DAVE'S LITTLE BOOK OF STOCKING STORIES

ISABELLE

There was no longer the stench of death in the air, there were no more air raid sirens, no more smoke from the fires.  Now you could hear the birds singing, children playing, and people trying to get back to their lives.  The war was over, only scorched towns and burned out buildings left to remind you of the terror that filled the lives of the people of France for so long.  I had not been there when the worst of the fighting occurred.  No, I only arrived after the surrender was signed and clean up of the war torn country began.  I was young, full of adventure, and in awe of actually being somewhere outside the United States for the first time in my life.  I missed home, but yet I loved France .  Yes, I loved France , not just for its charm, not just because it was the first place outside my home I had seen.  No, looking back I’m sure a lot of my love for France was Isabelle. 

Shortly after I arrived in France , right after the fighting stopped, I was assigned to patrol a little town in the rustic countryside about an hour from Paris .  It was there that I met Isabelle.  It was there that the rest of my life was changed forever.  Isabelle was a little older than I was, maybe 3 or 4 years older.  But while her age was close, her maturity and experience were far beyond mine.  She was beautiful, long dark hair that rested effortlessly on her round shoulders.  She had big brown eyes that sparkled with life even after having lived through so much death and destruction.  Her smile was genuine, inviting, seductive.  As I would patrol the streets of the little town where she lived, I would see her often, usually helping someone trying to rebuild parts of their homes or workplaces.  I would notice her every day it seemed, and soon found myself thinking about her every evening.  I don’t know if it was the romance of France , of being young, of being in a new world for the first time, or if it was truly love, but Isabelle seemed to be all I could think about after a while.  We would speak casually when I’d pass by, which I found myself going out of my way to do as often as possible.  Her English was broken and sometimes impossible to understand, but as time went by, and her interaction with the Americans increased, her English became a little easier to understand.  Honestly, most of the time I could not have told you a word she said, but every time I saw her I felt like we had talked for hours.  Looking into her eyes I could read her every thought, so I believed anyway.  Isabelle always dressed the same, a peasant blouse and long skirt, ribbon in her long dark hair to hold it back, and a pair of worn out shoes.  But even in those drab clothes, her beauty seemed to glow and fill the town with its brilliance.  Her skin was silky, soft and smooth, like that of an actress or model.  Her lips were plump and red, although I don’t think she owned lipstick.  Some women need makeup to achieve the natural beauty Isabelle possessed, and some, no amount of makeup could help be that beautiful.  She was slender, her legs were long, and her curves were more feminine than I had ever seen.  I found myself often with visions of Isabelle in my head, dressed differently, in nice clothes, looking glamorous, stunning, sophisticated.  When we would talk, I felt like her eyes were looking into my soul, and that she understood the feelings I had for her.  When her hand would reach out to touch my arm as we spoke, my skin would feel her warmth, causing my body to ache for her. 

After a month or so of my patrols where I would somehow find Isabelle I finally worked up the nerve to ask her if I could see her when I was free.  Her broken English with the heavy French accent seemed so romantic, and when she agreed to see me one evening I felt like Humphrey Bogart, or some other famous star in a romantic movie, getting ready to see the untouchable woman staring in the same movie.  Our meeting was just in the town square, sitting on the side of the stone fountain located in the center.  That first “date” wasn’t much, no special moments, no searing kisses, no passionate love making.  We just sat and talked.  And because of our language barriers, we didn’t talk about much.    Isabelle was intrigued with America , and wanted to know every little detail about where I was from.  Having lived in Ohio all my then short life never seemed special or exciting, but in Isabelle’s eyes, it was the most wonderful place on earth.  We talked about our families and friends, then our “date” was over.  I had to get back to my base, and Isabelle was worried her parents would not approve of her being out much after dark with a strange American soldier.  As we parted, I asked if we could do it again, see each other like we had that first time.  Isabelle said she would hope so, but she needed her parent’s permission.  My emotions were both excited at my first date with Isabelle, and distressed at the thought I might never get to talk with her or be with her again.  With a wave of her hand she turned and skipped away toward her home.  I smiled, blew her a kiss, and turned to go back to the drab world of being a soldier.

As it turned out, Isabelle’s parents allowed her to spend more time with me, but only after coming to their home and having dinner with them so that they too could meet this man who evidently had worked his way into their daughters’ heart.  I remember how nervous I was at that meeting, but it went fine.  I met her mother and father, and her younger sister.  The meal was simply some soup and bread, with a glass of wine.  I knew they had little, and that the wine was their way of accepting me, as the money spent on that little extravagance could have easily gone to food or clothes, or other household needs for the poor family trying to rebuild their lives.  To this day I still can taste that sweet wine they shared with me, not because it was so unusually good, but because of the goodness with which it was offered and shared.  And when I remember that wine, I remember looking across the table into Isabelle’s sparkling brown eyes.

Isabelle and I spent many evenings together in that little town.  And when I got my orders that I was to ship out and go back to Ohio , I remember my heart sinking.  My buddies were all celebrating and cheering, and I had to force a smile to my face so I didn’t look like a love sick fool not wanting to leave.  I knew Isabelle would be devastated, and I wanted to do something special with her, no for her, so that our memories together would last a life time.  We didn’t have much money either as soldiers, but I scraped together I could, and called in every favor any of my buddies owed me.  I came up with a picnic for Isabelle and me to share on our last night together.  I got a bottle of wine, some bread, some meat and a few other little goodies.  There was no picnic basket, no red and white checkered table cloth, no, only a green back pack and a green army blanket for our final night.  I was able to secure a meager gift for Isabelle, a pair of silk stockings.  I knew she had nothing like them, and that she would love actually having a real pair.  They were in a pale yellow box, and I found a small length of white lace that I used to tie in a bow around the box. 

Isabelle’s tears rolled down her face when I told her that I was being sent home.  She didn’t want to go on the picnic, and I had to use every ounce of persuasion I could muster to get her to go.  It was late afternoon when I arrived at her home, and by time the tears stopped and we walked through the nearly abandoned streets to a nearby meadow it was almost sunset.  The field was on fire with the colors of the wildflowers blooming there.  The sky was exploding with bright oranges, purples, blues as the sun began to move below the rolling hills just beyond the meadow.  There were still some birds singing as they roosted in the nearby trees for the evening.  One could not have painted a more perfect setting for a romantic tragedy to occur.  I opened the wine and we shared the fruit of the vine together.  No words were spoken between us as we sipped the sweet red wine.  I gazed endlessly into Isabelle’s eyes, and she into mine.  We were full of youth, life, love, and words could not express those intense feelings.  Our shadows on the ground grew longer and longer as we savored the wine, savored the time together.  Funny thing about love, we never did eat anything that I had prepared in that knapsack.  We did finish off the wine, but the only other item to come from that faded green pack was the present I had brought for Isabelle.

She looked at the thin yellow box with the lace white ribbon around it as it sat on her lap.  I told her it wasn’t much, but it was from my heart, and something that she could hold on to when she wanted to remember me.  Before she opened it, we kissed.  It was like no other kiss we had ever shared, and like no other kiss I would enjoy for the rest of my life.  It was soft, yet passionate, and it made the earth stop spinning.  I remember my mind being flooded with thoughts of how to get out of going home, as everything waiting for me in Ohio suddenly meant nothing to me.  All I wanted in this life was to be in Isabelle’s arms and have my lips pressed against hers’.  All too soon our kiss was ended, but it lived in my heart forever, and it will never die.  Isabelle’s small, soft, yet weathered hands held the yellow box tightly while her eyes sparkled and looked into mine.  I looked down at the box, as if to tell her to go ahead and open it.  Slowly her fingers caressed the lace which formed the bow on the box.  I longed for those fingers to be caressing me gently, wishing I was that lace.  Isabelle slowly began to pull one of the free ends of the lace, and the bow began to shrink until it was only a memory, and the lace was again nothing but a piece of discarded material that I picked up earlier in the day.  When Isabelle lifted the top of the yellow box, there was no fancy tissue paper inside, no special wrapping, just two stockings folded together waiting for her special touch.  With pride she slowly lifted them from the box, holding them tightly in her fingers, gently caressing their special softness.  Her eyes glassed over as she was holding back tears as she lifted the two light brown stockings to her soft white face.  Her eyes closed as she slid the silk across her glowing cheeks.  She took a deep breath in as she inhaled the scent of the new stockings.  Even though she had never owned a pair in her young life, she knew exactly what they were, and I could see that I could not have given my love anything more special to remember me by.  I said nothing while Isabelle enjoyed that special time of receiving my gift.  I know I more enjoyed watching her than anything else in the world.  It truly was more blessed to give than receive that fateful day. 

