Hard to believe we have been going 5 years already. Networking Projects had progressed from a dream in Malcolm's university dorm to a computer consultancy employing nearly 100 people.
Not sure if we were establishment or still the brash new kids on the block we celebrated at the Firkin and Fowl, a trendy restaurant cum disco bar. It was an odd night. Many of the whizz kids in the company were obviously uncomfortable with the etiquette of a formal dinner. But when we went through to the disco area the tables were turned. At 34 I was about the oldest in the company and felt well out of place amidst the strobe lights and techno trance music.
I was hiding in the corner, wondering what would be least conspicuous way to leave early, when Caitlin came over. I knew her by sight; a work experience kid who had joined our customer service team about a week ago. By all accounts useless but decorative. I had even heard that there was a sweep stake running among the programmers to see who would be first into her knickers. She was obviously drunk and wearing a tiny pink skirt and a blue top that left her girly nipples protruding. I knew full well she was under age and sensed trouble looming.
"My gran wants to talk to you", she said.
"What kind of chat up line is that?" I thought. But I followed her eyes to where another party were sitting on the far side of the room. I realised she was serious when a middle aged woman made eye contact and nodded.
I went over still not sure what was going on. It turned out that the woman worked for Barnes and Turnbull, an estate agency where I had installed an intranet a couple of months ago. She had recognised me and simply wanted to make conversation. "Two fish out of water had better swim together," was her way of putting it. I bought her a drink but it was difficult to talk in the racket. She seemed pleasant enough so on the spur of the moment I suggested that we find somewhere quieter.
Outside, as we walked down Churchgate, she told me that her name was Jenny. I got my first proper look at her and tried to guess her age. She read my mind and asked, "How old do you think I am, Mark?"
I hesitated to say what I thought but she prompted me, "Go on, out with it".
"50," I replied.
"You're a genius," she said not in the least embarrassed about admitting her age to a man.
"But you don't look it," I added somewhat fatuously.
She smiled and said "Yes I do but I don't care. You don't look like a geek so lets just be our selves." I liked that straightforwardness about her from the start and it broke the ice between us. We settled into a cosy alcove in the Rose and Crown and I discovered that when she relaxed she really didn't look fifty. She had blonde hair, nearly shoulder length and wavy, a slightly chubby face, with a few wrinkles around her eyes but an intelligent forehead and a nice smile. She was dressed simply in a black and white floral print strappy dress with just a necklace for ornament. She seemed to see no need for the excessive lingerie and make up of so many desperate older women. She really was intelligent and it was good to have a wide ranging adult conversation. But she didn't drink alcohol and soon got tired of orange juice so, regretfully on my part, we went outside for separate taxis. She was already sitting in the back of her taxi when she called out of the window laughing, "You could come and fix my computer, Mark."
I jumped in beside her, our eyes met and I gave her an exploratory peck on the lips. They were warm and tasted of strawberry lipstick but she didn't extend the embrace, seemingly embarrassed. Instead we talked about computers all the way to her place.
In private she changed. We settled on her comfortable sofa to watch a movie; a historical love story with a plot; not the usual Hollywood thrillers I so detest. We both got absorbed in it and in doing so forgot our inhibitions. Gradually our legs touched then we held hands. She let her hair brush on my shoulder and I put an arm round her. Everything about her was comfortably rounded; a complete change from my usual nubile type and I found it intriguing.
After the film she made tea and brought me a chocolate bar. She apologised that she only had one but I told her "let's share," and fed her one end. I nibbled the other and gradually we came to the middle. We both wanted to give the other the last square. Neither of us bit it and it dropped into the valley between the swells of her breasts.
Without thinking I reached down to pick it up. She slipped her dress strap off her shoulder to help me. Suddenly I was looking at the top of her breast. It wasn't big and showed a few freckles. But it was firm and tucked tightly into a pretty black and crimson lacy bra; its frilly hem curving in a graceful parabola deep into her cleavage. My fingers followed the plunge and cupped. There were no wires. Suddenly she was ticking all the right boxes for me and my fingers began to think the previously unthinkable, kneading her flesh eagerly.
"Mark!" she exclaimed in a chiding tone.