Short Story

Zahra had been working with Karl for months on the project. The Annual Convention was sure to be a memorable one for all involved but for Zahra, the last few weeks had been a trial. Their meetings had gotten longer; their nights were running later. They were working together more closely now that the event was only weeks away and she was finding it harder every day not to notice. Not to feel her heart beat pick up when his shoulder brushed hers. Not to feel a rush of warmth each time their fingers accidentally met when reaching for a pen or notepad. Not to hear innuendos in every turn of his phrase and not to suggest them in every phrase of her own.

Her husband, Rick, was unlikely to approve of such thoughts. He was more than a little put out by the amount of time the project had already taken. The idea that she was lusting after a teammate may be…unappreciated. At least as an acknowledged issue - he had not had any problems so far with her coming home late and so horny that they were having more sex now then when they first got married. He must suspect something, surely, but he knew better. Sweet, shy, boring Zahra would never have the actual guts to sleep with another man.

To do that, she would have to say something. She would have to, for instance, push Karl against the conference room wall and rub her aching nipples against that massive chest. Press her full lips against his and slip her tongue between those perfect teeth. Run her fingers down those muscular thighs and to....

"Zahra?"

She gasped at the sound of Karl's voice. She knew she was blushing.

"You ok?"

"Yeah." She was breathless. How could he not see this; how could he not know his affect on her?

She was able to put her mind back on the Conference and to the details of seating arrangements and travel confirmations. The last minute details would come next week; this week seemed petty, almost pointless compared to all the work they had done previously. It was hard not to let her mind drift.

"Zahra?" He sat on the table next to her, his thigh rubbing against hers and sending sparks throughout her leg.

"Yes?" she shifted over so not to touch him.

"Look, I know it's none of my business," he started then hesitated, "But, you've seemed very distracted the last couple of weeks and you know, I just wanted to know if everything was" he groped for a word, "ok. You know. At home. With us." He shook his head, "I mean at the office. Ok, you know what, I'm just going to…. Never mind. Forget I asked."

She had to grin. He was so charming, so sweet. She wanted him so bad she could not see straight. "Karl, stop." She decided to come clean, well mostly, "I have been distracted. I have a - a personal issue and I - I confess. It is affecting my work."

"Can I help?" He licked his lips and she imagined that tongue sliding over her skin, "I mean, I don't mean to pry but…"

"No." it came out stronger than she intended, "I mean, you've done enough already."

He arched one eyebrow. She loved that. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she could not begin to tell him what she meant, "I mean it doesn't matter. If you can't guess, I certainly don't intend to discuss it here."

"Oh." He was silent for a few minutes and she began searching for the hotel guest list. "Zahra? It wouldn't have anything to do with me, would it?"

She froze. He was behind her and she could not see his face. Her heartbeat was so strong it felt like it was shaking her whole body.

"Because," he went on, "you seemed to have changed while we worked on this and if I said something or did something that offended you, I want you to know, I didn't mean to."

She kept her back to him, "Nothing of the sort, Karl. You've been a perfect gentleman." A smile played on her lips, "I'm the one who's been bad."

"Ok, enough. What exactly does that mean?"

She looked over her shoulder in shock, "You really can't guess?"

"No."

She looked away again, "You're an attractive man, Karl." She said simply. She could not seem to find anything relating to the hotel; she could not remember the hotel's name anymore.

"Thank you." When she did not say anything further, he prodded, "And?"

"And" she blushed again, "and you're a very attractive man."

"So?"

"To whom I find myself very attracted." Which was as close as she would ever come to saying what she really wanted.

"Aren't you married?"

"You are beginning to see the dilemma."

He was silent. Slowly, she stopped shifting paper; she was not really looking for anything. "It's nothing to be worried about, Karl." She tried to sound lighthearted, "It's healthy to be occasionally attracted to someone else." She risked looking at him and was caught by his gaze, "It's only a problem if it's…" her voice trailed off.

