Melissa sat in the back of the sleek black car, her fingers nervously clutching the laptop holding her presentation. The air in the car felt cool, a stark contrast to the warmth of her anxiety. Her business attire -- a crisp white blouse tucked into a knee-length black pencil skirt--felt suddenly constricting, as if it were a uniform for a role she wasn't sure she could play. The drive ahead was long -- ninety minutes to a business meeting where she'd be presenting in front of senior executives. Her hands smoothed over the fabric of her skirt, but the gesture did little to calm the butterflies in her stomach.
The chauffeur was a study in professionalism. His dark hair was neatly combed, his suit impeccably tailored, and his eyes fixed steadily on the road ahead. The car smelled faintly of leather and cologne, a clean, masculine scent that did little to calm Melissa's nerves. She glanced out the window at the passing scenery -- trees blurring into a green smudge, the occasional car zipping by in the opposite direction -- but her mind remained fixated on the presentation. What if she forgot her material? What if they didn't like her ideas? What if she failed?
"Everything okay back there?" The driver's voice was deep, smooth, with just a hint of amusement.
Melissa looked up, meeting his gaze in the rearview mirror. He was older than her, maybe early-forties, with a confident ease about him. His hands rested lightly on the wheel, his sleeves rolled up just enough to hint at strong forearms.
"Nervous," she admitted with a small laugh. "Big presentation."
He nodded knowingly. "You know," he said casually, his deep voice smooth and measured, "I once had a passenger who was just as nervous as you. She was on her way to a big meeting too. But she ended up... well, relaxing in a way I didn't expect."
Melissa's head snapped toward him, her curiosity piqued despite her anxiety. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The computer in her hands felt suddenly foreign, as if it belonged to someone else.
He hesitated just long enough to build suspense, then smirked. "Well... there was this one woman. She had a huge conference presentation coming up, and she told me she needed to relax. Next thing I knew, she was--" He let the sentence hang.
Melissa blinked, realizing what he meant. "You're joking."
"Not at all," he chuckled. "Some people meditate. Others take deep breaths. And some? Well, they find other ways to unwind."
Heat rose to her cheeks, but she found herself smiling. "That's insane." She hadn't expected such a candid story, especially from a chauffeur. But there was something about the way he told it--matter-of-fact, almost clinical--that made it feel less scandalous and more... intriguing.
"Maybe," he said, eyes flicking to hers in the mirror. "But it worked for her. She crushed her meeting."
"Really?" she murmured, her fingers loosening their grip on the computer. The image of a woman pleasuring herself in the back of a car flashed through her mind, unbidden and surprisingly vivid. She shook it off, focusing instead on the absurdity of the situation. "I don't think I could ever do that," she said with a nervous laugh.
He chuckled softly. "You'd be surprised what people do when they're stressed. It's not like anyone's watching, right?"
Melissa shook her head, but as they continued talking, she realized something -- her nerves had eased. By the time they reached the office, she felt lighter, focused. As she stepped out of the car, she glanced back at him. "Thanks for the distraction. I think it helped."
"Anytime," he said, his voice warm. "Good luck."
The meeting went better than she had imagined. No stumbles, no nervous rambling. Her presentation flowed smoothly, her points landing with confidence. When she slid back into the car for the ride home, she felt a rush of relief -- and something else. A thrill. The kind that came from knowing she had conquered something big.
The driver glanced at her through the mirror. "You're glowing. Went well?"
Melissa laughed, kicking off her heels. "Better than I expected. And I think I owe some of that to your story."
He grinned. "Glad I could help."