Impromptu Attraction

"It'll just be another minute," he said. She nodded but hesitated by the door, not sure whether to move forward or come back later. Ben turned back and pulled her coffee mug down off the shelf, putting it on the counter next to his.

How did he know that was her mug? Julia inched closer to the counter, standing next to Ben as the coffee maker finished its cycle. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, and realized she had never really taken a good look at him.

He was several inches taller than she was, with broad shoulders and thick light brown hair. His wire rimmed glasses distracted from his eyes, but even from this angle she could see how blue they were. She watched him drum his fingers on the counter and shift his weight, keeping his eyes on the coffee maker. Julia suddenly realized that he was nervous, and when she took a step closer the symptoms got worse.

Her mind flashed to all her other encounters with him: the short conversations, the darting eye contact, the feelings of awkwardness. He didn't hate her, he was uncomfortable around her. While she tried to figure out what she could have done to make him feel that way, the coffee maker buzzed to signal it was done.

Ben grabbed the pot and poured hot coffee into Julia's mug before filling his own and putting the pot back into the coffee maker. She leaned forward for the sugar just as he moved back from replacing the pot, and their faces met. They froze. She was close enough to smell his soap, and feel his breath against her face. He hesitated for a split second before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers.

Julia's head was still reeling from the realization that Ben didn't hate her, so the kiss caught her completely off guard. Despite everything, she felt the strange urge to kiss him back. Before she had the opportunity they heard the fast clicking of high heels approaching, and had just enough time to straighten up before the door was flung open.

"Thank goodness, you're alive!" shouted Marilynn as she stormed into the room. "Honestly, I turn my back for one second and you dis-" She stopped short once she saw Ben. "Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Just getting a cup of coffee," Ben said as he grabbed his mug and headed out the door. Julia watched him as he went, and swore she saw a wide grin spreading across his face as he walked out.

It turned out Julia's exit from the party hadn't escaped everyone's attention, and Marilynn was dying to know the details.

"A little birdie tells me you spent the night at a certain someone's apartment on Saturday." Marilynn was barely suppressing a smile, and Julia couldn't help noticing how proud she sounded. Julia did her best to avoid the questions.

"It really wasn't a big deal," she said.

"Spill it."

Julia sighed and braced herself. "There's not much to tell really. I had a little too much to drink at the party, and Ben was nice enough to give me a ride." She immediately regretted her choice of words, but carried on. "He took me to his apartment and I slept it off, then went home the next morning."

Marilynn eyed her, the barrage of questions forming in her head. "Where did you sleep?"

"His bed," Julia replied.

"And where did he sleep?" Marilynn asked eagerly.

"On the couch."

"Did he try anything?" Marilynn asked, still eager for gossip.

"Not once," Julia said.

Marilynn deflated a bit at the answer, but still dug for information. "Was the couch in the same room?"

"Nope, different rooms."

She thought for a moment, still trying to extract some juicy information from the exchange. She made one last ditch effort. "Did he undress you before he put you in bed?"

"Marilynn!"

"So, nothing happened?" Marilynn had gone from deflated to completely disappointed.

"Like I said, he took me to his apartment so I could sleep it off, then in the morning I left. That's it." Julia was relieved the inquisition appeared to be ending.

Marilynn was disappointed with the report, but seemed satisfied that she had all the information. After a few formalities about the meeting that afternoon, Julia took her mug back to her cubicle. She was relieved to see Ben wasn't at his desk, and she turned her back to it in case he came back. She had a lot to think about, and the last thing she needed was more information to process.

What she definitely knew what this: Ben, her coworker of several months who she had always thought couldn't stand the sight of her, liked her much more than she could ever have imagined. Her heart was still pounding from this realization, and from his soft lips pressed against hers.

She stole a look over her shoulder and her heart started beating quickly again when she saw Ben sitting at his desk. He was talking on the phone and looking intently at his computer screen, and she quickly turned back before he could notice.

