Author's note: Thank you to my followers and for your comments and emails. It really encourages me to keep writing.
Please note that all my stories are in a fantasy or parallel universe.
This was going to be short story but it just became too long for a single chapter. Please enjoy.
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Joseph Clark was a young, successful Internet Technology man. He liked being called Joseph because a three syllable name rolled off the tongue better than a two syllable name like 'Joe Clark'. He had his own three bedroom apartment -- one bedroom was his office -- on the fifth floor of a high-rise apartment block overlooking the lake. He was single but had previously enjoyed mostly vanilla sex with his fair share of girlfriends.
Joseph was on contract, by the Australian Federal Government, to help develop international standards. He travelled, every six months, overseas to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) meetings, each time, hosted by a different country. A lot had to be done during each week of meetings and it was hard work. However, he usually spent a week or two, after those meetings, to do some sightseeing. As a contractor, he could take advantage of the government paying for his business, air-travel, whereas, government employees couldn't.
At one of those meetings, Joseph was working with seven people representing different countries. The French representatives, Marcel -- who Joseph thought was an arrogant prick -- and Bernadette -- who Joseph thought was reasonable but under Marcel's thumb -- pushed for physical implementation documentation, but Joseph, and the other delegates, wanted a Unified Modelling Language (UML) representation of the standard to ensure that the implementation properly reflected the standard.
The French were coerced to agree but wanted the UML to be quickly drafted so that they could continue with the implementation documentation. No-one volunteered to draft the UML documentation. Joseph could easily write the UML buy he didn't know the template nor the structure for the ISO documentation.
"I can write the draft UML but I'll need help with the document's structure." volunteered Joseph.
No-one volunteered to help until Ingrid said "I can help you with the document."
Ingrid was the Dutch delegate. She was about Joseph's height; with blonde, straight, shoulder-length hair; blue-eyes; slim build; apparently shy and dressed conservatively. If Joseph had to describe her in a word or two, 'plain Jane' came to mind. She didn't say much at the meetings but when she did it was always very facilitative and helpful. Joseph was grateful for Ingrid's help and knew, from previous experience, that she was well informed about the ISO documentation templates and their structure. Joseph was confident that the draft documentation could be developed in time with Ingrid's help.
Ingrid and Joseph collaborated via video meetings and developed the draft documentation using the ISO documentation system. The video meetings were long but they got a lot done. Over time, Ingrid seemed to come out of her shell and Joseph realised that Ingrid was a funny, very efficient, lovely lady. At first they wore formal clothes, but over time, T-shirts and more casual clothes were commonly worn. They had, in Joseph's opinion, had become friends and Joseph appreciated Ingrid's personality.
Joseph was usually exhausted by the end of the meetings, especially because they were held late at night because of the time-zone difference. At one meeting, Joseph kept yawning. Ingrid noticed and said "Should we finish?"
"No, no." answered Joseph. "We've got a lot to get through."
"You seem... tired." said Ingrid.
Joseph looked at his watch and said "Yes, it's after midnight here, but let's soldier on."
"We could have the meetings at a different time of day." said Ingrid. "A time that is better for you?"
"And then it would be late at night for you." answered Joseph.
"That's alright. You're the major contributor, I just convert your ideas into ISO format." said Ingrid.
"That's not true." said Joseph, although it was close to the truth. "Your a major contributor to this draft. I couldn't do it without you."
"But still, why don't we have the next meeting at a time that suits you?" suggested Ingrid.
Joseph was grateful for Ingrid's suggestion and agreed to have the next video meeting at a more convenient time for Joseph.
Ingrid answered the video-call. Joseph was a bit confused when Ingrid appeared to have the webcam adjusted so that just her head was visible with most of the screen being filled by the wall behind Ingrid's face. She was also wearing glasses. They worked through the documentation.
At one stage, Ingrid said "I have a few questions about this section..." and Joseph saw Ingrid reach beyond the webcam's view for some documentation.
Joseph saw that Ingrid was dressed in a very revealing nightie. He watched her breasts come into view as Ingrid reached for the paper document. He had a very good, full-screen, close-up view of Ingrid's breasts. He heard "Shit." and then the screen went blank.
Joseph waited for a few seconds and then asked "Ingrid? Are you still there?"
There was silence so Joseph checked that he was still connected to the ISO system. He was, so he asked "Ingrid? I've lost you."
After almost half-a-minute, the top of Ingrid's head appeared on the screen and Ingrid said "Joseph... um... Joe? I'm still here."
"Ah good." said Joseph. "I thought that we'd been disconnected there for a moment." Joseph was a bit worried. Ingrid had called him Joe, which was the first time that she'd done that, and her voice sounded shaky. "Are you okay?" He asked.
There was a long, silent pause until Ingrid answered "Sort of... Did you?"
"It's alright, Ingrid. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." said Joseph, reassuringly.
