Chapter Eight
“How do you say ‘Cheers’ in French?” Megan asked the handsome waiter who brought us our drinks.
“In French, we say ‘to health!’” he replied. “So you would say, Santé!”
The four of us clinked glasses together and chorused, “Santé!”
Ashley had the grace to wait until he was out of earshot before she said, “That’s boring. You should have asked him how to say ‘Here’s to a wild and crazy night!’”
“I’m starting to get kind of scared what you’re planning,” joked Becca. “We all know I’m not a very wild and crazy person.”
“You can cut loose,” urged Ashley. “We all can.” She took a huge sip of wine. “We eat here and have a few drinks, then leave in search of a good time. I may not have danced on a table for a few years now, but I still have the moves in me.”
“I don’t know about on a table, but I’m looking forward to just doing some regular, floor dancing,” I admitted. “I can’t remember the last time I did that. Not in years.”
“Well, we’re all going to have a good time tonight,” Megan declared.
“Remember,” added Ashley, “no planning! Tonight we’re going to go with the flow. Right, Julia?”
“That’s right,” I said, hoping I wasn’t going to be getting in over my head.
Our food arrived soon, and the duck confit I’d ordered was heavenly. We’d ordered a bottle of wine for our table and it flowed freely- the waiter had to bring out a fresh bottle more than once. I lost count after the third bottle appeared at the table.
I thought I was stuffed full, but when Becca ordered a crème brûlée, I just had to have one too. “This is heavenly,” I said, closing my eyes as I took a bite. “I can almost feel my pants not fitting tomorrow.”
“Who cares,” said Becca. “It’s worth it!”
“Better than sex?” teased Ashley.
“I think so,” I said.
“Bradley obviously hasn’t been doing very well, then,” she said. “Just you wait, Jules. We’ll find you someone you wouldn’t dream of comparing to dessert.”
I rolled my eyes and took another bite of crème brûlée, Ashley’s comment had stuck in my head and I couldn’t help think about what she had said. Bradley and I had been together since high school. He’d been my first, and my only. I’d always felt satisfied when we had sex. I’d never thought that I was missing out on anything when my friends talked about some of the different guys they had dated. But Ashley’s comment made me start to wonder- had I been missing out? Was sex with Bradley in reality just average? Could it be better? I used to be horrified at the prospect of being with another man. But to my surprise, for the first time, I felt somewhat curious about being intimate with someone else. Would he feel different? Would he try different things?
We finished our meal just before midnight and paid the bill- rather, Bradley paid our bill- and then set out in search of a place to dance the rest of the night away. The concierge at our hotel had directed us to an area with lots of fashionable restaurants and nightclubs, but we’d arrived in a taxi so I had no idea where we were in relation to our hotel. At any rate, we turned a corner down a narrow street and saw crowds of people lining up to get in various clubs. The thumping bass was so strong that if I put my hand on my chest I was sure I could feel my heart vibrate.
“Is this where we’re going?” asked Becca nervously. “I’m not sure if I’m cool enough to get in to a place like this.”
“Just show some cleavage and we’ll get in anywhere,” Ashley advised her.
“Which place do you want to go to?” asked Megan, looking around. “It looks like there’s a line everywhere.”
We stood in the middle of the street while fashionable clubbers hurried around us in both directions. I felt like it was the first day of high school again- had I dressed okay? Would the other kids laugh at my outfit?
“Julia should choose a place,” said Ashley. “That place down there with the strobe lights looks cool, but it has the longest line. Or Club Techno, that one looks cool too.” She pointed to the lineup nearest to us. “But I think Julia should pick. It’s her night, after all.”
I took a deep breath and looked up and down the street. Across the street, one of the lineups seemed to feature fewer teenagers and more people our age. Maybe that would be more comfortable for us- after all, I wasn’t even sure if I liked techno music.
But that wasn’t what this trip was about, I reminded myself. It was about pushing my boundaries and doing things differently. Creating new experiences. Who knew, maybe I’d end up liking techno music. “Club Strobe Lights,” I said, pointing down the street at the longest line. “If the line is the longest, then I think that means it’s the best place.”
Ashley cheered, and the four of us linked arms as we walked down to get in line behind the velvet rope.
We waited for about fifteen minutes before we reached the front of line. I’d noticed a few people ahead of us hadn’t been let in, which Ashley assured me was a good thing because it meant they had standards. When it was our turn, the bouncer looked us all up and down before he nodded and stepped aside. We paid the cover fee and entered the club.
