Another long day at the office. Blowing out in a gust of frustration, Jack leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands over his face, stretching to relieve the nagging pain in his spine that spoke of too many hours sitting in front of the computer. He looked around his office, thinking about how his wife used to come by for lunch and engage in a little limbering activity. The thought made him smile, but as he thought of it, he couldn't even remember how long ago that was. Frowning a bit and feeling sorry for himself, he glanced at the screen and realized it was getting late. 7:15 and counting. Eleven hours was enough, he decided, and started to close down his running programs. As he was turning off his fax machine, there was a soft knock on his door.
"Mr. Gunder, may I....?" A decidedly female voice asked him for his attention. Straightening, he automatically nodded briskly.
"Of course, come in. What is it Elise?" he asked with a polite expression, thinking that this gal could ask him anything and get away with it, wryly accepting that he was a little hard up these days. The gorgeous brunette smiled, some of her hesitancy disappearing, her brown eyes lighting up and her lips revealing small teeth too perfect to be believed.
"Thank you so much. My boss has left for the day, and I do need someone with an access code to send these for me," she said sweetly. Elise was one of the new file clerks in the firm, still training he thought, and although she looked to be old enough to work here, there was an innocence about her that was very appealing.
"Of course, let me take a look," Jack said generously, motioning for her to sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Nodding as he surveyed the forms, he turned the fax machine back on and waited for the whirring to subside, glancing over every page quickly. Elise had made herself comfortable, crossing her very shapely legs under her red skirt, looking at him intently. He looked at her again, and smiled, saying,
"This shouldn't take long, it's fine." She smiled back at him and nodded, her gaze warm and intelligent, as if she knew something that he didn't. Every instinct in him told him that this was an ambitious young lady, and he wondered just how ambitious she might be, sensing that her interest in his office was a bit overdone. She was looking around now, at his diplomas and awards that were mounted on the wall, and glanced back at him just as he was giving those legs another assessment.
Clearing her throat, she started talking to him.
"I've been with the firm for three weeks now, and you're the only one who stays this late, Mr. Gunder. Dare I assume that you have no family to go home to?" she asked him, a bit coyly, he thought, but decided to ignore it for now.
"I was married, divorced for about a hundred years now, " he said wryly, smiling at her, wondering if there was anything further behind her question. Just my own vanity, he then thought to himself, chuckling inwardly at the thought of a gorgeous young thing like Elise lusting after his middle-aged body. Her eyes were twinkling at him, and she leaned forward, her arms crossed as well, resting her chin on one of her hands, swaying her leg back and forth playfully.
"That's too bad, " she said, her breasts pressed against the soft cashmere fabric of her sweater. No cleavage was showing, but the shape of her firm young breasts was outlined nicely, leaving little to the imagination. He looked back up at her eyes, smiled politely, and reached over to the fax machine, checking on its progress.
"Here we go, then. Sent and confirmed." He handed the pages back to her in their folder, and stood up to usher her out the door. She smiled as well, clutching the folder, and walked to the door, her shapely behind and hips swaying as she stepped forward. Whew, he thought to himself, good thing she's leaving. As she turned at the door, her straight mid-length hair falling forward, her smile generous, she said,
"Oh, I did forget to ask you, Mr. Gunder.....".
"Please, call me Jack," he said in a slightly deeper voice, surprised to find himself just a little frazzled by her nearness now, looking into those gorgeous eyes.
"Jack then, yes. Would it be possible for me to come in earlier with you in the mornings? I noticed that you are already here every morning when we all come in. I would really like to get an early start." She looked at him, waiting for his reply, and licked her lips lightly. The words caught in his throat, watching that pink little tongue moisten her full lips, and he managed to nod, replying in the affirmative.
"Yes, of course, I'm here by 8 every morning, just buzz me, number 465 on the intercom downstairs," he said, discomfited to know that he was feeling a little unsettled.