Engineering Romance

It was close to midnight as Callum Donald followed the tight butt of curvy Paula Olsen, his latest girlfriend, up the narrow stairs to her apartment. It was the third time they'd dated and he wondered would she'd get lucky tonight. She must want it as she'd made admiring comments about his physique. That surely indicated her level of interest.

Paula was an assistant accountant at a construction company he'd visited when engaged as a consulting engineer. He arrived at her workplace whenever the majority owner Dirk O'Brien considered his engineers required the support of the consultant who specialized in wind loadings on structures -- in this instance a steel bridge over a ravine that would cut sixty miles for return trips between the company's quarry and the city.

The savings in time and mileage would be considerable for the client over the estimated 60-year life of the quarry, allowing them to also reduce the size of their truck fleet. The delivery trucks made up to 4000 trips annually to deliver crushed rock and other fill to its construction sites and also to supply fill and cart away spoil for various clients including highway construction and maintenance contractors.

Callum, who was thirty-two, ate lunch in the café at O'Brien Construction. He began noticing a dark-eyed auburn beauty glancing at him periodically and one day arrived late and sat at the same table as her and five other women. When the others left the beauty had remained. It was a tentative start but nevertheless a start, Callum would recall later.

"Hi, I've noticed you around. My name is Callum."

"Yes Mr Donald. I'm aware of that. I handle your bills and authorize payments."

"Oh that explains the fragrance on my checks. It's you perfume."

"I authorize payment. Other women make out and post the checks," she said, smiling. "My name is Paula."

"Are you married Paula?"

"Does it look like it?" she said, displaying a barren ring finger.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

Paula brushed back her hair, perhaps knowing the movement would draw Callum's attention to the smaller movement of her breasts. "I didn't consider you were." She rose to leave and Callum sighed and said, "We must talk some more."

"Perhaps."

He scowled as she walked off wondering what kind of answer was that. 'Perhaps' was almost as good as saying you have no show buster.

That afternoon on the way to visit Dirk, Callum stopped and chatted to the president's PA as he always did but this time sought information. "Peggy, what can you tell me about Paula in accounts, the assistant accountant."

"She's in her late twenties, is athletic, lives by herself and is interested in sport and active recreation. Her father works with the council and her mother teaches at primary level. But don't waste your time thinking about her Mr Donald..."

"Peggy please call me Callum."

The married woman smiled. "As I was about to say Callum, don't waste your time thinking about dating her. Her policy is to have nothing to do with males on our payroll."

"Oh god, she isn't...?" Callum said, leaving his comment unfinished.

Peggy smiled. "You know she's not Callum."

"Well yes. She appeared open and friendly talking to me, not at all watchful. May I point out I'm a consultant and therefore am not on the payroll."

"Oh yes," Peggy said thoughtfully. "Would you like me to tell her you're interested?"

Callum colored. "Um, like what?"

"That you made discreet inquiries about her with me?"

"Oh yes, would you please. Um but very discreetly."

Two days later Callum went to lunch late and was at an empty table when Paula came and sat opposite. She said hi and ignoring his bright response said, "Why have you been making enquiries about me?"

Callum colored.

"God you are capable of blushing" and that turned Callum's face even pinker.

"I'm sorry, but as my father says, once a tease always a tease."

"Don't be sorry. I rather liked the attention."

Paula spooned in some rice and looked at him thoughtfully. And then, "I'm not in the habit of launching into impromptu romances."

"Habits can be broken."

They looked at each other, unsmiling.

Callum dabbed his mouth with a napkin.

"You missed some meatballs sauce."

"Where?"

She licked the corner of her napkin and wiped a spot just to the upper right of his mouth.

As Paula sat back she said, "Oh god, sorry. I licked the napkin to make sure the sauce came off. It was so..."

"So welcomed actually. It suggests I've passed the assessment, if only in your subconscious mind, and am acceptable to exchange saliva with you."

Eying him impassively, Paula said, "And what kind of engineering comment is that?"

"Professionally considered, suggesting that although being opposites with probably diverse make-ups we do appear to have fundamental compatibility."

"I see. And now do we test that out?"

"The movies followed by dinner?"

Paula's eyes flashed and her mouth softened. "When?"

"This Friday."

