"Alright," Mike said "we're back in Carroway's the day after tomorrow. I'll tell them that you are coming back by popular demand."
"That's fine," I said "but you told me over the phone that you could use her tonight."
"I don't have anything tonight" Mike said. "I forgot."
Just then Mike's secretary/receptionist stuck her head in the office. "You know who is on the phone" she said "he wants to confirm that the girls will be there tonight by 9:00."
Mike turned beet red as he was caught in this obvious lie. "They'll be there at 9:00 he answered" and then motioned for his secretary to leave.
I did not understand what was going on, but I thought I'd press the point. "What gives? First you tell me you can use Ann tonight, then you tell me you don't have anything and now I hear that you do. Maybe we should j ust forget about the whole thing."
I paused for a moment and then motioned for Ann to leave with me. Mike saw this and spoke up: "Don't go, I just didn't think this one was the right way to get started."
"What do you mean I asked?"
"Well sometimes we do private parties too and that's what's going on tonight. I don't really know you guys and I thought maybe the private parties we could deal with later."
I played dumb. "What's so special about the private parties?"
Mike was obviously uncomfortable explaining his business, but he was also plainly constrained by the commercial potential he saw with Ann. Groping for euphemism Mike told us that from time to time he would provide the e ntertainment at private parties in homes or in clubs where he said, the show was "stronger." Tonight, there was to be a party at someone's home in the Hollywood hills and he was responsible for bringing four girls there for the entertainment.
"Don't get me wrong, I don't pimp my girls" Mike went on, "but my clients expect more from these girls than you saw at Carroway's the other night." I was satisfied with Mike's explanation and I was prepared to leave wit h Ann. My interest in Mike's plans for Ann had been amusement enough for the day and I did not expect to follow through and actually enlist Ann in his group. Ann had a different idea.
Speaking up for the first time Ann said, "Mike you saw what I can do. You either put me to work tonight, or you can forget about me."
It did not take long for Mike to agree with Ann. He gave Ann the address of the home and told her to meet him there, outside the main gate at 8:45.
"One more thing" Ann added. Gesturing to me Ann told Mike "And Bob will be there too. You can say he works with you."
Without further comment we got up and left. Once again Ann had taken charge at an unexpected moment. It seemed to me that she was determined to take some action for my benefit.
When we got back to the hotel, I told Ann that I was going to take a book and sit by the pool for a few hours. Ann asked if I would mind if she took a walk along Rodeo Drive and did some shopping while I rested at the p ool. I had no objection.
I spent the afternoon dozing on and off by the pool. I made a dent in the Robert Ludlum novel I was reading and, at the point I got a little hungry, I took advantage of the waiter service available at the pool to get a sandwich. There were not many people by the pool that day, although I could not help but take notice of a particularly lithe young lady whose bathing suit, cut high on each hip, accentuated her long, dark, tanned legs.
About 4:00 I sensed that someone was nearby and looked up from my book to see Ann standing with severla bundles of packages under her arm. She seemed to have a particularly broad smile. She told me that her afternoon e xcursion had been productive and she asked me how much longer I was planning on staying out by the pool. I asked her to wait for a second and that I would accompany her back to the room as soon as I had a chance to take one more dip in the pool. While Ann watched, and while those around the pool admired my companion, I dove into the water and cruised through several laps of the pool.
Ann deposited her packages on the bed once we returned to our suite. I asked her what she had purchased and Ann asked me to wait to see "a little later." Neither of us were hungry for dinner and we decided to order som e light snacks from room service. I was waiting to see what was going to happen that evening and kept my eye on the clock waiting for Ann to start her preparations.
At about 7:30, Ann took her purchases in to the dressing suite and, out of view, changed in to the outfit she was going to wear that evening. Ann came out of the dressing area to show me what she was planning on wearing . Ann's blouse was an orange and black print material that was, despite its dark colors, essentially sheer. Its transparency was not immediately obvious, because of the dark colors of the blouse, but as soon as Ann emer ged from the shadows, the limited ability of the blouse to hide and obscure was evident. The ends of the blouse were tied in a knot right right over Ann's sternum. The effect was to create, with the rest of the blouse, two slings each supporting and carrying and tightly encasing one of Ann's breasts.
