Never Again Pt. 01

Tim Wallace, 32, lived in Seattle working as an Art Director for Branson Tanner, a marketing agency of moderate stature. He had moved to Seattle from Cleveland for the job, but even after two years, he still hadn't gotten used to the near-constant rainfall. It beat brutal winters, he supposed, but not by a lot. It was Friday and he had forgotten his umbrella again, so his brown hair still dripped as he rode the elevator to the third floor.

There was a lump in his throat. He hoped beyond hope that Kelly wasn't there, that she was sick, or even quit.

When he started at Branson Tanner, Tim made quick friends with Kelly Forbes, one of the Copywriters, and with Lyra Price, a Project Manager who had been Kelly's friend for several years before Tim came along.

Kelly was about 5'8", with long blonde hair, that she usually kept in a ponytail, hazel eyes and glasses, a trendy look that accented her intelligence. Tim and Kelly had a shorthand way of communicating, creating inside jokes and playing pranks on fellow co-workers. They were so close that others often joked they were work spouses.

Lyra was 5'6", a thick black woman who completed their little confidential circle of friends. Lyra had a brilliant sense of humor that kept Tim and Kelly suitably entertained. She had known Kelly much longer than she had known Tim, but Tim knew it was safe to talk to Lyra privately about Kelly, a trait he made good use of after it became obvious that Tim had developed romantic feelings for his blonde friend.

He hadn't known how to handle it. Tim was not the most intuitive man in the world when it came to matters of the heart. On one hand, he couldn't ignore his growing feelings toward Kelly. On the other hand, workplace romances were inherently complicated and he didn't want to inadvertently ruin the strong friendship he had developed. He often vented this conundrum to Lyra, trying to get her to give him advice, but she refused to make his decisions for him, offering instead a sympathetic ear. Tim did he best to return the favor, listening as Lyra complained about her boyfriend Derek, without offering advice. After all, what good was his advice when he couldn't sort out his own romantic problems?

When Kelly became reacquainted with an old boyfriend and things got serious, it became more difficult for Tim to interact with her. He became more distant, feigning excitement for her relationship, but retreating more often to his work. The three friends began to spend less time together. Tim still went out for drinks occasionally with Kelly and Lyra, but Kelly usually cut things short to spend time with her boyfriend, Mark.

Then, it happened.

It was Friday. Kelly had been on vacation for a week, so Tim and Lyra were talking at the bar around the corner from Branson Tanner after work, a bar called Marty's, which, for some reason, had become the go-to watering hole for the three friends. In walked Kelly, grinning from ear to ear, a shiny ring on her finger. She and Mark had gone to San Diego and, caught up in the romantic week away, had gotten married.

Lyra did a much better job than Tim being supportive and enthusiastic. He offered his best fake "congratulations," and found a reason to leave the bar as soon as possible, his heart pounding in his chest, his head reeling from disappointment and jealousy.

Lyra called Tim that weekend, knowing that the news had hit him hard. She felt sorry for him, but reminded him that Kelly was happy and that he should try to put his feelings aside and be the best friend he could be.

He did his best, but such a thing isn't easy. During the following weeks, Tim still tried to joke with Kelly, but there was an unspoken sadness in each interaction. It couldn't have gone unnoticed by Kelly.

By Thursday, Tim was certain of it. He was on his way out of the building and Kelly grabbed his arm. "Hey you," she smiled familiarly, "I barely see you anymore. Let's grab a drink or six."

Tim's response was cold. "I'm pretty sure your husband wouldn't like it so much if you came home drunk." He tore himself away and walked briskly to his car, already kicking himself for being so short with her.

Friday would be uncomfortable.

Tim watched droplets of water falling from his hair to the carpet as the elevator beeped that he had reached the 20th floor. Thankfully, Kelly wasn't standing there when the doors opened. He took an alternate route to his desk to avoid her, sat down and tried to clear his head before getting into his work.

It wasn't going to be that easy. The first email was from Kelly. "I want to talk about this," it read. "Meet at Marty's after work?" It took Tim a while to even know how to respond. He drafted several responses before simply writing "yes, 5:30," and hitting send.

It was a long day.

Tim made his way out the door just before 5:30. It was still pouring rain and he was kicking himself for not bringing his umbrella. He ran quickly to Marty's but was drenched and winded when he arrived. He had hoped to hit the restroom and dry off a bit before Kelly arrived, so he would look a little less pathetic, but there she was, waving to him from a corner table.

