Harry stood outside of the shop shivering in the cold as he nonchalantly peeked in the windows building up the courage to enter the store. Acting as if her were waiting for someone he would wander away from the windows, glance at his watch and then wander back to the windows trying to decide exactly what he wanted to buy. Unfortunately, each time he saw a few interesting items, the window would begin to fog from his breath so he'd back out toward the street, look up and down the sidewalk and then glance at his watch.
After nearly a half hour of standing out in the freezing weather he stepped over to the door, pulled it open and stepped in. He immediately found himself surrounded by shapely female mannequins wearing some very sexy lingerie. Trying not to show how awkward he felt, he quickly moved off to one side of the store away from most of the people so he could pause and compose himself.
"I was wondering if you were ever going to come in," Harry heard a gentle voice from behind.
He turned quickly and gasped, "Oh you startled me."
The young woman reached out her tiny hand and rested on his arm as she said, "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. It's just that you looked like you might need a little help here."
"Well, it's all kind of overwhelming, I mean... well, it's just that I ah..."
"You wanted to get a Valentine's Day gift for someone special?"
Harry paused, looking at the woman he immediately noticed the hint of a red bra strap peeking from beneath her satiny black blouse. The red seemed to almost glow against the pale white of her skin. Harry wanted to reach out and run his hand down from her neck to the tiny bit of cleavage showing just above the first button of her blouse. Instead, his eyes slowly dipped downward and then returned to the woman's face, where she was looking directly into his eyes, unabashedly letting him stare at her.
"Oh yes, I want to get something nice for my wife, but I'm not exactly sure what to get. I mean I want something pretty, but not too ah, provocative, if you know what I mean?"
"No leather teddies or crotchless panties?"
"Oh no, nothing..."
She placed her hand on Harry's arm again and said, "Relax, I'm kidding. Some of the lingerie here is suggestive, but we don't have anything that's too much I believe. Do you know your wife's size?"
"Well, kind of, I mean I think most of her bras are a 36 or 38."
"And the cup size?"
"Cup size?"
"Yes, 36 B or C or..."
"Oh I think maybe C, but I'm not sure. She's gained a bit of weight just lately, with the change and all."
"So she is about your age?" the woman asked.
"Yes, a year younger," Harry replied.
"And you're what forty-eight, fifty?"
"No, no fifty-six."
"Oh, that's about my father's age," she said taking a half-step closer to Harry. Now it was his turn to react to her intense gaze as she reached her hand up and ran her fingers through the graying hair above his ears. Harry held his breath as she lingered near him for the longest time before saying, "I like your cologne." It looked to Harry that her eyes seemed to tear up for just a moment.
Harry relaxed a bit as she stepped back again. "My cologne, just something I got as a gift."
"My father wears the same cologne, Halston I believe," she said, apparently okay.
"I think that's it," Harry said nervously.
"You need to relax, shopping for Valentine's Day should be a wonderful experience. Look, take off your coat and we can hang it back here," she said, walking back into a room near the fitting area. "I'll hang it here and as cold as it is outside, I'm sure you won't forget to take it with you when you leave."
"That's okay, I can hold it."
"Suit yourself, but look, we have some green tea here, why not sit down and have a sip. It will help you relax some."
"Okay," he replied, slipping into one of the chairs. He watched the woman turn and move over to the counter where she poured a small cup of tea. Harry found himself staring once again as the woman turned and walked back to him, her hips swinging just slightly, just enough to emphasize her body.
"Here you go," she said, placing the cup in front of him. "We have sugar and sweetener in the container there and if you want some milk in..."
"Oh no, this is fine," he replied.
"Would you excuse me for a moment," the woman said, turning and walking out onto the sales floor. Harry watched her walk over to another woman and talk for a few moments. She then nodded and walked back into the room with Harry.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"Oh yes, it's just that the manager wanted me to take my break now. I could do that and let someone else help you..."
"Oh I'd much rather work with you. Should I go talk to her?"
"No, no, it's... you know, I've got an idea. Why don't you come with me on my break? We could grab a sip of wine and that might help you relax a bit and then we would come back here and find that Valentine's Day gift."
"Oh I don't know, I don't want to impose."
"It's no imposition, besides I could use the company. Look, I'm Amie," she said holding out her hand.
"My name is Harry," he replied, taking her hand and shaking it.
"Well Harry, let me grab my coat and you put yours back on and we'll find someplace to relax."
Harry stood up, pulled on his coat and then watched as Amie pulled on her coat, thinking to himself how much he'd like to watch her take it off again.
"Ready?" she asked.