Kim Ch 01 7

I was late. The important meeting with my boss for a possible promotion was scheduled for 12, noon. It was already 5 minutes after. I hurried across the corner and bumped hard into a lady with a large bag coming from the opposite direction. She fell on the sidewalk, the bag opened, and all her stuff spread on the ground. She began crying.

I jumped to help her, trying to lift her up.

"Leave me alone, don't touch me!"

I collected her things and put them back in the bag. Slowly she started moving, her eyes watching for her bag. I gave it to her. She took it without looking at me and limped back into the corner store she came from. I glanced at her through the glass for 5 minutes and then went to see my boss.

Luckily, he was late too. It wasn't easy to find a parking space in this part of town. He arrived 2 minutes after me, apologized briefly, and said, "Riley, I evaluated your work in the last year. There were no complaints by customers, and other employees like you. I want to promote you to a supervisor with a 20% raise in salary. What do you say?"

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate your trust in me. I'll try my best to deserve it."

"Son, I have to run. I have another appointment. Any questions?"

"When do I start?"

"On Monday. Talk to Debra at the main office. She'll give you all the details. Congratulations and good luck." The next moment he was gone.

I strolled back to my car, happy about my new assignment and increase in take-home money. As I was passing by the corner store, I peeked inside. The lady was sitting by the counter, folding clothes.

I entered inside, noticing the store was much bigger than I thought. It was a clothing shop with 3 other younger girls helping customers.

I approached the lady, and said, "Ma'am, I am sorry for the unfortunate accident earlier. I was in a hurry and didn't realize somebody might be coming from the other side."

She gazed at me, "Young man, you are huge. You need to be extra careful. Bumping hard gave me very little chance of escaping a nasty fall."

I smiled at her, "Lady, you are absolutely right. It was my fault. I rushed to meet the head of our operations and got promoted. I feel this is MY day. Please, let me make it up to you. Will you accept my invitation to a coffee place nearby?"

She stared at me for a long time before answering, "Look, I appreciate your offer but I don't think so. It may be YOUR day but definitely not mine. I just want to finish here and go home to rest."

I insisted, "Lady, my day was perfect except for the misfortune with you. Please allow me the honor of compensating you for behaving like an elephant in a China store..."

I saw a little smile as she said, "You are very persistent. I'll tell you what; Not today. However, if you are nearby tomorrow at 6 pm, we can have a drink at Starbucks across the street."

"Thank you, ma'am. I'll be here."

...

The following day I finished working at 5 pm. I went home, shaved, showered, and put on nice long pants with a clean shirt. I looked in the mirror and thought to myself I behaved like a childish moron - I was dressing up as if it was a date, just to meet a middle-aged woman for a coffee.

I was there 5 minutes early, and sat at a table for 2, waiting for her. She arrived a few minutes later. She looked to be around 5'7", 135 pounds. Her face was cute and her summery blouse displayed a big rack...

She joined me, and smiled, "Hi, my name is Kim."

"Nice of you to accept my apology, Kim. My name is Riley. What would you like to have?"

"Green tea will be nice. If they have scones, I'll take one."

I ordered a tea for Kim and a coffee for me.

"Riley, you are a big man. Do you exercise a lot? Tell me a little about yourself."

"I am 32, never married, work for a large construction company, and in my free time exercise in a health club. I have a hobby - I like to take pictures. But enough about me. I'd like to know YOUR story."

She chuckled, "I love to think I am 25, but actually, I am 43. I was married once but no more. I own the store you saw me in. My hobby is like yours - photography."

"Kim, I can't resist asking. Yesterday you said it was not your day. May I ask why?"

She looked into my eyes, and blurted, "A big distributor decided to stop coming into town, and I found out it would be a hassle to get somebody else. The same morning, I got bad news about my relationship with a man, and to top it off, you bumped into me like an 18-wheeler hitting a small Kia..."

I smiled, "Kim, for the third time, I am so sorry. Sometimes I forget I am bigger than average and should be more cautious around other people. Anyway, your hobby interests me. Do you concentrate on a particular subject?"

"I focus on people. I like to watch people doing their thing and shoot them. Often, I photograph close ups of interesting faces."

"Have you ever used models?"

"No. Models are used to display something artificial. The pictures may be artistic and beautiful, but it's not reality. And what do YOU like to shoot?"

