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newjerseyisthebest · 3 months
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Morris Canal at Waterloo Village in Stanhope, New Jersey.
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the-football-chick · 8 months
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Could Belichick do something with my sorry-a$$ Commanders
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philwriter-blog · 21 hours
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Liverpool manufacturing history
Liverpool was primarily a port and so concerned with import and export and activities in support of shipping including some shipbuilding. Other towns on Merseyside (including St Helens, Wides and Runcorn) were more defined by their role in chemical production in support of Lancashire’s textile industry; Liverpool did, though, have soap manufacturers, Hudsons. Looking at Liverpool manufacturers,…
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whats-in-a-sentence · 4 months
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The aptly named George Train really did travel around the world in eighty days in 1870, and although the fictional Fogh fell back on elephants, sledges, and sailboats when technology let him down,* neither he nor Train could have managed their tours without brand-new triumphs of engineering – the Suez Canal (opened in 1869), the San Francisco-New York railroad (completed the same year), and the Bombay-Calcutta train line† (finished in 1870).
*Not, though, on balloons. That detail was added only in 1956, for the wonderful film version starring David Niven.
†Modern Mumbai and Kolkata.
"Why the West Rules – For Now: The patterns of history and what they reveal about the future" - Ian Morris
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oh-dear-so-queer · 4 months
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After recovering from the Jurchen sack, Kaifeng's real decline began when the Yellow River burst its dykes in 1194, destroying the canals that fed the city, brought in its coal, and carried away its products.
"Why the West Rules – For Now: The patterns of history and what they reveal about the future" - Ian Morris
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tenth-sentence · 4 months
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Within a generation, though, it had become China's economic artery, carrying rice from the south to feed northern cities.
"Why the West Rules – For Now: The patterns of history and what they reveal about the future" - Ian Morris
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shellybortpresents · 2 years
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instagram
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tabslabs · 1 year
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Curious about this since the original poll by @wasted-my-time was only 24 hours and I want to include only comics I've personally been recommended by my USAmerican friends.
Honorable mention since it didn't fit on the poll list: Jérôme K. Jérôme Bloche, which I chose to exclude since there are literally only 5 albums in English and I had to cut one of them
Small edit for a common question!
What’s BD? - BD = Bande Dessinée = comics (in the French language). Generally (in English anyway) comics are referred to by their language of origin (ie “manga” for Japanese comics). This is because of shared tropes, references, cultural material, art styles, etc. This does NOT mean that they’re all from France! Just that they’re all written in French!
Asterix and Blueberry are from France; Lucky Luke, Tintin, Spirou & Fantasio, Gaston, the Smurfs, and JKJ Bloche are all Belgian; Yakari is Swiss; and Blacksad is made by Spanish creators but written in French for a French audience and published in France
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thisphantomlife · 8 months
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Songs Hozier has covered
Bowie - Changes, Young Americans (see also Trinity Orchestra section)
Prince - I Wanna Be Your Lover, Raspberry Beret, Jungle Love
James Carr - The Dark End Of The Street
The Beatles - Blackbird
John Lennon (Donny Hathaway version) - Jealous Guy (at the goldenplec block party with Zaska)
Ariana Grande - Problem
Warren G - Regulate (mashup with Problem)
James Blake - Retrograde
Tom Waits - Strange Weather
Florence and the Machine - Cosmic Love
Stevie Wonder - Living for the City, As
Sting - 7 Days
The BeeGees - To Love Somebody
Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (that thing)
Amerie - One Thing
Skip James - Illinois Blues
Muddy Waters - Catfish Blues
Van Morrison - Caravan, Sweet Thing, Domino, Brown Eyed Girl, Saint Dominic’s Preview
Bill Withers - Ain’t No Sunshine
Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know
Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry
Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
Fun - We Are Young
Paul Simon - Bridge Over Troubled Water
Sam Smith - Lay Me Down
Destiny’s Child - Say My Name
Britney Spears - Toxic (snippet)
The Band - The Weight
Otis Rush version of Willie Dixon and the Big Three Trio - My Love Will Never Die
The Talking Heads - Burning Down the House (Instagram live messing around with friends)
The Staple Singers - Let’s Do it Again
The Weather Forecast 🤪
Ed Lewis - I Be So Glad When the Sun Goes Down (Instagram snippet)
Mavis Staples - Eyes on the Prize
Jackie Wilson - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher
The Meters - Just Kissed My Baby
Traffic (song originally by Traffic, Andrew covered the Joe Cocker version) - Feeling Alright
Christmas Songs - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Winter Wonderland, Santa Claus is Coming to Town (with others at the Xmas Eve Ball 2015)
Traditional Irish songs - My Lagan Love, The Humours of Whiskey, I Am Stretched On Your Grave, The Rolling Wave (on the low whistle), The Parting Glass, The Lonely Jig (on the low whistle)
(Live) Collabs - that are not Andrew’s own songs
Alvin Youngblood Hart - Illinois Blues
Maren Morris - The Bones, My Church, Girl, The Tree
Annie Lennox - I Put a Spell on You (Screamin Jay Hawkins cover)
Tom Odell - Another Love
Noah Kahan - Northern Attitude
Allison Russell - Requiem, Stop Dragging My Heart Around (Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty cover)
Brandi Carlile - The Joke, Walk On (U2 cover), The Weight (The Band cover)
Jamala - Walk On (U2 cover)
Mavis Staples - The Weight (The Band cover), Keep Your Eyes on the Prize (with Our Native Daughters, Jason Isbell and Phil Cook)
Boygenius - Salt in the Wound
Alana Henderson - Ae Fond Kiss (poem by Robert Burns)
U2 - When Love Comes to Town
Tori Kelly - Blackbird (the Beatles cover)
Mumford and Sons - Guiding Light, Awake My Soul, With a Little Help From My Friends (Beatles cover, with other artists)
Lake Street Dive - Everyday People (Sly and the Family Stone cover)
Rachael Price - Rental Love
Victoria Canal - Swan Song
Elwood (his dog) - Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (Elton John and Kiki Dee cover, Insta snippet)
All the artists at Love Rocks NYC 2022 - Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan cover), Feeling Alright (Traffic cover)
Brian Kennedy (and others) - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free (Nina Simone cover)
His Dad - The Weight (The Band cover at MSG)
Zaska, Wyvern Lingo, Loah - Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder cover)
Eabha McMahon - Bright Blue Rose (Jimmy McCarthy cover)
Brittany Howard - Feeling Alright (Joe Cocker version cover)
Joan Baez - We Shall Overcome, The Weight (The Band cover)
Christmas Eve Busk 2015
Bono, Glen Hansard - When Love Comes to Town, Every Breaking Wave
Glen Hansard, Imelda May - The Dark End of the Street (James Carr cover)
Christmas Eve Busk 2017
Glen Hansard, Coronas, Imelda May, Liam O Maonlaoi - So This is Christmas (John Lennon cover), The Aul Triangle
Music Groups
Nova Collective - (original songs) Tuile, Closer, Quick Bossa
Zaska - (original songs) In Your Own Sweet Time, Different Light, She Gunk Gunk Dunk A Funk, Oh Yeah
Anuna - with Andrew on lead vocals: The Raid, La Chanson de Mardi Gras. With Andrew in the choir: Jingle Bells, An Uaithne
The Wiggles - Cherry Tree Carol with Anuna
Trinity Orchestra - songs covered with Andrew on lead vocals
~ Queen - Somebody To Love, Don’t Stop Me Now
~ Arcade Fire - My Body is a Cage
~ Pink Floyd - Time, Breathe, Comfortably Numb, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Money
~ Michael Jackson - Earth Song, Black or White, Smooth Criminal
~ David Bowie - Heroes
*This list may not be complete. It only contains songs that can be found online.
