Chapter 2

Lucy entered the drug store and headed to the back.

The petite brunette was casually dressed in a white tee with cut-away shorts. Heads turned to follow her toned figure as she moved through the store, on her way to pick up her gift. She joined the line for the post office and waited impatiently for her turn.

“Picking up or shipping out?”

The slouching teenager behind the counter didn’t look up from his computer when Lucy stepped to the counter. Lucy felt a flicker of annoyance at his casual indifference.

“Picking up,” she replied just as briefly, though her tone was pleasant.

“Tracking number and I.D.,” he said without so much as a please.

“Here’s the tracking number,” Lucy responded. She placed the paper where she’d recorded the number John sent her on the counter.

“And your I.D.?,” the teenager sighed. “No I.D., no pa-gah!”

The garbled sound escaped the teen’s lips when he finally looked away from his screen. The pimply-faced youth’s jaw went slack as he cut himself off mid-sentence.

“‘No I.D., no pa-gah?’” Lucy repeated as if confused. She placed her hand on the counter and leaned forward slightly. “What does that mean?”

“It uh, it means ... Hi?” the teenage employee stammered. His eyes were riveted on the neck of Lucy’s t-shirt which - due to the loose neck and her leaning forward - had revealed a hint of bronzed cleavage beneath.

“Hi to you too,” Lucy smiled. She almost felt bad for the kid. He looked like he was about to topple over - heart attack, at such a young age! -, or burst into song. Maybe he’d manage both. “Can you pull up my tracking number?” she prompted and nudged the slip of paper forward suggestively.

“Yes,” he nodded. “I can do that.” He made no move to look at the paper.

“Could you do it today?” Lucy asked. Slowly, with emphasis.

As funny as the boy’s reaction was, she had no interest in acquiring a new puppy. She just wanted to finally retrieve the gift her best client had sent her.

It was nearly two weeks since Lucy’s and John’s special session. The older gentleman had seen her several times since then. Sometimes to take her out to dinner or a show, others in private at the agency’s condo. They didn’t repeat that special scene - at John’s request - but Lucy still knew how to show John a good time.

The brunette’s mind flashed back to their most recent private session. In another first, John had asked her to stand on the bed over his head. He’d gazed fixedly up under her skirt, with her worn panties pressed tightly to his nose. It was the first time he’d seen any part of her not visible in public. Lucy had felt a little strange about it. Not in a bad way - just ... as if they’d crossed another milestone.

John’s hips had jerked while he’d gazed hungrily up her bare thighs. She’d felt a warmth spread from her core, a thrill of passion as she stood above him and looked down at his near-worshipful face. Passion, and power.

“Yeah, Romeo,” a middle-aged man in the line behind her called. “Today would be nice!”

The employee flushed as customers laughed at his expense. He snatched the piece of paper off the counter and ducked his head towards the keyboard. The teenager pulled up some information, then scurried into the back and returned with a shoebox-sized container. This he set on the counter, avoiding eye contact with Lucy all the while.

“Here,” he mumbled. He pushed the container in her direction with barely a glance at the card. she’d placed on the counter. “Next!”

Lucy recovered her I.D. with a mix of emotions at the teen’s embarrassment. On the one hand, she felt like he got what he deserved but on the other, she couldn’t really blame him for raging hormones.

Beneath the conflicting feelings of vindication and sympathy Lucy felt a pale glimmer of the empowerment she’d experienced with John. Standing over that man - one who in any other circumstances society would call powerful - while she verbally abused him ... Lucy had enjoyed that feeling in a way she never would have thought possible.

Lucy left the store and walked out into the warm, late afternoon sun. The sidewalks were crowded as she headed towards the subway. She took her phone out of her purse and started a playlist, then put in her earbuds and let the music carry her thoughts away. Back to her dinner with John - their first after the special session, the very next night.

“I changed my mind about your gift,” he’d said as the waiter brought their wine.

“Oh?” she’d replied, surprised. “I understand,” she’d continued, trying to recover from her disappointment and mask it with a smile. “You were more than generous enough yesterday.”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” the older man had said. He’d looked elegant and sophisticated in his tuxedo, handsome face accented by fine lines and the dash of grey in his brown hair. “You’re still getting your gift. It’s just not going to be from a store so it’ll take a little longer than I thought.”

“What, are you knitting me a sweater?” Lucy had teased. She’d adjusted the strap of her blue evening gown, then smiled when she’d seen John’s eyes stray to her shoulder. She’d known, that he’d known, it was a ploy to catch his attention. It was a game they played on their private dates. John was normally far too focused and reserved to allow a stray glance in casual company but he enjoyed relaxing his guard with her when it was just the two of them together.

“How very domestic of you,” Lucy had continued, then deliberately adjusted the strap on her other shoulder.

“How very delightful of you, Little Sphinx,” John had murmured, his nickname for her nickname. “You know I have a conference early in the morning.”

“I know,” she’d smiled demurely. “I’m hoping you’ll come visit when you break for lunch.”

John’s nostrils had flared slightly, and a thrill had run down Lucy’s spine. She’d shifted in her seat and crossed her legs under the table. She’d imagined what was going through John’s mind - a reflexive inhalation as he pictured himself sampling her scent, her worn panties crushed tight to his nostrils.

“Keep that up and you can count on it,” he’d said in a deeper rumble. His eyes had looked fit to devour her whole.

Lucy exited the subway system and walked the short distance to her condo. It wasn’t the same condo where she met John, obviously - that grand but sterile building was in the downtown core and owned by the agency. This building was much smaller, more intimate. And the unit was entirely her own. Located on the outskirts of the suburbs, it was far enough to keep her ‘personal life’ and ‘escort life’ relatively separate, but close enough to make travel convenient.

The petite brunette took the elevator to her floor and entered her unit. She put her package on the kitchen counter then looked for the old knife she used to open envelopes. She removed the plain brown wrapping, eager to finally see her gift.