Ch. 24:
Friday Evening -- A Tasty Dinner
Later, they held hands as they rode down in the elevator and again looked at each other via reflections; in the car's mirrored walls. But this time, Tim's breath caught in his throat as he gazed at his wife's image. Janice looked devastating in her form-hugging red dress and he told her so.
"You clean up pretty good yourself," she answered with a self-deprecating smile.
"I mean it, baby," he insisted. "You look amazing."
He turned to her and took her in his arms. "You are even more beautiful and sexy than when I married you and that's saying a hell of a lot. Happy anniversary, my love."
He leaned in to kiss her, but she held him back with her hands on his chest. "My lipstick," she said with a smile. "At least let me make it to the restaurant before it gets messed up."
Tim laughed as he straightened, then the elevator car slid to a stop. Janice glanced up and saw they were at the mezzanine level, not the lobby, so she waited for someone to step in when the doors opened. But instead, Tim stepped forward, leading her out by the hand.
"We still have a half hour to our dinner reservation," said Tim. "Would you like to window shop or have a drink in the restaurant bar?"
Janice finally realized they were dining in the hotel restaurant; she could see its entrance about 50 feet ahead.
"Taking the easy way out?" she asked.
"I'll have you know this is one of the top-10 restaurants in the city," he replied.
She saw upscale jewelry and clothing shops on the way to the restaurant and said, "Let's window shop."
The shops were definitely top end and featured some beautiful and pricy articles in their display windows. They stepped inside the jewelry store to look more closely and Janice found a pair of diamond and pearl earrings that looked stunning on her. She looked half-expectantly at Tim.
"Tell you what," he said with a laugh. "You earn the bonus I expect you will for the European deal and you can spend it on those earrings."
"I'll hold you to that," she said as she removed the earrings and handed them back to the shop clerk.
They made their way down to the restaurant and were a little surprised to see a fairly thick throng of people at the bar near the front, with its view to the lobby atrium below.
"It is a Friday night, I guess," said Tim.
The restaurant itself, however, was still only half full. They checked in at the maître d' station and found they could be seated right away. Tim was really being more nerd than insightful genius when he'd made an early reservation, but why quibble about success?
The white wine and appetizers complemented each other perfectly and got their culinary adventure off to a start that lived up to the restaurant's high reputation.
"Why haven't we been here before?" asked Janice.
"The same reason we haven't been to the arboretum since junior high?" he replied.
"I never thought of us as boring, but what does it say about us that we don't even find the adventures in our own backyard?" she said.
"I wouldn't say boring," he protested. "But maybe we can be more open to possibilities?"
"More willing to try new things even when what we have is good?" said Jan.
"Like taking on a challenge in Europe when you're already succeeding here?" said Tim.
"Or getting out on the dance floor to something other than INXS or Dwight Yoakam?" she tossed back at him.
"Or tearing up years' worth of green grass for cacti and pebbles?" he returned volley.
"Or jacking off over your wife's ass while two guys fuck her?" she challenged.
The game was getting serious now.
"Or shoving a kindergarten teacher's face down over your husband's cock?" he shot back.
Their voices were deeper, but quieter to avoid spilling over to the surrounding tables.
"Or racing to see who can have back-to-back orgasms the fastest?" she replied.
Tim stopped, tilted his head to the side and then smiled. "You won that one for sure. And it was fucking amazing," he said.
She returned the smile. "It's all been amazing," she agreed.
He raised his wine glass in a toast. "Here's to an amazing past, an amazing future, and an amazing weekend in between."
Ch. 25:
Friday Night Begins
The rest of the dinner was delicious and the banter continued to bounce back and forth between the routine and the risqué. After settling the bill, Tim walked his wife out of the restaurant, which was now near to full. He had to fight to keep from laughing at all the guys he saw checking out his wife's tits, ass and legs in her hot red dress. The ones sitting with women tried to be sneaky, while the tables with only guys ranged from respectfully circumspect to downright gawking.
They retraced their steps toward the elevator, Janice on her man's arm. She glanced into the jewelry store as they passed, then back to Tim. He laughed and said, "I remember, I remember. And I have no doubt I'll be seeing those earrings hanging off your ears in no time."
As they rode down to the lobby level, Janice said, "There isn't a nightclub in this hotel as well, is there?"
"No, no, we're going to a real dance club," Tim assured her. "And even though that was a great restaurant, dinner tomorrow night will not be here either."
Another benefit of staying at a busy airport hotel was that there were always some taxis nearby, and the doorman handed Janice into a cab with no delay at all.
Less than ten minutes later their taxi glided to a smooth stop in front of a long, low red brick building and another doorman was taking Janice by the hand to help her out from the car.
Inside the vestibule, Tim checked his jacket, then they stepped through double doors to the club proper. It was even emptier than the restaurant had been and Tim felt even more like some country hick for getting them to their destination too early.
