Indigo Bloome Collection: The Avalon Trilogy: Destined to Play, Destined to Feel, Destined to Fly

‘There’s no need to understand. I want to do this, I’ve wanted to for a long time and now I can. Everything you need should be there to get dressed. I can’t wait to see you in it and I’m so pleased you like it. Try not to take as long as you did in the bathroom, or I’ll have to help you speed up the process,’ he says with a grin. I stand motionless, staring at him, then the dress. He slaps me lightly on my bottom to reinforce his words.

‘Okay, okay,’ I reply as I move into action.

I walk over to the dress and run my fingers along the satin; it feels silky smooth and soft. I quickly remove my robe and slip the dress over my head. It slides easily over my body and I’m grateful to find it has a built-in bra that just happens to fit my bustline beautifully. It slithers along my waist with the left side of the dress cascading exquisitely down my legs before coming to a stop; just long enough to tickle my ankle. I find an accompanying box of stunning stiletto-heel shoes that I’m almost not game to try on. I haven’t worn shoes like this since my twenties and I silently wonder whether I will be able to maintain a stylish sense of balance in them.

I have never worn such a bold colour and I stare at myself in shock. The creation is tantalising. The person in the mirror is sexy, confident, alluring. I notice an intricate, antique-style clasp on the bench so I pull my hair up into a loose chignon on the same side as my bare shoulder and clip it into place. Now the reflection in the mirror has an added dimension of unanticipated sophistication. No question about it now, I am well and truly living my version of Pretty Woman, and so far, for me at least, it is better than the original.

I can’t remember the last time I was this dressed up — I could be walking the red carpet at the Oscars perhaps, with a little more make-up, possibly, and a professionally-coiffed hairstyle. After allowing myself one last look at my reflection, so glamorous I hardly recognise myself, I steady myself to walk out into the lounge room.

Jeremy stops and turns toward me. His mouth opens as I enter the lounge room. I desperately try to be the sophisticated, confident woman in the mirror, rather than the causal, clumsy uni student he had once known, as his eyes rake in my appearance. His sharp intake of breath and the open admiration in his eyes tell me that he likes what he sees.

‘Oh my … oh,’ he says slowly. ‘Oh, Alexandra, now I’m speechless, you look … absolutely breathtaking.’

‘The dress is beautiful, Jeremy. I don’t know what to say either.’

‘No, sweetheart, you are beautiful. The dress merely complements your best assets.’ I laugh a little apprehensively at his words as his eyes linger appreciatively on my breasts.

‘It does a little more than that, Jeremy, it hides all the worst … Oh, by the way, there was only one thing you forgot.’

‘Really?’ he asks, sounding surprised. ‘And what was that?’

‘Knickers.’

He remains expressionless.

‘Undies?’ I continue.

No response.

‘Panties, if that is what you prefer to call them?’

I had looked everywhere for them in the walk-in robe but they had all mysteriously vanished.

‘Oh, right.’ He finally seems to comprehend. ‘No, I didn’t forget them, you are wearing everything you need.’

He turns his head, his stare penetrating my eyes.

‘You know I appreciate access, Alexa, at all times. Just the thought of it makes me hot.’

He winks at me and I blush again so hard that the dress and I become indistinguishable.

At that moment I notice several dozen roses in a vase on the table. I have never seen so many together. They are unopened and deep, blood red, exactly the same colour as the dress I am wearing. They are magnificent, each and every one of them perfect. I walk over to study them in detail and inhale their heady scent. I sense Jeremy move as he positions behind me, his breath light against my neck. I am a little taller in high heels so he conveniently doesn’t have to bend so low.

‘Each one of these roses represents the experiences I want to give you this weekend. Imagine what they will look like when they have all fully blossomed, every layer opened up. They are beautiful now, just as you are, Alexandra, but just imagine what they will be, as one by one they explode into their full potential.’

His lips lightly caress the exposed nape of my neck as he speaks. Oh my goodness, his lips and his words ensure my knees almost buckle beneath me.

My voice is slow, breathless. ‘You are certainly well on your way … I can honestly say I have never experienced anything like this before, Jeremy, ever.’

‘You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, babe.’ He instantly lightens the mood with his newly acquired, light American twang.

‘We need another cheers,’ he states ceremoniously and turns his back to me as he starts to concoct something set up on the buffet with some elaborate glasses and lots of ice.

‘Oh no, not vodka shots?’

‘Not quite, but good memory though. Something different this time, you’ll see.’