Isabelle must have gone on for 15 or 20 minutes with the stockings before she looked back at me with a smile of a child on Christmas morning, a child that had just received everything they ever wished for from Santa.  I was caught a little off guard when she lunged at me, throwing her arms around my neck, knocking me backwards to the ground and kissing me deeply.  The feel of her body against mine was like heaven.  I could feel her heart pounding against my chest as her firm, round breasts pressed against me.  I could feel the heat penetrating through her cotton blouse and skirt, through my uniform and to my skin.  My arms around her seemed to fit perfectly as I held her tightly as we kissed.  Again, thoughts of Ohio were the furthest thing from my mind, and the emotions of the moment could have easily made me stay in France forever.  Finally, in her broken English with her heavy French accent, Isabelle told me that she must put on the stockings for me.  We sat up on the worn green blanket that we had laid out for our picnic, and Isabelle took off her worn leather shoes.  While her feet were dirty, her skin rough from the manual work that she performed on a daily basis, her legs were gorgeous.  They were long, thin, and very shapely.  I found myself more than mildly aroused as I watched Isabelle begin to slowly slide the silky stockings over her soft skin.  Thoughts of making love to her right there in the meadow while she was wearing her prize stockings filled my head.  As she pulled the first stocking to her now revealed thigh, Isabelle looked over at me and smiled.  This was no longer the smile of a young French girl, but the seductive smile of a mature French woman.  She could see the effect she was having on me, and I could see that she knew exactly what I had running through my head.  She smiled bigger.  When the seductive act of pulling on the second stocking was completed, Isabelle stood and gathered her long peasant skirt, lifting it up past the tops of the stockings now on her long, sleek legs.  She posed for me, turning around, moving her legs to different positions.  The sight of Isabelle in those stockings was more intoxicating to me than any alcoholic drink, more arousing than any pin up poster I had seen in the barracks.  I felt Isabelle’s eyes on me the entire time she was modeling for me, watching my every reaction.  She could see that she was having an effect on me, one that I could see that she was enjoying.  Because Isabelle did not have any garters to hold up the stockings, they began to slip down her beautiful legs.  She would grab at them and pull them up, and seemed a little embarrassed at that, but I loved it.  It made me want her even more.  I rose to my knees and extended my arms toward her.  At first she took a step back, grinning as if to tease me, staying just out of my reach.  I looked into her eyes, and Isabelle fell into my arms.  We again began to kiss, embraced in each other’s arms, rolling on the blanket as one.  The last shadows were gone before we stopped kissing from that embrace.  My lips tingled from the ravenous embrace of our lips.  We were lying side by side on the grass, having rolled of the blanket long ago.  Our bodies were entangled together, as we laid there gazing endlessly into each other’s eyes.  I could see Isabelle’s wanting, passion, and desire in her eyes as we lay there together.  I know she could sense, if not feel, my arousal and aching for her.  I felt Isabelle’s hand touch mine, and slowly guide it to her plump, round breast.  I could feel that the only thing between my hand and the soft, smooth skin of her breast was the thin cotton blouse she was wearing.  I could feel her hard nipple in the palm of my hand as she slowly moved my hand across her chest.  We began to kiss again, softly, warmly, and lovingly. 

I knew there would be trouble with my sergeant when I returned late, but I didn’t care.  Because it was summer, the sun came up very early, and when Isabelle and I finally finished making love in that meadow, the sky was beginning to turn that wonderful purple and red that precedes the sunrise.  Our last kiss will burn in my heart for all eternity, the tears we shared, the broken promises we made, everything will last forever as long as there is a universe to hold them.  I snuck back to my bunk right before the bugle blew to wake us for another day in the army.  We were already packed, and as soon as we had breakfast, we were on a plane on the long journey that would finally end for me weeks later in Ohio .  I don’t remember having one good night’s sleep for months.  I would continually wake up with Isabelle on my mind.  They say time heals all wounds, but the scar Isabelle left on my life never healed.  Years later I did marry, and I did love my wife, but there was still a warm glow in my heart for Isabelle.  I often wondered what ever happened to her.  I secretly wrote her letters over the years, but never heard back.  I didn’t even know if they reached her, but somehow, in a small way, they helped ease my pain of loosing her.

A few weeks ago, after a lifetime of being apart, I received a call from an attorney.  He told me that he needed to see me, that he had something for me.  I was curious, but reluctantly agreed to meet him.  It only took a few minutes for him to have me sign a paper to serve as proof that I had received the package and for him to turn it over to me.  The box was a Federal Express package, and I had no idea what was in it, nor whom it was from.  I sat there in the restaurant where I had met the attorney and opened the box.  Inside, after the paper packing was removed I saw the real contents, and my heart stopped.  I slowly removed a thin yellow box with a white lace bow tied around it.  I instantly recognized it as the one I had given to Isabelle so many years ago.  Between the ribbon and the box was an envelope with my name on it.  I pulled the envelope out and opened the letter.  It was of course from Isabelle.  She had recently died, and per the instructions in her will, this was to be delivered to me.  If I was not still of this earth, the box, letter and contents were to be destroyed, as nobody but I was ever to see it.  The letter told me of her life after I left, about her husband and children.  Then it went into what I meant to her, and how the pair of stockings I gave her stayed with her for her entire life.  She never wore those stockings again for anyone else.  She told me how she would put them on every so often when she was alone, how she would close her eyes and dream of our time together, and how her heart would ache for me while tears could roll slowly down her cheek.  She said they were not tears of sadness, but tears of joy for having had met me, and sharing that small part of our lives together.  She ended by telling me that she wanted me to have the stockings to remember her by.  She said that if I held them to my cheek, as she had done when I gave them to her, that it would be as if she were kissing me there.  Her final words to me in the letter were “I love you soldier boy”.  I untied the white ribbon and opened the box.  There, just as when I gave them to Isabelle were the stockings. I slowly removed them, held them to my face and let Isabelle kiss me as I inhaled the scent of her carried by the stockings.

OFFICE DREAMS?  by Dave   FEBRUARY'S WINNER

Life in the office had been rough the last few weeks.  The attorneys were all busy with big trials, and our research team had been working until all hours of the night trying to keep up with their demands.  We were all finding it hard to get into the office by 9:00am with smiles on our faces and our ties on straight.  OK, so not everyone wore a tie, the women wore dresses or skirts.  Our office attire was very business like, very conservative, very GRAY.  OK, I lied, on nice sunny days; it might be very BLUE, as in dark blue.  Even the ties the guys wore were plain.  Not that we didn’t have some rogue employees, who occasionally would wear a tie with a different colored stripes, or a woman wear a blouse that was made from anything but cotton.  Yes, ours was a mundane life, with our minds stuck in law books, scurrying around trying to keep the attorneys happy.  Our lives were pretty much defined for us, unchanged for decades, that is until Lynn was hired. 

Lynn was a young law student, who at first glance seemed “gray” enough for the old boys to hire.  She had short blonde hair and bright blue eyes.  She looked a little older than a traditional law student, but she was not old by any stretch of the imagination.  Her skin seemed to glow with a vibrant radiance, and an excitement for life that came from deep within her soul.  Lynn was thin, very thin, but had a very attractive figure.  Maybe she could be a model with the right clothes and primping.  You could tell she wasn’t the pizza & beer kind of woman.  She had gym-rat written all over her sculpted body, and you could tell she ate nothing but healthy foods.  Other than that, she looked average enough, coming in on her first day with the obligatory gray business suit on, the white blouse, black heels, low heels that is.  When she was shown where she would sit, I do have to admit that I was not disappointed that her gray cubicle office was across the isle from mine.  It could be worse, I could have some big stinky guy there as a neighbor. 

