Candace Mitchell woke up in stages. She felt her eyes slowly crack open, looking first straight up at the hotel room ceiling before turning her head slightly to the left in attempt to catch the time from the big digital display on the bedside clock radio. Her temples were throbbing and her mouth was dry as she swallowed hard, running her tongue over lips. The air conditioner was running on high and she felt a chill realizing that she was completely naked. When she pulled the covers up over her shoulders, she was startled when the figure lying next to her stirred and rolled over. The first shock was that she wasn't alone. The second was that the man sleeping next to her was not her husband.
PART ONE
Candace Mitchell was the Vice-President of Human Resources for a large electronics firm. Although in her mid-forties, a strict diet and moderate excercise, including weekly yoga classes, kept years from her figure. Her light brown hair was cut in stylish short fashion, just off her shoulders, and her green eyes seemed to sparkle when she smiled. Her full breasts had fallen just a bit but her waist was trim and she had the long, slender legs of a dancer.
Married for over twenty years,her daughter had just started her freshman year at Notre Dame and her twin boys were juniors at Middleton High School.
Her company's awards banquet was being held in Columbus this year and she had decided to stay the night since she was able to get a room in the same hotel. Her boys were perfectly fine on their own and her husband and a few of his buddies had previously made plans to go to South Bend for the Irish opener.
Wearing a matching black lace bra and thong panty set, Candace slipped into her V-necked navy dress smoothing it out over her luscios curves. Adjusting the neck line in the mirror, she was somewhat concerned that she was showing a bit too much cleavage. She brushed her hair and reached into her purse for a tube of lip gloss. She was known to have a weakness for the stuff, and was seen constantly applying liberal amounts to her pouty lips throughout the work day. She stepped into her peep toe slingbacks with the four-inch heel and turned her back to the mirror, looking over her shoulder at her reflection.
She smiled confidently, knowing she looked terrific and wished her husband was with her. They always let their hair down when they stayed in hotels together, and the sex while always good at home, whenever they could get to it, got markedly hotter when they were out-of-town.
Candace walked through the crowded ballroom, stopping often to meet with co-workers and their spouses moving further into the room. When she finally made it to the bar, she ordered a gin martini with extra olives, pleased to catch the young bartender staring at her chest as she placed her order. She had to hand it to him, he made a damn fine drink, its bite distinct on the back of her throat. She was so impressed that she returned a half hour later for a second one which she took out on the balcony.
The balcony was long and nearly empty when Candace stepped outside. Hearing her name called, she turned to find Randi Boehmon sitting alone several tables down. Randi was one of the top sales executives and she and Candace tried to have lunch together at least once a month.
When Randi invited her to sit, Candace noted a glass of white wine was on the table in front of her next to a hard pack of Virginia Slims Menthol 120s topped by a tiny gold lighter. As usual, Randi looked incredible with her long blonde highlighted hair hanging straight over her shoulders, her striking blue eyes set against dark, smoky eye make-up, her lips glistening in a cinnamon shade. Randi's oldest was a few years behind the twins and their families attended the same church.
"Candace! Don't you look fantastic. I love your shoes, are they new?"
As they chatted, Randi told Candace that she was also "single" for the night since her husband was in L.A. on business. Candace noted that Randi kept looking glancing over her shoulder, back into the ballroom as if she was looking for someone. Moments later, Randi abruptly got up from the table and excused herself saying "I'd better get back inside." before grabbing her wineglass and clutch and walking quickly away. Candace noticed that she had left her cigarettes but when she turned, Randi was already gone. Candace put the cigarettes and lighter in her bag intending to return them to her later.
Back in the ballroom, Candace ordered a third martini, scanning the crowd for Randi. She spotted her across the floor talking with a young, black man named Marcus who worked in Randi's department. Marcus was leaning over talking directly into her ear and when he raised his head she saw Randi beaming up at him, a gorgeous smile illuminating her face. Before Candace could head over towards them, Greg, the CFO of the company, was on the stage at the podium asking everyone to find their seat.
Candace's table was near the front but off to the side, and as she settled in, the lights were lowered casting the table into darkness. Candace introduced herself to the others at her table finding out that they were from the parent company in Atlanta. There was an empty chair next to her, and as the evening got started, Candace saw a young man making his way towards her.
She had met Jon Roberts a few times previously. He worked out of their San Digo office and had been a surfer or some reknown.When he smiled in greeting, she couldn't help but notice his athletic V-shaped build and the way his pants clung tightly to his muscular thighs. His long,blonde curly hair was pushed back over his ears and he had an infectious grin which immediately put you at ease.
As the evening progressed, Candace found herself talking almost exclusively to the younger man. She found him incredibly charming and funny and very attentive, making sure that she always had a fresh drink in her hand, the two of them even sharing a small piece of cake from the dessert tray.
Candace was more than a little drunk when the last speech was given, and as her co-workers began to move about the large ballroom, she found herself alone at the table with Jon.
As she was applying a fresh layer of gloss to her lips, Jon leaned in close to her, smiling brightly and asked "So what are you up for!"
Candace felt a little giddy smiling back at the handsome young stud "What do you mean?"
"What are plans for the rest of the night?" he explained.
"Oh . . . Well, I've got a room here. My husband couldn't make it and I didn't want to drive home alone."
Jon leaned even closer to her. Candace could smell the musky scent of his cologne.
"Well, that certainly opens up some options for us. Don't you think?" his voice lowering in a manner Candace found much too intimate.
Candace felt Jon's hand lightly slide over her knee which was under the table, hidden from view by the tablecloth.
