It had been a long day, much like many of the days in the three weeks' previous. Norah had left the office well after dark, hours past her usual departure time, head fairly swimming with numbers from the last round of audits. At least I hadn't been the only one left staying so long, she thought, remembering the early days where late nights hunched over paperwork alone in the back room. The benefit of being a part of a team meant that everyone was in it until the bitter end. These days that meant long hours culminating in very late nights. And since she'd progressed to leading the team, Norah was always there until the last person clocked out.
She pulled out of the car park, waving to Bill the security guard who was back in his booth after walking Norah to her car. Another thing that had changed for the better in recent years was the company standard on employee safety.
Stopped at a light a block from the freeway, Norah caught a glance at myself in the rear-view mirror. She looked tired, which was to be expected, but only Norah knew the dark circles under her eyes were the result of the sleepless nights that had been happening long before this recent audit cycle. She mentally counted back how long it had been even though she already knew the answer. Seven weeks wasn't that long but it felt like a lifetime.
A honk from behind jerked her from her reverie, and Norah pulled into the intersection, briefly waving an apology to the driver behind. Reaching the on-ramp, she merged onto the nearly empty freeway, her thoughts a jumble of memories as she drove on auto-pilot. It was fine when she was working, or when she could engage her mind with distractions, but times like now, when she was tired and unable to filter them out, that those thoughts crept in and settled. For what felt like the millionth time, Norah wondered why she hadn't seen the breakup coming and how she could have missed what was so obvious in hindsight.
"Well, Norah," she muttered to herself with a small grimace, "That's why hindsight is so perfect." Also not for the first time, she had to acknowledge that she couldn't decide whether it was Georges she missed or the incredible sex. While they hadn't always been on the same wavelength, they could always find a middle ground in bed.
Or on a table, or against a wall...her traitorous mind conjured up images of the wilder of their couplings, the road in front of her no more than a backdrop to the remembered fantasy world that replayed over and over. Norah's hands shook, and she felt the tightening of her nipples in response, and the dull ache in her groin start up.
"Get a grip." She spoke aloud to herself. "It's not the longest you've been without getting fucked." Her rebellious mind added "But it is the longest you've been without it since getting fucked well."
Dragging herself back to the present, she looked up in time to see her freeway exit going by on her right, two lanes away. "Well, hell."
*************
Jared was bored to tears. It wasn't that he didn't like his job, he just wasn't used to working the night shift. The store had a different rhythm in the midnight hour, a slower rhythm. Fewer people, not only customers but staff as well, and the piped in muzak wasn't helping matters. While he didn't mind slow jazz, if he couldn't find something to perk him up he was going to be fired for napping on his feet.
Not that there was anyone really checking up on them, he thought ruefully. It was only he and Angie in the store, along with a scattering of customers. They really didn't need to be open 24 hours, he thought; so far he'd seen a harried-looking father buying diapers and a rather skanky looking couple buying wine and condoms. Although, he figured that at least in the case of the latter they were offering a public service; he had a feeling that those two procreating would be a bad idea.
He stacked yet another row of tomatoes on the shelf, nodding at a couple of twenty something guys doing a beer run. They didn't acknowledge him but that wasn't anything surprising; grocery workers were usually overlooked as part of the fixtures. It was fine with him, he was there to do his job and nothing more.
"Jared, to check stand 3, Jared, to the front, check stand 3." He sighed, placing the next can in the row and stood from his crouching position. Angie must need yet another smoke break.
He made his way to the front, seeing the beer runners finishing up paying at Angie's till. Without any other customers in sight, his suspicions were confirmed when Angie said "Take over here willya, I need a smoke in the worst way." He nodded, knowing that arguing would be a losing battle, and he didn't really mind. Angie was nice but they didn't really have a lot in common so it was always work to carry on a conversation.
Angie left out the front and he figured she'd be gone a good 45 minutes based on her usual timing. He looked around and without any immediate customers needing to be checked out, he decided to tidy up around the till area.
