A Taste Of Strawberry Ch 01

I dropped my purse on the hall table and walked into the living room, thankful that it was Friday and another work week was over. Not that I had any big plans for the weekend, but at least I didn't have to get up and go to the office for two days. The living room was its usual mess, giving me my usual twinge of guilt. Well, I was getting used to it – it had been months since I'd cared about doing any real housekeeping or cleaning. I glanced at the wall calendar.

In eight more days, it would be three months exactly since Matt dumped me. Three months.

With a sigh, I walked into the kitchen to make myself a drink.

You really gotta slow down on the drinking!

I told myself.

Sure. Maybe next week, when Prince Charming comes over to carry me away to the castle.

The kitchen made the living room look good by comparison, so I quickly made my drink and walked over to the PC to lose myself in some mindless internet surfing. Maybe I could find something interesting to watch on Netflix. Or just play Solitaire – that was always good for wasting a couple of hours. But I couldn't think of anything I felt like Googling, even my new fascination with '40s and '50s Film Noir didn't turn up any movies I felt like watching and I found myself getting bored and annoyed with the crummy Solitaire hands I kept getting dealt.

Matt and I never had any trouble finding fun things to do

. I shook my head in annoyance and got up to fix myself another drink. As I poured, the all-to-familiar sensation of tears trickling down my cheeks brought me up short.

Dammit, you've got to get hold of yourself!

I screamed silently.

You make me sick with your constant whining and sniveling! How could you let another person get such control over how you feel about yourself?

I wanted Matt back. I knew he wasn't coming back. So what did I do now? Dumping my half-made drink into the sink, I tore off a piece of paper towel and blew my nose. The first thing I was going to do was get out of this damned, depressing apartment and its damned, depressing memories! I didn't feel much like eating but even less like cooking, so maybe going out somewhere for supper would be a good start. Somewhere where the music was playing and people were laughing and enjoying themselves!

Hey, it's Friday night – Party Night! I'll put on a sexy outfit that'll get me enough masculine attention to take my mind off Matt. It's been a long time since I flirted with anyone!

After taking a quick shower and brushing my hair to a coppery gleam, I applied a little extra makeup around my eyes to cover the residual redness, a go-to-Hell shade of lipstick I seldom used and opened my closet to select an outfit. My shortest skirt, naturally, a black A-line that came to mid-thigh. A semi sheer white tank top and lacy white bra to go underneath. Black stockings and black lace panties. Nice pair of black heels. Hmmm. Long chandelier earrings with black dangles and a slim watch so small I could barely read the time. Dumping the bare necessities of wallet, lipstick, brush, mirror and tissues into a small black clutch bag, I checked myself in the mirror. For the first time in a long time, I felt good about myself. Not too bad for an old spinster of twenty-eight, I decided and headed for my car. There was a place near work called The Back Room where I sometimes went for lunch. It advertised all sorts of themes for different nights, like Unplugged Tuesdays where the bands played all acoustical instruments – no electric guitars or amps and ear-blasting speakers allowed, which appealed, but I'd never actually been there at night. I couldn't remember what Friday's theme was supposed to be, but from some of the photos on the wall people tended to let their hair down and party hearty in the evenings! The food was good, and while I never had anything but iced tea at lunch, the drink menu looked pretty comprehensive. Why not?

By the time I had parked in their lot I was having second thoughts, but refused to let me talk me myself out of it. I locked the car, lifted my head, tucked my purse under my arm and walked in. It was a little louder and more crowded than I remembered from lunchtime, but the noise seemed to come from people talking and laughing instead of over-amplified music so I located a small table and sat down. By the time I had arranged my skirt, a smiling little blonde waitress had deposited a menu in front of me. I already knew what I wanted, though: the 'Specialty of the House' was a bacon cheeseburger with peanut butter, which I'd heard about but had never had the courage to actually order! With fries, and a Michelob Amber Bock tap beer. (Yes, I know it's unladylike, but sometimes I really enjoy a good dark beer!) I looked around the room catching several men looking at me, which was gratifying, but most seemed engrossed in talking to each other. The waitress brought my Amber Bock, nicely drawn with a creamy, golden head and I took a cautious sip since I don't look my best with a foamy mustache. A few sips later, I looked around again; this time, everyone was talking animatedly to the others at their table. Before I could wonder what was going on, the answer became obvious as the waitresses walked around with remote controls and turned on the sound to the hundreds (or so it seemed) of TV sets that adorned every wall: football! I gave a silent groan. No woman alive could compete with a modern man's obsession with

that

! If I hadn't already ordered, I would have left.