Please let me know if any songs are missing so I can add them 🫶
I’ve not included the songs he sang snippets of on that Song Association interview
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mcufan72 · 7 months
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Sugar and Cinnamon
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Loki x female reader/ 18+
Chapter 6
Chapter 5
Warnings: contains fluff, smut, sex, oral sex, angst, alcohol, soft!dom/sub vibes, jealousy, dirty talking. It's a very long chapter (~9.5k words) so please be prepared! Some of you asked for it and I delivered.
Note: the dancing scene came to my mind when I walked through Soho/London a few weeks ago. It's also inspired by the dancing scene from the movie "Last Night in Soho" and you can find it on YouTube, and this is the song Anya Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith dance to... just to get a bit of the vibe ...and I couldn't resist to let MS make an appearance
I couldn't resist, my lovely @lokisprettygirl You already know that. Thanks for your help and for answering my special question and I sincerely hope I got it right...
This special part of the chapter is for you, my dearest (you'll know it when you read it)❤️🩷💚🤍
Loki couldn't remember the last time he felt that nervous and excited before an event. It must have been on Asgard when he was a young innocent prince, attending for the first time to a ball at the Asgardian Court, expected to dance with a princess for the very first time. He was delighted when Rhea sent him your confirmation for tonight's gala dinner and he looked forward to seeing you again. It wasn't even a real date, officially he booked you as his companion or as you were calling it, his arm candy. Nonetheless, he was grateful that you still wanted to spend time with him.
Dressed in black briefs after a relaxing bath which he took after returning from a run in Morris Canal Park, he stood in his closet and began to dress himself for the evening. For the gala dinner, he chose a black three-piece suit, perfectly tailored, excellently wrapping and emphasizing his muscular body. He combined it with a tight-fitting black shirt, and a dark-green tie which perfectly matched with the dark-green details of the waistcoat and the dark-green evening gown he gave to you, and finished his look with black leather shoes. He wished you would wear the dress tonight. He'd feel honoured. He had a further, little surprise for you. It was nothing special but he hoped you'd like it.
Nervous, nauseous, and excited. Three words to describe your condition. With trembling hands, you did your makeup and put on the dress. Why were you always so nervous when you had a date with Luke? You already slept with him so there was no need anymore to be nervous. You pulled your hair into a sleek tight bun like you always did, the knot high on your head this time. You'd prefer to wear your trainers but of course, you chose the elegant golden high heel sandals you had bought for events like these. They were just a further pair of beautiful little beasts but they perfectly rounded up the elegant design of the gown. You finished your look with the dark red lipstick and there she was: Sugar, ready to meet Luke. You grabbed your golden box clutch, studded with shimmering rhinestones, from the dresser and left your apartment, leaving all your problems behind. You wanted to enjoy this evening to the fullest. You deserved it, didn't you?
When you arrived at the event location, Luke was already waiting for you. Because of the evening darkness and the tinted car windows, you couldn't see what he was wearing but you were sure he would be the most handsome man tonight. He was always eye candy but for tonight he was your eye candy. Luke opened the door for you and offered you his hand helping you to get out of the limousine. You smiled brightly at him, happy to see him again. How could he look better every time you met him? He looked dashing in his tailored suit. Did his tie have the exact same colour as your evening gown? You found his attention to detail remarkable and adorable. What a man. What a wonderful, attentive man. Why wasn't he already taken? There must be a woman who would appreciate and want to be with a man like him.
Loki helped you to get out of the limousine and the first thing he saw were your beautiful legs and the elegant golden high heel sandals with the delicate straps on your feet. When you had left the car completely he smiled lovingly at you. You were wearing it, the evening gown he had chosen for you and you had no idea how happy you were making him. The evening gown hugged every curve of yours perfectly and the strong updo allowed an excellent view of your smooth neck and nearly bare back. You were so damn beautiful, and for tonight you were his and nobody would take you away from him.
“Good evening, Sugar. You look stunning in that dress. Absolutely gorgeous,” he gushed, one hand still hidden behind his back.
“And you look very dapper in your black suit. You're such a handsome man, Luke. And I like your tie, it looks gorgeous. I'm so happy to see you,” you complimented him.
“I hope I didn't overstep a boundary by sending you the evening gown. I just thought you might like it. Thank you for wearing it tonight. I feel extremely honoured,” and a hint of shyness appeared on his face.
“You didn't overstep, Luke. The dress is fantastic and I love it. It's perfect. You have an excellent taste for fashion. I don't deserve such a generous gift and I appreciate it. And also thanks for your lovely letter and I can assure you, I'm not mad at you. How could I, you don't owe me any excuse,” you explained to him sincerely.
His answer was a thankful smile and then he gave you what he had hidden behind his back. A little bouquet of multi-coloured wildflowers, tied together with a small green ribbon.
“Oh my god, Luke! Thank you! Thank you so much…how beautiful,” and your eyes teared up. You've gotten a lot of bouquets from some of your clients but none of them compared to this one. You never got a bouquet as pretty as this. You were sure he had poured his heart into it.
“Did you pick the flowers yourself?”, and you caressed the flowers.
“I did. I collected them in Morris Canal Park. I hope you like them,” he told you and you recognised a bit of shyness in his gaze.
“No man had ever done this for me. Thank you, Luke,” you whispered and pressed the flowers gently to your cleavage. You wanted to hug him but you didn't dare do it.
“It's nothing special but I…”
“Don't underestimate the beauty of self-picked flowers…and they are special. They're special to me because they're from you and I love them,” you interrupted him. You didn't want the flowers to wither and so you gave them to Walker who promised you to take care of them.
Loki felt like a little boy, trying to impress his first crush. He had never expected this cute reaction. He could've impressed you with a giant bouquet of roses but it seemed you appreciated the wildflowers more than any rose or lily he could've bought for you. You were amazing. How could you still be without a loving man by your side? You were so adorable… and naughty as well. A perfect combination.
“Shall we go in?” and as the gentleman he was, he offered you his arm.
“Yes, I'd love that!” and you two entered the location.
Loki introduced you to some of his business partners and finally, he wanted to introduce you to the host of the evening, Mr.Smith, who was still in a conversation. But he had already made eye contact with you. And then you understood what Rhea meant when she said, he's an attractive man. He wasn't a classic beautiful man but he definitely had an extremely charming aura. Almost as tall as Luke, he was lean but bulkier, had dark blonde hair and a sly smile which gave him something boyish and devious but in a very sympathetic way. His green deep-set eyes were sparkling with mischief and fun, and they had nearly the same stare as Luke's. The way he moved, spoke and behaved could captivate everyone under his spell. His elegant black tux and black bow tie perfectly rounded up his impressive appearance. You were sure a lot of women wouldn't say ‘no’ to him and your gaze wandered to an Indian beauty in an amazing black lehenga dress. This absolutely beautiful and elegant three-piece ensemble consisted of the actual lehenga, a long ankle-length and voluminous skirt, embellished with golden intricate embroidery, the choli, a well-fitted blouse top which emphasized her perfectly formed torso and the dupatta, a scarf which she had draped around her stunning outfit. Her waist-length and nearly black hair shimmered like black velvet and cascaded over her back, her big and sparkling dark-brown eyes were the most beautiful eyes you had ever seen. She was such a stunning eye-catcher and you didn't miss how Mr Smith looked at her from time to time. You knew that kind of gaze very well, not just from your clients and every time their gazes met, they both quickly looked away. It was kind of adorable. One might think he was totally smitten by the Indian beauty and nobody could blame him for this, she was one of the most beautiful women at tonight's gala.
“I don't like the way he looks at you,” Loki growled quietly.