This night was never going to end.
************
Norah had managed to exit at the next off-ramp, muttering to herself all the while. She wasn't that far out of her way, but knowing that she could have completely avoided the mistake if it weren't for her over-zealous imagination and raging hormones didn't help her mood any.
She wasn't completely unfamiliar with the area, but with it being dark, and with her level of tired, when she saw the 24 hour grocery chain she decided she should stop for something caffeinated. Getting out of the car for a few minutes would also help shake the erotic cobwebs that had her so distracted. At least she hoped it would, or it would be another sleepless night.
Parking near the open door, she saw a couple of guys with a case of beer and chips head to a beat up pickup parked nearby. Pausing only a second to make sure she had pepper spray handy in her purse, she exited her car, laughing a little to herself. She was a good ten years older than them and she knew she looked a mess, so while it was good to be cautious, it was also very likely unnecessary.
Nearing the automatic doors to the store, she jumped only a little when they opened and a woman wearing a store branded shirt came out. She was blonde, medium height and build and already had a cigarette pursed between her lips. The woman nodded and gave a brief smile, one which didn't reach her eyes. Norah merely said, "Evening." as they passed one another moving in opposite directions.
Once inside the store, Norah realized she also hadn't had dinner. Briefly checking her watch, she noted it was 12:30 am, well past dinnertime. Something light, she thought, and headed to the produce section for a salad. Before she made it to that part of the refrigerator aisle, she caught sight of herself in one of those wall mounted mirrors designed to catch shoplifters. Looking back at her was a petite brunette in a blouse and skirt, hair scraped back in an unbecoming bun, makeup smeared around her eyes, and pale skin offset by the previously noted dark circles. Yeah, really no need for the pepper spray at all.
"Can I help you find something Miss?"
The voice coming from right behind her startled her; she jumped and turned around, only making it partially before she lost her footing, falling back against a thankfully empty produce display.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, here let me..." his voice trailed off his offer for help, as the sound of thunder heralded the start of the automatic watering spray cycle.
*******************
Jared acted on instinct; if he had thought even for a second he might not have been able to cross that boundary. Instead he lunged forward without hesitation, grabbing the brunette around her waist. He hauled her up against him, pulling her off the display a mere second before the sprinklers started.
Her body was curvy and feminine, with an underlying muscularity that told him she worked out regularly. She also fit against him well...too well...he thought even as he felt his body respond to her breasts pushed up against his chest, her hands holding onto him as if he were the anchor in a raging sea. He looked down to confirm she was okay, and was distracted by her cleavage. He swallowed briefly, clamping down on the desire to drawn a fingertip down into it, and instead reminded himself he was at work and she was a customer.
********************
When he grabbed her, Norah let out a breathless squeak, as much from the suddenness of the movement as from the strong grip of his fingers biting into her flesh. Raised off her feet and pulled in tight to his slim body, she automatically gripped his shoulders as she heard the spray hit the plastic matting where she had just been half-sprawled. Her bag hit the floor in a jumble of noise, along with the basket she'd grabbed at the entrance, her shoes squeaking on the tile as she struggled to right herself. A wave of embarrassment flooded over her and she tried to step away, but he stopped her with a light squeeze of his hand and a muttered "Careful now." His voice was deep and she felt the vibration of it rumbling through his chest as it was pressed against hers. She also felt the her nipples harden as her mind connected that she was essentially crushed in the tall stranger's embrace.
"Are you okay?" his voice continued without missing a beat, and she felt him cautiously relax his grip on her waist, allowing her room to move if she wanted but poised to help if she wasn't quite ready to stand unassisted.
"Th-thank you." her voice wavered as she looked up and was caught in the most incredible green eyes she had ever seen. They looked back at her intensely and her words died in her throat, the chemistry between them flaring immediately. He took a deep breath in, and his voice was quiet as he replied.
