Helen didn't like to make a fuss. It was such a small shop. She smiled and apologised for being a nuisance. The bicycle she was interested in -it was red, her favourite colour- rested on a stand against the wall. The floor before it was an assault course of open cardboard boxes and bicycle parts.
"I like the big red one," she told the owner, and immediately blushed for no good reason.
"Good choice," he said. "If you'll just step to one side.."
There really wasn't anywhere to move but Helen stepped forward so that he could slip behind her. She felt his hand on her hip gently guiding her and then gasped in surprise as he unexpectedly moved it lower and gave her right cheek a friendly, lingering squeeze.
She twisted sharply to look at him but he'd already squeezed past and was nudging the boxes aside with his foot as if nothing had happened.
"It's a steel frame," he said, reaching for the bicycle and taking it down from the stand. "A lot of people prefer aluminium these days.." He grunted as he set it down then looked at her and smiled, "-But you get a much better ride with steel.."
Helen knew that she should say something but the right words wouldn't come and her blush deepened as the owner patted the saddle.
"Aluminium is denser. Stiffer. Gives a much harder ride," he said. "But you can't beat steel for comfort."
His dark eyes sparkled warmly as he looked at her and Helen found herself nodding uncertainly as she realised the moment to complain had already passed.
"Coil-sprung saddle," he went on. "Built for comfort. You could sit on one of these all day."
"I just want to ride to the shops," she heard herself explain. There was something about the direct way he looked at her that made her want to avoid his eyes. She watched his hand as he began to caress the saddle. He had very clean, very big hands.
"Soft isn't any good," he explained. "As you probably know, you need something stiff for a good ride.."
She looked up warily but there was nothing in his expression that showed he meant anything other than what he said. Nothing suspicious, only his pleasant smile and sparkling eyes.
"Of course, this one needs adjusting," he went on knowledgeably. "I need to take your inside leg measurement. If the saddle's too high you'll feel it rubbing your crotch, and who wants that? I've got a tape measure here somewhere."
His words kick started an instant panic chain reaction. Helen gaped at him, shocked and surprised, and then found she couldn't meet his disarming smile and quickly looked away. She found herself babbling, "-There's no need.. I don't want to put you to any trouble. I'll just take it as it is. I'm sure my husband can sort it out.."
She blushed furiously as she searched in her handbag for her credit card. Her hand trembled as she offered it but he made no move to take it and when she found the courage to look at him she saw he had a hand thrust deep into his trouser pocket.
"I have it here somewhere," he smiled, as if she'd said nothing.
Helen found her gaze drawn irresistibly to the movement of his hand. Something big stirred in the front of his trousers. It wasn't his hand, she could see his hand rooting deep inside his pocket.
"-Here it is," he said, but it was another second or two before she could belatedly tear her eyes away from the noticeable bulge in his trousers.
He showed her a rolled cloth tape measure but Helen barely saw it.
"A lot of people don't realise the importance of correctly fitting a bicycle to the rider," he said. He stood the bicycle in a frame that held the back wheel and supported it. "Inside leg measurement is of paramount importance. Remember what I said about a badly adjusted saddle rubbing your crotch?"
Helen nodded absently as he came closer and now his dark eyes sparkled with a deeper intensity than before.
"The action of pedalling," he explained slowly "-causes you to move around on the saddle. The effect is more noticeable the further you ride. Every little bump in the road is transferred through the frame directly to your sensitive crotch..."