Chapter 17
THEO
“Welcome to the Perle Noire, Mr. Forbes.”
“Glad to be here,” I pause to read the nametag, “Melanie.”
Around me, a luxurious lingerie store unravels with sleek, gold-brushed racks of only the finest undergarments from several high-end designers.
The exquisite lace, silk, organza, and satin along with a plethora of bejeweled accessories sparkle and capture my eye, briefly overwhelming me with what seems like endless possibilities.
The walls are covered in sand-colored stone reflecting the soft white lighting coming from the designer fixtures. Every inch of this place screams tasteful opulence, and their business model follows suit. The Perle Noire offers access to its racks by appointment only.
Melanie, my attendant, is one of the store’s three salespeople, trained to get me to spend large. I didn’t come to pinch pennies anyway.
“Would you like some coffee? Sparking water? Champagne?” she asks with a pleasant smile.
I won’t even remember what she looks like by the time I walk out of here, but everything about her is intentional. Her neutral makeup, her soft uniform colors, the tone of her voice, all designed to keep my focus on the products currently on display. And it’s working.
“I’m fine, thank you,” I tell her. “I was told you would assist me in selecting lingerie and a trousseau for my girlfriend.”
“That is correct, and I’m glad you chose the Perle Noire for this endeavor,” she replies.
Glancing around, I notice that the lingerie is carefully grouped per slightly varying color codes, ranging from the purest, coolest white to the deepest, blackest black. In between is almost every color of the rainbow, its countless variations unfolding in layers of possible fantasies.
No wonder this place is so exclusive.
“Can you tell me a little bit about your girlfriend?” Melanie asks with a smile.
I give her a small card with Phoebe’s measurements, generously provided by Penny so I wouldn’t mess this up. Thank heavens for a good bestie. “This should tell you a little bit about her size,” I reply. “She’s curvaceous, beautiful. She would’ve made Renaissance painters cry tears of joy.”
“She sounds lovely, Mr. Forbes.”
“She’s incredible, yet her whole life she’s been made to think she’s not good enough,” I say, images of her in random selections of the lingerie around me becoming clear in the back of my head.
“She’s an intelligent woman. Highly educated.
Strong and funny. Cute as a button when she’s happy.
She radiates light, Melanie. Does that make sense? ”
“Absolutely. Shall I walk you through the color palette? We could start with the soft whites first. But I do need to understand the occasion. The trousseau we’re putting together should not be too little or too much, if you know what I mean.”
“I do. I want to give her something that empowers her, something that makes her feel like the goddess she is. Something to evoke her femininity and her strength.” I grin. “Something I can easily take off.”
Melanie laughs lightly as we stop at one of the white-themed racks.
“I completely understand, Mr. Forbes. One of the reasons our clients love this store so much is because we cater to absolutely every size. We also tailor the designs to further please them, making tasteful alterations where needed, using the same type of fabric as the original.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“How about this, for starters?” Melanie asks as she pulls an item from the rack.
It’s a gorgeous panty and bra set made entirely from ivory-white lace. The panty straps are satin and bow tied. Pearls are embedded in the intricate embroidery. I let my fingertips brush over the delicate gold thread accents outlining the floral patterns in a subtle, elegant matter.
“It’s not too bridal, is it?” I ask.
“No. I’ll show you the bridal models in a moment, and you will surely notice the differences. I believe this is one of those lingerie sets that says, ‘I love and worship you’ in the most beautiful way possible,” Melanie replies.
“I’m inclined to agree.”
One by one, Melanie selects specific models and colors from the racks. Half an hour later, I’m looking at eight sets in different colors and made from a variety of materials, each likely to fit a special occasion.
My pants are getting tighter. My thoughts are sinful. But my private thoughts remain private as we reach the red section of the lingerie store.
“Phoebe has blonde hair and blue eyes,” I tell Melanie. “I’ve never seen her in red. I think it’s too bold a color for her.”
“With the right man by her side, any woman can look stunning in red. And you strike me as the right man for your Phoebe.”
Little does Melanie know that there are two more like me, just as ready to love Phoebe to the fullest. “You’re too kind,” I say. “So, we’re trying red?”
“Not just any red, though. It needs to be bold but not too bold. Perhaps this shade,” she says, pulling a babydoll from the rack.
