“Club level, Ritz-Carlton Suite. 20th floor. Here we are!” a bellhop opened the door to the most luxurious suite in the hotel for Mary and Freddie. They each gasped, 291 square meters of living space and utterly surrounded by glass. Tears began to streak Mary’s face because in looking out one side of the suite, L.A. could be seen in all her glory. The other side? The Pacific Ocean and coastline. Mary was nearly shaking. Elektra records had comp’d Freddie the utmost in American hotel luxury.

 “Oh my god!” Mary squealed, reaching her arms out to Freddie. “I can’t believe this! Look, Fred! Los Angeles on one side and the ocean on the other!” she said, tears still forming at the corners of her eyes. Even Freddie was overwhelmed. This was modern elegance. The creamy, off-white carpet. The dark walnut accents on the furniture, mustard yellow in color, coupled with crystal chandeliers. There was an actual dining room table, an elaborate vase in the middle of it. It looked like one of those luxury flats in England that overlooked the Thames. Freddie’s hands shook as he held on to Mary, terrified to step onto the gorgeous, tightly weaved geometrical rug that covered the marble.

“Your key allows you access to the club level. One of  four of our restaurants and our premiere lounge is located there. In the suite you’ll find the room service menu should you desire anything.  You’ll find chilled champagne and fresh fruit along with your itinerary as sent by Elektra Records in addition to the hotel hospitality package. Shall I put your luggage away for you?” the bellhop asked.

 Mary and Freddie stared at him, having hardly blinked. Freddie had experienced some first class service at resorts and hotels but nothing compared to this. “Uh…yes! Yes, please. And…and thank you!” Mary finally said to the bellhop after finding the words though still overtaken by all this.

 Closer to Earth, on the tenth floor, John and Veronica had just been shown to their executive suite, a step down from what was known as the Ritz-Carlton suite. A similar greeting was bestowed upon them: chilled champagne, fruit and so much like the grand suite on the 20th floor on a smaller scale. “Oh it’s so very clean! John look how clean it is.” She remarked as the late Los Angeles sun peeked in through the sheer pale yellow curtains. John smiled and ran a hand through his post plane-ridden hair. The two of them had been left alone in their suite, their luggage waiting to be unpacked. John put his arms around Veronica.

 “You smell nice.” He said, digging his nose into her neck. She put her hands over his and smiled.

 “Your hands are soft.” She said leaning her head against his. They were quiet for a moment. She could feel John cover her neck in his kisses. Veronica finally cleared her throat and patted her hand on John’s. “Should you shower first? You’re going out with Freddie and Mary, yes?” She said rather abruptly pulling herself out his tender embrace. “I’m going to call home, check on the boys. The bellhop said to dial 7 and then the number with country code, right?” she asked.

 “Yes, but you’re not gonna’ call now. Sweetheart, it’s…it’s nearly 4AM in London.” John told her gently. Veronica didn’t say anything; she just stood in the middle of off-white carpet looking around.

 “I’m very tired, I’m going to go to bed.” She said softly, wiping her eye and making her way through the sitting area to the bedroom. John took a deep breath and glanced over at their baggage in the middle of the floor. His mind raced, he too was tired but the adrenaline rush of being in Los Angeles couldn’t stop him from picking up the phone in the sitting area and immediately dialing Freddie’s room.

 “There’s a turntable! There is a turntable in the room! Look at this Brian!” Chrissie pointed out.

 “I can’t believe it!” Brian said, as he popped the bottle of champagne. Granted, all the executive suites looked identical with their earthy colors and amenities but they had never seen a turntable in a hotel before.

