I had worked with Lara for close to two years. We had joined our office at the same time. She was the sort of person that was easy to get on with. She was a couple of years older than me, with a good sense of humour, easy going and good fun on nights out. She was the perfect sounding board for my dating life and always had good stories and advice to give. An additional positive was her radiant good looks. She was slightly shorter than me with a finely sculpted figure, long flowing dark hair and Mediterranean bronzed skin. Combined with her piercing eyes and warm smile, it struck me she would have felt at home as an Egyptian Goddess. Resting by a sandy beach, bathing in warm sun as a group of eager servants waited on her hand and foot. Unfortunately for myself she was coupled up at the time we started working together and became engaged about a year later. However, her engaged status did not stop my wandering gaze from admiring one part of her gorgeous body.
In the Spring and Summer of the two years we worked together, Lara would occasionally wear a pair of wedge heeled strappy sandals around the office. They perfectly modelled her shapely size five feet and drew my attention more than once. As if this tempting sight wasn't enough, she would also combine these sandals with my favourite type of pedicure on her toes, French tipped. My heart would soar into my throat and my mouth would salivate each day she came to work with her perfectly shaped toes immaculately adorned with it. It was such a distraction I could barely control myself. My eyes wandering under the table in team meetings to see her flexing her toes against the straps of her sandals. I would linger under my desk when plugging in my laptop, just a few extra moments, to gaze across at her crossed bronzed legs with one dainty sandal clad foot dangling in the air. Only a few feet away, I wished more then ever I had the power to pause time so I could crawl over to sniff and kiss their perfection.
It came as a shock when Lara announced that she was leaving to go to another job. I was happy for her of course. The opportunity sounded great and she would get a lot more experience in areas she wasn't getting in her existing role. Most of the other girls in the office whilst equally beautiful did not have such a strong affinity for open toed shoes in the office, preferring ballet flats, closed toe heels or boots. I had to come to terms with the fact I was losing not only a good friend and colleague, but also a pair of gorgeous feet I had come to admire. At Lara's request, the parting gathering in the office was kept low key as she only really wanted a close-knit group for her leaving do. As a team we shared some cake and coffee, but she was more interested in going for a night out for her proper send off. She left early in order to go and get ready and the team picked a good cocktail bar for the night.
I arrived early and made my way upstairs. The venue was one of the newer trendy cocktail bars in town with lots of rose gold panels, mirrors, metal chairs and white tables. The team texted to say they were only a few minutes away, so I went ahead and ordered myself a gin cocktail. Along the wall opposite the bar was a series of booths with rounded leather sofas and I made for the one with the reserved sign with Lara's name on it. I had only taken a few sips when the rest of the team arrived. Lara led the party through the door. She was wearing a stunning black dress that hugged her figure perfectly. Her long hair was tied back and, on her feet, she was wearing a sexy pair of heels I hadn't seen before. They were black patent leather with a high heel and open toed, perfectly showing off the tips of her French pedicured toes. My heart leapt as I saw them, and I rose to greet her.
"You're starting early! Couldn't wait for the rest of us?" She said to me with a radiant smile as we hugged.
"I know how these nights go. Thought I'd get a head start. What are you drinking?"
"Umm, I'll take a glass of prosecco for now." She replied.
I brought her drink from the bar and the night got into full swing. We spent time reminiscing, with lots of funny stories and dramas from the past two years. As the cocktails and prosecco flowed a few people opted to head on with our Manager being one of the first to go. He was followed not long after by Lara's Manager and then a few of the girls from HR and Marketing. By the end there was a group of about 5 of us left as it got close to midnight. The music had started by that stage and the open area near our table became a dance floor. I joined the others for a few light-hearted spins around the floor. Lara returned to the table and slid around the booth sofa to check her phone and text her fiancée. I sat down at the end of the sofa to catch my breath and take a sip of my drink. Karen from our team threw herself down in the seat beside me. She was the same age as Lara with a short, sharp blonde haircut and emerald eyes.
"I wish we didn't just have nights like these when people leave!" She said.
"I know, would be much better to just do this every Friday!" I replied.
"Are you taking Lara home?"
"Me? I didn't think so. Isn't her fiancée coming to get her?" I queried.
"No. She said to me earlier he is away with work and isn't back until next week. We all kind of live in different parts of town and you would probably be closest to hers so maybe you could split a taxi?"
"Guess so, but not sure what her fiancée would say about another man taking her home."
"Well he's not here is he? Besides he would probably prefer that than she doesn't get home at all. You're normally the last man standing on these nights out anyway so makes sense."
"You think Lara is going to want to stay on to the bitter end?"
"It's her leaving do, wouldn't be right if she didn't!" Karen chirped in reply.
She turned and got up to re-join the others on the dancefloor. I took a sip of my drink and turned to Lara who was still texting on her phone. My eyes inevitably wandered down her body, under the table, to her shapely feet in those extraordinary patent heels. Her legs were crossed and one was dangling in mid-air. She flexed her toes in them, straining against the tight leather. The motion caused her heel to slip free from the back of the shoe and she was suddenly dangling the shoe, exposing her arch and part of her sole. My heart raced and my eyes suddenly flicked up to meet Lara's who was now looking over at me. She smiled and took a sip of her prosecco. With one flick of her arch the heel returned into place and she slid it back on with her hand. She moved around the sofa so she was sitting beside me.
"Having a good night?"
"Absolutely. I knew your leaving do wasn't going to be a quiet one!"
"I know. I am really going to miss everyone. But especially you. I mean we were desk buddies and the gossip was always good about your dating life. Will you miss me?"
"Of course. I mean I'll have to find a new love advice guru and drinking buddy."
"I think I've gone a bit hard tonight. Reckon I will have one more drink and one more dance then that's me."
"You want to share a taxi back? We are pretty much in the same direction."
"Yeah, sounds perfect. Come on, you're not getting out of the last dance!"
We made our way up onto the floor with the others. Lara steadied herself on my arm and I could feel she was well along. The prosecco and gin had taken their toll. She managed to have not only another prosecco but also agreed to a round of shots to finish off the pool we had started for drinks. As a group we made our way outside and Lara said her final emotional goodbyes to everyone. I had booked a taxi via an app and it was waiting for us. I opened the door and Lara grasped at my hand to steady herself.
"Oh, thank-you kind sir." She said as she threw herself onto the back seat.
I had only been to Lara's once before when sharing a taxi with her and a couple of others from the team when we were heading to an awards ceremony. I was amazed I remembered it. The traffic lights and late-night revellers whizzed by as the taxi travelled out towards the suburbs where Lara lived. She continued to rhapsodize from the back seat all she was going to miss from the office and how I was such a nice guy and great to work with. The taxi soon pulled up outside Lara's house.
"Ok Lara, guess this is goodbye."
"Wait, can you come in with me? With Stephen not here I think I would be a liability falling around the house."
"Ok, I'll help you in." I replied.
Lara fumbled at the car door until it fell open and she staggered out, propping herself up on the garden hedgerow. The taxi driver turned to me.
