Based on a true story. Names changed to protect the guilty. More details of true events to follow if this is liked enough. All characters are well over 18. Please provide feedback...good or bad!
"Thanks for staying and helping out tonight," I said. "I never would have finished up with three people out sick."
"You're welcome," DeeDee said as she sat back down at her desk. She handed me the soda she had gotten in the breakroom when she grabbed her own. "I can't believe we finished with almost two hours to spare. Pull that chair around so that you can see my monitor."
I grabbed a chair and put it right beside hers. DeeDee was the older sister of a friend of mine from high school. We'd known each other for around 14 years, and she helped get me a job with the company. It was crappy hours as I oversaw a crew of 5 that worked from 2 pm to 10 pm on weekdays. Crappy hours, but a foot in the door was what I needed.
We had become better friends since I'd joined the company. Her sister is who I was close to in school. I always enjoyed being around DeeDee, but she was usually with her friends her own age. A small group of us would hang out in the summers at their pool, especially since both of her parents worked during the days. Being able to go on weekend nights when their parents were gone was always fun. DeeDee usually hung out then, too, to "supervise" which was more to ensure nobody got injured or worse. It certainly wasn't to make us behave. She would have failed miserably at that.
"So, here's the next project the development team is working on. I know that's where you'd like to end up, but please don't let anyone know you saw this," she said. "It's still confidential, and I could get in trouble if they found out."
"I'd never do anything to get you in trouble," I said, lightly touching her knee. I didn't do it in a sexual way at all, but looking into her pretty brown eyes when I said it sent something through me unexpectedly. We have playfully flirted for years, especially when I was in high school and drinking at her house, but that was as far as it ever went. Very innocent stuff, at least as far as the other knew.
"I know you wouldn't. I just wanted to let you know so that you were aware." The look in her eyes just seemed different, and when she touched my knee, it sent a shock through me. Weird.
"Hey, DeeDee," Michelle said, lightly knocking on her office door. "Lacy and I are going to head out early since we finished so early.
"Thanks for rocking it with us tonight, Michelle," DeeDee said. "Lacy, you two were tremendous in helping us finish up. You ladies go downtown and have some fun. I may meet you down there in a couple of hours."
After looking at the new project details for about 20 minutes, I still had over an hour and a half before I had to close things up. "Why don't you go ahead and meet the girls? You don't have to babysit me."
"I'm not babysitting you, silly. I honestly don't feel like going out tonight. I have to be in at 7:30 in the morning, and I'd rather strip down and take a long, hot shower when I leave." She smiled seductively, but it was playful. Then she laughed. "What's wrong, not the image you expected?"
I then laughed, too. "You have no idea what image I had in my mind," raising my eyebrows up and down, again playfully flirting.
"Honestly, I can lock up. Why don't you go early? You're salary, you'll still get paid. Nobody will know anyway. Go see Sara. I hate that you don't get to see her much until weekends with your conflicting work schedules."
"She left after she got off work today for a long weekend up at her sister's house in Michigan. Her parents wanted her to go for her niece's fifth birthday party this weekend."
"Oh, fun."
"I guess. They won't be back until next Wednesday."
"So how are the wedding plans coming? How far away is the big day?"
"I have no idea how the plans are coming. My job is to just show up," I said, laughing. "But we are still over eight months out. I don't know why we need such a long engagement. We've been together for four years. Let's just get it over with."
DeeDee gave me a quizzical look. "Aren't you excited about the wedding?"
"No, not really. I don't like being the center of attention anywhere I go. And we've been together long enough that we feel married already. Let's just get it over with."
"Okay, word of advice," she said, this time her hand staying on my leg longer than before. "I'm serious. Don't let her know you feel this way"
"Too late. We fought about it yesterday."
"What did you say?"
Without thinking, I blurted out, "That I can't hold out eight more months." I stopped talking. Yeah, that sounded bad to admit. Not just that I can't hold out but that I even admitted to having to hold out.
DeeDee's hand stayed on my leg. "What do you mean by hold out?"
"Nothing. I'm sorry. I shouldn't complain."
"Do you two not have sex?"
My face reddened. I can't believe that I said it to DeeDee. The look in her face was a mixture of concern and intrigue. "I probably shouldn't continue." Truth is, even though DeeDee and I had gotten closer since I'd started here, and I considered her a good friend, I was never the type to talk about my sex life. Not with my best friends. Certainly, never with another female.
"Oh my gosh. You aren't having sex with her?"
"DeeDee, please stop. I'm going to look like an asshole if I say more." I thought it was better to play on the side of being chivalrous rather than being scared to talk about sex. I did want someone I could talk to about it, but I almost preferred that would be with a stranger and not a friend. Especially not a female friend.
"Well, that certainly answers that." I noticed her hand was still on my leg. "I can't believe you have to wait eight more months after having already waited four years. I didn't know anyone that waited that long anymore."
"No, we used to." Shit, why am I admitting this?
"Hold the fuck up. You used to have sex, but now you don't? That ain't right."
"I don't like talking about sex with anyone. Sorry. Can we change the subject?" DeeDee rubbed my leg to what I took as pity. She had heard me complain about Sara too many times. All little stuff that I never should have brought up anyway. Maybe it was the frustration of not having sex with her anymore.
"I'm not trying to get too personal. I'm sorry. I am for many reasons. But I care about you. You know that."
"Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll be okay." I looked away from her, partly in shame for admitting it in a way that made me look like I need sex all the time, but partly in shame for her knowing details about my sex life.
When I looked back over at her, she was staring into my eyes. I could see the struggle of what to say next. We'd already gone down a road previously untraveled. Her hand was still on my thigh. "Are you sure you're, okay?"
I shook my head. "No, I'm not sure." I wasn't sure about my pathetic sex life. I wasn't sure about a co-worker, even if it was an old friend, knowing my sex life. I wasn't sure about anything now.
"I can tell it's bothering you. Please, if you think it will help you, I'm a really good listener. Just think of me as one of your guy friends."
I looked over at her. She smiled. My eyes looked down past her smile, down to her full chest. The fabric stained against the mountains beneath. I looked further down to her short skirt. She had either hose or stockings on, and now my mind started to race. "You don't look anything like my guy friends."
"Thank goodness. I hope none of them have these," she said, taking both hands and grabbing her tits and shaking them. Then she started laughing. I joined in. The tension was broken. I needed to laugh more than anything, and she knew it. I felt instantly relaxed.
I reached out and touched her arm. She grabbed my hand and held it, pulling her sleeve down with her other hand. Both of our hands were warm and even a little sweaty. Was it the temperature in her office or the subject matter? I looked down at our hands, and her thumb started to caress my hand.
"Can I ask you something?"
"You just did," I said, chuckling at my own dumb joke.
"You're such a comedian. But I'm serious."
"Of course, you can. You know you can ask anything."
"Oh really? You better think about that," she said with a devilish smile.
Okay, where was this going. The laughter we had just shared released the tension, and I was in a better mood. I knew she wouldn't ruin it. "Yes, you can ask anything."