Bookworm

"No need to worry." I tried to laugh. "I'm sure if it was meant to be, it would have worked out."

"Well, if you run into that man again, you make it work out. I could see the sparks between you two from across the bar." I wasn't able to keep the flush from hitting my cheeks, and Laurie saw it. "I know it's hard, honey. I know you're shy. Just try stepping out of your comfort zone, just a little, and see what happens."

"Laurie, Jessica, you coming for lunch?" Karen called across the office.

Laurie got up, but I shook my head. "I'm going to go a bit later. Just in the middle of this file."

As much as I adored my co-workers, I needed time to be alone and recharge. Eschewing the break room, I waited until the usual lunch hour was just about over before deciding to go to the cafe across the street. I was just about done my book and if the final scenes were anything like the rest of it, I could use the distraction of arousal to get through the rest of the day.

The cafe wasn't very busy, having just passed the lunch rush. A few people lingered, chatting here and there, but there was plenty of seating. I ordered a latte and a sandwich before settling at a table in the corner and immersing myself in the world on the pages of my book while I ate.

I was right - the ending was as raunchy and exciting as the rest of it. I was focused on not reacting: controlling my breathing, making sure my face didn't show a single hint of the way I was feeling. I couldn't control all my reactions, though, and I could feel myself getting wet as I read the last few pages.

The fact that there were people around me, going about their days with no idea of the pictures I was conjuring in my head deepened the ball of arousal in my stomach. I shifted in my seat slightly, knowing I couldn't do anything to relieve myself for hours still, knowing it would feel amazing when I finally could. When I finished the book, I stared at the page for a moment before closing it with a sigh and putting it gently on the table.

"So, did it end up being any good?"

I almost fell out of the chair as I glanced wildly in the direction of the voice.

At the table just across from me, Andrew was trying not to laugh. "Sorry," he said.

"Didn't see you there," I gasped. "Um, yes, yeah. It was pretty good." He had a plate in front of him with a half finished sandwich and empty bowl of soup. How long had he been sitting there? "Why didn't you say hi?"

"I didn't want to interrupt you again. You seemed really into it, and there's nothing worse than someone interrupting the ending."

I was astounded he couldn't hear the jack-hammering coming from inside my chest. Andrew looked as amazing as he had before, still dressed casually, still in an effortless way that managed to look put together.

Laurie's words about sparks between Andrew and I echoed in my mind, as did my half-asleep commitment to take a risk the next time I saw him. I didn't know if I could actually do it. I was quite certain if I tried to stand up right that moment, my legs would give out.

The other option was to continue sitting there, gaping awkwardly, and trying not to focus on the wetness in my panties. As it turned out, it might have been that wetness that made the decision for me. I found myself standing up, my legs somehow managing to support me, and moving to the empty chair across from Andrew.

He didn't seem to notice the gravitas of that monumental decision, but that was okay. "The ending was pretty good," I said as I sat down. "I don't know if it would be your cup of tea. What do you usually like? Besides just thrillers."

"Hmm, a tailor-made recommendation?" Andrew smiled, and I almost melted again. "I like books with really unexpected twists. I like to try to puzzle out what's going to happen."

I nodded knowingly. "This one might not be for you, then. It's more, umm, relationship focused. Like about the people. Nothing really unexpected happens."

"Too bad. What did you like most about it?"

I bit my lip as I considered how to answer the question. "I liked that the main character was normal," I finally said. "She was just living her life, just being a normal person. She didn't have to do crazy things to get attention and didn't have all these stories about ridiculous adventures she'd been on. Then she meets this guy and..." I stopped, not sure how to continue.

"Are you sure this is a thriller?" Andrew teased. "Sounds a bit like a romance to me."

"Can't it be both?" I smiled in what I hoped was a charming way. "A thrilling romance?"

"Well, if you like thrilling romances..." My breath hitched. "...I have a book in my office you might like. Do you work around here?"

"Yeah, uh, just across the road." I gestured towards my building.

"Ah, above the bar! I'm in this building. I'm going to end up staying late tonight, though. Why don't you stop by after work and I'll lend it to you?"