"Okay, but it's not a date."

Callum said softly, "Don't kid yourself."

Her smile widened.

* * *

The association went beyond the first date. One evening at a restaurant as they were finishing mains, Paula said, "Are you aware this is the third time we have been out together and tonight it's a month since we first went out?"

"Very aware. Actually it's twenty-nine days but saying a month is okay."

"Thank you Mr Precise Engineer. Will you come to my place for coffee now? I have baked a small chocolate cake."

"And then what?"

Paula colored hugely and she snorted, "Yes or no?"

"It's a yes, definitely a yes and thank you. Will I be permitted to examine your collection of perfumes?"

"How do you know I have a collection?"

"Well I have recognized five perfumes you have worn, or at least I guess I did. My mother taught me about perfumes when I was a nosey boy. For instance, I'm aware you were wearing Nina today but tonight you have on Pour Femme and you wore than on the first time we went out."

"I see. Well I'm rather flattered you associate me with choice perfumes. What else have you learned about me?"

"What pragmatically or romantically?"

"Um perhaps we should talk more about the movie we saw this evening."

Callum said, "That's something I've learned about you. When you are confronted by anything that appears a little awkward, you duck for cover. I trust that doesn't apply to problems in your accountancy work?"

"Well I guess it's no surprise you have worked that out but I can say my work problems are abstract, and I deal with them efficiently. When confrontations as you call them are directed at my personally I react emotionally and, as you say, tend to divert. Duck for cover seems rather strong although that happens, I know it does."

"It's not difficult to fix. Emotions can be adjusted like most other things. They are simply a mindset. I'm practical enough to understand that."

"Meaning emotionally slanted people have difficulty?"

"Exactly."

"I knew you'd say that."

They laughed and Callum left the money for their meal and politely pulled Paula's chair away as she stood.

"And your mother taught you that?"

"Yes, my father is a very pragmatic engineer. She wanted me to grow up, as she put it, being more worldly."

"Good for your mom. I think I like her."

Under the swinging ass as Paula went up the stairs Callum dropped back a little to catch the brief flashes of upper thigh through the slit of her skirt and wondered if Paula would term him a pragmatic engineer if she knew what he was thinking right now. She cycled a great deal she'd said and he could see her lower legs looked powerful. He leered thinking of those legs wrapped around him... squeezing life out of him. He tripped, she called 'Watch out" and the impact toppled her.

"Are you okay?" he asked anxiously and she giggled and said she was but what the hell was he doing?

"I was thinking of your thighs, I could see flashes of them through the back split in your skirt each time your left foot took a step upwards."

Paula said that didn't sound like a pragmatic engineer lost in his professional world. "Come here," she said, rolling on to her back on the carpeted stairs and pulling him down and kissing him. It was a much firmer, moister and longer kiss she gave him than when they met away from the office and when they parted saying good night. She pulled away slightly to catch breath and murmured that had been a lovely kiss and she pulled him closer again and this time her mouth opened.

As Callum pulled Paula upright he said, pragmatically, "Does this mean tonight we go to your bed?"

She smiled and even in the poor lighting Callum could see smolder in her dark eyes.

She almost diverted, just saving herself. "Um, would you like that?"

"Do you need to ask?"

She clutched against him and as they walked up awkwardly Callum felt Paula's body trembling.

He asked gently, "Are you a virgin?"

"No. You are seeing a hangover from the awful relationship I ended just on two years ago."

"I understand. We'll proceed carefully," Callum said, using the word 'we' as if to inject the feeling of togetherness. Paula squeezed even closer against him, making Callum feel they were both in this together, and both wanting it to happen and for their spirits to soar.

Once inside the apartment Paula allowed her restraints to unravel and began kissing hungrily.

With passion between them building Callum paused to ask, "Do you think we ought to pause for coffee?"

"Coffee!" she yelled in despair and so Callum lifted her and carried her to the master bedroom, Paula kicking her feet in delight.

It progressed slowly and smoothly, the one hiccup and not replied by Callum being a rather fearful comment, "Do you think I can take all that?"

Callum was sure he was not all that big and thought well there was one way to find out.

"Do you suck?" he asked and Paula shook her head.

"Come on Paula, it's time to put the past behind you. All sexy women suck."

