Dormant to Daring

It was that time of year again. The company holiday celebration. I didn't really want to go. I would have skipped it altogether if not for Melanie.

Melanie was the new girl in the purchasing department where we both worked and she had all but begged me to take her to the party. She hadn't been with the company very long and she was new in town so she didn't know very many people. Even so, I was surprised when she said she couldn't find anyone else to take her to the company bash. I had a hard time believing her; and with good reason.

Melanie was more than just a cute girl. She was way beyond that. Yes, she was beautiful, but she had a sensual air about her that made it difficult not to notice her every move. I had admired her since her very first day, and who wouldn't? She was about five two and had shoulder length blond hair and green eyes. She often wore tight sweaters and slacks that showed off her curves, or suits with short skirts that really emphasized her beautiful legs. I'm a sucker for a woman in a business suit and Melanie got my motor running every time she walked by.

But I had been too shy to ask her out. With her looks I was pretty sure she could have anyone she wanted. I didn't want to face the rejection. So I was blown away when she asked me to escort her. Fortunately I recovered from the shock before she noticed me acting like a star struck schoolboy and accepted.

I had always disliked going to these company events. They were incredibly dull. And some people always drank too much and started behaving in ways that made me embarrassed for them. Especially the upper level managers and executives. It kind of dashed the image of a great leader when you saw your boss all liquored up and attempting dance moves he couldn't do even if he were sober.

By the afternoon of the party I was so nervous that I changed clothes three times before deciding what to wear. I really wanted to make a good impression. Finally settling on a dark gray suit, white shirt, and a maroon tie, I ended up being ready with an hour left to kill. Sitting and watching TV only made me more fidgety so I got in the car and drove around Melanie's neighborhood until it was time to pick her up.

On my way from my car to her apartment I formulated a plan for what I was going to say when Melanie answered the door. I have this fear of opening my mouth and sounding like a complete dork. I found myself meandering up the sidewalk as I tried out different lines in my head, hoping that somehow they would come out sounding natural and unrehearsed.

My anxiety peaked when I reached the apartment door. I paused, took a deep breath, and told myself that once I got through the next few minutes the rest of the night would be easy. When the door opened the vision standing in the doorway left me stunned.

Melanie looked good in everyday office attire. She was an absolute knockout in evening wear. She was wearing a black dress that clung to her body and yet shimmered when she moved. The gown featured a plunging neckline and a slit way up the side. Around her neck was a gold chain with a tassel pendant that hung provocatively between her breasts. Diamond earrings finished off the gorgeous sight standing before me.

She was so entrancing I instantly forgot all that I had planned to say. All I managed to gasp was an awed, "Wow."

Terror rippled through my body and my throat went dry. Then Melanie smiled and I realized that I'd said the perfect thing. "Thanks Brad," she replied with a coy twist of her head, "I'll take that as a compliment. You're looking pretty sharp yourself! You should dress up more often."

On the way to the party Melanie and I chatted in the car, mostly about work. I'd been sure she was way out of my league and had been reluctant to engage her in conversation much at the office, fearing the embarrassment of being shot down on the spot. As it turned out, she was funny and engaging and easy to talk to. I kicked myself for having been so timid. I steered the conversation away from work to find out more about this woman.

"So how do you like Portland so far?" I asked Melanie.

"Rains a lot here," she answered.

"Oh, you just got here during the rainy season."

"Oh yeah, when is that?"

"October through June."

"That's nine months!"

"Yeah, but it's really nice here the rest of the time."

Melanie chuckled, "Wonderful. At least I have something to look forward to."

"Besides," I pointed out as we crossed the river on the Marquam Bridge, "It's not raining today. It's so clear that you can see two mountains. "

Melanie glanced through the windshield and then out her passenger window at the river.

"Is this the Columbia?"

I started to laugh and then caught myself and faked a cough instead. I pounded my chest for effect. "This is the Willamette. The Columbia is bigger and to the north, at the border with Washington."

Melanie looked out the windshield again. "Two mountains? I only see one."

"That's Mount Hood you're seeing ahead of us. Look out here," I said pointing, "To the left. That's Mount Saint Helens."

