A knock at the door brings her head up with a snap. Her mirror reflects a deep blush climbing up her neck from between creamy breasts. She tucks freshly rouged nipples into the taught black lace of her bra and buttons the translucent black blouse. Running to the front door, she peeks out the window to identify the knocker. A gasp and she unlocks and opens the door to the blowing wind and snow.
"Bill!" she breathes, pulling him into the warmth of the foyer and quickly closing the door behind him, leveraging a hip against it to make the lock engage again. "God, it's a mess out there!" She crosses behind him, brushing the snow from the shoulders of his coat.
"Sorry to stop by unannounced, Karey," he laughs sheepishly, stomping the snow from his boots to the rubber mat on the tile floor of the entryway. "I was in town making copies of my next submission for group and got the car totally stuck in a snow bank. And, of course, my cell's dead as a doornail. Laura had it all week and didn't charge it." She feels a twinge in her solar plexus at the mention of her name. He glances a fraught apology directly into her eyes. She melts.
"Well, let's get you warm, mister. You're soaked. And you can call home from my phone while I put on the kettle. Or would you prefer coffee?" She remains behind him, removing his soggy coat and hanging it up. She is still alarmingly out of breath.
"Coffee sounds great!" he said, rubbing his hands together briskly. She points him to the living room phone and scoots into the kitchen.
"Breathe, girl!" she admonishes herself, reaching into the freezer for the coffee. Her hands shake slightly as she puts the filter in the basket, fills it and fills the carafe with cold water. "I could use a couple of stiff cups, myself" she thinks, glancing down at the front of her blouse to make sure the buttons are done up correctly. Looks like you've got a couple of stiff cups already, she giggles, noting the insistent nipples outlined clearly through the sheer fabric. Hoo boy. Nothing like being caught during dress up time to make a girl's juices flow. Guess it would be a little obvious to change into something a bit more modest right now. And Bill's always been her flirting sparring partner, so why not shake things up a little on this snowy afternoon? She flicks the coffeemaker's "on" switch and catches a deep breath - finally.
"Well, that's done." Bill's voice in the kitchen doorway takes her by surprise and she jumps again, spinning with her back against the counter. She laughs and puts a hand to her chest. "Scare ya? Sorry..." She notices his eyes flick to her breasts and quickly back to her face. She smiles slowly and lowers her hand. His gaze descends again, more slowly, taking in her outfit more completely. "Wow. You look... fabulous. You weren't planning to go out in this storm, were you?"
"Oh, no," she laughs, pitching her voice as low as it would go. "Just hanging around the house... you know."
"I've never known anyone who hangs around the house looking like that," he croons, teasing her.
"Don't hang around the right houses, obviously!" she parries, cocking a sassy hip and tossing her hair. The fact that her hair is short makes no difference to either of them. The gauntlet is thrown down. "Actually, I was just trying out some new makeup," she purrs, turning to the cabinets behind her to reach for coffee cups. "I always like to take a little test drive before I wear it out in public." Was that a low moan behind her as she tiptoes to reach deeply into the second shelf for the big mugs? The stretch feels good through her waist and she holds it for a moment before retrieving the mugs.
"Obviously," he says finally, his voice a bit hoarse. "Nice shoes," he says, "what do you call those?"
"Mules," she models the stiletto-heeled beauties, "and... thanks."
"They make your legs look... wow."
"Thanks again, you silver-tongued devil," she dimples at him. "Flattery will get you... oh, I don't know. I'll let you know when the time is right. Coffee'll be done in a minute. How do you take it?"
"Any way -"
"-- you can get it," she finishes with him, laughing. "Yeah, yeah. Sugar? Cream?"
"Ahem!" he stems the flow of double entendre that threatens. "Just plain. Hot is good."
"You're telling me?" Oh, lord! This is merciless, she thinks, feeling a little hysterical. "How about a little something harder to warm you up on the side? A little brandy, maybe? Grand Marnier?"
"Oh, my god, sounds perfect." He leans against the door frame, obviously feeling a bit of the same hysteria. She reaches again into the cabinet and retrieves snifters. Then into the liquor cabinet for the bottles. She pours two generous portions and hands one to him. The coffee beeps it's completion and she fills the mugs as well.
"There ya go, snow man. Everything ok at the homestead?"
"Oh." His face loses some of it's loopy avidity that their flirting engendered. "Yeah. No one's home. Laura took the kids to her Mom's in Reynoldsburg last night. They'll be stuck there for tonight, at least."
"You can call them there, if you want. I've got very cheap long distance."
"Maybe later. For now, I've got to defrost a little." He sips his coffee with one hand, then another sip of the heady orange cognac. And another sip of the cognac.
"You doing ok?" Her serious tone makes him look up once more. His brown eyes fill with liquid as she watches.