The Unexpected Soulmate

"What's this?" John said looking at the long box sitting on his cubicle desk.

Eric popped his head from across the aisle.

"We were hoping you could tell us. It came in by courier this morning."

John sat at his desk staring at the red foil wrapped box. He pulled out the small envelop underneath the gold ribbon. A small greeting card was inside that read, "Happy Valentine's Day" across a red heart. He opened it and written in curvy red ink, it read:

Be my Valentine's!!!

John read it with a raised eyebrow, as Megan stopped and stood at the front of his cubicle.

"Who's your secret admirer, hot shot?"

John looked over his shoulder and shrugged, "I don't know? Did you guys send this as a joke?"

Eric laughed across the way, "It is a good joke, isn't it? Seems like somebody beat us to the punch."

"So it's not from either of you?"

Megan and Eric looked at each and shook their heads.

"You really don't know who sent it?" Megan said.

"Not a clue."

"Well open it up. Maybe there's a clue inside." Eric said scooting his chair closer.

John untied the gold ribbon and neatly unwrapped the red foil exposing a long white box. He lifted the top cover to reveal two dozen long stem roses in a fancy crystal vase.

"Come on come on! We knew they were roses, maybe there's something on the bottom." Megan said.

John picked up the vase and pulled the roses out of the box. They all looked inside the box, but there nothing.

"Hmm...nothing." Eric said.

"Now what?" John said.

Megan shrugged, "Oh well. Looks like your admirer wants to stay secret. Just enjoy them."

John placed the vase in the corner of his desk fixing the arrangement.

"I wish I had someone that would send me roses." Megan said walking away.

John quickly poked his head out into the aisle, "Megan, would you like some roses?"

She turned around with a disapproving look on her face.

"Do you know what those are?" she said pointing at the roses. "Those are someone's thoughts and feelings for you and only you. To me, they're just roses, but to you, that's someone's love."

Eric popped his head out, "Megan, can I send you some of my thoughts and feelings?"

Megan held her hand up in disgust and walked away. John retreated back into his cubicle staring at the roses.

"Whacha gonna do now, big guy?" Jim said in his cubicle.

"Nothing. What can I do?"

There was no name, no clue or hint of who it might be. The only piece of evidence he had was the hand-written card, but even that could have been written by a worker at the flower shop.

The next day, John came to work to find Eric and Megan chatting by his cubicle. When they saw him come in, they both had sheepish grins on their face.

"Well, it looks like the secret admirer is still admiring you." Megan said.

"What do you mean?" John said then sighed at the sight of a large red heart with a pink ribbon on his desk.

"Maybe it's from somebody else, player." Eric said.

"Maybe it's from your Ex. She probably realized the error of her ways." Megan said.

"That's one theory that's definitely wrong." John said sitting at his desk.

"Well," Megan said, "open the card."

"Is that why you're here?"

"Well yeah. You brought us into this mystery. I gotta see it through."

"Come on Scooby. Let's find out who sent you those Scooby snacks."

John shook his head and pulled the card out reluctantly. It was a card with a silhouette of two people about to kiss. He opened it and it read with the same curvy handwriting:

For my Sweetheart!!!

"There's no name again."

"Look in the box. Maybe there's something under the chocolate." Megan said.

John opened the box wafting a sweet aroma of chocolate into the air. He looked underneath the cover, but there was nothing. Megan stepped closer and began looking for something underneath the pieces of candy. She placed a piece in her mouth and ate it.

"Hey! This is mine. You just ate a thought of love that was meant for me and me alone." John said.

Megan swallowed and said picking up another piece, "Roses are a thought of love. This caramel almond cluster dipped in milk chocolate isn't. It's just candy."

"I think I've got a chocolate bar in my pocket." Eric said, "Would you like to eat that too?"

Megan closed her eyes and shook her head trying to get the mental image out of her head. She ate the piece of chocolate in her hand and turned and walked away.

"Hey. Lunch. I need to mill some things over with both of you." John said.

Megan waved her hand in acknowledgement without turning.

The three of them walked around the corner to the Happy Yum Burger at noon. Megan and Eric sat across from John with their full attention.

"Now tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I'm assuming whoever is sending these gifts will give me one more tomorrow." John said.

