This is a fictional story with no resemblance to anyone living or dead. All characters are over 18 years of age. You must be 18 years old to read this.
Thanks to Cuthbert Le Tonstain for his editing to make this a more enjoyable story.
My plan, after exiting the Army, was to open a computer and security equipment store in the Chicago suburbs. The first order of business was to find a good location. I tried to locate a residential area that was between two Best Buy stores and had a nice strip mall.
The second day of my search I found such a spot. As I was driving around the strip center's parking lot, I saw a "For Lease" sign on the corner of a nice building. I parked and was trying to look into the dark empty store when the door opened up and scared me. I dropped back into a defensive position then laughed as two attractive women walked out, laughing at me. "Sorry to scare you big guy. We did not expect a Peeping Tom in the middle of the day."
"Sorry ladies, it was a reaction that kept me alive the last couple of years. If I'd had my M4 rifle you would have several holes punched through you. I would hate to hurt two such pretty ladies."
"You can't be a member of the Chicago SWAT team; you get scared too easily." the taller woman grinned.
"Why were you looking in that window? Are you looking to lease some space?" Asked the shorter of the two ladies.
"Yes I am. Is this for lease?"
"My name is Carol Hughs and I am the leasing agent for Midwest Shopping Malls. This is Susan Parker, our banker." At that point the taller pretty lady held out a tanned and muscular arm and firmly shook my hand. A hand I had a hard time letting go of because I felt a jolt of sexuality emanating from her.
"How do you do? I'm Robert Rogler, but please call me Bob. If you need to have the banker around while checking out the vacant space, I think it is beyond my budget to ask about the lease."
Susan said "it's not that at all. I am confirming the rent rolls to update the loan files. When the property reaches a high enough occupancy, we lower the interest rate on the loan."
"Then it is a perfect time to negotiate a lease. How much is this lease per month?"
Carol said "It's $1,200 per month plus you pay electricity."
I turned to Susan and said "How long a lease is needed to allow Carol to get her interest rate dropped?"
She looked quizzically at me and said "We count only the leases that are 6 months or longer."
"OK Carol, I will pay you $1,000 per month for this space for 1 year all in advance. Can you make that happen?"
It did not take long for Carol to do the math and accept my offer. As she accepted, she turned to Susan and said "This guy is a wheeler dealer. He might make a good bank customer for you."
"Yes, he might be the right kind of customer. Here's my card." As she eyed me from shoe tops to haircut and back down again.
Carol said, "I'll go back to the office and get the paperwork completed but I have to take Susan back to the bank first."
"For the sake of efficiency, I can take Susan back to the bank and give her a chance to convince me to move my accounts to her bank." I hoped my smile was not too much of a smirk.
Carol agreed so Susan and I started walking toward the parking lot. I pointed at my brand-new Corvette and said "Here it is, hop in."
"Wow this is a nice car! I've always liked Corvettes but never driven one."
Since it was lunch time I asked "Do you have time for lunch with me."
A smile and a "Yes" was her response.
"Since I don't know the area why don't you drive us to a nice place." Then I tossed the keys to her and went to the passenger side.
Startled, she didn't quite know what to do. "I really don't know how to drive this. Are you sure you want me to drive your new car?"
"Hop in and I'll teach you to drive."
Her skirt rode up on her legs as she slid into the low slung seat. She was focusing on the gauges rather than modesty. I asked "Have you ever driven a manual transmission car before?"
"No but I watched my grandfather drive his work truck so I have an idea how to do it."
Without turning on the engine I had her go through the first three speeds. As she got proficient with the gearing I said "You grip that shifter with authority and purpose. I like the way you slide it from gear to gear." She did not respond to my comment but I did see the sly smile she made toward me.
It did not take very long for her to get the basics. What it did do was give me some time to look over her basics. Breasts, hair, legs and face all met my standards.
We did not talk as she drove so she could concentrate on shifting the gears without me making a terrible face to the grinding sounds.
When we arrived at a very nice Italian restaurant she asked, "What were you doing the last two years that startled you so much seeing two women come out of a vacant store.?"
"I have spent the last two years in the Middle East as a US Army Infantryman. There, when an unknown door swings open on you, you had better be ready to shoot or die. Since the Army took away my rifle, I was going to throw my ink pen at you." I said with a big smile to match the huge laugh from Susan.
"Why did you want to join the Army and go to that dangerous area in the first place?"
"OK a little background about me, I am the son of a US Army colonel and an Iranian nurse. They met while my father was in the U S Army Signal Corps operating the "Ears on Ivan" radio intercept of Moscow phone calls from inside Iran prior to the Shah of Iran's overthrow. They married, I was produced, then lived the first 18 years of my life as an "Army Brat".
"My four years in college resulted in a dual degree in Arabic languages and computer science. They don't go together but they are the two things that interest me. With a sense of patriotism and wanderlust I joined the Army and became an infantryman. Since I have these special language skills, I was sent to the where the action is to be an interpreter with the troops."
"Was it as exciting as you thought it would be? Were you ever shot?"
"It was more exciting than I expected. Yes, I was wounded once. Maybe after our third date I may show you my wounds."