Danielle

PUBLIC BETA

Note: You can change font size, font face, and turn on dark mode by clicking the "A" icon tab in the Story Info Box.

You can temporarily switch back to a Classic Literotica® experience during our ongoing public Beta testing. Please consider leaving feedback on issues you experience or suggest improvements.

Click here
smj54ap
smj54ap
729 Followers

"Well yes, with a Weight Watchers frozen entrée," I answered with humor.

"You eat frozen food at supper?" she asked skeptically with a raised eyebrow.

"I hate cooking for one," I replied honestly.

"Oh, I know the feeling," she said in kind.

Danielle was mulling over something as I gazed at her drinking in her beauty.

"I know a great little place in the valley," she said enticingly.

"Sure, why not, I accept," I said with gratitude.

At the bistro, Danielle looked very sexy in a tight top and skirt. Her shiny brown hair was braided and coiled into a lovely configuration. She exuded an unmistakable sexuality and class that appealed to me in a big way.

Danielle was from Italy but came to the U.S. with her parents when she was six.

"Unlike a lot of kids from abroad, I had little difficulty fitting in at school. I already had a better than average command of the English language and made friends easily," she said with pride.

"Although I'm an only child, my parents' refused to spoil me. I was definitely not your typical Italian-American Princess and worked in my fathers' photography studio from the time I was fourteen," she stated with a knowing wink.

"But, enough about me, you own Computer Solutions? Very impressive," she said admiringly with a twinkle in her vivacious eyes.

I told her my company was a sapling amid a forest of redwoods and I intended to keep it that way.

As the waiter cleared the dishes I sipped the remainder of wine in my glass and saw that Danielle had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Would you consider taking me on as a client on a regular basis? I really want to avoid these mishaps in the future," she asked earnestly.

Without hesitation, I agreed.

Every week without fail, Danielle's studio was my last appointment on Friday night. She always invited me to dinner and I looked forward to our time together.

Rather quickly a chemistry developed between us that easily led to friendship. Occasionally, we socialized on the weekend taking in a movie or nightclub hopping.

While I wasn't much for dancing, Danielle was one hot mama on the dance floor. The girl had all the right moves. I wanted to slow dance with her in the worst way but at that stage of our friendship, it was out of the question.

Although I hadn't asked, I correctly guessed her age at twenty five.

In spite of my desire for Danielle, I doubted that anything romantic would transpire between us. The age difference of ten years was one factor but the biggest reason of all was her marriage.

"Am I wasting my time?" I kept wondering but I couldn't shake the thought that if Danielle was spending time with me, she liked me in some way.

What struck me as odd was Conrad's complete absence whenever I visited Danielle's home and she rarely if ever mentioned his name.

After six months of weekly visits, I arrived for my usual Friday appointment to find that the lobby was dark. I mistakenly thought Danielle had left for the day and immediately I felt depressed.

However, I saw a light on in her office and heard muffled voices. Danielle's office door was shut but the closer I got the more it sounded like arguing.

"...it's the perfect time to unload the studio and move to Paris," a male voice stated in a menacing tone.

"My father started this studio and I'm not selling out. I really enjoy working here and it pisses me off when you belittle what I do," Danielle angrily countered.

The male voice laughed derisively.

"The business barely breaks even each year. How will you earn a living? How?" the deeper voice asked scathingly.

Quietly, I knocked and Danielle answered the door with a tear streaked face.

"Perhaps I should come back another time," I stated with embarrassment for overhearing their conversation.

Danielle hesitated for a moment.

"No, No, please stay," she implored and her eyes conveyed the same message.

While I busied myself checking the computer system, Danielle's office door opened and someone beat a hasty retreat.

As I finished, Danielle quietly walked up to me and her face looked bleak.

"You alright?" I asked with concern.

"Yes...No, I..." she hesitated and fresh tears fell down her face.

"Wanna talk about it?" I asked with sympathy.

"Yeah, but not here; Salino's Café, ok?" she inquired in a melancholy voice.

At the restaurant, the maitre d' sat us in a quiet corner. Danielle was visibly upset and I reached a hand across the table and covered hers with a squeeze for sympathy. Our friendship had evolved to include a familiarity of light touches on hands, arms, shoulders and friendly hugs.