I laughed, "One of my friends is a hunter. He shoots deer, pheasants, rabbits, and other animals. I joked with him that our common denominator is both of us like to shoot. He uses a riffle, while I use my DSLR. Actually, I enjoy making short trips and taking pictures of scenery more than anything else."

"Sounds interesting."

"Lady, I think getting good photos of people is much more challenging than scenery. I'd love to see some of your work."

her eyes penetrated my soul, trying to guess if she could trust me. After a long pause, she said, "I'd invite you to my house to look at my pictures, but you have to promise me to behave. Another bump like the one my body still feels, and I'll need X-rays..."

I smiled, "If you let me visit your house, I'll cover my body with plastic bubble wrap, just in case..."

"Riley, you are funny. How about this weekend? Are you free?"

"Tell me when, and I'll make it my priority."

"Is Saturday morning at 10 OK?"

"Give me your address and I'll be there."

"I'd like to see some of your pictures too. Download a few of your favorite photos on a flash drive, and bring it with you."

I stood up, and shook her hand, "Kim, I wasted too much of your time already. I'll be at your door at 10 am on Saturday."

...

For some reason, it was tough for me to concentrate on my work in the next 3 days. I was thinking much of the time about Kim, and had no idea why. She was older than me and even mentioned she had a relationship with another man. What the hell?...

By Saturday, I downloaded 10 of my favorite pictures on a small portable hard drive. I prepared myself as if I was about to meet a woman on a date. I even bought a nice bouquet of a dozen roses.

I rang the bell of a large house in a nice neighborhood. Kim opened the door smiling at me warmly. She saw the flowers, and muttered, "These are for me? You are so nice. Thank you. Come on in."

She led me to her living room and I sat on a sofa surrounded by large photos of people. A close up of an old black woman displayed her age and likely suffering. Another one was of an American Indian dancing during a celebration. A third photo showed a small group of women in yoga poses. Some of the pictures were in black and white, while the others showed natural colors.

Kim sat on a chair and her eyes followed mine, watching my enthusiastic appreciation of her skills. I mumbled, "Ma'am, I hate to admit it, but you are a much better photographer than me. Your photos are worth presenting in a dedicated gallery, or even in the photography museum."

She laughed, "Thank you, Riley. It's always nice to get a compliment from a colleague. Before we look at your pictures, what would you like to drink?"

"I realized you drink tea. I am a coffee person but If you do not have it, black tea will do."

"Man! Don't you think I have other guests who drink coffee? Would you rather have Colombian, Sumatran, or Ethiopian?"

"Kim, you are too sophisticated for me. At work, I drink lousy Maxwell coffee and at home, I have Eight O'clock medium roast. Any one of the coffees you mentioned will be good. If you have a sweetener, it's going to be perfect."

"How about something to eat with your coffee; a piece of cheese cake, chocolate cake, or wafers?"

"Are you trying to spoil me? I love chocolate cake but I hate to impose."

She chortled, "For a big guy, you seem like a Teddy bear. You are shy, get excited easily, and behave like a child in a candy store... I'll ready our drinks and cake while you connect your drive to my computer in the other room."

After savoring the cake with the unexpected taste of a Sumatran coffee, we sat down in front of her computer to look at my pictures. I prepared a mix of downtown buildings, colorful trees during foliage time, icicles in winter, and a rainbow decorating a large waterfall on a sunny day.

Kim inspected each and every picture carefully. Then she looked at me and sighed, "I am jealous. You are obviously very observant and have a good eye. More importantly, you take your time and travel to inspiring places."

"Kim, I hesitate to ask... Would you join me tomorrow? I planned to go to a highly recommended dog park about 5 miles from here. My friend recommended it. The day is expected to be ideal for photographers - Sunny with the occasional clouds. Many dog owners will be chasing their pets and others will sit at the picnic tables. I'm certain you can find good targets. I'll shoot the scenery and likely some dogs too. Later we can have lunch at the Italian restaurant a block from there."

"Young man, excuse me for being blunt. I don't understand you. You are young, handsome, and can go out with most young chicks around. Don't misunderstand me, I appreciate your generous offer, but why take an oldie?"

I smiled, "Kim, why do you think your age makes any difference? I like your pictures, and frankly, I think I like you. If I know I can visit you again and get another piece of this amazing chocolate cake, I may even fall in love with you..."