The ground beneath my feet turned to clouds as I walked back to my office. Somehow I had navigated my way through an entire conversation without wanting the earth to open up and swallow me. I was also more turned on than I had been when I finished reading my book. The prospect of getting through the rest of the day, make it to Andrew's office to pick up the book, and then getting home was almost overwhelming.

Or, I thought as I stepped into the elevator, I could fuck Andrew in his office.

My internal temperature blasted up and I was grateful the elevator was empty. Once I considered it, I couldn't get the thought of it out of my head. I didn't know what Andrew did, exactly, but maybe their office had a break room. Or a conference room. Or a supply closet, even. A picture of my legs wrapped around Andrew's waist against a wall in a dark room seemed to burn itself in the forefront of my mind. The thought of being pushed up against the wall, half-dressed, Andrew's pants around his ankles as he held me up and fucked me...

Smarten up, Jessica, I told myself as the elevator opened and I walked into the office. I forced myself to walk at a normal pace, praying that my face wasn't as red as it felt.

If it was, no one said anything. Laurie and Karen were hard at work, and Courtney must have been in a meeting. I settled at my desk, my throat dry, and tried to go back to work.

The rest of the day passed at a pace comparable to waiting out the last day of school before summer vacation. I checked the clock approximately sixty times an hour, thinking each time I checked it that at least half an hour had gone by. When quitting time finally hit, I stayed at my desk while the others packed up.

"Jess, time to go home!" Karen waved a hand in front of me as I stared at a file on my computer.

I tried not to look annoyed. "Just wanting to finish up. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Laurie hung behind as the others left.

"Are you upset?" she asked me when the office was empty.

I shook my head. "Just finishing up some work."

"You're a terrible liar, honey. I'm sorry for butting in." She sat against my desk. "You do whatever you're comfortable with."

I didn't really want to tell Laurie what I was about to do, but she looked so sad. "It was great advice. I stepped out of my comfort zone earlier today and I'm going to meet someone. I just didn't want to make a big thing about it."

Her entire face transformed. "Jessica! That's... who is it? Is it Andrew? Did you find him?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "I ran into Andrew while I was on lunch. I'm borrowing a book from him. It's nothing, really. I just didn't want to get you all worked up again."

"Oh honey. When are you meeting him?"

"Umm. Right now."

Laurie stood up in a flash, bounding to the coat rack and grabbing my things. "I'm sorry I'm keeping you! Go, go!"

I left the office smiling in spite of myself and crossed the street. It was probably for the best that Laurie waited around and I told her what was happening, otherwise my nerves might have gotten the best of me. The pool of arousal in my stomach was joined by a knot of trepidation that deepened just as the elevator doors closed to take me up to Andrew's office.

My palms were sweaty by the time I reached the floor his office was on, near the top of the building. I considered staying in the elevator and simply pressing the button to go back down, but some force of will made my feet move forward. The directory was in front of me and I stopped to check it. Andrew had only given me the office number, not the company name.

"Elevate Dev. Studio," I murmured. The boldness I'd felt earlier was fading, and I timidly made my way towards the office.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I walked into. Andrew worked for a tech company, and their office was quite nice. Frosted glass walls surrounded the reception area, letting in natural light from windows beyond the foyer. A woman was sitting behind the desk, even though the hours on the door said they were closed.

"Hi, I was meeting with Andrew?" I said, my voice shakier than I would have liked.

She glanced up, her face kind. "Jessica? Come on in, he mentioned a friend was stopping by. I'm just heading out, can you let him know he'll have to come re-lock the door after you leave?"

She gestured behind her and I walked past her to the rest of the office, too shy to admit I had no idea where I was going. I stepped into a larger open office area, all the desks empty. Aside from the receptionist, no one seemed to be there.

I froze, not sure what to do.

"Hello?" I called, my voice barely at a typical speaking volume. I took a couple more steps into the office. Windows ran along one wall, the source of the natural light that could be seen from the foyer, and there were a few rooms at the other end. I glanced around again, then headed towards those rooms to check.

"Thought I heard someone out here." Andrew suddenly stood in the doorway of the room at the corner, and I tried to cover up the startled twitch his appearance caused. "Sorry, I thought Christine was going to show you in."

