I don't know how I got into this. Well, OK, I know how. I just don't know why. Yeah, I know why, too. It's just the way I am. I guess now's the time to say I couldn't help it, but that wouldn't be true, either. I mean, I don't just strip off my clothes and show my body to anybody. Not that I don't like to; I've been flashing since I was twelve. By now, I guess you could say I'm addicted to it. But I've got my standards. It's got to be the right place, and the right time, and above all the right guy. And that's what surprises me about this whole thing. I never dreamed I'd be showing it to all the world.
It started like this...
I slammed the file drawer shut, cursing my boss under my breath. The big ass-hole had waltzed out of his office at lunch-time and thrown a pile of papers on my desk. "See if you can find someplace for these, would you, Laura?"
I knew just the place for them, but I smiled sweetly and said I'd get right on it. I also knew exactly what else he'd love me to get right on. I'd been listening to his macho bull-shit and his endless innuendoes since the day I started working for him. At first it was kind of fun, and I admit I flirted a little with him. But he seemed to think the way to impress me and get into my pants was to brag about all the big deals he had going and how he was going right to the top. By the time he got on to how his wife didn't understand him and couldn't or wouldn't do the things he wanted her to, I was on her side, cheering her on.
Anyway. I got all the stuff filed and took the elevator down to the lobby to get some lunch. The cafe there makes some really tasty things, befitting a classy building like ours, and there was a line at the counter. I knew what I wanted long before it was my turn. The chicken-pesto salad on a soft white roll was to die for. Still, when I got up to the counter, I put my finger to my lips and looked everything over, like I was undecided. The sandwich guy just stood there and watched me, as if he had all day and there wasn't a long row of people waiting behind me. He was a cute Latino, maybe twenty. We'd gone through this charade every work-day since he'd started working there a couple of weeks ago. I'd rub my lip and glance back and forth over the menu, flicking a look at him every so often. I'd shrug and wriggle, as if making up my mind, and he'd stare until I'd chosen, and then put my sandwich together and hand it to me with a big smile.
Today was no different. I paid and turned away, fluttering my eyes at him over my shoulder. All the tables around the sandwich stand were taken. Through the forty-foot tall glass of the lobby I saw the sun shining brightly and people sitting around the plaza outside. I decided to join them.
In the middle of the plaza stood a fountain surrounded by a wide, shallow pool and a low retaining wall. I walked over and sat on the wall, letting my short skirt ride up under me. When I crossed my legs, a long stretch of thigh was exposed, almost to my waist. I twitched my foot and let my shoe dangle from my toes.
I guess I should explain that whole right guy, right place, right time thing. That's personal. One on one. It's why I'd never flash my boss in the office. Wrong guy, wrong everything. And why the sandwich-guy only got a sexy smile and batted eye-lashes. Oh, yeah, and a glimpse of my legs as I spun away from the counter and my skirt flared up. If he was even watching.
But on a wider stage, like here on the plaza outside my building, full of people I didn't know, I liked the idea that everyone was looking at me. I knew it wasn't necessarily true. That secretary sitting ten feet away from me on the wall was definitely not looking. When I'd crossed my legs her eyes had popped, but ever since she'd been studying her sandwich like it was the Rosetta stone. OK by me. I wasn't putting on my little show for her, though I had nothing against women watching.
That guy on the bench across the plaza, though, leaning his elbows on his knees, flicking ashes from a cigarette he hadn't taken a drag from since I'd sat down. Young guy, nice suit. Up and coming. I kicked my toes again, flopping my shoe. I saw his eyes turn up toward me under his brows. I uncrossed my legs, letting them slip briefly open, and re-crossed them. The guy's head jerked up, but he pulled it right back down. I could see his shoulders ball up as he tried to hold his head down and still watch me.
I knew I had him, and I made a show of eating my sandwich, licking my lips and occasionally running a finger over my mouth. I let my glance wander over the rest of the plaza. There were plenty of men there, and most of them seemed to have noticed me. I laid my hands behind me on the edge of the wall and leaned my head back, facing the sun. My breasts pushed out against my thin, loose top, and I felt my nipples hardening. I didn't have to open my eyes and look around to see who was watching. They all were.
A shadow fell over me, interrupting my reverie, and I knew without opening my eyes that a man was sitting next to me. This seemed to be an unavoidable draw-back to my flashing: some guys took it personally, apparently, and thought it was all for them. I pulled myself upright and prepared my iciest glare.
Surprise. He was actually kind of cute. No. Really cute. Short dark hair, an ingratiating grin, and as far as I could see, under his designer jeans and T-shirt, a nice tight body. So I didn't blow him off. As a matter of fact, I liked the way he looked at me, and I may have slipped back onto my hands and given him a good look at my tits. I might even have crossed my legs so that the thigh closest to him was on top and bare up to the hem of my skirt. Then I remembered my rules and sat up and tugged my skirt down.
