Milo & Eddie

Milo was a smart and outgoing, vivacious woman. She was in her late twenties and was working to support her carefree single lifestyle. The HR firm she worked for was a large one and she was trying to climb the office ladder but it meant becoming certified and taking classes. She was determined to meet her goals by the summer and then discuss with her supervisor the opportunity to handle larger tasks and bigger responsibilities. Being ambitious and slightly overzealous, she had decided she was going to take an accelerated Human Resource management program. The classes had met twice a week in the evenings over the spring and the SHRM-CP exam was in just one more day. As a result, Milo and a few of her classmates had spent many nights together over the last weeks, studying and cramming, trying to prep for the big day.

The night before the exam, she had spent the evening with her study group as usual. They sat across from one another, in her two bedroom condo; notebooks, pens and binders were strewn across the dining table they were using as a desk. Half empty mugs of coffee and tea were tucked in between scraps of paper. Milo sank her head down into her folded arms and let out a sigh.

"Guys, I don't think I can fit any more info into my head. It's fried," she said. "Let's call it a night. We've studied as much as we can."

"You're right," echoed Scott. Jane nodded her head. Stacy started to pack up her things in agreement. "I'm spent, too, and we've studied all of this over and over," Stacy lamented.

Only Eddie looked up and said, "Do you mind if I just do a few more study questions, Milo? I'm almost done with this practice exam and I want to see my score."

"Of course. I'm gonna get ready for bed though."

"Just pretend I'm not here."

Everyone filed out and said their goodbyes. The exam was in the late afternoon and everyone was anxious to get home and rest, then get it over with.

Milo headed to her room to get ready for bed. She slipped off her floral sundress and stared in the mirror. Her heart shaped face was clear of any blemishes, except a smattering of freckles across her cheeks. Her almond shaped eyes framed dark brown irises, and were surrounded by a thick, lush fringe of lashes. Her full round lips were a natural rosy tint and her button nose was a perfect compliment to her small chin. Her skin was an olive tan, smooth and lightly freckled on her shoulder. She was small in stature, only 5' 2" in height and about 120 lbs, her D cup breasts rested pertly in a black, lacy balconette bra with matching high cut thong. Her wide hips and toned legs were a nice compromise to her small waist. The small of her back led to her exquisite ass; full, plump and round. She felt good about her body and wasn't afraid to show it off given the right circumstances. But in the last few years she had not had much success with relationships. She had been in a serious relationship all through college. To her surprise, it ended on a sour note after they moved in together. He confronted her with the news that he wasn't in love with her and couldn't see a future for them. She was devastated. He moved on quickly and she couldn't stand to see him and his new girlfriend as the happy couple around town. Shortly after her ex got engaged, she decided to move to Philly and never looked back. The few men she had dated since were far too macho, not as courteous as she had hoped, or just not very smart. She did not date seriously, and certainly not with anyone she had true feelings for. Her body longed to be held but only in the right hands. She was terrified of relationships and fearful of getting hurt once again.

She unclasped and took off her bra and slid her cotton night shirt over her head. She slipped on her robe, tying a loose knot around her slender waist. Then she headed into her master bathroom and washed her face and flossed and brushed her teeth. Pulling the elastic tie out of her hair, she shook out her shoulder length hair. Beautiful layers framed her face. It was straight and sleek, a blue black hue that people were always surprised to discover was her natural color. Her full dark lashes fluttered as she blinked. Then she slid into her slippers, puffy little frilly things that were ill-suited to her dark dry humor but were a gift from her mother. She lightly padded back out into the dining room.

"How'd you do on the practice test?" She asked, as she pulled up a chair and leaned onto her arms.

Eddie looked up and smiled. His deep green eyes met hers and locked for a few extra seconds, then drifted lightly to her bosom for just a glance. She noticed but didn't give it away with her expression. "92%" he replied as he finished plugging in the numbers in his calculator.

"You're gonna ace this thing," she replied.

"Hope so. I know you'll do great, too." His smile was broad, and his chiseled chin and jawline were on display. He was wearing a simple pocket tee and jeans, but his firm chest and strong arms were still evident even though his shirt was not particularly tight. He ran his hands through his light brown, wavy hair. "I'm gonna pack up now. Thanks for letting me stay a little later."

