"Jim, I need to speak with you."

I looked up from my desk. It was Bobbie, standing at the entrance to my cubicle in that cute white jump suit with the thin lines in a checkerboard pattern. I didn't know if she knew that whenever I saw her in that outfit, my internal temperature rose a few degrees. Maybe she did.

"What's up, Bobbie?"

She drew in a breath. It was obvious that what she was going to ask wasn't easy. "We're short of cash this month. We need to get some money."

I looked around the office. Nobody was staring at us; our conversation was pretty quiet. However, this wasn't the kind of thing I liked to discuss at the office.

"I'm going to the mall across the street for lunch. Why don't you join me there -- my treat -- and we'll discuss it?"

She paused. I don't think she had considered a "lunch date" was in the cards. However, a group of us sometimes walked across the street and had some fast food at the mall once or twice a week. It wasn't as if this was anything really that different.

"All right," she answered, her voice barely a whisper. She left my cubicle.

I smiled to myself. Bobbie was a cute girl. Actually, make that "Bobbie was a cute woman." She was about eight years older than my twenty years. I was the youngest employee in the office and one of the few single people. I was making a little more than she was, and I didn't have many expenses to speak of: only a little studio apartment that set me back less than $200 a month. A good portion of my take-home pay just went into my savings and some certificates of deposit. I wasn't rich, but compared to most of the other people in the office, I was pretty well off.

Bobbie had started at the office a few months earlier as a junior analyst. She really didn't have the aptitude for programming, and always asked me questions. I didn't mind, since she did work hard, and that what was important in the end. She didn't expect other people to do her work, and she usually managed to get her work in on time.

She was a slightly chubby brunette, although not really overweight. Of course, as a female, she would probably think she was. She was also a newlywed, having gotten married about six months before she came to work with us. Her face, however, was her best asset. It was round and always wore a smile. Her blue eyes twinkled when she laughed. She was, in a word, the stuff of my secret fantasies ever since she started working here.

She was the only female in our programming project. She seemed to be a trooper, not getting offended if she overheard a couple of the guys telling racy jokes to one another. She even joined us a few times for our occasional lunches across the street, and was also a regular at our weekly Friday night at the pub parties, although she always just had one drink -- a white Zinfandel -- and always left early to meet with her husband.

I took mental inventory. I had about $200 in cash in my wallet, so if she only needed that much or less, I could easily accommodate her. I figured that a small loan right now could cement our burgeoning friendship. I mentally shrugged that it was probably money well spent; if she really needed the money, she might look to me as her hero. I had nothing really to lose.

It was 9:30 AM. Lunch was in another two and a half hours.

I glanced back at my terminal and picked up my programming where I left off.

She coughed lightly. "Jim?"

I shook my head. I was so engrossed in my work, that I had forgotten about our little date. A glance at my watch showed me it was five minutes after noon. I looked up at her and said, "Sorry, Bobbie... I sort of got engrossed in my work."

She smiled, causing dimples to appear on her rosy cheeks. "No problem. We're going to the mall for lunch, right?"

"Yup," I confirmed. I saved my work and disconnected my terminal, pushed back my chair and got up. "Let's do it!"

We left the office, and walked silently across the parking lot to the crosswalk that crossed the busy highway between our office and the mall. I stole a few glances at Bobbie, and she looked a bit nervous. She probably doesn't like asking for money, I thought to myself. I know that I'd probably feel the same way if I had to ask for money from a co-worker.

As the light turned green and the "WALK" sign beamed its green message to us, we still hadn't said anything to each other. We started across the highway, and made our way through the mall parking lot.

She started heading toward the door closest to the fast food court. I was fantasizing about her thinking of me as her hero, and suddenly decided to head toward the full service restaurant at the other end of the mall.

"Bobbie, if we go to the food court, we'll be in the middle of hundreds of shoppers. We'll never get any privacy, and I don't think this is something you will feel comfortable about discussing in public. Let's go to The Station for a salad or sandwich, OK?"

She looked at me and thought. She smiled and thanked me, and started heading toward The Station.

"Still my treat," I assured her.

We got to the restaurant a few minutes later, and other than that one exchange in the parking lot, we still hadn't said much of anything to one another. The place was just starting to fill, but we had no trouble getting a table. As luck would have it, it was pretty secluded from the other tables.

The waiter arrived a few minutes after we were seated, and Bobbie ordered a Cobb salad and I ordered a turkey sandwich. After the waiter retrieved our menus, and departed, Bobbie decided it was time to talk.

"Jim, I want to thank you for the lunch. You are so sweet." She paused, uncertain as to continue.