 “Did we pack any records!?” Chrissie asked excitedly as Brian poured a glass of champagne for her. “Well, aside from the one you’re here to promote.” She added

 “No, we didn’t pack any but I bet we could find one easily.” Brian said, handing the glass of champagne to Chrissie. He smiled and looked at her with a gleam in his eye. “To you, to me, to L.A…..everything.” he said, waiting for her reaction. Chrissie gushed, clanging her champagne glass into Brian’s and gazing dreamily around the suite before shifting her eyes to the low sinking sun outside. The skyline was beginning to light up as some of the traffic on the roadways began to turn on their lights as they rushed home from work. She sighed and sipped her champagne.

 “I just…ooooh Brian this is unlike anythin’ I’ve ever seen.” She put an arm around his waist and stood on the balls of her feet to kiss him. It was a long overdo kiss, a fiery passion fueling it. She moaned sweetly into it before pulling her lips away from his and flashing her best smile. “I love you.” she said, putting a hand to his cheek.

 “I love you too. I’m so happy we’re here.” Brian took another drink of champagne. “Okay. Where would you like to eat, sweetheart? The bellhop said we can access the club level restaurant. We could get a reservation at the restaurant on the 25th floor. Oh! We could go order room service and eat on this lovely balcony!” Brian was referring to the small balcony outside a set of double doors between the sitting area and the bedroom. Chrissie thought for a moment because it all sounded simply divine.

 “Let’s not go out into the city tonight. We’ll save that for later. Let’s get cleaned up and have dinner at the restaurant with the grand view from the 25th floor!” her eyes simply sparkled.

 “Sounds perfect, darling. You want to look over the itinerary with me while we work on this champagne?” Brian asked of her, taking the itinerary out of the Elektra Records portfolio.

 “Let’s look at it on the balcony!” Chrissie said, picking up the bottle of champagne and grabbing Brian’s hand as the two headed out to the double doors, allowing the early evening October air fill the suite.  They were instantly swept away with the bustling noise of L.A. below and the serene Death Valley-like terrain in the distance. It was desert meets metro and it was awe-inspiring. Unlike Freddie and Mary’s suite, the executive suites didn’t have an ocean view. Neither Chrissie nor Brian had any idea the ocean was so close by. After taking in everything that surrounded them, they sat down on either side of the table that was situated on the balcony. Brian opened the portfolio to read the welcome letter from Elektra and the hotel. He skimmed it and immediately pulled out the itinerary page for the next day events.

“Press conference tomorrow at 10:30. They sure didn’t account much for jet lag.” He said. “Photo op and record signing at Nelson-Fuller Records. 12:45-2:00 Must be some big record store here in town. Oooh look at this Chrissie! Couples massage at the Spa on the 16th floor 3:30! That sounds nice!” Brian noticed. Chrissie nearly choked on her champagne.

 “Are you serious!? Oh my god! That’s so very kind of the record company!” she said, beyond thrilled. “I love the United States!” she proudly declared.

 “And look! There’s a salon gift voucher for a manicure in here and a complimentary round of golf.” Brian noticed. “I can probably throw the golf voucher out.” Brian said, laying it aside. “Do you want a manicure?” he asked Chrissie, picking up his champagne flute.

 “I don’t know what that is.” She confessed.

 “I think it’s the thing Freddie used to give me with the white nail polish in our dressing rooms.” Brian said, thinking about this.

 “Oh, I won’t use that then.” Chrissie said, refilling her glass.

 “Free drinks at the lobby bar for the duration of our stay!? Goodness, these people certainly pour the alcohol down you.” he commented.

 “Well, Lydia is probably drunk now and will stay that way until we leave.” Chrissie laughed and refilled Brian’s glass as well. Ah, yes, speaking of which….

 It hadn’t taken Roger and I long to get settled in to our room. The first thing I had done was hang the DO NOT DISTURB tag on our door handle once the bellhop had left. Roger had tipped him quite well and we had managed to get everything unpacked and hung up in less than a half hour. The bathroom was unlike any bath in a hotel I’d been in. Breathtaking marble, cherry cabinets and gorgeously beveled mirrors. There were his and her sink basins, the plushest towels and spa robes I’d ever felt, a walk in shower and a whirpool bath.