For the rest of the morning Julia tried to focus on her work, but her thoughts kept going back to Ben. She thought of how difficult it must have been to carry her from his car up to his apartment. She also remembered the glass of water and toast sitting next to the bed, and everything laid out in the bathroom. He had taken excellent care of her, and she had hardly thanked him.

Gradually her thoughts took another direction, and she thought more about Ben himself. The more she considered it, the more she realized how attractive he was. She started to wonder what it would be like to run her fingers through his hair, pulling him in for a kiss. She pictured him drumming his fingers up and down her back as she pulled his clothes off one piece at a time.

Her daydream was interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Time to make friends with the new editor," Marilynn said, "are you on your way?"

"Just about to leave," Julia replied, and picked up a file from her desk. She straightened up and made her way towards the conference room, but was disappointed that she didn't see Ben on her way out. She was already looking forward to the next time she would see him.

The rest of the day passed slowly, with no more unexpected revelations. Julia kept peeking over her shoulder in the hopes of seeing Ben at his desk, but this was a busy time for him. Their next issue was about to go to print, so he was probably tracking down writers who hadn't met their deadlines. It was just as well; by the end of the day Julia couldn't keep the fantasies of him having his way with her on the desk out of her mind, so heaven only knew what might have happened if the opportunity actually presented itself.

As the day drew to a close she packed up her bag and put on her coat, then took one last look at Ben's empty desk before wishing people a good evening on her way to the elevator. On her way out Marilynn cornered her.

"Don't forget about tomorrow," she said, in a rare serious mood. "It's the most important meeting of the year and we can't keep them waiting. I want you here an hour early to get everything ready."

Julia had remembered the meeting with their biggest client, and knew that she would have to earn her paycheck the next day. "Don't worry, I'll be here." She wished Marilynn a nice evening and headed to the elevator.

Her plan was to go home and take a hot bath, then let her mind explore some of her new fantasies as her hands explored her body. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching the elevator, and her heart leapt to her throat when she saw who it was.

Ben stepped in beside her just as the doors were closing, and they began the long ride to the ground floor. She had blushed and looked away when he got on, but when she looked back his eyes were focused intently on her.

She could feel the tension building in the small space as they stared at one another, and her thoughts hovered between the kiss from that morning and her fantasies throughout the day.

When the elevator was halfway to the lobby she had made her decision, and without saying a word she stepped forward. He met her halfway, and their lips met once again. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him as their lips parted.

All too soon the elevator arrived at the ground floor, and they had to break their embrace. They straightened up, grabbed their dropped briefcases and walked out into the lobby.

Up until then neither had spoken, but Ben was the first to break the silence. "Would you like to have dinner with me?"

Julia smiled. "That would be nice." She had taken the bus to work, so the two of them got into his car and drove out of the parking lot.

"How does a home-cooked meal sound?" he asked as they turned onto the street.

Julia was pleasantly surprised by the offer. "That sounds great. Honestly, I can't remember the last time anyone cooked for me." After a short ride they were parked outside of the familiar building where she had spent the night on Saturday.

As they climbed the stairs Julia again thought of how hard it must have been to get her from the car into the apartment. She also considered how strong Ben must be, and how she would much rather be awake the next time he carried her to bed. When they got to the door Ben unlocked it and let her in, then shut and locked the door behind them.

He took Julia's bag and set it on the floor, then started taking her coat off her shoulders. He stood close behind her, running his hands down her arms as he pulled the coat away from her body.

She felt his warm breath on the back of her neck, and sighed when his lips pressed gently against her skin. She tilted her head forward as he kissed her neck, his arms circling her waist as a chill ran down her spine. She turned around and pulled his face towards hers, kissing him deeply as her fingers laced through his hair.

Ben pulled Julia close to him, his lips parting as his tongue rubbed against hers. She could feel something hard pressed against her leg, which made the dampness between her own legs spread even more. She moved her hands to his chest and started slowly unbuttoning his shirt, a small moan escaping her lips as she did.

