I looked up at the ceiling and contemplate everything that had happened.  This wonderful woman had crashed into my life.  I sensed that there was a connection.  But there was this contract she had that said we could only meet once or she'd be cast loose with nothing.  How could I let her go without even the smallest hope of trying to make a future together? 

My anger was tempered with a fatalistic realization that I was doomed to a life without the most perfect woman for me that I had ever met.  Except for that damned contract.  I hated the idea that I would have to learn to live my life without her. 

Andrea was right.  All we would have from all this was a memory.  She would go back to being a prisoner.  As much as I hated it, there wasn't anything I could do to change that.  And what would I do?  There wasn't any going back for me.  I would have to go on.  But I would have this memory.  Already I was beginning to ache with the idea of how much I would miss her. 

I was a damned fool.  This exquisite, intelligent, stunning creature would never be in my life again, no matter how much I wanted or needed her.  Regardless of what I dreamed or desired for her, it was her choice completely.  There was nothing I could do to change that.  All I would ever be able to do was ache emptily for what I imagine could have been.

I rose from the bed and went to the mini-bar.  I make her drink and took a bottle of water for myself, dribbling a little into her glass.  I sat on the bed and picked up the phone, ordering a fruit plate from room service.

Andrea walked out of the bathroom and went straight to her purse.  She looked at me suspiciously and I shook my head.  She pulled something out and formed her hair into a ponytail.  She slipped a band around it and swirled it around until it held her hair tightly.  She turned to face me.

"How do I look?" she asked.

I sat on the corner of the bed and shook my head.

"What?"  She sounded concerned.

I sighed deeply.  "You're standing there, naked, gorgeous, looking like the goddess you know you are and you ask me how you look?  It just beats all."

She stepped toward me and took my face in a soft, manicured hand.  "My dear Peter," she said gently.  "Are you sulking?"

"Sulking?" I replied.  "Maybe I am.  I ordered a fruit plate for us for dinner."

"That's nice," she said.  "I guess one of us needs to put some clothes on to deal with the delivery."

"I'll take care of it," I said, standing up to go into the bathroom.  Andrea followed me and leaned on the doorjamb as I washed up.

"Please don't be like this, Peter," she said gently.  "You don't do cold and uncaring very well, and it makes me sad to see you like this."

"I'm trying to deal with reality, Andrea," I replied.  "It's a reality that I don't like very much."

"Because I have to leave?" she asked.

"Yes," I nodded.  "That, and because we can never be together again."

"Peter," she said, "Aside from our little arguments, you've made me very happy today.  For a little while, I've been able to forget the bad parts of my life.  You've been wonderful to me and I appreciate that.  I like you, Peter.  I guess that's part of the problem.  I like you because you're so considerate and caring.  That's why I can kiss you like I do.  This isn't just a hook-up to you.  It's the two of us coming together and making something more than just the two of us."

"I guess that is part of the problem, Andrea.  It's been all of what you've said and it shouldn't have to end.  It should be able to continue.  That's the fact that makes me irritable and sullen."

"My dear Peter," she replied.  "You are all about the sentiment, aren't you?  You care about me.  You proved that from the very beginning.  Don't you see how that's affected me, darling?  I care about you, too.  I really do.  But you can't fall in love in an afternoon."

"I've already started to miss you, Andrea," I said as I pulled on my trousers and started to button my shirt.  "You haven't even left, yet, but there is already an emptiness in me that I don't think will ever be filled."

"Do you want me to leave now so that it doesn't hurt so much?" she whispered.  "I don't want to, but I will, if that's what you want."

"No, Andrea.  I want you for as long as I can have you."

A light tap on the door sent Andrea scurrying.

“In the bed,” I suggested.  “Under the covers.”

“The covers are all on the floor!” she whispered harshly.

“The bathroom, then,” I grinned at her.

She scampered past me and rushed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

I walked to the main entrance and opened the door for the bellman.

“Mr. Pritchard?” he asked.  “I have an order for you.”

“That’s right.  Thank you.”