"Thanks for joining me, Bobbie," I answered, filling the awkward gap.

"Henry was laid off a few months ago," she began, referring to her husband. "right after we got married. We still have the mortgage and our other bills. I don't think we'll be able to pay them off this month. Henry has found another job, but it won't start for another week. So, a small loan right now would help us out, and we'll be able to repay you after he starts getting paid for his new job."

I nodded at her in understanding. Even though I wasn't an accountant, I wrote many programs for them. It wasn't difficult to see that a loan could help her in that situation, and wouldn't just be postponing a future default... it was definitely a "good risk."

"So, have you figured out how much you are going to need?"

She took another deep breath. This was the part that was difficult for her... actually asking for the money. "Um, well, yeah. I had done some calculations a night or so ago, and we're short..." She paused again, sighing.

"We're short about $600." she began again, quickly. "If I had that much more right now, I'd be able to pay this month's bills and the late ones from last month, and with Henry starting his job on the first, we'll probably come out even next month, and be back on the positive side the month after that. I could start paying you back then." She looked at me, hopeful.

I could see that she had figured this out. Six hundred dollars wasn't chicken feed, but it would hardly cause much of a dent in my savings account.

After a few moments thought, I responded, "You sound like you have it all figured out, Bobbie. It really sounds like a good plan. Of course, I don't have $600 on me right now. I'd have to go to my bank and make a withdrawal."

"You mean, you'll lend me the money?" she asked.

"Of course, Bobbie. You have a good plan, and since you will be back on the plus side in just a month or two, it doesn't look like there's any problem that I can see."

Her look of apprehension changed to joy. "That's wonderful, Jim!" she exclaimed, and got up out of her chair, and crossed to where I was sitting. She bent down and put a kiss right on my lips.

I was a bit taken aback from this. It had happened so quickly: she was thanking me, and all of a sudden, her lips were on mine.

I opened my eyes, and she was still kissing me, her eyes closed. I breathed in deeply through my nose, savoring her wonderful perfume.

She broke from the kiss, looking a bit embarrassed. She quietly returned to her seat, and said, softly, "Um, I didn't mean to embarrass you, Jim!"

"Um... oh, no! It was just a bit unexpected, Bobbie."

The waiter arrived with our lunches, and the moment was gone. I must have had the biggest grin on my face, though. She smiled at me in return. I was her hero. I just knew it!

Bobbie and I made small chit-chat during the meal, Bobbie knowing my disdain for discussing work stuff outside of work. She talked about Henry's new job, working for some security firm. I talked to her about my upcoming weekend, which would be going on a camping trip to the beach. All the while during the meal, two thoughts kept going through my head: "She kissed me! I'm her hero! She kissed me! I'm her hero!"

When the meal ended, and the waiter came, I already had my American Express card out. I had promised that it was my treat, and I wanted to remain her hero. Bobbie asked me if I wanted her to pay the tip, but I told her that it wouldn't be a problem.

After I signed the receipt, I put my copy and my card back into my wallet. I remembered that I had $200 in there already.

"Bobbie, I have about $200 here." I counted it out. I put it on the table and told her that I needed to run a few errands during the remainder of the lunch hour, and also had to visit my bank for the rest of the money I was going to lend her. "Why don't you meet me in Don's office after work," referring to our manager, who, along with about half the office staff, was out at some boring trade show for the week. "We'll settle everything then. Tell Henry that you'll be a half hour or so late coming home."

She nodded at me, and took the money with an embarrassed smile. She took my hand in hers and thanked me again. It wasn't a kiss, but it didn't matter to me.

I didn't really have any errands that couldn't wait until after work, and my bank had one of those new-fangled auto-teller machines where I could get some money. Unfortunately, $400 was over my daily limit on the machine, which I found out when I tried to withdraw it. I looked inside the bank, and the teller line wasn't long, so I just got on line, wrote myself a check for $700 and cashed it. (Hey... I needed some cash for myself!)

I walked around the mall, thinking to myself. Thinking about Bobbie kissing me... how lovely she looked in that jump suit... I'm her hero! Thinking about how nice she smelled when she kissed me...

I was killing time, trying to get into the office just as the lunch hour concluded. I wanted to spend some more time privately with Bobbie. Maybe I'd get another kiss.

Walking around the mall, it was probably the first time in years that I failed to look at all the females shopping. My mind was on other things... that kiss from Bobbie... being her hero... her jump suit. I soon found my thoughts straying... Bobbie taking off that jump suit... Bobbie's lips around my cock...