"If one comes what are you going to do about it?" Eric said.

"I don't know, but I want to know whose sending them."

"Okay, let's look at the facts." Megan said, "The biggest fact is that these gifts are coming to work. So the person knows where you work."

"That's true." John said, "Only my closest friends and my immediate family know where I work."

"It could be somebody from work." Eric said.

"Like who?" Megan said looking over at Eric.

"I don't know. You get any vibes from anybody John?"

John pursed his lips and stared at the table for a moment. "Vanessa? She's always been friendly to me."

Megan rolled her eyes, "Not her style. If she liked you, you would've found out a year ago."

John bowed his head once more and thought, "Carrie? What about her?"

"Wait a minute. Whoever said your gift giver is pretty?" Eric said.

"Good point. It could be Doris in Purchasing."

"No, it's probably Nancy from Invoicing." Eric added and they both laughed.

John did not join in, but realized the fact his admirer could be someone he did not like. He sat there with a pensive gaze.

"So whatcha gonna do?" Eric said.

"Nothing." John said with a shrug, "I'll just see what happens tomorrow and figure it out as I go."

The next day, John got to work early. Megan and Eric had not arrived yet and nothing lied on his desk that morning. There was a slight feeling of disappointment, but it seemed like his admirer was satisfied at only admiring from afar.

John settled in for day and started working as usual. Eric came in dropping his backpack on his desk and looked over at John's cubicle.

"Aren't we the early bird this morning?" John said.

"There was nothing here."

"What? Nothing?"

"Nope."

"Are you sure?" Eric said hovering behind John looking for anything different.

"There's nothing to find."

"Hmph. Well that's no fun." Eric said disappointed and retreated back to his cube.

Megan popped her head into John's cube, "Well?"

"He didn't get anything." John said.

"What?" she said whipping her head around, "Nothing?"

"You're lying. You just don't want to tell us."

John swung around in his seat and looked at Megan straight in the eye, "Why wouldn't I tell you guys? You know just as much as I do."

"Well...it seems like there won't be a secret rendezvous." Megan said.

"It does look like it."

"So what are you gonna do tonight?" Eric said.

"Go home. What else?"

"Boring." Megan said.

"Why, what are you doing tonight?" John said.

"What do you think hotshot?" she said walking away from their cubes, "I've got a date. And he doesn't have cold feet."

"Did he send you a box of loving thoughts and feelings wrapped nicely in red foil?" Eric said.

Megan stopped suddenly and raised her pointed finger in the air.

"He'd better." she said and walked off.

"She's a hottie, but she's a ball breaker." John said to Eric.

"Hey, you gotta take some to get some." Eric said and they both laughed.

Their laughing was soon interrupted by a courier that stopped by in front of their cubes. He held a large envelope in his hand, "John?"

"That's me." John said raising his hand.

The courier handed the envelope over to him and he immediately looked at the sender's name. It read: M.Y. Valentine.

"Who's it from?" Eric said

"My Valentine."

"I thought as much. What's the name?"

"That's what it says. M.Y. Valentine." John said.

"Well open it!" Eric said wide eyed.

John tore the plastic strip off and dipped his hand inside. He fumbled with the contents then withdrew his hand out.

"Whoa." Eric said skipping a beat.

John set the items on his desk. There was small pink card, a room keycard and a pair of silky red thong panties.

"Those aren't from Nancy in Invoicing that's for sure. Those belong to some nice hips." Eric said.

John picked up the card and turned it over. He read the writing:

#1538 Ritz Carlton 8 pm

"Damn!" Eric said stomping his feet like a kid having a tantrum, "I want one of those too!"

Before John could respond, his cell phone rang. He quickly swept the items back into the envelope and answered his phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bro, I know you don't have a date tonight, so I thought we could hang out tonight." John's sister said.

"Actually, I do have a date."

"You do? Who is it?"

"You don't know her."

"Well who is she to you?"

"Well, that's kinda complicated." John said through a grimace.

"A blind date? You're going on a blind date?"

"I guess you could call it that."

"Well who set you up?"

"Hey, I gotta get back to work now. I'll tell you about later."

"Do you really think some hot chick on Valentine's Day has time to go on a blind date? It'll probably be some shrill droning on and on about how unfair life it to her. Come on Bro, keep me company. I won't bring up my ex...or yours."

