This is part of a multistory series. Each story is designed to work as a standalone, but is also told from the perspective of each of the main characters. With that in mind, they each have a slightly different feel to try and account for each character's feelings and personality. The woman's is the longest. The last to be uploaded will be the shortest, having cut out a lot of the timeframe that didn't really involve him anyways. That one also fills in some gaps that were intentionally left out from Lucy's story. I'm curious if there's any interest in series like this, so I'd love to hear feedback in the comments. Enjoy! Hopefully :)
The office anniversary party was in full swing at an upscale rooftop bar downtown. The sky was a clear, star-studded expanse, and the city lights twinkled below, while string lights above reflected off the glass tables where employees mingled and laughed, drinks in hand. The air was filled with the clinking of glasses, boisterous conversations, and the occasional burst of laughter.
Mike stood by the bar, a whiskey glass in his hand, watching the crowd with a smile. He was a handsome man in his mid-forties, with silvering temples and a confident expression that drew people to him.
His eyes, a piercing blue, scanned the area until they settled on a woman across the way, Lucy. She was beautiful and intelligent, with a wit as sharp as her smile. She was engaged in conversation with a group, including her husband, Chad, and her best friend, Ella.
He watched her until she finally noticed him and started to make her way over. Her perpetually high energy created a bounce in each step, and there was a mischievous look that glinted in her sparkling brown eyes, and spread across her lips with each step as she came closer.
"Mike," she said, leaning in to give him a quick hug. It was tight and intimate, yet brief enough to not come across as untoward, her perfume lingered in the air as it made its way into his nostrils. "You're looking rather dapper tonight."
He chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. "And you are looking..." His words trailed off as he looked her over, taking in her beauty. She carried herself with an undeniable allure, that radiated a confident beauty. And she had every reason to be confident. She was curvy, with a naturally feminine shape that filled her emerald green evening gown, showcasing all the sensuality you could ask of a woman. The thin, delicate-looking straps left her graceful shoulders exposed, as the material led to the bodice of the dress, which descended to a deep plunging neckline. The cleavage on display was enough to leave a man weak in the knees, wide enough and low enough to visually trace their fullness as they curved back in to disappear under the dress.
As his eyes continued their journey lower, he made no pretense of the fact that he was carefully appraising her body. Moving down past her tapered waist, that flared out to become sensual hips, he took in the sight of her leg showing through the long slit that began just over halfway up her left thigh. The powerful limb became more slender as it passed her knee and transitioned to her shapely calf. Mike let his voyeuristic gaze continue its journey to the incredibly smooth-looking skin, where it started to dip in and out of sight from the straps on the heels she was wearing, until only the tips of her French-pedicured toes peeked out from the end of her shoes. "...Amazing," he finally said, ending the sentence that hung in the air as his unabashed appreciation of her came to an end. He looked her in the eye with a smile that said so much without saying a word.
She rolled her eyes playfully at his blatant ogling but offered him a flirtatious smirk in return. "You always did know how to make a girl feel special, Mike," Lucy replied with a restrained laugh.
Mike had a history of flirting with Lucy. However, it was always lighthearted fun that never actually went anywhere. Half the time, the comments were so over the top that you couldn't take them seriously, which made the flirtatious relationship feel safe while boosting both of their egos. The rest of the time, you could feel the underlying tension of unspoken desire.
"You know, I remember when we used to talk like this in the break room," Mike said, leaning slightly toward her as if conspiratorially, while looking around the patio.
Lucy's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Yeah, those were always a fun time,'" she mused. "But we were never caught, were we?" His eyes flashed back to hers, as they shared a knowing smile, filled with the past jokes between them--comments they knew were inappropriate but were too fun to pass up. It was a harmless game, but one that had boundaries they knew they couldn't cross, even if it was fun to push them.
"Well, I suppose I should get back to Chad and Ella," Lucy said. "I just wanted to say hi quickly when I saw you over here." He followed her gaze as she looked back over her shoulder at Chad, who was chatting away with his extroverted nature shining through. Ella, on the other hand, was watching them with a discerning eye as she monitored their interaction. "Be sure to come say hi to Chad. He was asking how you've been just the other day."