"I was running a few minutes late, she was just leaving," I replied. "Sorry. She uh, said to lock the door after I left. Or, um, unlock the door. To let me leave."

He laughed. "Christine's great, but sometimes she doesn't think I know how to run my own business." He gestured for me to follow him into the room.

"Your business?" I repeated. "I didn't know. That you owned this, I mean."

"Yep." He shrugged as I entered the office. "It's not much, but I'm proud of it."

I looked around the office. There were windows along two of the walls, and bookcases along one. Andrew's corner desk ran along one of the windowed walls and out in the center of the room. Two comfy-looking chairs faced the desk, and a leather sofa was pushed against the wall next to the door. Like the rest of the office, everything seemed modern and trendy.

'Not much' was a hell of an understatement.

"Great view," I said, walking towards the windows. "Hey, I can see my office from here."

"Which one?" Andrew asked. I pointed to a set of windows a few floors down from where we were.

"That's not where I sit, but that's where we are. Funny, you can't see into the windows of this building but you can see into ours."

"There's a coating on the windows," he explained. "Keeps the temperature a bit more under control. Otherwise we'd be like ants under a magnifying glass." I laughed, though I'm sure it sounded forced. "Anyways, here - the book I mentioned."

I turned away from the windows. Andrew was standing in front of the bookshelves, holding a paperback. "Thanks," I said, crossing the office to take the book from him. "This is amazing. You have your own personal library here."

"I like reading. You can only stare at a computer screen so long."

He was standing close, not as close as when we'd been at the bar, but close enough that I could see the dimple in the corner of his mouth when he smiled. The image of him fucking me against a wall flashed through my head, though the supply closet had been replaced by the bookshelves. I took a small step back, my shyness suddenly returning with a vengeance.

Andrew mistook it for for uneasiness. "I'm sorry, I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable." He stepped back as well, giving me space.

"No, that's not it." My voice was rushed, panicked. "I'm just so, so bad at this." A nervous laugh bubbled out of my lips.

"Bad at...?"

"I'm just, well, very awkward, and kind of shy." The words just fell out of my mouth, punctuated by the nervous giggles.

Andrew was trying not to smile, but failing horribly. "I like that," he said simply. He seemed to sense my embarrassment, and kindly changed the subject. "Anyways, this book - it's a thriller, but kind of a romantic one. I was thinking maybe you could lend me the one you just finished and when we finish we could meet for coffee and talk about them?"

"That sounds..." I mean, it sounded great. It sounded like a dream date. The only problem was that the book was not anything like what I'd said.

"It sounds amazing," I finished. "I just really think you wouldn't like this book, maybe... can I pick a different one for you?"

Andrew looked confused. "Yeah, of course. Should I be worried you don't want to tell me what this book is? Are you reading Mein Kampf or something?"

"N-no!" My face was fully red. I could feel the heat almost radiating off it. The fantasy I'd had of telling Andrew what the book was really about came to mind, but telling him I was reading smutty novels seemed a lot sexier when I didn't actually have to say the words. The heart-racing, sweaty palmed reaction I was having right now was anything but sexy. In fact, it was making Andrew look at me like something was horribly wrong.

I sighed, realizing I had no choice but to tell him and hope he didn't judge me too harshly. "I lied," I admitted. "I wasn't reading a thriller."

"You don't have to be embarrassed about reading romance," he said. "I'll still read it, if I can discuss it with you afterwards."

I laughed, the sound somewhat hollow. "It's not just that it's a romance. It's, um, a very descriptive type of romance..." I trailed off, my voice cracking.

"You mean to tell me you were reading erotica in a crowded bar when I approached you, and again in a coffee shop on your lunch break?"

I nodded, not able to meet his eye. "I don't believe you." I looked up and his eyes were crinkled, a laugh playing on his lips. "Sorry, I'm going to need to see the proof of this."

Wordlessly, I pulled the novel out of my purse, flipping it open at random. I only had to flip three pages before I found one of the kinkiest scenes in the entire book, and I passed it to Andrew. He took the book from me, his face indecipherable, and looked down to begin reading.