“If you’ll just sign here,” he indicated as he set the tray down next to Andrea’s purse.

“Sure,” I replied, scribbling my signature and handing him a ten.  “Thanks,” I said, ushering him to the door.

“Thank you, sir.  That’s very generous.”

“You’re welcome,” I said.  “I appreciate your expeditiousness and service.  Have a good evening.”

“You, too, sir.  Thanks again,” he said as I closed the door. 

I turned toward the bathroom door and knocked.  “You can come out now,” I told Andrea.

She stepped naked and glorious into the short hallway.

“Stephen Pritchard?” she asked.

I nodded.

“As in Pritchard Enterprises?”

“That’s my father, but, yes.”

“I know you,” she said, almost in wonder.  “Well, not you.  I mean, except for today.  But I know who you are.”

“Okay,” I said, walking over to remove the covers off the four plates on the tray the bellman had left.  “You want some fruit?  There’s apples and pears, strawberries and grapes; some kind of melon pieces and orange sections. I don’t know what this green stuff is.”

“It’s kiwi,” she said absently.

“You want some?  Or,” I grinned at her, “It’s kind of sexy when a man feeds his woman.”

“Am I your woman?” she asked in a soft voice.

“For today,” I replied.  “Until eleven.”

“Will you make love to me?”

“I’ll do whatever you want,” I replied.

“Feed me, then.  And afterwards, make love to me.  Show me what it’s like to be your woman.”

“I can do that,” I said.

“And, Stephen?”

“What?”

“You’re still my Peter.”  She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me one of her smoldering kisses.

I fed her bits of fruit from my fingers and my lips.  Turned into kisses.  When she had enough, she eased back on the bed and held her arms out to me.

“Come make love to me, my Peter.  I’m desperate to feel you inside me again.”

We made love for a long time.  Then we showered again, and she was careful to keep her hair dry.  We toweled each other off and returned to the bed.  She surprised me when she spun around and put her lips on my cock.

“Andrea,” I said with a groan.  “You don’t have to.”

“I want my Peter,” she said, releasing me momentarily.  “But, please don’t come.  I want that inside me one last time.”

She sucked me, nibbled and licked.  Eventually, she climbed across me and straddled my head so I had access to her pussy.  I knew the number and licked and sucked her until she groaned an orgasm.

As her climax subsided Andrea turned around and straddled me.

“It’s closure,” she whispered.  “This is how we started.  Except, this time, I’m going to make love to you.”

“Andrea,” I began, and she put a finger to my lips.

“Don’t say anything, my darling,” she whispered.  “Just let me do this.  Do this with me.”

After our last joining which was languorous, sad, and passionate, all at the same time, I lay in the bed completely spent as Andrea showered one last time.  She emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her.

“Really?” I asked.  “Modesty?  Now?”

“I just didn’t want you to get any ideas,” she grinned.  “I really do have to go.”

“You really don’t, and you know it,” I said.

She looked at me distinctly less than joyfully.  “Peter, please.  No more.”

“You’re right,” I replied after a moment.  “I have nothing left.”

I watched as she dressed; teal panties, bra, and finally the dress.

“Will you help me?” she asked, turning her back to me.

I rolled out of the bed and stood behind her.  “Closure,” I remarked as I zipped the dress.

Andrea went to her purse, pulled out a lipstick and leaned toward the mirror.  She paused.  “No,” she said.

“No what?” I asked.

“I’m going to kiss you, Peter.  A lot.  I don’t want to spread lipstick all over you and me.”

“For somebody who is leaving our possibilities in the dust, you seem pretty emotional.”

“Oh, god, Peter,” she whispered plaintively.  “You said you wouldn’t.”

“Again, you’re right.  I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, my darling.  We’ve had a wonderful day of exhilarating sex, caring, kindness, and even our first argument had substance.  It’s been marvelous for me to feel your concern, attentiveness, affection, and even love, if that isn’t too bold.  I will be forever grateful for what you’ve given me.”

