All comments and feedback are gratefully received as I'm hoping the feedback will encourage improvements in my work. This is a work of fiction from the deep dank recesses of my mind and any resemblance to real people is purely accidental.
This story depicts interracial sex between consenting adults, if this not to your liking, please visit some of my other submissions, otherwise I hope you enjoy.
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It was nothing new to Harvinder, or Harvi as she preferred to be addressed. She had years of experience of managing implementation projects where she had to orchestrate a sizeable cast of male colleagues at the same time as fencing with the customer Management trying to pin them down to make decisions that she could measure success against. When she says orchestrate what she really means was a mixture of cajoling, nagging, molly coddling, friendly blackmail and sometimes even a little light bullying to get the best out of her colleagues to get them to bend and perform the simplest of tasks. She was also used to the usual suspects who would be obnoxious just to get a reaction out of her. She was happy to deal with that as she saw it as part of the banter, it was the dullards who weren't up to the tasks that got her back up.
Since her amateur footballer boyfriend had ducked and run, she had been single and had actually established a satisfied equilibrium. Her close circle of friends meant she was never at a loose end on a weekend and during the week she was free to travel around the country stopping away at her customer's expense. The current project was coming to an end, and she found herself stopping at an airport hotel with only one colleague for the next few days. Mark was a strange one as he could act up like some of the others when they were on the wind up and yet when she was in a one-to-one situation with him, she found him to be very different. He was inciteful, intelligent and quite charming; only too happy to help out where could.
Mark had only just flown in and they had arranged to meet up for dinner so that they could catch up on each other's gossip. He quite liked having Harvi as the Project Manager on his projects, she was keen that her consultants all stick within the agreed Customer guidelines and yet she herself could push the boundaries a bit -- it was after all part of her banter with the customer. Once the two had caught up on each other's recent activities' conversations turned to the coming holiday weekend. She knew John was single and was curious "How are you and... Eloise, wasn't it?"
He was quite nonchalant about it saying "Well, we had an enjoyable, if brief, time together but it ran its course. You know?"
She was actually after some juicier detail, but he wasn't forthcoming and so changed the topic "Shame, still those no point living a lie if it's come to an end. So, any plans for the holiday ahead?"
After taking a sip of his drink, Mark shuck his head "Absolute zero. I've got laundry to catch up on but after a couple of hectic weeks I'm just kicking back and enjoying some peace and quiet. How about you?"
Harvi shrugged and replied "Not much different for me although I was tempted to go and see a film coming out in time for the holiday but... I don't know, it just feels weird going to the flicks on my own."
Mark shook his head disapprovingly "I have to say that I'm thoroughly ashamed of modern men. They should be queuing around the block to date you. You ought to be in the position of beating them off with a shitty stick. What is it with men your age?"
Harvi went quiet for a few minutes which surprised Mark, he was used to a different person. "At first, I thought it was the app I used but now I think I'm just giving off the wrong messages. I mean you know me, right? What's wrong with me?"
Mark held his hands up in submission "This could lead down a very dangerous path but for what my opinion is worth, if I were ten years younger, I'd be making a pest of myself around you -- From a red-blooded male perspective, you're gorgeous and don't start doubting otherwise." She truly had a smile that could melt icebergs, but she also possessed a lovely curvaceous body and had long dark hair that seemed to shimmer in certain lights.
Harvi reached out her hand to his and said "Arrrr, thank you. I was on a bit of a downer, but it does my spirits good to hear that sort of thing sometimes. So, what would you tell your previous self from ten years ago about me?"
Mark looked a bit quizzical, 'Where was this heading' he wondered. After a short pause he cleared his throat, sat up a little straight and said "Well for starters look deeper. That smile might light up the darkest room and you are indeed very beautiful -- plus, if I'm not being out of order -- bloody sexy I might add" Harvi's smiled beamed even wider at that and so he continued "The person inside is even better and is the perfect mix of intelligent, funny, warm while strong and independent, gives as good as she gets when needed and yet extremely friendly pretty much to everyone I've seen you interact with. Even if sometimes you are beating them up metaphorically."