She had a throaty laugh, "I'll be happy to go with you to the dog park. Let me wrap half of the remaining chocolate cake, so you can take it home with you."

Before leaving her house, I kissed her cheek and whispered, "Lady, I forgot to mention it before. I also find you very attractive. But, please, don't mention your age again."

I left her, noticing her puzzled eyes watching me.

...

Kim sat in the car, leaving her long zoom camera behind. She had a cute face but her massive breasts made it difficult for me to concentrate on anything else. She wore a short sleeve, light blue blouse. I liked that she put on jeans pants, and sneakers - Her clothes made it possible to move anywhere in the park without thinking about small stones, weeds, low branches, or pricks.

For the next 2 hours, we strolled on the trails in the dog park. Every now and then, we stopped to take pictures. I saw her trying to get good angles in order to capture people moving about or their expressions as they played with the dogs. Kim looked professional. My eyes tried to focus on her cute face. The more I concentrated on it, the prettier it appeared to me. Her breathtaking figure was undoubtedly a major attraction as well. I shot pictures of trees, a nice pond with Lilly's pink flowers, dogs chasing each other, and... Kim in multiple poses. In 2 of the pictures, I captured her bending down, trying to shoot her subjects from below. Her cleavage was very tempting!..

At one point, I became hungry and turned to her, "Kim, how much longer you want to stay here? My stomach complains about being empty. When do you wish to have lunch?"

She giggled, "It's funny. We became hungry at the same time. Does it mean we are in sync now?..."

"I wish! Let's go to my car and head to the restaurant. Then we can look at our pictures on the camera's small screen."

The meal was delicious. Was it really that good, or did the hunger distort our taste buds? Whatever the reason, we both enjoyed the simple pasta with salad.

Kim wanted to look at my photos. I prepared the screen for her, forgetting about HER shots... She stared at my pictures for 15 minutes expressionless, and then glanced at me, "Riley, In addition to taking pictures of dogs, I see that you aimed at a bitch too."

I blushed, "Sorry, I usually photograph anything I like and delete the ones I am not interested in later. If you rather I erase your pictures, I'll do it. I won't like it but I'll obey your wish. Look, why hide it - I find you very attractive..."

Kim smirked, "As attractive as the other dogs?"

"Kim, why are you so cynical? I mean it. If my attention bothers you, let me know and I'll stop."

She gave me the same look as before when I complimented her, "Why are you surprised? Isn't it unusual to have a handsome young guy showing interest in a much older woman?"

"Ma'am, I never asked your biological age. The only thing I care about is how amazing you are. Both physically and mentally. Fate made us meet, and subsequently, we found out we had a common hobby. You are smart, so tell me what's wrong with my thinking."

"There is nothing wrong but I am skeptical of the whole thing."

"Tell me why."

"Remember I told you yesterday I had a relationship issue? So I just found out the guy I was dating, was playing on Tinder with other women. The same morning I talked to him on the phone and dumped him."

"Kim, I understand you had a bad experience with a cheating man. However, not every man is a bad apple. If there is something you do not like about me, just tell me, and I'll be out of your life, but if not, please, give me a chance."

"As I mentioned before, you are very persistent. What happens if one day you stop liking me? I mean, you are so much bigger than me. One stroke may knock me out completely..."

As I approached her, I whispered, "Dear Kim, I vow that if you stop mentioning your age, I'll never ever raise my hands on you. OK?"

She had tears in her eyes, "Are you for real? Is this a fantasy that will disappear once I wake up?"

I lifted her chin gently and kissed her full lips lightly, "I don't think so. But if it is, we both have a similar dream."

I drove Kim to her house and accompanied her to the door. I kissed her again, and said, "I do not want to pressure you. I'd love to date you but you'll need to decide if you want it too. If you wish to give it a try, please call me. I'll be waiting impatiently."

I kissed her softly again and drove away.

I parked my car and the phone rang, "Yes, Riley. The answer is YES!"

...

The next evening, I went to see Kim at her house. She opened the door dressed to kill: A short skirt showing shapely legs, and a thin sheer blouse that exposed the soft bra underneath. She also added a touch of makeup and red lipstick.

I stopped in my tracks, gave her 'the look,' and whistled.

