Roxxi prose

(Author's note: This is one of a few purely prose updates without screenshots. It doesn't follow on chronologically from the last update, but I may be deleting this message if I move it somewhere else on the index) 

Giving her make-up a last once-over, the young woman closed the mirror and pocketed it, stepping into the restaurant. She scanned the room for her “date”, fixating on the man who stood up and made his way over to her.

'You must be Roxxi,' he said, extending a hand to her.

'That's right,' she smiled back, taking his hand and shaking it. Stomach churning, she looked at his face, somewhat taken aback. She didn't know what she had expected, but it wasn't this scarred, bald man. Well, you can't judge by appearances, she reasoned. 'Nice to meet you.'

'Lovely to meet you too,' he replied. 'You're even more beautiful in person.'

'Thanks,' Roxxi said, trying to appear cheery but well aware that she must have looked terrified.

'Come, sit down.' The man released her hand and led her towards his table. Once the pair had sat down, a waiter came over for their orders. Roxxi asked for a glass of wine in the hopes that alcohol would calm her nerves.

'So... how are you, Tate?' she asked.

'Not so bad, thank you. I would ask how you are but you seem rather nervous. There's no need. I don't bite,' he joked.

'Yeah... you just kinda surprised me with your email,' she replied truthfully. Understatement. 'I don't usually get offers that bold.'

'But you must have been intrigued to agree to meet me in the first place.'

'Uh huh. I was in two minds about it, honestly, but...' Roxxi paused, trying to find the right words. 'I guess I was curious to see what you had to say. Y-You saw my videos...'

'I maintain everything I said before,' Tate grinned. 'I enjoyed what I saw. You're absolutely stunning, and I want to get to know you.'

'You said you want to marry me.' The young woman fidgeted a little in her seat, her sense of unease heightened by the talk of the videos. C'mon Roxxi, you knew people were going to see them. Why do you feel so awkward about it? Porn actress or not, she supposed any person would be a little disconcerted by a stranger admitting they'd masturbated to you. Especially when that stranger was much older and, to put it unkindly, pretty ugly.

'Yes. My first wife passed away recently,' he admitted, expression shifting. 'Some may think it's too soon to consider remarrying, but I know she would have wanted me to move on and find happiness again. She was very selfless like that.'

'Oh...' Roxxi blinked. The conversation halted as the waiter brought their drinks over. She took a big gulp of wine before continuing. 'Um, sorry to hear that. It's good that you had that kind of relationship, though.'

'Absolutely. And much as I hate to admit it, I'm not getting any younger, and I would love the opportunity to have children before it's too late.'

'Wow... how long were you married?'

'Nineteen years,' Tate said, sighing wistfully. 'I was twenty-three. I've spent most of my adult life married, and to suddenly be without her now... well, it's rather lonely. I want to fill my life with joy again. To have a real family to whom I can dedicate my time.'

'Aww...' Roxxi looked at him sadly, feeling sorry for him. The poor man must be in a real state to be emailing porn actresses to find a new bride. And now she understood why. God, I wonder what Dad would do if Mum died... She cast that thought aside rather quickly, not wanting to imagine her father watching adult movies.

'So you see why I'm keen.' He interrupted her thoughts by speaking again. 'And not to brag, but I come from a very prestigious family. You may have heard the name Farrington before?'

'Yeah,' she nodded, then had a realisation. 'But wait... if you're from a prestigious family, surely it'd be frowned upon to marry someone like me? I'm not the kind of woman you can really show off... I'd just end up embarrassing you.'

'Unlike many of my ilk, I don't agree with such prudishness. Honestly, as inappropriate as this may be to say, sex is natural. We all have urges and desires. To hide them away and behave as though it makes a person immoral... I find it wrong.'

'Actually... I kinda agree.'

'Oh, good,' he said. 'Look, one of the reasons I sought an adult film actress is because, to put it bluntly, I have a high sex drive. I'd like a partner who can keep up with it.'

Oh my God... Roxxi's thin eyebrows rose in surprise, unsure what to say. She tried to imagine herself having sex with Tate. It didn't appeal. Just imagining what he may look like naked set off another flurry of discomfort. Her type skewed a lot younger, and a lot more female. Still, she could put up with it. It wasn't as if all her co-workers were supermodels. That older man, what did they call him? Girth Vader. Working with him had been a challenge. Roxxi tried not to grimace as an unwanted thought struck her: she hoped Tate wasn't the same size.

'...Sorry, too far?' Tate asked.

'No, no. Better to be honest,' she replied, putting on a smile again. 'Well... I need to give this some thought. Marriage and kids, that's a huge commitment... I, well, I'd prefer to get married for love, cheesy as it sounds, but to be honest, you've caught me at a desperate moment.'

'Oh?' Roxxi could have sworn he looked more interested at that.

'I'm really struggling at the moment. Once my family found out I was in porn, they stopped supporting me. Kicked me out of the house... said I was a bad influence on my sister.'

'I'm so sorry to hear that,' Tate frowned.

'It's been hard... I'm no big name, so the pay isn't amazing. I'm scared I won't meet this month's rent, and I don't know what I'd do then...' She glanced away, fighting down the emotions threatening to spill out. 'And I miss my mum and dad. They hate me now. I'm tainted in their eyes.'

'How horrible for you, Roxxi. That's such a shame that they'd do that to you.'

'Y-Yeah... I'm pretty lonely too, Tate. It's not nice. I guess... getting married would make me look better to them.' Ugh. Was she really considering it?

'Perhaps they would be able to see the good in you once again. It shouldn't require that, their love should be unconditional, but sadly it doesn't always work like that. Plus, you could give them grandchildren. I'm sure they'd like that.'

'Mmm... and you being from such a good background would really appeal to them too,' Roxxi admitted. 'They love people like you.'

'You could definitely prove yourself by marrying such a respectable man as me,' Tate agreed. 'Sorry, I dislike blowing my own trumpet, but you see what I mean.'

'I do.'

'I would take such good care of you, too,'  he said softly, taking her hands. 'You'd never want for anything. You would be so safe, so secure... worrying about rent would be a thing of the past. A lovely woman like you should be treated like a princess.'

'Thanks...' she replied, looking up into his eyes. She regretted judging him earlier. He seemed so genuine. '...I need time to think it over before coming to a decision. It's a really big thing.'

'Of course it is. Marriage isn't something to take lightly. We'd be making a huge commitment to each other, after all. Especially once we had children. We would be a family, then.'

'Yep.' Kids of an old man and his trophy wife... Did she really want that? Did she have much choice?

What to do? Would it be worth it, to wake up to this man every day? To give up on ever being with another woman?

She would think about it later.

'Right, well, I suggest we spend the rest of the meal getting to know each other,' Roxxi said brightly.