This was all the encouragement he needed, and in an instant he had her swept up in his arms headed toward the bedroom. He laid her gently on the sheets before kicking his shoes off and climbing in beside her.

They slowly undressed each other, their hands exploring each new area of exposed skin. He gradually unbuttoned her top, pressing his lips to her neck and working his way down to her stomach. She responded by quickly tugging his shirt over his head, not bothering with the buttons and pulling his glasses off in the process. She ran her fingers across his strong back, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers.

Once they were naked from the waist up, Ben leaned down and gently kissed her breasts. She gasped as his mouth found her nipples, and she raked her nails across his back as he used his tongue to get her even more excited. He kissed her with renewed vigor as his fingers played with her breasts, teasing and pinching her nipples until her breath came in ragged pants. Just as she was reaching a climax he stopped, kissing her deeply before removing the rest of their clothes.

Starting at her neck he slowly moved his lips down her body, stopping briefly at her breasts again before going lower. He kissed every inch of her stomach, then at an achingly slow pace moved on past her hips. She opened her legs as he made his way even lower, his face pressing gently against her inner thighs.

When his lips brushed against her pussy she shuddered with pleasure, and moaned softly when she felt his tongue against her clitoris. He pressed his tongue harder against her, slipping a finger into her west pussy. She moaned again and arched her back into him as he slid his finger in and out in rhythm to his tongue.

He continued until her gasps and moans grew more insistent, then shoved his tongue deep inside of her. This sent her over the edge and she held the back of his head as she came.

He moved his hand back between her legs, dipping his fingers into her soft wetness to make sure she was ready. He shifted his body so his hard shaft was pressed against her, and he looked up at her face to make sure she wanted him to go on. She nodded, still catching her breath, and he slowly pressed his full length inside of her.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," he whispered in a husky voice. She moaned as he started moving his hips back and forth, his hard cock seeming to touch every inch of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, squeezing his cock as tightly as she could. Julia started to lift her hips in time to his, raising her body to meet each thrust.

She closed her eyes as he moved faster, and moaned when his hand started to brush against her clitoris. She felt her body tense as she came close to another orgasm, and he thrust deep inside of her until she came. She struggled to catch her breath as he moved faster, his cock pounding in and out of her wet pussy. His hands found her breasts, and he teased and pinched her nipples as her moans grew louder.

Ben's lips never left her skin the entire time they were together. He kissed her lips, her neck, her shoulders, and any other place he could reach. With each moan and sigh she made, the greater effort he put forth to please her. She responded by pulling him closer, her fingers digging into the skin of his back as she struggled to keep up.

The bed shook as he drove her to orgasm more times than she could count. He seemed to be holding himself back, trying to make every moment last longer. After what felt like hours his body finally tensed with his own orgasm as he breathed her name in her ear. They lay panting on the bed, their limbs tangled together, neither able to speak as they caught their breath.

"That's not why I asked you here you know," Ben eventually managed to say, "I really do intend to cook you dinner." She laughed as he kissed her one more time, then rolled out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants and a t-shirt and grabbed his glasses. He made his way to the kitchen and she could hear the crashing sounds of cookware being retrieved from cabinets. She picked his dress shirt up off the floor and pulled it on before heading in to help.

While the two of them cooked and ate, they had a real conversation for the first time. It started with small talk about work, but eventually took a different direction.

"If you had to sum up your life in ten words or less, what would you say?" Julia asked. Ben was thoughtful for a moment, then started counting on his fingers.

"Grew up nearby, dad architect, mom painter, sister publisher," he paused with nine fingers held up. "Dog," he finished triumphantly. Julia laughed.

"Ok, now with as many words as you'd like."

"My parents live about an hour and a half away, still in the house I grew up in. My dad works for an architecture firm so I grew up in a house full of blueprints. And paintings, but those were my mom's."

"What does she paint?" Julia asked.