Ann was also wearing very dark blue pants. What made them special was that they were extremely low-slung. I was not sure then what principal of design it was that kept the pants from slipping off. They seemed to find some support on each of Ann's hips but the pants were then cut in a V-shape both in the front and in the back. In the front, the notched area that was exposed, dipped well below Ann's bellybutton on to her lower belly.
In the rear, the top third or so of the cleft between her bottom cheeks was also uncovered.
When it was time to leave, and as I walked Ann to our car, I made a point of walking Ann direclty through the hotel's crowded lobby, where she cut an audible swath right through the people who were otherwise heading out or coming back.
We arrived at the address which Mike had provided precisely at 8:45 and evidently, Ann was the last person he was expecting. I did not recognize the other three girls who were there. They had not been at Carroway's the night before. Mike commented that it was good that Ann had joined up because one of the girls had gotten sick and he had promised four girls at the party. It was also quite clear to all of us that quite a party was und erway. We could hear raucous noise from the house and even could feel the thump thump of the rhythm being played on the bass quitar of the live band.
Mike walked us out to the rear entrance to the house, where one of the staff retrieved the host. I recognized the host of the party from a recent appearance on the Tonight Show which he had attended to publicize his lat est movie. I was introduced as one of Mike's partners and I watched as our host eyed all the girls up and down. His gaze lingered especially at Ann. He introduced himself to her, and asked Ann her name. "Annie" was the answer, which kind of took me aback as I had never before heard Ann refer to herself as that. I knew that Ann recognized this celebrity.
The girls were given a place to change into their outfits. Ann asked Mike for direction as to what they were supposed to do, and Mike suggested that she and I watch the first two girls. Mike told Ann that she would hav e enough time after the first set to get ready and he suggested that we stand in the back of the ballroom.
At a cue, the band shifted away from the latin music it had been playing to a hard pulsing rock beat. I scanned the crowd to see if there was anyone there I recognized, all the while hoping that there was no one there w ho recognized me. Those in attendance all seemed clustered in the late twenties early, thirties age bracket. Although I could not link any of the faces with any recognizable names, I was sure this was an entertainment i ndustry crowd, in part because of the significant number of absolutely georgous people in attendance.
Mandy and Patty were the first two of Mike's girls to step out on to the dance floor. Quickly, I saw that this was not as tame as Carroway's. The first tipoff was that as the girls danced around a cleared out area, th ey wasted no time in taking each other's blouse off. Then, encouraged by the crowd, they were soon wearing only g-strings as they danced and circulated among the rest of the partygoers, all the while dancing and kissing and hugging all around them. These girls were clearly ice-breakers as they managed to incite some of the others in attendance to emulate their shedding of clothes and as the music blared and the tempo increased, I lost t rack of Mandy and Patty amid the significant number of partially clad women on the dance floor.
Mike took Ann and her partner Diane by the elbows and told them that they were to be ready in five minutes. Diane, who was a tall, willowy blonde and Ann retreated to the changing room. When they emerged they were both wearing identical outfits-all in white- consisting no more than of white bras, panties, garterbelts and stockings. Mike cued the bandleader to introduce Ann and Diane. At an appropriate point, the bandleader stopped the music and asked everyone to form a circle on the dance floor. Then, as the next melody was softly started, he introduced Ann and Diane, who in keeping with the beat started to dance their way into the middle of the r oom. At the outset the beat was fast and Ann and Diane were no more than go-go dancers bopping around in the center of the dancefloor. Unlike, Mandy and Patty, they made no effort either to mix or interact physically wi th the guests. At that point I caught a glimpse of Patty dancing with one of those in attendance. This would not have been remarkable except that Patty's hand was in her dance-partner's pants. But even that was not so extraordinary. One male guest was on his knees with his head well up and covered by the dress of a young redhead. All of this activity was occuring in the middle of a crowded dance floor.
There was then a change in tempo. The band launched into a different type of song, playing the old Righteous Brothers song "You've lost that loving feeling". In that much slower but very intense song, the crowd changed , the dancing and other activity became much more intimate, and Ann and Diane were forced to improvise. Ann took the lead and drew Diane to her. Placing their arms around each other's shoulders, they thrust their pelvis ' forward so that they seemed locked to each other as they swayed together in time to the music. Ann, at one point reached behind Diane and unhooked her bra. When Diane returned the favor to Ann, it was obvious to me th at a significant number of the guests were transfixed by Ann's figure.