"You might be right, Sis, but if I have to find out for myself. I'm sorry. I'll see you this weekend."

"Okay, okay. I understand." she said disappointed, "But if you change your mind, give me a call. I'll just be at home watching TV by myself. See ya." she said and hung up.

John took the phone off his ear.

"Who was that?" Eric asked.

"My sister."

"You sister's kinda hot, but she reminds me too much of you. That's a real deal breaker."

"Gee, thanks mate." John said.

"So you're going to go through with it?"

"Should I?"

Eric popped his head out of his cube, "Look at them panties again. Then ask yourself that question?"

The day came to a close and John gathered his belongings. He picked up the envelope last and exited his cube.

"I want to hear all about it tomorrow." Eric said in his cube.

John smirked and left the office.

It was six o'clock as he left the parking lot. The anxiousness began to swell as he made a mental schedule of the night. The hotel was about an hour away from his location, giving him some time for personal preparation, but not enough to go back home.

"What should I do?" he thought feeling a trembling in his hands.

John headed for the hotel thinking as he his thoughts wandered to the mysterious admirer. His mind turned toward solving the identity of the woman.

"It's a lady for sure. The panties prove that." he reassured himself.

"It's gotta to be somebody at work. I don't think I've told many others where I work. Only what I do. So if it's somebody at work, then who?"

Faces flashed in his mind at co-workers and acquaintances at work. They were all attractive and pleasant until he thought about some that were not so attractive. His face became a frown and thought about the awkward situation.

John passed several intersections feeling the urge to turn back, but as the lights turned green, he proceeded straight on ahead toward the five star hotel overlooking the bay.

The hotel was in sight when John committed fully. It was modern yet elegant and classy with reflective glass all around. The side facing the bay had a convex curve giving the building some character and differentiating itself from just another high rise office building.

John pulled up into the valet circle and stopped in front of the building. A valet quickly stepped up to greet him.

"Welcome, sir." the valet said with opening the car door.

John exited and took the ticket from the valet. He looked straight ahead toward the hotel lobby as the valet drove his car away. He put his hands in his jacket pockets and felt the keycard in the right and the silky panties in the left. He took a deep breath and walked into the lobby.

The lobby was posh and airy with white marble tiling. There were only a few people checking in and some well dressed workers walking about. John looked down at his watch. 7:15 it read on his analog watch. There was still time.

"Do you have a bar or lounge?" John asked a concierge.

"Yes sir. Turn around and it'll be straight ahead." he said.

John walked over to the darkened lounge and sat at the bar. The bartender quickly arrived and before he could ask, John said, "Captain and coke."

The bartender nodded and soon brought over a high ball glass with two red straws in his iced cocktail.

"Thanks." John said placing a $10 dollar bill on the counter and picked up his glass.

He took a sip allowing the smooth and sweet aftertaste calm his jittery nerves. He dipped his hand in his pocket and caressed the silky panties. They were sexy and alluring and it swelled his passion reassuring himself why he was here.

"Somebody went to all this trouble," he thought to himself, "The least I could do is oblige the lady's invitation."

His nerves had calmed down considerably whether it was due to the cocktail or his own self reassurance it was not clear. His thoughts turned to mystery lady once again. Above him in one of the rooms she was there. Was she frantically preparing the room to set the right mood, or had she finished watching TV patiently awaiting his arrival?

John took one last swig from his cocktail and headed for the restroom. He splashed some cool water on his face and straightened his hair. He adjusted his collar and it was time to meet his mysterious admirer at last.

He rode the elevator up to the 15th floor. When his floor chimed, the anxiety returned. There was definitely no way back now. He pulled the keycard out of his pocket and walked down the hall toward #1538.

1526...1528...1530 he walked by. 1532...1534...1536...1538 the oval plaque read on the center of the door. This was it. John had arrived at his final destination.

"Should I knock before entering or should I just enter?" he debated.

He twirled the keycard in his sweaty palms for a few moments and inserted into the slot.

The sound of small mechanical gears whizzed slightly and the two red lights above the keycard turned green. He grasped the handle and pulled down and the pushed the door open.

John entered the room with his heart beating in his throat. The room was dark, but the drapes were drawn open allowing the letting in only the night light.

