I glanced over at the clock on my wall. There was only an hour left on the workday. It was only 2:00 but today was a special day. It was the office Christmas party across town. I hated events like this. But if it meant a shorter workday, I was all in. The office had rented us some of the hotel that the party was being held at to prevent us from drunk driving and were offering us highly discounted rooms. So how could I say no to such an event?
I kept working on the spreadsheet that was due. I was almost done with it when there was a knock on my open office door. I glanced up and saw my friend Rich.
"You coming tonight, right?" Rich asked. He was leaning against the door frame.
"Of course, I am. Will your hot piece of ass wife be there too?" I joked. Well, I mostly joked. Rich definitely married above his paygrade if you know what I mean. I would never do anything with Beth because she was Rich's wife but I definitely had a few fantasies about her.
"You know it! She told me to tell you to save her a dance?" I nodded my head. "Did you rent a room too?"
"Yeah. You?"
"I thought about Beth being my designated driver, but she said she didn't want to be. So how could I say no to her?"
I smirked. "I imagine she says no to you a whole lot more than you say no to her. About anything."
"You're not wrong, Adam! I don't think I've ever uttered the word to her in ten years of marriage." I glanced down at the spreadsheet, hoping Rich would pick up the sign that I still had work to do. "You know who else is going to be there?"
I looked back up at him. "I would imagine just about everyone?"
"Amanda is coming."
"I'm not surprised by that. Her boyfriend coming too?"
"You didn't hear? They broke up!"
"Why would I hear that? I don't exactly pay attention to the happenings of the social scene around here?"
"I mean, neither do I? I just happened to hear in passing." Rich looked down at his watch. "I gotta finish my report. I'll see you there."
Rich waved as he walked back down the hallway.
Amanda was the youngest member of the team. I will admit I was attracted to her the moment I saw her. Long curly black hair, a beautiful face that doesn't require make up and a figure that wouldn't quit. Some people will call her overweight as her hips flared out. But I've never cared about that stuff. She was hot to me. The only problem was I was twenty two years older than her. I scoffed when I heard her age. I was old enough to be her father.
Dating within the organization is not encouraged but it's also not frowned down upon either. I thought about asking her out. But I couldn't get over the age difference. Besides I had no idea if she was interested in me either. So just like Rich's wife, Amanda became somewhat of a fantasy to me.
I squirmed in my chair thinking about Amanda and wondering what she would be wearing tonight. Well, I thought to myself, there's only one way to find out.
I finished the spreadsheet just before clocking out. It was Friday so it was a long weekend at that. I locked my office door and turned the corner. Just as I did I almost collided into Amanda who was walking by with a large stack of paper in her hand.
"Excuse me..." I said before I even realized who it was. Then I looked up.
"We need to stop doing that!" she said with a beautiful smile. It seemed to happen often with us. At least once every couple of days it happened. Sometimes it honestly felt like the universe sent us on a collision course.
I smiled back. "At least neither of us gets hurt?" I looked down at the stack of papers she was carrying. "Do you need with that?"
"Oh this? Nah. I got it. Thanks though." There was a moment that we just stood there in silence. "You coming to the Christmas party tonight?"
"Yeah. Are you coming?"
"I think so. Well maybe I will see you there?"
"Bye Amanda." She continued down the hallway. I couldn't help but watch her leave. I felt like an old dirty pervert as my eyes drifted down to her ass but I couldn't help it. She turned the corner and was out of my view. So, I kept going in the opposite direction and made my way to my car in the parking lot.
*****
Two hours later I was in front of my mirror at home. I came home, showered, and shaved. I don't know why but I wanted to look my best all of a sudden. I'm not going to sit there and tell you I'm some strappingly handsome jock type. I'm far from it. I'm below average in height. I'm five foot eight in height with brown hair. I am neither thin nor am I fat. I'm somewhere in the middle. I probably carry about 10 to twenty extra pounds on me. I've been single for the past five years after what could only be described as a disastrous divorce.
I gave myself another once over in the mirror. For a guy my age I was lucky to still have all my hair. The only grey I had was in my beard which is why I almost always made sure I was freshly shaved. I didn't look my age, even though sometimes I felt it!
There was a part of me that wanted to masturbate before I left but I was fully dressed in my jacket and tie and khakis. It was a little too late for that now. I locked up the house for the night and headed out to the hotel with my small overnight bag draped over my shoulder.
I tossed it in the back seat of the car and took off. It was a fairly uneventful drive across town. I ran into a little bit of traffic but it was a Friday night so that was to be expected. It should have only taken about forty-five minutes but it took an hour. I spent the time jamming out to some Christmas music to get me in the spirit for the rest of the night.
By the time I arrived at the hotel it was just after dark. I grabbed my back and checked into my room. I saw a few of my coworkers checking in as well, but no one I wanted to talk to. I didn't want to be the first one at the party so I hung out in my room for a bit. It wasn't much but I was only going to be there for a night.
I looked at myself in the mirror one last time and checked my breath. I decided to brush one more time before I left, just in case.
I took the elevator down four flights and walked around the corner. I saw the signs with my company's name on it and followed them down to one of the banquet rooms. By the time I arrived, the party was in full swing. I glanced around the room. I'd like to say I was looking for Rich and Beth, but deep down I know who I was truly looking for. I didn't see Amanda so I made my way around the room mostly making small talk with a few of my coworkers.
I walked over to the bar and ordered a Jack and Coke. While I was waiting for my drink, I felt a hand on my back. I turned around and saw Rich. By the looks of him he was already on his third or fourth drink.