The Beach
Outside it was a perfect late summer's day. Mark looked out the window at the sun glinting on the water, the perfect baby-blue sky and the light wispy clouds, and groaned inwardly. His leave was over for this summer and the prospect was for a long, difficult business year ahead. It had never really struck him until recently, that retirement mightn't be such a bad option after all, but it was a long way away. He turned back to the computer screen and tried to summon some level of focus for the task at hand.
The work made a little more enjoyable with classical music playing on the radio and he had become absorbed in what he was doing when a message window popped up from his screen. It was from Catherine.
"Hi Mark, I had an appointment this afternoon but it's been cancelled, which means I can take an extra long lunch. Can you get away? xxx"
Mark had just about finished the job he was doing, he was owed some time and it was a beautiful sunny day. What could be better than spending an afternoon with Catherine?
He replied to her message.
"Sounds great Cathy! 12:30 in the usual place?"
Almost instantly a response came back.
"Goody! I'll get a drink and something to eat. See you soon!"
It was fortunate that he had nearly finished the document on the computer, because the prospect of a lunch time meeting with Catherine usually started him daydreaming very naughty thoughts.
A short time later, after the document had been finished and emailed to the client, Mark logged off his computer, grabbed his wallet and keys and headed out the door. He took the lift to the carpark, started the car and made his way into the traffic. A few minutes later he pulled up at their usual meeting place and turned the engine off. Catherine wasn't there yet, he must have slightly misjudged his timing.
Mark turned the radio on and reached down to switch it to the classical music station. The car was filled with the gentle sound of strings and he settled back in his seat, slightly excited with anticipation. He wondered where they might go - it would depend on how long Catherine had free. He glanced in the rear view mirror and saw Catherine walking up the street.
Catherine usually wore smart jeans to work but today she had a beautiful floral summer dress on, basically white with large red and yellow flowers. The hem swished around her legs as she walked, and she had flat sandals on her feet. She carried a light cloth bag over her shoulder.
Mark opened the door as she reached the car, and she got in. He noticed her bare legs as she settled into the seat, and his heart rate increased a little as the lovely dress bunched up around her thighs. She smiled at him and he drank in the sight of her smiling face. Her hair had been cut in the last couple of days and hug stylishly around her neck, and her lips shone with soft pink, glossy lipstick.
"This is a pleasant surprise!" he said, as she put her bag on the floor and clipped the seat belt into place.
"How long do you have?"
"It is, isn't it?" she replied. "Oh, it doesn't matter when I get back today. Can we go to the beach?"
"Why not?!" he smiled and put the indicator on to pull into the traffic. Catherine put her hand on his leg.
It had been a while since they had seen each other so they had plenty to talk about so they chatted while Mark negotiated the way out of the city. Before too long he was able to accelerate to the speed limit and he flicked on the cruise control.
Mark glanced across at Catherine's legs with the material of her dress still up around her thighs.
"I really like you wearing a dress." he said as he moved his hand to her leg, cool from the air conditioning.
"I thought you'd like it" she replied, smiling "and since it's such a lovely summer day I thought I'd take advantage of it."
"Ha!" Mark exclaimed "I'd like to take advantage of it too!" He moved his hand a little further up Catherine's leg.
"Only if you were allowed..." she said, cheekily.
Mark moved his hand away again.
"Oh, am I not allowed?" he asked, with mock innocence.
"You'll have to find out, won't you?"
Mark smiled and kept his eyes on the road, but he moved his hand back to Catherine's leg and slid it up under the material of her dress.
"Is that OK?" he asked?
"Ok so far" she laughed.
Mark drew circles on the bare skin of Catherine's thigh with the tips of his fingers and stroked her leg with the palm of his hand. Gradually his hand moved a bit further up her leg and he rested it there for a while and concentrated on the road. Catherine's hand was also moving, lightly stroking Mark's leg through his trousers. He was enjoying her soft touch as he drove.
Mark started tickling Catherine's leg again and slowly moved his hand further up under her dress until it was resting against the soft cotton of her knickers. He smiled to himself.
"Still OK?" he asked, jokingly.
"Hmmm, I guess..." she responded with fake seriousness.