She rolled her eyes without commenting.

They were standing beside the bed, Callum having removed her dress and bra and he had removed all his clothing with almost indecent haste. He pushed down on Paula's shoulders. Initially she resisted but then groaned and sank.

She cautioned, "Don't you dare squirt semen into my mouth."

Callum had previous experience of tentative women so said, "It's up to you Paula. When I warn I'm about to come you pull away or I'll dump into your mouth."

As expected, there was no reply but Callum patted her head supportively when he felt her trail her wet tongue up and down his cock. He encouraged, "Oooh, that's lovely."

She lifted his dick and sucked his hairy balls catching him totally by surprise. He came close to the boil and again when she rolled a testicle around in her mouth before spitting it out. Obviously Paula's past experience was beginning to show.

"Christ Paula," he groaned, feeling the first signs of jerking in the head of his dick.

"Did you like that?"

"Yes fabulously. Suck my dick into your mouth. Callum then switched to thinking about complex calculations to take his mind off the need to ejaculate and it worked; the urge subsided.

Paula either tired or lost interest before Callum was stimulated enough to fire and so when she rested he pulled her to her feet, kissed her intently and dropped on to his knees, pushing her knees apart.

"Oh no Callum, please, allow me to shower first."

Callum thrust his face into her groin to give the non-verbalized reply to what he thought about her alarm. He slurped into her pussy and she spread even wider and began playing with his hair and ears while making gurgling noises. Callum had expected that but still one never knew with women. He was happy to accept her reaction as her endorsement about this bout of cunnilingus.

"Oooh, I've never had it this good," she cooed, and then a little later, "Pull away Callum. I'm c-o-m-iiiiiiiiing!" She groaned and splashed his face.

Callum came up, chin dripping and she shrieked as he went to kiss her but didn't pull away. He tongued her and recovering from her shock she sucked his tongue.

When they came out of that Paula was almost shaking. "No one's ever done that to me."

"Did you like it?"

"No."

"Do you think you could get to like it? I view it as the ultimate fusion between a woman and a guy. The other one is when the woman lets him shoot into her mouth and then milks his cock dry by sucking it. It's probably the ultimate in submissiveness from a woman and guys tend to like that demonstrated because of that... they suck pussy and want to see something in return."

"I think I could get used to the taste of my pussy juice off your tongue and fingers but I don't know about sucking come off your cock. I don't like the taste of semen."

"I believe one's views of these things changes dramatically when they are powered with passion," he grinned. The practices are probably as old as man but we have been indoctrinated to believe it's something one should not do."

She giggled. "That's a male outlook."

"Yeah and where would sex be today if male's hadn't pursued the notion that sex was an excellent recreational activity?"

"Women would have devoted more time to housework I suppose and slept longer at nights. Are you going to put it into me?"

"Yes ma'am," he grinned. "Sorry to have been neglecting you."

* * *

Paula passed a plate with a large piece of chocolate cake to Callum. "Was I okay?"

"You were excellent and I mean that. But don't talk about it if it embarrasses you."

"No it doesn't, honest. I feel as if I'm emerging from a cocoon. Will you teach me lots more about doing it?"

"You connect and pump and boom! And it's over."

"No I mean the finer points like positions and heightening one's sexuality and sensitivity?"

"Yes of course I will. I'm glad you are seeking to come on a sexual journey with me."

"Oooh, what a delightful way of putting it," Paula said.

"I love being up your cunt Paula,"

"Oh god," she whimpered, and raced to him to hug and kiss him. "Will you stay the night? I'm bound to feel like sex in the morning."

Callum he knew he needed to be polite and encouraging. "Yes, and thank you very much for the kind invitation. This confirms we have compatibility Paula."

"My thinking too. Thank you for being so gentle and patient with me. I must resume taking the pill and then you won't need a condom unless you wish."

"Thanks Paula."

* * *

Peggy Lester, who usually sat at a table with other PA's, came over and joined Callum who was sitting alone.

"Hi Mrs Lester."

"I thought you called me Peggy. Have you gone off me?"

Callum half-choked. "No, certainly not. That dress really suits you."

"No it's rather too tight."

