The drive to work was a mundane one, the same 32 miles, the majority on a dual carriageway and insufferably dull. I made the journey 5 days a week and had done so since April when I had started my new job as a manager of a team in Birmingham. It was a good job, perhaps not the most exciting but a good job nevertheless.
I tended to try to beat the morning traffic, I knew that if I left before 7am I could be in around 8am. If I left it much later, everything seemed to back up and I could struggle on occasions to get there for 9am. So after a few months I dropped into a routine, get up, shower and shave, cup of tea and some cereal and then in the car in time to catch the 7 o'clock news. I drive a black Ford Focus, mid range, but comfy enough and very economical. I had been single since my separation the previous year, we had grown apart after 20 years of being together. My wife was in a new relationship but we remained good mates -- we'd had plenty of good times together but simply worn each other out.
Even with the early start there was always a slight back up, one stretch of the journey had recently had installed a 60mph speed limit, it is for about 5 miles and it is controlled by average speed cameras. The result being that everyone drops their speed to 63/64 mph and we all cruise along together, variously passing each other very slowly. At the end there is a large island and as the two lanes approach it, there is invariably a 3 -- 400 yard queue. It moves fairly quickly but it is a bit frustrating, at that time in the morning you just want to get across the island, back onto the quicker part of the dual carriageway and into work.
I first noticed her about a month ago, I think she passed me first, on the 60 mph section, she cruised past me a couple of mph quicker than me. She was in a 4x4 so was a bit higher up but I could see that she was blonde -- platinum blonde, pretty and her nails were immaculate as she gripped the steering wheel. It was a couple of days later that I saw her again, once more she cruised past me, this time she had more than got my interest, so once she had pulled in front of me and slowed slightly I gradually pulled out and passed her. She didn't seem to notice me checking her out, her hair was just beyond shoulder length and there appeared to be a healthy swell of her chest. She was well tanned and perfectly made up with pale pink lip-gloss and French manicured nails. As we approached the roundabout she stayed behind me so I continued to check her out in the mirror. She didn't notice at all, but I enjoyed the view and it made my journey brighter. Eventually though the traffic moved and we crossed the roundabout. Once on the faster section she soon pulled out and zoomed past me, she would be at work before me for sure.
About a week later I saw her again, this time there was an accident ahead and we were backed up. I was fed up but had the radio on high and was singing along to Meatloaf. As we crawled along, I glanced sideways and there she was, my vision of beauty, also singing along as Meat belted it out. This time we both glanced at each other at the same time, realised we both been caught singing along without a care in the world. The banality of it tickled us both and we both stopped and laughed almost apologetically. She had a beautiful smile and laugh it was just a random moment, we sort of waved at each other and looked away -- concentrate on the road I thought. I had though been able to hold the glance long enough to confirm my fleeting view of before that she did indeed have a full chest, her seatbelt was stretched across and between her breasts and they filled her blouse impressively. Once past the roundabout though, she was off again, I began to wonder where she worked.
I looked out for her as I drove home but never saw her. The following morning I followed the usual routine got into the car just in time for the news, and set off to work. I kept checking the mirror looking out for the red 4x4 and my anonymous blonde but there was no sign, I wondered where she was and where she worked.
It was 2 weeks last Friday when I saw her again, I was almost into the city when she whizzed past me, I had a bit of time so I thought I would try to see where she was going. As we got into the centre it was easy to see where she was going the bright red Kuga stood out a mile. I had reached my normal parking area and was just about to pull in and park up when saw her indicating left. What the hell, I could always do a loop around, so I carried on a little further and turned up the same street. Just in time, I saw her pull into a private underground garage. She sure had my interest.
The day didn't go as planned, I was looking to get away at 3pm but was told early on that I was needed in a meeting with the boss at 4pm. That was likely to go on until at least 5, still that meant I had the opportunity for a leisurely lunch. It was a lovely late spring day so I decided to walk into the square and grab a sandwich and a juice. I was sitting there minding my own business when she walked straight into the coffee shop. A couple of minutes later she came out clutching a sandwich and a coffee. It was busy but there were a few spare tables, but she came straight over to me.
"Hi" she said, "I think we have sort of met but then again we haven't, I'm Penny."
"John" I mumbled, "please, feel free", I gestured to the empty seat.
She was even more beautiful than I had realised, petite -- about 5'2" but with a gorgeous figure. Her full breasts filled her silk blouse and pushed out the lapels of her navy suit jacket nicely, she had tight matching trousers on that were immaculately tailored. As she bent to put her bag on the floor, I had an excellent view of her behind, round and homely. A perfect shape for me, I started to wonder what it would be like to fuck her in the shower.
I was brought back to earth when I caught her say something about Radio 2.
"Sorry" I said,
"So you listen to Radio 2 on the way in as well do you?" she asked
"Yes, sorry, I was miles away, I'm afraid I do, can't say my singing is up to much though, probably as well we were in separate cars, it could have been a painful experience for you."
"Really?" she said with a mischievous grin, "I might have enjoyed that."
We chit chatted whilst we ate our sandwiches and drank our coffee, I learned she was a lawyer, loved her job, hated her journey and was single and had a teenager lad who had just gone off to college. I was doing the calculations, he had to be 18 minimum, she really didn't look old enough...
"39 " she said, as if reading my mind, "It's my fortieth in 3 weeks."
I managed to mumble something about her not looking a day over 25 and that all his friends must love coming around to see him. She laughed and there was a definite twinkle in her eyes. We continued chatting, it seemed very natural and easy to talk to her and the conversation became increasingly flirtatious, she certainly had my interest! Before we knew it though it was time to get back to work. I thanked her for sharing lunch with me and I promised to carry on singing -- with the windows very firmly closed.
I went back to work a spent most of the afternoon wondering whether we really had made a connection, whether there was an opportunity and whether we would meet again.
The 4pm meeting was a bind, too many people have too much too say and not making much sense, my thoughts kept drifting, especially when the Assistant Director popped a button and revealed a little too much cleavage -- nice but not as good as my goddess from the coffee shop.