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It was absolutely amazing, even if I did come back a stone heavier. Being back at work and using the gym regularly soon worked it back off though and I have zero regrets.
With the cheese at least.
The highlight of my tour was competing in the Cooper’s Hill cheese rolling competition in May. I didn’t win, but I’m definitely returning to do it again next year. I’ve got my eye on the prize and I won’t be beaten twice.
When I think back to my resolutions or goals for the start of this year, I cringe. I can’t believe I was so obsessed with work and getting a promotion. And Lycus. Even before anything happened between us, I was obsessed with him for all the wrong reasons.
I’m so much healthier now. My priorities have shifted and although I’m still alone, I’m not so lonely anymore.
“What are your plans for this weekend?” Lou asks, breaking me from my reverie.
“Not sure really. I’ll probably go to the gym and go swimming a couple of times, and there’s a new film out at the pictures that I’m looking forward to. That’s it really. How about you?”
“Well, there’s a hot new club opening in town. A friend of a friend owns it. Sort of. Anyway, she’s sent me two VIP tickets, and I want you to come with me.”
Lou’s invitation catches me off guard. I’ve spent so much time focusing on myself and my own interests that the idea of going to a club seems foreign. Even when I was younger, I was never one to go to parties or clubbing.
But then I remember how good it felt to let go, even just a little, at the cheese rolling competition and at ‘Wicked Temptation’. Maybe a night out with Lou wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Sounds like fun,” I find myself replying with a smile. “I’d love to come with you.”
As we walk to the deli, my mind wanders to the possibilities of the weekend ahead. Maybe it’s time for me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace new experiences that don’t just involve cheese, wine and books.
And who knows, maybe this night out at the club will be just what I needed to shake things up in my life.
As we enter the deli and pick out our favourite cheeses and meats, a sense of excitement builds within me. The weekend is still a few days away, but already it’s the promise of something different, something exhilarating, and that excites me.
I thank Lou for inviting me and we make plans to meet up before heading to the club on Saturday night.
Over lunch we discuss Lou’s sexcapades and she has me in stitches with her stories, but I know it’s a distraction tactic. We have an unspoken agreement: she doesn’t mention Lycus and I don’t mention Saint.
I think she’s hoping to get over him by getting under someone new this weekend. And I’m perfectly okay with that. I’m starting to wonder if she’s got the right idea.
It’s been so long since I had sex that even the Supernova isn’t doing it for me like it used to. Maybe a little tryst with a stranger in the club will help.
I’ve just not been interested in anyone since Sir. Lycus. Fuck. I need to stop doing that. Even the gorgeous Italians and flirty Parisiennes couldn’t coax me out of my dry spell.
I know it’s not just Lycus. It’s the whole thing. Wicked Temptation. Club Ecstasy. The whole experience awakened something in me that refuses to lie dormant any more.
I’ve not wanted to hook up with a random stranger or commit time to dating for fear of being disappointed and too embarrassed to communicate what I really want.
I can’t believe that the club actually made it easier for me. The things I wrote on the questionnaire haunt me, the idea of voicing those desires filling me with mortification, but there’s no denying that it felt good that a so called stranger knew exactly what I wanted and needed, and was more than willing to give it to me, without me having to say a word.
As the weekend approaches, a mix of nerves and excitement swirl inside me. Lou and I had planned to meet at my place before heading to the club, so I spend Saturday afternoon getting ready.
I opt for a sleek black dress that hugs my curves just right, hoping it will help me blend in among the glamorous crowd at the new club. I try not to think about the fact that it’s the same dress I wore to ‘Wicked Temptation’ as I finish curling my hair and applying my lipstick.
When Lou arrives, she’s wearing a stunning deep blood-red jumpsuit that accentuates her long legs. She gives me a once-over and grins. “You clean up nicely, girl. Let’s go paint the town red!”
When we head out of my flat – a lot less glamorous than my old place, but mine nonetheless – I raise a brow at Lou when I see the sleek black limo waiting for us by the side of the road.
“Told you they were VIP tickets!” she says with a laugh.
The driver opens the door for us and we slide in, Lou immediately reaching for the glasses of champagne that have already been poured for us.
“Cheers!”
We clink glasses and I take a sip, letting the bubbles fizz on my tongue for a moment before swallowing.
