UNWANTED ASSISTANCE
It was the annual United Way dinner and dance to reward the bosses of the companies who contributed the most and the chairmen and chairwomen in each company or agency that achieved 100% participation in the campaign. The annual campaign goal had been surpassed this year, so everyone was in a good mood. The meal was a buffet consisting of popular dishes from the best restaurants in town. There was a cash bar that usually had long lines regardless of the overpriced drinks.
Helen was proud of her husband, Dale. He had headed up the campaign for the company he worked for. Before they had left home, she had modeled her first choice in a dress for the dinner. It was a bit more revealing than what she normally wore on her 'date nights' with her husband. Dale looked at her admiringly and said, "You look fabulous! It's hard to believe a body this gorgeous produced two kids who are now in college. Helen, I think you're more beautiful than when I first met you."
"That's because the first time I met you I looked like a drowned rat. Luckily you took pity on me walking in the storm and offered me a ride."
Helen was thankful for the comment from her husband, but he had always been frequent over the years in praising her appearance, her parenting, her housewife duties and her partnership in their marriage. She did believe she was fortunate to have Dale as a husband. Helen also thought she was fortunate because in having the two children her body had transformed her 32B breasts into 34C. Sometimes she wondered if her selection of dates would have improved if she had been thus endowed in college. As far as the rest of her, it had been a struggle to keep her waist at 30 inches and she didn't even want to think about what her rear looked like. Helen avoided full-length mirrors.
There was another part of Helen that wondered how much of her husband's admiration was just because she was his wife and he felt obligated to be nice. She had been a housewife the first ten years of their marriage. For the last twelve years she had worked outside the home, but almost all the people she worked with were other women. The women liked to gossip about almost anything, but talk about being flattered by men, other than their husbands, was the most consistent topic. They seemed to believe that other men's attention was more valuable than to be complimented by their spouse. It was strongly hinted that some of the women had been treated to nonverbal, physical and downright naughty expressions of interest by other men. Helen began to crave signs that other men appreciated her good looks also. All the women she knew had never been caught, and no lightning bolts came down in judgment. As her speculations about being with another man increased, no punishment came to her for her fantasy thoughts. Her fear of being caught was reduced but she valued her marriage too much to do anything about it. At least that's what she told herself.
In the car on the way, Helen asked Dale, "Aren't you supposed to find out if you got the big promotion tomorrow? Do you have any idea what your chances are?"
"Yeah. With Greg, I'm never of anything. I'm not going to get my hopes up again after last time. Believe me, I'm not completely hanging our future on being chosen. I admit, it would really help our financial situation. Helen, please don't say anything to Greg if you see him tonight. What happens, happens. We'll be all right no matter what."
At the ball room, they were pointed to the table with their name tags at specific settings. Helen was surprised that Greg, Dale's boss, was not seated with them. Someone explained that it was on purpose so people would mingle with others and not talk shop all night. Helen was able to spot Greg at another table. He was with his trophy wife, as Helen and others called her. Helen felt a little catty in thinking of her as a trophy wife, but when one marries a model who was once on the cover of Maxim and is fifteen years younger, the term fits.
When it was their table's turn, Helen went to the buffet and took a little of several different dishes before she sat down. Dale had run the cash bar gauntlet and retrieved both of them some wine. During the evening, he was very conscientious in keeping their glasses full. The meal, the wine and the conversation all had Helen feeling mellow. She was having a great time. There had been several 'You have a lovely wife' compliments from men she was introduced to. Those comments were okay, but probably only meant the men were being polite rather than them really being impressed.
Although there were people of all ages present, the band seemed to favor the younger folks with their choice of music. Helen held back on accepting invitations to dance to see what kind of dancing was going on. After a couple of fast dances, Helen was afraid she would embarrass herself if she tried to mimic the gymnastic moves of the younger people. She decided to wait for the slow dances. She continued to talk with those at her table while observing the dance floor. Dale was mingling now with people from other tables. Helen was impressed that he seemed to be well known and liked. After a while, Helen figured out that there were four fast dances played for every one slow dance.
At the end of one set of fast tunes, Helen sought out Dale and almost forced him to dance with her. He seemed a little irritated at being interrupted but soon began to enjoy being with his wife. After so many years, they moved together gracefully. Again, he told her how good she looked. Again, she wondered if he was trying to sooth her feathers or if he really was the only man with that opinion. She sat back down after the dance and Dale went back to mingling.
