Almost Every Inch a Woman

There appeared to be a curvaceous platinum blond woman of about five foot three inches and weighing in at about one hundred-and-fifteen pounds walking from stage left with her delicate fingers curled around a sheaf of papers, presumably speech notes. She stopped at the podium, put the papers down then looked up.

"So, this is my story, such that it is," said the woman from the podium. Are you all still with me?" she asked scanning the crowd. Suddenly she roared out with all the aplomb of a longshore foreman, "Hey, you!" she bellowed, "Yeah, YOU! Sleepin' in the back row. GET OUT! This ain't no flophouse!" The sleeper quickly collected his things and beat a hasty retreat to the door. "Okay, everybody else still with me?" She paused for effect. "Okay, good, here we go."

I was ushered into the house where the party was taking place at my neighbour, Jills. I arrived and she took my coat, hung it in the closet and brought me into the living room where a few other people were talking and having a good time. I did what I traditionally did at these gatherings. I got my soft drink, found a safe corner of a couch and made myself as unobtrusive as possible.

I sat for a while, listening and smiling at the other guests when someone tapped me a few times on the shoulder. I looked up to see Jill standing before a stunning five-and-a-half-foot tall red headed woman with dazzling emerald-coloured eyes. "Hey, Jill," I said smiling.

"Justin, there's someone here who wants to meet you," she bubbled.

"What, behind the redhead?" I joked, as I rose from my seat thinking, "Someone wants to meet me? Why would they want to meet me?"

"No, silly!" she laughed as her red headed friend chuckled. "Justin, this is Annie O' Tool. Annie, meet Justin Goal," she beamed, as she made way out of the way to let one hundred-and-twenty-five-pound, D-cupped, gorgeous Annie take centre stage in my vision. She was wearing a little black dress and black pumps. Her exquisite makeup was smoky, flawless and completely entrancing. This woman was nothing short of breathtaking.

"Hello, Justin," she said extending her hand to me.

"Pleased to meet you, Annie," I said as I grasped her delicate hand then dipped my head to kiss her fingers.

"How very polite," Annie smiled as she giggled.

A million silent questions broke in my mind simultaneously. The question, "THIS amazing woman WANTED to be introduced to me?" stood out and reverberated around in my head. I'm only five foot three with femininely flared hips and weighed in at a buck twenty after a big meal, so I had grown up not expecting a lot of attention from the ladies. Annie, on the other hand, seemed quite taken with me.

We sat down and turned to face one another. I looked right into her gorgeous green eyes and she smiled.

"So, you live in the neighbourhood, do you?" she asked as she got comfortable.

"Yes," I responded. "Right next door as a matter of fact."

"Are you from around here?" she asked as I stumbled.

"Yeah, I spent my childhood just a few blocks from here," I smiled. "It's an awesome area."

"Your folks and siblings are still there, yes?" she asked expectantly.

My expression darkened a shade against my will. "Actually, my folks died in a plane crash in Peru shortly after I graduated high school," I said quietly. "I'm an only child. I never had the pleasure of siblings." She tucked this little piece of information away for future use, I'm sure.

"Oh, that's terrible! I'm so sorry," she said looking down as an awkward silence fell upon us.

"I really am sorry," she started again. "I didn't mean to..."

"Oh, it's okay. These things happen. I grieved for them in days gone by, but learned to let go," I said affably. I watched her visibly relax by the end of my statement. I smiled to let her know she hadn't scared me off quite yet.

"Do you have relatives in the area?" she pressed.

"No, all of my kith and kin are on the other side of the country. Dad came here to study anthropology at UCLA years go. That's where he met Mom. I've never even met any of my other relatives."

"Aww... so you're out here in the world all on your own?" she enquired.

"I suppose you're right," I replied. Admitting that was my first mistake in a long line of them. "But, I'm sure things will turn around soon," I smiled.

She smiled along with me as we sipped at our drinks.

I changed the subject. "So, what kind of music do you like?" I asked.

"I love classical, but I need to be in the mood for it," she answered.

"Ah, the classics," I mentioned.

"And then, there is time for hard drivin' rock, like when you're cleaning and busy. That Band is good for that."

I began to rattle off facts about That Band.

"Wow, how do you know all that?" she asked.

