Manas Learns To Rock

"Join me for tea!" said Garima, a 24-year-old new hire. It had been a week since she joined our team, and she appeared extroverted and a tad outspoken. Her zeal for work stood in striking contrast to mine. I wasn't someone who would waste time drinking tea, especially with someone I shared nothing with.

I was a week into my new job and already loving it. I had a hunch that this would lead to great things for my career, given the elite coworkers I was surrounded by. Manas was one of them; he seemed to know his way around. He was the team's go-to person for every problem. With his slender frame, salt-and-pepper hair, and serious demeanor, he looked to be in his early 40s. I figured it would just be a matter of time before my friendliness wore him down.

As we walked to the cafeteria, I couldn't help but notice how young the new hires looked. It's not that I was getting old--maybe I was--but these young people had an outlook on life that was far different from mine. Their mindset was something I never had, even in my early days at work. For instance, Garima wore a pencil skirt that ended just above her knee and a bright, borderline sheer top that looked tasteful. I don't think any woman who joined alongside me in the early 2000s would have worn such clothes to work.

Manas was very uptight and hardly smiled on our way to the cafeteria. We both picked up our cups, and the tea vendor gave Manas a nod before handing him his usual sugarless strong tea. It was like a well-oiled routine, and I looked forward to establishing such a comfortable routine in my own career one day. We had a normal table and chairs in the middle of the cafeteria and comfortable booths toward the sides. Without thinking, I sat in a secluded booth. Manas looked uncomfortable sitting across from me there; it seemed he had never used that seating. To be honest, seeing him uncomfortable gave me a naughty thrill.

"They're 32C, in case you were wondering," said Garima, breaking the ice.

Manas was shocked; he had never received such a bold remark in his life. Not that he was used to staring at a coworker's cleavage, but Garima's deep-neck sheer top had caught his eye as he sat across from her.

"I'm really sorry; I shouldn't have done that," Manas said. "I would understand if you wanted to report me to HR. In fact, I will voluntarily report this to the sexual harassment committee." He had been serious when he said the last line.

Garima smiled across from him. "Oh, come on! I was just trying to break the ice. No male has been honest enough to admit he noticed my boobs. Just relax; there's no need for HR here."

Manas didn't strike me as the type to let things go easily; he sat uneasily throughout the rest of our tea together. His eyes never strayed after that; he looked directly into my eyes while speaking. We didn't have much of a conversation later. I suspect he had never heard a girl speak about her breasts at work before.

A month or two passed since the tea incident, and Garima and Manas had settled into a slightly more comfortable working relationship. Garima had found and added Manas on Facebook and Instagram, and they followed each other's personal lives. She discovered that Manas had a fun side as well, just not so much at work.

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"Can you please come to conference room Hope?" read a text message from Garima. It was a cultural event day at work, and Manas was the first guest to arrive as usual. As he sat in the company auditorium, he was surprised to see this message on his phone.

When Manas walked to the Hope conference room, he saw Amala looking confused. She dumped a set of pins into his hand and ran to catch the lift, asking him to step into Hope. Before Manas could ask Amala what was going on, she was already in the lift, yelling for him to help Garima.

The floor was completely empty; it was a Saturday, and people had not yet arrived for the event. The lights were off in the work area, with only the walking bays lit. As he entered Hope, he saw Garima standing in front of a small makeshift clearing in front of the whiteboard which was created by pushing the desks aside. What shocked him was her attire--or rather, the lack of it.

Garima wore an extremely deep, bright red blouse that revealed a lot of cleavage. The blouse cupped her breasts so tightly that it almost acted like a push-up bra, and her cleavage seemed ready to burst out. She was just in a matching red petticoat, which was so low that one could actually see her pelvic bone.

Manas instinctively ran out of the room, apologizing profusely.

"Calm down, Manas!" shouted Garima. "I really need your help; please step in and let me explain."

Manas was torn. He didn't want to act like a jerk and walk away, but he also didn't want to step in and see Garima in that state of undress.