I watched him, my legs seriously threatening to wobble out from underneath me, my pulse strong enough that it may have been visible through my skin. At the same time, the humiliation that seemed to be coursing through my entire body was starting to center in that same place that was feeling aroused, tying itself together with the knots of nerves and pangs of desire. I couldn't even begin to understand why I was feeling that way or how all those things tied together.

Andrew's eyes scanned the pages, and I watched his hands as he flipped to the next page. I remembered the scene vividly, and I held my breath as he got further and further into it. His eyebrows raised as he read, and his lips parted a bit before he finally looked up at me. It took everything I had in me to maintain eye contact.

"How were you able to read this in public without reacting?" he asked. "I mean, I just read two pages and I feel like I need to -"

He stopped, suddenly, and I knew what he meant. I glanced down, realized where I was looking, and turned my head, not even sure where to look anymore.

"I find it exciting." My voice was barely above a whisper. "Part of the fun is the waiting... not being able to do anything about it."

"Don't you worry someone will catch you?"

I nodded slowly. "I always wondered what I'd do if I got caught. In my head it was this kind of sexy, flirty scene, but apparently the answer is actually freeze in place and not be able to look at you."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Andrew look back down at the book, flipping a few pages here and there. "So when I met you, what part were you reading?" He held the book out to me. I bit my lip as I reached for it, my fingers brushing against his as I took the book. I found the section I'd been reading in the bar, a fairly vanilla scene compared to what he'd just read. Shaking, I held the book back out, only glancing up when Andrew didn't take it. He was watching me, his expression intense. "Will you read it to me?" he asked softly.

"Are you trying to make me die of embarrassment?" I whispered, my breath catching in my throat.

"Are you saying you're not enjoying it?" His voice was husky. I glanced down out of habit, and I could see that he was very much enjoying it.

I licked my lips, looking at the book. "Ron stared back at her, his mouth half-open as he watched her. 'I want you,' he said, his voice dripping with desire. Alexa smiled. She believed that: the head of his cock was nearly purple and precum was dripping down his shaft."

I glanced up at Andrew. Those eyes were focused on me intently.

"Keep going," he urged.

I swallowed and looked back down. "'Let's see if you can put that tongue to better use,' she said, and with a swift movement, she was straddling his face. Ron didn't need to be told twice. He immediately set to work, licking up and down her slit and twirling his tongue around her clit. Alexa sighed in contentment, and as she did, he sucked her clit into his mouth. She let out a surprised moan and ground her dripping cunt into his face. He eagerly lapped at her pussy, his tongue skillfully licking along her slit, teasing her dripping hole. Alexa played with her nipples as he ate her pussy, but something was missing."

I stopped reading again, looking up at Andrew. "How much are you going to make me read?"

"Depends on if you'll let me help end your wait." For the first time, Andrew seemed nervous as well. "If you want to leave, though..."

"I finished this book hours ago," I interrupted. "And then I ran into you, and I've already been thinking about you since I met you."

Andrew watched me, but didn't move. "If you'd like to, um, help end my wait, I'd like that."

No response. "A lot."

I closed the book. "Please."

My voice shook, and Andrew didn't say anything. I had no idea what he was thinking or what was about to happen. When he stepped forward, I tensed up, only for him to walk past me. I held my breath, not moving, until I heard his office door close. When I turned around, he was standing by the door, looking at me.

"When I saw you in that bar, I had to talk to you," he finally said. He began to walk back towards me. "I had to know what kind of beautiful, mysterious woman pulls out a novel and starts reading in the middle of a loud bar. And when I saw you today, I knew I wanted to talk to you again. I wanted to know more. I wanted to get to know you, discuss books with you, find out what makes you tick."

He was right in front of me, close enough to touch. "I want you to know that now, because I still want to get to know you, and talk books with you, and have dinner with you. Right now, though, I want to take that sweater off you to see if it's just your face that turns red when you're embarrassed, or everywhere else." He was only inches away, and my back was to the bookshelf. I could smell his cologne, and had to look up at him to make eye contact. "I want you to ask me to fuck you."

My mouth dropped open. I couldn't speak for a moment, and Andrew waited patiently as I stammered. "P-please fuck me," I finally managed to say. "I'd like that."