The first few days of having Lynn as an office neighbor were pretty normal.  I introduced myself to her after she got settled in.  We chatted a little in the mornings, but that was about it.  Once the day got started, we both went our separate ways, got involved in our own projects, or whatever, and before we knew it, we were leaving the office, late at night at different times.  It wasn’t until about two weeks after Lynn started that my attraction, or maybe infatuation with her began.  I still remember that night when we were working late, and my fantasies began.  Lynn had been dressing pretty normal, pretty dull for someone with her natural beauty.  I had noticed that her gray suits were a little more contemporary than most of the other women’s suits.  I even noticed that instead of the cotton blouses, Lynn would wear more feminine, softer, more revealing blouses with her gray suits.   Our morning conversations had become more than work related, and our friendship had started to grow.  There were even days when we were able to grab lunch together.  We were becoming friends, but only friends.  Neither of us was involved with anyone, but neither of us was looking for a relationship at this point in our lives.  Law school and careers seemed to take precedence over everything else.  Lynn and I seemed to both believe that, accept it, and the friendship we developed revolved around that.

Like I said before, it was late one night when both Lynn and I were working that my feelings and thought of Lynn went from attractive co worker to her becoming my fantasy girl.  I had been in the office a long time that day.  Lynn came in a little late, but nothing unusual.  We talked a little, but not much as I was tied up with researching a case that was coming to an end, and the attorney was all over me to find some facts he could use to seal the case.  I spend all day in the library, and it was dusk when I finally returned to my office.  I was alone for the longest time, well into the darkness of the post dusk sky.  The light in my cubicle was on, but the main office lights were out.  I noticed that Lynn’s desk looked like she was still working, but I had not heard or seen her since I returned.  Another hour went by, an hour of solitude, study, silence.  Time went by slowly, but I plowed through the work I was doing.  As my mind wandered through the case studies, I was oblivious to Lynn’s arrival at my desk.  I don’t know how long she was standing there watching me, silently spying on me.  I turned to retrieve a file from a drawer and caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye.  She was wearing her gray skirt, her white blouse, but her shoes were off.  She had unbuttoned the top of her blouse, and was looking rather casual, and rather sexy as she stood there.  “Lynn” I said with a surprised voice, “how long have you been standing there?”  When Lynn smiled, it lit up the room, and tonight her smile was brighter, and more warming than ever.  “Long enough to see that someone needs a break” she said trying to be stern as she spoke, “Have you eaten dinner?”

Our conversation went on for a while, Lynn trying to get me to take a break, me telling her how busy I was.  After all, it was almost 8:00pm, and I had skipped lunch.  After a little more talk, Lynn finally walked across the isle and sat at her desk.  She needed to get off her feet after climbing the ladders in the library all day.  As we talked, almost as if I wasn’t even there, Lynn casually lifted one shoeless foot to her desk.  As I looked on, and talked, Lynn slid her skirt just a little, up her thigh just enough to expose her garter.  I tried to keep talking and maintain eye contact with Lynn, but as her hands moved to her leg, to her garter, all I could do was think to myself how much I loved stockings.  I had never imagined Lynn wearing stockings, but now I couldn’t get it out of my mind.  As we talked, Lynn unsnapped the garter from the silky tan stocking, and she slowly began to slide it down her leg.  As she moved her hands, she gathered the wonderfully shear stocking with her fingers.  He bare skin looked smooth, silky, and soft.  I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t think Lynn had noticed my eyes watching her actions so closely.  Lynn was looking at her leg as she took her stocking off, and I was watching her.  She continued talking as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on.  Little did she know the effect she was having on me, and how difficult it was to even think of getting back to work.  Almost carelessly, Lynn tossed the gathered nylon onto her desk, and lifted her other leg.  Again, she began to take off her other stocking, talking as she went, and I fixated on the erotic pleasures she was providing.  I could feel my heart pounding, among other things, as I fantasized about helping Lynn slowly slide off her stockings.  I imagined kneeling on the floor before her, looking up into her sparkling eyes as my hands slowly removed the silky coverings of her long, slender legs.  I imagined gently massaging her lovely foot, kissing her legs, massaging the stress and tension from her as I moved upward. 

As Lynn’s hands reached her ankle, just before she fully removed the other stocking, she looked over at me.  I felt my face heat up, my cheeks turn fire engine red.  I had been caught, like a little boy in a candy store with his hand in the candy jar, Lynn caught me watching her.  My eyes met hers quickly, I frantically searched for the words to tell her I was sorry.  I felt like I was shrinking right before her eyes, turning into a tiny little being that wasn’t worthy of her friendship.  “Chris” Lynn said with a soft voice, “it’s OK”.  I saw her smile, I saw her eyes, I saw her warmth.  Just before she put her feet back on the ground, Lynn winked with her right eye at me, still smiling.  At that point, I was almost sure that she knew exactly the effect she was having on me, and that it was planned… and that she had enjoyed it as much as I had.  I was still searching for words to speak, but was dumbfounded.  I turned to my computer, as if I was going to work, but I was helpless. 

“How about I go out and get us something to eat” Lynn asked, “Since you won’t take a break and go out, I’ll bring something in”.  She had me, there was nothing I could do but agree.  With Lynn gone I would at least be able to recover from my embarrassment, and possibly get back to work.  As I struggled to figure out what to do next, Lynn walked over.  She had put on her tennis shoes and picked up her purse.  “Anything in particular you want for dinner?” she asked as she stood next to me.  I felt her hand on my shoulder.  I felt her body heat surging from her fingers into my flesh as she began to gently massage my shoulder while she waited for my reply.  “How about you surprise me” I replied as my head moved gently to one side as her hand reached my neck.  Lynn agreed, and before she walked away, she used both hands to begin to massage my neck and shoulder.  I moaned as I felt the days’ stress start to release from my tense muscles.  “Honey” Lynn said as she began to stop, “you need to take a break, stretch a little, relax… please promise me that you will take a few minutes while I’m out to do that”.  I reluctantly agreed, and as Lynn walked away, I stood and began to stretch.  It felt good to close my eyes and let all the work leave my mind.  It also felt good to have Lynn gone.  Not that I didn’t enjoy her company, but I needed to recompose myself after the amazing show she had given to me.  Before I sat back down I looked around the office… I was alone.  I thought to myself, ‘I wonder when everyone else left?”

I knew I had not been getting much sleep lately, with the late hours and the approaching exams in school.  I sat back down, and leaned back in my chair, and that is when it happened.  I closed my eyes, for what I thought was going to be only a moment, but it turned into much longer.  I dozed off instantly, faster than I ever had in my entire life.  It seemed as if I was asleep for hours, given what my dream contained, but in reality it was only about 30 minutes at the most.  As I sat there, reaching my dream state, I looked over at Lynn’s desk.  I wondered why she was there, hadn’t she just left to get us something to eat?  There was something different about her, somehow she had changed since I had seen her last.  Had she gone and changed clothes?  I’m not sure just what was different, but there was a glow about Lynn, one that drew me to her like a moth to the flame.  Without saying a word, Lynn stood up, this time she was wearing her shoes, but no shoes I had ever seen her in before.  The black high heels were the sling back style, with at least a 3, maybe 4 inch heel.  They made Lynn’s legs look wonderful.  I couldn’t take my eyes off of them as she made her way toward me, walking like a model down a runway, but almost in slow motion.  It seemed to take forever for her to reach my desk, but the wait, watching her walk in those wonderful high heels, was well worth it.  My eyes slowly began to move up Lynn’s body as she stood next to me, up her long luscious legs, over her slender hips, and past her waist.  My eyes paused as they made their way up her body, stopping to experience the marvelously sculpted breasts heaving toward me just beneath the silky red blouse she was wearing.  I could have sworn that when I first noticed her that the blouse was white, but there she was, right in front of me wearing a satin, blood red blouse with the buttons straining to hold itself together at the heaving of her breasts.  I noticed how round they looked, how young and firm, how perfect.  My pause must have become too long, too noticeable to Lynn, as I felt the soft touch of her warm hand at my chin, urging my face to continue moving, so that I could look into her bright blue eyes.  As our eyes met, Lynn leaned toward me, bending slightly, bringing her plump, pouty lips to mine.  We kissed, softly, seductively, sweetly.  I was on fire with desire for her, I needed to have more of her, to touch her, to kiss her.  I started to stand, but was rebuked quickly with the touch of her hand on my shoulder.

