It was the coldest day of the year. I remember because it took me an age to get out of bed. When I finally did step out, there was a misty sort of drizzle which precluded any chance of riding my motorcycle to work. Nothing if not adaptable, I booked an Uber and waited outside my apartment building.

A slightly harried-looking woman passed by. She seemed pretty, but I was not really paying attention untill her perfume hooked itself onto my senses and almost physically whipped me around.

Then I did notice her. She wasn't very tall but had a slim, proportioned figure. Her hair was straight, slightly curled at the tips, and fell about six inches past her shoulders. She was carrying two bags full of what looked—respectfully—like junk and was trying to call the elevator.

"It's not working," I called out, indicating an A4 printout stuck next to it when she looked at me with a confused expression.

"Oh god," she said, her shoulders drooping. "I'm on the fifth floor."

"No worries," I told her. "I can at least carry your stuff up. Though I could probably take you too." I exaggeratedly appraised her with my eyes. Surprise spread across her face for a moment, quickly transforming into a laugh.

"I think I can manage," she replied. "But thanks for the offer."

When she smiled, her whole face lit up. She had an upturned nose and clear skin which made her look like a mischievous girl.

"Okay then!" I said, taking a couple of her bags and motioning her toward the stairs.

We spoke on the way up in increasingly breathless voices. She was collecting some old toys and games for a children's charity. When she asked about me, I told her a bit about work, how I had just moved in, and that I was in the process of setting up my apartment. Finally, we reached her floor, and she waved me into her house.

"You must sit for a bit. You must be exhausted!"

"Not at all," I said between labored breaths. "But it's tough to say no to such a pretty woman."

"Stop flirting, mister," she laughed and said in a slightly scolding tone. "I'm married."

"No!" I said in mock disbelief.

"Twenty years," she nodded, smiling.

This time my jaw really did drop. But before I could say anything: "You better not ask me my age now," she teased, putting some snacks on the table in front of me.

"I won't forget my manners," I assured her.

We spoke a little longer. She was a manager at a well-known company and regularly went swimming and worked out. Her home was beautiful and packed with books, though I noticed many were just a collection of New York Times bestsellers in pristine condition, more for show than erudition. I pointed to a copy of Sapiens.

"Are you done with that? I was thinking I'd pick it up one of these days."

"Really?" she asked skeptically, a wide grin on her face. "You sure you're not just looking for an excuse to see me again?"

I swear I must have turned pure red as I fumbled for words of denial.

"It's fine, you can take it!" she said, handing it to me. "But I should head out now, so I'll see you around!"

My mind was still in a blur as we said our goodbyes. The whole day at home and at work, all I could think about was her. Her confidence, her self-awareness, and her charm had been intoxicating. I wasn't seeing anyone at the time, so she became the sole focus of my attention. But I only saw her incidentally: sometimes talking to a group of people or pulling out of the parking lot. All interactions were limited to a smile and a wave.

A month passed, and I was already flirting with other girls. I had managed to put thoughts of her aside and got into a good routine: running, gym, working hard at my job. But one day, as I was getting on my bike heading to a party, a car came to a stop next to me. The window rolled down, revealing a pair of sunglasses and a beautiful, smiling face.

"Hey buddy. Long time, no see. When are you planning to return my book?" she asked.

"It's the entire history of mankind. I need a little longer!" I told her, raising my visor.

"I see," she replied. "Where are you headed, all dressed up?"

"A party," I told her. "Want to come along?"

"I'd love to," she said in a tone that implied 'not in a million years.' "But I have stuff to take care of. If you're free tomorrow though, maybe you can help me with the donations."

"Sounds good," I said. "I'd love to help. Should I come to your place, or will you call me?"

"I'll call," she said, and we exchanged phone numbers. We went on the road together for a bit and waved as our paths diverged. I didn't imagine it: our eyes met and lingered until it was time to turn them back to the road.

I didn't have much to drink that night. I didn't even like drinking, and the bike was a good excuse to stay below what social gatherings considered acceptable.

