Scent of a Woman

I sat alone at a table near a window, nursing my scotch as the snow gently fell outside.

"Why did I even bother coming?" I asked myself.

I had only been with BC Engineering for two months and I really did not want to be at the annual Holiday Party, but I was told by management and co-workers that it is expected for all employees to attend, and because a major announcement was to be made at this year's gathering, it would be a good idea to be there. Besides, what else was there to do in this small town on a Friday night in the middle of winter?

To be honest, the evening wasn't going to be a total bust. The caterers served a wonderful meal, and there was an open bar. If nothing else I was going to get a free meal and a buzz.

Still, having not really "cliqued" with any of my fellow employees, it appeared it was going to be a pretty boring affair for me.

I spent my time people watching. It can be amusing to sit at one of these events and watch people interact. You can always pick out the "brown nose". He's the guy that pretends to hang on every word his boss utters. Then there's the social butterfly who believes it's her job to interact with everyone at the party whether others are interested or not. Then there's "Mr. Tipsy", the guy that has one or two too many. He's not sloppy drunk, but just drunk enough for his speech to slur and for his brain to allow one or more inappropriate comments escape.

There was all of that and more at this party.

At about nine o'clock I watched as one of the production workers, a heavier thirty-something woman, made her way toward my table. She was dressed smartly, but was obviously uncomfortable in the fancier attire she wore for the occasion. She had a look in her eyes that said she was going home with someone tonight no matter what.

"Having fun?" she asked, attempting to bat her eyelashes seductively.

"I guess so. The meal was good, and there's a good selection of scotch at the bar." I paused for a few seconds as she continued to make eyes at me. "You got something in your eye?" I finally asked.

My question was an effective deflection of her come on, and she turned abruptly heading back to the thick of the party.

I looked up from the table and saw Lauren about twenty feet from me. Her hand was clasped over her mouth. Her cheeks were pulled tight so I knew she was stifling a laugh. She began walking towards me.

I did not know Lauren well, but I knew who she was. She worked in the HR office and was present while I interviewed for the position I was recruited for. I had also seen her in the cafeteria numerous times, but had never been able to screw up the courage to talk to her.

Lauren was by no means a "knock out", but she certainly was not unattractive either. I guess she would qualify as what my generation called a MILF. I figured her to be in her mid to late thirties, five feet ten inches, and about 160 or 170 pounds, married, and a mother of three. She was very curvy and well proportioned. Her blond hair was shoulder length with subtle waves, cascading naturally around her attractive face. She was dressed very elegantly in a longer black dress that exposed no cleavage yet it hugged and accentuated her breasts and the rest of her curves. Her legs were cased in very shiny hose that looked like they may have cost more than my suit.

"What did you say to her?!" Lauren asked me, her words on the cusp of laughter.

"I just asked her if she had something in her eye. The way she was blinking made me think she had some dirt in it or something."

"That explains her hasty retreat! You do know she was coming on to you, right?"

"Yeah," I answered. "I couldn't think of a nice way to brush her off."

"I'm Lauren, by the way." She said as she extended her hand.

I quickly rose from my chair and daintily took her hand in mine. It was soft and warm. I fear I may have held onto it a little too long. There was just 'something' I felt when her hand was in mine. "Must be the scotch" I told myself.

"Seth" I responded. "It's nice to properly meet you." We simultaneously sat down, Lauren scooting her chair a little so she was more facing me than the table.

"Likewise. Care for a little company young man?"

Her question caught me off guard. I thought for sure she was here with her husband.

"Umm, sure! That would be nice. Your husband won't mind?" I asked, nodding my head toward the handsome, well dressed man she had been chatting with.

"Oh lord! That's not my husband! That's Jim Cantor, one of the firm's attorneys. He's as gay as the day is long and would have nothing to do with someone like me."

"I'm sorry Lauren. I didn't mean to make assumptions. I'm just so new here I haven't been able to figure out who's who yet."

"That's okay Seth." She reassured. "I understand it takes time. So, what do you think of your time at BC so far?"

"I'm really enjoying the work. Very demanding and challenging. I just wish I could get a better feel on how I'm doing, performance-wise." I confessed.

Lauren replied "I think you'll have an answer to that in a few minutes."

