One afternoon in late January, Maggie’s office phone rang. “Maggie Flynn,” she answered.
“Hi, this is Joe. Joe Santiago?”
Maggie frowned. The name was familiar. Who is this again?
When she hesitated, he continued, “I teach history at Kennedy High. You and Mr. Rannigan were kind enough to come and speak to my students?”
“Oh! Joe. I knew I recognized your name. How are you?” Maggie asked “I’m good. Did you have a nice holiday?”
Maggie rolled her eyes. What do you need Joe? I’m kind of busy. “I did, it was great. So what can we do for you? Do you need another speaker?”
Joe laughed nervously. “No, nothing like that. It’s just... Well, I was wondering. Someone gave me two tickets to a new play and I wondered if you’d like to go with me.”
Maggie sat blinking, her jaw hanging slack. Did he just ask me out? “Uh, wow... I don’t know. When is the play?”
“It’s this Friday night. It’s supposed to be really good. I know we only met that once, but you seemed like someone I’d like to get to know better.” He hesitated. “I hope you don’t think I’m being pushy.”
Maggie sighed thoughtfully. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been on a date. It had been even longer since she’d had sex. Not that this would lead to sex. Where had that thought come from? Friday night... She grinned mischievously. I wonder...
“This Friday, huh? I work until about 5:30. Could you meet me at Doc Watson’s?” Absently, she chewed the edge of her thumb as she waited for him to answer.
“Doc Watson’s? Yeah, I know where that is. I could meet you there. We could even have a drink before we go.”
“Excellent!” Maggie said. “That sounds like a plan. So I’ll see you on Friday, then?” She hung up the phone smiling. I can’t wait to see the look on Michael’s face.
“You coming to Doc’s, Mags?” Michael asked. He’d stopped in her doorway on his way to the elevators.
Maggie looked up from her computer. “Yep, I’ll be there. Just a couple of things I need to get nailed down and I’ll be on my way.”
“See you there,” he called over his shoulder.
She finished up and shut down for the weekend before changing her clothes in her bathroom. Replacing her grey suit and blouse were a purple sequined tank top with a black boyfriend blazer over black skinny jeans. She touched up her hair and makeup and surveyed herself in the mirror. Not too shabby.
She considered what she was about to do. Maybe she was being juvenile, trying to get a rise out of Michael. But frankly, his behavior confused her. He’d kissed her. Twice, and passionately, too. Probably the first time didn’t count, they’d both been drunk. But on Christmas, they’d been stone cold sober. He’d kissed her like he meant it, then gone off to spend an exotic weekend with one of his Barbie dolls. For all that, she wasn’t mad; she simply wanted more. Maybe when he saw her with someone, shit would get real.
Several of the 50th floor team were already well on their way into Happy Hour when Maggie entered the pub. She found a seat beside Dan. A few people from the other floors were there as well. Maggie saw Nate and winked at him.
“I’m only staying a few minutes,” he told Maggie. “I’m expected at home soon.” He rolled his eyes and laughed good-naturedly. Maggie hoped Ben didn’t push Nate away by being too clingy.
Michael returned to his spot at the table, having ditched the tie and rolled up his shirtsleeves. He grinned at her. “You’re about a pint behind, Mags.”
“Well, Hell’s bells! Somebody get me a pint!” she demanded in an exaggerated tone.
Maggie enjoyed joking around with everyone, but she kept an eye on the door. She wanted to see Joe right when he came in. She hoped he’d arrive before Michael’s date du jour. It occurred to her that she was being shallow, using Joe to bother Michael. Maybe. Or maybe she just wanted to go out. And meeting here was convenient. Simple as that. Yeah, right.
Joe walked into the pub, pausing to remove his black overcoat and hang it over his arm. He was dressed in a chunky beige sweater and jeans. When he looked up, Maggie waved and he smiled as he headed her way. She’d forgotten that he was so good looking. I mean, he’s not Michael, she thought. But he’s kind of nice.
She introduced him to the table, relishing the look in Michael’s eye when he recognized Joe. He was not pleased. She smugly engineered it so that they would spend a little longer at the table, having Joe order a drink before they rushed off to the theatre. Michael’s date arrived, a new one, Maggie noticed, and he didn’t even bother to introduce her. They left quickly, wishing everyone a nice weekend.
Maggie smiled triumphantly. “Have a great weekend, Michael. See you Monday.”
She and Joe left shortly after that. The theatre was a short cab ride from the pub. They quickly found their seats and began to scan the Playbill. The play was a modern avant-garde sort of thing, not really Maggie’s cup of tea, but she was always up for a live performance. There were brief breaks in the performance, allowing her and Joe a chance to engage in small-talk.
Out on the sidewalk after the play, Joe turned to Maggie. “Are you hungry? Would you like to get something to eat? Or drink? Or both?” he asked, laughing at his awkwardness.
