Sultry.
That was the first word that came to mind whenever Tom saw Debbie.
Sultry.
He was good with words and had a rather robust vocabulary, so he knew everything that word implied. According to Webster,
sultry
meant "attractive in a way that suggests or causes feelings of sexual desire." She was certainly that, but there were many aspects of her persona that also called for the term.
Her voice was a deep, soft, smoky alto, well inflected and a tone or two below the typical woman's voice. Her words seem to ooze, to flow, rather than shoot from her mouth. When she talked to you it was like you could grab each word from the air and savor it like a fine wine.
The DC area seemed to have an abundance of tall women, and Debbie stood out even among those. At five-ten, she was almost eye level to his six feet when they spoke. Her height also gave additional emphasis to her shape, which was a classic one – a thin waist above prominent but not overly large hips gave her midsection the most appealing curves, and her breasts filled the dresses she often wore. She carried herself proudly with her back slightly arched, and that served to accentuate her delightful ass and make her chest even more prominent.
Then there were her eyes. Slightly hooded and dark for a person with blond hair, her eyes didn't telegraph her emotions as they did with most people. Her dark brows added to her mystery, and the bangs she wore onto her forehead disguised her expressions even more.
Her face was something an artist could have pictured, a beautiful example of what a woman could be, with a strong jaw and prominent cheekbones surrounding a wide mouth. Her lips were full, and her smile consisted of a slight lift of the edges of her mouth. She was stunning and mysterious.
Since their encounter in Gayle's office, their working relationship had subtly changed. She was as aloof in public as ever, but their shared intimacy kept things perking just under the surface. She might catch his eye and wink at him, or pinch his ass as he passed if no one else was around. She loved double entendres – if something needed to be delayed, she would look straight at him and tell the other meeting attendees that she would "sit on it" for a while.
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She called him late one Monday, just as he was closing out his day.
"You have a minute?"
"Of course."
"I am seriously in need of one of your famous back rubs. I moved boxes all weekend and it hurts like hell. Could you....?"
"Sure. Give me five minutes and I'll meet you in the conference room."
So many of these seemingly innocent encounters with his coworkers had turned sexual that he really didn't know what to expect, but he came prepared to do just what she asked. He had to admit a special little liking for Debbie; she was more aloof than even Joanna, but she had warmed to him and considered him a good friend. He took that seriously and protected her confidences zealously.
They arrived at the conference room simultaneously. "After you, m'lady," he said with an exaggerated bow, like some medieval knight.
"Why thank you, kind sir," she answered, also in character. He walked in behind her and closed the door.
"So what did you do to yourself?" he asked.
"The usual crap. I was packing up Jack's old baby toys to donate, and I did too much bending and lifting without using my legs." She was a single mom to ten-year-old Jack. She indicated the area across her back just above the waist with her hand.
"Tsk, tsk," he chided. "How many times have I told you ...?"
"I know, I know, don't be a noodge. Can you help? It's hard getting through the day like this."
"Of course," he answered. "Lie face down on the table."
She did as instructed and laid her head sideways on her crossed arms along the narrow table. Debbie was wearing a dress this day, a sleeveless copper-colored sheath that hugged her curves and ended just above her knees. Tom began by using both hands over the dress to feel for the tension he knew was there, but the fabric was rough and a bit thick.
"That hurts," she told him.
"I'll be gentler," he replied.