Stephanie Unmasked Pt. 04

Oh God. Too much?

"Not necessary, Miss Vice. It seems we've attracted quite the audience, and I think you might appreciate your anonymity a little longer. Perhaps I'll see your face properly some other time?"

"Miss Vice?" It was the waiter, finally returned. "I do apologise for the delay. Someone had tucked the envelope into another person's jacket for safe keeping, and I had to track them down to get to the bottom of it."

He handed her the thin package, bowed, and left. Stephanie bit her lip, as she had many times tonight. Usually right before she did something stupid and against the grain of expectations that was the established, 'stagnant' Stephanie Vice.

That's right, I have two keys now.

She had left hers in the hotel room, and had acquired the spares from reception. There were three adults booked in her suite, so the hotel had prepared as many key cards.

Stephanie opened the envelope, and took a slice of plastic from it.

Time to do something stupid!

"Perhaps, Jerome, you would like to see me... 'unmasked' sooner than later? I'll never be dolled up this well again, I assure you." She stretched her arm out to him, offering the spare key to her room. She was sure he wouldn't take it, and that all she would accomplish was to dig her great old hole even deeper.

He wants pictures of your vagina for his art collection, but he doesn't want to know you. You're just an employee, a lowly clerk. What do you hope to achieve with this, the dumbest stunt you've pulled all night?

But Jerome smiled, took the card from her gently, and added it to his jacket pocket. His skin was refreshingly cool compared to her own mess of burning flesh, and she resisted the urge to grab onto his hand. "If you'll excuse me, Miss Vice. I have lots of farewells to attend to, and thanks to you - I'm sure there will be many curious enquiries to quell."

He didn't say anything about what she had just done. Did he just take the card to be polite? Before too many people noticed what the pantyless vixen was up to now?

No more questions. Time to go.

Steph turned from Jerome, who was already engaged with the first 'curious enquiry', and headed for the grand stairs that were her path to the elevators, and her room. Every step of the way, the guests noticed her, paused their conversations, and allowed her passage. They treated her to encouraging smiles, and many made comments regarding her 'beauty' or 'courage' or 'generosity'. Stephanie didn't care for their paper-thin gestures of support, and flatly ignored the throngs of people, unapologetically leaving it all behind her.

And as she climbed the great staircase, she was again all too aware of the cool air caressing her naked, wet sex beneath her dress. But this time, every person at the party could see through her. She could feel dozens of eyes watching her bare back, and her thinly veiled posterior. As she treaded higher, above their heads, she wondered if they could see up her dress.

Though they needn't bother, not anymore. There is no more mystery to me. I might as well lift my skirt up to my waist right now. Amuse them one more time for my grand exit.

Stephanie did no such thing of course, but she did in that moment catch herself smiling. What she could possibly have been pleased about, she couldn't explain. Only that the thrill she had felt for most of the night was still following her as she departed the ballroom. Everybody had 'seen' her, and she had survived. In the moment she had fancied that she would be better off smited from existence, but now that her humiliation was downgraded to a memory, albeit her most recent one? Embarrassment was no longer her prevailing emotion. A certain need had become pressing indeed, and she had best make good time back to her room, lest it start to drip all the way down her leg.

Steph rode the elevator alone, and took the time to again consider what clothes she had brought along for such a brief trip. For going to bed in.

I might receive a late night visitor.

Other than her travel clothes, and what had turned out to be painfully redundant sets of knickers, she had only her dull flannelette pyjamas. She scrunched her nose at the thought of ever wearing those again. Stephanie Vice had changed in a way there would be no going back from. She understood this in a moment of clarity as she considered her sleep attire. There was a mirror at the back of the lift, and she found herself admiring the menacing look of her mask one last time. The emerald enamel reflected the bright light above; it exuded a radiance to match the excitement boiling within her. She traced that cruel looking beak with her finger, and cracked a sly smile.

"Stephanie Unmasked, eh? I can work with that." Jerome Masterson had come up with it, but he hadn't been referring to his fine gift to her a few weeks prior. But, certainly, many masks had been peeled from her mind and body over the course of this adventure. And that led her to a decision regarding her bedroom attire. The moment she was back in her suite, Jerome's beautiful gift would serve as her sole article of covering. Her heart raced.

What if he really comes!

Steph's mind did a throwback to several hours ago, when she had been interrupted while entertaining this very scenario, only then it has been nothing more than an innocent fantasy. It seemed like much longer ago, but she hadn't forgotten how good it had felt to touch herself in the bathtub. She blushed to recall how that indulgence had been to blame for her accidental exposure to the hair and makeup artists. In hindsight, that private time of self discovery had set the precedence for the entire evening.

Perhaps I should go back there...

Yes! She would refill the bath, and continue where she had left off. No holding back this time. She thought of Brad and Mia in that private little office, and how audible Mia's complaints had been after she invited him to fuck her hard over the desk.

Maybe I'll be a little loud, too..

She giggled to herself, and said aloud, "well, why not? It's late, and there won't be any interruptions this time."

Except maybe one...

*Ping!*

The elevator doors opened, and Stephanie sauntered out and down the hall. The fancy brass handle to her luxury suite was in sight. "If he does come? Well, I'm as ready as I'll ever be." She laughed, and called out her final challenge.

"Stagnant Stephanie indeed!"