Undress Me Once

Jay, putting teacups in the sink and turning on the water, reflected on the evening. He had thought she looked quite chic in her little black dress with the golden belt slung on her hips. The leggings had been ingeniously sexy and the gold ballet slippers had been rather cute. Altogether, it had looked fairly artistic.

Seeing her work had been a revelation.

Colour had been used sparingly but where it was applied features leapt out and her vision of nature and man was clear. Quite unmistakable.

The exhibition showed sets of drawings featuring a human and an animal between which Karen had clearly seen a resemblance. One had been a well-known local singer and a canary. The singer posed with yellow eye make up in the first picture, one hand holding a microphone and the other arm outstretched. The next picture had been of her face only- the delicate features uncoloured except for the clearly drawn yellow eye shadow. The next picture had been the head and breast of a yellow bird followed by a canary in flight, the only flash of colour amidst the flowers and bush. The final picture had been the same bird perched on a branch. It was still the only flash of colour but the bark on the tree was so detailed, it didn’t need any.

The other sets had been interesting. Among them a man and lizard, a young girl and caged lion, another popular politician and a predatory bird. Decidedly it had been a great show of creativity and artistic perception.

Jay brushed his teeth and began to undress when he heard a thud overhead.

Karen was trying to get her clothes off, but all she’d managed was the ebony clips in her hair. The last thing she had thought of doing was asking Cheryl how she was supposed to get undressed after her dinner date.

She stamped a foot in frustration as she fumbled to get out of her slippers. Cheryl had tied them deviously slowly and now they were proving difficult to take off. She expected to be at it for a while. She could always sleep in the dress and ask Mrs Brown to help her in the morning.

What Karen didn’t expect was a knock on the door followed by Jay’s accented voice calling, “Karen, are you alright?”

Reluctantly, Karen weighed her options and went to the door, opening it part way- enough to see Jay clearly.

He was barefoot, the cuffs were loose on his shirt and it was partly unbuttoned revealing a strong throat and smooth, slightly tanned skin.

“Hi. I’m fine. I just can’t take my shoes off!”

The Briton’s face creased into a relieved smile. “Would you like some help?”

“Yes, please,” she replied, opening the door further, thanking God that her room had been tidied after the search for an outfit. Then she went to sit on the bed.

Jay followed her, mentally noting how different the room smelled already. Not letting himself dwell on that for another moment, he crouched down and placed one knee on the floor. He reached for one small foot, his left hand cradling her ankle while the right tugged at the gold satin ribbons.

“Who tied your shoes for you?” he asked a moment later.

He sounded puzzled.

“Cheryl! She’s always up to mischief.”

Jay had no problem believing that because there was something akin to a knot under the bow. He made an amused sound and finished untying the shoe before tugging it off her foot and putting it on the floor. Then he reached for the second and it was done just as quickly.

“Thank you,” she said as they both stood up.

He nodded and headed back to the door.

After a moment’s hesitation, Karen spoke out, stopping him from leaving. “Wait… I was wondering if you would do me one more favour.”

Jay Madison turned around. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable in Karen’s room. Not because of her but that didn’t make any difference. His chest felt heavy and there was tension gathering about his shoulders. He hadn’t been in this particular room for a long time for a very good reason. Right now, he would give anything to be permitted to leave, but he couldn’t when his guest kept him there with her sweet lilting voice.

She looked up at him and said a little cheekily, “I would ask Prado or Uffizi but they’re both asleep.”

Jay glanced at the basket where the puppies were both burrowed under a tiny quilt. “What can I do for you?”

“Would you help me take my dress off?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Oh,” she flushed, “I mean just help me with the zipper. Just until it’s down my back then I think I can wriggle out.”

The handsome man’s expression cleared and the smile he gave her was utterly wicked.

Her breath caught in her throat at the wild rush of excitement that coursed through her, seeing that glint in his darkened blue eyes.

But it was gone before she could fully process it and told herself to breathe. With a simple nod, he told her to turn around. He lifted her hair over her shoulder and found the zipper.

Karen was so tense Jay wondered what she thought he was capable of doing. Regardless of how appealing the woman he was about to undress was, he wasn’t going to take liberties of any kind. He figured she wasn’t used to being in this kind of situation and it was making her nervous.

