Hi Beautiful

Note to the Reader: This is a romantic short story about plus sized woman and the man who thinks she is beautiful. It’s the first non-erotic story I’ve posted, and the first story I’ve posted in a long time. I hope you enjoy it.

Please send feedback.

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"Hi Beautiful," Bill said, watching Caroline's shapely calves climb the steps of the bus before meeting her gaze. Her dark brown eyes peeked up at him from behind her long, thick lashes. A blush crept onto her cheeks and her lips curved into the cutest little embarrassed smile. Bill waited for this look every day. His heart lurched every time.

Today, her long dark brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. Bill liked it better when it hung loose, long and straight over her shoulders and down her back. But the ponytail did serve to expose more of the youthful, creamy soft skin he yearned to touch. Just once he wanted to touch her skin. Just to know – did it feel as soft as it looked?

"Good morning, Bill." The blush still in her cheeks, and her eyes too embarrassed to meet his directly. She looked at the nametag on his uniform instead. She flashed him her monthly pass and proceeded to one of the nearby seats.

Bill's eyes followed her via the rear view mirror. And what a nice rear view it was, he thought. Today she was wearing a skirt that only went a few inches below the knees. Caroline didn't wear skirts often, so Bill wanted to drink his fill of her curvy calves, even if opaque, gray tights concealed all trace of skin.

The skirt was half of a professional business suit, covered by a navy blue spring coat. The ensemble merely whet his appetite, affording only the slightest hint of her shapely, rounded derriere.

'Damn, she's sexy!' thought Bill as he eased the bus from the curb. Every day his attraction for her grew. How she could possibly be single, which he was quite sure she was, boggled his mind. If he'd wanted the answer, Caroline could have told him. It was simple -- men didn't make passes at girls with big asses. She was far too fleshy for modern beauty standards. As far as Bill was concerned, though, Caroline was a goddess. The only problem was, Bill lacked the testicular fortitude to make a move and ask her out.

Ordinarily Bill was not a poor communicator. As a bus driver, he talked to all kinds of people. But when it came to certain women - sexy, voluptuous women like Caroline -- Bill was a lost cause. In the presence of a goddess like her, he could scarcely form three syllables. 'Hi Beautiful,' was four. It had taken him six months. And before he had recklessly uttered the words out loud, he had practiced in his head for well over a week.

In fact, when the words had slipped out, he had scarcely believed it. It had been her reaction that had confirmed that he had not merely spoken in his mind. First she had looked behind, so certain that he was talking to someone else. Upon turning back around to find his gaze focused on her, colour had crept into her cheeks, and that small, shy smile had graced her lips.

So, from that day on, whenever she boarded the bus, he greeted her that way, "Hi Beautiful," just to see her blush and smile before taking her seat. It was like a daily drug fix to an addict. To him, it seemed the best way to flirt, for now, even though he yearned for more.

How did one go about asking a beautiful woman on a date? Especially when the sole interaction Bill had with her was to greet her as she boarded the bus he drove. Oh, they did talk about all kinds of things as Bill drove the bus that took Caroline to work. About politics, current events, weather, music and movies and about Caroline's geriatric neighbours in her apartment building who often boarded the bus with her. But to Bill, asking Caroline if she wanted to go out for a coffee sometime was like asking her to sacrifice a body organ.

Weeks passed and Bill’s need to make a move became stronger, to eliminate the status quo, to get some kind of response, even if Caroline turned him down, which he feared. But the problem remained, how? How did he ask her out when the only time he saw her was on the crowded bus in the morning? What was worse, in another week, his schedule was changing. He was being transferred to another route. How would he stand not being able to even see her! To miss his daily dose of her sweet smile!

The Friday of his last day driving Caroline's route, as he drove up to her stop, he saw Caroline standing with Mrs. Sweeney, one of his other favourite riders. Caroline lived in an apartment building that housed several elderly dwellers. Caroline was friendly with almost all of them and they viewed her like a daughter. Now, as the bus pulled up, Caroline held on to Mrs. Sweeney's arm and guided the woman safely up the steps.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sweeney. Hi Beautiful," Bill greeted, watching Mrs. Sweeney lean her tiny, frail frame against Caroline's stronger, padded one. "You're out awfully early this morning. Where are you off to?"