Slowly pulling away from my lips, Lynn’s gaze pierced through my soul as she stood.  Her eyes had gone from a bright, sparkling blue to a deep, dark, mysterious shade that made her eyes appear almost black.  Without moving her eyes from mine, Lynn lifted her leg and placed her foot on the edge of my desk, only inches from where I was sitting.  She ran her hands slowly along the silky stockings covering her soft, smooth skin.  She took my hand in hers and guided my hand from her ankle to her thigh, moving slowly, sliding her fingers to be intertwined with mine.  I felt the top of her stocking, I felt her cool, smooth skin spilling out of the top.  I unsnapped the garter, then she moved my hand to the next one, and I unsnapped that one too.  I don’t know if there were two, four, or six straps, I lost count as I could barely control my lust for her.  I raised my other hand to her tender thigh, and I began to slide the sheer tan stocking from her leg.  I leaned forward to kiss her bare flesh as I uncovered it, but Lynn’s hand stopped me just short of pressing my wanting lips to the warm flesh of her thigh.  I looked up with confusion, wanting, needing, and saw Lynn’s sweet seductive smile.  I felt her hands touch mine as she removed her shoe and the stocking that I had so delicately slid down her leg.  She playfully let the stocking dangle in front of me, then pulled it across my face as her leg left my desk and she raised her other one.  This time she removed the stocking from her leg, and again caressed my face with it.  Lynn turned my chair so that I was directly facing her, and she lowered herself onto my lap. 

I could tell by the expression on her face that she could feel my aching and wanting pulsating against her as she sat on my lap, facing me, gently kissing my lips.  I felt her hand in my hair, then down my neck, and onward to my arm.  Lynn kissed me with a little more passion, a little more desire, then pulled her lips away.  There was a seductive, playful, ornery grin on her face as she looked down at my arm.  As her body slowly moved against mine, she took one of her stockings from the desk, and began to tie my arm to the armrest of my chair.  My desire, my need for Lynn grew as I anticipated her next moves.  She secured my arm, not tightly, but snugly to the chair, then she proceeded to use the  other stocking to bind my other arm.  Her hands began to caress my face and she began to kiss my lips softly, gently, quickly.  Her long fingernails slid silently over my skin, causing the hairs on my neck to stand at attention.  My whole body ached for her as her breasts pressed against my chest while she began to nibble on my ear.  I wanted to reach up and hold her, pull her closer to me, feel her in my arms, but I was helpless to do so.  I suppose I could have slid my arms free, but I was also enjoying the sensations Lynn was providing to me.  She was driving me wild with her kisses and caresses.  My mind was running wild with anticipation as Lynn began to unbutton my shirt and remove my neck tie.  With only loosening the tie, she slid it over my head, then she slid it over hers.  Her blouse was unbuttoned to the point where her cleavage was pressing out, exposing itself to me.  My tie fell into place, resting in the crease of her breasts as she slid her fingers inside my shirt.  I felt her twisting the hair on my chest with her fingers before she slid her nails slowly across my nipples.  I moaned deeply and laid my head back in my chair, allowing Lynn to kiss my neck and chest.  I inhaled deeply with pleasure.  Somewhere in the distance, beyond the sweet smile of her perfume, I smelled what I thought to be roast beef.  It brought back memories of a home cooked Sunday dinner.  I moaned again as Lynn softly called out my name.  “Chirs” she said in a seductive tone, “ohhhh Chris”……

There was a rustling sound, like that of paper, and a cold feeling running down my spine.  “Chris” I heard Lynn say, this time a bit louder.  My eyes looked up, searching for her blue eyes and ruby red lips, but they were not there.  I blinked once, then twice.  “Chris” Lynn said again, and I felt more cold, this time on my cheek.  I turned to see Lynn standing there beside me.  She was holding a cup of cold drink against my cheek.  My eyes roamed quickly around, looking for the red blouse, for the stockings.  I move my arms quickly, so quick that Lynn jumped aside as I startled her.  “Chris?” Lynn asked, “are you OK… were you asleep?”.  She began to giggle as she realized that I had fallen fast asleep after she left.  While I was trying to get my wits about me, trying to figure out what was real, and what was dream, I noticed that the reality of the matter was that I had just had the most wonderful, most erotic dream about Lynn, and while it was all a dream, my body’s reaction was very real.  My hands quickly grabbed my desk, and I pulled my chair close, covering my obvious excitement to the seductive ways Lynn had employed in the dream.  I began to talk, to ask Lynn what she had brought to eat.  When I looked up at her I could see that she had already noticed my predicament, and I could tell from the look on her face that she was not offended, surprised, or anything.  In fact, I started to get the unspoken feeling that she was a little turned on. 

We talked a little while Lynn unpacked the dinners she had bought.  She was very considerate in not asking me to get up and get anything, and she even laid out our food at my desk so I wouldn’t have to move, not until I was ready anyway.  As she pulled things from the bag, I watched, and I noticed how beautiful she really was.  Not as a co-worker, but as a woman.  I noticed her breasts, how much they looked just like in my dream.  I looked at her bare legs, and saw that they were as beautiful as I had seen them just minutes before.  Lynn’s eyes sparkled blue, full of life, full of playfulness.  As she sat beside me and we began to eat, Lynn questioned me about my little nap.  “Did you have any good dreams?” she asked, with a coy smile on her lips.  I paused, so as not to choke on my food.  I started to make up a lie, telling her that if I did dream, I didn’t remember it.  I don’t know if she could see through my lie, if she somehow knew my dream, or if she was just playing.  But as I spoke, I felt something on my arm and hand.  I looked down to see Lynn dropping one of her stockings over my wrist as it rested on the chair.  I looked back at her smile, and stopped talking altogether.  Lynn was glowing, her lips were shinning as she leaned toward me and began to whisper “that’s for later”.

DIANE by Dave        DECEMBER'S WINNER

You would think that a guy my age would no longer be nervous on a date, but that was not the case.  My buddy Tim had set me up on a blind double date with he and his wife, Joyce.  Joyce's cousin was in town, and they thought that the four of us would have a great time taking in dinner and the theater.  At first, I didn't think much of it, but as the date grew nearer, I found myself getting nervous.   Tim had told me how gorgeous his wife's cousin was, and how much fun she was the last time she was in town.  I don't know if I was nervous about the pressure of trying to impress my date, or not letting Tim and Joyce down.  Either way, by Saturday, I was a wreck.

Like some love stricken puppy, I spent Saturday getting my hair cut, getting the car washed, and buying a new tie in honor of the occasion.  I returned home about three in the afternoon, plenty of  time to relax and get ready for my big date.  I turned on the television and told myself I had time to lounge around and fantasize about my evening.  I flipped through the channels, half watching what was on, half day dreaming.  I noticed it started to snow outside, which only made me day dream more.  Suddenly, the calm of the room was broken when the phone rang.  I wasn't expecting any calls, and I was pretty comfortable on the sofa, so the sharp sound of the ringing caused me to jump.  After the second ring, I picked up the receiver.  "Chris" came a female voice from the other end of the line, "it's Joyce.. I've got some bad news".  I immediately felt my heart start to sink... I just knew the date was off, but I paused before I spoke.  "Tim isn't feeling well, he's been in the bathroom all day, and we can't make our date tonight".  I sighed to myself at this, as I had really started to look forward to the evening, even though I was nervous as hell.  "That's OK Joyce... we can do it some other time" I offered, trying to make sure my voice didn't give away my disappointment.

"Oh, Chris, no... You and Diane still can go out" she replied quickly, "Diane has been doing nothing but talking about how excited she was to finally meet the infamous Chris we always talk about".  I felt myself smiling... "the infamous Chris... " I thought to myself, what's up with that?  Joyce continued, "Chris, you HAVE to take her out, Please, for me" she almost begged.  I assured her she didn't have to break my arm, that I would be more than willing to meet her cousin for dinner.  Joyce insisted that we also take the theater tickets.  She was sure that we would hit it off together and that going to the theater would be great fun for us.  "We'll see about the theater" I told Joyce, "if Diane thinks I'm a jerk, I don't want to make her sit through the performance with me."  Joyce just laughed and assured me there was no way Diane wouldn't like me, and no way I wouldn't like Diane.  After a little more talking, and my sharing my pity for Joyce having to be there with Tim while he was sick, Joyce gave me Diane's phone number and the hotel where she was staying.  She also said that she would call Diane and make sure she was waiting for me in the lobby when I arrived to pick her up.

