CNG (Cute Neighbor Girl) Ch. 06

As I pulled in to the driveway and swung my car in to my garage, I noticed Chad, the IT Guy's car in Danni's parking spot. I'm sure he himself was, at that moment, also in Danni's spot. It certainly tempered what should have been excitement over Becca giving me a license to screw her with wild abandon.

Oh well, I sighed to myself. You always want what you haven't got. I walked inside, peeled off my sticky clothes, showered and went to bed. As I entered my room, I noticed my blinds were open, Danni's were closed. I almost always left them open now. She was the only one who could see my room from her house, and, let's face it, she had already seen everything. It was almost as if I left them open as a signal. I was letting her know that I was here, and I was open to contact. I really wanted to talk to her, see her, basically anything.

A few days later, while at work, I was jolted out of my PowerPoint trance by someone plopping down in to the extra chair in my cube.

A quick, and not altogether unpleasant, shudder went through me. It was Danni. I'm sure my pupils dilated.

"Hi, Skippy, how are you?" she asked. The smile on her face seemed genuine; it was as much in her eyes as in her mouth.

My brain had about a dozen individual and somewhat mutually exclusive thoughts running through it at the same time. From "go away" to "let me kiss you" and everything in between. It was a weird combination of dread, hope and lust. It was a type of "Fight or Flight or Fuck" response from some deep un-evolved part of my hindbrain. I had no idea how long I was sitting there with my mouth slightly ajar before I answered her.

"Hi there. How've you been?" I asked.

"I'm good. Not much news to report. How are you and Becca?"

"We're fine. More just in the "hanging out" space than anything. She doesn't want anything too serious, it seems." I responded. "How are you and Chad?" I asked.

"We're fine, we've just been hanging out and all's good."

Danni stood up and looked around to see who was in the cubes near me. A few people were there, none really seemed to take notice.

"Let's walk," she said. I guessed the conversation was taking a turn she didn't necessarily need anyone to overhear. I didn't have any meetings for the next couple of hours, so I had plenty of time to chat. We got up from my cube, and started walking.

Our office building was fairly large, over 2,500 people worked here. It was in a nice park-like setting, with plenty of trees, picnic tables and even a nice stream through some wooded parts to which the building backed up. There were some paths around the campus, so we headed outside. It was a great day for a walk.

The conversation picked up right where it left off.

"Speaking of Becca, you should know," Danni started, "Becca really doesn't want anything too heavy right now. She may not have told you this, but she dated the same guy all through college and a couple of years after. It was the first guy she was with, by the way. She was ready for the story book marriage, family, house, the whole nine yards. She'd even sneak off to the book store to read "Modern Bride" while sipping a latte. Well, they broke it off about 6 months ago. He was cheating on her. I think it was his way out of the situation without actually admitting he didn't want the whole Camelot thing. She was floored." Danni continued.

"I had no idea, she didn't mention any of this," I responded.

"She was depressed. I didn't see her for weeks, until I went by her place to make sure she didn't overdose from pills, alcohol or Cookie Dough Ben & Jerry's. I'm pretty sure you're the first guy she's been with since then. So, it's a good thing you listened to me and called her after the "pool party." Otherwise, she'd be swearing off the whole men thing and she'd be looking for a women's softball team to join."

"Thanks for letting me know the details. She sort of explained parts of this, but didn't get too involved," I said.

"So, this conversation with you and I never happened, OK? I felt like you should know and she wasn't going to tell you. So, play dumb, which shouldn't be hard for you since you're a boy," Danni finished.

"Again, thanks for the heads up," I replied. "Good to know there could be some delicate sensibilities there. But, she was pretty clear she wanted to spend time together and "play around" a bit, but she wasn't interested in getting serious. I won't bring it up unless she does." I had no intention of letting Danni know I was thinking of breaking up with Becca because my mind was fixated on her.

"So, why tell me this now?" I asked. It seemed odd that Danni and I had shared little more than a tight-lipped smile when we were stuck in an elevator together for the past two months, and now I get a dissertation on her friend's psyche.

"I don't know. It just seemed, well, weird between us, so I kind of avoided the situation. But, you're right; I should have told you before. She and I had lunch the other day, and she mentioned that you wanted to get more serious and she shut you down. So I thought I should let you know some history 'cause I'm willing to bet she didn't want to," Danni explained.