“Do I hear some jealousy in your voice, Mr.Larsson?” you teased him. You didn't want to annoy him, you just wanted to see his reaction. You didn't want him to fall in love with you, he paid for your company but nonetheless you wanted him to desire you. You knew that was weird but tonight you were just his, and he was just yours, right?
“What? No, of course not! You're my escort, not my wife,” he frowned, pressing his lips firmly together, his jaw clenching.
“No, I'm not your wife. A pity, actually,” you teased him further and he side-eyed you, the expression on his face unreadable.
At this moment Mr Smith ended his conversation and came over to you two.
“What a beautiful sight at my friend's side… good evening, Miss…?
“...Black, I'm Miss Black,” you greeted him and he took your hand in his and gave a brief kiss to your knuckles.
“You look gorgeous, Miss Black, a further sparkling diamond at my party,” his deep-settled eyes staring flirtatious into yours and a sexy smile curved one corner of his mouth. He grabbed a glass of champagne from a waiter, who passed by with a tablet of filled champagne glasses, and gave it to you.
“Thank you for completing me, Mr Smith,” and you took the offered glass of champagne from his hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you,” you responded tantalizingly and held his gaze.
“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Black and I hope you enjoy the evening. Eat, drink, dance and have fun,” he encouraged you and he turned towards Loki. Mr.Smith was such a player, a sexy lad, you've already sensed that.
“Luke, my old friend, what a pleasure to have you here. I hope you enjoy the evening,” and he shook Loki's hand and placed his other hand amicably on Loki's shoulder.
“Matt, it is a pleasure to meet you, as always and thank you for the invitation," he answered, slightly annoyed and both appraisingly staring into each other's eyes. After a short conversation, Mr.Smith left to order a drink for himself at the bar.
You sensed the tension in Luke's shoulders and you suppressed a grin. He was a bit possessive over you, wasn't he? Since you worked as an escort lady, you were used to a man’s behaviour like Mr.Smith’s. You did everything to get these reactions, through clothes, style, and attitude because every man you saw could become your client. But all of this was a costume, a mask. That wasn't you. Luke would never want you or even like the woman and her problems, who were hidden behind that mask. The woman behind all the makeup and the dark-red lipstick. The woman who called herself ‘Sugar’.
“He was just being polite, and there's nothing wrong about it. He's interested in someone else so, relax Luke, he really was just being nice,” and he side-eyed you again, with raised eyebrows.
He was just being nice? Interested in someone else? You were a head-turner, an eye-catcher tonight and he just saw this guy lustfully staring at you and the only thing he could think about was that no man should ever chase after a girl on a friend’s turf. He saw you taking a sip of champagne, turning your head and grinning at him.
Between the main courses and the serving of the desserts was a pause so that everyone could take a short walk, have some drinks at the bar or enter the dance floor. Shortly before Loki wanted to ask you to dance with him, Mr.Smith came back to you, a glass of bourbon in his hand. With the biggest mischievous smirk on his face, he addressed Loki with a question.
“Would you allow me to dance with your charming companion?”
“You don't have to ask me. You have to ask the lady,” he said to Matt, giving him a fake smile.
“I think I should allow our host of the evening to dance with me, shouldn't I, Luke?” and Mr.Smith took you by your hand.
You would never understand why you had fun annoying Luke and where your self-confidence came from. Why did you want to provoke a reaction from him? And what kind of reaction did you expect? You didn't understand yourself anymore. Did you expect him to fight for his right to dance with you because he paid you for your company? You knew that Mr Smith just wanted to provoke a reaction from that gorgeous-looking Indian lady his eyes had been glued to for over several hours now. He couldn't fool you.
“I'm on to you, Mr. Smith but…Let's play a little game," you said to him while he led you to the dance floor. “But don't you dare play with her, she likes you,” you warned him.
“What do you mean, Miss Black?” He tried to play ignorant.
“Mr.Smith, don't fool me. I just dance with you when you spend the rest of the evening with her and dance with her only,” you answered demandingly, smiling at him.
“Her? Who is ‘her’?”
“The beautiful lady in the black lehenga.”
“I don't dare ask her. I'm sure she doesn't find me pretty enough, not good enough for her.”
“Then you probably should stop eye-fucking each other all evening… it's pretty obvious that you like her… and she likes you,” and you sensed he felt caught.
“Likewise,” he mocked you, "Mr Larsson is eye-fucking you as well, so… you two are not any better than us. It's obvious how possessive he's over you,” and he crowned his statement with a smug smile.
“I see we're speaking the same language, Mr.Smith. Get your girl, she likes you more than you think and believe me, you are very attractive and charming,” you tried to convince him.
“Thank you for saying that, you're very kind...And you go and get your man before he combusts with jealousy… he's addicted to you. And by the way, call me Matt.”
Before you could answer anything the music started to play and Matt began to dance with you.
“You're not his girlfriend, are you?” And he twirled you around.
“What makes you think I'm not?” you asked when you faced him again.
“Don't get me wrong, you're beautiful and charming but he's more the type for fake dating, he never wants to be connected to someone or be close to someone, nonetheless…,” you danced several steps away from him and twirled back into his arm, “…he's undressing you with his eyes,” and he twirled you around again and when you danced face to face again, he held you by your midriff, swaying to the rhythm.
“Why does it bother you? You should mind your own business, Matt. And to be very clear, I'll never date you, it'll always be him and you better take care of the Indian beauty over there. You should really ask her to dance with you … I'm not the one that you want,” you said kindly.
“Yeah, you might be right. I think if Luke is addicted to your personality and not just your body, then he may be falling for you.”
“I think we shouldn't play cruel games with them. We both have what we want, both are furious with jealousy. We should redeem them from their suffering, shouldn't we?” you suggested.
“You're an amazing woman, Miss Black, no man can fool you, indeed.”
“Not in this case, I guess, and… you can call me Candy,” you responded and with that the song ended, your dance was over and you both left the dance floor, walking towards Loki who was waiting for you with an annoyed expression on his face.
That was it. That was the reason why he hated it that you worked as an escort. Other men touching you, lustfully looking at you, dancing with you the tantalizing way Matt just did… This guy was too close, his hand too low on your back, his gaze at you too intimate. Loki fumed with jealousy. All those men didn't deserve you. He didn't deserve you either but he must do something to get you out of the escort business and he better not run out of ideas.
“Thank you for this nice conversation and the dance, Matt,” you thanked him with a bright smile.
“The pleasure was all mine, Candy. Thank you very much for telling me about your opinion and enjoy the rest of the evening.” Loki looked unbelievingly back and forth between you two, frowning.
“Relax, mate, she talked about you only,” Matt said to Loki, patted his shoulder and walked over to the bar.
“Candy? What?” Loki was confused.
“It's my second name, don't think about it further…oh and you can relax, Matt is off the market, he's no competition for you. He never was,” you smiled defiantly at him, clearly feeling the tension in his body. When the next song started, you saw Matt entering the dance floor with the Indian lady. ‘What a beautiful couple,’ you thought and smiled.
You could be such a bratty girl. You did it on purpose, didn't you? You had forbidden him to fall in love with you but you didn't hesitate to tease him like this? Maybe he should give you a proper and all-devouring kiss, here and now so that you and everyone else know, you belong to him. No, no he should not do that. You didn't belong to him. You were your own person and you could do whatever you wanted to do. But he had enough. He grabbed you by your upper arm and pulled you with him into an undisturbed, dark corner and pressed you with his whole body against the wall, breathing heavily.
“What are you thinking you're doing here, hm? Teasing me like that, here in public? Want me to fuck against the wall? Now? Hard, quick, deep?”
“Maybe? You wanted to show me pleasure…”
“You're such a tease. You in that dress… have you any idea what you're doing to me?”
