Christie Daniels had been Johnny Wagoner's executive assistant, girl Friday and indispensable right arm, for the last five years. It was a good partnership. Johnny was older and knew everybody and all the tricks. He was a good mentor and teacher, and he shared responsibilities and credit fairly. Christie was 15 years younger, a hard worker, a fast learner, loyal and, oh by the way; did I think to mention drop dead gorgeous and built like a brick... well constructed let's say. None of these qualities, particularly the latter went unappreciated by Johnny. He was perfectly aware that she was far too talented for him to hang on to for long. In fact, he was her best promoter, playing an active role in seeking new positions for her professional growth. Because, that was the type of guy Johnny was.

Their work involved a lot of travel and Johnny was a good traveling companion. He knew the cities, and he always made time to take Christie around to see the sights. Even more surprisingly, he always allowed some extra time for her to spend alone, to go shopping and do "girl" things. He also escorted her to nice restaurants, and any good shows that happened to be in town. Christie had never had, or even heard of any other employer who was that thoughtful. But that was the kind of boss Johnny was.

Johnny was happily married to Trudy, his charming and good natured wife of many years. Christie and Trudy had become friends, often to Johnny's discomfort. As far as anyone knew, Johnny had never cheated on Trudy. But she would be the first to admit, he could be the most outrageous flirt. He was a distinguished looking, very attractive man, with wit, grace and a smooth, almost old world charm. There is little doubt that there were many women who would be happy to drop their panties for Johnny Wagoner. But he never flirted with anyone with whom there was any chance of that happening. And while his flirtations could be outrageous, they were always light hearted and non-threatening. He always stayed inside, if just inside, the line of good taste, and avoiding any hint of harassment. Because that was the kind of flirt Johnny was.

The beautiful Christie was a constant target for his amorous shenanigans, and she found them mostly amusing, and only occasionally slightly annoying. At worst, they were a small price to pay for all that he had done for her in other ways. As predictably as the rising sun, at some point on every trip, he would place a hand on her knee, or her shoulder or some other non-strategic female real estate, or casually wrap his arm around her waist. Never would he do anything tacky like grab a boob, or run his hand up under her skirt, not Johnny. Then he would whisper some suggestive but non-graphic proposition like; warm my sheets, or rub my back, never something tacky like fuck me or suck my cock, not Johnny. And then he would wait patiently for her to remove his hand or arm, and chide him with a; now Johnny you know I'm not that kind of girl or Johnny, remember, you're a married man speech. He would always accept his rebuke in good grace and that would be that. He would go on and be a great companion for the rest of the evening as though nothing had happened. Which in fact, it hadn't. At least up until this trip.

There is always a danger in trifling with bright independent women, and Christie was all of that. She had decided that she had been the target of his little male mating game long enough. This time it was her turn. They were sitting in the hotel bar, enjoying a few glasses of wine after a very pleasant dinner when right on schedule, as dependable as Old Faithful, Johnny made his move. First she felt his hand on her upper leg, north of the knee, but well clear of any real danger zone. The hand gave her shapely leg an affectionate squeeze. She smiled to herself, in her mind she pictured a rather innocent little mouse nibbling away at the cheese in a trap. She could hardly wait for the trap to spring. Johnny leaned forward until his lips touched her ear. He whispered, "Christie, you are so beautiful, you are driving me crazy, why don't you come back to my room and I'll bathe you by hand and give you a special massage."

SNAP! Johnny never even felt the trap snap over his neck.

Christie just rolled her head enough to put them mouth to mouth, then to make sure he didn't escape, she grabbed his head with both her hands. Her kiss was full of fire, and passion and promise, her lips were moist and soft, but her tongue demanding. So fast was her onslaught, that he opened his mouth before he could think, and her tongue darted in, and soon he couldn't think. A kiss hadn't affected Johnny like this since high school. He was dizzy, his heart was pounding, he wasn't quite sure where he was, but he knew he was kissing Christie. He also knew he was out of control, and worst yet, he was getting an erection, a huge erection. "Oh my God," he thought, "what if she sees it?"... "OH MY GOD! SHE'S GOT HER HAND ON IT!" He was absolutely right, Christie had taken one hand off his head and had a firm death grip, like a bulldog, on his erection, which meant she had his strict and undivided attention.

Christie broke the kiss and placed her lips against his ear. In a husky, almost predatory female voice he had never heard from her before, "I told you I would call your bluff one day, Johnny Wagoner. For five years you've been promising me and not delivering. Well today I'm calling you out. I'd love to have you bathe me, and give me that massage, and then I am going to take you, Johnny Wagoner, and we are going to screw each others brains out the whole night long. Are you man enough Johnny, or has all this talk just been male bullshit? Got the balls to make this woman happy Johnny?" Then just to put a cherry on it, she took her tongue and gave his ear a playful lick and his erection another squeeze. She hopped down off her bar stool and waited with obvious impatience for Johnny to come with her. Inside she enjoyed his confusion and hesitation.

"Come on Johnny, you've got me hot." She leaned closer so that she wouldn't be overheard. "You've made my panties all wet Johnny." She took his hand. "You want to feel my wet panties Johnny?" He yanked his hand back like it had been burned on a stove. "What's the matter Johnny?" She sounded like she might cry. "Don't you want to go with me? Aren't I pretty enough?" Then she started to sound angry. "You never liked me at all, did you? You were lying to me the whole time, weren't you?"