Trying to block out the inane blathering of the announcers, I noticed a woman sitting alone at the bar. What first caught my attention was that she was facing

away

from the TV in front of her; then it sank in that she was looking in my direction – not at my face, but at my legs under the high table. Was I showing too much? Nope, a quick kinesthetic check confirmed my knees were together, ankles crossed in a ladylike manner with one heel hooked over a rung of the tall stool I was sitting on. So what was she looking at? The room erupted in a loud cheer as something happened on the screen. I hadn't noticed and neither had the woman; well, it was flattering that

she

found me more interesting than the damned game! Obviously I wasn't going to attract the attention of any of the men around here, but at least I seemed to have hers. A quick glance around confirmed that everyone else was completely absorbed in the TV, and I knew every place in town would be the same.

I've never tried to flirt with a woman before – why not have a little fun and try it?

I decided, and walked slowly over to the wall with all the pictures. From the corner of my eye I could see that she was still looking at me, so I turned as if I were looking at some photos in the side wall but in a position where I could examine her without being obvious about it. Slender and tall with shoulder length wavy black hair, big green eyes and pale skin, she was no real beauty, but she did seem to make the most of what she had with flawless makeup and a silky black pantsuit over a ruffled white blouse.

Returning to my seat, I decided to tease her a bit, just to see what would happen. Crossing my legs, I arched my foot, letting the shoe slip off my heel and dangle from my toes, then jiggled my leg a bit. I could feel my skirt ride a bit higher up my thigh. A shy smile seemed to light up the woman's emerald eyes as she licked her lips sensuously. Goodness – maybe she really

was

checking me out!

The waitress brought my food, but eating was the last thing on my mind right now. My leg stopped moving. I wasn't sure how to react to the other woman; flattered had been my first feeling, sure, but what if it were more than that?

Was she actually interested in me . . . sexually?

I concentrated on my meal. The peanut butter was spread on the bottom bun, and the hot hamburger patty had melted it, making it drip on the fries and table. I didn't see where it added that much flavor, so what was the big deal? I tried, but couldn't keep my eyes off the tall woman with the black hair and green eyes at the bar. She seemed to sympathize with my fight against the dripping peanut butter, and we made frequent eye contact and exchanged smiles as I consumed as much of the huge burger as I could hold. Something about her was just so intriguing, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I did know I really liked the attention and feeling of connection after the months alone – it seemed like most of my friends were people I knew from when Matt and I were together, people I had avoided after he had dropped me. And (to be honest) I hadn't been interested in having anyone over after I had let the house go to pot, not wanting anybody to see the mess I lived in. I had a real urge to find out more about this woman, though; she was beginning to interest me.

Making a production of wiping my fingers on the napkin, I slipped off the tall chair and walked toward the Ladies Room. As I got closer to the woman I smiled and she returned it. "Looks like you've been eating the house special with the runny peanut butter," she said in a low, husky voice.

"You got me," I laughed. "Now I have to wash my hands, or maybe take a bath!" The last few words were drowned out by loud cheers as somebody on screen did something. She shook her head and stood up. "Can't hear you out here," she mouthed and followed me into the restroom. The door closed behind us bringing relative quiet, like getting out of a rainstorm.

"Whew! That's better – I couldn't even hear

myself

out there. I was agreeing about the runny peanut butter, and saying I felt like taking a bath or at least washing my hands," I said as I turned on the faucet and squirted some soap onto my hands.

"It is getting a bit loud," she agreed. "I noticed you trying to avoid the drips and remembered my first time. It sounded good, but I wasn't impressed with the end result."

"Not something I plan to do again, let's say. But I haven't been out for a long time and got tired of my own cooking, so I was hoping for a reasonably quiet supper in a pleasant atmosphere. Almost wish I'd stayed home now, though. I'm Alyssa, by the way."