"Anytime," she beamed. She meant it too. He was someone she really connected with. Gentlemanly, boyish good looks, physically strong and intellectual; he was the total package. But she had to remind herself that he was not someone to pursue. His plans did not involve staying in Philly long and she couldn't afford to be hurt if he left. She couldn't imagine living outside of this city. It was where she had landed after the breakup and learned to make it on her own. Plus, she still couldn't trust herself in relationships. Not after the rug had been pulled out from under her like that. They both stood up after he gathered all his items and slid them into his work bag.

"You look extra cute in those slippers by the way."

She blushed. "I know, not my style but they were a gift from my mom."

"Such a good girl," he said, his eyes trained on hers. He definitely wasn't looking at the slippers anymore. His eyes were full of attraction. The tension hung in the air between them like a thick fog.

Milo's heart was racing and everything felt like slow motion. He leaned in close, "Goodnight, Milo. Good luck tomorrow," he said softly, almost a whisper, as he exited.

"Good luck tomorrow," she whispered as she held the door ajar for him. She watched as his tall, slim athletic body ambled down the hall to the elevators. She closed the door with a click and sighed as she leaned her back against the door. Her heart was still racing and she could feel the flush in her cheeks and dampness in her panties. She was definitely aroused by him, and it was getting harder not to give in.

...

That morning, Milo got up and showered and headed to her local cafe for a cappuccino and found a spot to review a few more questions for the exam. She had dressed casually in a cotton stretch t-shirt dress that hugged her curves in a body conscious way. She paired this with some easy flat gold sandals. Her hair was tied loosely into a messy bun and she had minimal makeup, mascara and a little flush of lip color. Even with so little fussing, she was gorgeous and it was easy to see that men were interested in suiting her as they walked by on this beautiful spring day.

She sipped slowly on her cappuccino, savoring the creamy and bitter taste on her tongue. Her phone shook slightly. A text message.

'How you doin? Studying again? You're gonna do great.' It was Eddie. She flushed. Her fingers rapidly produced a reply.

'I'm at the cafe. Of course I'm studying. You?

You know you're gonna kill it.'

'Trying to blow off some steam with a run before the exam. Wanna get a drink after the test to celebrate? I think everyone said they wanted to yesterday.'

'Abso-fucking-lutely. I'm ready to let loose!

I gotta keep studying though.

I'll see you at the exam in a little.'

'See you soon little lady'

He had been calling her that recently and she felt a tinge of pleasure whenever she heard him refer to her as such. A little term of endearment for her ears only.

Back to studying, she thought to herself. With that she buried her head in her notes once more.

By 4 pm her entire study group had congregated outside the exam hall, along with several others who were taking the exam. Milo was confident in her knowledge but still felt nervous. Her mind was racing with examples and problems from her review exam. Her heart was starting to race, too. Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder and she jumped, startled.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you!" It was Eddie. He looked handsome in a nice button up shirt and some nice fitting khakis that showed off his tall, slim but athletic build. She eyed him and smiled.

"S'okay. I'm just jittery".

"You'll do great. You got this." He placed his hand on her shoulder. His smile was genuine. His chiseled jawline and cheeks on display. Milo blushed as she grinned.

"Are you coming tonight?" Stacy said as she interrupted their grinning competition.

"Yup. Can't wait to unwind!" Milo sighed. It had been a long week of studying. She had to keep her eye on the prize.

"Where are we meeting at?" Scott interjected.

"I think Jane mentioned Fat Tuesdays?" Milo responded.

Scott leaned in a little closer and raised his eyebrow as he stared at Milo's dress. "You look hot in that dress".

"You'll never pass the exam if you don't focus, Scott," Eddie warned. Scott smirked at Eddie, who gave him a dark stare. He was clearly not amused.

"Just a compliment, jeez," Scott replied. Milo rolled her eyes and turned back to Stacy.

"You ready, lady?" Milo asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Stacy replied and with that, they filed into the exam room.

...

The exam was finally over. The months of studying had paid off. It would take a few weeks for the certificate to be mailed but the entire group had done spectacularly well!

An overwhelming sense of joy and relief was palpable to the unlikely group of friends that had joined to study for the test. Jane was the first one to show up at the bar and had taken the liberty of ordering shots of vodka for the entire group. As Stacy, Scott, and Eddie, walked in, a squeal of delight could be heard as the two women hugged and celebrated the end of their difficult journey. Milo arrived slightly after everyone else and was coerced into taking her shot quickly since they all had been waiting on her.