“You wanted me to wear it…”
“Oh yes, because I knew how amazingly sexy you would look in it. And I wanted you to be one of the most gorgeous-looking women tonight because you deserve it. And I'm proud to be the man by your side,” he growled softly.
“Why didn't you want to dance with me? You let him dance with me but don't demand your right to a dance from me? You pay for me and my services. Why don't you force me to do my job?” you asked him quietly, still caged between him and the wall.
“I don't chase, I attract and to make myself very clear, I won't force you to do anything!” His voice dropped to subzero temperatures, dryer than gin.
“And believe me, Sugar, the kind of dance I'm thinking of, is not meant for the dance floor. All you have to do is ask me.”
“You can ask me the same question, I'm your escort, you pay for me, you can possibly demand it from me,” you provoked him further, a tantalizing smile on your lips.
“I'd never do that. I'd never force you. I'm still not sure if you want to do it at all so you'll have to be the one to ask!”
There it was again. He tried to give you the feeling that you were the centre of everything, that he was there to please you, not the other way around. You grabbed his tie and pulled his face closer to yours.
“I want to sleep with you, I want to make it up to you, I want to erase my mistake. I want you to play with me. And I want to try new things,” you whispered, your lips slightly brushing his earlobe, making him shiver. “Play with me, I allow you to kiss my whole body, if you want to, except my face,” you offered him sweetly.
“So you allow me to play with you? Are you sure?”
“Yes, show me pleasure, Luke. Show me how to give in to you, show me how to do it right. I won't disappoint you again,” you promised him.
“I'll do whatever you want and whatever you allow me to do. You won't regret it and believe me, you did nothing wrong or disappointed me,” and he pressed a gentle kiss on the soft flesh of your throat, his hand caressing the part of your naked thigh where the gown had the slit. Your hands clasped his shoulders and you felt his muscles tensing. You lifted the leg he was caressing and hooked it around his waist. He immediately pressed his hips against your throbbing core and you felt his cock hardening.
“We should stop doing this, Luke. We don't want to cause attention, do we? We should continue our ‘dance’ in the hotel suite later,” you moaned faintly.
“You have a valid point there. I don't want anyone to look at you while I tear you apart,” and he gave your butt a gentle squeeze. You felt so good in his arms, too good.
You giggled like a schoolgirl and loosened yourself from his lustful grip, took him by his hand and intertwined your fingers with his. It felt so familiar as if he were your lover, not your client.
“Let's get something to drink. And I need to sit down somewhere…my feet…”
“…are killing you. The little beasts, right?”
“Yeah, sorry. I shouldn't complain so much.”
“It's alright, sweet thing. We'll drink something and you can put your aching feet on my thighs if you want… underneath the table, of course. No one has to see it,” and he winked at you.
“You're adorable, Luke. I don't deserve it. Come, I need a cool beverage now… and…”
“…a dessert, yeah. I already know that. Sometimes I think it's the only reason why you escort me to dinner events,” he joked and teased you and he got a heartwarming laughter from you. You were so devastatingly beautiful when you were laughing. He shouldn't allow himself the feeling but you grew on him more and more.
“You might be right, Mr.Larsson,” was the only thing you could answer him. Desserts were definitely your weakness.
On your way to the dining area, you saw Matt and his beautiful Indian lady heavily making out in another dark corner of the location, both completely melting into each other's arms and forgetting the world around them.
“Shhhh,” you gestured to Luke, “we don't want to disturb them” and you both sneaked silently past them. You couldn't deny that you wouldn't mind Luke Larsson kissing you the same way Matt kissed his girl but unfortunately … you'd never kiss a client.
“I don't like desserts. I don't have a sweet tooth.” Loki complained when you both sat at a dining table to eat some dessert, sitting opposite to each other.
“Who doesn't like desserts? I still don't get it. It's the best thing about a meal. The culmination of every menu… sweet and a melting pleasure on the tongue…,” you gushed.
“I hate it, okay!”
“No, you don't!”
“I do!”
“No, you don't!”
“I do...mpffhh…” and you shoved a spoonful of chocolate mousse with cream into his mouth before he could speak further nonsense. The delightful glance in his eyes when the taste buds of his tongue were pleasantly surprised by the dark chocolate, told you otherwise. A blissful moan rumbled in his throat, making you smile.
“As I said. You don't hate desserts,” you stated knowingly.
“You forced me to eat it!” He frowned and pouted, licking the last droplets of mousse from his lips. “Can I have some more?” He whispered, barely audible to you.
“What did you say?” You mocked him.
“Can I have some more, please?”
“I'm sorry, it was the last one on the buffet… Well, you shouldn't be too disappointed that you can't have more, Luke, because you hate desserts, right?” A mischievous grin curved your lips.
“Hm!” He pouted and crossed his arms in front of his chest, trying to avoid showing his disappointment. “It's not as bad as I thought it would be… but, yeah you're right. I still hate it.”
You chuckled silently and recognised how cute he was at that moment. Trying hard to hold on to his opinion about desserts and not to show you how much he truly liked it after tasting it. Gosh, he was so adorable.
“You can tell me that you've changed your opinion about desserts. It's nothing to be ashamed of. And we can share my chocolate mousse if you want,” you told him softly.
“I appreciate it, Sugar, thanks. Enjoy your chocolate mousse. Come, place your foot on my thigh, sweet thing,” and you did.
Loki opened the straps of your sandal, took it off your foot, placed it on the free chair next to him and began to massage your aching foot and the toes tenderly but with the right amount of gentle pressure.
“Gosh, that feels so good,” you sighed blissfully and enjoyed his tender hand kneading your foot for several minutes.
“Now the other foot,” he said and gave it the same attention and care as he did with your other foot. You moaned blissfully again and the way Luke glanced at you was arousing you. When his fingers massaged around your ankle, you jumped at the opportunity rubbing your foot over his crotch and you felt him getting hard. You looked enticing at him and his pupils dilated with arising lust.
“You're such a bratty girl,” and he pressed a thumb into your bunion, hitting the right spot. You hissed lustfully and a dull throb in your core made you feel all giddy.
“Shall we leave for the hotel?” You asked him and he just nodded. He came over to you and gave you your shoes and when you put the first sandal on he bent down on one knee and fastened the straps.
“Luke, please, get up. I can do this on my own,” you begged him vehemently. He wasn't your servant and he certainly did not have to do this.
“You wear this torturous footwear for me so helping you with your shoes is a bare minimum,” he declared.
You stood up from your chair and stood close to him. He leaned into you and you put your hand on his shoulder. Your cheek gently touched his cheek when you whispered a soft “Thank you” into his ear.
Your closeness and your scent intoxicated him. His one hand wrapped automatically around your middle and pulled you closer to him. The way you gave in to his movement without any hesitation came so naturally that he immediately felt wanted. He couldn't believe that you were just pretending to want him. But it was maybe just your art of seduction and your magic allure that blurred his mind and made him succumb to you.
When you arrived at the hotel and finally in the same suite as the last time, you both didn't waste any time. You quickly prepared the things you needed to be prepared and put your kimono and a lace bra on the backrest of the chair. The purpose of being here again was more than clear. Loki took his jacket off, as well as the waistcoat and the tie. He would need the tie later. He opened his shirt completely but let the hem stay in the waistband of his trousers. He took a seat in the armchair and spread his long legs wide.
You stood opposite him, getting off of your high-heeled sandals and watching him getting partly undressed and taking a seat in the leather armchair, his shirt completely open. Every muscle in his arms and thighs and torso was flexing and relaxing while doing it and it sent a shiver down your spine and directly to your cunt. When there was one thing you hated, that disgusted you to the core, it was men sitting with wide-spread legs. Normally it disgusted you but Loki doing it did something to you, you had never expected. It aroused you, you wanted to sit on his lap or … humping one of his beautiful, muscled thighs. God, if you didn't shove those thoughts away immediately you would've turned into a wanton whore sooner than you thought. Nonetheless, you couldn't stop staring at his prominent bulge. This man was too sexy. His whole body screamed sex.