Helen was still chatting with others at her table and drinking from the wine glass that kept being filled by the other men at her table instead of Dale. When the next slow song came up and she was asked to dance -- by Greg. She was pleasantly surprised. Greg was a tall, handsome man that any woman in the place would be interested in dancing with. For some reason, he had chosen her. She guessed Greg thought he was doing Dale a favor.
Helen looked around and saw that Greg's trophy wife was busy chatting and flirting with a group of men who were almost literally drooling at being next to her and her large, obviously unfettered, breasts. Suddenly, the pride she had in her 34C was diminished. Dale was still talking to a group of men. He seemed to be oblivious to any dancing going on. She felt a bit peeved at Dale for being ignored by him.
Greg took her lightly in his arms and danced her around the floor until they were on the edge of the dance floor. He was an accomplished dancer. Her heels put her at almost his height. Their idle chatter changed at that point. Greg drew her in closer to him. Her head fit comfortably on his shoulder. Helen was a little alarmed at first, but darn if he didn't feel good and the smell of his cologne was intoxicating. She decided to relax and enjoy herself. It was Dale's tough luck that another man liked dancing with her. She was relieved when she saw many other couples were dancing a lot closer than she and Greg.
Greg whispered in her ear. "I am so fortunate to be dancing with the most attractive woman here tonight."
"Greg, you don't have to say that."
"I do if I have to tell the truth. I have admired your striking looks and figure for quite a long time, Helen."
"Oh Greg, I'm not that . . ."
"Stop it!"
"I'm sorry. Did I step on your foot? Stop what?"
"You were about to discount your beauty. I won't let you. I am telling you that I think you are the prettiest, sexiest woman here. I refuse, absolutely refuse to hear anything different from you."
Helen was shocked yet very flattered. This was the attention she had been desiring. And he was from a very handsome man. She kept her mouth shut and continued dancing. There was a moment of tense silence.
It seemed like Greg wanted to change the subject when he said, "You know there's a big decision coming up about a promotion at work. Dale is one of two people I am considering for the position."
"Yes, he has told me." Helen made a spontaneous decision to ignore Dale's earlier advice. "The promotion would really make a positive difference in our lives. I really hope Dale gets it. He works awfully hard. Does he really have a good chance at the job?"
"Dale is an excellent manager and, you're right, he works hard, but I can say the same about the other candidate too. I'm really on the fence about who to choose. Helen, there is something you could do to help me make the decision."
"You want me to tell you something personal about how good Dale is? I will. I'd do just about anything to help him."
"I'm glad to hear that because what I want you to do is to let me make love to you."
Helen drew back abruptly. "I beg your pardon. Did you just ask me to have sex with you?"
"No, I'm
begging
you to have sex with me - tonight. You don't know how long I have wanted you. It started the first time I saw you. Tonight is the perfect time. We can both get something we want. You will get Dale his promotion and I will experience the intimacy with you I have always wanted. I promise you won't be disappointed in the pleasure my body can give your body either. You have to understand though that this is a one-time offer good only for tonight. I have to announce the promotion tomorrow." At that point, Greg used his hand at the bottom of her spine to pull her even closer into him. His bulge and her mound came into contact, rubbing against each other. She could tell he was large, larger than Dale. She gasped and moved to pull away, but his hand that was now on her upper ass, pushing her so she was kept rubbing up against him. Her body began inviting his movement and she no longer fought him.
"That wasn't quite what I meant when I said I would do anything for him, Greg."
"Helen, just dance close to me for a while without talking." With his back to the crowd, no one could see Greg nibble on Helen's neck and ear lobes. He blew his warm breath on her. She was glad he held her tight, otherwise her swoon may have caused her to fall down. The closeness of his body, the size of his bulge, his smell, and the electricity created by his mouth on her neck and ears made it difficult for her to think straight. She just wanted to react to her feelings.
Helen forced herself to consider what Greg was proposing. She remembered the recent talk that she and Dale had about their finances. Sending both kids to college at once had depleted their savings. It would take years of scrimping and saving to have a nice retirement. This job could make that a lot easier and quicker to obtain their financial goal.
Helen also thought of the excitement she felt when the other women she worked for spoke of their romantic trysts with their boyfriends. Maybe she could give in once and then never have to worry about what it might be like again. She could fulfill a fantasy of hers and get Dale the promotion he deserved. It might be betraying her marriage vows a little, but it would be more for his and the family's benefit than anything else she could possibly do.
At the end of the dance, she looked deeply into Greg's eyes. It was obvious what was coming next. He kissed her with passion. She responded in kind. They broke apart and noticed no one had seemed to pay any attention to them. Helen sighed in relief. Then she said, "I don't know if I could, Greg. Where would we . . . "