"People commission portraits from her, but what she really likes is landscapes," Ben explained.

"How about your sister?" Julia liked the way Ben's face had lit up while talking about his family.

"Works for a publisher. We both got our degrees in graphic design but ended up taking slightly different career paths. I think she designs book covers mostly, she seems to enjoy it."

"Is she older or younger?" Julia was genuinely curious about Ben's life.

"Younger, but only by a year. We looked a lot alike until I was in the sixth grade and had a huge growth spurt. Now I'm half a foot taller than she is, and she hates it." Ben smiled. "She has better eyesight though, so I'd say that makes us about even."

"And the dog?" she asked with a grin.

"Golden retriever," he answered, "still lives with my parents."

"How did you end up with this job?" Julia asked. It was a total fluke that she had ended up working at the magazine, so she was always interested to hear how other people started there.

"Mark hired me straight out of college. He had a competition to see who could design the best new logo, the prize was a job offer."

Julia hardly noticed the mention of Mark's name.

Ben quickly moved on. "Ok, your turn. Ten words or less."

Julia thought carefully, but no matter how she phrased it her life story would never sound as happy as Ben's. She counted off on her fingers as she spoke. "Grew up far away, dad investment banker, only child," she hesitated before adding her last two words, "no mom."

Without meaning to she had changed the mood in the room. She lowered her hands to the table and sat silently looking down. She watched as Ben put his hand over hers.

"That's actually eleven words," he said softly, interlacing his fingers with hers. "How far away is far away?" He asked gently.

"About 700 miles, give or take. My dad and I moved house a lot, but we always kept to the same area." She lifted her eyes to his; he was looking at their hands together on the table. Ben looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but she was relieved when he turned the conversation to a more benign topic.

"When's your birthday?" he asked

They discovered they were born only two weeks apart, though in completely different parts of the country. Julia still marveled at how their conversation had flowed so comfortably, and it felt like they had known each other for years.

Once they finished eating they stacked the dishes in the sink and went to sit on the couch. Julia laid her head on his shoulder, and Ben wrapped his arm around her.

"So, exactly how long have you been wanting to do this?" she asked with a smile. Ben answered immediately.

"Since your first day of work. I kept trying to think of excuses to come over and talk to you, but you were always busy with something or being introduced to someone else."

"Come to think of it, Marilynn didn't introduce us, did she?" Julia thought for a moment, but didn't remember meeting him on her first day. "That's strange, she made a point of introducing me to all the attractive men."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Maybe she was planning to make a move herself. Either that or she forgot about me. Anyway, after a while I lost my nerve and never worked up the courage to talk to you. Well, until now." He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"You've had a long wait, I'll have to make it worth your while," she said with a sly grin, and slipped out from under his arm and onto the floor. She sat on her knees in front of him and slowly unbuttoned his pants, pulling the zipper down to reveal his stiffening cock.

She brushed her lips along the length of his shaft, running her hand around the base. Ben laid his head back as she took him in her hand, brushing her lips against his shaft before working her fingers up and down his length. When he was completely hard she slipped him into her mouth, gaining speed while moving him in and out.

He writhed beneath her as she pushed him deeper and deeper, adding even more pressure with her fingers. She began picking up speed, pulling him in and out while he moaned in pleasure. His fingers tangling in her hair as she ran her tongue up and down.

Just before the tension built to a climax she stopped, slowly pulling him out of her mouth and climbing back onto the couch. She straddled his lap and slowly lowered herself onto his stiff member.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck as she moved her body up and down. As her pace quickened he began moving his hips to meet each of her thrusts, his fingers finding her clitoris as he did. Julia moaned and shuddered from an orgasm.

She stood up, feeling her wetness start to run down her leg before pulling him along with her. She guided him to stand behind her and bent over the couch. He ran his hands up and down her back before sliding his cock into her dripping pussy. His hands settled on her waist as he started moving his hips, thrusting deep into her.