Diane looked down and smiled to herself. Although it was far from small, Clive's hand looked almost tiny as it massaged the vast expanse of her boob, and compared to her pale skin it looked even darker than it really was. Ever since her first sexual awakening she had always had fantasies about black men, wondering if they were really as well endowed as she had heard. Now she hoped she was about to find out.
Eighteen months ago her marriage had broken down, and because her husband was the only man she had ever been with, in fact her only boyfriend, she had been struggling to find her way back into the social scene, when a friend casually mentioned an over thirties singles bar she had heard about. Diane hadn't been too keen on the idea, after all she wasn't exactly desperate, but she was fed up sitting at home on her own, so she figured it wouldn't hurt to check it out. The first thing that struck her when she walked through the door, was that there was nothing really remarkable about anyone there. She didn't know what she had expected, if anything, but ordinariness was not it. The fact was that most of the people looked just as drab and overweight as she felt herself to be, and she heaved a small sigh of relief that she wouldn't stand out from the crowd. Finding a corner table, she ordered a drink from a waitress, and when it came she sat watching the other patrons as she sipped. As the bar became more crowded, groups formed and the atmosphere became more relaxed.
After a while it became clear that many of the clientele were there for more than merely a social drink. Her eyes widened as she saw a grinning woman thrust her hand into the pants pocket of a man standing beside her. It was obvious from his expression that she wasn't seeking loose change, and she laughed as another member of her group briefly cupped her breasts. Feeling uncomfortably like a reluctant voyeur, Diane drained her glass and signalled to the waitress for a refill. Unlike some of the people here sex was the last thing on her mind - all she wanted was company - but she'd gone to the trouble of coming here so she may as well enjoy a few drinks and head home. She was halfway through her third drink, and deciding to call it a night when she spotted a trio of black people, two men and a woman standing near the bar. The woman was around her own age and quite attractive, and although Diane didn't know her, there was something vaguely familiar about one of the men. It was a few moments before she realised she'd seen him several times in her local shopping centre, but hadn't taken much notice other than that he was one of the few black men she'd seen there. The three chatted for a few minutes as they surveyed the bar, then the woman kissed one of the men on the cheek and left with the third.
Almost as though he sensed Diane's eyes on him, the remaining man turned to look in her direction then casually strolled towards her table, and without speaking he set his drink on the table and took a seat facing her.
Now that they were finally face to face she studied him as frankly as he was studying her. He took a sip from his glass before he spoke, and when he did she was surprised at the mellowness of his voice.
"I've seen you in the supermarket." It was a statement rather than a question, and she nodded. There was an uncomfortable silence for some minutes, and then he spoke again. "This is the first time I've been here. My friend and his wife persuaded me to give it a try."
She nodded her head again in understanding. "I know what you mean. A friend told me about the place too. I only came to have some company other than myself."
Now that the ice had been broken, he introduced himself as Clarence, grimacing almost apologetically as he said the name and they both seemed to visibly relax. The conversation began to flow more easily, and despite her original reservations she slowly found herself warming to him, really enjoying his company, so it was with genuine reluctance that after a while she pointed out the time, and said she should look for a cab before the late rush started. When he suggested that since they were both going to the same area maybe they could share a cab, it made perfect sense so she readily agreed. It took several attempts before a cab finally stopped for them, and there had been nothing about his demeanour that rang any alarm bells with her, so she gave it little thought when he put his arm around her waist as he helped her into the back seat before taking his place beside her.
Halfway through the trip another car emerged without warning from a parking space, causing their cab to swerve suddenly and throwing her against him. As he raised his arms reflexively her breast pressed against his palm and they both froze. Pulling a face to cover her embarrassment she pulled away and settled back into her seat. The remainder of the cab ride passed in an awkward silence. She knew it had been a pure accident, but she couldn't take her mind off how his hand had felt. It had been years since a stranger had touched her there, and although it had been unintentional she couldn't stop wondering how it would feel to have his hand inside her bra. To cover her confusion she fumbled in her purse for her share of the cab fare, but he put his hand over hers in refusal. As she turned to insist she realised his face was closer to hers than she thought, and before she could draw back his lips met hers. The kiss was brief, but his full lips were so soft and warm that as he broke off she responded without thinking, and moved closer.
At that moment the cab stopped outside her house, and her companion sighed softly. "Thank you for a very nice evening," he said quietly. "I'll walk you to your door before I head home if it's OK?"
She couldn't trust herself to say anything, so he took her silence as agreement, climbing out of the car and moving around to open her door. The unexpected chivalry surprised her, and as he helped her out she grasped his hand firmly. She opened her mouth to thank him, but the words that came out stunned them both. "Why don't you pay the driver and come in for a coffee or something?" Even as she said it she knew how it must have sounded, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to care. Without speaking Clarence paid the fare, and as the cab drove away he accompanied Diane to the door. Her hands were trembling as she fumbled with her keys, finally finding the right one and turning it in the lock.