"Too bad about your car!"
That was the first words I heard her say to me directly. I was crossing the foyer on my way to my desk and morning coffee, when I saw her standing behind the entrance desk. Just taking something from a drawer she had to pick up, she straightened and looked at me with those perfect piercing eyes that I have always seen around the office but never had the courage to talk to.
"Oh yeah, but luckily the insurance on the stolen one will help me get an even better one," I managed to blurt out after I caught on she was talking to me. "If I can get it sorted I will be on the road again soon," I said as I stood there a bit sweaty after having to walk to work.
"Well then, as soon as you get your new car, I want to go for a drive as well. We can do a lunchtime if you let me know?" she smiled.
"Sure thing, I can put the roof down so whenever just let me know," I stammered out after the shock hit me. I have just been asked to go for a car ride from someone I have often fantasised about doing just that.
"See you later then," the eyes smiled and went back to her office
"Yeah, catch you laters," I blurted out.
Walking up the stairs my mind raced. Did she just? ... Do we have a driving date now? I was a bit in a state and also quite alarmed that maybe just maybe she could read my mind about what I was thinking about almost every time I saw her previously.
I always I saw her about the place quite a lot since she started almost a year ago, talking to many people around the floor. And every time she entered the offices on her way to help someone with something, you could not miss her. At a glance (because it is rude to just stare at a beautiful woman) you could not get past the smile as that is the first thing that caught your eye. She always smiled and whomever made eye contact with her was greeted by name. And the flash of the lights on her hair always seem to halo her in softness. There are songs written about woman like her, and for once I also got the inkling about what the singers are trying to convey.
"...and I need to just find out when the meeting is," someone said.
Snapping back out of my reverie my spine turned colder than a icicle when I realised she turned and was standing next to my desk asking me something. Sheer terror hot-wired my brain and I replayed my subconscious memory of her asking me if I need any more help with office paperwork and if she could arrange any training for me.
Staring up at her I must have swallowed three times before I answered. We shared one of my lame puns and she was gone with a swish of that halo hair. But not out of my mind as the faint traces of her perfume lingered around me and in my thoughts.
The next few days we started chatting on the internal messaging program, me updating her on my mundane working situation, and her asking me admin questions. Admin and updates started turning into just chatting, talking about cars and trips we have done, people we have met and experiences shared, ending up saying good morning and good night to each other every day over the next few weeks.
Fast forwarding on a month and myself turning up at work one morning with my new car. Buzzing myself in I just took off my jacket as I entered the foyer.
"I hoped you brought another warm top," I heard a familiar voice say as I turned around. She was staring quizzically at the new car.
"Will we both fit in there?" she asked.
"Yeah sure, no problem. ... do you mean you want to go for a drive with me?" I asked a bit nervous.
"Of course, you promised me when you get a new car we can go," she smiled. "Or did you not mean it?" she quizzed.
"Sure sure! I would be very happy to give you a ride," and as the words came out I knew what I said could be taken one of two ways. We started making jokes about double-entrendes a couple of weeks ago and ever sharp she just replied with a smirk "You wish!" and on her way out turned around and gave me a look. Or did give me a look. Maybe it was just my fevered imagination but I so wanted there to be 'a look' because as I stood there I knew I was busy falling very, very hard for this incredible woman.
The next day we duly met during our lunch break and drove for a half hour out and about the countryside. It felt like minutes for me. The whole previous evening I was in a giddy state to think that she will be sitting so close to me as we were driving. And it was amazing. I was in two minds as one part of me was not believing that she trusts me to speed along with her. I saw she was holding on tight and I could see her pressing into the chair every time I braked. I even caught myself feeling very happy just tapping her on her thigh, something I do automatically when I want the passenger to hold on as we are going to accelerate. But on the other hand I was also very much aware that I did not want to scare her and possibly curtail any future ride outs. So I was the model of a driver but I must confess, just adding a little burst of speed now and then had her clinging on even tighter.
As we pulled into the parking area and got out, we both took our jackets off, and the smile and shining eyes told me all I needed to know. This was exiting for her too, and it was something we will definitely do again.
We drove out a couple of more times, and as we got more relaxed with each other we both opened up as well about how our lives were at the moment. We knew a lot about each other, but now that the veneer of our masks have been worn away by real friendship, we got to experience each others deeper parts and hidden depths. As these things go our double-entendres turned into more serious questions and these turned in time to white hot messages full of passionate ideas and thoughts.
At that time we did not go any further with this as we were both in relationships. But as life would have it we were both unhappy in certain aspects of our sex lives. I was practically celibate and we both needed warmth in our lives.
So after a party one evening with mutual friends where we shared some looks that lingered just a shade above what is appropriate, we found ourselves a week later planning to meet up at one of our favourite places.
"You know I have some things left over from the dinner party last week," she said looking askew at me while opening her car door where we parked in the company lot.