"Hello?" John said like a boy trespassing on somebody's property.

John let the door shut behind him. The room was completely silent. Across the room, John saw what looked like a silhouette of a person's head. The figure reached over and turned on the desk lamp.

It did look like a woman, but it was still too hard to tell. The figure rose to their feet. The hair was long tied back into a ponytail. The neck looked long and feminine and John had no doubts about gender anymore.

She wore a hotel bath robe and then she turned to face John.

John blinked twice and saw the mystery was still a mystery. She wore a scarlet Mardi Gras mask with crimson feathers flaring out along the edges. Her face was totally covered except for her alluring curved red lips.

She looked over at John. His eyes were wide in a stunned silence. She undid the knot on her robe belt and slowly opened it up. She let the robe slide off her shoulders and down to the ground.

John's jaw dropped. She wore a sheer red dainty negligee with white stockings with red laced cuffs at her thighs. Her breasts were nice with her nipples taught and erect, but it was her waist that was sexy. It curved in and then nicely out to her bare naked hips. The negligee stopped a bit lower than her navel and her stockings up to her long thighs. The rest was bare and smooth like her creamy skin.

She picked up a flute of champagne on the desk and took a sip then set it back down and walked toward John with a smirk. There was an aroma of powdery flowers among her as she leaned her head next to his ear.

"Do you have my panties I sent you?" she whispered.

She pulled back with a sly smile. John stared at her for moment than pulled her red panties out of his pocket. He held them in his hand and stared at it when she brought her hand over his and slipped it out of his grip. She twirled it on her finger a few time until it stopped hanging off her fingers.

"How do you know me?" John asked.

She smiled again and came close to his ear, "Want me to put them on or leave them off?"

"You already look comfortable." John said glancing down at her naked pussy.

She smiled again and tossed the panties aside. John looked hard at the face. The eye holes were too small and only darkness was seen. She came close to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled herself up to his face and kissed him deep.

Her lips were soft and warm. John felt a rush within his body and he wrapped his arm around his back holding her close to him. Nothing matter at the moment except the feeling of this woman's gentle lips pressing against his.

They parted their heads and she smiled joyously.

"Was that good?" she whispered.

"It was." he said with a nod.

They both kissed again with a deeper passion. Their tongues found each other as John explored her soft body with his hands. He cupped one of her breasts with his hand and feeling the firmness of her nipple between his fingers. He brought it down her flat stomach and felt the moistness between her legs. She whimpered at his touch but continued to kiss him with her tongue in his mouth.

She reached down and felt the bulge in his pants. She fondled it and rubbed feverishly.

John brought his hand up to her face began sliding the mask off. She quickly retracted her tongue pushed herself away from him and tugging the mask back down over her face.

She turned her head adjusting the mask as she quickly glanced at John's reaction.

"I'm sorry. I just want to know who you are." he said looking over her naked body.

She step cautiously toward John and she leaned in next to his ear.

"Do you want to make love to me?" she whispered and stood in front of him.

"Oh yeah." he said with an animalistic glare.

She stepped back and held her palm out to John nervously. She licked her lips smiled like a frightened girl. She reached up into her hair and pulled the hair band off and tossed her streaked chestnut hair.

John smiled. Her hair was silky and light, but the way she moved triggered a sense of familiarity, but he could not pinpoint it.

She bit her lip and tilted her head down. She brought both hands on to the mask and slipped it off her face. She slowly looked up at him and offered him a nervous smile. John's eyes widen and gasped. Her face was pretty. Her skin looked soft and radiant. Her eyes were a pair of crystal blue sapphires and her smile was as warm as a sunny day.

"Happy Valentine's Day." she said.

"Sis?!"

"Hey, Bro." she said trying to ease the shock.

"What is this? Some kind of a joke?"

"No," she said consolingly shaking her head, "It's not. It's real."

"Real? What's real?" he said raising his voice.

"This night, bro." she said as soothing as possible, "This room. This day. You. Me. Here. It's all for us."

"Us?" he said taking off his jacket. He wrapped it around her naked body.

"Hey!" she said protesting.

"Shut up! I can't talk to you naked."

"Oh yeah? It didn't stop you when I was wearing the mask?"