I must have looked a sight, since I found myself with a rather large hard-on. Luckily the rest rooms were close by, and I stepped inside to relieve myself. I emptied my bladder, and started to force myself to start thinking about the project I was doing at work. A minute or so later, I was back to "normal."

At work, I found it difficult to pay attention to my coding. I kept on thinking of Bobbie. We both got off at 4:30 PM. I couldn't believe how slowly the hours went. 1:15... 1:20... 1:30...

I had a lot of fantasies that afternoon... all of them starring Bobbie and, of course, me as her hero.

Finally, it was 4:25. I couldn't really wait any more. I disconnected my terminal and got out of my cubicle. Bobbie was still in her cubicle. I walked down the hallway silently, and entered Don's office.

Don's office was spotless. He was one of those "neatness" fiends. His desk was totally uncluttered, except for a blotter, a phone, a stapler, and a pencil box with a couple of pens in it. His desk had a comfortable swivel chair, and I sat in it.

Across from his desk, was a sofa -- or more accurately, a love seat. A lot of us in the group used that sofa for catching some Zs when we were pulling an all-nighter, trying to meet some near-impossible deadline.

In my wallet, I had my $700. I counted it. Seven one-hundred dollar bills. I put the wallet back in my pocket.

And started to worry about loaning her the money... why not just give it to her? I started tossing the idea back and forth in my mind...

At exactly 4:30, the office door opened, and Bobbie exclaimed, "Oh, hi, Jim!" Apparently, she was surprised to see me already there.

"Hi, Bobbie," I replied, asking her to shut the door so we could be more private.

She did, and sat in the love seat facing the desk.

"Bobbie, I was thinking about the loan this afternoon, and I had a little misgiving."

She didn't say anything, but there was a little disappointment in her eyes.

"I don't really like lending money to people, mostly because I find myself too embarrassed to ask people to pay it back when they forget to do so, and have found that people who cannot pay back loans get embarrassed themselves, and what used to be a nice friendship gets turned into a very uncomfortable situation."

She closed her eyes, fearing the worst.

"Bobbie," I continued, "I know that you are encountering a hard time, and I also don't want to ruin our friendship by not lending you the money. You can see that I am in a bit of a quandary."

She opened her eyes, and gave me a look of understanding. "I under-" she started.

I interrupted her, knowing what she was going to say.

"Now, Bobbie... the easiest thing for me to do is just give you the money, and ask you not to repay me ever. That way, I won't have lost your friendship by not giving you the money, and I won't lose your friendship if, for any reason, you cannot repay it."

I paused, waiting for her reaction.

"I... I'm sorry, Jim. I cannot take $600 from you... a friend... and not offer to repay it back to you! I'd feel like I owe you something!" She paused, listening to what she just said. "I mean, I WOULD owe you something, but if you don't allow me to pay it back, I'd feel very guilty!"

"I had a feeling you'd say something like that, Bobbie. That's another part of the problem!"

She looked at her watch, and said, "Oh, shit! I forgot to call Henry!" She picked up Don's phone, and dialed a number. She waited about thirty seconds, and then said, "Hi, honey. It's Bobbie! I'm gonna be working a little late tonight... something just came up at the last minute. Why don't you put the chicken in the microwave and I'll be home at..." she looked at her watch, "no later than 6:30."

She hung up, and said to me, "Henry wasn't home, so I left a message."

I nodded, "So, where were we? I don't want to make this a loan, and you think that you'd feel guilty if I just gave you the money, right?"

She nodded.

"How else can we do this?" I asked.

She went silent. She was thinking this through. I guess she realized that this might take some time, hence her message to Henry.

"Jim, I think you are very sweet to want to just give me the money, but if Henry were to find out, he'd feel guilty as well, knowing that he wasn't able to earn our mortgage money this month."

I nodded in agreement.

"Why can't you allow us to repay you? I don't care if you don't want interest, but I cannot take $600 from you without repaying it back."

"Hmmm... what if you both took me out for a night on the town when you get more solvent?" I asked.

"You mean, like a dance club, or something?" she asked.

"Maybe that's not a good idea," I said. "I mean, if you are just getting back on your feet, Henry might not want to spend money on something like that... and invite me as well as have you pick up the check!"

She shook her head. "Yeah, I don't think that would work."

We sat in silence, trying to work it out.

"Bobbie?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"You know, I really liked that kiss you gave me at The Station this afternoon."

She turned red in embarrassment. "Oh, Jim, I was just so happy that you'd said that you'd lend me the money! You have always been such a sweet person."

"I know, but..." I paused, no knowing how to continue.

"But?" she asked.

"But... for some reason, I've been having a hard time keeping from thinking about it. I really enjoyed it."

