Lisa glanced at the clock on her office wall - 5:15 PM. The meeting was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago, and she was already feeling the irritation bubble up in her chest. She tapped her pen against her desk, her foot bouncing beneath it. Why do these attorneys always think their time is more valuable than mine? Just as she was about to pick up the phone to call the receptionist, there was a soft knock on her door.
"Come in," she said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.
The door opened, and in walked James Carter, the new attorney from the firm the hospital used. Lisa had heard his name in passing but hadn't met him until now. He was... striking. Tall, with broad shoulders that filled out his tailored suit perfectly, his black skin so smooth it seemed to glow under the fluorescent lights. His dark eyes locked onto hers.
"Lisa?" he asked, his voice deep and smooth, like melted chocolate. "I'm James Carter. I apologize for being late. Traffic was a nightmare."
Late. Of course. But despite herself, Lisa found her irritation dissipating. There was something about the way he carried himself--confident but not arrogant--that put her at ease. She stood, extending her hand. "Lisa. And it's fine. Let's just get started."
He shook her hand firmly, his grip warm and solid, lingering just a second longer than necessary. A shiver ran down her spine, and she quickly pulled her hand back, gesturing toward the chair across from her desk. "Please, have a seat."
The meeting went smoothly, though longer than Lisa anticipated. James was thorough, asking questions and taking notes with a precision that impressed her. By the time they wrapped up, it was almost 7 PM, and the sun had long since set. As they both stood, James looked genuinely apologetic.
"I'm really sorry this took so long," he said, running a hand through his short cropped hair. "Let me make it up to you. Dinner? The firm's treat."
Lisa hesitated. Dinner? With him? She glanced down at her hands, suddenly aware of how empty they felt. Her husband, Bob, was working tonight, as usual. He would never know if she came home late. Still, she wavered. "I don't know..."
James smiled, and it was disarming.they walked out into the cold "Come on. I'll drive. I've got my car warmed up already. Let me take you somewhere nice. It's on the expense."
Something in his tone made her stomach flutter. When was the last time I went out to dinner with another man other than Bob? Too long, she realized. And James... well, he wasn't hard to look at. "Alright," she said finally, closing her coat.
The cold air hit her like a slap as they stepped outside, and Lisa immediately regretted not wearing tights under her dress the wind had blown her skirt up giving James more of a show then she liked. James acted like he didn't see anything, never saying a word but a slight flash of her black lace panties gave him a thrill.