"I've been all around the world with my parents. I visited Angkor Wat, the Pyramids, Cuzco and more backwater destination than I care to admit. There weren't any kids around who were my age, let alone any who spoke English. I used to spend a lot of time listening to music and reading." I answered.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. Visiting all those sites must have been extraordinarily interesting! What did you learn at Angkor Wat?" she asked brightly.

"I learned that the members of one band met at the London School of Architecture," I replied, wearing a sly grin.

"What?" she exclaimed.

"I was never bitten by the archeology bug, much to my parents' chagrin," I confessed.

Apparently giving up on talking about archeology, she shifted the topic. "Okay, what about These Guys?" she asked as if to test me.

I rattled off facts about These Guys until she stopped me. I could easily have kept going.

"Wow," she said in an amazed voice. "You're a regular walking encyclopedia of music!"

I smiled, looked down and blushed at the compliment. "Thank you" I said bashfully. Taking compliments was not my strong suit.

An apparent acquaintance of hers signaled to her, but she put him off to stay sitting with me. This was vastly different from my other dating experiences. She looked at me and listened when I was talking. She contributed to the conversation; I wasn't doing all the speaking. She didn't look bored and seemed genuinely interested in me.

"Light jazz is nice for moonlit evenings," she continued as she turned back to me. "What do you like?" she asked.

"Well, it seems you read my playlist, because that is me to a tee," I responded. We both laughed.

"Really?" she asked as she smiled wide.

"Really," I confirmed smiling and nodding.

Just then, a six-foot tall, hundred-and eighty-pound, muscly pair of sunglasses with wavy, dark hair and eyes strolled up and tried to interpose between us. "Hi," he said as he sat down, almost on top of me. "Saw you sittin' here all by yourself and thought I'd introduce myself. I'm Jordan," he mentioned extending his hand and flashing his ultrabright smile.

She glared ice daggers at him. Without extending so much as a fingertip, she said slowly and crisply, "You are interrupting our conversation, Jordan."

"Pardon me," said Jordan as his face whitened and he leapt up to quickly hurry himself away after being shot down so brutally.

I was completely flabbergasted. I sat there with my mouth open for a moment watching him leave. This gorgeous woman had blown off HIM for ME? When he sat down, I thought that our conversation was over and, in any normal universe, it would have been. I had to pinch myself to make sure I hadn't slipped into a coma or something.

"You blew off THAT guy to continue chatting with ME?" I asked wide eyed and incredulously.

"Yes," she promptly replied, fixing me with that dazzling smile of hers. "I wanted to get to know you, not some muscle bound, overbearing, jock, jerk. You have qualities he can't even dream of. It takes more than some muscles and a pair of cheap sunglasses to impress me."

I must have looked a bit stunned as I absorbed what she had said. "Pardon?" I asked dumbly. "I impress her?" I thought.

She sighed before replying, "You are polite, honest, intelligent, cheerful, caring and a bit of a smartass. I can see those qualities you right away!" Jerking her thumb over her shoulder in the direction that the sunglasses had disappeared in, she continued. "Him? Sunglasses over there is about as deep as a Petrie dish. He only has one thing on his mind. You, on the other hand, have depths unplumbed."

I smiled weakly, now completely blown away. The phrase, "I wanted to get to know you," circled in my mind like an errant bomber, occasionally dropping bombs and temporarily short circuiting my brain.

"So, where are you working, Justin?" she asked as we settled again.

It took me a moment to compose before I could answer. "Right now, I'm between jobs. My last one was in a printing shop that went belly up. I must find something in the next few months, though. My benefits will expire after that." I admitted. Another unknown mistake.

"Oh!" she groaned with a turn of her head and a glint in her eye. This became another piece of information she squirrelled away.

We talked of many more things, she and I. The inanity of modern politics, the soaring price of gasoline, the subtle beauty in a perfect sunset... I would have talked over anything with her just to listen to her voice. It was like the sound of laughing waters to my ears.

When it came time to part and the party breaking up, I was all ready to say goodnight and head home when she asked, "If it's not too forward, may I have your phone number?"

I damn nearly fell over with the second major shock of the evening. "Pardon me?" I asked, just to be sure I had heard her right.

"I'd like to exchange phone numbers, if you don't mind," she asked. "Maybe we can talk sometime?"