As I pulled up to the hotel front door, a valet offered to take my bags and park my car.  "I'll just be a minute, I'm picking up my date, I mean a friend" I replied as I put a few bucks into the young man's hand.  As I walked toward the door I turned to look at my car, just to make sure everything was perfect.  The bright lights from the covered entry way sparkled in the shinny black paint of my Cadillac.  I smiled as I turned and entered the big gold and glass revolving door.  I remember thinking to myself that this would be a night to remember.... And wondering if my hands were cold and clammy.  As I entered the huge marble lobby of the hotel, I looked around for Diane.  I had never seen her, never seen a picture of her, but Joyce had told me there would be no way I'd miss her.  After repeated questions and pressing, Joyce only laughed at me when I asked how I'd recognize Diane.  She assured me that when I saw her, I'd know... and she added "trust me".  The lobby was filled with guests scampering to and fro, some checking in, some waiting for others, some gathered in small groups talking.  As my eyes moved across the room, I kept remembering Joyce's words that "I'd know". 

Across the lobby, just beyond two plush sofas and some high back chairs, between two mammoth wood book cases was a huge fireplace.  It was cold outside, and still snowing just a bit, so it was only right that there was a raging fire in the old stone fixture.  My eyes were being drawn to the flickering orange and yellow fire dancing on the logs when my movement stopped.  There, just next to the fireplace, looking around the room was Diane.  Joyce was right, I did know it.  I was awe-struck as I stood across the room gazing at Diane.  She had to be the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and it wasn't just because she was my best friend's wife's cousin.  She was striking, easily standing out in the crowded room.  A vision usually only reserved for a movie audience in a well directed movie, but this was real life.  The light in the room sparkled off the choker necklace and matching earrings she was wearing.  She was wearing a black dress, not just any black dress, "THE" black dress, the one every woman dreams of wearing to make her look just right and drive her man wild.  It was short, and cut off her shoulders.  Her soft skin was in stark contrast to the ebony dress she was wearing.  Diane's skin, even from across the room looked like it was softer than spun silk.  I could see she was wearing black stockings, or pantyhose, but her feet were blocked from my view by the red leather sofa which lay between us.  Just when I thought my night couldn't get any better, Diane's face turned toward mine, and I was instantly entranced by her captivating blue eyes.  The sparkle of her jewelry was eclipsed by the light shining from her deep blue eyes.  I couldn't move, couldn't speak, and could barely breath as I stood there staring at her from across the lobby.  Evidently Joyce had shown Diane my picture, or given her some way to recognize me, because as I stood there star-struck, staring at Diane, she picked me out of the crowd and smiled.  As her red lips parted with her smile, my soul melted.  Diane started toward me, and I remember wondering if there was such a thing as love at first sight, for if there was, I had just found it.

"Chris?" she said as she got closer to me.  I smiled, and wondered how stupid I must look just standing there gawking at this lovely creature walking over to me.  When Diane walked, her short blonde hair had a little bounce to it, even though her body seemed to glide like a cloud passing through the sky as she walked.  I fought hard to move, to speak, to act like a human being.  I extended my hand and introduced myself to Diane, still under the control of her blue eyes and bright smile.  As she took my hand and our flesh touched, I felt a warm glow fill my body.  "Joyce was right" I said after the formalities of our introductions were done, "she said I'd know you when I saw you, and she was correct".  Diane smiled, with a bit of a blush in her cheeks as she did.  She asked coyly how I knew, and smiled.  Now, I tell you this, and the irony isn't lost on her name, Diane could have easily passed for Princess Diana, only in my opinion, she was even more beautiful.  As we talked, I couldn't help but to gaze endlessly and deeply into her big blue eyes, and fantasizing about all the possibilities the evening ahead held for us.

I helped Diane on with her coat, and we were off to the restaurant for dinner.  I was so thankful that I had made the reservations, and that I had chosen an intimate little bistro that was close to the theater.  As we drove, conversation flowed easily.  We seemed to be able to talk about anything, joke, and laugh.  We were strangers who's only common thread was Tim and Joyce.  Evidently they had talked about each of us to the other enough that we now felt like we had known each other for a long while.  I was no longer nervous, no longer apprehensive, no longer scared.  We entered the bistro and were seated at a table in the front corner by the windows.  The Christmas lights on the windows sparkled their pale colors in Diane's deep blue eyes.  We shared a bottle of wine as we enjoyed the company.  At one point, Diane was holding the goblet of dark burgundy wine just beside her ruby red lips, and the candlelight was sparkling in the glass and her eyes.  I couldn't keep from speaking from the heart as I took her hand and told her how beautiful she was.  I thought it bold, but I believed it had to be said.  Diane was an artist's masterpiece just waiting to be captured on canvas.  Her personality only complemented her physical beauty, making her my dream date, the one every man compares all women to.  I felt I could not be any more lucky than to actually get to meet my dream, and spend this time with her.  Diane began to blush, her cheeks turning a bright red to match her plump, warm lips. 

The evening seemed to fly by.  Dinner was over in the blink of an eye, even though it took a couple hours to finish.  The theater was magnificent, yet seemed like only a preview in it's length.  And I soon found myself pulling into the hotel entry to drop Diane off at the hotel.  As the car came to a stop, the same valet that had greeted me earlier opened the door for Diane.  I got out to walk around the car, and felt somewhat denied my chance at gallantry as this guy got to her door before me.  As I rounded the back of the car, I did get the treat of watching Diane swing her legs, together, out of the car and place her black high heels on the cobblestone pavers used to create the entryway.  A more perfect pair of legs a man has never seen.  They were long, slender, shapely.   And for the first time that evening I realized that Diane was wearing stockings and not panty hose.  God, the night couldn't get any better I thought to myself, but boy, was I wrong then.  I offered my hand to Diane, my eyes still locked on her beautiful legs.  I felt a tug at my had as she got out of the car, and I felt my cheeks get warm and start to blush as I realized I had been caught staring at her stockings.  I quickly moved my eyes back to her eyes, and saw the smile on her face.  "Penny for your thoughts" Diane whispered as I stood there not knowing what to do next.  I also realized that she had not released my hand as she exited the car, and that she was now reaching for my other hand.  I was lost in her stare, drowning in her deep blue eyes, captured by her mere presence. 

"Shall I park the car sir?" the valet asked, breaking the endless silence of the moment.  I felt myself blink, and felt my mind racing to catch up with reality and try to answer the guy.  Just as I started to speak, not knowing what I was going to say, I felt Diane's arm go around my arm, her and release my other hand, and her head lean against my shoulder.  "Please" she told the valet, before I could manage to talk.  "Very good" he replied and handed me a parking receipt.  Diane and I walked toward the big gold and glass revolving door, not a word said. 

Once in the lobby I started toward the lounge, figuring that we would share a drink or two, and then say our good byes.  As I started toward my right, toward the lounge, I felt a tugging at my arm to go left, toward the elevators.  I looked down into Diane's eyes and immediately knew we were not going to the lounge, and that I wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.  As the elevator doors closed on us, Diane reached and pushed the white button for the 27^th floor, and the elevator began to move.  As she turned back toward me, I put my arms around her, gazed deeply into her big blue eyes, and leaned down to kiss her.  To say I saw fireworks would not do that first kiss justice.  I felt her arms around me as we softly pressed our lips together.  I could feel my lips tingle as the soft, warm, tender lips of my date gently blended with my lips.  I felt Diane's body move closer, I felt her breasts press against my chest.  My body was filled with desire and anticipation as we lost ourselves in the elevator, in that moment, in that kiss.  I never wanted the ride to end, yet I could hardly wait to get to Diane's room.  With the ping of the elevator bell, the doors spread wide, opening onto the opulent hallway leading to the numerous doors, and finally to the one door, the door to Diane's room.

As the key card slid from the slot in the door, the sound of the mechanical lock tumbling broke the silence of the hallway.  Once inside the door, Diane closed it behind her, placing the "Do Not Disturb" placard  on the handle.  As she turned toward the room and the door closed behind her, I took a step forward, trapping her against the door, pulling her to my body, and we kissed again.  The room was dimly lit by the lights from the city shining through the sheers pulled over the window.  As I moved toward Diane's luscious lips, I could see the sparkling of her desires in her deep blue eyes.  She was still a wondrous vision in her black dress, necklace and earrings.  There was a slight glimmering from Diane's stockings.. almost as if there were tiny crystals of ice laced in the silky nylon.  As our lips met, there was a burst of heat radiating throughout my body.  As her hands held me tight and slid along my spine, wave after wave or arousing tingling sped through my limbs.  My mind was racing with anticipation, with reservation, with wanting.  I could feel Diane's body rubbing against mine as our kiss grew deeper and more desperate.  I'm not sure just how long we stood there against the door, embraced and kissing.  It seemed like hours, like the sun should be rising outside and filling the room with it's orange morning glow.  I knew all I wanted was Diane, everything else in the world seemed secondary at the moment.  As our kiss continued, I felt Diane's silky stocking clad leg begin to slowly slide up the side of mine.  I knew she had to feel my excitement by now, our bodies pressed so tightly together, me pulsing and aching like I was.  As her leg caressed me, my arousal only grew more intense, and I knew there was no turning back, no backing out, no way to leave that room without Diane and I ending up together as one.