Turning back to Mike, she gave him another quick hug, aware of Ella watching them. It was the type where one person awkwardly leans in and does the one-arm hug, barely even allowing a shoulder to touch. Mike, noticing Ella looking their way, chuckled lightly at her sudden modesty.
"Of course. Let me do the rounds, check in with my team, and I'll come say hi shortly," Mike replied.
He gave Ella a quick wave as Lucy backed away, and Ella returned the wave with a smile. They had a good friendship as well, but she always seemed uncomfortable with the flirting between him and Lucy, even though she'd never said anything. He and Ella never worked together directly, but they were at the company at the same time at one point, as well as enough events together to have developed a friendly rapport. She no longer worked for the company but always seemed to end up as someone's plus one, so she was still around quite frequently.
As Mike traversed the patio, he stopped to do his pleasantries, obligations he had as one of the regional sales managers.
He listened as various team members and their significant others shared their recent accomplishments or updates about their kids. In return, he complimented his employees' dates, praising their work and building them up, regardless of any challenges they might have been facing. None of these conversations lasted more than a few minutes, as he politely moved through the party.
Eventually, he made his way back to where Lucy, Chad, and Ella stood with a few of Lucy's coworkers. "Chad, great to see you, man," he said patting Chad on the shoulder. They exchanged a brief handshake, before he turned to Lucy. "And Lucy, as always, you look stunning." He had already complimented her, but it seemed appropriate to do so again in amongst the group.
Mike listened politely as Chad started telling stories, but his attention was more on Lucy, who stood beside him. She was laughing at something Chad had said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Her hand rested on Chad's arm, her long, manicured nails leaving a faint trail on his suit jacket. Mike couldn't help but smile as he watched them together.
He had been there since the beginning of their relationship and had seen how happy Chad made her. It was the reason their flirting had died down. As much fun as their playful banter had always been, it had remained innocent, and Mike had never wanted to create any tension in her relationship. That didn't mean certain thoughts hadn't crossed his mind, though. He was only human, after all, and Lucy was a beautiful woman. More than that, she carried herself with the confidence of someone who was self-assured and driven to prove herself. She took pride in being one of the few women in a position of power in their male-dominated industry.
Their conversations at company events had always been effortless, full of mutual respect and admiration. But tonight, there was something different--an undercurrent of tension that hadn't been there before. Mike couldn't shake the feeling that there was something in the way she looked at him, something that hadn't been there before.
Brushing it off as the effects of a few drinks and a nostalgic conversation bringing back memories of "the good old days," he forced himself to tune into Chad's story, even though he had missed most of it. Years in sales had made him a pro at filling in the gaps--stroking egos, making people feel like he was hanging on their every word.
As new conversations sparked around him, Mike excused himself from the group and returned to mingling among the crowd. He wanted to ensure he was seen throughout the night, showing support for all the employees. He knew that the little things mattered when it came to boosting morale.
Mike began working the crowd, shaking hands, clapping backs, and laughing at jokes. He was a natural at this, he always had been. People were drawn to his charisma, his confidence, and his ability to make anyone feel like they were the most important person in the room.
As he made his way through the crowd, he found himself standing next to Ella, who was perched on a barstool, sipping a glass of wine. She looked up at him and smiled, her eyes appraising him with the same friendly charm that had won her so many deals over the years.
"Mike," she had said, her voice warm and friendly, but with a hint of something else. "Fancy seeing you here."
Mike grinned, taking a moment to study Ella. She had been wearing a deep blue dress that stood out amongst all of the black dresses adorning the area. He couldn't help but notice the way her eyes had lingered on him, a slight smirk playing on her lips.
"Ella, always the charmer," he had replied, taking a sip of his drink. "How have you been? It's been a while since we last caught up."
Ella waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, you know, same old, same old. Work, work, and more work," Ella said, taking a sip of her wine. "And how have you been? Still the same old Mike, charming the pants off everyone?"
Mike chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, I do try my best. But you know what they say, 'If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit.'"
Ella let out a laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "And you're very good at both, Mike. I'll give you that."
Mike leaned in, lowering his voice slightly. "Shhh, don't give away my secret, or no one would believe me when I blew smoke up their ass anymore," he said conspiratorially with a smile.