She looked at me. "Well... I guess that I enjoyed it, too."

A sudden inspiration hit me. "I have an idea. How about $100 for each kiss you give me! It won't be like I'm giving you the money for nothing!"

She looked at me without saying anything. She thought it over and started to shake her head. "No... I don't really like the connotation of that."

"What connotation?"

"Kissing for money. It's like..." she paused, looking at me.

"OH!" I responded. I hadn't thought of that.

This is about as far as I thought it would go... maybe if she were to sleep with me for money... but I had never thought it through. She'd just be a prostitute if she did that. A whore. I didn't want to think of her that way.

"That's not what I meant, but..." I tried to get my thoughts together. "I think you are too nice for me to think of you that way!"

She smiled at me. "You really are sweet, aren't you." She looked at me. "Jim, I like you, but I can't cheat on Henry," she took a breath. "You don't want me to do that, do you?"

A sudden inspiration hit me. It was all I could do to keep from grinning. If I played this right...!

"OK. Kissing for money is out of the question. It was just a thought." I paused for a bit, thinking how I was going to word the next part.

"Bobbie, I have an idea. Let me finish this and then think about it before you answer. OK?"

She nodded her head.

"OK. I gave you $200 at lunch today, promising you that I would lend you the money, right? OK. Then I will lend you that $200. You can pick out your own interest rate and terms. Just sign an I-O-U for it before you leave here today.

"But I won't lend you the entire $600 you asked for. You don't want me to give it to you as a gift, and I understand that." I slowly counted out six one-hundred dollar bills. "This is the money that I want to give you... $600. As far as I am concerned, it is a gift, and I do NOT want it repaid. If you take it, you will have $800, which will not only get you past your difficult time, but give you a bit of a cushion to fall back on" I could see her head give a tiny shake "no" but I continued. "Since you don't want this gift, and since you don't like the idea of selling kisses to me, I think that the only thing else that I could do is..."

I looked her straight in the eyes. "I will purchase all the clothes you are wearing right now. For the $600 on the table. Right now. Take it or leave it."

It took a couple of seconds for the words to sink in. She looked at me, shocked.

I could see the wheels spinning in her head. I wasn't asking for a kiss, or for any sexual favors. But she'd have to be nude with me. Did she think she could do that?

I saw her head nod slightly, and I knew that I had her. But she wasn't going to make it too easy.

"Jim, you can't be serious." She looked at me, and knew that I was serious. "I cannot undress in front of you!"

"Bobbie, I don't want to lend you the money. I want to give it to you. You don't want it as a gift, and you don't want to sell kisses. I can see both of our points, and I think that they both have merit. However, if you want my money, then sell me your clothes. I promise that I won't think any less of you."

I could see that her will was being beaten down. I decided to press my advantage.

"The money is on that table. Pick it up and take it as a gift, or as the sale price for your clothes. It's your choice. If you don't pick it up, you can look elsewhere for the money. I still want an I-O-U for the $200, though. I've already given you that money, and I won't take it back."

She was still thinking it over, but her right hand was subconsciously playing with one of the bottom buttons on her jump suit. I could see her answer.

Staring in my eyes, she got up from the love seat and stood up at the desk. She slowly dropped her left hand and picked up the money.

She then turned and started towards the door.

My heart dropped. She was going to take it as a gift. Time to try to pick up any dignity that I had left.

"Fine. I had hoped that you'd take it as a gift. Please give me an I-O-U for the $200 on my desk as you leave."

When she reached the door, she didn't open it. She turned the lock.

"No, I'm not taking it as a gift. I'm going to let you buy my clothes. But the price isn't $600. The price is $800, including the $200 you already gave me. Deal?"

My heart stopped. She wanted to do it on her own terms. I don't generally like dickering over a price, but I knew that I wanted what she was offering.

"Deal."

Bobbie stood there at the door. She realized that she had just sold her clothes to her co-worker.

Her hand started to fumble with her top button, and I said, "Wait!"

She froze, looking at me. Was this a sudden reprieve, or was I going to change the deal?

"You've taken the $800, right?"

"Yes," she answered, unsure of my point.

"So, as of right now, those clothes are mine, right?"

"Um..." she paused. "I guess so..."

"Then I want to be the one that removes them. After all, they are mine now, to do whatever I please with them."

She was unsure of herself now. Would she let me take them off her?

"Umm..." she was wavering again.

"C'mon. I offered you $600. You asked for $800. You can at least allow me to take them off myself, Bobbie."

"Oh. All right," she said slowly. She thought to herself. "First... I need to stop at my desk. I want to put this money in my purse, and... you know, get the rest of my stuff ready to go. OK?"