"I don't know where to begin but I'm sure you guessed that was Conrad in my office," she said with some anger.

"I kinda figured," I said quietly.

The waiter brought two glasses of wine and I waited patiently as Danielle quickly drank half the glass.

"I met Conrad when I was a freshman at Penn. He was pursuing an MBA at Wharton and was considered a real catch. At first, he was very romantic and treated me like a princess but when he graduated, I played second fiddle to his job.

Danielle drained the wine from her glass and requested another.

"Conrad went from sweet and caring to arrogant and selfish. He displayed all the characteristics of a classic type 'A' personality workaholic. His employment required a lot of travel and I saw him maybe once or twice a month.

Don't ask me why but I still made the mistake of getting married, thinking I could change him. Our honeymoon was a long weekend in Bermuda but Conrad was preoccupied with a business deal.

There's a popular misconception that Italians are hot blooded but in my case it was certainly true and I was the one who had to initiate any sexual contact. Conrad appeared to be disinterested and I went home one frustrated bride," she stated sadly and gazed at me with a look of consternation on her pained but pretty face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't intend to be so blunt," she said with remorse but I quickly intimated that it was perfectly fine for her to talk about such matters with me.

The waiter brought two refills and Danielle sat toying with the stem of her glass as though lost in thought.

"From day one of our marriage, Conrad resented the fact that I had a soft spot in my heart for the photography studio. When my father retired, my folks moved to Philadelphia and he sold me the business for one dollar. I devoted countless hours of my time and worked tirelessly to make it a success. In no uncertain terms, I've steadfastly refused to sell something that my father spent years building up.

Although Conrad's never said it in words, I'm positive that he would like nothing better than for me to remain at home, bored out of my mind and play the dutiful wife; on those rare occasions he's actually there.

Now, Conrad wants me to uproot and move to Paris because he got promoted. But, instead of discussing his plans with me ahead of time, he barges into the studio and declares his intentions,' she uttered with intense annoyance.

"Do you love him," I asked and my question seemed to throw her off balance.

I clearly saw more tears invade Danielle's eyes.

"Yes, I think I love him. But, that's the sad part, I'm not sure I do anymore" she said sorrowfully and hung her head.

"Does he love you?" I asked gently.

"Yes, I believe he does but since we're apart far more than together, I can't tell for sure," she stated glumly.

Danielle's serious and pensive look returned and she was evidently mulling something over in her mind.

"I...ah...I mean, Sara...how does a healthy thirty two year old male cope with the lack of sex? Masturbation? Prostitutes? A mistress? Conrad makes enough money that he could afford several mistresses and I would be oblivious to the fact.

As for me, the lack of physical intimacy is driving me crazy! A vibrator is a fairly good substitute but it can never replace a flesh and blood person.

But, the worst part by far, is the loneliness, especially at night and on the weekends. We've been married for almost four years and I've been alone most of that time. My family and friends have been very supportive but..." she stated in a cracking voice full of hurt and it trailed off.

We sat in silence for awhile as nothing more was articulated. Danielle had a major dilemma on her hands and I had little to offer in the way of advice.

Our dinners arrived but Danielle sullenly pushed the food around the plate and took only a few bites. Gradually, her demeanor lightened and she regarded me with an amused half smile on her face.

"This may be a lot to ask but are you busy tomorrow?" she inquired kindly.

I pantomimed retrieving my blackberry and searched the imaginary screen with an overly grave expression.

"Ah...nothing on my agenda tomorrow," I declared abruptly in my most formal business tone.

"Good, we own a vintage speed boat docked at the marina and I was hoping, since Conrad already left on his preliminary trip to Paris, if you would join me for a fun filled day on the glorious blue Pacific," she asked with yearning.

"I'd love too," I stated happily while inside I was filled with apprehension.

"Nine sharp," she stated enthusiastically with a broad grin on her lovely face.

On the drive home, I stopped at my neighborhood pharmacy and purchased the largest package of Dramamine available. I was terrified that I would lose my lunch to seasickness and ruin the day for Danielle.

When I pulled into my driveway, a genuine admiration for Danielle crept into my spirit. She had bravely expressed her feelings of loneliness and spousal neglect to me and yet, at the same time, demonstrated a considerable strength of character.

Danielle possessed a strong will that was tempered by her sweet, kind nature. Coupled with her physical and internal beauty, she was the ideal mate regardless of sexual orientation.

