She called him at the office.
"Meet me at the coffee house in 15," she ordered sweetly, then hung up the phone. He held his phone in his hand for a moment before placing it back on his desk.
It was two o'clock and his coworkers were still in their after-lunch lull.
"How about some coffee on me?" He offered, precipitating his escape.
Henry got on the elevator, pressing the L button harder than necessary. His hand tapped a nervous rhythm against his pant leg. He was alone in the elevator but felt like he was being watched. His anxiety built up as the elevator descended from the twentieth floor. The doors opened upon the lobby and he was temporarily blinded by the sunshine streaming through tall glass windows. It felt more reassuring than the fluorescence of the elevator, providing him a momentary burst of courage.
Henry walked hastily to the coffee shop down the street. It had opened a month ago and quickly became a favorite. The seating area was populated with plush leather chairs and dark wooden tables with rustic iron legs. The countertop was a beautiful slab of hardwood and, combined with the dim lighting, provided a cozy ambiance to the shop. The details extended to the bathrooms where a large mirror in an ornate wooden frame hung above the sink and countertop, complemented by the roughly hewn iron sconces on the wall.
He spied Elena sitting in the chair closest to the women's bathroom. Her legs were crossed tightly, her hand fiddling with the hem of her skirt. Henry knew she was already wet from the idea of what they were doing. He'd seen her cross her legs that way, thinking it would help her control her desires, the attempt at feigned chastity lost.
She glanced up as he walked by, signaling that the bathroom was unoccupied with a nod. He walked into the women's bathroom briskly, hoping no one had noticed, trying to release the remaining anxiety. A moment later, she entered and locked the door behind her.