Now that Lauren was close to me, I was able to get a better look at her. Her face was lightly made up, and attractively so. She knew how to put on make-up. Her eye liner and shadow were applied to accentuate her blue eyes, not to create a mask. Lauren's full lips were painted in a subdued red, not an over the top glossy color that would draw too much attention to herself. She wore diamond stud earrings and a delicate gold chain around her neck from which dangled a sparkling diamond pendant.

But most striking was her smell. The perfume she wore was incredible. I had never smelled anything like it before. It was totally captivating, and I inhaled deeply, filling my nostrils with this intoxicating scent.

"Not bad for forty six" she said, snapping me out of my daze.

"Hmm? Excuse me?" I queried as I came to the sudden realization I had been staring at her as I luxuriated in her heady scent. "I'm sorry Lauren, I was caught up in a thought there for a minute. You were saying?"

She was smiling at me, and blushing just a little too. Her eyes twinkled as she whispered "I said 'not bad for forty six'"

"Really?" I replied in genuine surprise. "Never would I have figured that."

Lauren's smile widened as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes twinkling a little more. "Thank you Seth. Forgive me if I don't believe you."

"Honestly Lauren. I had you pegged for a late thirties married mother of three. Are you going to tell me I'm wrong on the other counts too?"

"You are. No kids, and happily single" she answered. "Does that surprise you?"

"It does" I answered honestly. "Lauren, please pardon me if this is too forward, but would you tell me what perfume you are wearing?"

"You like it?"

"I do! It's like no other fragrance I have ever smelled on a woman before."

"It is unique, isn't it? Right now it's called "Morse 17.21 Alpha" she answered. "I doubt it's marketable under that name though. I don't even know if it's marketable at all."

Lauren found amusement in my confused look.

"My job here pays the bills and allows me to pursue my passion, which happens to be women's fragrances. The one I'm wearing is a brand new formula, and it appears to be having it's intended affect. Well, on you anyway."

Lauren and I spent the rest of the evening talking. I found her to be a fascinating, intelligent woman. She holds a Master's degree in chemistry and a Bachelor's in Childhood Development. Lauren has been employed at BC since its inception and has worked her way up from receptionist to her current role as a manager in HR. She told me she likes the anonymity she can have in a small town relaxed setting.

As we talked, Brian Currel (owner of BC Engineering) made the big announcement everyone had been waiting for. Because of the work my team and I had been doing over the last two months (I had been recruited to program / operate / run a cutting edge CNC machine to produce precision industrial quality housings for a new electronic device to be introduced by a leading electronics manufacturer) BC Engineering had landed a lucrative contract to produce 500,000 of the industrial housings that would be worth ten million dollars, potentially more. Brian also told us that the plant would be closed for the next three weeks as additional CNC machines and controllers were installed. The employees were none too happy until Brian added that we would all receive normal pay during the hiatus and we would not have to use any vacation time.

Lauren patted my hand and said "Congratulations!"

"Thanks Lauren. I didn't do it all by myself you know."

Immediately following the announcement, wait staff roamed the room distributing what turned out to be significant Christmas bonuses. I stuffed mine in my coat pocket to open later.

"Take me home" Lauren blurted, seemingly out of nowhere.

I considered her demand, but politely and graciously declined. "You flatter me. Lauren, you are a beautiful woman, but we've only just met. I don't think that's a good idea."

Lauren and I continued our conversation for another fifteen minutes as the excitement around us began to wane.

"Well Seth, it looks like the party is starting to break up. Would you like to go somewhere with me?" Lauren asked.

"I want to Lauren, I really do. But people might talk. You know, "the new guy leaving with management" thing?"

Lauren seemed to understand, and again we returned to our conversation.

Ten minutes later, Lauren leaned forward until her face was a few scant inches from mine. Again her perfume overwhelmed my senses and she throatily whispered "Seth, honey, please take me someplace where we can be alone."

This time it seemed as though I was powerless to refuse her, and before my brain could catch up I heard myself saying "What did you have in mind?"

"Anyplace that's not here" she answered. "Let me leave first. I'll meet you in the parking lot. We wouldn't want anyone to talk."

"I'd like that Lauren" I answered, smiling ear to ear.

