Chapter 76 - Alexander

**ALEXANDER**

Alexander opened the heavy glass door of the elegant Greek restaurant Thalassa and held it open as Emily, Vivien and Nicole entered one by one. Thalassa was no ordinary restaurant, but a veritable temple of Mediterranean elegance: the tables were covered with white linen tablecloths on which golden plates gleamed, and delicate lamps hung from the ceiling, their warm light bathing the scene in a soft golden glow. Large terracotta pots of olive trees stood in the corners, and the melancholy melody of a bouzouki played softly from the speakers. It was the perfect place to add a touch of luxury to your lunch break. His assistant always reserved a table here when he wanted to enjoy a touch of Greek flair with clients.
“Wow,” Nicole breathed, her eyes widening in amazement. “I’ve never been to a restaurant this fancy.”
Alexander couldn’t help but smile. It was obvious that she felt out of place in her simple jeans and plain blouse. But no one here would take offense, since she was his guest.
“Sit down, ladies,” Alexander said, pointing to the reserved table by the window that offered a magnificent view of the Los Angeles skyline glistening in the sun. He waited until everyone was seated before sitting down so he could get a good look at the room.
“I have to say, Emily,” he began, opening the menu, “I was hoping it would be just the two of us dining.”
Emily met his eyes with an innocent smile. “Oh, Alexander, I thought having Vivien and Nicole for moral support might make the meeting more interesting.”
Nicole blushed. “I hope it’s okay that we came. I didn’t know...”
Alexander raised his hand. “Don’t worry, Nicole. I’m glad you came.” He was charming, but his tone revealed that this hadn’t been part of his original plan. But he would adapt to do Emily a favor. He wanted her to feel comfortable. When he took her home after dinner, she would need all her strength.
The waiter approached the table, an older gentleman with gray hair and a mustache as neatly trimmed as the restaurant’s olive trees. “Kalimera, Mr. Fitzpatrick,” he greeted Alexander with a respectful nod. “As always?”
Alexander smiled curtly. “Yes, Nikos, bring us the appetizer plate. And the Assyrtiko 2015 with it.”
Nicole looked at him in confusion. “Assyr... what?”
“Assyrtiko,” Alexander explained patiently. “It’s a dry Greek white wine. It’s grown on the island of Santorini. Very fresh, with a delicate citrus note. I think you’ll like it.”
Vivien raised an eyebrow. “You really know your stuff.”
“It’s part of the business,” he replied simply, giving her a half-hearted smile before turning back to the menu. “What would you like to order?”
Emily set the menu aside. “I’ll have the sea bass. Grilled, with lemon oil and fresh thyme.”
“I’ll try the lamb chop,” Vivien said. “It sounds... promising.”
Nicole seemed unsure and continued to nervously flip through the menu. “Um... what are dolmadakia?”
“Stuffed grape leaves,” Alexander explained patiently. “With rice, herbs, and often a hint of lemon. Very delicate and light. I think you might like it.”
“Okay, I’ll have that then,” she said shyly, closing the menu.
While they waited for their food, Alexander watched his companions. Emily was relaxed, as usual. She leaned back slightly, took a sip of water and looked at him over the rim of her glass with a challenging glint in her eyes. Vivien looked businesslike, but Alexander could see the slight tension in her posture. Nicole, on the other hand, twisted the stem of her wine glass between her fingers, unsure if she should take a sip.
“Nicole, you seem nervous,” Alexander observed, his eyes narrowing slightly as if asking an unseen question.
“Oh, no, I just... I’ve just never been to a fancy restaurant like this before,” she admitted sheepishly.
Alexander nodded. “Well, then it’s time to broaden your experience. A word of advice: there are many such dinners in the business world. Getting used to the environment will help you feel more confident. Depending on where your path at Fitzpatrick Designs takes you, it may take you into such environments more often.”
The waiter returned with the hors d’oeuvre platter and placed it in the center of the table. The selection was impressive: tzatziki, hummus, grilled eggplant, spanakopita, and warm, steamy wedges of pita bread.