The tone of Jeremy’s voice and the look in his eyes takes me directly back to one of the most playful, surprising and tantalising sexual encounters I have ever participated in and probably ever will in my lifetime …

Jeremy and I have finally finished our mid-semester exams and we can’t wait for a night off; it feels like we have been hitting the books non-stop for the past few months. Just as we are heading out to the pub a few blocks away to meet some friends for a few ales, a cracking electrical storm hits, resulting in a thunderous downpour. Jeremy and I take one look outside before deciding against going out and settle in for a few quiet drinks and a movie at his place instead. It suits us, as we are both pretty knackered from burning the midnight oil. Although relieved that the stress of exams has passed, we haven’t built up enough sleep surplus to be in full party mode. As we settle ourselves on the lounge with cider and popcorn, Jeremy’s friend and fellow med student, Patrick, bursts through the door, dripping wet.

‘Mate, how’s the storm out there?’ He shouts the words over a crack of thunder that almost shakes the walls. ‘Oh, hi, Lexi, didn’t see you there. How’s things?’

I’ve always thought Patrick is cute. He has a boyish charm, is just under six foot tall with quite a muscular build from playing rugby on the university team. And he calls me Lexi.

‘Hi, Pat. I’m well, thanks.’

‘Come in, mate. Looks like you copped it pretty bad out there, you’re saturated!’

‘Thanks. I was just heading to the pub to meet everyone and got caught in this. Hope you don’t mind.’

‘Not at all. We just decided to watch a movie, couldn’t be arsed going out in this weather so just slothing about instead.’

After we put his stuff in the clothes dryer, he sits on the lounge with us, a white bath towel tied firmly around his hips. His tanned body looks good, tight with muscle from the many sit-ups and chin-ups and whatever else footballers do for training. Oh yes, you can call me Lexi, I muse … He opens his beer and we settle in for the movie.

I sit at one end of the lounge with my legs draped over Jeremy’s lap and Patrick at the other. After our second round of drinks, Pat rolls up a joint. He goes to light up outside when Jeremy stops him.

‘No worries mate, it’s still pouring outside. Have it in here and we won’t have to stop the movie.’

After he has a long drag, he hands it to Jeremy who also wastes no time in sending the essence of the joint directly to his lungs. He allows the impact to settle, takes a smaller drag and offers it to me. When I hesitate, Jeremy encourages me.

‘Go on, you’ve finished your exams, loosen up; we’re not going anywhere tonight and we have the next week off.’

All true, so I take the joint from him and concentrate on doing it properly. It is always so embarrassing if I stuff it up; it seems everyone is willing to offer their expertise on the correct methodology for smoking a spliff. I exhale all air and slowly inhale the smoke deeply into my lungs, resisting the urge to cough and splutter it out. The sensation instantly goes to my brain as I continue to talk myself through the process — hold, hold, hold and very gently exhale. Jeremy removes the joint from my fingertips just before it falls, as my body goes momentarily limp and flops further into the corner of the lounge, feeling comfortably numb.

I have one more drag and that’s enough for me. I’m content in my own little space for a while and I have no idea how much more the boys smoke or what they’ve been doing. My consciousness returns toward the end of the movie to see the boys lost in laughter at something. Not sure what, but it only takes me a minute before I find it hysterical as well. After the movie finishes, some music videos come on and Pat starts dancing around the room in his towel and Jeremy joins in. It is very funny to watch with the strobing lights of the TV and the sound of pelting rain in the background. At least no one would complain about the volume. Jeremy tries to get me off the lounge to dance with them but I have barricaded myself in the cushions instead.

‘No, you two look great up there by yourselves, let me enjoy being a voyeur.’

This sends them into an array of ever more complicated dance manoeuvres that look completely ludicrous given the state they are in. They eventually disappear into the kitchen to return with a tray full of vodka shots. I shake my head.

‘Oh no, not after a spliff!’

‘Definitely after a spliff, Lexi, it’s the only way. After all, this is a post-exam downpour party,’ Pat declares to his own laughter and Jeremy endorses his sentiments with his own hysteria. They attempt to high five each other, but miss. This really does just keep getting funnier to watch and my stomach hurts from laughing.

‘Okay, Alex, down two shots now and we’ll let you stay on the lounge behind your barricade,’ Jeremy offers.

‘Absolutely. You can sit there like the gorgeous princess you are, in your comfy castle,’ Patrick adds.