Manas had been married for almost 15 years and had always been faithful to his wife. It's not like he was a monk; he enjoyed innocent adult content online and looked at attractive people from time to time. This situation was a little too close to reality for comfort. He had really enjoyed what he had seen; Garima looked sexy in her semi-undressed state. Many Indian men would probably agree with his perspective that despite there being forms of clothing that reveal more skin, a woman in her blouse and petticoat, without the saree, was much more sexier than a topless model.

After deliberating for a few seconds, Manas stepped in.

"I really need your help putting on this saree. My palms are painted with artificial henna for the dance, and I assumed Amala knew how to drape a saree. Unfortunately, she has no idea, and I can't do it myself without ruining the henna. I saw some pictures on your Facebook where you dressed a mannequin in a saree for a competition, and I knew you'd be in the office early. Can you please help?"

Manas could have said no and dragged out the conversation and eventually help her, or quit the fuss and just help her. True to his nature, he chose the latter. He took the saree from her bag, mentally planning the proportions before starting to wrap it around her. However, he hadn't closely sized her before, so he had no choice but to ask her to spin slowly so he could see.

Garima was tense; she had to get ready and hadn't fully considered the implications of her actions. Although she wasn't shy, having Manas around while showing a little skin was something she hadn't imagined. This was turning her on a bit; her nipples were hardening and trying to poke through her padded blouse. Just the thought excited her even more, and she could feel herself getting a little wet.

As Garima slowly turned, Manas got a good glimpse of her behind in the tight petticoat. The petticoat was worn very low, revealing the beginnings of her butt cleavage. This instantly turned him on, and for a moment, he forgot that Garima would see the bulge in his jeans, which he had tucked in. The red petticoat highlighted the shape of her behind, and as she turned around, he could see her nipples pushing against her blouse. He made sure to keep his eyes down and not get caught staring.

Manas started wrapping the saree around her, leaving some length for the pleats. As he finished a perfectly folded pallu, he draped it over her shoulders and pinned it in place before moving on to the pleats. He carefully folded them to ensure they were perfectly aligned. Now that the pleats were ready, he had to tuck them into her waist. He held them toward Garima and asked her to tuck them in.

"Come on, Manas! If my hands were free, I wouldn't be standing in front of you like this. Just tuck it in; it's not like you haven't touched a girl before," Garima rolled her eyes.

"No way! I'm not going to do that. You realize I need to tuck it into your waist, and just look at how low you're wearing it," Manas said.

"It's fashionable now, Manas. Just tuck it in. There's nothing on my body you haven't seen on your wife before," Garima chuckled.

Manas felt embarrassed. This wasn't the kind of conversation he was used to having with coworkers. Garima was indeed bold; even though there was nothing wrong with what she said, it wasn't something he expected to hear. Reluctantly, he moved forward and tucked it in. His hand sprung back as if he had received a shock; he had clearly felt her pubic hair. Was she not wearing panties? How could he end up touching her hair if she was? Manas wondered.

"It's just hair, you know," Garima tried to ease the situation. Her cheeks were turning red, too. Even though she was bold, this was a little beyond her imagination. She hadn't realized this would happen, but she attempted to keep it casual to ease the discomfort. He was so visually embarrassed that he excused himself and left the room.

Garima quickly forgot about it and moved on with the event, trying to spot Manas from the stage. She couldn't find him anywhere in the auditorium.

Manas felt too awkward and decided to go home after exiting the room. He didn't even stay for the event.

Late that night, he received a text from Garima thanking him for his help and requesting that he not make a big deal out of anything that had happened that day.

After many years, Manas had a wet dream that night. All those bottled-up emotions had to find a way out.

Garima hadn't thought of Manas in a sexual way before that day, but his reluctance, restraint, and gaze had turned her on without her realizing it. A sexy crush had already taken root in her mind.

