Taking Chances
D. Musgrave

Here's an excerpt from 'Performance Review'. I hope you enjoy just a taste of this story.

I'd been up for hours. Sleep had been less than satisfying. I'd tossed and turned most of the night, unable to get Lee Ann out of my head. By the time the sun had shot through the gap in the curtains, I was sitting up with my back against the headboard, sipping coffee.

With my second cup of coffee finished, I flicked off the TV and stared at my briefcase on the desk. I climbed out of bed, grabbed the leather case, and pulled out the contract. Moving to Topeka wasn't my first choice, but the offer to head up the new branch office was one I had to consider. I knew that if I refused the promotion, I might never have another chance. I also knew there was a chance I could do too well in Topeka, but be stuck there indefinitely.

As I flipped through the contract, I thought of Lee Ann. Something about her seemed different from the women I'd known before, but I couldn't place it. It wasn't any one thing, more like her as a whole. I looked at the digital clock and it read: 9:17. I wondered if she'd still be asleep. It didn't matter. She wasn't going to call.

I set the contract down, deciding to go get ready and go scout the town. I'd just finished brushing my teeth when there was a knock on my hotel room door. Peering through the tiny peep hole, I saw Lee Ann looking to the side. Without a thought, I unlocked the door and opened it. She stood before me in a white blouse and black jeans. She had on a modest amount of makeup, her black hair spilling down over her shoulders.

Before I could say anything, she stepped through, pushing me up against the wall, and closing the door with a kick of her foot. She pressed her mouth to mine, kissing me hard—harder than any woman ever had before. It took me by surprise, but I found my lips and tongue automatically returning her kiss.

She moaned into my mouth and pressed her body to mine. For a moment, I felt trapped, as if she was forcing herself on me, but the sudden swelling in my pants eased those thoughts. I reached up, digging my fingers into her long hair, kissing her with the same passion as she poured on me. Somehow, I managed to move away from the wall and steer us toward the bed.

Suddenly, she broke the kiss and backed away, her face becoming pensive.

"What's wrong?"

"I have something to tell you. "She glanced at me, then looked away.

"What is it?"

Lee Ann walked to the hotel window. She shook her head and took a deep breath.

I walked up behind her and put my hands on her shoulders. "Tell me, what's wrong?"

She turned and tried to smile, but it was pained. "I-I haven't always looked like this."

"So? We all change. I'm not the young stud I used to be."

She chuckled for a moment, but it flew away quickly. "I don't know any other way to say this, but straight out…

* * * * *
To buy this short story click here:

All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without written approval of the author.

End