"Cheers!!" They all shouted as they threw their heads back in unison. The night wore on in similar fashion, beers dispersed by shots, more beers, more shots, loud gibberish, screams of excitement. The guys had taken to darts and were drunkenly gabbing about cars or whatever. Milo, as small as she was, could hold her own and was properly smashed by the end of the evening despite her strong tolerance. She was singing and dancing all over the place and had garnered enough attention from several men in the bar at this point that she needed some back up from her friends from particularly aggressive ones.

"Staaaccy, Jaaaaaane, back that ass up," Milo slurred as she ground her rump up against her pals. Eddie glanced over to them and gave her a shit-eating grin, greedily taking in her curves. His smiled abruptly turned to a frown when he noticed a guy from the bar sidling up to Milo with a drink in his hand.

"Hey, I got this drink for you. What's your name?" He asked. Milo smiled and reached for the drink as the man handed it to her. She was starting to introduce herself when suddenly Eddie appeared. He hovered close enough to the guy that he towered over him. His look was menacing and his fists were clenched.

"Don't drink that, little lady," he said protectively, as he gently took the drink from her clutch. "I saw what you did, you pervert. You're about to get your ass kicked."

Scott reappeared from the bar as bouncers circled in. The man stuttered, "I...I...wasn't going to do anything..."

"Save it for the cops you fucking asshole," Scott replied.

"Can you give this drink to the police? They'll want to test it. " Eddie handed the drink to the security guard. His jaw was clenched. He was angry and you could see it in his eyes and tense demeanor. Stunned, Milo and the girls, turned in disbelief. What was going on? Everything was a whirl as the bouncers pulled the man out of the bar. The flashing of police lights were reflecting and bouncing off the walls of the bar and people were looking around trying to see what had just expired.

"What's going on?" Milo stammered loudly. People were starting to lose interest as the man was arrested and put in the squad car.

"He put a roofie in that drink, Milo. He was trying to rape you," Eddie said sternly. "Scott and I saw him get the drink at the bar and noticed him slipping something into it right before he approached you".

The color drained from her face and she suddenly felt ill. "Jesus," She said softly. "Thank god you guys noticed. Thank you for looking out for me guys." Her mind flooded with thoughts of what-ifs. What if she had taken that drink and woken up somewhere without any knowledge of how she had gotten there or what she had done? What if she had taken the drink and he had raped her? What if he had had more planned than just rape? Her stomach churned and she felt like she was going to throw up. Milo doubled over, clutching her stomach.

"Are you okay?" It was Jane. "Do you want me to take you home?"

"No. No, I'm okay. Thanks," Milo replied.

"Well that fucked up my vibe," said Scott.

"Me, too," said Stacy.

"Maybe we should head out anyways. I know I could use some grub to soak up this booze," Jane added.

After getting interviewed by the police and bar security, the crew decided to head out together and stop at a local pizza spot for a slice of pie. Jane and Stacy giggled as they chewed off their pizza slices, gooey cheese oozing off their plates. Eddie and Scott had shoved their slices down their throats so fast that the girls hadn't even finished half of theirs yet. Scott chuckled as he wiped his greasy hands on his jeans. "You girls need a little help with that?" Scott reached out. Stacy slapped his hand away, nearly dropping her pizza. Eddie had his hands in his pockets and was being oddly quiet and subdued. Milo was slowly chewing her pizza but found herself to be lacking in appetite after the events at the bar. She looked up at Eddie who was eyeing her cautiously.

"You okay?" He asked softly. She nodded but didn't say anything.

Stacy and Jane finished their pizzas, as Milo slipped her uneaten half into the trash can.

"Oooo that's our Uber coming right now," Jane said loudly. She and Stacy climbed into the car as everyone waved goodbye.

Eddie turned to Milo. "I'll walk you home." Milo once again nodded. Scott bid them adieu and headed in the other direction.

They walked mostly in silence. Milo's thoughts were swirling in her head. She had been so lucky that Eddie and Scott had noticed that guy sneaking a roofie into her drink. How naive had she been? She was just going to take that drink from some stranger. What would have happened if she had? Images of unimaginable things flashed in her mind. She couldn't have dreamed that the night would have taken such a bad turn. She was so grateful for Eddie, and her heart swelled for a moment remembering how tender he'd been with her, how enraged he'd been at the same time. He was truly her knight in shining armor and here he was again, escorting her home.

