It was the day of the America's Cup Parade. Four hundred thousand people - almost half the population of the city - had gathered on the streets of Auckland to cheer the victorious crew of the Black Magic boats and share the party atmosphere on a warm sunny day. We were all tremendously excited, as our company had been involved in a very small way in helping get some of the smaller sponsors on board early on, so like the other 3.8 million kiwis we really felt we'd had a part in Black Magic's success.
We're pretty good at knowing how to have a good time in our office. The directors had organised a champagne brunch before the parade. It started early, the champagne flowed freely, we watched the video's of the races, and eventually we all strolled down to Queen Street for the parade.
If you were there you'll know what a great atmosphere it was. A bright sunny day, hundreds of thousands of people all in a good mood, and something enormous to celebrate. Even without the champagne I would have been on a high.
A few of us had taken a little collapsible bench from the stores to stand on. We set it up at the back of the crowd and found that, although it only gave us a foot or so extra height, at least we could see over the heads of the tall guys in front of us. Other people later came in behind us but they didn't seem to mind, so we had a reasonable view.
The excitement was building up well before the parade started. Someone had brought down the rest of the champagne from the office, so we went on celebrating in the midst of all the other happy people. It was a great crowd and a tremendously fun atmosphere, and we attracted a few cheery insults about the champagne set in the grandstand, which we returned.
I'd forgotten it was red socks day that morning (lucky red socks had become the motif for the campaign), and had dressed more normally in a little red jacket I'm rather fond of and a short black pleated skirt. It was a nice cool outfit for a warm day.
The first vehicles came into sight and we all cheered. Our little bench was holding rather more people than it should, and the combination of that and the champagne caused us to sway a little bit in the crowd. I almost fell off at one point, and I was glad when a firm hand caught my hip and steadied me from behind.
The hand didn't let go immediately, but slid down the side of my bottom and over the top of my thigh a bit before it was removed, and I thought someone was being a bit cheeky. I glanced behind me but there were so many people there it was hard to tell who had caught me - none of them was looking at me - so I smiled and turned back.
The parade was nearly with us now and my attention turned to the front again. There was the crowd pressure all around and I had been laughing with my friends for quite some time before I realised that a hand was gently pressed against my calf. It could have been an accident, but when the hand started stroking me gently I knew it wasn't. In the crowd I couldn't even look down and see the fingers which were brushing against my skin, let alone who was doing it, but the sensation was not unpleasant and I didn't want to cause a fuss.
There was now a gentle stroking on the outside of both of my legs, perfectly in time, and I knew whoever it was must be right behind me. I accepted a top-up of my glass from Wendy, and as I cheered the first of the cars bearing Team New Zealand I waited to see what would happen next. 'I wonder how far he'll dare to go?' I asked myself.
Having skirted my knees the hands were now low upon my thighs, moving in little circles, almost massaging me, apparently motionless but creeping upwards a fraction with each rotation. 'He'll have to stop soon or I shall say something,' I thought.
I wobbled on the bench again as somebody pushed one end and again the strong hands held me. When I was steady again though I realised he'd taken advantage of the move to firm his hold upon just my left leg. There were now hands on both sides, with the fingers of his right hand moving inexorably up towards my inner thigh. In the crush I was sure no-one could see anything, but I was totally shocked by this blatant groping I was receiving. I pressed my legs together and trapped the hand. He appeared to take the hint for he stopped where he was and just went on stroking away with his free hand.
The parade went on and I returned my attention to it, which was probably a mistake. Some of the crew were in the cars now and we were all waving and shouting and cheering, and I forgot to keep the hand trapped as I went up on tip-toes to see our heroes. The hand rose with my leg, but when I came down again it stayed up there. It had made an extra couple of inches or so, and it was now on the incredibly soft and sensitive part of my upper thigh. I love being touched there and I endured the sensation for a whole second or so before I clamped my legs shut again.
My mind was now much more on my unknown molester than on the parade. Here, in the midst of several hundred thousand people, some man had the nerve to be groping me in the most blatant fashion. The crowd was pressed tight around us and his actions were, I hoped, invisible to everyone else. In my slightly raised position on the bench he could have his hand right up my skirt without anyone knowing - as, in fact, he did. But I knew and he knew, and the situation created an amazing intimacy among the vast throng that I found almost irresistible.
I swear I didn't do it consciously but I must have opened my legs slightly for I found the hand stroking me again in that sensitive area, and this time I didn't stop it. Soon I couldn't, for the fingers were up in the spot where my thighs part, and I was biting my lower lip to hide my excitement. Now I was hoping he would go all the way, barely conscious of the noise and the crowd in front of me, the streamers and the hoots and shouts as I found myself being secretly stroked through my panties by a firm straight finger.
He kept the pressure up, the teasing stroking, until I was totally wet for him and he knew it. I could feel my excitement oozing from me into the flimsy material and he crooked a knuckle so he could better stimulate my opening. I couldn't take much more of this, but even so I was enormously disappointed when the finger left me, leaving me feeling suddenly empty and cold.