It was so loud I couldn’t even hear myself think. I was grateful when Megan grabbed my hand and pulled me after Ashley, who was heading towards a seating area just outside the dance floor. Despite the line outside, it wasn’t very crowded inside. So we were able to find a seat. We had barely sat down before a bartender came by and asked if we’d like anything to drink.
“A round of shots,” said Ashley.
“It’s been ages since I’ve done shots,” I protested.
“Up for anything, remember?” Megan reminded me.
I sighed and nodded, and when the bartender came back with a small tray of shot glasses, I took one and knocked it back just like I was back in college.
Since the dance floor wasn’t yet full, we ordered fruity drinks and sat down for a while, talking. Since it was half past midnight at that point I was a bit worried I’d chosen badly and we’d picked a dud, but the girls assured me that things would pick up after one. “I must be old,” I sighed. “By one, I’m just about ready for bed.”
“Well, I’m not out every weekend like I’m twenty-one again,” said Megan, “but we’re on vacation, and it’s kind of nice to go out like this, isn’t it?”
I had to admit it was. I’d gotten way too accustomed to yoga pants and my minivan. It did feel great to be wearing a cute dress and high heels and sit down in a hot nightclub with a drink in my hand. It felt like I was living someone else’s life for a minute instead of my own humdrum existence.
The girls were right and the club did pick up after one. People started filling up the dance floor, and once we’d finished our drinks we joined them. I’d always been self-conscious dancing, but somehow in this crowd of people I didn’t care what anybody else thought and just let loose and enjoyed myself. It was noisy and crowded and I thought I didn’t like techno music, but before I knew it I could almost feel it inside me, pulsing. We danced until our feet were sore, and we made our way back to where we’d been sitting before. Another group of people were sitting there, so we found some empty spots in a booth with a few other women.
“Mind if we sit here?” asked Becca, sliding down to an empty seat. “Um, excusez-moi...”
“Oh, it’s fine, no problem!” said the woman with a big smile. I was relieved to hear she was American, since I knew there was no way I’d be able to remember any of my high school French when I was drunk.
“Thanks,” I said.
“I’m going to go get us another round of shots,” said Ashley, and she disappeared towards the bar.
“So are you having fun yet, Jules?” Megan asked me.
“I’m having a blast!” I exclaimed. “God, I haven’t gone out dancing in forever. This was exactly what I needed. Just some drinks and dancing with good friends. And I’m excited to explore Paris a lit
tle further tomorrow….. in the afternoon, at least. I’m going to be paying for this tomorrow morning!”
“Is this your first time in Paris?” asked one of the other women we were sitting near, leaning in so I could hear her over the thumping bass.
I nodded. “We all came here together for the first time, on a- a sort of girls trip, I guess.”
“Oh, fun!” she said. “We’re here on a similar trip. My friend over there- Amy- she’s turning thirty-five this year- we’re on a trip for her birthday. We got here the day before yesterday.”
“This was our first day here,” said Megan. “We got in late last night, just did a bit of shopping today before we went out to dinner. I’m Megan- this is Julia and Becca.”
“I’m Claire,” said the woman, holding out her hand. “Besides Amy, that’s Sarah and Nicole. What are you guys up to after this place?”
Becca and I exchanged a look. “After this place?” I repeated. By my best guess, it was at least two in the morning. I’d already started imagining what my bed would feel like after a night of dancing in high heels.
“Yeah,” said Claire. “It’s Europe; things are only getting started!”
“Umm,” said Becca.
“We haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” said Megan.
“I think we’re having a bit of a party at our suite afterwards,” said Claire. “Amy’s arranging the whole thing. I don’t want to sound weird, but you girls are more than welcome to come if you’d like!”
“Like...what kind of party?” asked Becca.
“Just a few of us, some other friends we’ve met here,” said Claire.
Ashley showed up just then, her hands full of shots. “Shots all around!” she said cheerfully, handing the glasses to Becca, Megan, and I. “What’re we all talking about?”
“We’re just making new friends here,” I said. I gestured to our new friend. “This is Claire- Claire, this is our other friend, Ashley.”
“Hey!” said Claire. “I was just asking your friends if you guys had plans for after this place.”
“After this place?” repeated Ashley, and I was relieved I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t thought about an after-hours party. “No, I don’t think so, we don’t have anything planned. We’re just going with the flow tonight.”
“Well, in that case, you guys should totally come,” said Claire. “We’re having some people over to our suite after this place closes down- at three, or whenever. I can give you the address if you’re interested.”