So Becca really did think I was ready to get serious. That was more or less exactly the opposite of what was in my head, but I let it slide. I knew when it was best to just shut up and let people believe whatever they wanted to.

"So," Danni started in with a new topic, "what about us?" she asked.

"Is there an 'us'? Forgive me for thinking there isn't an 'us.'" I said, perhaps more tersely than I intended to.

"Not to be a dick about it, but we were having fun, and getting somewhat intimate. I was starting to develop some real feelings for you and then you run off with the IT Guy two days after you show me that thing with the peach. After that, you pretty much sell me to your best friend. So, I am a little confused here at this end."

"OK, so that wasn't handled as smoothly as it could have been. I'm sorry. I just needed to get some thinking out of the way. Then, I felt things got weird. They got too intense, too quickly. I really can't explain more than that. I needed space, and felt trapped because we worked together, lived next to each other, it was just too much. It was almost as if we could have spent every waking hour together if we wanted to, and I'm not ready for that level of commitment to anyone. Especially with someone who I wasn't really dating, just kind of messing around with. Hell, I don't even want to spend that much time with myself, but I'm kind of stuck there."

Danni's explanation made some sense, but I still couldn't completely follow her logic. She initiated most of the things we did. Did she not think that some feelings would develop to go along with the epic levels of sexual tension that were created by being naked and aroused around each other all the time? Perhaps Danni was simply as bad as a typical guy when it came to thinking with her genitals.

"I assume Becca never asked you about what happened between us at your place after the party?" I asked.

"No, not really. She figured it was just drunk fooling around, and we all did some of that. Hell, she's the one who recommended we play 'Truth or Dare', so she can't cast stones on that one."

We walked in silence for the next few minutes, only the birds contributing to our conversation. It wasn't an awkward silence; there simply wasn't anything else to say.

"So, hopefully you don't hate me. Because I have a favor to ask of you." Danni started after a while.

"It may depend on the favor..."

"Becca's birthday is next Saturday. I'm thinking we should get some friends together and we should go out."

"Wow, I had no idea it was coming up," I replied. "I would think she would have mentioned it at some point."

"I'm not surprised, she doesn't like to make a huge deal out of it. She once threatened to kill a poor waiter who showed up at the table with a sombrero and a Mariachi band at a Mexican restaurant. She calmed down after a couple of tequila shots and a margarita. But, I figure if it is just a few of us without a cake and without singing, she'll be OK with it." Danni explained.

"OK, I suppose I can handle that. What did you have in mind? Does she have a favorite place? She always seems open to any restaurant I offer up for a date."

"How about that steak place over off of France Ave? Laid back, nice atmosphere, fancy, but we won't spend $150 a person. Does that work?" Danni offered.

"Sure."

We spent the next couple of minutes working out details as we circled back around towards the office building. Danni also gave me some ideas for what to get Becca for her birthday. I mentioned a Victoria's Secret Gift Card, reasoning that it'd be the "gift that keeps on giving" as far I was concerned. Danni told me instead to just go get her some things from there. It'd be more romantic, but still get a gift receipt just in case. Then, she offered me up some sizes, which I probably could have guessed.

We walked along back in to the office. I felt an overwhelming urge to want to do something like hold Danni's hand or the like. It would have been a bad idea, I am sure, but I felt like I wanted to do more, show Danni that I still felt strongly about her. It wasn't the right time. It'd never be the right time.

Of course, unless she was irretrievably stupid, she already knew how I felt about her. When we hit the building's entrance, and it was time for us to go off in different directions, I so desperately wanted to prolong our talking. But, there wasn't much to say, and I watched her walk off down the hall towards Marketing. She didn't look back. I'm not sure if she gave it a second thought.

I tried not to give it a second thought, either.

I returned to my desk, and I stared at the same PowerPoint slide for the remainder of the afternoon.

The weekend rolled around, and on Saturday I told Becca to dress somewhat nicely. I didn't tell her exactly why, but told her that we were going to go somewhere fairly fancy.