The next day, I woke up early, ready for whatever life had in store for me. I put on my expensive cologne and spent a little more time in front of my mirror than I usually would. Then I waited. I dropped a message and debated calling but thought that wouldn't be appropriate.

I spent my whole day inside waiting, putting my phone away so I wouldn't jump at every notification. Finally, when it was evening, I messaged: "Hey, hope everything is okay."

After ten minutes or so came her reply. "Not really" Followed by a picture of her. In bed. She had a wet towel draped around her head and a thermometer in her mouth.

"Oh no! Hope you get better soon. I was looking forward to seeing you today," I replied.

"I won't be seeing the outside of my room for a while. Have to isolate."

"Poor you :("

"Well, there are some perks ;)" she replied.

"And what might those be?"

"I AM enjoying all the attention."

I hesitated. Of course, I was attracted to her. But was it wrong to flirt with her while she was feverish and possibly not able to exercise her best judgment?

"I'd be happy to give you all the attention you need."

"Mmmm," she replied.

"Would you like that?"

A long time passed with no response, and my heart was pumping like a piston. I tried to sleep but couldn't. I wished her sweet dreams, but again there was no reply. I don't know when I fell asleep, but the first thing I did upon waking was to check our chat. She had read the question, but there was no answer.

That day passed, and then another, and another.

The next day, my doorbell rang. I hadn't gone into work for a couple of days because of being lovesick and was not a pretty picture. But she looked gorgeous in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

"Hey," she said with a half smile and walked past me into the house.

As I closed the door, she turned around and said: "Here's the thing. It was wrong of me, but I liked that you found me attractive. You're a handsome young guy, and it was flattering that you thought I was pretty. I shouldn't have encouraged you, and I'm sorry. I like you, and we could be friends, but it can never go further than that."

She paused and looked at me with her beautiful eyes.

"Do you think we can do that?"

"Like I said, I can't say no to you," I said. The answer must have surprised her because she burst out laughing.

"How did you know I was home in the afternoon anyway?" I asked.

"Saw your bike. See, I'm observant like that."

"You have a lot of hidden talents, Mrs. Y."

"Shush!" she said.

"Make me," I teased.

She came closer and, with a determined expression, placed her hand over my mouth. We were close... she was still smiling but didn't break my gaze... I pried her hand from my mouth and kissed it.

She let out a long sigh... her eyes softened... she didn't resist as I pulled her until our bodies pressed together. She looked at me with lips parted. I lowered my head, and we kissed. It felt like fire raging through my body as our tongues searched for each other. She pulled hard with her arms to find leverage to bring us closer. I could hear her disjointed breaths and satisfied moans as our hands explored each other.

We finally broke apart after the first wave of passion had been partially sated. She looked at the balcony and apartments outside and said: "Not here."

I took her by the arm into my bedroom, where she took off her top with my help and sat back on my bed. I worked her hook, and her bra loosened and slacked to her flat stomach. I kissed her erect nipples and nuzzled her gorgeous breasts between long, passionate kisses. I loved the way her body reacted to my prolonged oral explorations of her soft, fragrant skin.

She stroked my swollen cock through my shorts, and I stepped off the bed to take them off. She sighed that cute sigh of hers again—of someone who's about to taste the most exotic of delicacies. She wasted no time in taking me into her warm mouth as she ran her tongue along the underside of my cock.

As hard as I tried, I couldn't control myself, and ropes of white cum shot out of my penis, falling on her neck, face, and hair.

She looked at me, a slight flash of anger? I wasn't sure. But to forestall any recrimination, I kissed her again. I whispered sweet words in her ear and caressed her body, this time a little more patiently. Slipping my hand into her shorts, I rubbed her through her panties, eliciting whimpering moans that made me rock hard again.

I ran my finger over her pussy, pressing hard against her clit at the end of every stroke. She started grinding her pelvis against my fingers. I increased my speed, thrusting my fingers into her pussy, cupping her breast with the other hand, until her body pulsed with ecstasy. She finally relaxed and turned her face, demanding another kiss.