"Of course!" I enthused. I gave her mine and accepted hers. I was completely flattered and bowled over, which is exactly how she wanted me to feel. I was a perfect fit for her plans.

I didn't really expect that gorgeous woman would call me. I thought maybe she and Jill had cooked up something together to give me a sort of happy memory. None-the-less, I checked my phone nervously throughout the next few days. Every time it rang, or a message popped up, I pulled it out expectantly, only to be disappointed. I agonized over calling but didn't want to bother her. "She's probably forgotten all about me," I thought. In the end, she took the matter out of my hands.

It was late in the afternoon a few days later when she called me. "Hi!" she bubbled through the phone. "It's Annie! 'Member me?" she giggled.

I beamed, "Annie, how could I forget! Thank you so much for the conversation and company the evening of Jill's party. That was one of the most pleasant evenings I've enjoyed for a very long time.

"And thank you!" she beamed. I was expecting you to call the very next day. When you didn't, I was a little disappointed," she admitted.

"I didn't want to bother you," came my own admission.

"Nonsense!" she giggled. "I would never be bothered by a phone call from you!"

I felt high voltage surging down my spine as I drank in what she had just said.

"I had a great time talking with you, too and want to do it more often. You're so intelligent and know so much. I was completely fascinated just listening to you," she said softly. I was wondering if you would care to continue our conversation over dinner tonight?"

I was struck speechless for a moment. This gorgeous creature wanted to go out for dinner... on a date... with me? I didn't need a second run through the material this time. "Yeah, I think I can pencil you in for some time," I replied chuckling. "When were you thinking?"

She laughed at my remarks. "I'll text you my address. Pick me up about eight?"

"Okay, where were you thinking of dining this evening?" I asked, thinking of the meager means I had at my disposal from my unemployment benefits.

"Do you have a nice suit?" she asked.

"Yes," I answered with some trepidation.

"Oh, good. I like to go to the Savoy," she stated.

My heart fell, and my words tripped. "I-I'm sorry, Annie. There is absolutely no way I can afford that on what I make," I admitted crestfallenly, figuring I had just blown the deal.

"I'm inviting you on a date, Silly. I'm gonna pay!" she chuckled. "So, eight o'clock then?"

"Eight o'clock, you got it!" I enthused. "See you then!"

"See you then," she gushed and hung up.

I ran to my closet and picked out my suit to make sure that there were not too many wrinkles in it. I jumped humming and singing into the shower. I hopped out, shaved and was just finishing putting on my suit when my housemate Paul said, "You're in a great mood," he smiled. "What's goin' on?"

"I got a hot date tonight with the most gorgeous creature you ever laid eyes on," I responded joyfully as I showed him Annie's picture.

He gave a low whistle. "You're right!" he exclaimed, "She IS gorgeous! Hey, is she the same one from the party?" he asked.

"Yep," I smiled with smug satisfaction.

He thought for a moment. "You ever heard of the expression, 'That's too much car for you', my friend?" he asked.

"Ya think? I was stunned at what she did to stay talking with me," I answered and related the tale from the party.

"Okay, okay," Paul conceded. "Just be careful and always keep your powder dry. I gotta go study for an exam. See you later!" With that he was gone through the house to his room.

As promised, I arrived a little before eight. Like something out of 'Singin' in the Rain', I virtually skipped up the stairs at the front of her building.

"Good evening, Mr. Goal," said a rather large and imposing individual in a doorman outfit as he opened the door of the building for me. "Go right on up, she's expecting you," he finished.

I did a slight check step as I absorbed what he said. I wondered how he knew my name and face but figured Annie had told him. I wasn't used to being referred to as 'Mr. Goal', either. That was my father. "Thank you, my good man," I said as I walked in the opened door.

She opened the door promptly to my knock, and just looked at me. This woman was nothing short of stunning. She was wearing a white dress with one strapless shoulder, a diamond necklace, dangling diamond earrings white stockings, and white heels. She was now a good six or seven inches taller than me, which suited her fine. Her eyeshadow accentuated the green of her eyes and made them sparkle. Her red hair hung loose from her head, chopping off flat at mid back. The entire ensemble was magical and entranced me immediately.

I looked up at her, smiled and said, "Good evening," with more than a little awe in my voice as I lifted the rose into her view.

