Decades

Better Than Nothing

Stevie's feet were killing her, and when the elevator opened, she stepped out onto their floor and immediately stopped, unzipped her boots, and slipped them off. Lindsey waited for her and chuckled. "I don't know why you wear those if they're so uncomfortable."

Stevie said, "So I'm tall enough not to have to sit at the kids' table." She raised up on her toes and back down again a couple of times, "Ah, that's so much better."

Lindsey watched her, noticing the black netting over her feet and calves.

"Hot move wearing the fishnets when nobody can see them," Lindsey teased.

"Well, you never know when I'll need to impress someone," she laughed, knowing full well it had been quite some time since she'd hooked up with anyone without a whole lot of notice. She just wore nice lingerie and stockings because it made her feel good. She was naturally very feminine, and they were just part of what made her like herself.

She carried her boots and walked in her stocking feet down the hotel hallway, seeming much tinier than she had only minutes earlier.

They passed Lindsey's door without comment, and when Stevie arrived at her door, she thanked Lindsey for making sure she made it home okay. She unlocked the door and told Lindsey goodnight, tossing her boots inside the foyer beside the door.

Linsey started to walk in behind her. Stevie looked at him quizzically.

"I'm just here so you'll have somebody to impress," he joked, "with those fishnets." This earned him a laugh, which pleased him. He continued to come into the suite like he planned to stay and hang out. He stopped at the door and kicked off his boots as well.

Stevie thought it was odd, but she was pleasantly buzzed and wasn't ready to go to sleep yet anyway. She hated being alone, so she really appreciated the company. She walked straight to the kitchen and filled two glasses with water from the filtered pitcher in the refrigerator. She took a big sip and slid the other glass to Lindsey, who thanked her.

Stevie was relieved that the weird energy from earlier when Don had acted like an ass on the roof had passed, and she didn't want it to interfere with the current goodwill between the two of them.

Lindsey reached into his jacket pocket, produced a joint, and lit it. He offered it to Stevie, who took a drag, coughing a little. They passed it back and forth a couple of times before Stevie went into the living room. She sat down on the L-shaped sofa, pulling her tired feet up to massage the soreness from them. Lindsey sat on the other side of the couch, watching her.

"Want me to give you a foot rub?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks, though," she told him, continuing to rub the ball and arch of her foot. Things were strange between them now. He never remembered her turning down a massage of any sort. She didn't seem to object to having him nearby, so maybe she just didn't like the idea of him touching her anymore. He hated that because he really wanted to have some kind of physical contact with her.

Lindsey was unsure what to do with himself. He didn't actually have an endgame in mind when he followed her in like it was just the natural thing to do. He liked being with her and never had a chance to be alone with her these days.

"Want to order a pizza?" Lindsey suggested, anticipating the upcoming munchies he knew would hit Stevie since she smoked a little.

"Yeah, that does sound good. Let me take my makeup off while you order it."

Stevie went to her room, slipped out of her fishnet stockings, and donned a loose, knit lounge set and a pair of fuzzy socks with her slippers. She pulled her hair up in a clip, washed her face, and went through an abbreviated version of her skincare routine. She looked in the mirror. She looked fresh-faced, and she was completely covered. Not sexy at all. Lindsey wouldn't get the wrong impression at all, she thought.