 “I can’t believe I got on a plane and flew twelve hours to another continent to watch you peel an orange in the bath.” I said to Roger as I leaned back, my hair piled on my head so it wouldn’t get soaked in the bubbling and swirling water. This tub was absolute heaven. My legs were tangled in Roger’s as I watched him.

 “Open that pretty mouth for an orange section!” Roger said, leaving his pile of peelings on the side of the tub and pulling a section apart. He was wearing two things in this bath, a platinum bracelet on his right wrist that I had bought him a few years prior for Christmas and his silver chain necklace and my god did he look so good. I inhaled my cigarette, ashing it into the faux-gold inlaid ashtray the hotel had conveniently left in the room for Roger and I. I then leaned forward to allow him to feed me this orange section before leaning back again while the sound of the swirling water hummed. I took another drag on my cigarette as I watched Roger continue to pull apart the last pieces of the orange, coercing me into another slice. “Come on, babe. You know it’s sexy to eat oranges naked in the bath!” He said, eating the last section. “Oh, Lyd! Look here!” he said, digging into the fruit the hotel had provided.

 “Rog..” I mumbled, loving my cigarette.

 “Ooooh, yeeeeeah. Here we go.” He raised his eyebrows at me and ran his hand very sexually over the banana he pulled out of the fruit. “You like the way I touch it don’t you? I slumped my head over into my hand and took another puff on my cigarette. Great…another peel-able fruit. I watched as Roger hummed the raunchy version of the song Big Spender as he slowly peeled the banana. He raised his eyebrows yet again and licked his lips at me. I cracked a smile as I took another puff on my cigarette. “The skin pulled back, firm and bare, Lyd…just the way you like it!” Roger said, shoving the banana at me. I took it from him, taking the first bite. I shook my head as Roger discovered the grapes in the basket.

“It fits farther down my throat than you would right now.” I said, putting the butt of my cigarette in the ashtray

 “Hey now, this water is very warm! You know what happens…to….things…in warm water!.” Roger wasted no time in feeding himself the grapes like the Roman Emperor he was.  Only he could turn fruit into foreplay.

 While I was having a fruit cocktail bath, Mary, Freddie and John were on their second round of cocktails at the chic club level bar. They were already laughing like idiots and they weren’t even drunk. It was highly likely to be a combination of jet lag and the rich atmosphere. Freddie had his hands all over Mary as the three of them talked.

 “I hate it that Veronica didn’t want to come!” Mary said, sipping at her mai tai. John stared at his scotch as Freddie lit his cigarette.

 “I know. She…she’s just really spent.” John sighed and nodded his head. “So, the itinerary…did you look it over?” he said, changing the subject.

 “Yes, looks like the release party is being held in the Regal Ballroom. Guests begin arriving at 8:30 with the Elektra rep speaking at 9:00. Oh shit, I’m supposed to say words at 9:20. Well, I can throw something together, don’t worry darling.” Freddie said.

 “Why aren’t we performing or anything why we’re here?” John asked. Freddie shrugged.

 “Because there are at least 500 copies of the record that will be passed out tomorrow. Hell, John why play it when they can play it. We can walk around all night, be generally fabulous, drink until we’re sick and rub shoulders with amazing American celebrities and socialites.” Freddie exhaled smoke before him and laughed. “Oh, it’s going to be simply marvelous!” he said.

 “Let’s go find the ballroom tonight before we call it a day.” Mary suggested.

 “Good idea. Well, correction…it’s a good idea if four drinks don’t make me want to crash alongside Veronica.” John laughed.

 “Is there dinner service at the party?” Freddie wondered, having not exactly noticed it on the itinerary.

 “Just champagne and lots and lots of cake. The itinerary said cake courtesy of Beverly Hills Confections. I bet that will be delicious. If you don’t make yourself sick on champagne, the cake will get ya’ for sure.” John commented, smiling at Freddie.

