Chapter 1: A Theoretical Affair

Zahra had been working with Karl for months on the project. The Annual Convention was sure to be a memorable one for all involved but for Zahra, the last few weeks had been a trial. Their meetings had gotten longer; their nights were running later. They were working together more closely now that the event was only weeks away and she was finding it harder every day not to notice. Not to feel her heart beat pick up when his shoulder brushed hers. Not to feel a rush of warmth each time their fingers accidentally met when reaching for a pen or notepad. Not to hear innuendos in every turn of his phrase and not to suggest them in every phrase of her own.

Her husband, Rick, was unlikely to approve of such thoughts. He was more than a little put out by the amount of time the project had already taken. The idea that she was lusting after a teammate may be ... unappreciated. At least as an acknowledged issue — he had not had any problems so far with her coming home late and so horny that they were having more sex now then when they first got married. He must suspect something, surely, but he knew better. Sweet, shy, boring Zahra would never have the actual guts to sleep with another man.

To do that, she would have to say something. She would have to, for instance, push Karl against the conference room wall and rub her aching nipples against that massive chest. Press her full lips against his and slip her tongue between those perfect teeth. Run her fingers down those muscular thighs and to...

"Zahra?"

She gasped at the sound of Karl's voice. She knew she was blushing.

"You ok?"

"Yeah." She was breathless. How could he not see this; how could he not know his affect on her?

She was able to put her mind back on the Conference and to the details of seating arrangements and travel confirmations. The last minute details would come next week; this week seemed petty, almost pointless compared to all the work they had done previously. It was hard not to let her mind drift.

"Zahra?" He sat on the table next to her, his thigh rubbing against hers and sending sparks throughout her leg.

"Yes?" she shifted over so not to touch him.

"Look, I know it's none of my business," he started then hesitated, "But, you've seemed very distracted the last couple of weeks and you know, I just wanted to know if everything was" he groped for a word, "ok. You know. At home. With us." He shook his head, "I mean at the office. Ok, you know what, I'm just going to ... Never mind. Forget I asked."

She had to grin. He was so charming, so sweet. She wanted him so bad she could not see straight. "Karl, stop." She decided to come clean, well mostly, "I have been distracted. I have a — a personal issue and I — I confess. It is affecting my work."

"Can I help?" He licked his lips and she imagined that tongue sliding over her skin, "I mean, I don't mean to pry but..."

"No." it came out stronger than she intended, "I mean, you've done enough already."

He arched one eyebrow. She loved that. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she could not begin to tell him what she meant, "I mean it doesn't matter. If you can't guess, I certainly don't intend to discuss it here."

"Oh." He was silent for a few minutes and she began searching for the hotel guest list. "Zahra? It wouldn't have anything to do with me, would it?"

She froze. He was behind her and she could not see his face. Her heartbeat was so strong it felt like it was shaking her whole body.

"Because," he went on, "you seemed to have changed while we worked on this and if I said something or did something that offended you, I want you to know, I didn't mean to."

She kept her back to him, "Nothing of the sort, Karl. You've been a perfect gentleman." A smile played on her lips, "I'm the one who's been bad."

"Ok, enough. What exactly does that mean?"

She looked over her shoulder in shock, "You really can't guess?"

"No."

She looked away again, "You're an attractive man, Karl." She said simply. She could not seem to find anything relating to the hotel; she could not remember the hotel's name anymore.

"Thank you." When she did not say anything further, he prodded, "And?"

"And" she blushed again, "and you're a very attractive man."

"So?"

"To whom I find myself very attracted." Which was as close as she would ever come to saying what she really wanted.

"Aren't you married?"

"You are beginning to see the dilemma."

He was silent. Slowly, she stopped shifting paper; she was not really looking for anything. "It's nothing to be worried about, Karl." She tried to sound lighthearted, "It's healthy to be occasionally attracted to someone else." She risked looking at him and was caught by his gaze, "It's only a problem if it's..." her voice trailed off.

He licked his lips again, "I would never have an affair with a married woman." He said softly, strangely.

"Of course not," she swallowed hard, suddenly very aware of how very quiet the conference room was after office hours. "I wouldn't suggest that you would."

"I mean, if I didn't know..."

"Of course, of course!"

" ... but I do, so..."

"It really doesn't matter. Forget I said anything."

"I mean, in theory, if we were both free, it would be different."

She had not expected that, had not hoped for it. He surely could not be attracted to her as well. "Would it?" she was almost frightened of the answer.

"Well, yeah." He smiled, which was maddening, "you're an attractive woman. Very attractive."

"Am I?" her throat was dry. There was no reason for it. She was married; he was not willing to overlook it, thus that ends that. And yet... "In theory."

"In actuality, you are attractive. In theory, I'd ask you out."

"Oh." In two seconds, Zahra's brain played out 50 ways that date would end in bed.

"In theory, working late like this," his voice was soft and — she thought — deliberately provocative, "would be a perfect time to, you know, play around."

"Would it?" her voice sounded a little strangled, "In theory?"

"I could see it, coming up behind you and running my fingers across your neck. You'd turn around, right?"

She could feel it, "Y-yes, I'd expect you to kiss me. If we were ... In theory, of course."

He nodded, "In theory, I'd kiss you. Deeply." He swallowed hard, "How would you respond? In theory, of course."

"Well," she pictured the moment and felt a rush of heat pass through her body, "I'd probably put my hands on your chest. Or slid my arms around your neck."

"Pick one."

"Oh God," her knees were weak, "uh, around your neck."

"Then I'd slip my arms around your waist." He arched his eyebrow again, "It's sensual but it also let's me check out what kind of bra clasp you've got."

"How efficient. I had no idea you were so proficient." She was having trouble breathing, "It's a standard rear clasp. Today. In theory."

"Of course, this is all theoretical." He coughed, "We could never test this theory as things stand now."

"No, no, of course not." She sat gingerly on the edge of the table and felt the slickness between her legs. "Of course not." She whispered again."