"Shit! I'm so sorry, Joe. I... I... you saw... didn't you?" apologised Ingrid.
Joseph wondered what to say. He didn't want to lie to Ingrid, they were friends, but he didn't want to embarrass her.
Ingrid sighed and said "You did see. I can tell by your hesitation. That's... very... unprofessional of me... I thought that... It's so late here that I... as you saw... I'm dressed for bed. I... tried... I was too involved with our meeting that I forgot what I was wearing and... well... you saw... Oh Jesus, Joe."
Ingrid looked like she was about to cry so Joseph said "It's alright. Don't worry about it. It could happen to anyone."
Ingrid laughed and said "Oh just anyone would... expose... themselves to you. Is that right, Joe. It happens often, does it?"
Joseph didn't know what to say so he said the first thing that came to his mind "Not often enough."
"What?" asked Ingrid.
"NO... I mean... um..." stuttered Joseph.
Ingrid laughed and said "Now you're embarrassed. What a pair we are."
"We're a good pair." said Joseph, trying to make amends. "We... we're friends, Ingrid. We're good friends. We..."
Ingrid's image stared at Joseph. Joseph wondered if they'd lost connection or the connection was buffering until Ingrid said "Friends?"
Joseph was a bit less panicky. He answered "Yes... I... I consider you to be my friend."
"Really?" asked Ingrid.
"Well... um... if that's alright with you? I... I um... consider you as my friend." answered Joe.
"Your friend?" asked Ingrid. "You want... me... to be your friend?"
"I see... um... I guess... it's presumptive of me... I--" said Joseph.
"NO, NO." interrupted Ingrid. "I'm honoured that you want me to be your friend. I just... I'm... surprised that you want me... to be your friend."
"Why? You're intelligent, funny, have a great personality--" said Joseph.
"Really?" asked Ingrid.
"Yes." answered Joseph. "Don't you think so?"
"No." answered Ingrid. "I'm... I consider myself to be... well... in all honestly, Joe, and please don't use this against me, but... humble... is how I would describe myself."
"No you're not." said Joseph. "You're a beautiful, intelligent woman."
"I'll agree with you on intelligent." said Ingrid. "I've always been smart... but--"
"You don't think that others think the same?" interrupted Joseph.
Ingrid took a big breath and said "Yes."
"You're just shy, introverted." said Joseph. "I know that you're intelligent and from what I've seen, you're very beautiful."
Ingrid glared at Joseph. She asked "'From what you've seen?' Do breasts make me look beautiful?"
"What? Oh... um... Jesus, Ingrid." Joseph was wondering how to get out of this quandary.
After a few seconds, Ingrid laughed and said "Jeez... I thought I was embarrassed. Look at you, Joe. You can hardly function. A peek at a couple of breasts and you're almost a dribbling idiot. If I shimmied my breasts at you, your mind would pop."
"No it wouldn't." said Joseph, much happier now that Ingrid seemed more relaxed.
"Oh yeah?" challenged Ingrid.
Joseph saw Ingrid's webcam adjust so that her breasts were in full view. She asked "Ready?" and then she shimmied her breasts.
Joseph eyes bulged. He watched Ingrid's small, but very sexy, breasts swinging from sides to side. He couldn't help himself. He immediately grabbed his hardening penis and stroked himself.
Ingrid laughed and said "Look at your eyes, Joe." as she adjusted the webcam so that her face and breasts were in view.
"What about them?" asked Joe, still looking at Ingrid's, now stationary breasts.
"Oh... I was wrong." said Ingrid.
"About what?" asked Joseph, as he looked at Ingrid's face.
"Your mind didn't pop." said Ingrid.
Joseph laughed and said "It would take more than that little bit to pop my mind."
"Are you saying that my tits are little?" asked Ingrid, apparently offended
"No, not at all." answered Joseph, looking at Ingrid's breasts again. "They're perfect."
Ingrid looked at her breasts and asked "Do you think so?"
"Yes." answered Joseph. Joseph tried to regain his composure and said "It's just that... that... wasn't long enough to pop my mind."
"Oh really." said Ingrid. She smiled and then slowly shimmied her breasts again, as she said "How long would I have to do this before your mind popped?"
Joseph watched Ingrid's breasts as he stroked his erection. He was so glad that he recorded these video-calls. He recorded them so that he could recall any decisions that they'd agreed upon to add to the documentation, but now he was going to use this recording to accompany his wanking.
Ingrid giggled and asked "Joe, is your mind about to pop out is something else going to pop?"
Joseph stopped wanking. He checked his image in the corner of his screen to make sure that Ingrid couldn't see his lower-body. She couldn't possibly see him but maybe she could see his shoulder moving in time with his hand. He asked "What about my eyes?"
Ingrid stopped shimmying her breasts -- to Joseph's disappointment -- frowned, and asked "Your eyes?"