"How did that happen?" I thought to myself as Lauren gathered her things, said goodbye to Brian and the rest of the management team, and made her way out the door.

I waited a few minutes before I excused myself and said my goodbyes as well.

Once outside I was surprised by how much snow had accumulated. I was suddenly glad I had only had the one drink all night. Being engaged in conversation with Lauren had saved me from driving home drunk.

The short honk of a car horn and flashing headlights told me where Lauren was. I walked across the lot to the source of the noise and found Lauren sitting in the passenger seat of her Subaru. The car was running and the snow had melted off the windows. I assumed I would be driving and got behind the wheel.

"What took you so long?" she chided. "I've seen women leave a party faster than you!"

I gave her a sheepish smile, knowing was just kidding.

"I hope you don't mind driving Seth. I hate being behind the wheel in this weather."

I honestly don't know what the hell she was thinking letting me drive. I learned how to drive in Texas, and this was the first time I had driven in an accumulation of the white stuff.

"No problem. So, where are we going?" I asked.

"Just start driving, I'll give you directions."

We pulled out of the parking lot and Lauren gave me turn by turn instructions. It seemed to me like we were out in the middle of nowhere when Lauren finally told me to turn right into a driveway. After driving for what seemed like a mile through a dense forest, Lauren pressed a button on the console and a garage door opened. I pulled the car inside and Lauren closed the door behind us.

"I hope you don't mind me bringing you here Seth" Lauren said.

"I take it this is your place? It's pretty deep in the boondocks, isn't it?"

"That way no one will be able to hear you scream." she deadpanned before letting go with a nearly sinister laugh. "Come inside."

I was really starting to like Lauren. She had a wicked sense of humor and I was completely comfortable around her.

Lauren took our coats and hung them in the hall closet.

"Don't be shy honey, take your shoes off and make yourself comfortable" she instructed.

I readily complied, and had a seat on the couch next to the Christmas tree in her tastefully appointed living room.

Lauren made her way to the kitchen, still visible to me from where I reclined. She grabbed a couple of glasses from a cabinet and filled them with red wine as she talked.

"Would you like to put your feet up? It might be more comfortable."

"Thank you Lauren, I'm good for now" I replied.

She began talking as she busied herself in the kitchen. "I like my privacy Seth, so I choose to live out here in the country. I have over a hundred acres, thousands of trees, wildlife, a creek, and no nosey neighbors. I can live however I please, even walking around outside naked if I want!"

Lauren made her way into the living room and handed me a glass before taking her place next to me. She curled her sexy hose covered legs under her and sat so she was facing me. Her left arm was on the back of the couch behind my head, and her left breast pressed ever so slightly against my right arm. I turned a little so I could look at her without craning my neck.

"Seth, sweetie, put your feet up here next to me" she gently instructed.

Again, as if unable to deny her gentle request, I complied and placed my legs next to hers, our calves making light contact.

"Don't you just love Christmas?" she asked.

"Yes I do. It'll be tough this year though, I won't be able to go back to Texas to spend it with my family."

"Why not? You have plenty of time off now."

"I know, but I wasn't anticipating it, so my family is taking a vacation to Europe and won't be around. I can't afford the airfare this late in the game to join up with them."

"Well, we'll make sure you're taken care of for the holidays. It's the way we do things in the Midwest" she answered before taking a sip of her wine. "So what are you going to do for the next three weeks?"

"Well, I haven't really thought about it. I guess my schedule is clear" I answered.

"I'd like you to spend some of it with me, Seth" she asked in a very soothing, shy tone.

"I'd like that too" I answered, again unable to resist her suggestion.

We sat on the couch and talked for well over an hour, discussing everything from her fragrance work, my machining background, everything really. I couldn't remember the last time I was able to just sit and talk to a woman for that long.

"Will you excuse me for a minute Seth?"

"I don't know Lauren, I'm pretty comfortable with you touching me like this" I answered.

"Sweetie, I like it too! But be a gentleman and excuse me for a little."

"Let me help you up" I answered.

"I'll be right back."

I stood, took Lauren's hand, and helped her stand. She gave me a peck on the cheek, thanked me for being a gentleman, and disappeared down a hallway. She was back a few minutes later dressed in very cozy looking flannel pajamas. She had also applied a misting of her perfume, and my nostrils were soon full of the alluring scent.