However, I cautiously approached the situation as though I was treading on egg shells. I could easily have my heart stepped on again and confuse romantic feelings for friendship.

As I drove up Canyon Drive, the size and quality of homes rose dramatically. Danielle's was an elegant two story Spanish style on a cul de sac and no matter how many times I visited, it impressed me.

Danielle greeted me warmly and I helped her load two coolers and several large bags into her Land Rover and off we went.

At the marina, we transferred the items in Danielle's vehicle to an elegant, wood hulled boat that looked a lot like the one in the movie "On Golden Pond".

While Danielle filled the gas tank, I retrieved a bottle of water from the cooler. A couple of Dramamine made the watery journey to my belly and I silently prayed for their effectiveness.

Danielle, with a very happy look on her smiling face, saw me ingest the pills.

"Afraid of seasickness?" she asked with sympathy.

"Yeah," I answered sheepishly.

"It must be my Italian seafaring heritage because I've never felt a twinge of illness even in the choppiest of seas. Now Conrad, he's chummed his guts a few times," she remarked with humor and I giggled nervously.

As Danielle skillfully piloted the craft out of the marina, I gazed at her sitting on the very top of the drivers' seat back. Fetchingly dressed in a belly shirt and shorts over a bikini, she was a luminous vision of beauty.

I had spent most of the previous night pulling every short set and swimsuit out of my wardrobe.

"The mirror doesn't lie," Olivia told me a long time ago and in spite of my thirty five years, my reflection revealed a slim and defined muscular figure. My exercise routine had varied little over the years and I remained faithful to the work out that I learned from Olivia.

But, the unrelenting march of time had taken its toll on me. My skin was less supple looking having lost some of its youthful sheen. The areas around my eyes and mouth were more wrinkled and gave away my true age.

"I can't believe it; I'm starting to look like my mother," I groaned with annoyance at the facial reflection.

Nevertheless, I was proud of my body and cast aside the one piece suits, concentrating on the bikinis. Although I settled on a small and provocative number, it was modest according to the latest standards.

Danielle guided the vessel to a large inlet area where the water was very calm and dropped anchor. When she stripped to her bikini, I couldn't help but gawk at her.

Danielle's suit looked painted on her lithe and athletic build; it fit her flawlessly. My admiring glances didn't go unnoticed and she flashed me a devilish grin. She fished through the cooler for a bottle of wine and handed me a cup.

"Feeling ok?" she inquired innocently referring to my stomach.

"Yeah, so far," I answered cautiously and worried about the effect the combination of the two substances might have on me.

Danielle spread a couple of large beach towels on the bow for sunbathing and invited me to join her. When I was down to my bikini, she let out a wolf whistle.

"Ooh, a real hardbody," she cooed appreciatively and I'm sure I blushed.

As we lay soaking up the suns rays, I became aware that our thighs were lightly touching because of the small space. A splendid sensation of closeness permeated my being and was enormously satisfying.

Danielle turned on her side and smiled at me.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked with a gleam in her eye.

"Oh yes," I stated dreamily.

"I'm really glad that I met you," she said bashfully with a coy expression.

Danielle's comment caught me off guard and I looked deep in her eyes.

"The feelings mutual," I said with emotion.

Unexpectedly, I dozed for awhile and when I woke, Danielle motioned to me to join her for a gourmet lunch spread across a portable table top. We sat on the rear bench and ate in silence. She offered me another cup of wine and I accepted the beverage.

"Have you ever had the feeling that life's passing you by?" she asked me out of the blue.

"Yeah, there have been times that I felt that way but usually right before my period; I get wicked PMS," I said jokingly.

Danielle laughed so hard that her mouthful of wine trickled nastily out of her nose.

"You're a nut, Sara," she said smiling broadly at me and wiped the liquid from her face.

After some left over chuckles, Danielle's mood turned serious again.

"I feel like there has to be more to life and I don't mean money," she said wistfully.

Danielle was staring out across the sun sparkled water toward the horizon and tears formed in the corners of her pretty eyes.

"What do you want most of all in your life?" she asked me in a solemn way.

"I guess I want what most people want; to love someone with all my heart and spend the rest of my life with them," I answered with total honesty.

