later, Mika finds me in the kitchen. “Lead the way,” he says, lugging a clunky Samsonite suitcase.
Since we’re only visiting for a couple days, I packed light. And the fact that Mika packed an entire suitcase somewhat baffles me. “What have you got in your suitcase? A dead body?” I raise a delicate brow.
“Something like that...” he says in all seriousness.
It takes us approximately five minutes to trek to the far end of the east wing, and Mika makes some smart comment about me living in a manor, calling it Maddy’s Manor.
“Here’s the guestroom,” I announce airily.
At one time, this used to be my playroom. And true to the design of Frank Lloyd Wright, colossal stained glass windows dominate the space, sending shards of rainbows across the room.
While my dad tried his best to mimic the style and design of his famed architect, the result isn’t always comfortable, nor is it practical. I immediately feel a draft in the room.
“There’s some thick quilts in there if you get cold.” I gesture toward a wooden chest.
He nods, depositing his suitcase at the foot of the bed.
“Make yourself at home. Grab whatever you want from the fridge; my mom’s stocked it up. I’ll hop in the shower now and then we can grab a bite to eat.”
“Sounds good. Will your mom be joining us?”
“Nope,” I say with a slight frown. “Not tonight, anyway. She’s at work, but she’ll be here for our Thanksgiving feast tomorrow.”
He shrugs off his jacket. “I’d like to take a shower too. Not with you, I mean,” he quickly adds. He winks playfully. “But if you want to save water and conserve energy, we could always shower together. We’d only be helping out Mother Nature.”
I release a nervous laugh. “Um, as you can see, you’ve got a bathroom in here and the towels are in the closet to your right.”
He undresses and starts shirtless for the bathroom.
Eyeing his half naked body, I clear my throat. “I’ll leave you to it then.”
I bound athletically up the stairs two at a time, fly into my bathroom, fling off all my clothes and step into a scalding hot shower. I’m lathering soap over my body when my mind elicits erotic images of Mika in his shower.
Unwittingly, I envisage hot water sluicing over his shoulders, coursing past his washboard abs, dripping down his muscular legs...drops of water glistening and clinging to the tuft of fuzz between his—Eeeps! An image of an elephant trunk pops into my head.
Shaking off that disturbing image, I step out of the shower.
As I’m toweling myself dry, I smirk at the thought that while my body feels squeaky clean, my mind is filthier than ever.
Emerging from the steamy bathroom, I hastily throw on my usual attire. Next, I dig in my closet and drag out my reliable North Face parka, the one that makes me look like a grotesquely engorged Michelin Man.
Waddling down the stairs, I find Mika looking resplendent in a suit. A very Gucci looking suit.
A light bulb goes off in my head. “Oh! That’s why you packed such an enormous suitcase!”
“Hey, a wrinkled suit is a fashion faux pas.”
Much to my chagrin, when Mika takes note of my attire, he chides, “Maddy, go change!”
I dither on the stairs. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“I’m taking you to a fancy restaurant.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” he retorts.
“Um, okay,” I hesitate. “I guess I’ll go up and change then.”
He shoots me a winsome smile.
Decisions, decisions. What to wear? After much deliberation, I finally settle on a Tracy Reese dress. The chic bodice is a throwback to the Chanel classics, and the Oscar de la Renta-ish skirt is detailed with intricate embroidery.
I feel very ‘old Hollywood’ glam in this pretty frock, like I’ve just walked onto the set of Mad Men.
Next for my makeup, I opt for the au naturale look. I want my skin to appear dewy and luminous. But creating the natural look is one tough task to pull off. It takes loads and loads and loads of makeup to achieve ze au naturale look. As I’m caking on my fourth coat of foundation, I check the time.
Zoinks! Mika has been waiting downstairs for almost half an hour. Time to switch things into high gear.
I inspect my appearance in the mirror. My lips look understated with my nude lip gloss. But tonight, I feel bold.
I glide on some killer red lipstick and fluff up my hair. After slipping on a pair of dark sheer tights, I hop over to