Unlike Becca, Megan, and I, Ashley didn’t hesitate. “Sure!” she said, and pulled out her phone. “Here- just write the name of the hotel in here and a number we should call when we get there.”
I stared at my friend in shock as Claire tapped away at the phone’s screen. Was Ashley insane? Just meeting strangers at nightclubs and going back to parties at their hotel rooms?
“Are you nuts?” I whispered in her ear, once she had her phone back and had squeezed on to the banquette next to me. “Just going to hang out with a stranger like that?”
“It’s not any different than a one night stand, really,” Ashley shrugged. “Ohhh, wait. You’ve never had one of those, have you? Just Bradley….you poor dear.” She patted me on the head, then gave me a little hug. “You just have to go with it sometimes, Jules. If we never talked to people we didn’t know, how could we ever make new friends?”
She was right in a way, but she was also totally wrong. You met new friends at yoga class or chatting on the playground, not when a stranger invited you back to their hotel for a party.
We stayed at the club a bit longer- having another round of drinks, going back out to the dance floor, before we decided it was time to go and stumbled outside.
“I’m about ready for bed,” said Becca, yawning. “I had a great time, but I’m tired.”
“Me too,” I agreed. “Sorry, Ashley, I just don’t think I’m up for an after party.”
“But that’s not fair,” said Ashley. “You agreed- whatever happens, happens! Maybe we’ll have a great time. And hey, if it turns crazy, at least we’ll have a great story, right?”
“Right, like waking up in a bathtub with a missing kidney,” said Becca. “Ha ha ha, that was such a great time!”
“Don’t be a party pooper,” said Ashley. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Megs?”
“I’m up for it,” she declared. “Ashley’s right- it could end up being a lot of fun. Go with the flow, remember, Jules?”
She was right. Becca rolled her eyes at us but came along anyway, claiming that someone would have to call the police when Claire and her friends tried to hold us hostage. I was tired, but couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nervous excitement as we piled in to a cab on the way to Claire’s hotel.
It was a large, fancy hotel, and when Ashley called the number Claire had given her we were told to get in the elevator and go right up to the penthouse suite. We crowded in together and when the doors opened, we were right in the penthouse suite.
I looked around. There were several chairs and small couches set up in a seating area, with a big open space in the middle. For mingling, I assumed, or maybe dancing. A bar was set up in one corner of the room and about ten other women were hanging out in the room.
When she noticed we’d arrived, one of the women broke away from the group she’d been chatting with and walked over to us with a smile. “Hi,” she said. “I’m Amy- I’m hosting this party tonight. My friend Claire met you at the club we were at earlier, didn’t she?”
We all nodded, and introduced ourselves. “Great,” said Amy. “Once everyone gets here, we’ll get started. Have you been to a party like this before? Did Claire fill you in?”
“She said it was a party,” I said. “Is there more to it?”
Amy smiled. “Oh, you’re in for a treat,” she said. “We’ve got some great guests coming tonight. It’s CFNM- clothed females, naked males. We’re going to have some men here to serve us, there will be games and so on- really, it’ll be a great time! No pressure to touch, but if you want to, it’s up to you.”
The elevator pinged its arrival again, with another small group of women, and Amy moved on to greet them. The four of us stood there in a tight cluster, looking at one another. Amy’s reveal about the party’s true nature had truly thrown me for a loop. Getting roofied and waking up with my purse stolen and no idea how to get back to the hotel- that had been the worst case scenario I’d imagined earlier. A sex party hadn’t crossed my mind and I wasn’t sure what to think.
“Did she say, naked males?” asked Becca. “I don’t know about this.”
“I don’t know. I think it could be fun,” said Megan. “Clothed females, that’s us- we don’t have to do anything we don’t want to.”
“I don’t think I’m comfortable with this,” I said. “I just- I know that if Bradley and I separate, I’ll have to sleep with someone else, eventually. I’ll see another man naked, eventually. But I don’t know if I’m ready to do it now.”
“Are you telling me you’ve never seen another man naked before?” Ashley demanded.
“Well- I mean, we watched porn together once or twice, but I know those guys aren’t like in real life” I started to say.
Ashley interrupted me. “Oh, honey. We really do need to stay, then…..for your own education. There’s a lot more out there than just Bradley. Look, we don’t take our clothes off. If you decide you don’t like it, you don’t have to look. But you need to give it a try. No excuses, remember?”
I took a deep breath. “All right,” I said. “Let’s stay.”