The babydoll is made of light tulle and bordered with soft satin. Simple yet remarkably stylish. Vaporous but not vulgar. The thought of Phoebe wearing nothing but this makes my cock twitch with excitement.
As if timed to perfectly ruin the moment, the store’s front door chimes. Melanie and I turn around to see another client being greeted by Melanie’s colleague.
“Well, fuck me sideways,” I mutter under my breath as I recognize Georgina beneath the ridiculously oversized sunglasses she’s wearing.
“I’m sorry?” Melanie sounds understandably confused.
In the meantime, my nervous system is about to go into overdrive. I know Georgina didn’t come here by accident. I can smell her calculating ways from a mile away.
“Forgive me,” I reply, offering an apologetic smile. “I’ll take this red piece, as well. What else can we add to complete the trousseau?”
Melanie walks me over to the next rack while I steal sideways glances at Georgina. She’s chit-chatting with the other sales rep while eyeing me intently at the same time. I can smell trouble coming, so the sooner I complete this extravagant gift for Phoebe, the faster I can get out of here.
I promised myself I’d show restraint and rise above.
“Perhaps a nocturnal blue before we move to the blacks,” Melanie says. “I believe this will be perfect for Phoebe. Every piece I’ve selected so far doesn’t require any additional alterations, based on the measurements you provided.”
She takes out a gorgeous nightgown made of dark blue satin. It feels like butter in my hands. And the V-shaped cleavage puts the most decadent image in my mind.
“This is perfect. I’ll take it.”
“Excellent. One more black piece, and you’ll be good to go, Mr. Forbes.”
I look up to see Georgina walking in my direction. She looks like she just stumbled off a fashion runway—as usual. The determined look in her eyes spells the exact kind of trouble I’d hoped to avoid.
I watch Melanie as she picks out a few black lace and silk sets, murmuring to herself while she occasionally checks the measurements on Phoebe’s card. Reluctantly, I turn around to face the incoming nightmare.
Again, I am reminded of how easily a man is sometimes fooled by apparent chemistry. Looking at Georgina now, I struggle to remember what I found so appealing in the first place.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Nice to see you too,” she replies. To my surprise, her tone doesn’t sound as aggressive as it did at the charity gala.
Perhaps it’s because Crystal isn’t around to fuel her nasty side.
I often thought they complemented each other as mean girls.
“I’m just looking to buy something for myself.
I didn’t expect I’d see you at the Perle Noire, of all places. ”
“I’m buying a few things for Phoebe,” I reply.
“That’s sweet. This is the place to buy the most stunning lingerie on the planet, I’ll give them that.” She chuckles softly. “Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Here we go.”
“No, I don’t mean to… okay.” She pauses, sucks in a breath, and continues. “Theo, just hear me out. I only say this in your best interest, I promise.”
Melanie is tempted to interrupt us, but I think she realizes it’s best if she doesn’t.
She holds up a black lingerie set, complete with garter belts, for me to consider.
I shake my head. She picks out another model.
After everything I’ve seen so far, I believe I’ve developed a certain taste for Phoebe’s intimate style to the point where I’m confidently able to choose perfect items for her.
I give Melanie a nod, and she mouths “I’ll box this up for you” before heading back to the register. On second thought, I wish she had interrupted us.
“Go on, Georgina. Get it off your chest,” I mutter, eager to be done with her. Hopefully, forever.
“First of all, can you forgive me? I’ve been kind of a bitch,” she says with a wry smile.
“Kind of?”
“Okay, I’ve been a raging bitch,” she says with a small laugh.
“Please forgive me. I’ll figure out a way to make it up to you.
It’s just that you slipped through my fingers.
I didn’t appreciate anything about us when we were together, and when I saw how happy you were with Phoebe, I guess I snapped.
There are moments when I hardly recognize myself. ”
“Jealousy will do that,” I reply.
“But can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”
“Sure.”
As long as it ends the conversation so I can move on.
“Oh, wonderful!” she says and throws her arms around me, giggling.
I don’t return her embrace. I stand there, stiff and uncomfortable, waiting for it to end. I could push her away, but by the time I consider it, Georgina pulls back, lighting up with what I can only describe as sheer joy.
“Good. I’m glad that’s out of the way. I feel like I can breathe a little easier now,” she says.
“Glad to hear it.”
She looks at some of the lingerie items on the rack beside us and picks out a lavender lace set. I’m not a fan of the color. Or of Georgina choosing lingerie around me.