At some point in that outrageously splendid kiss I reached the point where I could no longer stand the overwhelming desires filling my head, filling my body.  I slowly moved my lips from Diane's, and our eyes again met in the dim light of the room.  My hand moved up her side, to the side of her angelic face.  I gently slid the backs of my fingers along her long jawline, along her sensually smooth skin to her silky soft hair.  As if we communicated without words, Diane put her arms around my neck, and I lifter her into my arms, and carried her to the waiting bed.  She laid back, resting herself on one elbow with her arm below her., keeping her head up off the bed and her eyes fixated on mine.  She slid one leg toward her chest, leaving the other straight out. Her short black dress was now pulled up high, exposing the full length of her shinny black stockings to me.   If I could have frozen the vision and my feelings in time, I would have, and could have had that time for every and always.  I knelt beside the bed, taking Diane's hand and kissing it softly as I moved to the floor.  My lips began kissing up her long, slender arms, and my hand moved to touch her irresistible  legs. The feel of her silky stockings to my hands was incredible.   I don't think I've ever felt something so warm, so soft, and so special.  All I could think about at that moment was the feel of the stockings to my touch, and how they would feel against my naked body, sliding over my legs and around behind me as she took me slowly inside her.  As my kisses moved slowly up her arm, to her bare shoulder, my hand moved slowly up her leg.  As my touch reached the top of her stockings, to the bare tender flesh of her now exposed inner thigh, Diane moaned softly.  My eyes moved down her slender body, to where my fingers gently caressed her inner thigh.  I marveled at the way the stockings clung to her leg, almost as if they were part of her.  Again we kissed, tender, deep, longingly.  I felt Diane's body move slightly as we kissed, moving toward me, rolling toward me.  My hand moved around to her firm, round ass as she moved.  I was on fire, I had never been so glad to be a man. 

Our kiss continued until Diane moved again, this time she urged me onto the bed as she sat up.  As I moved up to join her, Diane stood.  I must have looked somewhat confused as she assured me that everything was OK, and that I just needed to lay back and relax.  As I did, I was mesmerized again at the vision of Diane in front of the window, the dull night lights twinkling through her shinny blonde hair.  With the smooth movements of a cat stalking it's prey, Diane's hands moved along her body, first up her sides, then to her back.  I heard the tiny zipper as she slowly moved it downward, and waited with anticipation for her next move.  As her hands moved around her body she let them gently, slowly slide over her heaving breasts.  Almost as if controlled by some mystic power, her black dress fell from her arms, from her breasts, past her hips, down her long, lovely legs and to the floor.  She slowly stepped out of the small pile of a dress at her feet, and moved toward the bed.  Diane was now only in a very revealing strapless black bra, one which only covered the bottom half of her large round breasts, one that left her now swollen nipples exposed.  She also had on a tiny black thong, her stockings, which obviously did not require garters, and her black high heels.  As she took another step toward the bed, her hands again reached behind her, and her ultra feminine black bra fell helplessly to the floor beneath her feet.  I offered my hand to Diane as she reached the bed.  As she bent her long leg and placed her knee on the bed on once side of me, she took my hand and placed it on her breast. I moved my other hand to again touch those sheer black stockings.  Just the feel of them to my hand sent desire raging through my body.  For a brief moment, childhood memories filled my head, memories of the softness of the hem of a child’s blanket, the comforting feeling it always provided.  Those thoughts were short lived.  While the feelings were the same, the emotions were very different.  I wasn’t thinking of cuddling up with a blanket, but instead with Diane.   Before I knew what was happening, her other leg was on my other side, and I was forced to lean back even further.  As I almost fell back on the bed, Diane's hands landed on the bed, one on each side of me, so that she was now on all fours, and I was beneath her.  She leaned down and again, an electric kiss followed as I continued to caress her bare breast.

Somewhere in that kiss, somewhere in that fantasy, somewhere in that night I lost my clothing.  Somewhere, somehow, sometime Diane and I ended up back in that bed, just the two of us, and her stockings.  As I hovered over her, leaning down to kiss her gently, to nibble on her soft, smooth skin, I reached over to the night stand and retrieved a burgundy colored rose from the arrangement there.  I slowly caressed her cheek with the velvety red petals, and followed by my lips and tongue.  I continued caressing her face with the rose, and with my kisses, then moved lower, down her long slender neck, first with the soft rose petals, then with my lips.  I slid the rose slowly down Diane's neck, down her chest, between her two magnificently rounded breasts.  I drew the rose in a long slow circle around first her left breast, then her right, all the while kissing the path I had drawn.  As I moved the rose over the tops of the large mounds of soft, sensual mounds, over her hard nipples, Diane moaned and arched her back slightly.  When I followed with my kisses, with my lips, gently sucking, nibbling and kissing, Diane's fingers slid through my hair, and she moaned deeper.  I used that rose to caress her entire body, every seductive, sexual, sultry inch of her skin.  As I moved back up her leg, which was now bent at the knew, laying open to me, inviting me to finally satisfy her needs.  The warm burgundy color of the rose blended well with the black stockings.  As I slowly slid the soft petals along her  silky stockings, I remembered the feel of them to my touch.  I could almost imagine the sensations filling Diane as the velvety petals moved along the stocking, over the tops of them, and to her bare, soft skin of her inner thigh.   I placed the rose on her chest.  I gently kissed her tender inner thigh as she took the rose in her hand, moved it to her nose and inhaled slowly.  My kisses found their mark, my lips and tongue also. 

I took the rose from Diane's hand and lowered my lips to hers.  My body slowly followed until our flesh was pressed together, and our bodies became one.  As Diane slowly moved her legs around me, using her stockings to caress the backs of my legs and my ass, I knew I would never forget this night, never forget Diane.  The night was magical, surreal, unbelievable.  Diane and I made love for hours, slow, passionate, unbelievable.  As the early morning sun began to light the sky with brilliant yellows, oranges and purples, Diane lay in my arms, both of us totally spent from the passion we shared.  "Chris" she said softly as she cuddled her soft body close to mine, "I had a wonderful time".  And almost before I could repay the sentiment to her, telling her that not only did I have a wonderful time, it was also the BEST night of my life, Diane was dozing off.  I soon followed.  We lay there naked in bed, snuggled together, and smiling.  I think we slept for an hour or two when I felt Diane jump.  My brain was still in a dream, a dream of the night before, a dream of the sensual kisses we shared, a dream of the orgasmic love making we had.  Diane's jump brought me out of that state, but I came out slowly.  I couldn't figure out where I was, what was going on, or why Diane was now sitting up in bed.  Then I heard the cause of her movements... the phone. 

"Hello" Diane said in a deep, groggy morning voice.  "Oh, hi Joyce".  I saw a grin come to Diane's face, almost a naught grin, one of a kid who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar.  I couldn't help but start to smile with her as I put my arms around her as she sat there talking to Joyce.  "Oh, yea, he was just like you told me, um-yesss" Diane went on and on, trying to keep from busting out laughing, which was made harder by my tickling her, biting her, half trying to seduce her as she talked to her cousin.  I found one of her stockings on the bed.  As she talked, I used it to tie her feet together, and proceeded to tickle them.  Then suddenly I got smacked, and a little bit of concern came to Diane's face. "Oh, he didn't answer the phone this morning huh" she said, looking at me with a bit of alarm, yet a little bit of sinful pleasure.  "Did you try his cell phone?" Diane asked.  She hadn't anticipated what would happen next.  I saw her look change, like she had just been busted or something.  I was trying to figure out what was going on... I sat up and looked into her deep blue eyes as her face turned toward the nightstand on my side of the bed.  Just as I turned to look at what she was looking at... my cell phone rang!  Diane's face turned as red as the now wilting rose on the pillow beside her.  BUSTED....   "Oh, that... welllllll" Diane said with a sheepishly low voice.. " that's Chris's cell phone".  I could hear Joyce's laughter through the phone as Diane fell back into her pillow and her face got even deeper red. 

