingratiating. His hand reached up and slicked back his dark hair, eyes glittering like a wolf.
?Go on, I dare you to remove your dress, I bet your figure is still as gorgeous as it was all those years ago on that sunny beach.?
?Was I really gorgeous or was I just another conquest?? parried Alice. She tried to smile, as if unconcerned, but knew she wasn?t succeeding.
The hypnotic sound of Karl?s voice and the way he?d complimented her was delicious. It was a long time since anybody had spoken to her like that. Her pulse was racing and her breathing had almost stopped. She knew it was time to walk away from this handsome, powerful man. Unaccountably, in the distance, a voice that sounded too much like hers was already replying.
?And in return, I will be allowed to see how much your physique has been affected over the years. No doubt your life style has been extremely disreputable??
His strong hands were on her slender shoulders, his dark eyes peered directly into her soul and his voice worked hard to reassure.
?Naturally.?
She shrugged off his hands, sharply, and stepped back.
?And this is definitely not part of your standard seduction routine?? Her words sounded so ridiculous.
His hands were open, before him. His voice reassuring.
?I know that you are special to me, like your friend, Greta, and you are securely married with a family. What sort of person would be willing to risk damaging that??
He sounded so convincing.
?All right,? said Alice, contritely. ?Do you want me to go first??
?We can go together,? he said eagerly.
Time suddenly seemed to stand still. With their eyes locked together, besides the swimming pool, and under the reflected light of the sun filtered through the glass roof, they silently complied with the ?double dare?.
Soon two articles of wispy purple lace were all that covered Alice?s small but beautifully proportioned body.
Karl rested his thumbs inside the top of his briefs, muscles rippling in his bare arms and chest, posing.
?Not so bad as you thought, eh!?
?Pretty good for your age,? Alice agreed. But, inside her, a voice was screaming ?What a hunk!?
?And now I dare you for one small kiss,? said Karl gazing appreciatively.
He stepped forward so the hairs on his chest tantalized and tickled her front.
Huskily, somehow, she managed to reply. ?Under the rules, and only if it?s part of the dare, reluctantly, I accept.?
They kissed and the outside world disappeared far away from their own, private, personal universe. As their skin became one, Alice felt her heart pounding as if it were ready to explode. She hardly held him but his hands delicately traced her back from shoulders to thigh sending ripples of sensation through her whole body.
A lifetime later, their lips lingeringly parted.
?You are so beautiful,? whispered Karl.
?My dare now,? she said, quietly.
?Anything!? Karl?s voice was already hoarse with desire.
?Let me go and stand away from me. Then I will turn round once, if you will.?
Karl looked puzzled.
?Go on, it?s the rules of the dare.?
Still looking puzzled, Karl stepped back and slowly turned around, as Alice had requested.
Alice looked at him closely and suddenly felt very sad.
To complete her part of the dare, slowly she pirouetted, with her head tilted to one side, almost resting on her shoulder. Her eyes full of mystery but also a strange resolve.
She knew now what she was going to do.
Facing him again, she reached for her dress and slipped it back on. Stepping forward decisively, she kissed the surprised Karl on the lips and before he could object, was gone from the penthouse.
Later that evening, she was surfing the Internet when an email came through from Karl.
To: Alice
From: Karl
Subject: What did I do wrong?
There was no text in the body of the message.
Alice wrote back, with a smile still playing on her lips.
To: Karl
From: Alice
Subject: What you did wrong ?
I recognized Greta?s trade mark scratches on your back and realized that the only reunion you were after was a reunion with your island conquests - and if they were married, for you, that only made the chase more interesting.
Alice wondered how long Karl would keep writing hoping for her to change her mind. Her smile broadened.
?The longer the better,? she thought happily.
Her email filter would automatically detect and delete any further emails he sent.
Alice was content. Her new computer system made matters so neat and tidy. Karl was now firmly back in the past, out of sight and out of mind.
THE END
Alice stared at him blankly.
?A reunion for what??
?All the people that were at that memorable holiday on that Greek island. I?m talking to people who were there to see if they would like to do it again. It would be rather like a class reunion but more fun.?
A feeling of relief but also disappointment spread from Alice?s heart outwards until it reached the tips of her ears and the furthest extremities of her toes.
She felt relieved because she wouldn?t now be under pressure to do what she really wanted to do which was to wrap her arms around this well-dressed man in his smart suit and golden wrist watch and succumb willingly to his wandering hands.
She felt sad because sometimes the things that are right are not always what you really want.
?I think that would be very nice,? she said, simply.
?In fact, you were the most difficult to find and are about the last in the list so I?ve already got lots of gossip for you.?
Alice giggled, self-consciously, and touched her hair.
?And I thought you were inviting me here because you couldn?t forget me and your only intention was seduction.?
Karl gazed at her cautiously, playing with his gold wristwatch.
?And how would you have felt about that,? he enquired. His voice was gruff.
?It would have been against my will and better judgment but quite possibly with my co-operation, so it?s quite a relief that you?ve other things in mind and it?s nice that I can now feel relaxed.?
Their meals arrived, together with one of the tastiest red wines that Alice had ever experienced. Karl chatted amiably, bringing her up to date with the news of who had married whom and, as far as he could remember, the numbers of children they?d had.
?Would you consider going back to the island for the reunion?? Alice asked at last. They were just finishing dessert.
?It?s funny you should say that because your friend Greta in the photograph asked me that only yesterday,? laughed Karl. ?It would be a fantastic idea, wouldn?t it??
?But you said that she now had three children and a husband,? said Alice. ?It would be rather a lot of people to take over to a Greek island.?