Damn. She looked good. She wore an olive sweater that brought out the hazel color of her eyes. It cut just low enough to be alluring. Tim, Drenched and disheveled, walked over and sat down across from her.

"I already ordered a drink for you. I thought you might need it," Kelly said.

"Thanks," Tim replied, unsure what to say next.

Kelly sensed his tension. "I covered Jeanie's desk with paperclips today," she said.

Tim's dour expression cracked. He couldn't help but smile slightly. It was the type of prank she and Tim often used to play on unsuspecting co-workers.

"If she shows up on Monday with some new piercings," said Tim, "I'll know it was because of the paperclips."

Kelly laughed. "Yeah. Don't tell anyone. You should have seen Jeanie's face. It took her a half hour to clean up her desk."

Tim's laugh subsided. He took a drink.

"What's going on, Tim?" Kelly asked. "You won't even talk to me anymore."

He searched for the right words. Anything he could say would be unjustified. He had treated his friend unfairly. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it again and took another drink, looking away from Kelly's face to stare at the table's surface.

Kelly reached across and put her hand on top of his. "You can talk to me, Tim. You know that."

Tim looked up. "Not about this," he said.

She pulled her hand back and took a sip of her beer. "You know, I've wondered about you for a while."

"Wondered? Wondered what?" he asked.

"We've been friends for a while," she said, "and there's always been an attraction between us. I should have known that what was going on with me and Mark would bother you."

Tim rubbed the rain from his forehead. "What are you trying to get me to say? Are you trying to get me to admit I started having feelings for you? Alright, I admit it."

"What did you think was going to happen?" Kelly asked.

"I don't know. I didn't really think about it, I just got too attached. I don't have an excuse. I just knew I liked you," Tim replied.

"Why didn't you ever say something?" she persisted.

"Say something?" he countered. "Are you saying you had no idea?"

"I suspected, of course."

"Then why didn't you say something, Kelly?"

Her eyes sank. She didn't have an answer.

"You didn't feel the same way," Tim answered for her. "That's why."

Kelly's eyes locked with his again. "That's not true. I did feel something for you."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"What did you feel?"

"I don't know," Kelly said. "It changed a lot. Sometimes, I was happy to have such a good friend..."

"Great."

"Other times... Other times, I wished we were more, but I didn't know if we wanted the same thing exactly."

"What do you think I wanted?" asked Tim.

"Are you ready for this, Tim?" Kelly replied, "This might hurt a little."

"Just tell me."

Kelly took another sip of beer. "I really liked you. I liked you a lot, as a friend and sometimes as a lot more. It scared me a little and there were times I hoped you would ask me out, but I also knew that I didn't want to get involved with a co-worker, especially a good friend, and then break your heart when I wasn't interested in anything serious. I got the feeling you would want to get serious, and I wasn't prepared for that."

"You got married a month ago," Tim interjected. "You're the one who wanted something serious."

"That's different, Tim," Kelly insisted. "Mark was someone I knew years before I even met you. We were serious back before I moved here. When he came to Seattle, we picked up where we left off. The prospect of a serious relationship became a lot more appealing."

Tim drank again. "I'm so sorry I acted the way I did, Kelly. I got jealous. It's as simple as that. I wasn't being a very good friend. I'm glad you found someone to settle down with."

"Thanks, Tim," said Kelly. "That means a lot to me."

"But... But," Tim smiled, "I can't have you thinking of me as some pathetic sap. I wasn't always after anything serious."

"Oh yeah?" Kelly raised an eyebrow. "What were you after?"

Tim shook his head and laughed. "I'm just a flesh-and-blood man. Sometimes... well, you know what I mean."

Kelly breathed in through her teeth, took a sip of her beer and nodded her head. "I know what you mean better than you think I know what you mean. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah. I mean no," Tim's face curled in confusion. "I think I know, maybe."

Kelly laughed loudly. "Tim," she began, "Wow, Tim, you have no idea."

"I guess I really don't."

"Tim, there are things that you do," Kelly continued. "There are things you say and certain mannerisms that, well, can get me a bit excited."

"Excited? Like, excited?"

Kelly nodded. "More than a few nights at this bar, I had to excuse myself or I was going to make some really inadvisable decisions."

"Come on, now," Tim said. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to make me feel better about my pathetic self. You're married now, so the consolation prize is the thought that I was once an object of your lust."