One of those whose attention was captured was our host. He came over to Ann and took her away from Diane and started to dance with her. Mike, who was standing next to me, got quite excited. "Oh if he likes her, boy wil l I be set." I think I knew what he meant. As Ann danced, I saw our host draw Ann's hand against him obviously to show to her how she had affected him and I recognized a pained and uncomfortable look on Ann as he nuzzle d against her breasts. Some conversation passed between them, when I saw Ann excuse herself from him and come over to me.
"Bob" Ann began, "he wants me to join him and some of his friends in one of his hottubs outside."
"Do you want to go?" I asked Ann.
Ann's answer was simple and direct. "Bob, if you would like me to go, it is only for you to say so."
With that answer I snapped. Taking Ann by the wrist and with no further comment to anyone, I pushed our way out of the room, through the back area and to our car. I was in a fury but one that was totally inner-directed . Ann had no idea what it was that was upsetting me so and I was only slowly realizing it. As we pulled away from the house, I saw in the rear view mirror, Mike chasing after us on foot, wondering what it was that cause d such a hasty exit.
Ann seemed to be frightened by my behavior and I saw tears glistening in her eyes. My mind was racing in review of the many years I had spent with Ann as we headed back to the hotel. And then I knew. And I spoke. I t alked to Ann as we were driving because I could not contain myself. I did not know, as I spoke one sentence what the next sentence would convey. I only knew that I had discovered an essential truth and that it had to b e said.
"Ann, I love you" was how I began using a phrase I had never before used with another person. "Tonight I realized just how devoted you have been to me, how you have subordinated your own feelings and needs to me and how little I have given you in return."
"Over all these years you have made so little demand on me, that I have realized the one thing which is missing in my life is an outlet for my need to be giving to you too."
Ann was sobbing uncontrollably. "Ann you've been better for me, more caring for me than I had any right to expect and it is killing me now that I have taken you for granted at times. But I know that I cherish you, that the gift of your devotion which I have had all these years, your loyalty, your desire to please me, is and has been the most precious gift I could have ever been given by anyone."
We were nearing the hotel. As we pulled up to the hotel I gave Ann my sports jacket as a cover up. Ann struggled to maintain her composure as we rode up the elevator towards out room. I held my arm around her.
Now in our suite, Ann started to say something, but I asked her to please let me finish.
"Ann, I love you, I love you, I love you" I said repeating that phrase over and over again as I took pleasure in articulating that reality to which for so long I had been blind. "Ann, I want us to stay together for ever . I want to make you as happy and to respond to your needs as fully as you have taken care of me over the years. And I want everyone to know how special you are to me. And I want you to marry me."
And then I started to cry. I know I did so because an essential truth of my existence, my love for Ann, had finally broken through to my consciousness, and the resolution of that tension was the most overwhelming emotio nal experience I had ever had.
"Bob" Ann started to say, "I never thought I would ever hear that from you. I know that you love me and have loved me for a long time, but I never thought you'd tell me how you feel. But don't be so hard on yourself.
My life with you has been fulfilling. And I do love you, you know I worship you and pleasing you is pleasure for me too."
"Ann I know I am not complete unless I give as well as take. You have given and given and given, and I need to give to you, to take care of you in every way, emotionally, physically, in every way."
And then I was overcome. I could not speak. But I pulled Ann towards me and when we kissed, it was like we never had kissed before. The connection which I felt with her was that of a fusion of spirit, of personality.
And when I touched her and felt her and carressed her, it was as if I was discovering her body for the first time. And when I sensed her fragrance, new images and feelings were evoked. When I tasted Ann and sensed her respond to me it was as if we were connecting for the first time, and my mouth felt as it did the first time I tasted a french sauterne, only the delight was more intense. And when I entered Ann, and felt us join togethe r in love, I knew that I had lost the power to describe how I was feeling, because any descriptive efforts would only circumscribe and limit and not reflect the awesome nature of that transcendant experience.