She smiled. “Sure, that sounds great.” They ended up seated in a booth at a cafe not far from Doc’s. Over pie and coffee, Maggie answered his questions. She’d grown up in North Carolina, she’d graduated from NYU Law School, she’d worked with Murphy, Rannigan since graduation.
He told her that he’d been raised in upstate New York. She learned that he’d been teaching for about eight years, since his graduation from college. His degree was in education and he had a Master’s in history and political science. She could tell by the way he spoke that he loved teaching, loved impacting kids’ lives.
As he talked about teaching, Maggie found his idealism noble but she realized that they had little in common. She figured the conversation would wind down and they’d each be on their way. They left the cafe and stood out on the sidewalk.
Joe placed a hand on the small of her back. “The pie was great, but I could really use a beer. Can I take you for a drink?” She noticed a slight glint in his eye.
“A drink sounds good,” she said.
They pushed their way into a bar a few blocks from the cafe. They found a tiny table in a corner and Joe ordered a Stella for himself. Maggie asked for a glass of white wine. In the warmth of the bar, she took off her jacket and placed it on the back of her chair. Joe’s eyes were on her chest.
So we might be interested, she mused. She sat forward, leaning against the table, in a posture that pushed her breasts up. Joe finished off his beer and ordered a Scotch. They sipped without speaking. The music was so loud that conversation was virtually impossible, anyway. Maggie began to lightly drum her fingers against the back of his hand. She saw the gleam in his eyes grow hotter and she smiled at him.
Joe looked away for a moment. Then he leaned over. “Do you want to find someplace quieter?”
She felt his stubble as she brushed her cheek against his and spoke into his ear. “Is your place quieter?”
“I haven’t been here long,” he said by way of apology. “I couldn’t take having roommates.”
Maggie glanced around the tiny apartment. Real estate prices in the city being what they were, the place wasn’t bad. She set down her purse and took off her jacket.
“I have Scotch. Is that okay?” he asked. Maggie nodded. God, I hope he loses the awkwardness.
While he worked in the kitchen to get them drinks, she sat on the couch and looked around at the books and papers in stacks around the living room. Teaching was clearly his life. If anyone looked around my apartment, they’d see law books and files all over the place.
He made it to the couch with two glasses of Scotch and handed one to her. “Here you are,” he said, and he sank onto the couch beside her. He sipped nervously.
Maggie decided to take matters into her own hands. She put down her glass on the coffee table and shifted to face him, drawing her left leg under her. She gently stroked his arm and he gazed down at her, desire turning his brown eyes even darker. She removed his glasses and set them beside her glass, leaning up to lightly kiss along his jawline, moving down his neck as he responded with a low growl. She stopped and peered up at him.
Joe leaned down and kissed her hungrily, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to himself. Maggie matched his intensity, welcoming his tongue as it sought her own. He tangled the fingers of his right hand in her hair as his left hand moved lower, searching for the mounds that had attracted his attention earlier, finding her right breast and squeezing it firmly.
“Hang on,” she said into his mouth. She leaned back and pulled the tank top over her head, exposing a bra of sheer black lace, her aroused nipples straining against the delicate fabric.
“God, you’re...” he broke off as she leaned into him again, kissing him and caressing his obvious erection through the fabric of his jeans. “Beautiful,” he finally finished when he broke from her kiss and pushed her down on the sofa. He tugged off the sweater over his head and tossed it aside before he unzipped his fly, releasing his enormous cock.
“Oh, my,” Maggie murmured, arching her back in anticipation. Joe leaned over her, covering her left nipple with his mouth, suckling her through the sheer black lace of her bra. She reached down to grip his rock-hard cock, finding a drop of his essence at its tip, and she smeared it around his head with her thumb.
Joe undid her jeans and tugged them down, black lace panties and all, to reveal a tiny trimmed patch of red hair at the apex of her thighs. Maggie took his hand and pressed it to her wet, pink folds. “This is where I want you,” she whispered.
He reached around to his jeans and dug out a foil packet from one of the pockets. Maggie watched approvingly as he tore it open with his teeth and unrolled the contents down over his member.
Joe used his knee to push her legs further apart and he briefly teased her entrance with himself before slamming into her. Maggie gasped in his ear. “Yes, oh yes,” she hissed. Joe continued to pound into her, grunting with effort as he drove them both closer to the edge.
Maggie, for her part, closed her eyes and envisioned Michael punishing her core rather than Joe. She shooed away nagging doubts, content to deal with them later as she felt her climax building. “Oh, shit! Oh, baby, don’t stop, oh, fuck!” she breathed.
Waves of release washed over her as she felt herself clench around his hardness. She cried out unintelligibly and Joe unleashed his load into the condom. “Oh, gahhhhhh,” he moaned before falling still over her, supporting his weight with his elbows.