"Good morning, Bill dear. Another doctor's appointment. No doubt more pills he wants me to take. As if I don't take enough already," the old woman muttered in her craggily voice.

Bill waited to ensure that both women were safely seated before he eased the bus away from the curb. The smooth transition was not lost on the geriatric woman who remarked to Caroline, loud enough for Bill to hear, "Bill is my favourite driver. He always takes care of us, doesn't he Caroline?"

Seeing his opportunity to convey his bad news, he replied, "This is my last day on this route for awhile, Mrs. Sweeney. I'll be working the afternoon on a different route. I won't see you." He gazed at Caroline in the rear view mirror.

"Oh dear! No Bill? It just won't be the same, will it Caroline? We'll miss our Bill."

"Yes, we will miss him. No one treats us quite like he does," Caroline replied, catching Bill's eyes in the mirror for a split second before he resumed focusing on the road ahead.

When they arrived at the depot, Bill gave Caroline a farewell wave as she descended the steps. "Bye Beautiful."

"Bye Bill. Hopefully we'll see you back on this route soon," she replied, giving him one last lingering smile. He watched her walk away and tried to imprint every detail into his memory: the curve of her round rear in the navy pantsuit she wore, the gentle, intoxicating sway of her hips as she walked, the teasing tendrils of hair that blew in the breeze and tickled her cheek, the way she fiddled with the strap of her purse when it kept falling off her shoulder. Who knew when he would see her next? And would he be able to make a move then?

Week after torturous week passed. Finally the opportunity arose for Bill to drive Caroline's bus again. It was a rainy, Friday afternoon and the original driver had called in sick. In all likelihood, Bill would be driving when she took the bus home after work. So, every time he pulled the bus to the curb at the depot, he watched through the rain for her to emerge. But, after several hours, the goddess he longed to see had not appeared. By seven, he had almost given up hope. It was, after all, a Friday night. Perhaps she had plans. Maybe a date who had picked her up right from the office? Just the thought of her giving that beautiful, blushing smile to someone else made him sick.

Then, like an oasis in the desert, she appeared like a rainbow in the rain. She hustled to the bus, her head down, dodging the puddles that had formed on the uneven pavement. She boarded the bus without even glancing up.

"Hi Beautiful," Bill said, unable to keep the huge grin from his face, waiting for the blushing smile he coveted.

But instead of her usual blush and sweet smile, she scoffed, "I'm not beautiful, not even close." Without a smile or another word, she flashed her pass and slumped into one of the nearby seats.

Then, realizing her blunt and unnecessary rudeness, she looked up at Bill who seemed to be concentrating fully on the steering wheel. He looked embarrassed, as if he'd been scolded. The tips of his ears were red.

"Bill, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. The week has been awful. I'm late getting off, I missed the last bus by five minutes, I haven't eaten since breakfast, I've been surrounded by incompetent, yet ungrateful coworkers all day, and I'm whining..." she trailed off and sighed again. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be on another route for awhile?" She tried to read his expression but he kept his gaze fixed ahead. She could only see part of his face in the rear view mirror. She was making a royal mess of things. "I don't mean to sound like I'm not glad to see you. It's a pleasant surprise, honestly, to see a friendly face on a bad day. It's unfair for me to take my bad day out on you. I'm going to be quiet and let you take me home now."

Finally he turned to her and smiled. "Caroline, it's okay. Gerald, the driver who was supposed to be here, called in sick. I was called and offered overtime to take his place. I've been deprived of all your familiar faces so it wasn't hard to agree. I'm off in another hour. No big deal."

For the remainder of the ride, Caroline updated Bill on the status of the regular passengers and her geriatric neighbours. The bus was almost empty by this point. The elderly riders were long home by this late in the day. She was the sole passenger when the bus arrived at her stop.

"Thanks Bill," she said, getting up from her seat and gathering her umbrella and purse. "It's been nice to have you on our route again, even if only for a day. My mood is much better than when I boarded at the depot."

She reached the doors, which remained closed in front of her. She swiveled at the waist to look at Bill curiously, to see what was wrong with the doors. Bill stared at her intently.