"Believe what you want to believe, Tim," Kelly said. "You can ask Lyra, if you like. She'll tell you about the time I gave her my keys so I wouldn't get drunk and try to kiss you. She'll tell you about the entire week I was having dreams about you."

"You're kidding."

"I'm really not. Remember that time you went off on Roger for sending art to the client before you finished it?"

"Ha. Yeah," Tim recalled. "Not my finest hour."

"I beg to differ. It got me so wet I had to excuse myself and go to the ladies room."

"I had no idea."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Tim," she continued. "If you showed off your confidence a little more often, women would throw themselves at you."

"And you don't give yourself enough credit, Kelly," Tim said. "None of them would be you. Besides, you have Mark to throw yourself at now."

"Well," said Kelly, "he's not getting anything from me tonight." She rolled her eyes and drank a huge swig of her beer.

"Why?" asked Tim. "Is he out of town?"

"No," she replied. "Well, yes, he is, but that's not why."

"I'm confused."

"So, get this," she said. "Mark is on the road every Friday and the weekends. We've only been married a month, right?"

"Yeah."

"So, he left his computer out this Wednesday and you know how email programs have a preview pane?"

"Yeah."

"There was an email from a woman named Shannon who occasionally goes with him to San Diego."

"Uh oh."

"Yeah, well it was all about how she shouldn't have sucked his dick last weekend and that it probably shouldn't happen again because he was married now."

"Damn."

"Yeah. I wasn't pleased."

"Kelly. Wow," said Tim. "I'm so sorry."

"I'll survive," she said, "but yeah, it wasn't fun to hear. That's why I wanted to go out drinking last night."

"And I treated you like a dick," Tim admitted. "I'm sorry about that too."

"Buy me dinner and we're square," she smiled. "Cool?"

Tim nodded. They ordered and ate while conversing about whom in the office needed to be pranked next. As they finished their meal, they concluded that Jeanie Novaczek needed to get pranked again. More paperclips? Nah. Switch her computer with Kevin Grear's computer? Possibly.

"I dare you to fuck Jeanie," Kelly blurted out.

"What? She's a psycho punk," said Tim.

"Please. You'd still fuck her. I double dare you."

"I'm sure I'm not her type."

"You didn't know I found you sexy either, did you?"

"Good point, but fucking her isn't the same as pranking her."

"Yeah, but you'd get more out of it."

"Yeah."

"I quadruple dare you."

"What happened to triple?"

"I say screw triple and I raise you a quintuple dare."

Tim shook his head and smiled. "I'll see what I can do."

"I think I need to go," said Kelly. "Will you walk me back to the office parking lot?"

"I would, but I forgot my umbrella again and it's still pouring out. I'd better hang and wait it out."

Kelly raised her umbrella in her hand. "Come on. It's a big umbrella. I don't bite."

The rain was hitting the sidewalk so hard that it was bouncing back up four to five inches off the ground. Tim huddled under Kelly's umbrella. He could feel the heat from her head. His shoes were soaked through, but he sloshed through the parking lot until they reached Kelly's SUV.

She took her glasses off to dry them on her sweater, but gave up, opened her car door and dropped them on the dashboard. She closed the door and took the umbrella from Tim's hand.

"I hope things work out for you and Mark," said Tim, kicking himself immediately for saying it.

Kelly smiled and looked at him. Her eyes were fixed on his. Her chin dropped slightly so that her lips parted. She dropped the umbrella from her hand. Tim didn't know what to say or do. Giant raindrops drenched them both in seconds, strands of her blonde hair clung to her face.

"Kelly," he said. "I don't know if..."

She stepped closer, her body pressing against his. "I double dare you," she said.

Almost involuntarily, Tim's hands found their way around Kelly's waist. His lips met hers and they kissed deeply. Nearly two years of unspent desire played out in every caress of their lips, every touch of their tongues.

Her palms rested on his chest, her arms tightly folded between hers and Tim's bodies. Tim's hands glided over the wet surface of Kelly's lower back under her sweater. She could feel his arousal against her.

His mind told him to back away, unsure what to do and hesitant to let things go too far. Had they already gone too far? Did he want them to? Did she?

Their lips parted. Kelly looked into Tim's eyes as streams of rain ran down her face and dripped from her chin. She backed away slowly. He sensed her hesitation and was prepared to let her drive away, but she grabbed his hand.