"Nan, short for Nancy," she said and held out her hand.

I took it, feeling her fingers warm against mine. Her slender body and slightly offbeat face seen up close under brighter light were even more interesting than before. "Nice to meet you, Nan," I smiled.

"I hope you didn't think I was staring at you earlier, but you look really fantastic in that outfit! It's so seldom you see a woman in a skirt, heels and hose any more."

"Why, thank you, Nan! You look nice and classy in that pants suit, too. As for me, I confess I don't usually get this dressed up for a burger and a beer, but I was feeling down earlier and decided to get sexied-up a little bit. I was hoping for some attention to make me feel better about myself, but it looks like I picked the wrong night," I said wryly.

"Football! I can't believe how wacky everyone around here gets about it, even the women. Well, I think you look extremely sexy, myself. Like the way that lacy bra shows through under your tank top – very subtle, I didn't even notice it from a distance. And black stockings always look so glamorous to me; you've got perfect legs for them, too, Alyssa!"

I savored the compliments; it was like fresh water on the wilted plant of my self-esteem. Maybe Nan was overdoing it a little, but she did seem sincere and I had to believe her cute little half smile was genuine. I squeezed her arm briefly. "Thanks. Hey, what about yourself – I'll bet those looong legs of yours would look great in a short skirt!"

"Well, I think they're a little too skinny, myself, and I'm pretty self-conscious about my height . . . but I do love skirts, and I have one that's so short it's probably against the law!"

"That's more like it," I laughed. "I'd love to see that one, Nan – the way I'm feeling right now, I might even buy one for myself!" As we walked back to the dining room I could sense she was hesitating about something, and I could only think of one thing it might be. I stopped and turned to her. "Hey, since you don't seem any more interested in the game than me, want to sit with me and chat a bit more?"

From the look on her face, I had guessed right. "Sure," she said with a smile. "Let me grab my drink!"

Everyone was talking excitedly, so the quarter must have ended. In order to hear each other, we had to put both stools on the same side of the little table and turn a little towards each other. I leaned over to get my mouth closer to her ear so I wouldn't have to shout, but forgot what I was going to say as I inhaled her fragrance. "What's that you're wearing?" I heard myself say. "It smells divine!"

Nan's eyes widened as she looked at me. Oops – I may have gone too far with that remark, but it was the truth, darn it! "It's called 'Navy'," she replied. "I've always loved it – even wrote the manufacturer once to tell them. They wrote back and offered me a case discount," she laughed. "It was a nice gesture, but I don't use quite

that

much perfume!"

She leaned a bit closer, and I felt her long hair brush against my cheek. "You smell pretty nice, yourself, Alyssa. What's that you have on? I don't recognize it."

"It's that new Elizabeth Taylor perfume they put out not long before she passed away, called 'Violet Eyes'." I pushed aside the memory of Matt giving it to me. People around us began heading back to their tables and quieted down.

Sitting here trying to talk above a football game wasn't how I had intended to spend my night, but I was enjoying chatting with Nan. Occasionally our shoulders would touch, and her leg seemed to brush against mine more than seemed accidental. Strangely, I didn't mind and found myself enjoying the contact, even initiating a little of my own. We finished our drinks just before the halftime show started, and everyone started wandering around talking loudly about the game so Nan and I reluctantly moved apart.

"I'd suggest going someplace quieter, but I guess every place in town would be the same," I said.

A harried looking waitress hurried by with a tray full of drinks, and stopped by the table on her way back. "Get you guys anything else?" she asked as she picked up the remains of my burger.

"No, thank you," I replied and Nan shook her head with a smile. "It's just too loud in here," I explained.

As we waited for our checks to be brought, Nan cleared her throat. "Like you said, every place in town is going to be as noisy as this. If you'd like to talk some more without having to scream you could come over to my apartment. It's not far, and I mix a pretty good R&C. I also have some nice wine and could make us something to snack on."

I was a little apprehensive because it sounded like a pickup, and I really hadn't decided how far I wanted to let our teasing or flirting or whatever we were doing, go. On the other hand, I was finally out and enjoying myself and didn't want to go back to a lonely apartment full of sad memories just yet. "Sounds great," I told her with a smile. "Let's go!"