"Uhm, Caroline, would you, ah, care to go out for a drink or something? To ease the stress of your day?" he stammered, speaking quickly. "Unless you already have a date. It is late notice on a Friday night."

Caroline blinked. Had he just asked her on a date? A date. That was a dried fruit, wasn't it? She had never, ever, been asked on a date before. The idea thrilled and terrified her. To think, all she had wanted to do was make a frozen dinner and fall asleep in front of the television. She looked at Bill. He looked like he fully expected her to refuse. Did that mean he didn't really want to go out with her? But if he didn't, why had he asked? His face looked pained, as if the wait for her response was agonizing.

"No, I don't already have a date." The sheer idea was laughable. "I'd like that." She smiled. He looked relieved, yet somehow more nervous than before.

"Great! Can I pick you up at nine-thirty?"

Two hours later, Bill nervously buzzed the number of her apartment intercom in the lobby of her building. Her sweet voice came crackling out of the speaker and she let him up.

When she opened the door, her beauty freshly overwhelmed him. Her dark hair was loose about her shoulders and it shone with vitality. Her lips, well, he wanted to kiss them. To smudge the lipstick that outlined them to such a pouty perfection. Rather than the professional business attire he was accustomed to seeing her in, now she wore dark denim jeans and a red v-neck sweater. The tip of the v just hinted at the valley of her cleavage. That demure hint of creamy flesh teased him more than seeing her in a bikini would have done. The thought of her in a bikini was too much to even contemplate.

He wished he wasn’t grinning like a fool, but he was unable to wipe the huge smile from his face. As nervous as he was to be on a date with her, he was overjoyed knowing that, yes, here he finally was.

"Hi Beautiful," he said softly. He was uncertain what her reaction would be after the earlier one on the bus. But, she bestowed him the look he craved: the blushing smile, which, for weeks, he had seen only in his dreams.

Caroline had never seen Bill without the gray bus driver uniform. He looked more spectacular than she had expected. If not for his voice and face being familiar, she might not have recognized him. He was taller than she would have guessed. At least over six feet. The black shirt he wore looked soft and comfortable beneath the open leather jacket. She hadn't observed his face closely enough earlier, but he appeared cleanly-shaven. His hair was just long enough to hit the back of his collar. Like her, he wore jeans. His friendly eyes smiled at her from behind his wire-framed glasses. She smiled back.

"Let me get my jacket." Before he could offer to hold it out for her, she had shrugged into the sleeves. She wasn't used to having a man offer to help her with her coat.

When they reached his car in the parking lot, he opened the passenger side door and held it open for her, allowing her to slip into the bucket seat of the 2-door coupe.

As he scooted around to the driver's side, she watched him unobserved. He had a very cute butt for someone who sat on it all day. A cute guy had asked her on a date. It seemed surreal. What was even more astounding; Bill was a cute and nice.

He smiled again as he ducked his head deftly to avoid the roof as he sat. "I was thinking we could go to Seraphina's if that's okay with you?"

Caroline had only been to Seraphina's once. From what she could recall, it would be an ideal place for a first date. Not too formal, but not too loud. "Sure, sounds great!"

As they drove, Caroline subtly observed her date. Bill was such a competent driver. He shifted the gears without the slightest hitch. Driving was such a natural act for him. It was something that attracted her to him. He was competent, and it put her at ease, feeling that he could handle things. She watched his hand resting on the gearshift lever. It was such a nice, masculine hand, with thick fingers and prominent knuckles. There was a light smattering of hair across the back of the palm, and the skin was smooth. She had always been especially attracted to powerful, masculine hands. Bill's hands were absolutely dreamy.

He smelled terrific. That was another thing that drew her in. She had never been able to tell before, but in the close confines of the car, she detected the scent of his after-shave. It was a fresh, clean scent. Not overpowering, just subtly attractive, like she was finding all of him to be.

When he parked at Seraphina's she got out of her door to notice him coming around to her side, holding the door she had already opened. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I'm not very used to this whole date thing." Her cheeks coloured.

Bill grinned. Oh that blush! It rocked his world. "I don't really date much either." He shrugged.