"I hope you don't mind. As much as I love being dressed up and feeling pretty, I hate sitting in a dress."

"I don't mind at all. I just wish you hadn't put on more of that perfume."

"Why?" she asked with a grin. She knew what she was doing to me.

"Because it's taking a lot of effort to not throw you down on the couch and kiss you" I confessed sheepishly.

Lauren took that opportunity to close the distance between us and pressed her full lips to mine.

Her lips lingered on mine, and her right hand came around to gently stroke my cheek.

"There. Now that that's out of the way, let's get back to our evening" she said, her hand still lovingly touching my cheek.

I smiled.

We spent the next hour and a half talking, learning about each other. It was a very pleasant time.

"Seth, it's snowing too hard for me to take you back to your car. Besides, we just finished a bottle of wine. So, you're welcome to spend the night here if you'd like." She gently kissed me again and very quietly said "But you have to know that I don't go to my back on the first date. I hope you're not disappointed."

"How could I be disappointed? I was expecting a dull, boring, lonely night but instead I spent it with a fascinating, beautiful woman. I'm thrilled!"

Lauren got off the couch and extended her hand to me. "Come."

It wasn't a question, nor was it a demand. Her voice seemed to convey that it was an offer filled with genuine desire and want.

I took her hand and rose from my spot on the couch. Lauren led me down the hall and into her bedroom. Pressing her cheek to mine she lustfully whispered in my ear "You can sleep in here with me, but be a gentleman" she said.

"Scout's honor" I replied. Any desire to get physical with this woman suddenly vanished, and I wanted nothing more than to lay in bed with her and hold her.

Lauren pulled back the covers and slid between the sheets, still in her flannel pajamas. I stripped my clothes off down to my boxers.

"I hope you don't mind Lauren, but I can't wear clothes to bed" before climbing in bed next to this alluring woman.

She responded by cuddling up to me and wrapping her arms around my neck, pressing her body tightly to mine.

"As long as you kiss me, I'll let it slide this time."

My lips were on hers in an instant. We kissed, our mouths open, our tongues dancing. And that's all we did. We kissed until Lauren said "Sleep deeply, handsome young man."

We fell asleep in each other's arms.

~~~~

Gentle kisses to my forehead and cheeks woke me. Bright December sun burst through the windows, causing me to squint as my eyes opened. I instinctively inhaled deeply as I came back to life, and once again my brain was overwhelmed by the magical scent Lauren wore. I began to feel a stirring between my legs.

"Hi" was all she said as she gazed into my eyes.

"Good morning" I replied.

Lauren closed her eyes and tenderly pressed her lips to mine, letting them linger briefly before darting her tongue into my mouth. The stirring I had felt between my legs instantly turned into a full, raging erection. I responded by pulling her closer to me, our tongues languidly playing.

Lauren separated from me slightly, breaking our kiss. "It seems you're enjoying this" she commented as her thigh pressed slightly against my erection.

"I am" I replied, and began very gently thrusting my pelvis against her, causing my cotton covered cock to rub against her flannel wrapped leg. I was very horny at this point, and had decided I was going to make love to this woman, right here and right now.

Lauren seemed to sense my decision. As I reached my left hand down toward her ass, Lauren said "No, Seth", but my hand continued it's advance toward her full, lush derriere.

"Oh baby, I want this too, but now isn't the right time" Lauren whispered, and again I was compelled to honor what she had said. My hand stopped moving toward her butt, and my engorged, rock hard cock began to deflate. What the fuck was going on? How the hell was she able to do that?

I stared into her sparkling blue eyes. They were alive with joy and excitement. "Kiss me again, Lauren?" I asked, almost childlike.

Lauren again moved close to me and kissed me deeply and lovingly, gently touching my face, scalp, and shoulders with her nails and fingertips. Miraculously, my cock did not respond to the intimacy despite it still being in contact with her leg.

"Let's have some coffee and start our day" she said before squirming from our embrace and padding off to the kitchen.

I got out of bed and threw my dress shirt on. All I had for clothes was my suit, and I wasn't going to wear it now.