Laura and I met at a party when I was twenty-two. She was two years younger than me and in the final year of a biology degree at the city's university, while I was completing a postgraduate qualification in medieval history at the same university. The party had been organised by a mutual friend and there were loads of people there, most of whom I didn't know.
Our eyes had met across the room, and I was instantly attracted to this young girl. She was tall, slim and blonde, and dressed that night in a truly short, tartan skirt complemented with a white blouse, through which I could make out the outline of a lacy bra. She had exquisite legs, shapely breasts, but not overly large, and a pert bum. Together with the seemingly innocent expression on her face, she ticked every box for me, but I couldn't help feeling she was out of my league.
Nevertheless, she must have seen something she liked in me because she gave me a cheeky smile as our eyes made contact. I felt myself blushing at this compliment, so much so I could no longer look at her, instead my gaze dropping to the floor.
After a few seconds, I plucked up the courage to look up again and my redness increased as I saw she was making her way across the crowded room to talk to me. It was only weeks later that she explained to me that she had detected my natural submissiveness towards females, and this had been the attraction.
"Hello," she began, in a seductive voice, "I'm Laura. Who are you?"
"Hello, Laura," I replied. "I'm Stephen. It's... it's lovely to meet you."
"Hmm... Stephen? Do you mind if I call you Stevie? I prefer that to Stephen. It's less formal."
Actually, I did mind. I don't like being called Stevie, because it sounds immature, but hypocritically I responded, "Not at all, Laura, you can call me Stevie if you want."
"Yes, I do very much want! So, tell me about yourself, Stevie," she said. "Do you have a girlfriend for a start?"
I gave a nervous giggle and said I didn't, to which she instantly replied, "Well, you do now!" I blushed as she gave me a peck on the cheek. "Unless you're gay, of course?"
"Oh, God, no... no, I'm not gay!" I hastened to reply, my face now resembling a beetroot in colour.
She laughed, adding, "That's a relief, but I'm still waiting for you to tell me about yourself, Stevie. Don't be shy."
Fearing I might bore her, I spent no more than a few minutes giving her a short, potted history of my life. Nonetheless, I found myself babbling nervously and I instantly regretted blurting out that I'd never had a steady girlfriend. This admission elicited a smile from her sweet face. I ended by saying, in a self-deprecating manner, "So that's it, Laura. A boring existence, I'm afraid. What about you?"
She batted my question away, answering, "There's nothing much to tell, Stevie. I'm guessing you're not doing anything next Saturday?"
She'd guessed right. "Er... no, nothing, Laura."
"Cool, then you can take me out for dinner. I'll let you choose the restaurant, because it will let me see how good your tastes are. I hope you don't disappoint me, poppet. You can pick me up at 7 PM."
"Poppet"?! What sort of soubriquet was that for a grown man? I could have told her that I didn't like being called "poppet", but instead I simply smiled at her. She knowingly smiled back and then scribbled down her address and phone number on a scrap of paper and thrust it into my shirt pocket. She gave me another peck on the cheek and, with a sly grin, remarked, "See you Saturday, poppet!" I was left standing there, scarlet-faced. Being called "Stevie" was bad enough, but "poppet" was worse. And if it hadn't been for the piece of paper she had left me, I might have thought the next day that I had dreamt the entire bizarre encounter.
oooOOooo
I spent a fretful week. The thought of going out with such a beautiful girl turned me on, especially knowing that she was attracted to me for some reason I couldn't fathom (at least not at that time). On the other hand, in the few minutes we'd spent together she had come across as assertive--demanding, almost--and I was haunted by her words, "I hope you don't disappoint me".
I felt there was every chance I would do exactly that, especially as she'd given me no clue as to what culinary experience she most enjoyed. After considerable procrastination, I eventually settled on an Italian restaurant in the town centre and booked a table for Saturday evening at 7:15. She wanted picking up, which meant I had to drive, which also meant I was unable to have a drink to steady my nerves.
I arrived at her flat a couple of minutes after seven and rang the doorbell. She quickly answered it, and was standing there in her coat, ready to go. She was every bit as attractive as when I'd seen her at the party. However, I was knocked slightly off-kilter when she chastised me by saying, "You're two minutes late, poppet. Didn't your mother tell you that it's better to be early than late?"
"Er... sorry, Laura. There was a traffic jam near the university."
"There are always traffic jams near the uni, pumpkin, always. You need to factor them in, so that you're not late in future." She stared at me before adding, in her sultry tone, "But we won't let your regrettable lateness spoil the evening." She gave me one of her pecks on the cheek.
We set off for the restaurant and, as we were running a couple of minutes late, I put my foot down. "Are you trying to kill us, poppet?" she asked, unnecessarily clutching the grab handle above the door of the car. "You're doing thirty-five in a thirty. Slow down, for heaven's sake!"
"Sorry," I replied, chastened, easing off on the accelerator.