I laid her back on the bed, covering her with kisses. When I looked at her again, she had a smile on her face.

"Was I good?"

I kissed her in response.

"Was I good?" I whispered. "Better than your husband?"

She pushed me back. "Don't you ever dare mention my husband."

I rubbed my cock against her pussy. She breathed heavily... trying to pull me inside her, looking at me with anger and brazen desire.

"Tell me," I said again, resisting her attempts. "Was I better?"

She paused. "Yes..." A half smile appeared on her face. "There, I said it. Now don't push your luck, and come fuck me."

I eased into her and did as she asked... we fucked until we were sweaty and raw. I turned her into different positions so I could kiss her mouth, breasts, hold her hips, and pull her towards me with every stroke.

She stroked her pussy and fixed her attention on me until we orgasmed together in a flood of cum and hormones. Spent, we finally pulled apart. But I still could not take my eyes off her. Naked and covered with a sheen of sweat, she looked like the archetype of some nature goddess.

"You ruined my hair," she said, pulling the strands apart. "Oh god, look at the time," she said, getting up in a hurry.

"I can fix your hair at least."

She was quiet.

"It'll be so sad to wash up all alone after this," she said.

We went into the shower together, and she closed her eyes as I rubbed shampoo into her hair. I held her lithe body close, intoxicated by her. We let the water wash away our sins as we committed new ones. With a towel draped around her head, she sat on the edge of the bed.

I knelt down near her and kissed her knees. She kissed the top of my head and parted her legs. I kissed her thighs as her grip on my hair tightened. My tongue trailed along her thighs, and her body tensed as my lips closed on her womanhood.

"Yes, baby." She breathed and lay back, guiding my head and tongue over the most sensitive parts of her pussy. I ravaged her clit with the tip of my tongue, tugging at it between my teeth. She shuddered and groaned in an aching voice.

"Cum for me, baby," I told her. "Cum on my tongue. I want to taste your nectar."

She moaned and introduced her finger into the dance between my tongue and her clit. Sometimes I'd suck her finger, and sometimes lick her clit. Together we intensified the assault on her senses until she writhed and bucked under my ministrations. Her hips arched as waves of pleasure wracked her beautiful body, and her juices saturated my tongue.

I climbed into bed with her, my cock heavy and engorged, swaying between my legs.

She scampered further up the bed, parting her legs eagerly to welcome me back inside her. As I slid inside her moist warmth, she embraced me with her whole body. We became locked together in a frenzied rhythm, not caring to think, or speak, or even breathe as we fucked.

The air filled with the scent of our coupling and the lurid sound of our bodies slapping together, our grunts and moans. Our bodies discovered richer and deeper veins of pleasure than we had ever experienced before.

"I want you," she said, looking at me with glazed, desperate eyes.

I came inside her a second time, and she climaxed a moment later. I rolled off her, and we kissed lying side by side, not wanting the moment to end and the world to come flooding back in.

We held it off for a while, but eventually it did.

"It felt incredible," she said, smiling at me. "But I don't know what to do."

"We'll figure it out," I told her.

She smiled at me. The smile that had bewitched me from the moment we first met. She got up and, after a moment in the shower, came out and began getting dressed.

"You were fantastic," I told her.

"You were not too bad yourself," she replied, a mild hint of amusement in her voice.

As she dressed, I became aware of my own nakedness.

"You should put something on," she said, getting her phone and going through the notifications that had rung out during our encounter.

"Why? Am I turning you on?"

"Kind of," she said, running her tongue over her lips. "If we're going to do this, then there have to be ground rules," she said with a sternness in her face that I hadn't seen before.

"Of course."

"The most important rule is that I always message first," she said, her face relaxing a bit.

"I'll try to resist the temptation."

"Good. Then see you soon." She gave me a chaste peck on the cheek and smiled. I was falling for her. It made no sense, but I was.