The meeting.
It was just a sterile hotel meeting room. Fluorescent lights over a small table, blinds drawn on the small windows. Uncomfortable chairs that inflicted pain on the users if sat upon for long periods of time.
"From a design standpoint, is there any reason for you to recommend that a automobile leave the Memphis facility with a defect that would do this to an innocent driver, and I am showing you Page Exhibit Four?" the attorney ask.
My mind was listening but not concentrating on the words. I was mesmerized by her beauty. The flashing green eyes, the dark auburn hair, the soft, red lips belied the fact that she was the plaintiff's attorney and I was giving a deposition that required my full and honest testimony. Her silk blouse, glistening white, covered her soft breasts, the dark nipples outlined against the sheer fabric. Her wool skirt defined her shapely hips, exposing just enough of her legs to take my imagination to the point where they met her upper torso.
"Mr. Harris," her voice interrupting my reveries, "do I need to repeat my question."
"No," I replied. "I thought the question was rhetorical."
"I don't have any other questions," she stated.
Nervously I turned toward our corporate counsel.
"We will reserve our questions until the time of the trial and he will waive signature," spoke Leo Anstall.
I slowly arose from my chair, still leering at the beautiful attorney across the desk.
"Too bad she's the enemy," I thought to myself. "Perhaps another place, another time. . ."
I left the hotel room where the deposition was taken. Moving quickly across the lobby, I stopped seeing the entrance to the hotel bar.
"I could use a good stiff drink right now," I thought to myself.
Easing into the bar, I slipped into a booth and gave the bartender my order.
"Just a glass of Cabernet," I said, "Mondavi 98 if you have it."
As the bartender placed the glass in front of me, I glanced up to see her walk into the bar. The confident air of her walk, shoulders square, head high told me that this was one very classy lady. My eyes naturally trailed to the third finger, left hand.
"Drats," I mused, "she's married."
I picked up my glass of wine, swirling it in the glass to release its fullness. The warm liquid filled my mouth, slipping down my throat and leaving the warm, rich afterglow of a good cabernet. My eyes continued to follow the beautiful woman as she seated herself at an adjacent table. Our eyes met, and I saw a slight smile cross her lips.
"Damn, she's tempting me," I thought. "And it wouldn't take much temptation either."
She shifted her posture in the chair, revealing her long legs covered with the sheerest pantyhose. Again, I was drawn into those flashing green eyes, the sparkle glistening in the darkened bar. I couldn't resist speaking, even knowing that she was the plantiff's attorney and that even the slightest slip could endanger our corporate position.
"Hi," I began. "I realize it is inappropriate, but I am totally lost in your beauty and charm."
That's lame I thought to myself. For a Harvard boy, you sure are a geek.
"It's fine," she replied softly. "Court is out and for now I'm just relaxing and enjoying the moment."
"Would you join me," I whispered, "just as a guy who admires you from afar."
"Sure, if you don't think I'll bite," she giggled.
"You are human after all," I laughed. "Under that stack of law books, I bet there's a passionate woman too." "My name's Jim," I said, "oops, you already know that, don't you?"
"Yes," she smiled, "and I'm Victoria." "And you must promise, we will have no professional talk, ok?."
"Okay," I replied. "What would you like to drink?"
"I'll have a glass of wine please," Victoria said. "Same as yours is fine."
The bartender placed the glass in front of Victoria.
We chatted about the weather, the show on the television above the bar, the shows currently on Broadway and I found myself lost in the charm of her Long Island accent. The melodic tone was hypnotic. Without thinking, I reached across the table and caressed her hand.
She jumped, startled at my touch.
"Sorry," I professed. "I was just admiring the softness of your skin, and of course the diamond you're wearing. I didn't mean to seem forward."
"It's okay," she hesitantly responded. "I'm just not accustomed to having strange men hold hands with me in public. It's been several years since my college days when guys groped me in dark bars.," she laughed.
That opened up the conversation. We laughed together about how crude some guys can be, and how flirtatious some women are around the crude guys. Before long, we had drained the full bottle of Cabernet and the warmth of the wine had my head spinning. Or was it the beauty of this gorgeous creature?
"I must be going," her words breaking the spell and bringing me back to reality. "My husband will be wondering what I am doing."
"Thanks Victoria for sharing the afternoon with me. I really enjoyed your company, the conversation and the wine. If you are ever in need of an afternoon conversationalist, I'm available."
"Oh I'm sure you are," she grinned. "But I think I had better consult my hubby before I accept."
"See you in court," I said.