Manas avoided Garima at work for the next few days, and gradually, things began to return to normal. He seemed to have locked the event out of his mind, and their work relationship eased back to what it had been. However, he couldn't get her lovely body out of his thoughts. Every time he saw her, he remembered her in that red blouse. It was not easy to forget completely.

Though Garima was accustomed to the male gaze, Manas had been different. She now looked forward to seeing him at work. After that day, she noticed he never let his eyes wander, but she secretly yearned for it. She didn't do anything special to attract his attention, but she wanted to. The sexual attraction she had felt that day in the conference room had been intense, and her mind and body were eager for more

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Nothing much happened in the next few months until the last week of November, when they both received an email asking them to prepare for a client visit to Brazil in two weeks. They would be on-site for a month, spending the first two weeks preparing for the deployment of a product, followed by another two weeks supporting the new deployment before returning to India. This meant they would need to be in Rio for the Christmas and New Year break, which included a week off in between their work. They had been asked to stay in Brazil just in case any issues arose after the deployment during the holidays.

Manas had traveled many times during his long career; in fact, he no longer looked forward to foreign travel for work. He found the hassle of hotel stays very tedious, especially since he was a strict vegetarian and often had to make do with makeshift kitchens around the world. Reluctantly, he canceled his year-end plans and started arranging for his travel.

Garima was traveling outside of India for work for the first time. She didn't fully understand the pressures of customer interaction and felt overwhelmed with fear. She had also never stayed alone before and was unsure how she would cope with being by herself. Manas would be there, but she didn't know how much time outside of work they would be able to spend together. She simply didn't like being alone.

Garima was briefed by both the product management team and Manas about the expected etiquette at the client's location and her role there. She was also informed about common mistakes made by first-timers and things to avoid. All these dos and don'ts made her even more nervous. Manas sensed her anxiety, and after the meeting, he pulled her aside and assured her that he understood the first-time jitters and would support her at all times. He encouraged her not to worry.

Manas was known in the workplace for his technical brilliance and unconditional support for his coworkers. He had always been helpful to everyone, and Garima felt more confident knowing that he would take care of her, leaving her with little to worry about work-wise.

They landed in Rio on December 15th and were accommodated not too far from Copacabana Beach. In fact, they were at the Hilton, which was just a minute's walk from the beach. Both of them were very tired after more than 24 hours of travel; even though they traveled business class, the lack of sleep and all the sitting had exhausted them. Manas told Garima not to wait for him for dinner, as he would skip it and go to sleep. He excused himself and crashed onto his bed as soon as they reached their floor.

They were provided with adjacent rooms, both having beach-facing balconies. They were on the 36th floor, which offered a gorgeous view. Manas quickly escaped into his room, leaving Garima bored and lonely in a foreign country with no one to talk to. She had never felt this bored before. She had slept throughout her flight and was not even remotely sleepy. With no other choice, she resigned herself to boredom and hoped the next day would be better, as they had to get to the office early and would be too busy to feel bored.

Manas was up early the next day and looked his best by the time Garima saw him in the breakfast room. He appeared well-rested, fresh, and charming as usual. Garima, on the other hand, had an almost sleepless night and reluctantly made her way to the breakfast hall.

"Good morning!" beamed Manas as he sat next to her with a bowl of fruit and a couple of slices of bread. He seemed to have eased into this new place as if it was his own backyard. Some people really know how to travel. Garima admired her coworker, whom she could now call a friend.

The day went smoothly and quickly; they accomplished many tasks at a brisk pace. Even though they were at the same workplace, they hardly saw each other during the day. In fact, Manas even skipped lunch as he was busy getting things fixed at the warehouse. Garima found all her Brazilian colleagues very friendly, but she still missed Manas and longed for someone to talk to over a decent meal.

They returned to their hotel around 5 PM. As they reached their floor, Manas said goodbye and closed the door behind him as he entered his room. Garima felt so disappointed that she was almost in tears. She knew he was being professional, but she just wanted him to invite her for a cup of tea and spend some time chatting to put her at ease. She went into her room, changed into something comfortable, and made herself a cup of tea in the kitchenette. As she sat on the sofa sipping it, she realized it was ridiculous to spend the evening alone and miserable.