“Please help yourself,” Alexander said kindly. “Try a little of everything, Nicole. It would be a shame to miss out on these delicacies.”
Nicole carefully took a piece of pita bread and dipped it into the tzatziki. “Oh, that’s incredibly good,” she said, her eyes gleaming.
“It is,” Alexander confirmed, without taking a bite himself. Instead, he watched his companions. His heart beat faster, especially when he saw Emily, completely relaxed and helping herself. He still couldn’t believe how much she got under his skin.
When the main courses were finally served, the ice seemed to be broken. Vivien and Emily swapped anecdotes and even Nicole dared to give her opinion on the wine. Alexander, on the other hand, held back, only occasionally smiling and nodding in agreement.
He had imagined this lunch differently - a quiet hour alone with Emily to find out what she really thought, what she really wanted. Instead, he was now hosting three women who could hardly be more different. But as he watched Vivien take a bite of her lamb chop and Nicole carefully taste her stuffed grape leaves, he noticed that Emily secretly smiled at him, as if she wanted him there.
“So, Alexander,” Emily began, smiling as he took the last sip of his wine. “What do you think of our little lunch?”
He leaned back, crossed his arms and returned her smile. “Different than I expected, Emily. But as always... fascinating.”
Once everyone had had enough to eat, Alexander ordered a taxi to take Vivien and Nicole back to the company. He himself had called his driver to take him and Emily to his apartment building. His heart beat faster as he imagined letting her into his realm.
Emily kneaded her fingers and looked tense out the window.
“What’s the matter, dear? Are you upset?” 
“No, I regularly visit my boss after taking half a day off.”
“Can’t you just say yes?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to be nervous.” His voice was dark, warm, and reassuring, and he took her anxious fingers in his hands. Then he brought them to his lips and began to nibble gently at the tips of her fingers. “Or maybe just a little.”
“A little?” Her eyes glistened with concern, drawing an amused grin from him.
“Yes, a little. Because I might do something that might frighten you.”
“Frighten me?” she repeated, sounding breathless.
“It might make you scream,” he confessed, licking over her fingertips. “You might curse me and beg me to stop.”
“Yes?” Her voice sounded harsh and breathless.
“I’ll start very gently with light strokes and gentle bondage,” he whispered to her, leaning over to her head. His lips brushed her ear. “We’ll be there soon, darling. Then we’ll both see how much you can stand.”
The ride really wasn’t long. Soon Mr. Simon was driving down the driveway and stopped in front of the entrance. Alexander quickly jumped out of the car and held the door open for Emily. Her eyes were wide and he could tell she was at least as excited as he was.
“I have almost no toys here, my dear. I have always met my SM partners in clubs or at Castle Davenport. So I just have a travel case with the toys that are so familiar to me that I don’t want to miss them at any session.”
When she said nothing, he asked, “Do you know what a session is?”
“Yes. It’s a meeting for a role-playing game. It’s limited in time. If one of the participants can’t or won’t do it anymore, they say a safe word and the session is over immediately.” She didn’t look up, but almost stared at the path in front of her. Alexander was sure she had read this somewhere.
“You may look at me when you speak to me,” he admonished her as gently as possible. She looked up at him immediately. Her gray-blue eyes were so full of trust that it took his breath away. It was then that he realized how much trust she placed in him and how much responsibility he was taking on. There was no safety here to protect her if he went too far. In fact, she was at his mercy!
He watched her excitedly as she entered his house.
“Oh, Alexander, how beautiful!”
He smiled proudly. “I designed the interior myself. Together with the architect, we created the house according to my specifications.”
He led her from the foyer directly into the large living room.
“Alexander!” She looked around, her mouth open in amazement. “This is fantastic! And you live here all alone and don’t share this luxury with anyone? It’s almost a waste!”
He just shrugged. “Wait until you see the other rooms, but for now you should just get to know one room.” He took her hand and put it on his hard swelling. “We need to do something to loosen this terrible stiffening.”