"Hi Joyce" I called out in a chipper morning voice... "Thanks for setting me up on the date"

DREAMS DO COME TRUE by DAVE       JUNE'S WINNER

As Anne stood with her drink, feeling the breeze on her face and the sun on her skin, she still couldn’t believe she had heard the words “Anne, you won!”  Now, only a couple of weeks later here she was, on the deck of a magnificent cruise ship leaving Miami.  She didn’t know anyone on shore waving good bye, but that still didn’t stop her from waving to the strangers wishing friends and loved ones bon voyage as the floating city slowly moved toward the open ocean waters.  And while Anne always heard that cruises were for lovers, the travel agent assured her that she would not be the only single person on the ship.  The agent told her that in fact, about half of the passengers aboard would be single, and there were many activities planned for singles while they cruised the high seas of the Caribbean. 

Anne figured that now they had left port that she should go to her cabin, change into her bikini and start enjoying the sun.  When she arrived she was amazed to see that she had a private balcony on the port side of the ship.  It wasn’t a large balcony, room only for two chairs and a little room between, but nonetheless, it was a balcony.  As she stood there outside her cabin, she began to daydream of being alone there with some handsome stranger she had met on the voyage, sipping champagne and watching the stars.  She fantasized that this romantic stranger would be tall, dark hair, blue eyes, and every bit the gentleman.  Almost like a storybook romance on a ship where two people meet, fall in love and live happily ever after.  Just the thoughts of all this gave Anne a tingling feeling throughout her body.  “Oh, if only” she heard herself whisper.  But, standing here on a private balcony would not be the way to spend her cruise, so she went back inside, changed, grabbed a book and went up to one of the upper decks by the pool.  Once there she got a tropical drink delivered to her chair, slathered on some sun screen and began reading.  At first, the deck was devoid of any life at all, other than the waiter delivering the drink.  But in a short while, others began to filter in, picking their favorite spots to worship the sun and relax.  Within an hour or so, the deck was filled with couples, singles, families, a regular floating marketplace of humanity.

Anne had not noticed anyone special at first, and the chairs to either side of her were still vacant.  She looked over the top of her book every now and then watching for someone to walk up and take one of the chairs, but thus far nobody had.  It was time to turn to her stomach so that her back could get tanned also, and so her front wouldn’t burn.  Anne put more lotion on her body, and stretched to get her back.  As she sat on the side of her lounge chair, reaching awkwardly behind her, it happened, someone did take the chair behind her, next to her.  “Not to sound forward, but could you use some assistance madam?” came a deep masculine voice.  Startled at first, a little embarrassed at her position, Anne looked over her shoulder and saw the biggest green eyes she had ever seen in her life.  “Um, yea, sure, I’d love a little help” she stammered, smiling at the man who was now moving to rub the lotion on her back.  Anne smiled at him, looking over her shoulder as he placed his large, strong hand on the soft, supple skin of her back.  His hand moved slowly and firmly over her back, sliding easily with the lotion lubricating his motions.  “My name is William” he said, “I don’t want you to think a total stranger is rubbing lotion on your back”.  Anne noted a lighthearted tone to his voice, one that was joking a little, but still sincere and respectful.  “I’m Anne, and thanks so much” she replied, turning as he finished.  Anne stuck out her hand to shake William’s, but instead he took her hand and gently kissed the back of it, just like in the old movies.  Anne watched closely as he released her hand.  William had brown hair, or what some might consider dark blonde.  He looked to be of average build, not real tall, not a muscle bound gym junkie, just a normal nice looking guy.  As William looked back into Anne’s eyes she felt herself blush just a bit, then she moved to lay down on her stomach as planned.  Soon, William and Anne were talking like old friends, sharing their stories on how they ended up on the cruise, why they were both alone, what they did for a living, all the stuff that newly acquainted friends discuss.  Anne was surprised to hear that William was on the cruise “alone” from having a woman with him, but was with some friends celebrating one of their 30^th birthdays.  After several hours in the intense Caribbean sun, and after several tropical drinks with little umbrellas in them, Anne felt like she needed to move around some.  She asked William if he would like to take a walk and explore the ship, but he told her he was sorry he had to decline.  The group of guys was getting together to do some celebrating soon, and he needed to get a shower before they started.  Feeling a little let down, Anne said her good bye and said that maybe they would see each other around.  She turned, paused, then started to walk away.  She sort of expected William to call out to her, to ask her to stop, to say that he would join her, but no sound came as she walked away.  As she reached the doorway to the inside of the lobby, she reached out to push the glass door open.  It swung open very easy, so easy that Anne looked to see if it had an automatic opener on it.  Then she noticed an arm pushing the door open from behind her… William’s arm.  “Anne, I know you just met me, but would you like to have dinner tomorrow evening with me?”.  Anne felt her heart pound, her cheeks warm, her lips smile.  “I’d ask you tonight, but I really can’t get out of the activities planned for my friend, but after tonight, I’m free the rest of the cruise” William explained.  He continued to tell her how most of the guys had brought along their wives or girlfriends, and how he would love to get to know Anne better.  Anne agreed, and gave William her cabin number, then left.

The following day was more of the same for Anne… lots of sun, lots of breeze, lots of exploring the ship.  She was surprised at how much she was looking forward to dinner with William.  After all, he wasn’t her dream date, but he was charming and they had a lot in common.  Anne found herself so looking forward to her date with William that she ended up back in her cabin well in advance of dinner just to get ready.  When she arrived back and opened the cabin door, Anne gasped as she saw a huge arrangement of tropical flowers sitting in her room.  They were beautiful, brilliant colors of red, yellow, blue, orange.  The exotic smell of the flowers filled the room and spilled out into the hallway as she stood there gazing at them.  Anne walked in, closing the door behind her, and went over to where the flowers were sitting.  She then noticed a card, and opened it.  “Anne, I couldn’t stop thinking about you all last night and today.  I’m really looking forward to dinner.  I made reservations at Delmatico’s at 8:00pm.  I’ll pick you up about 7:45pm.  William”.  Well, he sure knew how to make an impression.  Gorgeous flowers, reservations at the nicest restaurant on the ship, personally escorting her there.  William sure knew what Anne wanted.

Anne took a long shower, washing her long blonde hair, slowly as she imagined what the evening might be like.  She closed her eyes, fantasized about looking across the table into William’s deep green eyes, about the candle light on the table, soft music in the background, all this while she stood there in the shower, the lather from the shampoo slowly running down her body gently caressing her skin.  Funny, she never before noticed the feel of the suds sliding on her skin, but somehow now it was erotic, exhilarating, exciting.  Anne felt them going down her neck, down her shoulders and arms, down her chest and cascading off her ample breasts.  Anne wondered how knowing this guy, this stranger for only such a short time could be having such an effect on her.  Was it the sea air, the fact she was on a cruise, or some spell he was putting on her.  Without knowing it William had turned Anne from a conservative, shy woman to one that was ready to invite him into her room to spend the night on the first date.  Anne was scared, but excited at the same time at the thought of doing something so out of character for her.

As Anne dried herself with the large plush towels provided by the cruise line she continued thinking about William.  She applied ample amounts of body lotion to her now bronzed, soft skin and thought of what to wear for the night.  It had to be special.  Anne went to her dresser, selected a black strapless bra, some black stockings and garter, and a silky black slip.  She pulled her black pumps from the closet and her pearl necklace from the safe inside the closet door.  “Earrings” Anne thought, “I need some earrings!” She had some but they didn’t match the necklace, but they would have to do.  They were long dangling fine silver chains with diamonds at the ends.  Not her first choice, but they nonetheless worked.  As she sat on the edge of the bed and began to pull on the shear black stockings, Anne again began to let her mind wander to William.  The stockings slid easily over her silky smooth skin.  Anne loved the feel of the cool silk stockings on her legs, she loved how they made her feel more feminine, more exotic, more erotic.  Once she got to the tops of her thighs, she savored the feeling of her hand slipping over her flesh toward the clasp of the garter.  Anne smiled, thinking to herself that she had better be careful, she would get herself so aroused that when William knocked at 7:45 on her door, she would end up jumping him right then and there.  This thought almost made her laugh out loud.  Heck, she barely knew him, and here she was assuming he would let her jump him.  Next, Anne put on her lacey bar.  She turned to look in the mirror as she adjusted it just right.  The dainty bra somehow lifted Anne’s large round breasts higher than normal, yet it looked so flimsy and soft.  She admired herself for a moment, the instant cleavage that had appeared, the full round look of her breasts, the soft mounds of flesh pressing out of the top of the black bra, “Perfect” Anne thought to herself.  Next she lifted the shinny smooth slip from the bed.  It was so light and soft that it seemed it could float.  The lights in the cabin shimmered off the thin slip.  Anne lifted it over her head and let it slid down over her outstretched arms, over her breasts, down her hips and legs.  It was like an angel was breathing on her soft, supple skin as the slip fell into place.  As Anne turned and moved, the silky slip softly caressed her skin, sliding over her stomach, up her thighs, over her tiny round ass.  Anne also loved the feel of the slip sliding over the tops of her stockings, that silk-on-silk feel sent wave of excitement racing through her body.  As she opened her eyes to take one more look at herself in the mirror, still thinking of William’s facial expression when she answered the door, Anne noticed that her nipples had become erect now.  She could see them gently raising under her bra, and she imagined what William might think if he noticed them later that evening.  Again, Anne began to smile at how excited she was getting over this one date, this one man.  She pulled her black dress from the closet and stepped into it, then her pumps.  A quick fix of her hair, put on her jewelry, and some lipstick, and she was ready. 