She opened the back door of the SUV and climbed in, pulling Tim in behind her. He closed the door behind him. The tapping of muffled raindrops was the only sound. They were finally out of the rain.

They were alone together.

Kelly took her hair out of its ponytail. She braced her arm against the back of the seat, swung a leg over Tim's lap and straddled it, facing him. Her olive sweater, saturated with rain, was so dark as to appear black. She hooked her fingers under the bottom of the sweater and pulled up. She worked her way out of it and her still-wet hair was pulled back by the neck hole so that it draped down her back.

She was so beautiful. Tim stared at her in her white bra. A drop of water flowed from her long neck down her chest and settled between her breasts. Kelly leaned in and kissed him again. His hands slipped around over her bare skin as their tongues battled between adjoined mouths. His fingers easily unhooked her bra, and Kelly slid the straps off her shoulders to let the bra fall off.

Tim kissed Kelly's chin, then her neck, and then her chest. She leaned against the back of the front seat as Tim leaned forward to kiss and lick her exposed nipples. It sent tingles through Kelly's body and she could feel moisture escape between her legs. She involuntarily rocked her hips against Tim. She was enflamed with lust for him. Her hands slid down his back and tugged at the hem of his soaked t-shirt. She pulled up and Tim pulled away from her breasts to let her finish discarding the shirt.

Kelly stared into Tim's face, her finger at her lips. She bit down on it, and then ran her lower lip between her teeth. Tim wasn't sure what Kelly was thinking, but she knew. She knew what she wanted next.

Her right knee lifted and she unseated herself from Tim's lap. She knelt on the floor space next to him and began to tug at his belt. He slouched in the seat as she unfastened the button of his jeans and unzipped his fly. His erect cock sprung through the opening of his boxers, ready for Kelly to do whatever she wanted with it.

She wasted no time. She pulled at his jeans to clear the way, grasped the base of his cock in her hand and slid her lips over the tip. Kelly went at it with passion. She sucked and licked, moaning as his cock slid in and out of her mouth.

"Oh yes," Tim whispered. "You feel so good."

Her pace quickened and he enjoyed the feeling of her lips, but he didn't want to cum just yet. "You have to stop," he said.

Kelly lifted her head, his cock still held in her grasp. "Why?" she asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's great," he replied, but I want to taste you.

Kelly smiled, moved toward the other side of the SUV, lied down on the seat and pulled off her pants. Tim ran his hands up her thighs, pulled down her panties and slid them off her ankles. With his arms under her legs, he held Kelly's hips and lowered his face toward the warmth of her pussy.

Her breathing quickened immediately as his lips pressed to her. His tongue licked at her and the aroma of her pussy made him eager to please her. His mind recalled all of the times over the past couple of years he had wanted to go down on her and it made him more and more passionate.

Kelly's arms were over her head, holding tightly to the car door where the door met the window. She panted and moaned. Her hips rocked forward with each of Tim's licks. He pressed his tongue hard to her clit, intensifying her arousal. She was so wet.

"Fuck. Yes," she exclaimed as sensation built within her. Her entire body tensed as she neared climax. The face of this man she had dreamed of so many times was between her legs and she was about to burst. The scent of her pussy was intense and arousing. Tim didn't let up. He wanted her to have an orgasm.

He got his wish. Kelly's body went rigid as she cried out. "Uhhhhhhhhh!" Her body went limp as her pussy drenched Tim's lips.

"Oh Tim," she breathed. "You have no idea how fucking incredible that was."

Tim rose to a sitting position and licked his lips. Kelly pulled herself up and quickly straddled his lap again, facing him. She lifted up, grabbed his engorged cock and guided it into her pussy. The feeling was so perfect. They kissed passionately. Tim's lips still tasted of Kelly's arousal. She rocked her hips against him, his cock deep inside her. Their hands caressed and explored each other's bodies as they fucked.

Time seemed to slow as their skin pressed together, slippery from the rain and their sweat. Deep, intense sex fogged the windows with each passing minute, each movement filled with satisfied longing, the product of the growing desires that had built up between them during their friendship.

Her tongue pressed against his. Neither wanted the moment to end, even though both knew that there would be an inevitable conclusion and that was coming soon.

She withdrew her lips from his and sat as upright as she could in the limited space of the SUV. Her forearms pressed against the car roof. "You're so fucking hot," she said as she quickened her hip thrusts.