"The instructor for your new hire training will be Tori," Tom said. "She's our newest trainer, but everybody seems to like her; especially the guys."
Scott looked at his new boss to make sure his grin implied what he thought it did.
"She's really cute, but kind of shy for being a trainer," Tom added.
"How old is she?" Scott asked.
"Twenty five or twenty six. I think this is her second full time job out of college."
Scott thought back to five years earlier when he would have been the same age as Tori. He understood her feelings of insecurity in a corporate setting at such a young age. He'd been lucky and worked his way up through the field of product design and development until he felt somewhat secure. Maybe he could offer some words of encouragement for her.
And maybe she was single, like himself. Maybe...training wouldn't be so boring after all.
Tori looked at her calendar and opened the appointments for her new hire training the next two days.
"Damn. Just one guy," she said to herself.
She hated one-on-one training the most when she didn't already know the student. If he didn't talk, didn't participate, the day seemed to drag on forever. She always felt self-conscious in those settings and she knew it came across in her presentations.
She looked at the appointment details. Scott Daley. Product D/D. So he'd be a nerd on top of it all.
"Great. Maybe I can call in sick," she thought.
Tori showed up for work the next day, as always, and made her way to the tiny, isolated training room. It bothered her that the company put so little importance on training that the only space they provided was a window-less converted storage room in the deep recesses of an otherwise nearly empty floor of the company's annex. Tori convinced herself on day one that she would change the firm's attitude about training. For now, she used what they gave her.
She arrived at 8 AM for her 9 AM training with Scott. The agenda included a history of the company, the computer applications he would be using, safety rules and regulations, and assorted stuff she could teach in her sleep. Most of the hour was spent filling the refreshment tray, getting ice, and stocking up on coffee.
Scott was in the parking lot at 8:45, but it took him ten minutes to actually find the training room, roaming up and down hallways like a freshman in high school. When he finally found it, he knocked softly on the open door and entered.
Tori had previously trained secretaries, janitors, vice presidents and accountants for the company. She used to make up mental images of the men in her classes before they showed up. They would always be young, handsome guys with athletic bodies. The reality was never as good as her dreams.
Then she saw Scott.
He was young and handsome with an athletic body and she stood frozen in the center of the room as she stared.
"Hi," he said. "Are you Tori?"
"Uh, yeah. Hi."
In those few seconds, Scott determined he might be looking at the sexiest woman he'd ever seen. Beautiful dark blonde hair framed a gorgeous face that looked much younger than she really was. A delicate blouse clung to her body just enough to reveal ample breasts and a small waist. Dress slacks highlighted her long, lean legs.
"I'm Scott. Hope I'm not late."
"Not at all," Tori said, extending a hand to take his. "Come on in."
"At least we shouldn't have to worry too much about being interrupted," Scott said. "They hid you very well."
Tori laughed nervously. "It's part of the on-boarding process. See if you can find the training room."
"I'm glad I did," he said, catching Tori's eye as she looked back over her shoulder while leading him toward the snack table.
"This is the best we could do as far as food for you. And some juice, pop, and coffee. Help yourself."
Scott eyed the choices. "Thanks. Maybe later in the morning."
"That's fine," Tori said. "It will be here all day."
He'd now seen her from every angle and was no less convinced she was a beauty. The blouse hung open sufficiently to hint at her cleavage and he tried not to stare. If his schedule was correct, he'd have all day to take in her attractiveness.
"So, am I going to be the only one?" Scott asked.
"Yep. You get my personal attention for two days."
His eyes widened with interest. "Does that make for a better or worse class?"
Tori shrugged. "Depends. I'll try not to bore you."
She brushed the hair away from the side of her face. Scott was finding every move she made to be sensuous.
"I'm sure you won't."
"Ready to get started?" Tori asked.
"Let's do it."
Scott chose a seat near the front of the room, on the center aisle. It was a simple computer station with a comfortable chair and plenty of leg room. When Tori asked him to tell her a little about himself, he stuck to the basic educational background and work experiences. She asked about hobbies and he replied honestly with references to sports and traveling.
All he learned about her was that she graduated three years earlier and loved her job. Scott selected to hold off on more probing questions until later in the day. With that, Tori dove straight into her prepared material.
There was nothing she was saying that impeded Scott from paying attention only to the way she moved. Tori drifted with ease from one side of the giant whiteboard to the other, providing her student with a panorama of front, back and side views. Light from the overhead projector flashed on her blouse as she walked through it, casting all new shadows around her curves.
Her voice was steady, belying the anxiety she always felt at the beginning of a new session. Scott seemed quiet and she dreaded a potential two days of pure lecture and little interaction. But about one hour into the class, he began inquiring about available computer programs and how the company did certain things. The rest of the morning breezed by quickly.
When it was time to break for lunch, Tori made it clear without actually stating it that they would not be eating together. Scott didn't push it and came back at one o'clock for the continuation of the training. But, he had decided it was time to liven things up.
His first comment, when she asked if he was ready to start, was: "Do you ever come into this room just to get away? I mean, it's so out of the way and secluded."
Tori shrugged with the same tilt of the head Scott was getting used to from her. "Sometimes. I don't always feel all that safe coming back here by myself."
"It would be a great place to bring your boyfriend," Scott said with a straight face.
"If I had one," Tori replied with equal seriousness.
Scott grinned. "Girlfriend?"
"No!" Tori snapped back, much to Scott's delight.
"So, tell me," Scott said before an elongated pause. "You teach the same thing every week. Over and over. You could do it blindfolded. Do you ever let your mind wander. Maybe think about what the guys in your class would look like naked?"
"Scott!" After allowing her surprise to show, Tori added, "I'm not sure I've ever had anybody that good looking."
"Oh, c'mon. There had to have been at least one dude you thought about. Maybe when you got home, by yourself..."
"Stop it," she demanded playfully. "And no doubt you've done it with instructors, right?"
"Of course," Scott answered immediately. "I mean, there's only so much attention I can pay to how Outlook works. So I think about her on a beach in the Caribbean, laying on a towel. Maybe it's a topless beach. Or she's in the cabin of a cruise ship changing into a summery dress for dinner."
