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This is a work of fiction.
All characters are over 18.
Any similarities to actual persons or places is entirely coincidental.
No electrons were harmed in constructing this story.
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The subject line was:
'Good Looking Suit.'
"How come that didn't go to SPAM?" he thought.
************
Arriving at his office, Ray had a routine. First, kick off the street shoes and slip on loafers he kept under his desk. Office is too generous a description. A glorified cubical in the corner of the tenth floor. Technically it was a corner office, but the six foot fabric and glass partitions and no door said otherwise.
As a project manager for the company, he rated an extended space. His work station was in one corner and a large conference table with six chairs dominated the rest.
His only satisfaction was the arrangement allowed him a great view of the city sky line and the river below.
Coffee first. No. Emails. He opened the IN box and let the subject lines scroll up. He kept one eye on the screen while he pushed the coffee maker button. He waited patiently for the coffee to fill and the last email to load.
Without looking, he retrieved the cup, tore open two creamers, dumped them in the cup and stirred it three times to the right with a ball point pen.
As a project manager, he was the center of the storm for a major project. One that required the coordination and work product of at least six different departments. Then there was the up-line communications to marketing, sales, engineering and higher management giving regular updates on progress challenges. Never any problems. Only opportunities. Looked good on a poster but didn't translate well to the real world.
He made a quick assessment of each subject line. Some to read later. Forward some. A few required immediate attention. One subject line stuck out: 'Good Looking Suit.' After dealing with more urgent matters and after retrieving a second cup of coffee he opened it. The sender was on a company email account. 'Arden.Ivers.'
'Hi. Just wanted to say
you looked good in that suit
Friday on the 32
nd
floor
.
Looked
custom made.
Smiley emoji
'
Friday, Friday? He pondered that for a moment. That was a meeting with the suits on the 32nd floor. Monthly meeting with big wheels about the project. He always wore a suit to those meetings so he would "fit in" and the MBAs wouldn't think he was an assistant something or other.
"I guess it deserves and answer," he thought.
'Hi back. Thanks for the compliment. Who is this?'
Send.
Naturally there was no immediate answer. He didn't think much more of it and went back to work.
After lunch a response was waiting: '
Hi Ray -- I'm Arden. I work in IT. I was on 32 Friday also working an issue and noticed you. For someone with so much on your plate, you looked unruffled. In control. I just admire that. Later.
'
"Huh," he thought. "A little odd but I'll take the compliment." Then he wondered if he should respond and if so, what to say.
At 47 he had been with the company 16 years. Which meant his career there lasted more than his first two marriages combined. He'd been single for three years and the dating, hook up, bars and on-line thing wasn't working. He worked 50 plus hours a week and came to terms with the single, non-dating life. His sexual frustrations were worked out with generous porn screen time and reading erotic stories when video failed to stimulate.
'Hello Arden. Thanks, but the calm exterior covers a multitude of irritations my position dumps on me. Probably the same for IT. Fixing things you didn't break. Cheers.'
Send.
Three days went by before a response. This one with a photo attached.
'Agreed. We are doing a major upgrade to the SEC reporting system and spend too much time fixing issues that are operator problems. They didn't pay attention in the training classes. LOL. I do yoga to relax. You like the pix?'
Fortunately, his desk faced the entrance to his office so the screen wasn't visible to a casual passerby.
"Holy shit," he thought. The very high-res photo was POV looking down her body from the top of a very flat and toned stomach into the dark cave formed by a bright red bikini bottom where the fabric is stretched from one hip bone to the other. The fabric was tight on her pubic mound and a shadow line showed just a slight hint of her clef.
"Fuck. How did she know I think that is one of sexiest things. Oh, the high hip cuts are great and the legs, but the mystery of what is just out of sight below the bikini waist band? Nice." He wasn't sure if he said that out loud.
"Now what?" he thought to himself. Obviously, this woman was way younger than him. And, so far had the makings of a smokin' hot body. "Steady boy," he thought. "This feels very weird. Someone on the floor is punking me."
Oh, what the hell,
'Very nice. Looks like yoga is working.'