Peonies- Part one

 

 

There I was laying totally naked on the bed, with my arms and feet bound. My heart was racing with both excitement and fear. I was never really one to get into the whole BDSM thing, but here I was. He asked me if I trusted him. And to be frank, that answer was no, no I did not trust him, but what could I have done in that moment for lack of trust? I was stuck and no way to get out of the situation I was in. Literally bound by the hands and feet. I had only known him for a short time, so there was no way for me to really know if this guy was a weirdo or not. I didn’t answer the first time he asked, so he asked again but with a more stern tone. “Colette do you trust me?” I said yes but he could tell it was a shaky an unsure yes. So he said “With your vision, Do you trust me to take your vision?” I cannot tell you the overwhelming dread that crept over me as every tiny hair on my body stood up. When I heard the words “Take your vision” it gave me chills. I immediately knew I was in the bed of a perverted psychopath and most likely a murderer. What had I gotten myself into I thought. I replied with “uhhh take my vision how, like with a blindfold?” No he said. “You just have to trust me”. There was that trust line again. I was absolutely terrified. But what could I do.. I was cuffed at the wrists and bound at the ankles. A few hours of playful bondage had turned into a living nightmare. I was scared but I am not a coward and I was honestly fearing for my life. I looked at him and said “Are you wanting to do something that will hurt my eyes or damage them permanently?!?” Knowing he was a surgeon had my mind reeling as to what on earth he had in his bag to “take my vision’’ with. He looked down at me laying there absolutely helpless, smiled with a strange smile and said “you just have to trust me, now close your eyes”.  I took a big deep breath in, closed my eyes and drifted away.

 

I was raised on a small farm right outside of a big town. I came from very little. My parents had always taken great care of us to the best of their ability but it was an unpresuming childhood. We lived in a trailer that was a little less than flattering for most of my life. I was never a cheerleader or homecoming queen. I wouldn’t say I was ugly but I wasn’t the best looking. A chubby dark haired, country girl, a little rough around the edges. I wasn’t one of the high maintenance girls you could say. Although, I was somewhat of a tomboy I still dreamt of glitter and gold. I always loved fashion, makeup and anything to do with style. I tried to keep myself up. And one thing I did have was confidence. I had many friends in school and was liked by all their parents and my teachers. Everyone at church found me to be appeasing. My mother and grandmothers were proud. I did reasonably well in school and graduated to go on to college. I decided I wanted to be a nurse but needed income relatively fast. So, while studying prerequisites for nursing I also took a cosmetology program which landed me with a cosmo license in 9 months. My father had done some work in the city for a transplanted celebrity hairstylist and he told my dad that if I wanted an intern position, for me to come see him and he would work with my busy school schedule. So, of course, upon getting my license I went to work as his assistant. It was my first job in the big city! I was excited to be in the modern world, away from the tractors and mud. The owner of the salon was from LA. He came out here and opened up a salon to do a trial run to see if he could set up other locations. He had family from this area and he employed them all and they ran this location. I was hired to shampoo heads and keep the salon clean. It wasn’t a glamorous job but it paid well and he worked with my schedule.  I also got to rub elbows with some pretty high class people (as it being a salon that charged $250 for a haircut.)Little did I know, working there would forever change my life. Working there was when I became a professional *sugar baby*. I hate that term* by the way.

A couple of months of working at the salon had flown by. By the time summer had come I was of course, stressed and overwhelmed with school. I was taking advanced summer classes that were 16 week courses crammed into 8 weeks. Working at the salon had become more demanding. As my skill level rose, so did their expectations of me. Some heavy family issues going on at that time were also things I was dealing with. Stressed to max, you could see the exhaustion on my face. I was 19 and was totally exhausted. I hated my life. I never had time to do anything but study, work and sleep. To top it off…..I was broke and barely paid my bills. I mean scraping by. Eating ramen noodles for dinner most nights. It was like there wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel and I was just running in place. Working hard but Getting nowhere.