Her eyes lit right up, and I swear there was a momentary light pulse in the corridor as well. "It's beautiful!" she said. "I'll keep it with me." as she held it with her other hand, occasionally sniffing.

She smiled down and put her arms around my shoulders. "Shall we go?" she asked I put my arm around her back and melted. We walked arm in arm to my car, where I opened the door for her. She got in smiling and I closed it. I fairly skipped around the car to my door. I hopped in, started the motor and we were off.

She laughed and said, "I have reservations for nine at the Savoy. Have you been there before, Justin?" The Savoy is one of the most exclusive restaurants in town. If she got a reservation there on such short notice, she was incredibly lucky, and, if she was trying to impress me, it was working. "I've been there once or twice." I replied truthfully. I had only been there once or twice before.

"Oh good. Just pull the car up and we can go in," she smiled. "Here's twenty dollars to tip the valet with." she said, sliding her sexy leg through the slit in her dress, plucking the bill from her garter and handing it to me. I damn nearly wrecked my car as she performed this manoeuvre. She just laughed. She knew what she was doing.

As the car pulled to a stop, the door opened and outside was a smiling young man clad in the uniform of the Savoy beckoning me out of the car. "Just leave the keys, Sir," he said genuinely.

I got out ant tipped him the bill which he crumpled into his pocket discretely. Walking around the car, I smiled and offered her my arm. She accepted and we walked the short distance to the massive doorway of the Savoy. We visited the coat check, and she took the number for us. The maître d' seated us immediately in a quiet corner with a window overlooking the peaceful courtyard. The lighting was dim, and there was a candle on each red tablecloth spread over a round table. Off to one side was a parquet dance floor with instrument and set up for a live band, one of the Savoy hallmarks.

They ordered drinks. A daquiri for him and a rum and coke for her. The waiter, dressed in coat and tails, put down the drinks at the reverse places when he delivered them.

"Pardon me." she intoned as he stopped and turned around. "You have put the drinks in front of the wrong people, Sir," she said with icy politeness.

"Excuse me, Madame, my apologies," he said as he reversed the drinks.

"I'm not fond of alcohol," I began. "This is as close to an 'adult' drink as I can come."

She chuckled, "Truth be known, I'd rather be smoke' some herb than drink, but that's not socially acceptable here," she chuckled.

His face lit up. "Ahh... She enjoys smoking the devil's lettuce, too!" I thought gleefully.

We began chatting more about music, then rethought the entire strategic position in Afghanistan.

"If they'd only listen to us! We got it all worked out!" I chuckled.

"Right?" she laughed along with me.

She then momentarily altered the subject. "This was a pre-ordered dinner," she mentioned. "I ordered for both of us. I hope you don't mind" she confessed.

"You're paying," I said, "You can decide," I smiled. This was the beginning of her slowly usurping of what little power I had.

She smiled in return as the soup course came. I was pleasantly full by the time the dessert cart made it around to our table. We talked of the moon and outer space, the natural world, the fashions of the other patrons and everything else under the sun. She never seemed to become bored with me but would continue to enhance the conversation.

She was now in the mood for dancing, so we joined the crowd on the floor gyrating to the sounds of the band playing favorite covers. Her style of dancing was to have her hands on my shoulders and my arms around her, cuddled close. Slow dancing really was her thing.

We shared our first kiss to the strains of Every Rose Has Its Thorn. She looked down at me, her eyes and features softened slightly before she dipped her lips to mine. The brush of her soft lips against me sent electrical signals coursing through me. Then, her soft, warm tongue probed between my lips to taste my soft inner mouth for the first time. I was hooked like a fish on a line right then and I knew it. I know she knew it too.

"I'd like to continue our evening in a more private setting," she mentioned as the night wound into early morning. "Would you like to come back to my apartment?" she asked seductively.

"Yes please! That would be lovely," I beamed. I couldn't believe the good fortune I was having. I drove back to her apartment and parked my car in the underground parking spot that she indicated. Once we were safely ensconced in the elevator, she pushed for her floor, wrapped her arms around me and again devoured my lips all the way up to the penthouse that was hers.

"You live here?" I asked in amazement as we walked into the foyer of her apartment5. "How do you afford this?"

"Daddy gave it to me when I graduated esthetics school," she replied as she kicked off her shoes and placed her arms around my neck as I placed my hands around her waist and proceeded to probe my mouth with her tongue again.