Danielle turned and gave me a weak smile.

"Me too," she whispered.

I was about to say something about Conrad when Danielle's predicament became clear to me. In spite of all the money and material possessions, her less than satisfactory life with the man that she thought she loved, weighed heavily on her mind.

The afternoon sun slowly waned and all too soon it was time to go. My gut had held up without any queasiness but the real test would come shortly.

Danielle guided the craft through the inlet to the open water and took off. In true speedboat fashion, we skimmed the surface at a lightning fast pace and to my great surprise, I absolutely loved it. We whooped and hollered like two kids, enjoying the experience to the hilt.

When Danielle finally slowed down, I gave my gut a check and discovered that I wasn't going to be sick. My self proscribed medication proved to be very effective.

Back at the marina with the boat safely moored in place, we walked to the Land Rover.

"Thanks for coming with me today," she stated with gratitude and gave my arm a friendly squeeze.

"I had a wonderful time," I practically gushed and gazed with longing at her beaming face.

On the drive to Danielle's home, an overwhelming emotional feeling swept over me.

"I'm falling in love," I silently mused and it both saddened and overjoyed me.

Was it mutual? All the signs pointed in that direction but I was uncertain.

Love Will Find A Way:

After our adventure on the ocean, our relationship grew until we were spending most of our free time together.

Danielle was witty and urbane without any stuffiness. She had a vulnerability and sweetness that reminded me of Olivia only much more appealing. I was under her spell, completely.

For the life of me, I failed to understand how Conrad could stay away from such a charming and beautiful woman.

We enjoyed movies, good wine, good food, conversation and above all, companionship, something that had been missing from both our lives for quite some time.

Danielle was very intelligent, perhaps scholarly. Her knowledge on a wide range of topics rivaled my own and our verbal jousting reached heated levels at times but was always friendly.

I gladly abandoned my Weight Watchers frozen dinners and lived through the hours at work in anxious anticipation of the time that I shared with Danielle. We were sitting in an intimate café enjoying a delicious dinner and I was recounting a dirty joke that I found on the internet. Danielle laughed heartily and countered with a tasteless and vile example.

Casually, I gazed into Danielle's eyes and saw something there that delighted me. Call it romance, love or whatever but it was recognizable and sincere.

Danielle seemed to enjoy my company as much as I enjoyed hers. She positively glowed when she was around me; smiling, laughing and living life to the fullest. If our schedules conflicted, I pined for her and sulked until I saw her pretty, smiling face again.

I was in love, no doubt about it; hook, line and sinker

But, with pessimistic fear, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Conrad was leaving for Paris in three months time and I had no clue as to whether Danielle planned on joining him or not.

On a picture perfect Saturday, several weeks before Conrad's anticipated departure, I was lounging with Danielle on the pool deck. By now, we were practically joined at the hip, spending all our free moments together. We were as tight as two gal pals can be without the sex.

Since my arrival, Danielle looked troubled about something and she was unusually tight lipped. I implored her to get off her chest whatever was bothering her.

"Sara, I...ah...oh..." she cried in frustration and her eyes moistened with tears.

"What's wrong?" I asked with deep concern for her.

Danielle looked down at the ground and I saw that her body was trembling.

"I called Conrad yesterday and told him that I was staying put in Los Angeles. And, there was no way I was going to live with him in Paris," she said in a very shaky voice.

"Are you sure?" I asked and secretly rejoiced.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm so sure, I'm sure...or whatever," she declared.

Danielle's verbal faux pas made me smile and when she looked up at me, she smiled too.

"Everything that defines me as a person is here; my work, family, friends...you," she stated softly but with emphasis on the word "you". My heart did cartwheels of elation.

"I'm glad you're staying," I said in a cracking voice and tears rimmed my eyes.

An intense urge to take Danielle in my arms and smother her with kisses enveloped me.

"I told him I'll send him a fruit cake every Christmas," she stated with a snicker referencing a line from the motion picture, "The Apartment".

However, Danielle was not the type of individual who took a serious matter lightly and a shadow of sadness passed over her face.

"I kinda feel bad for Conrad but deep down, I know it's the right decision. I keep remembering an old proverb; 'Money can't buy you happiness,' and in my case, it's absolutely true," she remarked in a dejected tone.

smj54ap
smj54ap
729 Followers