He heard the doorbell ring a couple of times. Just out of the shower, He had a towel tied around his waist. He hadn't ordered room service and was surprised to find someone at his door. Quickly, he put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and opened the door. Garima was waiting there with a cup of tea in her hands. Before Manas could say anything, she entered the room and sat comfortably on the sofa, her feet dangling from the armrest.

Manas must have been in the shower; the room smelled of fresh soap. He was wearing a pair of shorts and an undershirt. Garima had never seen him like this; he actually looked very attractive. He appeared surprised and a bit lost when he saw her enter his room, which was very clean and organized, except for a pair of underwear lying on the bed. He quickly grabbed it and excused himself into the washroom. Garima realized she had caught him in a towel without anything underneath, which brought a chuckle to her face.

"I have to admit, I was feeling very lonely today. I've never lived alone. If you don't mind, can we have some tea together? It will help me relax," Garima said honestly.

Manas hardly heard what Garima had just said. He could not believe what he was seeing. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a lounge shirt, clearly not wearing anything under her shirt. As she sat on the armrest of the sofa, the shirt strained a bit, and there were gaps between the buttons through which he could see her skin. After she moved a couple of times, her nipple became visible. They were dark red in color and not too erect, but she seemed to have very large areolas. Manas had always been attracted to nipples, literally and figuratively. This sight was giving him an erection, and he was in his shorts. There was no way he could hide the bulge. He wanted to change the subject and asked her if she wanted any snacks with her tea, quickly leaving the room to fetch some.

Was that a bulge? Garima wondered. It had to be; he looked clearly uncomfortable. She had no mood to return to her room. She wanted to have a decent conversation.

By the time Manas returned with snacks, Garima had adopted a more traditional way of sitting, her shirt straighter. They talked for a long time that evening, and after about an hour, she began to look very sleepy. Seeing her sleepy innocence, Manas gave in to the situation, stopped being uptight, and began to relax. He started discussing things beyond work, and by the end of the night, the ice had been truly broken.

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It had been three days since we arrived, and the weekend had finally come. On the way back to the hotel on Friday, Garima asked me what our plans were for the weekend. The word "our" surprised me; I never had plans with coworkers, especially not with a woman. I replied, "I'm not sure about your plans, but I'm thinking of getting a nice massage at the hotel."

Manas enjoyed relaxing massages. He made it a point to get one during his travels, both personal and professional. Most of the massages he had experienced were therapeutic, and a couple of them were borderline naughty. He had enjoyed those too. Most of the massages outside India had female therapists, and many of them were either without clothes or wore one of those disposable underwear, which were as good as not wearing anything. He had a kink for these massages--nothing explicit, but still a tease.

Garima had not expected Manas to be someone comfortable with taking massages. He seemed so uptight that it was hard to imagine him relaxing in the presence of another woman. This gave her an instant idea, and the thought brought a smile to her face.

"I love the idea! Let's plan a massage tomorrow," said Garima. "Let me go to the spa and check it out. If everything works out, I'll book it. Since I'm going there anyway, I can book one for you too."

Manas agreed, and both proceeded to their respective rooms. Garima later texted him, saying the spa appointment was confirmed for 9 AM on Saturday.

As Manas entered the spa, he was overwhelmed with excitement. The place smelled like the ocean, with pleasant music playing. The colors were bright and inviting, not the dark tones he despised in spas. He was pleased with the lady at the reception; she looked to be in her 20s, and her Latino features stood out. She spoke fluent English and handed him a sheet with a human body diagram, asking him to circle any specific spots where he needed attention. Manas had trouble with his tailbone and usually asked for extra attention there. He circled the area just above his buttocks, and the lady gave him a coy smile when she took the paper. He tried to defend himself, saying he had tailbone issues and needed help there. The lady asked if he wanted to wait or get started with preparations.