[Bonus Turn On Tip: Your older woman may not believe you think she is hot. (This is very true, I wouldn't lie to you.) If you come on too strong, too early, it doesn't feel good to the girl. She might delete. If you share a link to an innocent sounding story like this. It gives you something in common to chat about and may warm her up a little for you.]
Me? A Cougar? I Never Saw It Coming
"Excuse me," an accented male voice interrupted my thoughts. "Is anyone sitting here?"
Busy trying to meet my deadline, I hadn't noticed how crowded the little coffee shop had gotten. "No," I smiled up at him. Noticing his friendly eyes I felt comfortable and truth be told, I could use a little human companionship.
I slid my file folders into a stack and made room for him at my table. (Bonus Turn On Tip: This is a great way to meet an older in real time. We LOVE sitting in coffee shops checking our social media, doing sodoku or working crosswords puzzles. I would never turn down a friendly man who asks to join my table at a crowded coffee shop.)
He's kind of baby faced but a big kid, broad shoulders and a little grey at the temples. I loved that. Still in the middle of my neverending divorce circus, I have zip, zero, no time to date and no desire to trust another man again, ever. In fact, I am working on an article about divorce recovery that is due tomorrow. I don't need an interruption.
That being said, I can't help but peek over my laptop at the adorable young guy looking all professorial sitting at my table. Watching him dig out his own Macbook and notebook, he glances over at me. I quick look back down at my document. Just as I reach to put my earbuds in my ears, I hear him ask, "What are you working on?"
"I have an article due tomorrow and..." my voice stutters to a stop the second I make eye contact with him. He's flirting with me. I'm sure of it. This gorgeous, approachable, interesting young (scary young, very scary young) man is flirting with ME. Fumbling nervously with my earbuds, I hope he can't see how shallow my breathing is, I swallow hard. "Um and, well I better get back to it."
"Sure," he smiles easily, "I don't want to disturb you."
"No worries," I smile back trying to collect myself and act calm and unaffected. Yeah, right. I take deep breaths. In two, three, four, out two, three, four, in two three four out two, three, four.
Since my breakup, I like being single, I remind myself. I will not open myself to another man and all the drama. I am doing fine for myself. I go out now and then just to prove to myself that there is no one out there worth the time. Between my freelance gigs and my dog, I am fine.
I certainly wasn't expecting to meet anyone at an obscure coffee shop. Suddenly self conscious, I reach up to finger comb my short blonde bob. My heart is still beating too fast, taking a couple of deep breaths and closing my eyes. He can't really be interested in me. I must be imagining it.
Glancing back down at the computer, I drag my attention back to my deadline and the task ahead. "Sorry to bother you again," he said, "Could you plug this into the outlet for me?" He leans over and hands the cord to me and of course his fingers brush my hand. Is it just my imagination or does he linger just for a second too long?
"Sure." Reaching down to put the plug in the outlet, I am glad for the excuse to look away. I grab my phone and babble out, "Could you please watch my stuff for a sec? I have to make a call." It's been years since I felt this way. I am terrified and thrilled at the same time and I have to catch my breath.
"No problem," he smiles at me. "I have plenty to do and I will be here for awhile. Take your time." I hurry away, wobbling in my stilletos feeling weak in the knees. I don't want to open up to anyone. I like being unattached, or do I? I forgot how good it feels to have a man's attention like that. I haven't been pursued by a man in forever. So he is a child. So what. I pinch off the feelings of NO, NO, NO that poke up from inside.
I make a quick call to my client and then return to the table. He's busy typing and glancing at the stack of papers next to him, glasses perched on his tan nose. Sitting down I start a new document. My mind now running all over the place, there is no point in trying to focus on my project.
Fingers flying across my keyboard, I list all the reasons that a handsome young man like the one across the table from me couldn't possibly be interested in someone my age. I bit my lip. I sense how close he is sitting. His knee just inches from mine. My mind locks on how good it feels to be this close to him. His cologne barely reaching my nose, I want to reach over and touch his arm, but I don't. What if I am imagining the whole thing?
I look down at my keyboard and saw that I had typed this: I wiorhi hjyo jr ropepskd ejaitpfojshiot. I laughed out loud. Noticing his quizzical look, I giggle and say "My brain is fried, I can't write another word."