“Do you like what you see?" he teased you, an arrogant grin on his face while slowly rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.
"W…what?"
“I asked, do you like what you see?” And he placed his now bare forearms on the armrest of the armchair again, his long fingers curling around the ends.
“I hate it when a guy sits like a man whore.” Loki chuckled darkly, smugness written all over his face.
“You like it!”
“I hate it,” you murmured.
“Liar! Come here, Sugar!” Loki pronounced every single word, his voice deep and rich.
You looked at him and a smirk appeared at the corner of your mouth. You shook your head lightly and rolled your eyes. You wanted him to play with you and the game had already started. You both were all in.
“Come.Here.” His voice dropped to subzero temperatures. Harsh, cold as if he could freeze the whole room into an ice cave.
A shiver ran down your spine again and you obeyed. You walked slowly toward him until you stood between his spread thighs. You stared down at him, his ocean-blue eyes glancing up and down between your eyes, your lips and your cleavage. You wanted to be cool and collected but you couldn't help the wetness between your thighs drenching your lace underwear. Why was he able to cause such arousal in your body? It was just sex. A sex appointment. A date, set by your escort agency. A consensual sex date to get some steam off. Just a natural need that you and he wanted to satisfy.
“Strip off your dress,” he commanded seductively.
You obeyed again. You loved to be told what to do next. Since when? You reached behind your back to pull the zipper down but had some struggle finding it.
“Could you please unzip me?” And you slowly turned around. You couldn't see him but you felt his gaze wandering up to your shoulders and down to your buttocks where his eyes remained for a moment.
He could smell you. The subtle scent of your perfume, the natural scent of your skin and the heavy, beguiling scent of your arousal.
“You're outrageously beautiful, Sugar,” he murmured and pulled your zipper slowly down. It was the most arousing sound you had heard for a long time. He was so close to you and you felt his breath fanning over your skin. You let your green dream of a dress slide down your shoulders and it pooled around your ankles and you stepped out of it, kicking it carefully aside.
Slowly he let his hands slide over your shoulders and flanks to your front and cupped your naked breasts carefully, teasing your nipples with his thumbs, making you sigh and moan. A warm tingling rushed through your veins but a coolness rushed over your skin as if a god would touch a mortal to make said mortal shiver in submission.
“Get your bra,” he whispered to your ear, nibbling at the soft skin of your neck. You did as he told you and he took the flimsy lace bra from your hand, put it on you, and closed the clasp of your bra. From the last time, he remembered that you felt better leaving your bra on. And he wanted you to feel comfortable.
“Am I still allowed to play with you?” He asked quietly.
“Yes, yes you are,” you whispered and turned around to face him.
Loki made some steps backwards, sat down again in the leather armchair, leaned back and spread his long legs wide.
Loki's heartbeat quickened and his mouth watered when he saw you in your tantalizing black lingerie. The flimsy lace bra emphasized your cleavage and cupped your breasts perfectly. Your peaked rosy nipples were on display for him through the transparent lace and he felt his cock throbbing with anticipation. He was on edge and he would've loved to take you instantly, roughly, thrusting his cock deep inside of you until you were a dripping mess, screaming his name. But he wanted to take his time with you, enjoy you, seduce you slowly till you were begging him to fuck you. And he would make sure you never needed to fake an orgasm again. With him, every orgasm of yours would be a real one. He would take good care of it and he wanted you to enjoy it to the fullest without feeling ashamed or bad.
“How do you want me?” You asked him softly, your lips slightly parted. Your plump lips drove him crazy. He wished he were allowed to kiss these beautiful lips of yours. He could just imagine how deliciously they must taste.
“I want you to suck my dick. I want you to suck and lick it extensively,” he demanded, testing you. How far would you allow him to go? The imagination alone of your lips wrapped around his cock made him harden.
“Okay. But you won't cum in my mouth. I don't like swallowing your sperm. You can cum over my breasts…and don't hit my face!”
“With that I can deal,” Loki answered darkly.
You didn't like sucking cock at all and the last time you completely ruled it out. Not to talk about swallowing sperm. But it seemed possible to suck him, this handsome guy and you wondered why. You told him you wanted to try new things and so you wanted to give it a try.
You knelt between his thighs, unbuckled his belt and opened his trousers. You reached into his briefs and pulled out his dick along with his balls. Loki moaned quietly and you could just let out a small gasp when you saw his erection. You saw his cock for the first time tonight because the first time when he slept with you, he had blindfolded you before he got rid of his clothes. Loki was a bit bigger down there than the other men you had had sex with. And his cock was… beautiful, pretty even. Perfectly formed in length and thickness, his tip swollen and leaking pre-cum, the veins on the underside pulsating in anticipation, his balls heavy and hot. Your mouth watered and you couldn't wait to suckle him. You had never expected to think about a guy's cock like you did right here and now.
“Am I allowed to place my hands on your thighs?”
Loki hesitated for a moment before he permitted you to do so. If he lost control, nothing would be noticeable there for you. And he still wasn't sure if he was able to stand your touch. But he gave it a try.
“Yes,” he moaned, and you placed your hands there.
You lowered your head and licked a stripe from base to tip. Torturously slow. Once, twice, then you took his cock head gently into your mouth and let your tongue swirl over and around his sensitive tip. You released him with a plop and licked your lips. He tasted so good. Sweet and salty and you craved for more. You gave him a devouring look and turned your attention to his balls. With your hand, you gave him light strokes while you kissed and sucked his balls and when you bit them gently, Loki whimpered loudly. His cock got rock-hard, aching for your warm mouth. How could he even get harder than he already was?
His scent intoxicated you. The smell of musk and the natural scent of his skin, manly and heavy, awoke a kind of lust in your body that you didn't know you had inside of you. Unbridled, initial desire. You were dripping wet and you weren't sure if you were already soaking the floor with your juices.
His breathing became heavier, filled with whimpers and moans. Loki was so turned on that he nearly forgot to blindfold you.
“Should we get you more comfortable, Luke? Lift your ass for me,” you asked him quietly and pulled his trousers and his briefs completely down and took them off completely. While his ass wasn't placed back on the armchair again you took the chance and you caressed his buttocks and kneaded them firmly. Loki sat down again but now he rather laid in the armchair than sit on it so you were able to continue cupping his ass cheeks in your hands and kneading them tenderly. You started to lick his cock again and he gently blindfolded you with his tie.
You flattened your tongue and licked his tip like a popsicle, stimulating his frenulum tenderly but firmly, testing the waters of what he might like. You didn't want to hurt him. Your one hand fondled his balls, carefully and tenderly scratching over the skin. Loki moaned and sighed heavily, writhing under your merciless but delicious torture. You took his unbelievingly hard cock into your mouth again, hollowed your cheeks and started to suck the life out of him.
“Fuck…Sugar I can't…I can't take it…much longer,” he whimpered.
You sped up your pace, your head bobbing up and down in a steady rhythm, sucking and licking him until his eyes fluttered shut, his head leaning back against the armchair's backrest, his fingers clawing into the armrest. You felt him tensing up and shivers ran through his body and you were sure he would come soon. His arousal and writhing and the way he allowed you to own him in this moment made your cunt throbbing and dripping with need. You wanted to get off as well, you never felt so needy before. Never before was any other man able to do this to you.