"The one that blew up? Cool. I didn't realize it was so close. Can we go there sometime?"

We? My eyes blinked as I tried to confirm she had really said that word. I tongued my lips once and swallowed before shifting my gaze right. "Sure. I'd love to. How about spring when it's a little warmer?"

Melanie's eyes shifted from the mountain to me. A wide smile graced her face. "That would be great."

We reached the east side of the river, making the sweeping left turn as we came down off the bridge.

"Have you seen much of anything else in the city?" I asked.

"Not really. It's much bigger than Ferndale. I get lost here sometimes. And it's not much fun exploring new places without someone to show me around."

My heart skipped a beat as I realized for the second time in as many minutes that Melanie might be more interested in seeing me than for just the company party. "Ferndale," I began, trying to remain calm, "That's in California?"

"Yes."

"Where is it exactly?"

"A few hundred miles north of San Francisco. I'm not surprised if you've never heard of it. There's maybe a couple thousand people there at most. It's just a little village, really. Everyone knows everyone else. Our big claim to fame is that part of the movie 'The Majestic' was filmed there."

"Oh yeah, I remember that movie. Didn't do too great at the box office but I rented the video. Jim Carrey, right?"

"That's the one. It really wasn't a bad movie," said Melanie.

"No," I agreed. "I thought it was OK."

I paused, expecting some reply, but none came.

"So," I started, "this is a big change from where you grew up?"

Melanie nodded. "Yeah."

"What brought you to here?" I asked, "Just the job, or was there something else?"

"The job was part of it," Melanie answered, "but mostly I felt like I needed to get a fresh start. It really didn't matter much where I went as long as it was different from home."

"You needed new surroundings to help you break away from old memories?"

"Yeah, kinda like that. There's some things I wanted to change about myself and some people I didn't want to be around anymore. Nothing ever changes in Ferndale."

"Is that working out?"

"I think so."

"How so?" I prompted.

Melanie shrugged. "I was pretty passive about everything before, not taking charge of things in my own life and stuff. I've gotten a lot better about that since coming here."

I opened my mouth to reply, but Melanie continued, "I like not having to answer to anyone else. It is kinda lonely though. One of the things I needed to get away from was my former boyfriend, but I miss having a man in my life sometimes."

"What happened with the boyfriend?" I wondered aloud.

Melanie shook her head - more like a tremble, really. "I'm not real comfortable in discussing that with just anyone right now, if you don't mind."

"Uh, yeah," I muttered, striving for damage control. "I understand."

I was curious about what might have happened to her back in Ferndale, but decided this was no time to pry. I reminded myself that the reason we'd gotten together tonight was for the company party, so I changed the subject.

"A few years ago, we had our holiday party at the Pittock Mansion. It's a big old historical house up in the hills overlooking the city. Originally built by the publisher of the Oregonian newspaper."

"Oh wow, it's really a mansion? I'll bet that was neat."

"Yeah," I said. "It's a beautiful place, but a little hard to get to. They moved the party to hotels in the city as our company grew and we needed more space. This place we're going to is still nice, but it doesn't have that historical charm."

Melanie's gaze returned to the prominent mountain visible above Portland's skyline.

"Could Mount Hood ever explode?" she asked. "You know, like St. Helen's."

"Not likely, it's been dormant for a very long time."

"Dormant?" Melanie tilted her head as continued to peering through the windshield at the snow capped peak. "Like asleep?"

"Something like that, I suppose."

"So it could wake up at any moment, right?"

"Technically, I guess that's right."

The most demure of smiles graced Melanie's face. "Yeah, I could see how it might."

She didn't say another word, just kept glancing at the volcano and smiling until I pulled into the hotel parking lot and found a spot.

"Thanks for bringing me Brad," said Melanie as I extended my hand to help her out of the car, "I've been looking forward to this night since you said you'd take me."

"Me too. Let's go have a good time."

My throat flexed as my words reached my ears. I was sure they sounded as stiff as I felt, but Melanie didn't seem to notice. We walked into the hotel and followed signs to the ballroom. I helped my companion off with her coat, shed my own, and handed them to the coat check attendant.

