AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story contains scenes of extramarital and unprotected sex. If that's not for you, please move on to another fine story on this site.
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Rhonda had been shopping for over an hour now, not because she wanted to, or because she was having a great shopping trip, or because she was trying to find the right thing and struggling. No, it was because early in her trip she noticed a man watching her. Thinking he might be security in one store she changed stores, to a dress shop further down the mall, and when she came out of the dressing room she saw the same man, back in the racks, watching her while he pretended to browse.
Well, she wasn't going to be stalked, not by this guy or anyone else, and if there was a place to confront him, it was in a public area. So she pretended to shop for additional items, glancing at him surreptitiously as she moved around, slipping out of his sight while he had his head down, trying to hide that he was looking at her. From behind a rack she saw him looking where she had been before, and made her move to come up behind him, in a main aisle, with people around.
As she approached she took a momentary pause, getting a good look in the event she needed to describe him later, seeing the size of him more closely. Six-two, easy, with broad shoulders; if this went badly he could easily overpower her. She stepped quietly closer, and stood behind him, outside his arm's reach, maintaining a safe distance.
"Why are you stalking me?" she asked confrontationally. The man spun to face her, and she took the opportunity to study his face and clothing. Well dressed, striped button shirt and khakis, balding head shaved, clean, strong jaw, thin nose, green eyes. Not bad, for a stalker, she mentally evaluated.
"Oh, my God, I'm sorry," he stuttered and stumbled, "I didn't mean to -- I wasn't stalking, I swear, I was just, I, uh, please, don't be alarmed." She watched him fumble his apology and stood with her fist planted at her hip, eyeing him doubtfully as shoppers passed by.
"Not stalking? Really?" she said loud enough to turn heads.
"Oh, no," he pleaded, glancing around as people heard and stared. He backed away, hands raised, palms open and facing her. "Really, I meant no harm, honest, miss, I really didn't, I can explain."
To Rhonda, he seemed genuinely contrite, but she wasn't ready to let her guard down. "Okay, then," she said, shifting her pending purchases to her other hand, and looking him in the eye, but getting no closer, figuring that if he was really stalking her, he'd have already moved off, "Explain yourself."
"I, uh-m," he began, glancing around at passing shoppers, "well, I," he dropped his head. "I was shopping for a dress, something nice, and I, well," he paused and swallowed nervously, "well, I really don't know anything about fashion, or dresses, and I thought I could get some tips, watching you. I uh-m," he hesitated, "I thought if I asked, you'd think I was crazy, or, well, stalking you, or something."
"I kinda think that now," she interjected smartly.
"Yes, yes, I understand, please, miss, I meant no harm, really."
It's Mrs., actually," she said, shifting her weight to her other foot, her hips moving. "Why me? Of all the women shopping, why me?"
He hesitated, then smiled sheepishly. "Oh, that, well," he explained. "You seemed like the youngest one with sensible, tasteful fashion sense." His eyebrows rose hopefully with his explanation.
"Nonsense," she countered, "there are plenty of younger girls shopping here, and-"
"Oh, yes, of course," he interrupted, "but they are too young, and are looking at young girls things," he said, taking a step forward, and Rhonda took one backwards, matching him, and holding her hand up. "Okay, sorry," he said, his shoulders slumping. "You see, I'm trying to buy a dress for my daughter; I'm a single dad, and she's young, like the girls shopping, and she can pick those types of clothes on her own," he explained. "But she's turning eighteen, and I wanted to get her a young woman's dress, something with class and style, but not matronly, but I really don't know that much about it," he rambled, "and I saw you, and you seem to be closer to her age, and were looking at more elegant selections-"
"You think I'm eighteen?" she asked, grinning against her will. It was a good story, but he wasn't off the hook yet, though if it was true, she didn't want to make him squirm. At least not a lot.
""Oh, no, not eighteen, no," he stammered, "Older than that, but young still, and fashionable, and with good taste."
"Careful with the older." She smirked, and he smiled at her. A good, healthy, friendly smile. The kind you can't fake. Her hesitance slipped a little.
"Sorry, no, not much older, thirty maybe? But like I said, fashionable; you carry yourself well, confident, well dressed, and you were looking at the type of dresses I imagined for my daughter."
"Your Ex wouldn't help you?"
"No," he said, eyes softening, losing his panic, "no, she died, almost ten years ago." Rhonda felt embarrassment at her assumption, and it must have showed. "No, it's okay; it was a long time ago. My daughter and I, well, we have each other, and that's enough. But like I said, she's turning eighteen, and I wanted to get her something nice, elegant, a Young Woman's Dress." She could hear the capitalization in his words.
Rhonda looked at him, and assessed his sincerity. She looked at the dresses in her hands. And glanced at her watch. Plenty of time until Walt finished helping his friend move furniture, which was why she was shopping alone in the first place. She'd have much rather spent the day with him, home, or out, just being together and maybe making slow, luxurious love in the afternoon. Instead she was talking to Not A Stalker about his daughter.
"Seriously, Mrs., uh-m"
"Call me Rhonda."
"Thanks for understanding, Rhonda, really, I'm sorry if I frightened you," he said, taking a tentative step forward, and she didn't retreat this time. "It's Frank, Frank Langdon. I can give you my address if you're still concerned, really, I meant no harm." He sighed. "I just wanted to do something nice for my daughter. She really has no grown female influence, and I wanted to-"
"All right," she cut him off, and looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "I'll tell you what. Let me get these paid for, and we can talk about it. Are you hungry?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh, sure."
"Great, she said, putting her hand out to shake his. "I'll take that address anyway, but let me check out these dresses, and then you can buy me lunch, and we can discuss your daughter's fashion, and see if we can help out a nice Dad. Okay?"
For the next hour and a half they sat and ate and talked, and she got to know a little more about Frank, and his life raising his daughter, and their relationship. With her initial suspicions long faded, she found herself listening to his stories, enjoying his company, and halfway through the meal, switching from compassionate caring tolerance to beginning to like him. The second half of the meal she spoke of Walt, their lives together (leaving out their current penchant for adventurous sex) and then began asking about his daughter, her likes and dislikes, so she could better determine what type of dress to look for. When the meal was done she led him to another store, and she made some selections.
She was holding up some dresses for him to examine, and was waiting for him to agree or disagree. He looked at her helplessly.
"Rhonda," he explained, "if Walt can do this, then he's a better man than me. My wife used to do this to me, too," he said. "She'd hold up a dress or blouse, and all I can see is a bunch of fabric. I just don't have the woman's eye to see it as it would be, worn."
"Men," she shook her head, laughing, "it's a wonder you can dress yourselves."
"Sorry, I have to see it on."
"Well, you can't surprise her if you bring her shopping and make her try it on."
"Could you try it on?"
"Men," she repeated. "You know I am not built like an eighteen year old girl."
"Oh, no, I know, you're bigger than-"
"Be careful with the bigger, Frank," she warned good-naturedly. "It's like telling a woman she's old!"
He laughed. "No, I mean you're a similar shape and body type, but, well, fuller." She eyed him cautiously, but smiling. "But if you found it in your size, I could get an impression of how it looks and falls."
"Seriously? You want me to model dresses for you?" She pretended irritation, but was secretly enjoying the compliment. "It's not what I had in mind when I said I'd help you."