“I'm…fuck…I'm coming…fuck…,” and he withdrew his cock from your mouth instantly, grabbed his cock and stroked himself two more times. The coil in his lower abdomen snapped and a mind-blowing orgasm washed over him, and he ejaculated in thick ropes all over your breasts. The sight of you blindfolded and letting him come all over your precious bosom doubled his satisfaction.
“Luke…please…” You didn't know what you were begging for but the feeling of his warm sperm running down your cleavage made your head spin. You still knelt between his legs, still blindfolded and dying because of arousal, your clit throbbing and yearning for attention. Loki came slowly down from his high, his cock still hard.
“Come here sweet thing,” and he grabbed you carefully by your upper arms and pulled you onto his lap.
“You took me so well, you're talented, sweet thing. You know exactly what you do, don't you? And now you will get off on my thigh, sweet girl. Want to ride my thigh, hm? Rub your needy clit over my leg and drench me with your arousal. Come, sweet thing, drive me wild…” he moaned lasciviously, guiding your hips when you began to gyrate them back and forth to get the friction to work yourself to much-needed relief. You placed your hands on the backrest of the armchair, your forehead close to his. You felt the warmth of an orgasm rising in your stomach and you moaned and whimpered breathlessly. It felt heavenly, he felt heavenly. And these feelings were all you had because you were still blindfolded. You were already on edge when Loki took one of your peaked nipples into his mouth, suckling and nipping it through the thin lace of your bra.
“Oh god…please…” you moaned. You needed to cum. Now. But Loki stopped your gyrating movements by holding your hips firmly.
“You will come around my cock, sweet thing. No fake orgasm this time, Sugar!”
“Close…I'm so close…please…”
“I know, I'll let you cum, be patient, sweet thing and don't move,” and you heard how he unfoiled a condom. Mere seconds later he lifted you from his thigh, shoved your lace thong aside and slid you carefully down onto his fully erect length, giving you enough time to accommodate his cock and get adjusted to him. He didn't want to hurt you. He would never forgive himself if he would cause you any kind of pain. You whimpered because of how deliciously he stretched and filled you and you were still in desperate need to cum.
“Are you okay, Sugar?” He asked quietly and concernedly. “Can I move?”
“Yes …yes please, I need you,” you answered desperately.
“Good girl, taking me so well. Fuck… you're so pretty…so tight…you've such a pretty cunt.”
Loki guided your movements, made you hop up and down and when you both had found a comfortable rhythm he thrust firmly upwards, faster, deeper, hitting your inner spot at a perfect angle. He took your nipple in his mouth again, nipping, sucking and licking it until it couldn't get any harder and changed to your other breast to torture that nipple in the same delicious way. At this point, you were a moaning, whimpering mess. You felt his cock throbbing inside of you, every vein and ridge massaging you straight towards your climax. It had never felt that good.
“Cum, cum all over my cock, show me how much you want it, Sugar. Scream for me!” And his one hand reached down to your throbbing clit and he pinched and rubbed your swollen bud purposefully. His thrusts became sloppier, he felt his own orgasm rising and he rubbed your clit faster than before.
“Cum…fuck…cum for me…now…” and right on cue you exploded. Your orgasm was intense and not only your cunt but also your whole body was convulsing and shaking and your toes curling.
“Good girl…you're such a…good girl.” Loki's abdominal muscles tensed up, his body shaking when he felt your walls clenching around his cock and it made him orgasm harder than before. You collapsed against each other, bathing in post-orgasmic bliss. This time you didn't fake it. This time you truly had an orgasm and it felt good, so damn good. For both of you.
When you came down from your highs you both chuckled in unison and Loki removed the blindfold from your eyes. They needed a moment to adjust to the dimmed lights of the hotel room again and you could swear there was a light shimmer of blue on Loki's skin. But then you were sure you had just imagined it and blamed the blindfolding for it.
“I'm sorry. I made a big mess out of you,” Loki chuckled.
“Don't worry about it, Luke Larsson. I'll take a shower after you've left. But we still have some time until midnight.” You released his cock, stood up from his lap and you instantly missed the warm feeling of him inside of you. You were still a little weak in your knees.
“Did you enjoy it this time, Sugar?” Loki asked you softly.
“The more important thing is you enjoyed it,” you answered him smilingly.
“That's not the answer to my question, sweets.”
“Why do men always need the confirmation that they were good and are a grenade in the bedroom department?” You contered sarcastically.
“That wasn't my question either. I don't need confirmation that…”
“You're being very self-confident, aren't you? Do we have a god-complex, Mr.Larsson?”
“Why do you have to destroy it, Sugar? I just wanted to know if you enjoyed it and if you're okay.” Loki sounded disappointed and sad and you instantly regretted your rude answer and your behaviour genuinely. You were afraid of your feelings again. You saw him heading for the bathroom and heard him opening the faucet of the sink. You followed him. He was cleaning himself, tossing the condom into the bin and preparing a washcloth with warm water. You stood next to him, facing him in the mirror.
“I'm sorry, Luke. I didn't intend to be mean. I did enjoy it. It felt good, really. I'm just not used to getting so much attention and care afterwards, you know. But please, Luke…don't catch feelings for me. I'm just your escort.” You smiled mildly at him. Your heart clenched when you saw how sad he looked at you. You liked him more than you were ready to admit.
“No worries about that. I won't catch feelings for you, Sugar.” A lie, a perfect lie from a perfect liar. That was what he always has been and always will be, a liar.
“I just wanted you to feel comfortable around me.” And he turned towards you, the washcloth in his hand. You wanted to take it out of his hand to clean your cleavage and stomach from his now sticky seed but he didn't give it to you.
“Let me do this, sweet thing. It's the one thing I'd like to do for you,” and he began to gently clean you. His actions were so soft and caring. You wished you could have this tenderness every day. But not with anyone, no, it had to be him.
'Don't fall in love with him, just don't, you foolish girl' you cursed inwardly.
“I destroyed your lingerie. I'm sorry for that. You looked so tempting and sexy in it, and it was wonderful to have sex with you dressed in this hot lace.”
“A bit kinky, hmm? Lingerie, a blindfold, commanding me…” you stated and smiled.
“Watch your mouth, sweet thing. Don't be a brat.”
“What if I'm bratty? Will you punish me next time?”
You both chuckled and looked into each other's eyes. There weren't only mischievous and lusty thoughts. There was something else. Sympathy, harmony, trust. You two didn't know how or why but you felt drawn to each other.
“Well, the biggest mess got cleaned,” Loki said after he finally cleaned you from his seed and smiled at you.
“Thank you! That was very sweet and thoughtful of you,” you said gratefully.
“My pleasure!" He answered with his deep voice, wrapping around you like a soft blanket. You wished you had a boyfriend like him. Attentive, affectionate and gentle. And not only in a sexual way. With a boyfriend like him, you surely haven't ended up here, as an escort with a man you liked more than you were allowed to like, not to talk about you weren't allowed to fall in love with. You made these rules yourself and you would never break them. Anyway, a man like him would never want to have someone like you as his partner in life. Why should he choose you when he could have any other woman who was smarter, more beautiful and more decent than you? Under different circumstances, you two might have had a chance but now your life was fucked up. You wished you would've met him before you became an escort but it was what it was and you couldn't turn back the time.
You walked back to the main room, took on your kimono and climbed into the bed. You curled up on one side and pulled the duvet over you.
“Are you okay, sweet thing?” Loki asked you softly when he found you lying in bed under the sheets when he returned to the main room as well, dressed in his briefs and his open shirt.
“Mhmh…,” you murmured sleepily. “I'm just tired.”
Loki climbed onto the bed, leaning his torso against the cushions on the headboard. You looked so innocent and cute with your head snuggled deeply into the fluffy pillows. He watched you dozing and he smiled lovingly at you.