As we entered the ballroom I felt the sense of dismay intensify within me. The decorations were the same as the last few years, the same people were checking guests in as they arrived, even the centerpieces on the tables were identical to last year. This was going to be an exact repeat of all the other mind-numbing company parties I'd been to. As I silently escorted Melanie to our table I tried to remind myself that being there with her would make it bearable. That helped just a little.

Melanie knew most of the people at our table and I introduced her to the rest. We all exchanged the kind of polite, pseudo-friendly greetings that occur between people who know they will see each other again only rarely, if at all.

I glanced at Melanie, hoping that my distaste with the whole event wasn't rubbing off on her. My concern vanished as our eyes met and she smiled. I found myself smiling back before I even realized it.

Melanie edged her head slightly to one side. "Hey Brad, how about getting me a drink?"

"Sure," I replied, glancing towards the bar, "What will it be?"

Melanie wrinkled her nose and then said, "Surprise me," giving me a wink.

"You got it," I replied with a grin. "Be right back."

The smile left my face as I turned away from Melanie and headed towards the bar. I had no idea what she liked. I guess I had my head down as I was pondering the choices because I nearly collided with my boss.

"Brad my boy!" exclaimed the old man, clapping me on the back. I winced. Not the guy I really wanted to talk to right now.

"Been meaning to speak to you about your idea of renegotiating prices with some of our vendors," he continued. In spite of the early hour, the scent of alcohol was heavy in his breath.

I tried to be polite while he rambled on. I wasn't really listening, but it didn't matter, I doubted that he'd remember this conversation by Monday anyway.

I could see Melanie from across the room and glanced her way as often as I dared. She seemed to have become involved in a conversation with the wife of one of the sales reps. I hoped Melanie was interested enough in her conversation that she wasn't wondering where the hell I was with her drink.

My boss spied another employee passing by and started talking to her. I took the opportunity to escape and resumed my journey to the bar.

"Good evening, sir. What can I get for you?" asked the bartender.

"Don't know exactly," I answered, scratching my ear.

"It's a full bar, I can make just about anything you want."

"Yeah," I said, "but my date asked me to surprise her and I have no clue about what she likes."

"How 'bout a daiquiri?"

"You think that's a safe choice?"

"You bet," he replied. "Lots of ladies order those."

"Hmm," I mused aloud, drumming my fingers on the bar. "OK, why not? Fix her a strawberry daiquiri and I'll take a lemon drop martini."

When I finally returned, Melanie was standing alone next to the table. She smiled widely as I approached with the drinks.

"Well what did you get? Is that a lemon drop? It is! I love these things!" She took the martini from my hand.

I raised the daiquiri in a toast. "To a festive evening and good company."

Melanie kinked her head as she touched her glass to mine. "To great company," she said quietly.

"Yes, I'm enjoying your company a lot, Melanie. Are you having a good time so far?"

"Oh yes. I got to meet some new people already, so that's good for me."

"Oh yeah, there was Louise and her husband Jim, and Francine Adams was at our table," I noted. "Nice people."

"Hmmm Louise and Jim are nice, but that Francine is quite a character!"

I dropped my brow. "I don't know her that well. I just see her at company functions like this. I didn't see her husband Peter here tonight. Guess he's traveling. His job in sales keeps him on the road a lot."

"Well you wouldn't believe what Francine told me!" Melanie said. She glanced around before continuing, and lowered her voice. "I think she's been drinking for a while tonight, maybe this afternoon too. But guess what she does when her husband is out of town?"

"What?"

"Wild stuff," replied Melanie, she put her hand on my arm, "With men."

"Oh yeah?" I said, "There's been rumors about Peter having affairs that I've been hearing for months, but I didn't know about Francine."

Melanie's eyes sparkled and her mouth broke into a sly grin. "Well," she began, "apparently Francine isn't all that happy with Peter and she suspects that he's been having affairs. I guess she's heard the rumors too. Anyway, she decided that she shouldn't just be a hermit all the time when he's away. So she started going out to some bars alone and the men just flocked to her."

"She certainly has the looks," I noted.

Melanie shot me a cut-eyed glance that told me she didn't appreciate my observation. Whether it was jealousy or annoyance with my male attitude, I couldn't tell.