Seraphina's had a unique atmosphere for a bar. It was dispersed with couches and chairs along with the tables. There was a jukebox along with some pool tables and games. They were lead to a booth at the back of the bar and Caroline was aware of Bill's presence behind her as they walked to their table. She felt the barest touch of his hand against the small of her back as they weaved through the people and furniture. That feather-light touch awoke all the nerve endings of her skin. She didn't recall being so sensitive before. Was it simply because this was a date that the touch seemed more intimate and her body reacted so?

Their table was a cozy booth near the back of the bar. The music and noise didn't seem to penetrate as much here, so they would be able to talk without shouting. The lighting was rather dim -- the only direct light in their booth came from a dim bulb in the ornate wall sconce. So there they sat, facing one another across the table, and the first signs of first-date awkwardness began.

"I-"

"Thi-"

They both began to talk at once, trying to break the moment of unsure silence. Then they both grinned.

"You first," said Caroline.

"I'm really glad you agreed to come out tonight. I was so afraid you would say no," he said, watching himself fidget with his hands. 'Don't be so nervous, you dolt!' he scolded himself inwardly. He rested his palms on the table and looked across at her.

Caroline smiled. "I'm glad you invited me. I didn't have any other plans. I was just going to watch some tv and go to bed early." Even as she spoke she cursed herself. 'You moron! Make it sound like the only reason you agreed was because there was nothing good on television!' She blushed and began to play with her napkin.

"I've wanted to ask you out for a long time. I never had the opportunity. Or the courage," he admitted sheepishly. "But when I saw you tonight after not seeing you for weeks and not knowing when I'd see you again, I had to." He watched her face, which had looked up at him in surprise.

"Really?" She blushed. He'd wanted to ask her out for a while? Wow! The thought was a bit unnerving, but more so flattering. "I'm really glad you did, Bill." She gave him a warm toothy smile.

And with Bill's confession, the awkwardness passed. Within moments they were chattering as if they had been best friends forever, rather than the relatively distant relationship of bus driver and passenger.

They talked about everything. They covered their respective personal histories, families, jobs, likes and dislikes. They laughed and joked. They debated politics and religion. They scoffed at each other's taste in books and agreed over music. They even talked about past romantic relationships and why they hadn't worked out. Then they talked about what each wanted for the future.

All the while they talked, Caroline's attraction for Bill grew. She watched him as he spoke, fascinated by the simple movement of his lips. She couldn't seem to stop smiling. While in a drab, gray uniform behind the wheel of the bus, he had seemed so ordinary. But across from her in Seraphina's he was more and more charismatic with each passing moment.

Out of the blue she said, "Bill, I'm really glad you asked me. I would have never had the nerve to ask you. I'm having a great time." Her smile lit up her face.

Bill beamed back. Yes, she was beautiful, a goddess. And as much as he had been attracted by her curvaceous appearance before, now he had confirmed that her beauty radiated from within as well. He was fully smitten.

When the waitress came over with the bill and informed them that the bar was closing, they were both stunned. Time had passed? Hadn't their date just begun? How could they have talked for four hours? Was it really time for their date to end?

While Bill drove her home, Caroline realized how tired she was. She tried to stifle a yawn behind her hand, but Bill noticed.

"Tired, eh?"

"Yes. The long week is catching up with me," she admitted reluctantly. "But despite the hellish week, I like how it is ending." She looked at him and smiled.

"Me too," Bill agreed, looking at her and flashing a grin before focusing again on the road.

At her apartment building, Bill parked the car. "I'll walk you to your door. I wouldn't want any of those perverted old men to accost you in the hallway," he said with a wink.

She giggled. "That's very kind of you. Mr. Anderson can move quicker than you think with that cane."

When they reached the door, Caroline unlocked it. "Would you like to come in?" The thought of their date ending was depressing.

Bill smiled. "I'd love to, except I know you’re. Next time?"

"Yes, definitely next time. But I'd better give you my phone number so there can be a next time," Caroline said more boldly than she felt. She had never so blatantly offered her phone number before. Who was she kidding; she had never offered her phone number to anyone, ever. She reached into the kitchen for a pad of paper and a pen. She jotted down the number and nervously handed it to him. Their nervous fingers touched over the exchange, jostling them both..