Anne knew the restaurant had a dress code, so she knew that William would also be dressed nice, but when she answered the door to find him in a dark suit, somehow she was surprised at how good he looked.  The suit could have been dark blue, or black, the light was dim and it was hard to tell.  He had on a dark blue oxford shirt with an even darker blue necktie.  While William didn’t have a muscular build in his swim trunks, this suit made his shoulders look wide, his waist thin, and his chest large.  As he looked at Anne he began to smile.  His big green eyes sparkled as Anne looked up at them.  She had gotten exactly the response she had fantasized about all afternoon as she got ready for her date.  William didn’t speak, not immediately anyway, words couldn’t express what beauty he had just found.  Anne could tell by his silence, by his smile, by his eyes that he really liked what he saw, and this only made her more excited.  “Oh my God” William finally muttered, “you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen”.  Anne blushed lightly, and thanked William for the complement, then paid her own to him.  Finally, William extended his arm and Anne took it, and they were off to dinner. 

As Anne walked, she was still aware of the soft slip caressing her skin and her stockings.  She felt the stockings covering her long legs, she felt the straps of the garters on her thighs, she felt William’s eyes upon her.  Anne couldn’t help but to get more turned on the longer they walked.  When they finally got to the restaurant, they were given a special table along the large windows at the side of the ship.  The sun had just sat not long before, and the sky was on fire with shades of red, orange, purple and blue.  The ocean looked black as night as the sunset took center stage.  William’s eyes looked even brighter and deeper than Anne had remembered, and she couldn’t help but to gaze into them as he spoke.  Champagne started the evening, and continued throughout dinner.  After the entrée, William reached across the table and took Anne’s hand in his.  There was a radiant electricity that flowed between them as they talked and held hands.  It was then that Anne made her first brave move.  Normally very conservative until yesterday, Anne slid her foot from her shoe and began to extend it slowly under the table, searching for William’s leg.  When she found it she watched his eyes as she began to slide her soft stocking covered foot along his leg.  She saw the desire in his eyes build, the fire grow, the romance building.  She felt him squeeze her hand just a bit tighter.  While dinner didn’t take three hours, it wasn’t until after 11:00 that they left the restaurant, Anne holding William’s arm tightly as they exited.  By this time, all of the kids on the ship were nowhere to be found, and many of the couples had retired to their cabins.  There were still those milling around the decks, soaking in the romantic ambiance of the pitch black sky, the brilliant stars, and the shadow of the moon just getting ready to break over the horizon.  “I found a really secluded spot earlier today” William said, “want to see it?  It is in the front of the ship, you can see the water breaking away from the bow as the ship cuts through” he said.  Anne just gave William a look of acceptance of whatever he wanted was fine with her.  So they walked along the starboard side of the deck, past the swimming pools, past the bars, past the disco, past the bridge and to the bow point of the vessel.  It was dark, deserted, it was perfect.

As they stood there watching the moon crest over the distant horizon, Anne felt William’s arms reach around from behind her, softly hugging her and pulling her close to him.  She heard him breath in slowly, deeply as her hair brushed his face.  She imagined his big green eyes closing and savoring the essence of her perfume.  She put her arms on his, and squeezed him tight.  Neither spoke, but only stood there as if entranced by the romantic vista of the sky and sea.  The only sounds seemed to be their hearts beating and the sound of the waves below them breaking as the ship cut through the water.  There was no music, not anyone else could hear anyway, but Anne felt her body swaying gently back and forth as the two of them stood there in the darkness of the Caribbean night.  Minutes, hours, days seemed to pass without registering in Anne’s mind.  This was too perfect to be real, yet it was.  She felt William’s lips touch her neck as he gently kissed her.  She squeezed his arms tighter around her, then turned in them to kiss him on his lips.  She felt her slip sliding over her flesh as she turned against his body.  She imagined having only that thin slip be the only barrier between their bodies, no suits, no shirts, no dress, no bra, just silky slip between them.  As they kissed Anne felt more on fire than ever, she wanted William like she had wanted no man before.  She knew so little about him, yet she knew him better than any man she ever met.  She felt her leg instinctively start to slid up along his, her stocking easily moving over his suit trousers.  William embraced her more tightly than before, and their kiss got deeper and more intense and their bodies pressed together harder. 

“I’ve got some champagne in the little refrigerator in my room” Anne whispered, “and I have a private balcony”.  William smiled down into her eyes as she took his hand and started to lead him to her room.  Once at the door William asked if Anne were sure she wanted to invite him in.  Anne’s only reply, a kiss and a smile.  Once inside, Anne led William to the tiny balcony where only a day earlier she fantasized about making love to some handsome stranger.  William took Anne in his arms and kissed her gently at first, then with more power and intensity.  As they kissed, William backed Anne against the rail and held her tight.  Anne’s leg moved slowly up and down Williams, her hands sliding through his hair, along his neck and face.  Suddenly she wanted him more than anyone she had ever met.  And from the feel of his body throbbing against her as they kissed, he wanted her too.  “I’ll be right back” Anne whispered, “I need to get the champagne”, and she disappeared into the dimly lit cabin.  She pulled the champagne and glasses from the bar, stopped and thought for a moment.  Should she, or shouldn’t she, then what the hell.  With a quick pull of her dress zipper, she was able to let it fall to the floor and step out of it.  Then off with the bra, leaving Anne in only her slip, garter, stockings and pumps.  Anne picked up the champagne and glasses, and walked back to William. 

The champagne never did get opened.  When Anne walked onto the balcony in her slip, William could hardly control his desire.  The entire evening had seemed to be foreplay, arousing their desires to levels they could barely tolerate any longer.  As William put his arms around Anne and his hands caressed her slippery slip, Anne dropped one of the champagne glasses.  It fell end over end into the black waters below, not even a splash could be heard as it disappeared completely.  Anne’s body pressed against William, and the feel of the slip between them was erotic, electric, exhilarating to her.  As she moved she could feel it sliding over her silky smooth skin, sending sensations of pleasure racing through her body.  She was aware that her breasts were heaving and swelling with anticipation, her nipples growing more wanting as they hardened.  Anne’s leg was wrapped around William’s leg, pulling hard against him, feeling him pressing, pulsing against her.  Their lips were engaged in such an intense kiss that Anne could feel them tingling.  Her whole body was ready for William, needing him, wanting him, aching for satisfaction.  Without a word, William swept Anne into his arms and began to carry her inside.  “No, please” Anne said in a soft voice, “ Out here, I want you out here in the night on the sea”.  William put Anne back down, kissed her, and held her tight. 

It must have been 3:00am when Anne finally told William that she was getting cold.  After all, she had lost the slip and stockings long before, and the cool night sea air was chilling her naked body.  William agreed that he too, now naked, was cold, and they retreated to the large bed inside.  Anne and William spent the rest of the cruise together, mostly on the private balcony at night, sharing champagne and moonlight together.

JO by Dave        OCTOBER'S WINNER

Josephine Lynn Bailey, that was her name.  Lynn to her friends, Jo to me.  She lived in my building for many years, and we became close friends.  She was about my age, attractive, vibrant, and about the best friend I ever had, male or female.  What brought us together was our love for dogs, Chocolate Labs to be exact.  Jo’