Late on the Friday afternoon, a week after her second disastrous date with Milt, Heidi was in the school superintendent's office with Bob Samuelson, the school district business manager, going over the budget for her department.
"Heidi, it's really late, I'm sorry I kept you this long," Bob said.
"That's all right, Bob," she replied. "I don't have any plans for tonight. But what about you? Isn't your wife expecting you?" She had often heard Bob talk about his wife and from the tone of voice he used, she believed he was deeply in love with her.
"My wife's out of town, so I guess you could say I don't have any plans, either," Bob replied, smiling. His look brightened. "You know, we're almost done here. As a way of making up for keeping you this late, could I offer you dinner?"
"Ah...I...I guess that would be all right," Heidi replied.
"How about eating at my place, that OK?" Bob asked hopefully.
Heidi hesitated a minute before replying. Bob was good-looking, a bit older than she, and he was married. And, it seemed, happily married. She decided having dinner with him at his home would be all right. After all, they were both adults, why couldn't they have dinner together?
Bob's invitation had another benefit, too. It would be a reason to decline Milt's continuing invitations. She'd told the assistant principal as gently as she could that she no longer wished to go out with him, but he kept asking. And when she ran into him in the hall, he stared at her with such a sad look it upset her.
"You've been married a long time, haven't you?" Heidi asked Bob as they drove toward his house.
"Yes," he replied. "Twenty-five years."
"What's she like?" Heidi asked. She wondered about his wife, who she'd never met.
"What's who like?" Bob replied.
"I'm sorry, I meant your wife," Heidi said.
Bob looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, it's hard to put into words," he said at last. "She is, perhaps the most self-assured person I've ever known. She seems to understand people better than anyone I've ever met, is caring, understanding, yet very self-contained."
Bob's tone as he spoke of the woman he was married to once again told Heidi how deeply he cared for his wife.
"That isn't all," he continued. She's also a marvelous lover."
Heidi was startled that Bob would talk about this side of his married life so openly, and without being asked. His openness unnerved her.
Bob, apparently unaware of Heidi's discomfort, continued to talk about his wife and their love life. "She has a level of sensuality I never encountered before I met her," he said, "and haven't since." He paused a minute and looked at Heidi. "I hope you don't mind my saying this, but I've been wondering about you ever since I met you. There are times you make me think of Joanna. I've often thought you might have the same potential for passion she has. I have a feeling you are an incredibly sensuous woman."
Heidi felt herself blushing. She didn't know what to say. She had a feeling Bob was paying her a very high compliment, yet she found that compliment, and the fact that he'd given it to her, disturbing. Why had he brought up the topic of sex? Was it just that he was a very open person, or... Maybe it would be best to steer the conversation away from sex. "Do you have any children, Bob?" she asked.
Bob smiled and nodded. "One," he said. "A daughter, Amy. She's away, visiting a friend."
Heidi was silent, lost in thought, trying to imagine what it would be like when they got to his home. She found herself growing more and more anxious the closer they got, and began to fear she'd made a mistake by accepting his invitation.
Bob turned onto a side street a few miles from the center of town, just a few blocks from where Heidi lived. The neighborhood was populated by people who had were quite successful. She lived there because that's where she lived with her husband, a lawyer, who gave her the house, and a generous lump-sum divorce settlement, in lieu of alimony.
Bob pulled into the driveway of a huge colonial mansion that made Heidi's house look like a shanty, pushed a button on the sun visor, then drove into a bay of the three-car garage attached to the house, and shut off the motor.
"Well," he said, "we're here."
"Yes," Heidi said. "You have a beautiful house." She swallowed hard. Now what? She was still disquieted by his comments about her potential sexuality.
They got out of the car and Bob led Heidi into the house. She noticed there was a red sports car sitting in one bay of the garage, the other was empty.
Bob saw her looking at the red car. "That's Amy's car," he explained as they walked through a breezeway, into the house.
"Oh," Heidi said.
Inside, the house was as lovely as it was outside. The furnishings were either real antiques or very good reproductions, and the home was obviously well cared for. It looked very comfortable. Heidi began to relax a little. She noticed wonderful cooking smells. "Something smells delicious," she said. "I thought you said your wife wasn't home. Who's cooking?"
"We have an excellent housekeeper and cook," Bob said. "I called her and asked her to make something for us. I'm sure whatever she made for us will be fabulous."
"You have a housekeeper and a cook?" Heidi asked. How much did the school district pay him, anyhow?
"Only one person, who fills both roles," Bob said, grinning. "And in case you planned to ask, we're not decadent. She's doesn't live here, anyhow. We feel the expense is worth it, what with both of us working."
Heidi felt herself blushing. "Oh," she said.
"Come on," Bob said, "I'll show you around. We'll start upstairs and work down to the kitchen and dining room." He led her up along, winding staircase.
Their first stop was a huge bedroom, the centerpiece of which was a king-sized four-poster bed. "This is our guest room," Bob said, with more than a little pride in his voice.
Heidi found it hard to believe such a huge room was the guest bedroom. It was bigger than the living room in her home.
"Bob, this is lovely," she said. She walked to the bedroom window and looked out. She could see the huge back yard which was superbly manicured expertly landscaped, and sported a huge in-ground swimming pool. A brick barbecue highlighted a stone patio at one end of the pool, near the house.
"Are you OK, Heidi? You've been very quiet since we got here," Bob asked.
His question startled Heidi and she turned. "I...I'm OK," she replied. "Your home is fantastic." She turned again to look out the window. "God, your back yard is gigantic. Do you have a gardener, too?"
Bob smiled and shook his head. "No," he said. "The yard is my hobby. It's what I do on weekends and during the summer to forget figures and ledgers and all that."
Heidi could tell from the sound of his voice that he'd moved closer to her. She felt an increase in the tension she'd been feeling ever since they'd arrived at the house. Then his arms slid around her waist and he pulled her back against him.
Bob's action took her completely by surprise. She was in his embrace before she could resist. Even worse, she was stunned to discover, was that contact with his body was causing her to respond in ways she'd rather not have happen. His arms tightened, then he kissed her neck. She could feel his erection pressing against her buttocks and a shudder went through her.
"Bob, noooo!!!" she murmured. In spite of her protests, she knew excitement was beginning to spread through her. She stiffened, intending to pull free of his embrace, but the movement pressed her buttocks more firmly against his erection, adding fuel to the fires of desire which were threatening to explode into a wildfire of need. "Bob, we...we shouldn't," she protested.
He continued to nuzzle her neck. "Why not?" he asked softly, "Don't you want me?"
Heidi was more confused than she'd ever been in her life. Her body pulsed with longing for him, yet her head kept telling her this was wrong. He was a married man! "Ah...yes...um...ah...no," she stammered. A maelstrom of chaos whirled in her mind. She couldn't think clearly.
"You know, Heidi, I've wanted to make love to you almost from the first time I saw you," Bob whispered. He cupped his hands around her breasts and his fingers discovered her erecting nipples and began rubbing over them.
Heidi's ability to resist was fading quickly. She tried to talk, but "Ohhhhhhh!!" was all that came out.
Bob stunned her again by picking her up and carrying her to the bed. He laid her on it gently, then he sat down next to her, leaned over, and his lips and hers joined in a passionate kiss. While they kissed, he unbuttoned her blouse, then he unhooked her bra, baring her breasts. When the kiss ended and he moved his lips to her swelling nipples and began to suckle them. It drove her wild. Her back arched, driving the fleshy tips deeper into his mouth.
While he attended to Heidi's breasts, keeping her off-balance with growing passion, Bob slid his hand down and opened her slacks, then he began to kiss his way across her heaving chest.