"Oh, I like me some fancy," was her reply. We walked out to the car and set off. She still hadn't let on that it was her birthday at this point. She hopefully didn't know that I knew.

When we hit the restaurant, Becca was mildly surprised to find Danni and Chad the IT Guy standing there as well, drinks in hand.

"Happy Birthday!" Danni shouted drawing stares from others around the lobby. This was not a shouty restaurant.

Danni gave Becca a hug and then a kiss on the lips, which prolonged the others' stares. The fact that you could see a hint of cleavage under Danni's sweater over her dress and Becca's dress was totally backless didn't provide a good reason not to look, either. Men in the bar looked amused, women decidedly less so.

Becca then turned to me and punched me less than softly in the arm.

"You're such a cute twit. I had no idea you knew it was my birthday and you called these guys."

"A little birdie told me."

"I'm sure. A little birdie that I'll have to spank later..." Becca said looking at Danni. That particular mental image was not at all unpleasant.

The restaurant was your typical steak joint. Cherry wood, dark paneling, black ties and white shirts on the wait staff, dimly lit. Although I couldn't see one, I was sure I could find a picture of Sinatra in there somewhere.

I shook Chad's hand and gave him a quick "How'sitgoin." I had no idea if he felt as cool towards me as I did him, but I doubted it. He had no reason not to like me, unless Danni let him in on some personal details in her recent sexual history. But I was willing to bet she wouldn't. Without really knowing him, I felt like the only thing we could talk about was my CNG. And that conversation would be highly unusual on the best of days.

So, to break the quite-possibly-imaginary-tension, I asked Becca if I could get her a drink and checked to see if Chad and Danni needed anything.

The bow-tie wearing bartender, who looked like a grumpy grandfather, politely demurred when I asked him if he had any beer on tap. Scotch it was then.

We were seated at a rectangular table, with the couples on each side of the table. It just happened that Danni was opposite me, with Becca to my right. I'm not entirely sure how this situation arose, but this had the effect of putting my girlfriend out of my direct line of sight, and the girl I wouldn't mind in that role sitting across from me, well within my view. I'd have to ensure I was an equal opportunity provider of attention tonight.

No sooner did that realization strike me, as Danni pulled out the big guns. Literally. She unbuttoned the sweater she was wearing and slipped it off. She was wearing a black dress that tied halter-style behind her neck. She had to be braless, due to the style of the dress.

Her dress certainly played to her strengths, being relatively low cut, and hugging the curves of her slightly-just-this-side-of-far-more-than-ample chest. She wore a little silver pendant around her neck, which just barely managed not to get lost between her boobs.

She wanted to be noticed tonight, and she had to have known I'd be present to look.

I honestly could not believe she did not do this purposefully, either to tease me, to just flat out try to make me uncomfortable or to get me in trouble with the birthday girl. Of course, she also could have done this simply because she's a world-class exhibitionist and likes to show off. Maybe she just wanted free drinks. There were myriad possibilities here. But, on some level, she had to know what this incredible display of her milky white boobs would do to me.

Now, I'd seen her chest plenty of times, played with it a few times, and had my head wedged in to her tits like a human doorstop at least once. It didn't mean that I wasn't immediately captivated by what I saw. I looked up, and looked around. I tried to figure out if anyone had noticed my loss of attention. It wouldn't have surprised me much at that point to discover cold French Onion soup and an untouched Caesar salad in front of me, but thankfully only a few seconds had passed.

Our waiter showed up at that point, and almost stuttered.

"Welcome to Mitchell's. May I offer you a wine list?" he announced to Danni's boobs.

"That'd be great." I responded, and took the proffered list. I regarded the wine list with some reverence, as if I understood more than roughly an eighth of what I was reading. My wine knowledge was limited to 'red meat gets red wine, white meat gets white wine.' I asked the table about a cabernet that wasn't the cheapest on the list, but not far from it. Becca nodded, Chad shrugged, and Danni responded with "I've had that one before, it's really good for the price."

The waiter left the table, and I silently made a bet with myself that our waiter would never approach us from Becca and Chad's end of the table.

"Phil, do you miss seeing Danni at work every day now that she works on the other side of the building?" Becca asked, innocently.