Johnny definitely did not like the way this conversation was going. He knew he was moments away from having a hysterical female on his hands. He had to think fast. Christie, of course, was enjoying every minute of her histrionics. He was more right than he knew about the potential for a hysterical female; Christie was trying desperately not to fall down in hysterical laughter watching the panic on his face. About now he'll suddenly remember he's married she thought.

Johnny took Christie's hands and looked down in shame, in his most sincere and pious voice he said, "Christie, I beg you to forgive an old fool who was blinded by your great beauty. I did not lie to you my dear, you are the most gorgeous of God's creations and what mortal man could resist you. I let my dreams get the better of me. I would give my very soul to have you for one night. But when I rose from this chair, I saw the face of my darling Trudy and remembered my vows to her. I'm afraid while she will never have your beauty, she does have ownership of my heart and I have no right to go with you. Please, please, forgive me."

"Checkmate!" thought Christie. "Noble sentiment, Johnny, I respect a man who remembers his obligations, however belatedly. You have also trained me well to anticipate every contingency. I have a note you should read."

"A note? What about?" He found her sudden cool confidence unnerving.

"That's why you should read it. Go ahead, I'll wait."

THE NOTE

Hi Johnny,

Bet your faithful wife is the last person you expected to hear from right now. If you are reading this, then it means events have unfolded exactly as Christie and I expected they would. I'm with her on this. That poor girl has had to put up with your flirting for five straight years, I think she has earned the right to see if you will put up or shut up. I'm not sure even you know what you'll do. You've been flirting so long it's like a dog chasing cars, what's he going to do if he ever catches one. Well honey, you just caught the car. Christie has called your bluff and she means business.
She and I figured that about now you would fall back on your last line of defense. You will suddenly remember me and your wedding vows. Better late than never? Nope, not this time. Too easy Johnny, this time I'm not letting you hide behind me. You're on your own.

I hereby give you a
FREE PASS.

This is a one time only, not renewable, never to be offered again, special offer. Christie has promised to back me. In other words Honey, if you don't nail her tonight, you'll never, ever get another chance. But tonight, you have my permission; no make that my blessing, my encouragement even. I'll never know what you do tonight, because I'll never ask and I don't even want to know. But I'll be a little ashamed of you, if you turn out not be enough of a man to take advantage of such a beautiful woman, when she's served up guilt free on a platter. Go get her tiger, she's quite a gal!

Trudy

Johnny looked up at her. "This is some kind of a joke that the two of you cooked up, right?"

She took his hands and looked him in the eyes "No joke, Johnny, I actually do find you very attractive. It's been hard for me to have you flirt every trip, and I'm not quite sure whether you mean it or not. This is my way of finding out. If you want me tonight, I'm yours; but you have exactly thirty minutes, starting now, to decide. I will not go nuts waiting all night to see if you're coming or not. Knock on my door in the next half hour. If you don't knock by then, don't come later, I'll meet you at breakfast as always and we'll act as though this never happened, with one small change. You never bullshit me again, no flirting, no touching." She kissed him on the cheek and left the bar.

The next thirty minutes were the longest in Johnny's life. He went back to his room and stripped and looked in the mirror. He was not happy with what he saw. Middle age was approaching and he had done nothing to prepare. He didn't have a pot belly or any huge flaw but he definitely looked soft. That was his biggest problem, could he really undress in front of this incredibly beautiful woman. Would she laugh, would she change her mind? That would kill him. Also he was no super stud, he knew that. He was at best averagely endowed and he was no bedroom athlete. She said she found him attractive, would that attraction survive seeing him nude and making love? She was probably used to men her own age, denizens of gymnasiums with washboard abs. He got as far as the hallway outside her door but he couldn't bring himself to knock. He tried, but every time he reached towards the door, another fear overcame him until it was almost a relief, when the time expired and put him out of his misery.

Johnny went back to his room and was overcome with disgust for himself. He was a spineless weasel. He wasn't sure how he would face Christie in the morning. Now that it was over, he couldn't believe he had passed up the chance, if only to have seen her naked. Maybe it wasn't too late. No, it was! She had made that clear enough.

Johnny decided to take a long shower as though he could wash the stench of cowardice out. He stripped leaving the clothes where they were and headed into the bathroom. He took a long time hoping to lose himself in the water and the steam. It didn't help as much as he hoped. He went ahead, brushed his teeth and made ready for bed. As he stepped back out into the bedroom, it seemed darker, maybe a bulb had gone. But then he heard a rustling of sheets on the bed and he looked down at a very graceful feminine arm which held the sheets open for him to climb in.

"Christie? I don't understand."

"Shhh, Johnny, don't talk, it was a rigged game. I intended for you to win no matter what you did. I'll explain everything after we've made love, the first time."

"The first... ?" Johnny went silent when her lips came up to meet his. At least this time he was expecting the kiss and his lips and tongue were ready to receive her. But his body still reacted the same way, the dizziness, the heart palpitations and the erection. And probably it was just a coincidence, but Christie's hand has there to greet the new erection. When finally they broke for air, Johnny lay on one elbow and looked at her. He was trying to maintain eye contact but it was obvious that he wanted to see more.