She was asking permission. I liked this.

"Fine. I need to go to the bathroom myself. Let's meet back here in five minutes." I glanced up at the clock above her. "Let's say, 4:55 by this clock."

She unlocked the door and hurried to her cubicle. I walked down the hall to the men's room. About thirty seconds later, I heard the door to the women's room close. That must be Bobbie. I grinned to myself. She was going to make sure that everything was presentable!

I flushed the urinal, and walked slowly back to Don's office. Bobbie wasn't in her cubicle, and she hadn't come out of the lavatory.

I entered Don's office, closed the door, and sat on the love seat.

And waited.

At 4:55, exactly, I heard the door knob turn. It was Bobbie. She entered quietly, put her purse next to the love seat, and locked the door.

She stared at me in the love seat. "Um, Jim. I'm not sure that I can go through with this."

I cut her off. "C'mon, Bobbie. A deal's a deal. But I can see you might be nervous. Shit, I'm nervous as hell as well. But wait, I have an idea."

I got up, walked around Bobbie, unlocked the door, and left. I went to my cubicle, and got out a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that I had received as a Christmas present a few months ago. I found a couple of paper cups in my office, and returned to Don's office, locking it as I came in.

"This should calm down your nerves, Bobbie. Want some?"

She looked at the bottle, hesitated, and then nodded.

I dug into my pocket and retrieved my keys. I had a small Swiss army knife on the key ring, and flipped out the cork screw. After about a minute, I had the wine uncorked, and poured about five ounces in each of the cups.

"Jim... maybe a little more for me?" she asked.

I poured each of us another three ounces, and handed her one cup.

She took the cup, and swigged it down.

"A little more, Jim?"

I was a bit surprised. I had never seen her drink so quickly before, and never more than a single drink. I poured her some more, about five ounces, and looked at her. She nodded for me to add more. I poured a total of eight ounces, and handed it to her. She swigged that one down, as well. I decided not to offer her any more; I wasn't trying to get her drunk!

I sipped my glass and laid it on Don's desk.

It looked like she was going to ask for another glass of wine, and I decided that she was probably just trying to postpone the inevitable.

"Bobbie, if you drink any more, you will be in some sorry condition when you come home to Henry tonight."

The mention of her husband's name caused her to jerk herself. She realized that I was right.

"OK... but..." she was looking around for something else to stall her disrobing.

I started to reach for the top button of her jump suit, and she stepped back, falling into the love seat behind her.

I sat next to her. "You want me to wait, Bobbie?" I asked.

She nodded.

I leaned over toward her, and kissed her softly on the lips, just as she had done to me earlier that day, but without all the vigor she had put into kissing me earlier.

Instinctively, she returned the kiss, her mouth opening slightly. I could feel her tongue touching my lips. I opened my lips, and touched my tongue with hers.

Her breathing started to slow down. Either the kiss or the wine was calming her down.

I pulled my face away. Her eyes were still closed.

I stood up, facing her. I bent down and put my hands under her arm pits, pulling her to her feet. She came up, willingly.

I took a deep breath, and started to unbutton her top button. She didn't pull away, or even open her eyes. Her lips were still in sort of a pucker from the kiss. I could see her tongue still playing between her lips.

The next button unfastened, and then the next. Her arms were at her sides, and a plain white bra was slowly being revealed. I unbuttoned the final three buttons, down to about her belly button.

Her bra was now revealed, covering her breasts. Her chest rose and fell with her breathing, and her eyes were still closed. I was mesmerized by the sight.

After a few seconds, I gently pushed the top of the jump suit off her shoulders, and it fell down to her waist. I tugged it over her hips, and pulled it down to the floor. As I pulled each leg, she would lifted each one up to remove the suit. She was now standing in her bra, panties, and a pair of sandals. I placed the jump suit carefully on the love seat.

Her bra fastened in the back, so I turned her around to unhook it. It took a couple of tries, but I finally got it unclasped. I slowly slid each strap down her shoulders, her breasts holding up the cups in the front. I reached around her, and gently cupped each breast, fondling them gently for about twenty seconds.

Her breathing started getting a bit faster, and I thought I saw a shiver go through her back.

I pulled the bra cups away from her breasts, and she moved her hands forward for the straps to follow. I removed the bra, and placed it on top of the jump suit.

I turned her around. Her eyes were still closed, and her breathing was getting slower again. I put my hands on her backside.

Her eyes opened. She looked at me, and there was some emotion in her eyes. Her head nodded just a bit slightly, as if to give me permission. I kneaded her buttocks through the panties, and then moved my hand to the top of her panties and started to pull them down.