I was dating this guy, we will call him Eric. Eric was a typical guy from my town. Born and raised right there in the thick of it all. He drank beer every night with his buddies. Never been married but had two kids already. With two different mothers. Worked a depressing mundane job at the local water heater company where 70% of his paycheck went right out the door for child support. And the remaining 30% to his lawyer for his DUI case. Lived with his parents while he was “working through his shit.” I would go pick him up ( obviously, dui=no license) on a Friday night and we’d head to the closest cheap chain restaurant we could find. Sit down and have a first class, 3-course meal for $12.99. (Ya know, that little desert in the tiny little tin pale was cute). We would always go Dutch of course or I’d either pay for it all because he never had any money. The little money he did have was always given to him by his parents. After our fine dining experience, we’d travel back to his parents house, whom were hopefully asleep. Sneak down to his dingy room in the basement and have the most god awful sex you could imagine. Then of course it was time for him to smoke a cigarette and drink a beer, which was my que to exit. Gathering my clothes off his dirty basement floor and going into the bathroom, feeling the grime under my feet as I walked, looking in the mirror at my $250 worth of makeup all messed up on my face and just being disgusted. I kept telling myself I was done… but I wasn’t… I craved to be with someone even though they were a total disaster.  I overlooked things to feel loved. After all he was a good dude. Just totally unaware the lifestyle he was living wasn’t very appealing. But I knew I would be back to do the same thing all over and ride home again, feeling gross and unworthy, telling myself I was done and going to find better.

One Saturday evening as I was closing up the salon an older gentleman came through the door. I could tell immediately he was a man to be respected. As he was very well dressed. Gold buttons down a navy blue blazer, jeans and some really expensive tanned brown leather loafers. Salt and pepper hair and smelled of richness. Like wood barrels aged in bourbon. I was kind of taken back at first. Never had an older gentleman caught my attention like he did. He walked through the door with a purpose and looked right at me, through me, standing with a broom and pile of hair in front of me, just like a real life Cinderella. He says with a big jovial voice “My sweet lady, have you any idea where the Carrabba’s is at around here, I’m not from here and have a date in 10 minutes ”. I laughed! And said “yes sir! You’re really close. It’s one of my favorite places” and began to tell him directions. He smiled, thanked me and waved goodbye. I closed up the salon, went home to put on the softest pants I own, only to eat ice cream and smoke a bowl of weed while I lay in the bed with my dog and watch crime shows. On Saturday’s, Eric had somehow managed to have both his children and he stayed home with them and his parents. So I had to miss out on Saturday dates with him. (oh the bummer)

The following Saturday I was closing up the salon when a friend called and asked me to meet her for dinner, Carrabba’s of course! ( this restaurant was in the big city and too far for Eric “to travel for a meal”-his actual words. so I only got to enjoy it rarely) As I was pulling up I thought about the swanky gentleman and wondered if he’d made it to his date the week before . I went inside and walked up to the bar and sat down. My phone rang and it was my friend saying she wasn’t going to be able to make it. Bummed she couldn’t come, but I was already there and was determined to get some pasta. Plus, I eat alone from time to time, so sitting at the bar and having a meal by myself doesn’t bother me. I continued on. I ordered my meal and drank my sweet tea in peace. While sitting there enjoying the evening alone. I noticed my gentleman friend from the week before come in and take a seat across the bar from me. Dressed in a black blazer and jeans, same shoes (yes I looked) He was alone but I overheard him order two drinks. He did not notice me, which I was happy about, although he was much older, he was still very handsome and to be honest ruffled my feathers a bit. And I looked like terrible! I had been too exhausted to put much effort into myself. And quite frankly just didn’t want to correspond with anyone. But I was still curious and watched him from afar as I ate my meal.