"So," Melanie continued, "I guess she was in a bar one night, chatting with some guys, when a young black man approached her and asked her to dance. Francine took one look at him and said yes. She said he was gorgeous.

"While they were dancing, this guy maneuvered them to a dark corner and had his hands all over Francine and she let him touch her ass and her breasts. At one point he had his knee between Francine's legs and she was actually humping him right there on the dance floor! She was getting hot and when she reached to touch him through his pants she knew this was a guy she was going to take home with her."

I finished my drink with one gulp. "Wow! And?"

"That's the part that blew me away," said Melanie, "Apparently Francine stood right there on the dance floor and asked this guy if she could take him home and fuck his brains out!"

"Really?"

"Sorry for being so crude, but that's what she said."

"It's OK," I said, seeing the concern on her face. "What happened next?"

"Let's find somewhere a little more private. I don't want anyone to overhear."

"Come with me." I put my arm around Melanie's waist and guided her towards a set of double doors leading to a terrace.

We could see our breath outside, but there was no one out there. I faced the doors so I could see if anyone was coming. Melanie shivered a little and moved closer to me.

"Tell me more," I said.

"She takes this guy out to the parking lot. When she gets to her car, she unzips him and pulls out his cock. She said it was huge. Francine gave him a few sucks and then tucked him back in his pants and told him to follow her home in his car. Can you imagine?"

"Sounds like she really knew what she wanted."

"Oh, yeah. I think you could say that," said Melanie. She slipped her hand inside my jacket and put it on my chest. "You ever done anything like that in a public place, Brad?"

"Uh, no."

"According to Francine, when she let the man into her house she didn't even wait to get to the bedroom. She started stripping him halfway up the stairs and took that big black cock in her mouth, standing a couple steps below him."

Melanie moved close to me. The scent of her perfume was intoxicating. She stood with her leg touching mine. As she leaned into me her right hand moved to her left breast. I watched as she cupped her breast and briefly pinched herself through her dress. When my gaze returned to her face Melanie was smiling at me.

"Francine sucked and pumped him until he yelled and came in her mouth. She swallowed what she could and the rest dribbled down her chin." Melanie paused licked her lips. "So, you ever done anything like that in a private place?"

Unable to speak, I shook my head.

She moved closer and positioned herself so that my knee was between her legs. I couldn't believe it when she started grinding into me! I looked through the terrace doors. There were people mingling and walking past, but no one was headed our way. It was getting warm under my suit and my hardening cock was uncomfortably cramped.

I looked back to Melanie. She had her eyes closed. Her hand reached down and stroked my cock through my pants. Her fingers slid up and down the length of my very stiff member. "Francine said it was one of the most exciting and erotic experiences of her entire life."

I didn't know what to say, but I sure knew what I wanted to do! The trouble was, we were in the midst of the company party! I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers. She leaned into my overture. Her lips parted and I gave her a slow passionate kiss. Our tongues entwined as they explored each other's mouths. I put my arms around Melanie and embraced her as we continued to kiss. The tip of her nose was cold where it touched my face.

Our bodies were pressed together and Melanie put her arms around my back. I could feel the heat of her body contrasting with the cold of the season.

I moved my hand and cupped Melanie's ass. She responded with a moan while still probing my mouth with her hot tongue. Then she reached behind her, grabbed my other hand and guided it under her dress.

Her panties were soaked. They were wet and slippery. For a moment I just stood with my hand there in disbelief, feeling her heat and wetness. Then I began rubbing her through the material, parting her pussy lips as I slid two fingers up and down. Melanie took a small step to the side, parting her legs slightly more. I used my whole hand to massage her. Then Melanie leaned forward to whisper in my ear.

"Put your fingers inside me."

Melanie, her eyes still closed, moaned quietly and moved against my palm. I slipped my fingers inside her panties and slowly slid in and out of her eager pussy, or rather; she moved her pussy onto my fingers and rocked back and forth. With my other hand I could feel her butt tighten and relax as she moved against my hand.

From the party, I was pretty sure no one could tell what was going on, but if someone stepped onto the terrace it would be pretty obvious. I didn't want to have to stop.