Callum's eyes took in the figure of the 40-year old, rather only to mid-waist height and then the table between them cut off her lower belly and waist where tightness could be of concern.

"From what I see it looks great, emphasizing you... um."

"My what Callum?"

He maintained eye contact and spotted her eyes flicker when he said, "Your breasts."

"Oh have you noticed I have breasts?"

"It's a part of you I've noticed, but I must say they are not only your best features."

"Oooh Callum. Are you forgetting I'm married?"

"The relevancy of that escapes me. Normally one is not restricted when just looking."

"Have you seduced Paula?"

Callum paused before answering, finishing a piece of meat pie. "Am I assured of confidentiality?"

"Yes of course."

"Reluctantly I answer but you did draw Paula's attention to me so I owe you one. Yes."

"Aha. We women have noticed a sudden change has come over Paula. She's into wearing brighter and more stylish clothes and her personality has become much more engaging; she's interacting like never before."

"I see. Is that good?"

"It's very good. My thinking is Paula will be in line for promotion. Our financial controller retires in September and her degree is weighted in that area and it's in her favor she's become more outgoing and therefore noticeable."

"Well good things happen to good people Peggy. I shall keep all details of our conversation confidential. It's probable I'll finish this present task this Friday and will be away on work for my next client. I might not see you until next time."

"Are you aware Paula is going on a refresher course for most of next month?"

"No but she'll tell me when she'd ready."

"Well she was only invited to go by the boss and director of finance yesterday, confirming my theory that she'll be a frontrunner for the position of financial controller. Sam the director of finance would have been aware of the sudden mood swing in Paula. When interviewed when she applied to come here she stated she was running away from a messy relationship."

"What about two years ago?"

"Yes."

"Well she did tell me a little about that, only that it had upset her greatly. It would appear that knocked her off her axis and she's now corrected that."

"Pardon me?"

"It almost knocked her off her perch and now romance is back on the menu she's stabilized."

"Oh, why didn't you say that in the first instance instead of talking like an engineer. You know Callum, until your appearance here I'd never seriously thought of having sex outside of marriage."

Callum opened his mouth and his phone went. He answered and excused himself, saying Dirk wanted him in a hurry."

"Then you best run alone. Lovely talking with you Callum."

Callum shot at look at Peggy's breasts because she was adjusting her dress top. When she smiled he realized he'd been trapped into being caught looking at them. He grinned and winked.

A couple of evenings later Paula invited Callum around for dinner. Meeting midweek was unusual. Normally they met on Friday evening and went to a movie and if Paula had no engagements on Saturday he'd stay Friday night and then sometimes Saturday night as well. Paula was now putting a lot more effort into sex and learning new moves. Her favorite was to have Callum sitting in her deep TV lounge chair and she riding him Cowgirl, both ways.

Over dinner Paula told him about being away for 24-days the following month, attending a refresher course. "We'll work 10-hour days week days, shorter days Saturdays and Sundays and we'll emerge with a diploma," he said.

"Um what about sex?"

"You'll have to find someone if your needs that great. I might get lucky on the course."

Callum sighed and said he thought he could go twenty-four days without it but Paula said he should have a couple of nights on the tiles. "I won't mind, really. It's not as if we are living together and have made a commitment."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am. We have a two-hour break from 4:30 to 6:30 so I can call you each evening at say 6:00 if you wish?"

"I'd like that. I have no wish for you to forget who I am. It's fine with me if you cuddle up to a guy."

"I was thinking it would be a woman."

Paula laughed at the look on Callum's face and he sheepishly joined her to say, "Once a tease always a tease."

* * *

Callum's home was behind a partition in the small penthouse above the top floor of a dilapidated and only partly occupied three-level warehouse. The penthouse had toilets and a kitchen because it had been the open office for the warehouse owner and two other smaller businesses he operated. Callum's private area contained a wardrobe and dresser, a sofa, two casual chairs, a large wall mounted TV screen and a double bed. It opened into former male/female toilets remodeled into a bathroom and separate toilet. He found it very comfortable and convenient living as a bachelor and the office was occupied by his office lady, a draughtsman and two engineers, one of whom specialized in residential engineering work for new housing, retaining walls and major building renovations. The office lady Valerie was amazingly useful at finding them new work to price and quote or tender.