He got out his phone and started typing, I’m sure texting his date to tell them he was there and had ordered a drink. Then, it dawned on me, he said last week he wasn’t from here and needed directions? And now here he sits, a week later. Strange. Really strange, for a second I was weirded out, thinking the worst “he’s a predator” (spoiler alert: boy did he turn out to be a predator but in an awesome way ) but then quickly came out of that and started thinking rationally, like maybe he could just really like it here and came back. Like I do. I rolled my eyes and continued on with my meal trying to keep to myself. But there was something that kept me looking. I had to know who he was meeting. She must have been a gem. I’m sure she was a much younger (like myself) and beautiful. Probably a Barbie-cheerleader type. I waited and watched. I actually slowed down eating and ordered a desert to-go just to stall on seeing who his date was. I just pretended to play on my phone and eat slowly. Watching him from the other side of the bar. I noticed he had drank both the drinks and had ordered an appetizer by now and his date still wasn’t there. He was also just scrolling on his phone as he ate slowly. The evening drew on, and by this time I had finished my meal, paid, eaten my to-go desert in the plastic container and asked for a to-go sweet tea. I knew the bartender was getting out done with my to-go requests and loitering his bar stools. So I decided to leave, disappointed I didn’t get to see the date of the superfly older gentlemen. I had to call it a night.

As I was walking out, I do not know what came over me but I got the gumption to walk over to him. I happily skipped my way over to him in a manner like I had been there all night and not noticed him, he wasn’t facing me, but his side was and as I walked up I softly brushed his shoulder and he turned with a big smile. “I see ya made it, hope it didn’t take ya this long to get here” (corny AF I know) he laughed and said “Haha, no I made it here last week, and was supposed to be meeting the same friend here tonight but she couldn’t make it” I replied “the same thing happened to me, but I had a good meal without her!” I was mesmerized by him. He was so nice looking and charming. And that smell… barrels of bourbon. I couldn’t look away. We laughed and chatted for a few minutes before he asked me if I smoked. I (being the stoner I am) idiotically replied “smoke what” he belted into laughter and to my surprise he said “You are so funny and cute you should’ve been my date tonight” (Omg….did he just say what I thought he did…. yes he did…. )

I was so taken back by the statement because I secretly was dreaming of a date with a man like him. I had no idea anything about him but from my humble beginning. This man screamed WEALTH AND CLASS. Something I had never had before. I was so intrigued and even more curious to think he would actually take me on a date.. and would I actually go on a date with someone much older than me? What would my family think? What would my friends think? What would other people think? I just knew they would think I was a gold digger and just dating him for his money. But it was so much more than money. It was about a confidence that radiated from him. It was about a lifestyle. A lifestyle I had never known. A lifestyle I became addicted to. And inadvertently changed my entire life.  I came to, from my mind wondering about his statement.. to him saying… “so… would you go outside with me while I smoke?” I tried to mumble and fumble around saying that I really needed to go but “yeah, sure!” I walked out of the restaurant with him and we got to the side of the building and he took a big long drag off his smoke and looked at me with a crooked smile and said “now how about that date” ?

I did not hesitate one second… I said yes I’ll go on a date with you, but what about your date from tonight,  would she be upset?

“Well she’s not here to defend her territory is she”? My eyes opened wide and I smiled. I loved his attitude. I could tell he was an Alpha male. And oh…how… I..love Alpha males. (And beta males, I learned I love all men)

Without a doubt in my mind, I knew I wanted to go on a date with him. Just to figure him out. No one would even have to know. So I gave him my card with number.

As we stood outside together and chatted, I couldn’t help but to start noticing more details about him. He was even more handsome than I’d thought. His face was chiseled, his jawline was strong. The black blazer he had on was a Ralph Lauren, as I could tell by the logo. With a blue and white button up underneath and the top buttons were laying undone. Trying to gage his age I studied him as we talked. He told me he was a surgeon that was now semi retired and he came down here periodically to help in an urgent care clinic his colleague ran. So now it all made sense. HE WAS A DOCTOR. Of course he was rich.

 

To sound more appealing, I of course brought up that I was in school for nursing and also had the cosmo degree. I worked at the salon to make ends meet while going to school. It was tough but I forged through it all daily. He replied with “I could help you with that” Help me With what? I said. “Your finances”. How? Jokingly, Can you hire me making more money at the urgent care? He laughed and said “No, I was thinking something a little different. How about you come up and visit me at my home. I have a large equestrian estate about and hour and half from here with many rooms and outside cottages. You could come up for the weekend and have one of the cottages all to yourself. And we can discuss an arrangement.” I have no idea where my mind is sometimes when I am really focusing on something. I blurted out “I’m sorry sir, as flattered as I am, I have been on a farm my whole life, and while I truly love them. I could not spend another day working on one, no matter what the pay.”