Andrea leaned into me, wrapped her arms around me and kissed me tenderly, lovingly, and with a hint of regret.  She looked into my eyes, and I could see tears welling up in hers.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” I quoted.

“Don’t cheapen it, my darling.  Parting is misery.”

“You will never leave me, Andrea,” I said, and heard her gasp.  “I will hold this memory in my heart for the rest of my life.  You will always be with me.”

The tears rolled down her cheeks.  “I’m so sorry to do this to you, Peter.  I will treasure you for always.”

Another brief kiss on the lips and she was gone.

“Happy Birthday, Andrea,” I said to the door as she closed it behind her.

EPILOGUE

Sixty-four days later I was in my office, trying to pull together a team to mount a proposal for consolidation of assets when my secretary, Jessica Golding, tapped lightly on my door.

“Jess!” I said.  “What’s up?”

“There’s a woman on the phone for you.  Says her name is Cinderella Liberty.  I thought that was strange…”

“What line?” I asked, interrupting her.

“It’s flashing,” she said.  “So, you know her?”

“Yeah, thanks,” I said quickly.  I punched the blinking button.

“Andrea,” I said into the mouthpiece.

“Hello, Peter,” her voice came through the earpiece.  “You didn’t leave me your number, so I had to call the corporation.”

“It’s fine, Andrea.  I’m glad I was here when you called.  Are you all right?”

There was a pause for a long moment.

“Peter,” she said finally, in a voice just above a whisper.  “I want the fairytale.”

“Are you okay, though?”

“I’m fine.  Well, not hurt, at least.  No, that’s not true either.  Physically, though, I’m fine.  Emotionally, I’m kind of a wreck.  I never believed how much missing one person could hurt.”

“You missed me?”

“I missed all of it, Peter.  You, the idea of being free, of being able to come and go as I wish, and of making something.  You were right, Peter.  I have missed you desperately.  It’s all I’ve been able to think about.  I want to explore the possibilities of us.”

“No more Ashley Madison events?”

“Would you be jealous if I had?”

“Probably,” I admitted.  “But I think I’d understand.”

“There haven’t been,” she said.  “I’ve kept myself for you, my darling.”

“What about the contract, Andrea?” I asked her.

I heard her sigh.  “I was an idiot, Peter, to choose that over you.  I’ve changed outfits four times a day.  I took the cars for drives lasting hours and hours.  Nothing filled the emptiness I felt.  I finally realized that only one thing would ever do that.  Please tell me that you still want me, too.”

“You are my goddess, Andrea.  I’ve missed you so much I could barely function.  What do you want me to do?”

“Meet me, Peter.  Come collect me.  Take me home.  Let me fall in love with you and you fall in love with me.  Help me to help you.  Let’s build a future together.”

“You can’t fall in love in an afternoon, Andrea,” I reminded her.

“That’s complete bullshit, Peter,” she said, half laughing and half crying.  “I knew I loved you when I had to leave you behind.  And I knew you loved me when you stopped arguing with me.”

“Where are you?”

“Six-oh-two.”

“The same room?”

“It’s where we began, Peter.  Isn’t it appropriate that we should begin the continuation from here?”

“I’ll come get you, Andrea.  But, we’re not staying.  I’m coming to take you home.”

“You mean, even if I’m waiting for you naked in the bed, you won’t have reminiscent sex with me?”

I laughed.  “Is that what you want?”

There was a pause.  “Peter, I had the implants removed last month.  If you fuck me now, I will get pregnant.  That’s what I want.  I want to have your babies.”

“What about your business?  What about your other plans for fulfillment?”

“Can’t we talk about this in person, Peter?  Come to me.  Fuck me pregnant like you said you wanted, and I’ll tell you about my plan for all the rest of it.  Please?”

“You’re right, Andrea.  We’re wasting time apart when we could be together.  I’m on my way.”

“Peter?”

“What is it?”

“I love you, my darling.”

“You know what, I believe you.  The truth is, I love you, too.”

"Hurry!” Andrea said.