“I'll stay until midnight if it's okay for you,” he whispered and you nodded slightly. It made him smile again. He hated cuddling after sex and cuddling without sex even more. But suddenly you came closer and in your sleepy state you draped your leg over his, curled your hand around his waist and your head snuggled into his chest as if he was a damn comfy pillow or a plushie. A sugar angel sleeping in the arms of a monster. He shouldn't enjoy it. He shouldn't touch you. His hands were the hands of a killer, a liar. Hands that fit easily around a gun or a neck. He shouldn't hold a precious woman like you in his embrace.
He wrapped his arm tightly around you and pulled you closer to his chest. You must've fallen asleep, your breathing became calm and deep. You felt so soft and warm and good in his arms and he stole a little kiss by pressing his lips softly on the top of your head. It wasn't a direct part of your face, was it? He closed his eyes for just one short moment because he had to leave soon but he wanted to enjoy every minute he had with you. Maybe aftercare wasn't as bad as he probably thought.
A loud banging at the hotel suite’s door and a loud man’s voice woke him up.
“Sugar? Sugar!” The banging became more violent. “Sugar, are you okay? Sugar, open the door, if not I'll have to break down the door.” It was Walker, deeply concerned because you hadn't been back by the limousine right in time. You also hadn't sent an emergency message. Loki shook you awake when he got aware that you both had fallen asleep.
“Sugar, wake up, Sugar…,” Loki tried to wake you up.
“I'm so tired…I just want…to sleep. Just… a few minutes…just a bit longer…,” you murmured, still sleepy when you heard the banging at the door.
“Sugar, I break the door open! Now!”
All of a sudden you were wide awake. You jumped out of the bed and ran to the door hurriedly. You flung the door open right in time before Walker would break it down.
“I'm okay, Walker, I'm okay,” you gasped in shock, breathing heavily. “Everything is fine,” you told Walker, appeasing.
“Are you sure?” Walker asked concernedly. He peeked into the suite and saw Loki getting dressed.
“Yes, I'm absolutely sure, Walker. I'm so sorry for frightening you but…we…we fell asleep. Mr.Larsson did nothing wrong, I assure you, he behaved decently,” you told Walker and he trusted you. You'd tell him if there was anything that wasn't okay for you. “Please give us a few minutes, we will just get ready,” you asked him.
“Okay, I'll wait for you by the limousine,” Walker answered, throwing a warning look at Loki, who didn't show any reaction towards Walker. You nodded once at Walker and closed the door, leaning against it and taking a deep breath.
“Didn't you tell me, you don't do aftercare?” you questioned Luke teasingly and slightly laughing.
“I did.”
“Do you know what it's called what you did for me in the bathroom and by lying in bed with me sleeping?”
Loki buttoned his shirt upwards, leaving the last three open, buckled his belt, put his waistcoat on, slid into his shoes and looked smilingly at you.
“You tell me,” he asked you and grabbed his jacket from the sofa and his tie from the armchair and draped them over his arm.
“The loveliest aftercare I've ever gotten. Thank you, Luke… also for this wonderful evening, the dress and…”
Loki walked towards you and cupped your head gently between his large hands. They were so soft and felt comfortably cool on your warm skin, that you had to suppress a shiver. He leaned down and pressed a tender, featherlight kiss to your forehead and you closed your eyes.
“No, Luke, please…please don't do that …,” you whispered with teary eyes.
“I know I'm not allowed to kiss your pretty face but I care about you and I want you to know that. I know you could call Walker immediately and tell him to beat me up and throw me out… but it's worth the risk.”
He leaned his forehead slightly against yours and his warm breath fanned over your face. And there it was again. The spicy aroma of something you couldn't specify mixed with his comforting scent of fresh cotton, sandalwood and orange blossoms.
“I just hope that all the other men you meet handle you with all the respect and care you deserve. Thank you for this wonderful evening and night, sweet thing. It was such a pleasure. I felt very comfortable with you. When can we meet again? What about tomorrow?” Loki asked, his voice dark and smooth. He was a picture of pure elegance and arrogance but also gentleness, and his eyes staring longingly at you while waiting for your answer. Would you ever be able to be without him?
“I'm sorry Luke. I already have appointments for the next three evenings.”
“Okay. Then I call the agency tomorrow and ask for another date with you. A club night? Dinner? Would you like that?” He asked you softly.
“Uh hmmh! Sounds good.” You seemed insecure and indifferent but he didn't ask you further.
“Good night, Sugar and take care of you.”
“Good night, Luke… and sleep well.”
Should you hug him? Should you tell him that he's the only one you were sleeping with? Did he already sense it? He had almost left the suite…
“Luke…”,you stopped him in his actions by calling his name and he turned around, facing you. You ran to him and fiercely flung your arms around his neck which obviously caught him off guard. He hugged you back, not knowing what to say.
“Luke Larsson, you might be the only one I take with me to this suite,” you whispered into his ear and for a brief moment you felt safe in the arms of a man who'll never love you back. “Say something …please say something,” you begged him and let go of him to look into his eyes.
He rubbed a thumb tenderly over your lips, his eyes teary.
“You shouldn't be an escort. You should leave the agency. You're too precious for that business. But if you'd do that, I'd never see you again. So I don't know what I should wish for. You being an escort so that I can still meet you but sharing you with other men or knowing you're safe and protected, away from that business but never be able to see you ever again. It both hurts, Sugar… and I know I've already let you come too close to my heart.”
“I can't quit this job, Luke. And maybe someone like you is the only reason that keeps me going. I'd love to meet you again next week. We could go to a nightclub, it doesn't have to be Vivian's Velvet. You can choose another one and afterwards you can have me again,” you offered him, your voice almost breaking. You better contain yourself and not show him that you don't want to let him go.
“In the beginning that was exactly what I didn't want and somehow you convinced me otherwise. You already know that I want to meet you again next week. You, and you alone decide what you want to do afterwards and please don't feel obliged to sleep with me. But you should also know that I'd never deny you. Good night, sweet thing. Promise me to get dressed now and let Walker drive you home. You need some sleep.”
“Promised,” you nodded. He was right. You were tired beyond belief.
When he finally had left, you opened your hair bun, got dressed in casual clothes and Walker drove you home. The whole time until you arrived at your apartment you held the wildflower bouquet in your hand, thinking of him.
“I'm sorry if I scared you, y/n but I was truly concerned.”
“It's okay, Walker, you just did your job. I should be sorry for frightening you… we just fell asleep, I was so tired.”
“Understandable, you are on the road seven days a week. You should take a break. You won't last forever.”
“I know Walker but I have no other choice,” you sighed.
“There's always a choice, y/n…and Mr Larsson likes you if not more,” and he grinned at you through the rear-view mirror, watching you gently touching the flowers Luke had given to you. You smiled tormented back at him.
“He doesn't know me, it's just my pretty shell he likes.”
“You might underestimate him. Sometimes you just have to ask for help and help will be given to you,” Walker told you wisely. Maybe he was right. If it just were that easy.
🌹🥂🌃🌹🥃🌃🌹🥂❤️🌃🌹🥃🌃🌹🥂🌃
Next chapter things will change 👀👀
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What texts would you recommend to develop the sort of general knowledge needed to write something like your economic development plans? I am currently trying to write a setting which has a few major reformist leaders with big plans, and it would really help to know a bit more about how to come up with a workable economic development plan for a fantasy region - I really admired your work on the subject, and thought you were the person to ask.
This is a great question!
Something I've discussed before wrt economic development, is the need to avoid presentism as much as possible. So I've always taken as a central limiter of my economic development proposals that they have to fit within the boundaries of what was known/technologically feasible during the Late Middle Ages through to the Early Modern period.