I drove behind her for a mile or so to a fairly new and pleasant three story apartment building, and we took the stairs to the second floor. She had a small but pleasing one bedroom apartment with an open kitchen and combined living room and dining room. Large windows overlooked a swimming pool whose rippling water made strange patterns from the underwater lights. "Neat!" I said appreciatively. "Love that pool, except that looking at all that moving water reminds me I should have made a stop at the restroom before we left."

"Straight down the hall," she said. "I was thinking the same thing, but guests go first."

As she headed in for her turn, I reminded her of the 'illegally short' miniskirt she'd mentioned earlier. "So you're gonna model that so I can see it?"

"Maybe." she said with a laugh.

Back at the windows, I watched the pool as I listened to the sound of closet doors and drawers being opened and closed. She was changing into something, anyway. I hoped it was something more revealing than that pants suit; it did look classy, as I'd told her, but that long, loose jacket was very concealing and I didn't have much of an idea what her figure really looked like. Catching sight of her reflection in the window, I turned. Well, she

had

worn a miniskirt, and it probably

would

get her Banned in Boston and maybe a few other places! My first impression was of legs that seemed to go on forever. I noticed she had also changed from the black patent flats she had on before into a pair of two-and-a-half inch dress heels just like the ones I was wearing. I remembered her earlier remark, 'It's so seldom you see a woman in a skirt, heels and hose any more.'" It was true, and I had to admit that was part of my own definition of a sexy outfit, especially in her case. Her long legs, while slender, had very shapely calves and trim, toned thighs that I immediately envied. The short skirt emphasized Nan's narrow waist, and above that a lacy white blouse seemed to cling and caress a pair of firm, nice-sized breasts. I took a closer look and . . .

"Nancy! Are you even wearing a bra under that blouse?"

"No, I couldn't find one I liked. Why – do you think I need one?" she asked coquettishly.

"Oh, Hell no! I just wasn't expecting . . . "

"Well, I figured we weren't going out anywhere, mainly since there's no place to go, I might as well put on a sexy outfit like you. Hope I didn't go too far and offend you – I'll go put on a bra; I was just joking about not finding one."

She turned back towards the bedroom and I rushed over to stop her. "I'm not offended at all, just surprised, like I said." Did I really want to go through with this? "In fact, I was just wondering how I'd look braless, myself. This top is kind of thin."

Nan's smile came back a little hesitantly. "Well, if you're serious it's easy enough to find out. You can change in the bedroom, it's right through there."

"Be right back." I looked around the bedroom as I pulled off my tank top and unhooked my bra. It was very feminine without being frilly, and neat like the rest of the apartment, I noted guiltily. She had a large full-length mirror – obviously someone who cared a great deal about her appearance. Slipping my tank top back on, I took in my reflection. My nipples jutted out against the fabric and even the pink of my areoles was faintly visible. I was getting a little aroused just looking at myself, and the idea of walking out and having Nancy see me was making me more so. I folded my bra neatly and lay it on the dresser, took a long, slow breath and walked out. The feel of my breasts swaying and bouncing slightly with each step was quite erotic, and so was Nan's smile as she watched me walk into the kitchen where she was making herself a drink.

"You look fantastic, Alyssa! Very perky, I must say. What do you think?"

"I think I might like to go out like this, after all! Not that anyone would pull their eyes away from the TV long enough to notice, though."

She gave a low, throaty chuckle that sent little shivers up my spine. "Oh, I think they might," she said softly. "Would you like a drink while you're making up your mind? I have . . . "

"Maybe one of your world-renowned R&Cs," I interrupted.

"Coming right up! Go ahead into the living room and I'll bring these out."

"Maybe I'll just stay here and watch you," I heard myself say, earning myself a big smile. She turned back to the counter and began slicing a lime. Seeing those long legs in the short skirt that barely covered her round, firm bottom was fascinating, and I kept looking until she turned and held out a glass. "Thanks." She touched her glass to mine with a tiny

clink

. I tried to think of a suitable toast, but couldn't. I followed her out to the living room and sat opposite her, noticing a little white triangle between her legs, only half-concealed under her sheer black pantyhose.