"Sure I do, I miss chatting with her but" quick look down to the pale valley under her chin, "I still get to see plenty of her from time to time," I answered.

I don't know if it was the massive martini that Becca had just polished off, but she didn't seem to notice my word play. Danni, on the other hand, certainly did. She winked, while at the same time leaning over towards Chad and taking his hand.

OK, so she knew I noticed her cleavage. Of course, this means she also knew she had my attention. This would be a long dinner.

During the course of dinner, several things became apparent:

1) With enough cheap wine, laughs will generally flow. So will the double entendres.

2) Danni was willing to make more eye contact with me than everyone at the table combined.

3) Chad the IT Guy had the personality of a cardboard cut-out. Seriously, he sat there with his mouth slightly ajar most of the evening and occasionally chewed with his mouth open. Any attempted to engage him in conversation about any topic was met with a single word answer.

4) A bottle of wine and two martinis is somewhere north of Becca's limit.

5) If there was an odd vibe between Danni and me, no one else noticed it. I wasn't sure if she noticed it. But if I had to bet, I would say she did.

6) I did notice Chad taking notice of Becca periodically. She was certainly pleasant to look at, no doubt there. I was almost relieved by this last bit, as if it gave me carte blanche to look at his woman if he was enjoying looking at mine.

Soon enough, thankfully, the check came. I grabbed it and waved off Chad and Danni who attempted to pay for the whole tab at first, and then their portion. I insisted it was a night out with friends and I was happy if Becca was happy. She indicated she was, and the matter was settled.

"I'm sure I'll be able to pay you back sometime," Danni said. If there was a hidden meaning there, Chad and Becca didn't seem to get it. I did.

We walked out to the parking lot to get in our cars. Becca asked if I was dropping her off, staying at her place, or if we were staying at my place. I told her we had everything we needed for breakfast in bed for the birthday girl at my place.

"Does this mean you can make me blueberry pancakes in the morning?" she asked while draping her arm around me. It was as much for support as affection.

"Sure thing, if that's what you want, Buttercup."

"Yea! Blueberry pancakes are yummy." With that proclamation, Becca sloshed in to the passenger seat of my car, with quite an assist from gravity.

Turns out Danni and Chad the IT Guy, were parked pretty close to us. They were laughing at the obviously tipsy Becca.

"Thanks for dinner," Danni said. "You didn't need to pick up the tab. We would have chipped in."

"Nope, I was happy you were here and it made Becca's day to see you," I countered. "Thanks for the heads up on her birthday, Danni. It looks like Becca had a good time. It was good to see you guys, thanks for coming out."

"Yes, it was good. I miss seeing you guys," Danni said aloud as she reached in for a friendly hug.

"I think I really miss seeing you," Danni whispered in my ear as Chad walked around to his side of the car.

"Hey dude, thanks for dinner," Chad offered up with a half wave, oblivious to the slightly too long, slightly too close hug as Danni whispered to me.

Dude? Really? He just called me 'dude?'

"Sure thing. Dude," was my reply. What, was she dating Keanu Reeves? I reached down and opened Danni's door since Chad the IT Dude had not seen fit to do so. Why was she with him? What did she see in him? So far, if he had redeeming qualities, I couldn't discern them.

"Oh, you're quite the gentleman," Danni said with a mock tone of royalty. "I should remember that." With that, she swung her legs demurely in to the car.

The drive home was interesting. Becca was certainly more than slightly tipsy. Which meant she was more amorous than normal. There are basically two types of drunks in this world: the happy horny drunk and the surly drunk. Becca was a happy, horny person naturally. She was amplified when drunk.

I lightly stroked her thigh as we drove. She implored me to go higher, and started to work her underwear down her legs. I guess she decided to wear panties because it was a pretty fancy restaurant.

I couldn't get too involved with her nether regions as I had to shift gears periodically and, due to having a couple of drinks with dinner, I couldn't afford any weaving that might attract undue attention. I felt fine to drive, but didn't need to explain to an inquisitive officer why I was weaving while a drunk girl with her panties around her knees was sitting in my passenger seat. It's just best to avoid those situations.

It was probably good that I just stuck to a little absent-minded stroking as I drove. My mind was more or less fully engaged with what Danni whispered to me.