Sometimes I hate living in a small town. There is only one adult bookstore and to be quite honest, it has the complete feel of sleaze about it. It is on the main drag, but just past the outskirts of town. It is a low, squat, concrete block building, with the windows painted out. The unpaved parking lot usually only has two or three cars, one for the clerk and the others belong to customers who scurry in and out before their pastor or kids' teacher recognizes their car as they drive by. This is especially true in the middle of the day, when I usually visit.
So you could have knocked me over with a feather when she walked in. Once or twice, women customers had come in while I was there, but this was different. She was brisk and professional. She was older. She was gorgeous.
I was browsing the magazine rack when she walked in, shutting the door quickly behind her. She was dressed in a navy blue suit, with cream colored silk blouse. Black heels and hose finished the outfit that was at once professional and deadly. Twinkling at her shoe top was an ankle bracelet. It may be my imagination, but it seems that an ankle bracelet always graces a leg where the skirt is a bit shorter, and the heels a bit higher than most other women are wearing. She was no exception to that rule.
If the fact that a woman who looked like a banker or lawyer was shopping in the porn shop was not enough to stop me in my tracks, one glance at her face was. She was not 20 something, 30 something or maybe even 40 something. Don't get me wrong, but for a few crow's feet and a wrinkle here and there, with that body she could be thirty. Framing her face was silvery, blonde hair, with the bangs and sides rolled over neatly. Pale blue eyes turned in my direction, then quickly arced away as she turned to face a rack of video tapes. The surprises were not over yet. As she turned I could see the long straight mane of hair that fell down her back to the line where the top of her skirt must have been. I tried not to stare, but was not entirely successful.
It took me a moment to regain my composure, what little I have. Here I was in a porn store with one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. The only other person in the store was the overweight clerk, hunched over his ashtray, chain smoking.
Normally, I am not a very aggressive kind of guy, sometimes not even assertive. But this opportunity was much too good to give in to my usual doubts. Trying not to stare, I kept my eye on her, hoping to catch her eye, or at least walk out the door the same moment she did. She stood in front of the rack of videos, each cover a garish collage of exploding graphics and closeups of sexual organs. Every so often perfectly manicured fingers, tipped in red, would flash up and pluck down a box. Carefully she would turn it over as she examined it carefully. She always turned slightly to the right when looking at a video box. So I moved down the opposite side of the aisle and turned to my left when I grabbed a movie. Finally our eyes met. I smiled. She smiled. Her smile was neither shy, nor embarrassed, but quite welcoming. My courage bolstered, I went the next step.
"Nice day today for a change" I asked, my voice exploding into the silence of the room. She didn't look up from her video. Momentarily fear gripped me. She lowered the box, and smiled again.
"Yes, nice to have the sun out again."
"Supposed to be warmer by the weekend," I continued.
"Maybe I'll be able to get out my swimsuit again," she offered, sending my brain into a realm of fantasy from which I almost didn't recover.
"A swimsuit would be nice, but I you look perfect in that outfit."
"What this old thing?" She was now very intent on our little conversation.
"Yes," I smiled "I would expect a woman as beautiful as you to be wearing that in a highrise office or maybe a fashion runway. That suit is very flattering to you." Her eyes sparkled and I was even pleased with myself.
She looked over her shoulder quickly, then back at me. "Don't tell anyone," she began as she unbuttoned the jacket. She pulled open one side "J.C. Penney. On sale," she grinned like a Cheshire cat. I couldn't help but notice the breasts that poked out of her silk shirt. Not large, but very shapely. Perhaps on a younger woman they could be called "perky" but that didn't seem quite right. Just perfect perhaps.
I decided to try to move on to the next level. "Are you looking for something for yourself or someone else?" I stammered just a bit when I asked.
Now she smiled a bit shyly. "Just me," she almost whispered "Are you looking for someone special?" she added.
"I wasn't when I came in here, but I found someone special anyway."
She smiled so sweetly I almost fainted. We chatted for a few minutes more as we continued to shop. Holding a movie box in her hand, she turned to me and asked "what do you think of this one?"
Gently taking it from her, I said "Hmmm, never seen it before." Noticing a long haired blonde in one of the pictures, I pointed and said "She's quite attractive."
"Then let's buy it and go to my house and watch it" she said, making my dream come true. While my head was in the clouds from her invitation, she handed me the video and said, "If you don't mind getting this, I'll wait outside." With that, she headed for the door and my bubble nearly burst. Was this a joke? Did she get a thrill teasing guys? I almost ran to the checkout. The clerk seemed to be mired in molasses as he ran my credit card through. Finally, after what seemed hours, the transaction was completed. I tried to look relaxed and calm as I headed out the door.
As I looked at the parking lot, I was once again surprised. She was sitting in her car, parked next to mine. But it was not a red convertible or other sporty car as I expected, but an older minivan. I walked over between the cars, her passenger door on one side, my driver's on the other. As I walked up, the window on her van slid open. "Let's take my car," she said "No need to have two cars in my driveway, and they won't mind." Quickly I got in.
As I got in, I glanced toward the back of the van, wondering if my string of surprises would continue by seeing a raft of children's car seats. There were none, only a neat stack of cardboard boxes almost filling the rear. As I took my seat, I must have looked puzzled. She said "I'm in sales. You know those parties that women have to sell things? I find hostesses and supply the merchandise. We sell everything, kitchen things, Christmas decorations, even lingerie." She paused and smiled slyly.
"You must be good at it. You are very persuasive."
As she smiled I realized that she was not used to being flattered. Of course, in sales, she was always doing the flattering. I made a mental note. I also finally got around to an introduction. Awkwardly and stupidly I stuck out my hand and said "I'm Bill, by the way." With practiced grace she grasped my proffered hand and said, "Veronica. And the pleasure is all mine." Her handshake was a perfect blend of firmness and softness. I almost shuddered in anticipation of her touch in other places.