?For that reason, we agreed it was a nice idea but impracticable. After much thought and a great deal of consultation, I think I?ve a better idea.?
?I?m all ears,? said Alice.
?What I am proposing is that we take over the penthouse suite here at this hotel with its excellent swimming pool and roof garden for a weekend. It has loads of rooms, excellent service and we can throw a party to end all parties. We could even import the Retsina specially.?
?It sounds absolutely wonderful,? sparkled Alice.
?Since we?ve finished the meal, would you like to go up and see it? I have the keys.?
So now Karl had said the magic words that Alice had dreaded so much. But, after the beautiful meal, the excellent wine and with the reassuring explanation about his intentions, she agreed.
Fifteen minutes later, they were strolling through the gardens on the roof and admiring the light as it reflected through the glass ceiling into the swimming pool.
Then they sat on its huge balcony with London lying at their feet, admiring the view. Alice felt warm, well fed and looked after. When he touched the back of her neck and asked if she minded if he kissed her, she replied, cautiously, ?Why not - for old times sake??
He leaned over and found her lips with his, resting them on hers with little movement and the lightest of pressure. It was not seductive. It was hardly a preliminary to seduction.
Alice leaned back away from him.
?So you had no intention of bringing me here to seduce me??
?None at all! But I have to admit that kiss was very nice.?
?For me too. You?re still a handsome man.?
?And you are still a very good looking woman.?
Alice stood up and twirled around.
?Not such a bad figure after so many years,? she said, proudly.
?You remember the game we played, occasionally, at the villa. We called it ?double dare?, I think,? said Karl.
?The game involved daring somebody to do something silly in return for accepting their dare, I seem to remember,? said Alice, pertly.
?It was fun,? said Karl, his eyes twinkling.
?And what dare did you have in mind,? asked Alice. ?It might be something I don?t want to do.?
Karl?s smile was now ingratiating. His hand reached up and slicked back his dark hair, eyes glittering like a wolf.
?Go on, I dare you to remove your dress, I bet your figure is still as gorgeous as it was all those years ago on that sunny beach.?
?Was I really gorgeous or was I just another conquest?? parried Alice. She tried to smile, as if unconcerned, but knew she wasn?t succeeding.
The hypnotic sound of Karl?s voice and the way he?d complimented her was delicious. It was a long time since anybody had spoken to her like that. Her pulse was racing and her breathing had almost stopped. She knew it was time to walk away from this handsome, powerful man. Unaccountably, in the distance, a voice that sounded too much like hers was already replying.
?And in return, I will be allowed to see how much your physique has been affected over the years. No doubt your life style has been extremely disreputable??
His strong hands were on her slender shoulders, his dark eyes peered directly into her soul and his voice worked hard to reassure.
?Naturally.?
She shrugged off his hands, sharply, and stepped back.
?And this is definitely not part of your standard seduction routine?? Her words sounded so ridiculous.
His hands were open, before him. His voice reassuring.
?I know that you are special to me, like your friend, Greta, and you are securely married with a family. What sort of person would be willing to risk damaging that??
He sounded so convincing.
?All right,? said Alice, contritely. ?Do you want me to go first??
?We can go together,? he said eagerly.
Time suddenly seemed to stand still. With their eyes locked together, besides the swimming pool, and under the reflected light of the sun filtered through the glass roof, they silently complied with the ?double dare?.
Soon two articles of wispy purple lace were all that covered Alice?s small but beautifully proportioned body.
Karl rested his thumbs inside the top of his briefs, muscles rippling in his bare arms and chest, posing.
?Not so bad as you thought, eh!?
?Pretty good for your age,? Alice agreed. But, inside her, a voice was screaming ?What a hunk!?
?And now I dare you for one small kiss,? said Karl gazing appreciatively.
He stepped forward so the hairs on his chest tantalized and tickled her front.
Huskily, somehow, she managed to reply. ?Under the rules, and only if it?s part of the dare, reluctantly, I accept.?
They kissed and the outside world disappeared far away from their own, private, personal universe. As their skin became one, Alice felt her heart pounding as if it were ready to explode. She hardly held him but his hands delicately traced her back from shoulders to thigh sending ripples of sensation through her whole body.
A lifetime later, their lips lingeringly parted.
?You are so beautiful,? whispered Karl.
?My dare now,? she said, quietly.
?Anything!? Karl?s voice was already hoarse with desire.
?Let me go and stand away from me. Then I will turn round once, if you will.?
Karl looked puzzled.
?Go on, it?s the rules of the dare.?
Still looking puzzled, Karl stepped back and slowly turned around, as Alice had requested.
Alice looked at him closely and suddenly felt very sad.
To complete her part of the dare, slowly she pirouetted, with her head tilted to one side, almost resting on her shoulder. Her eyes full of mystery but also a strange resolve.
She knew now what she was going to do.
Facing him again, she reached for her dress and slipped it back on. Stepping forward decisively, she kissed the surprised Karl on the lips and before he could object, was gone from the penthouse.
Later that evening, she was surfing the Internet when an email came through from Karl.
To: Alice
From: Karl
Subject: What did I do wrong?
There was no text in the body of the message.
Alice wrote back, with a smile still playing on her lips.
To: Karl
From: Alice
Subject: What you did wrong ?
I recognized Greta?s trade mark scratches on your back and realized that the only reunion you were after was a reunion with your island conquests - and if they were married, for you, that only made the chase more interesting.
Alice wondered how long Karl would keep writing hoping for her to change her mind. Her smile broadened.
?The longer the better,? she thought happily.
Her email filter would automatically detect and delete any further emails he sent.
Alice was content. Her new computer system made matters so neat and tidy. Karl was now firmly back in the past, out of sight and out of mind.
THE END