She smiled, "Riley, if each time you ogle MY BODY, the reaction be the same, You'll never know the real me."

"Girl, admiring your heavenly figure has nothing to do with wanting all of you. If you recall, I was interested in you before noticing your body. In any case, it's not only the figure I was impressed with; It was your wonderful face and the way you dressed. Look, if you do not like my reaction, next time, wear baggy, ugly clothes. You can find them in any Salvation Army place. I'll get the message and behave better..."

She came closer and caressed my arm, "Buddy, I didn't want to embarrass or offend you, but your reaction was exaggerated. I look OK, no more."

"If this is the way you feel about yourself, you don't deserve what I brought you." My left hand, which was behind my back until now, moved forward and showed Kim a nice box of Leonidas truffles."

She grabbed it and jumped with joy, "I love Leonidas chocolates."

"So be nice to me. Next time I tell you 'you are gorgeous,' you accept it nicely and not argue with me, clear?"

Kim chuckled, "We didn't start dating and you already try to assume control?"

"Honey, if we go out together, the rules are simple - Everything I like about you is a chapter from the bible, and I am not going to tolerate any arguments. You may control anything else. Agree?"

"Riley, I hardly know you, but so far you sound perfect. I can't believe it. A big stud with a soft touch."

"I don't know about THAT. I don't remember touching you. Yet."

"You kissed me softly. Twice. It told me a lot already. Let's go inside. I hate making scenes by the door."

"Coffee with chocolate cake?"

"That will be nice. Anything in particular you'd like to do this evening?"

"Not really. I thought we'd sit comfortably on the sofa and know each other better."

She went to the kitchen and began working on the cake and coffee. I moved behind her, hugged her tummy, and kissed lightly the back of her neck.

Kim shivered and whispered, "Please, it's a sensitive spot..."

I whispered back, "I hope so."

She begged, "Riley, be nice. We have all the time in the world. Let me serve stuff and then I want to show you the photos I took. You took pictures of me, well, I did the same - I also photographed you."

I sat and got my coffee & cake. Then she went to her bedroom and returned 5 minutes later. The lady now had on a helmet and a firefighter's coat!

I started laughing, "Where did you get these from?"

"My nephew is a firefighter. Sometimes he sleeps in the guest room. He left these here 2 days ago. I put them on to distract you from focusing on me, and direct your attention to your food and then my photos. If you behave, I'll take it off later."

"You treat me like a mother. I prefer to look at you as a date."

"It's because you behave like a child seeing an ice cream and demanding to have it right away rather than earn it."

"Mommy, I am going to cry..."

"Riley, shut up. Finished with your coffee? Great. Let's go to the other room. If you are not interested, you can skip the first 60 photos and go directly to yours."

There were 10 pictures of me, 4 of them in black and white. The colored ones captured me aiming my camera at dogs and tall trees. The black and white showed my facial expressions in 4 different situations: Chasing a dog, being upset that the wind moved my shooting subject away, aiming straight up with my shirt riding high exposing my 6-pack, and laughing at a young dog performing tricks.

I gazed at Kim, "Girl, you have a gift. I see myself in the mirror every morning, and I never thought about myself this way."

Her face turned red, "I hear many people say the pictures give them different perspectives about themselves. I learn a lot from people's expressions. Catching them when they are not ready, is seeing into their souls. Observing your face when it was YOU was very useful. It told me you are genuinely a nice person, even though you occasionally pretend to be tough."

"Lady, I think your conclusion is totally wrong. I liked your pictures. However, you were sitting very close to me, and despite your floral perfume, I could smell your natural odor. Right now my mind tells me I shouldn't be a nice person..."

Kim removed the firefighter's coat and helmet, and giggled, "As I said, you are too nice to misbehave."

"Lady I am warning you!..."

"Riley, you are all talk. I don't believe a word you are saying."

I pulled her up and gently kissed her red lips. She smirked, "That's the best you can do?"

"Kim, you removed your protecting gear and now you are playing with fire!"

I pulled her back to me and kissed her harder, forcing her lips open and invading her mouth with my tongue. Her tongue trembled and retreated back, but mine massaged it softly until it gave up and joined mine in a happy dance.

I disengaged from her mouth, and whispered, "Kim, you can't imagine how much I want you now."