When they had first met, Milo was pleasantly surprised to find that Eddie only lived three blocks away from her home, in a scenic location off Front street near the river. Their studying had found them at both her place and his. Often they'd find a nice spot outside to read or go over notes near his place. Sometimes they would just hang out on his balcony. His presence was always a comfort. He was always a gentlemen. And they had remained purely friends, even if there had been some flirtatious behavior.

Milo subconsciously grabbed Eddie's hand and squeezed it tight. He seemed pleased and gave her a soft squeeze back.

"You've been really quiet since we left the bar. You alright little lady?"

Milo looked up and was surprised to find that tears had welled up in her eyes.

"I'm in shock, is all. Thank you for being here tonight". They walked another block in silence. Finally they arrived at her stairs. Eddie leaned on the hand rail and ran his hand through his thick hair.

"I would have choked that guy to death if the cops weren't already parked outside the bar."

"Will you come upstairs, Eddie?" she blurted. She felt surprised she had said it herself.

He hesitated, then said, "You've been through a lot tonight, Milo, not to mention how much you've drank. I really don't want you to do anything you would regret in the morning."

"Not like that. Please. I'm scared". She stared at her feet nervously. He nodded. They walked upstairs quietly. She opened the door and stood for a moment holding her breath.

"I'll sleep in the guest room," was all he said.

Inside the condo he moved to the kitchen. He reached into the cupboards and pulled out a glass. Then reached in the fridge to pour a glass of water.

"You should drink this, Milo". She raised her eyebrow at him. "Don't worry, I didn't put a roofie in it".

Her eyes widened in mock disgust as he bust out laughing. "Too soon?"

She reached across the couch and threw a throw pillow at him but missed by a foot. He chuckled harder, then said, "Seriously, you should drink some water. You had way too much to drink tonight".

She walked over and took the cup and slowly sipped it. Then timidly looked him in his green eyes. She noticed now that he had flecks of gold here and there, she wondered how she hadn't seen that before. "I can't thank you and Scott enough. I want to throw up thinking about what could have happened."

"Are you sure it's not the 4 beers and 3 shots you had at the bar?"

Her hand lifted up to her nose, her middle finger raised clearly and she flicked him off while feigning itching it.

They both laughed. "You should go put on your frilly slippers and get ready for bed." She rolled her eyes at him and walked towards her bedroom.

She changed quickly. Her clothes were stuck to her skin with sweat and her hair a mess. She quickly pulled it into a messy bun and threw on a large t shirt that was thread bare. Her dark nipples were slightly visible through it. She slid off her fancy panties and slid on a pair of hipster cotton briefs. Then threw on her robe and her slippers and headed back out into the living room. In the linen closet she found a spare toothbrush and washcloth, a clean, light blanket, a fresh towel, and walked into the guest bedroom where Eddie had already made himself comfortable on the bed. He appeared to have fallen asleep already. She gently placed the items on a chair and looked him up and down while he lay with his eyes closed. He was a sight to behold with no shirt on. Above his khakis, a small bit of his boxers was visible, and a tiny little happy trail led through his tight and delineated abs. His arms were tucked behind his head, muscles toned and lean. His chin-length, wavy, hair was unkempt and she wanted to stroke his locks back from his face, then explore to his chest and abs and arms.

"Sorry. I didn't think you were coming in." He said sleepily as he opened his eyes in surprise.

"I just wanted to bring you an extra blanket and a towel in case you get cold or want to take a shower in the morning."

"Thanks little lady. Now get to bed, you need to sleep".

"Goodnight, Eddie."

Milo closed the door lightly and walked slowly to her room. She lay in her bed, but couldn't sleep. Her thoughts flickered between the horror that could have been and Eddie lying in the next room with no shirt on. When she closed her eyes, she could feel a current of need in her. She wanted so badly to go into the adjacent room and climb into his arms and touch his face and body and feel his manhood pressed against her. To feel surrounded in his strong arms. She wanted to feel his large hands explore her breasts and slide down to her hidden valley into the nectar that was soaking into her panties.