He licked his lips again, "I would never have an affair with a married woman." He said softly, strangely.

"Of course not," she swallowed hard, suddenly very aware of how very quiet the conference room was after office hours. "I wouldn't suggest that you would."

"I mean, if I didn't know…"

"Of course, of course!"

"…but I do, so …"

"It really doesn't matter. Forget I said anything."

"I mean, in theory, if we were both free, it would be different."

She had not expected that, had not hoped for it. He surely could not be attracted to her as well. "Would it?" she was almost frightened of the answer.

"Well, yeah." He smiled, which was maddening, "you're an attractive woman. Very attractive."

"Am I?" her throat was dry. There was no reason for it. She was married; he was not willing to overlook it, thus that ends that. And yet…. "In theory."

"In actuality, you are attractive. In theory, I'd ask you out."

"Oh." In two seconds, Zahra's brain played out 50 ways that date would end in bed.

"In theory, working late like this," his voice was soft and - she thought - deliberately provocative, "would be a perfect time to, you know, play around."

"Would it?" her voice sounded a little strangled, "In theory?"

"I could see it, coming up behind you and running my fingers across your neck. You'd turn around, right?"

She could feel it, "Y-yes, I'd expect you to kiss me. If we were.... In theory, of course."

He nodded, "In theory, I'd kiss you. Deeply." He swallowed hard, "How would you respond? In theory, of course."

"Well," she pictured the moment and felt a rush of heat pass through her body, "I'd probably put my hands on your chest. Or slid my arms around your neck."

"Pick one."

"Oh God," her knees were weak, "uh, around your neck."

"Then I'd slip my arms around your waist." He arched his eyebrow again, "It's sensual but it also let's me check out what kind of bra clasp you've got."

"How efficient. I had no idea you were so proficient." She was having trouble breathing, "It's a standard rear clasp. Today. In theory."

"Of course, this is all theoretical." He coughed, "We could never test this theory as things stand now."

"No, no, of course not." She sat gingerly on the edge of the table and felt the slickness between her legs. "Of course not." She whispered again."

"So when I say I'd like to unbutton that blouse and run my hands over the fabric of your bra, I mean it only on context. I wouldn't ever actually take such a liberty."

A small whimper escaped her as she imagined his hand sliding over her hardened nipples. "I understand completely." She smile wickedly, "However, for the sake of accuracy, I should make one correction. There is no bra fabric. Well, little anyway."

His brow knit as he tried to figure that one out, "No fabric? Lace?"

"No. It's a shelf bra today. So if you open my shirt, you reveal my bare breasts."

It took him a moment to absorb that for some reason. "In theory, then, you are - would be wearing a shelf bra?"

"In theory, I find them more comfortable."

He closed his eyes, swallowed hard and sat down on the far side of the conference table, "Ok. I think I'd have to suck them. In theory. I'd almost be obliged to suck them, just open, presented to me like that."

A shiver passed through Zahra, "In theory, I would want you to. I'd be aching for it."

"It wouldn't help, though."

"Help?" She was finding it difficult not to act this out.

"Yeah, 'cause once I see what's under your shirt, I want to know what's under your pants."

"Do you?"

"Oh yeah." He caught himself, "I mean in theory, at this point I would want to."

"Of course, in theory, of course." She licked her lips, "And if I continue to use today as an example, then, under my pants is a thong."

"Oh God." Karl's voice had dropped an octave.

"And if you were to remove the pants altogether, you'd find the thong damp at this point."

"May I take that as an invitation to touch?"

"Oh, God, yes!"

They were both breathing hard. Zahra did not know she could be this aroused without some kind of touch. This joint fantasy was the most erotic thing she had ever done. She was awash with sexual tension waiting for anything to trigger the incredible orgasm that seemed to be building inside her. She brushed her fingertips over her swollen nipples and shivered ecstatically.

"I'm gonna slip my fingers inside your thong." He paused and started again, "I mean in theory, I would slip my fingers inside. See how wet you are."