In this fashion, I try to avoid the Connecticut Yankeee in King Arthur's Court scenario where all of the sudden steam engines appear hundreds of years early out of nowhere - because we shouldn't be assuming that economic development is some teleological process that has to go through the same stages as Western European economic development did in our timeline. The result is that I got really into reading about the Commercial Revolution and the technologies that drove economic development during that period - hence why I became obsessed about canal-building, because canals were a key technology that the Early Modern nation-state used to create and reshape markets.
So here is a meta-list of books I'd recommend on economic development in the Middle Ages through the Early Modern period:
books about medieval and Renaissance governments.
William Cronon’s Nature’s Metropolis, Lawrence Goodwyn's The Populist Moment, and Will and Wong's Nourish the People on the making and remaking and regulating of agricultural markets.
books about Medieval and Renaissance urban development.
books about medieval guilds.
Robert S. Lopez' Commercial Revolution of the Middle Ages.
Joseph Gies' Merchants and Moneymen: the Commercial Revolution.
Pamela Smith, Paul Findlen ed. Commerce, Science, and Art in Early Modern Europe.
Ralph Davis' A Commercial Revolution.
Anthony Burton's The Canal Pioneers and The Canal Builders.
John Blair ed. Waterways and Canal-Building in Medieval England.
A.E.J Morris, History of Urban Form Before the Industrial Revolution.
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newjerseyisthebest · 3 days
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Morris Canal at Hugh Force Canal Park in Wharton, New Jersey.
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uma-menteinquieta · 2 months
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Daquela série de desabafos aleatórios, pois escrever me faz bem e eu ainda nem chorei e nem consigo porquê minha barriga dói..
Hoje, ouço Cartola Preciso Me Encontrar...
E que sabor diferente essa música tem, depois de ficar 10 dias internada e quase morrer por causa da minha vesícula, uma pancreatite aguda litiasica, uma ressonância magnética apontando que uma pedra passou e se alojou no canal biliar próximo ao intestino dificultando a minha cirurgia...
5 horas de cirurgia, das 7:30h até às 13h do dia 01/08/2024, uma cirurgia extremamente difícil, delicada e que pode me deixar sequelas para o resto da vida e que foi a operacão de colecistite mais difícil que ele já fez em todos os anos de carreira segundo meu cirurgião, que ainda relatou pra minha mãe que se ele não tivesse conseguido quebrar aquela pedra no canal, muito provavelmente eu não sobreviveria... Que ainda me rendeu um dreno, que terei que carregar por mais uma semana (e pensem num negócio que dói muito porque está costurado no músculo e fazendo a vez da vesícula que não existe ali mais, pra acabar com o resto da infecção pancreatica que eles só conseguiram estabilizar pra operar).
Quando dei entrada no hospital, no dia 26/07 e me internaram porquê meus exames deram todos alterados e o caso era grave e eu não podia nem ir pra casa e nem operar enquanto não estabilizasse (uma semana apenas estabilizando minha infecção no pâncreas, já que a mesma não aumentava mas também não regredia, juro nunca vi tanto antibiótico na vida, além de ter perdido 5 acessos porquê estava desidratada, após uma semana de dor sem comer e sem tomar nada)... E eu só conseguia pensar nos seres mais importantes da minha vida e a hipótese de deixa-los só me apavorava ainda mais.
A típica eu, informando minha mãe 21h da noite "Mãe não vou pra casa, traga umas roupas e produtos de higiene, estou internando na santa casa com pancreatite, não avisei antes porquê não imaginava que era tão grave a situação".
Mas as coisas, elas são tão mais tão engraçadas, que num domingo a noite acordei no hospital com o cara que foi meu primeiro namorado no quarto me vendo dormir e ele "acordou? Vim te ver. Eu trabalho aqui e sai da ala da UTI rapidinho pra vir te ver". Vi pessoas que nem imaginaria, se preocupando comigo, ligando, mandando mensagem, perguntando se podiam me visitar e eu recusando todas as visitas. Mas todas essas pessoas me fizeram bem de alguma forma, em mostrar que amizades, elas existem e existem pra valer e pra caralho no momento bom ou ruim...
E eu quase morri, assim como também renasci... Para me lembrar pelo que estou vivendo, ponderar as coisas numa balança e criar novos hábitos na vida toda, recalcular a rota e enfim, depois de tudo isso, buscar uma vida de paz, amor, equilíbrio, perdão, gratidão, acolhimento e plenitude...
É minha gente, a vida é diminuta e efêmera.
Num piscar de olhos, podemos não estar mais aqui, podemos não ter um novo dia, uma nova chance de dizer para aqueles que amamos que a gente os ama e o quanto os ama.
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galadhir · 5 months
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🎀 list 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the ask box for the last 10 people who liked or reblogged something from you! get to know your moots or followers 💖✨️
Five things that make me happy :)
My partner and children, first and foremost, who just delight me by existing.
The boat. This is The Drake's Return, which is where my son lives. Sometimes we go and help him move it, because it's hard work going through the locks on the canals.
It was a bit of a fixer-upper! Last year we sanded it down to bare metal and painted it ourselves. This year we had to take it to a vintage diesel engineer to fix the engine idle and teach us how to change the oil. Which brings me on to
3. Sign Painting/Rose and Castles painting
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Just finished painting and lettering a gangplank for the boat. (It's a scaffolding plank with a paint job.) And you can see some of my Roses and Castles work on the boat's back doors. 'Roses and Castles' is a traditional British folk art based around the canal boats. I'm teaching a class on how to do it to a bunch of local folks next week.
4. Jewellery Making
I wanted to buy a necklace inspired by the stone age beads I saw while watching The Prehistory Guys on Youtube, but I could not find any. So I got myself a course in bead stringing instead and made my own.
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(This one inspired by the Varna culture in Bulgaria c. 4500 BC, which was heavy on red beads and gold.)
5. Dancing!
I used to absolutely adore morris dancing, but last year the combination of fibromyalgia and arthritis in the knees meant that I acknowledged that I had to give it up. I'm still involved in that world as a musician-which is still pretty cool- but it did rather depress me until I took up Belly Dancing instead. Now I'm belly dancing twice a week and due to perform at my first hafla at the end of May.
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hayleylovesjessica · 1 year
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“I fell completely in love with Venice three years ago whilst filming action scenes for MI7 (no spoilers just yet!). And last week I was lucky enough to revisit this extraordinary floating city, wandering (and splashing) through its centuries of history, art, culture, food and fashion. Oh and the @veneziafc football kits. You know the ones 🤌 The Venetians have a special kind of charm that seems to echo the eccentric prettiness of the city itself, and I was so happy to catch up with my dear friend Jane Da Mosto, whose NGO @weareherevenice does vital work raising awareness about the impact of climate change on the fragile ecosystem of the city’s canals and sacred connection to water. I also took a tip from my dear friend and Italian culinary wizard @stanleytucci who recommended Hamed Ahmadi’s delicious restaurant @hamed_orient_experience which serves up incredible Afghan cuisine. So many incredible food experiences out there, from local cicetti, to centuries old coffee houses, and the irresistible kosher delicacies of the Ghetto Ebraico. It’s a city that has benefitted from so many different cultures moving through its maze-like bridges and archways, each making their mark and contributing to the mysterious allure that is Venice. Needless to say, I loved being back there. In the words of one of my favourite authors, Jan Morris; “to live in Venice is one of the supreme pleasures that this world can offer”.”
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kurumeki · 3 months
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Today was lovely 🥰 we went to a museum in Hamburg and I had no idea they had the original The Great Wave Of Kanagawa by Hokusai there!
Then we met with my friend who is also a huge fan of Morrie, we had dinner in amazing restaurant with turkish cuisine and we had drinks.
Ended the day by walk at the canal back to the hotel. Almost sad I'm flying back home tomorrow.
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