“Relax,” he told her gently, “I’m not going to bite you.”

She managed an unsteady chuckle. “I’m just afraid y-your hands will be cold.”

“Never fear,” he promised.

And down the zipper went. Karen could feel the warmth of his body behind her and the pressure of his hand pulling the zipper down. The slightly cooler air drifted onto her skin as the scent of his cologne teased her nostrils.

It was over before she could engage her other senses and paint another glorious picture of Jay Madison in her mind. His hand hovered a few inches above her bottom for only a split second.

“There.”

“Thank you, kindly,” she managed to say with her back still turned, unable to meet his gaze just yet.

“Anytime,” he chuckled. He headed to the door and Karen turned then, her arm holding her dress across her breasts as it started to fall off one shoulder.

She looked like a seductress without even trying, he thought. “Good night,” he said aloud.

“Night.”

And he closed the door behind him.

Karen let the dress fall to the floor, rolled her leggings off and climbed straight into bed.

Breathing more easily now Jay headed downstairs to his bedroom and continued to undress and then he fell into bed. It had been a busy work day and a revealing evening. Though he had enjoyed his time with Karen, the end of it all threatened to disturb his carefully acquired peace of mind.

With effort he pushed unhappy thoughts out of his mind. Sleep finally caught up with him and sent him into the depths of slumber for the rest of the night.

Jay awoke in the morning with bittersweet sensations of scented lace and silk drifting in his mind. To shake off the feeling of wanting to bury his head in his pillow and relive the pleasures of his dreams, he got up and went downstairs. On his way to the kitchen, he heard an odd scratching noise.

He knew it wasn’t Mrs Brown because she came in at six-thirty- it was only five in the morning, the time he normally went to swim. Entering the room he flicked a light switch and saw Uffizi and Prado pawing at the door, obviously dying to get out.

They greeted him fairly enthusiastically and he let them out, wondering where they would relieve themselves. Glad to see they dashed to the back, towards the compost pile he continued on his way to the pool. The weather was still quite chilly and damp. Only a few solitary birds made their song heard as Jay tossed a towel onto a chair and dove in without hesitation.

By the time he climbed out of the pool, the sun was visible and the cacophony of chirps and warbles made it clear that morning had broken in earnest. In the kitchen, the puppies were sliding across the tiled floor between the pantry and the back door, playing with each other.

Jay shook his head and said, “Prado, Uffizi, upstairs!”

A brief whistle and commanding voice sent them scampering.

With another shake of his head, he went over to the massive island in the centre of the kitchen and picked up the list he had neglected the previous night. It was a detailed menu for tomorrow’s party and promised to be tasty. He made a note at the bottom and signed with his initials.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he went straight to his room, discarded his swimming trunks and damp towel in the bathroom. Soon he was standing under the main shower head, washing the chlorine out of his hair, absently thinking of the day that lay ahead.

Unbidden, the memory of his dream came back to him, pushing aside all thoughts of meetings and conference calls.

A smooth expanse of back, a tantalising scrap of lace and the scent of lavender and gardenias. The sensual feeling of being cloaked by sheets of straight jet black hair. Reaching out for this mysterious female apparition, he knew she was out of reach. As much as he knew she didn’t exist, he still attempted to caress the flesh- ever untouchable- stroke tresses which were just as elusive.

He knew exactly who the black hair belonged to and every morning he was wide awake before his alarm clock went off, trying to clear his head of the wanton images. What disturbed him was that the fantasies didn’t seem likely to vanish the way she had. They were certainly an unwelcome addition to his morning routine.

His jaw was set throughout the process of getting himself dressed in a grey suit with a white shirt which had red stripes running through the fabric. Rubies set in his cufflinks, watch, patent leather shoes from his homeland and a striped grey tie. Complete man.

Regarding himself in the full length mirror, Jay was, on some level, satisfied with his reflection. Another section of his mind was active enough to cause a tic in his jaw. He hated the airtime he gave her and he viewed his subconscious musings as a flaw. He had no time for that kind of weakness.

He left his bedroom and as he was closing the door, Karen was stepping out of the bathroom. She had a smile that chased all the annoyance that usually stayed with him all morning. And it seemed to be directed right at him.

