Member-only story
A Stellar Recommendation
You haven’t been on a date in a year. So, you exfoliate, letting the dead skin flake off into your loofah along with the past that accompanied it. You tweeze, wax, lacquer, and moisturize.
Should you wear the red dress: tight and short with matching heels, or the white knee-length? You opt for the red; you’ve lost ten pounds and you rarely go out. The color is vibrant and the texture is supple. Plus, it makes you feel pretty, and you’re glad it’s no longer waiting in your closet to be picked like a princess at a ball.
He arrives at eight. His manners are impeccable. He opens doors and compliments your appearance.
You eat Italian: lobster ravioli and three glasses of bubbly that go down like water in shimmering flutes under shimmering lights. His eyes are kind. They stare into yours and watch your mouth as you speak. You become flirty, a combination of the wine and the ambience.
He invites you to his new house by the lake with the spectacular view. The air is fresh and clean. You feel like you’re tumbling down even as you manage to walk evenly.
He offers you more champagne. He gives you the tour. Sitting on his plush couch, he kisses you. You kiss back. When he trails his hand further down, you ask him to stop. He doesn’t.