"Oh I'm very wet." She cooed, "I'm so wet."

"Stop that!" Karl's voice was harsh. She looked at him not sure what he was referring to, "Your hands," he clarified, "I can't sit over here and watch you touch yourself. I can only take so much." His own hands were tightly gripping the arms of his chair.

She rubbed the palm of her hands against the edge of the table, "Ok." She agreed weakly, "Do you think," she still felt somewhat embarrassed but she wanted to hear him say it, "Do you think you'd play with my - my, um, clit around this time?"

"I would definitely play with your clit and put my fingers inside you and use my fingers like I want to use my…" he opened his eyes and looked at her. She watched his face take on an even more aroused aspect, "…like I want to use my tongue."

Zahra moaned. She had not intended to but the sound escaped her, unbidden.

"Would you like that, Zahra, in theory? Do you want my tongue inside you?"

She could not answer. She was cumming and panting desperately for breath. When the tremors finally began to fade, she could only gasp out one phrase, "Fuck me."

"What?" he had not expected her response; neither had she.

She slipped off the table unbuttoning the waistband of her pants as she did so. She let them fall to the floor as she crossed the room to him. He stuttered vaguely as she unzipped his pants but he did nothing to stop her. His cock freed itself.

The balance of the chair was a bit precarious which did not dissuade Zahra from putting her knees on either side of Karl's hips and lowering herself on to him. His satisfied groan told her all she needed to know; he wanted this as much as she did. It was an awkward position and it was not long before Karl pulled her firmly to his chest and picked her up. He did not move her far, placing her ass on the edge of the conference room table and treating her to several long slow strokes before losing all semblance of control. She tried not to cry out but she could not hold back. And when he groaned and came deep inside her, she came again with a shuttering moan.

He held her for a few moments as they both recovered. Then he kissed her softly.

"Now what?" He asked, "Was this a some-time kind of thing?"

"I - oh, God!" already the guilt was sinking in on her, "No. I mean, I can't."

"You did." He kissed her again, "We did."

"I love my husband!" She pushed Karl away gently, "This was - I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it but - it's not - I don't want…"

"But you don't want me? This is a one-time kind of thing?"

She looked down, ashamed, "Yes. I'm sorry. Yes."

"Good." She looked up at him, "I like you and this was great but I'm not in the habit of breaking up marriages. Are we still friends?"

She blushed, "Yeah, I think so. We'll have to be, won't we?" she laughed at the prospect.

"Good." He let her go altogether and fixed his pants, "Are you going to tell him?"

"I have to." It was not question to Zahra, "It would be dishonest not to."

"Ok, so I'll let you get to it."

"What?"

He nodded toward the door. She looked over her shoulder as if in slow motion. She knew he could not be standing there. Rick would not be there.

Rick was there. In the doorway. Watching her. She had no guess as to how long he had been there.

Karl appeared in the doorway - she realized vaguely that he had walked away from her - and offered his hand to Rick. Much to her shock, Rick accepted it. They said nothing to each other and Rick's face was fairly grim, but it was far more civil than she expected.

Karl left and Rick closed the door behind him. "I came down to take you to dinner." He said softly.

She looked away. She could feel tears welling up inside herself and knew that she deserved none.

He was moving closer to her. "I thought, 'my little Zahra has been working so hard, I'll do something nice for her.' But she's not at her desk. Where could she be?" He stopped in front of her. She could see the tops of his polished black shoes as they kicked her pants aside. "She's in the conference room. Is she working hard? No." He lifted her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "No, she getting her brains fucked out."

He looked over her state of undress.

"I have to admit, it was quite a show." He grinned as she went pale, "Oh, I've been standing there for quite some time, Zahra. Watching. Listening. You never even noticed that the door was open."

With his free hand, he began unbuttoning her shirt.

"I should be very cross with you." He kissed her, softly at first then with growing passion, "In theory."

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