He burst into laughter once again at my naive and genuinely innocent reply and says “Sweetie, never ever would I ask you to work a day of manual labor” How about you just trust me, come out, spend the weekend, you can have a cottage all to yourself, I have staff there round the clock. If you get there and don’t like it you can leave. However, Saturday night I am hosting a cocktail party and would love to have a sweet southern thing like yourself there to keep me company.

 

”Company I said softly? I would love to but how does that help me with my finances I said cattily?

 

“We will discuss it when you come up, I am sure you will have a great time, I have helped a lot of girls just like you to secure financial freedom. Just trust me.”

So here is where I am supposed to tell you that I kindly declined his offer because obviously there was something up he wasn’t telling me. But i just can’t tell you that because to be completely honest There wasn’t a bone in my body that would have let me leave there that night without telling him yes. Hell yes I will come to your cocktail party, at your large equestrian home with cottages and 24-7 staff. What did I have to lose? Eric? HAHA!

 

The following day was of course Sunday, and that is the day all my family congregates at my mom’s for dinner. As I sat and watched my family enjoying themselves, I thought about those words financial freedom. All I could think about was what if we were wealthy? How would life be? Everyone in my family had always worked the most grueling, physically and mentally taxing  jobs they could find. The carpenters, and mechanics, my mom was an accountant. Financial freedom would be an amazing gift. The entire day my thoughts were consumed with what if’s, and is this reals? I gave him my number, but will he really call me? I didn’t get the address to his place? Did I really just accept a date with a much older gentleman and agree to drive and hour and half away to spend the weekend with him, all while offering me financial freedom? Yeah…. I did… there was still time to bail though. And boy did I try to find a reason bail.

Monday rolled around and because the salon was only open or a half day, and I didn’t have school on Monday’s, so I had to work from 12-3pm. I cannot tell you what had come over me that day but I felt more confident, I took more time to get ready. I wore my best clothes and changed my purse over to the the only Coach bag I owned. And The only reason I even owned that one was because a friend gave it to me after an ex had recently given it to her, it wasn’t brand new but I was terrified to carry it. For fear that I would stain or damage it. But that day. I wore it. I have no idea why I felt like my vibration was a few notches higher but I truly felt lifted and like I needed to present myself as so. Upon arriving to the salon, I seen there was a flower delivery truck pulling out. Thinking nothing of it, because they could never be here for me, I walked right in. Sitting on the reception table was the most glorious bouquet of soft pink peonies and bright red long stem roses scattered strategically between each peony. It was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen in my life. Kelly the receptionist screamed  “THEY ARE FOR YOU!”, with a look of stun on her face. (Believe me Kelly, I was just as stunned). ME?!!!! I walked over and picked them up and the smell was so soft and sweet. These flowers were so beautiful that It brought tears to my eyes. I was speechless. “ERIC?” I thought, no way! He would have never come up with this.

 

By this time every person working in that salon was fluttering around me like little butterflies. “Peonies?! Cecilia said..”They are like $30 a stem! This must have cost a fortune! Who sent you these?!” Well I haven’t even opened the card yet, let me see. Tied to the vase was a navy blue with gold trimmed ribbon, that had a card wedged behind it. As I opened the greeting card a credit card fell out. It was a prepaid American Express. Written in the greeting card was “This card is loaded with $1,500.00 it is activated and ready to use. All instructions are attached to the card. This card is for you to use for a manicure/pedicure, a hair appointment. It is important for your nails to be painted Oxblood red. All other money left over is yours to use as you wish.The cocktail party will require a black dress. I will be in contact as the week goes on. XoXo LB

I am sure you can imagine my shock. What on earth was really going on? Is this real life or am I dreaming?! The girls around me started screaming “You’ve got a sugar daddy?!? YOU HAVE A SUGAR DADDY!!”

Wait..what..a sugar daddy?