He was smiling at me when I met his eyes. Not a bold, brash, coming-on sort of smile. Not a shy smile, either. Just friendly.
"I couldn't help noticing you here."
Notice me? After all I'd done to shield myself from prying eyes. I batted my eyes bashfully at him.
He had the sexiest dimples when he grinned. "Listen. I know you must have guys hitting on you all the time. I would, too." He blushed, which was even sexier than his dimples. "But I've got an interesting proposition for you."
Oh, you, too. I'd had tons of interesting propositions. The last one from my boss, not an hour ago. When I'd declined, he'd dumped all that paper-work on me. Remembering that got me pissed off, and my new suitor must have seen it.
"OK. Maybe now's not the time, or maybe you're not the one."
Not the one? Moi? Now he had my interest again. I softened my look and flashed my baby-blues at him. "Sorry. It's just my boss. You know. Jerk. Gets to me, even when I know I shouldn't let it."
"That's cool. I understand." His eyes deepened. What color were they, I found myself wondering. Grey with a hint of blue? Blue with grey high-lights?
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a slightly crumpled card. "I'm Marc. With a C." He laid the card between us on the wall and stood up. "If you're in the mood for something different, give me a call. My number's right there." Then he stood up and walked away.
That was something new. Mostly they just kept trying and trying until they could see the indifference in my eyes. I picked up the card.
Marc Walters. Marc with a C. I looked up and saw him disappearing into the distance. "I'm Laura," I whispered, then turned back to his card.
UCBABES.COM it read in bold print under his name. University of California? Connecticut? Then I got it. You see babes. Clever. I giggled, delighted I'd caught the joke. At the bottom of the card was a telephone number. I got up and threw the wrapper from my sandwich into a trash can. I held the card in the palm of my hand and went in and punched the elevator button. I rode upstairs alone, thinking about Marc and reading his card over and over.
Maybe I'd just call him. Whoa. No way. I couldn't. As cute as he was, he'd probably laid these cards on half the girls in town. With his smiles and his dimples. And what did he mean, something different. OK. Maybe I was in the mood for something different. God knows this job was driving me crazy. So maybe I'd call him.
No. Forget it. He'd come crashing into my world and violated my first principle of flashing. Nothing personal. I had a gorgeous body (the mirror doesn't lie) and I loved flaunting it. I loved flaunting it publicly. But no contact with viewers. I didn't need their stories or their greedy hands. Just their looks. Their eyes. At a distance. No Marc with his sexy dimples. No cards with riddles. He could call me if he was so interested.
Of course, he didn't know my name, much less my phone number.
Ohmigod. I'm such a ditz. I can't believe I'm going on like this when all I wanted to do was tell you my story.
So when I got home I called him. Of course you know that, or else you wouldn't be reading this.
"Uh. Hello. Marc? It's me. Laura."
Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
"You know. From the fountain? This afternoon? You gave me your card."
"Oh, yeah. The fountain. Laura. Is that your name? Hey, I'm glad you called."
There was more silence on the line.
"Um, you said something. If I was interested in something different."
"Well, are you? Interested. Because I'm certain I can offer you something different. When I saw you I was sure you were the one."
"Me? The one?" This was more like it. I didn't know what he was talking about, but I definitely wanted to be the one.
"Absolutely. Where are you now?"
"Home," told him.
"Where's home?" I wasn't sure I should tell him. Oh, what the hell. I really was interested in something different. And he had that great smile. And those dimples. I gave him my address.
"Hey. You're not even that far from here. Can you come over now? 114 Canal Street. You know where that is?"
I knew pretty much where it was. He was right. It wasn't far from where I lived. Still, I hesitated. This could turn out to be something creepy. But somehow I trusted him. And anyway, if he was an axe murderer or something, he already had my address.
"OK. Sure. I can be there in, what, fifteen minutes."
"Great. See you soon."
114 Canal turned out to be a big old converted warehouse down by the docks. M Walters was the top bell. I rang it and the door clicked open. The stairs were shallow and precipitous, and I was careful to keep my balance in the heels I still had on from work. When I got to the top, the door was open and Marc was smiling out at me. Same sexy dimples, same tight bod in his T-shirt. Only now he was wearing shorts.
"Laura. Come on in." I slipped between Marc and the door-frame, and my breasts brushed lightly against his chest. I looked at him, half expecting a leer, but he seemed not to have noticed. He pushed the door shut behind me and took my arm and led me to a comfortable-looking leather couch.
"Glass of wine? I have some cooling in the fridge."