 Freddie groaned. “God, it will be Brian and Chrissie’s wedding all over again. I really should never be trusted with buttercream. I hadn’t a clue the fifth piece was excessive! I can’t control my excess!” Freddie said, recalling it.

 “I can’t be trusted to watch him…buttercream is my weakness. He was on his fifth piece…I was on my seventh. Granted, I kept eating a bunch of half pieces because Chrissie would start them and then get interrupted and I’d swoop right down on them.” Mary sighed. “Champagne and cake…yeah, tomorrow’s gonna’ be a bitch.” She shook her head and looked to Freddie.

 At Brian and Chrissie’s divine dinner for two, things were shaping up well for them. “It’s delicious! It’s absolutely delicious! I never thought in a million years I would like this but I love it!” Chrissie declared happily.  Brian shook his head.

 “This is seriously one of the best meals I’ve ever had.” Brian said excitedly. “You gotta’ try this.” Brian said shoving his plate at Chrissie. It was called ‘California Cuisine’, a fusion kind of cooking that focused heavily on the presentation and ingredients you’d never heard of like butternut ragu with chives and truffle oil…what the fuck is a truffle and how do you oil one? The portions were teeny tiny but presented gorgeously. Even I, raised on a silver spoon, found such a thing a little pretentious and stuffy. Brian and Chrissie ate it up…literally.  Surprising of these two really, but they were breathing California air now.

 “Oh it’s fantastic!” Chrissie said, wide-eyed as she sampled Brian’s plate. “Now try mine!” she said, trading him. They were like two teenagers on their first date.

 “Good choice. Sweetheart. Good choice. You look really pretty tonight also. I didn’t tell you that earlier.” Brian gazed at her with those dreamy teenage eyes of his.

 “You do too.” She answered him. “And this is such a beautiful place. Would you just look at that skyline after dark! There’s gotta’ be a million lights!” she said admiring the L.A scene after dark as they sat beside the window. Brian pointed a fork at her.

 “We should order dessert. I bet its sensational.” He said. Chrissie thought it the best idea she’d heard all day, her eyes still round with adrenaline.

 “And one of those decadent after dinner drinks!? The one made with those Andes mints you told me about?” Chrissie asked excitedly. Brian dropped his knife.

 “That. That right there. That is why I married you.” He said as they continued their indulgence well into the evening. And speaking of indulgence…

 “You have no idea how good that feels.” Roger said as my hands sunk into his tight shoulders. I had been rubbing Roger’s shoulders down for years. He would get so very tight from performances, rehearsals…flying on planes. I nearly had the muscles around his neck loosened up, feeling them mutedly pop until my pressure. The light and noise from the city filtered in to the suite creating a most calming effect. I let my lips touch his skin and my arms creep around him. The ends of his hair were still wet from our bath and he smelled like…orange. “Shit, I haven’t felt your hands in weeks. No, a month….no…more than that. God, I really need to work less. I miss your touch and you’re soft skin….and you’re smell and…” Roger mumbled as his voice trailed off.

 “Sssshhh...” I hushed him. We were done with words right now; at least while my tongue was on Roger’s neck and my hands were all over his chest. He slowly turned around to face me, letting the weight of his body sink into me. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, letting my hands run down his back. I adored Roger’s lips on mine and his tongue in my mouth. I swear I think I could have let him kiss me in the darkness against the faint L.A. white noise and been perfectly happy. The feeling of his post-bath skin against mine drove me completely wild. He pressed his forehead against mine, breathing into my face. I let myself surrender to the sheets, adjusting my body under his. I moved one hand to the back of his head and sighed a bit at the feeling that engulfed me from the inside out. Roger kissed me again as I put my hands on his shoulders. I sighed a little harder and let my hips relax. Hmm, yep…the skin pulled back, firm and bare…just the way I liked it.