“Good morning, Jay.”

“Morning, Karen,” he smiled back. “I’m surprised you’re up.”

“So am I. I had to set my alarm clock and my phone!” she laughed.

“Are you leaving this early?”

They had agreed that he would drive her to work when the need arose.

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. A few coppery spirals fell from the loosely clipped bunch.

“No,” she told him, “I’m trying to get up earlier. Yesterday you and Harry showed how much of a sloth I’m becoming!”

Jay’s brow knit together.

“You were both dressed and all ready and I was just rising!”

Karen knew she was babbling and she wasn’t sure if Jay could tell, but the less he said, the more she was inclined to speak. There was something about his intense, focused gaze that made her jittery. He opened his mouth now.

“But you’re not well and you’re on medication. It’s understandable, Fox.”

That name again!

“Well,” she shrugged. “I could get used to it.”

“No one would judge you if you did.”

She grinned. “Don’t be too sure.”

It was his turn to shrug. Obviously he didn’t care if anyone had opinions about someone else’s lifestyle choices. The next thing he said was, “Have breakfast with me?”

“That sounds lovely.”

Gesturing for her to lead the way, Jay followed her down the main stair case, down the hallway and into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Mrs Brown!” he heard her sing out.

“Morning, Karen. You’re up bright and early, I dare say,” Mrs Brown chuckled.

“Brownie,” Jay said.

“Morning Jay,” she responded. “Go on and be seated- both of you.”

Everything was set and the two of them sat down- Jay at the head of the table and Karen to his right.

Throughout the meal, he was very courteous, pouring her coffee first, putting toast on her plate, adding rashers of bacon and egg when she asked for them.

Jay didn’t eat any toast but he had a brown bagel instead.

“Pumpernickel,” he told her.

She knew what it was, but it looked suspect to her. She said as much and he laughed out loud.

“It’s healthy,” was his next statement, as he scooped up some strawberry jam for Karen to spread on her toast.

She took the utensil and turned the preserves onto the bread but somehow the spoon found its way onto the pale yellow carpet.

Karen bit her lip in frustration.

“Don’t worry about it, Fox.”

“About the red spot on the carpet or the fact that I can’t even hold a spoon for long?”

“Both,” he told her, unperturbed. “Hey, you’ve got all weekend to practice.”

In an effort to draw his eyes away from her mouth, Jay leaned over and reached for the knife. He heard something unexpected.

“You smell nice.”

Jay straightened, placed the silverware in a saucer and looked at her with a quizzical smile.

“Thank you.”

She smiled back, offering no further comment or explanation about the random nature of her statement.

“What time,” he began, leaning back in his chair, “shall I fetch you?”

‘Fetch?’ she thought with amusement.

“Around ten o’clock, I think.” She pushed her hair out of her face.

“Ok.”

With that he lifted the newspaper and snapped it open.

The few moments of silence passed by.

“Why do you leave so early when the gallery opens at half past nine?”

“To take care of my other business interests.”

She ate in silence for a while then asked him to pour her some orange juice. He complied and she thanked him.

Soon afterward, she got up from the table.

Jay didn’t look up but he asked her, “Do you need any help?”

“If you hear me hollering for Mrs Brown you’ll know.”

She didn’t see him smile as she went through the kitchen calling her dogs to help her choose her clothes.

Jay left thirty minutes later, sure he would be back by ten.

The night of his dinner party- Friday- Cheryl dropped by had a chat with Mrs Brown then went up the two flights of stairs to her friend’s room.

“There is nothing,” Karen said furiously, “I can put on alone!”

“Fear not, my love, we’ll sort you out in a jiffy.”

It was much longer than a jiffy but Karen was eventually dressed and ready by the time the first guests arrived. Cheryl gleefully told her she looked gorgeous and took the old servant’s staircase to exit Jay’s home by the back door. Wisely she had parked along the road as the cars in the driveway would have kept her from leaving.

Karen could hear voices drifting all the way to her room from the ground floor and decided not to be antisocial any longer. When she entered the hallway the door to the sitting room was ajar but not enough for her to see anyone. So she pushed it wider and took in the small group.