The ancient, tattered vinyl in the booths was permanently sticky. The air hung heavy with the scent of cheap beer. Neon signs over the bar buzzed, and conversations boomed. Harper sighed, the sound lost in the clatter of pool balls and the tinny twang of a country song bleeding from the jukebox. Alfredo’s was a place that the regulars loved and most everybody else avoided. Harper wasn’t a regular.

The woman stirred the straw in her half-finished soda, the ice clinking against the glass. “One large special, extra olives,” she’d told the man behind the bar, the words an echo of her husband’s request. He loved this place and constantly raved about the “authentic, old-school” pizza. Harper found it greasy and marginally more tolerable than the bar where it came from. Still, it was his night to pick the place for dinner, so she reluctantly agreed to stop in and pick up one to go on her way home from work.

As she waited for her pizza to arrive from the kitchen, the vacant stool next to her scraped against the worn tile, and she felt the familiar shift of someone settling in. Without turning her head, she knew what was coming. Another guy. It was always another guy. She wasn’t blind. She knew she was… noticeable. Harper would never call herself beautiful, even if it was a word she’d heard used to describe her looks more than once. For her, that word felt too fragile, too easily dismissed. She was more of a force, a storm of dark curls and piercing green eyes, a presence that drew attention like a moth to a flame.

“Rough day?” The voice was smooth, with a practiced drawl.

Harper took a deep breath and slowly turned to face her new neighbor, a forced smile already forming. He was unremarkable, just another guy in a bar trying to pick her up. She raised her left hand from its place on her glass, letting the gold wedding band catch the bar’s dim light. “Nope. Just picking up a pizza for me and my husband.”

The newcomer didn’t flinch. “That’s nice. He’s a lucky guy.” He leaned closer, the scent of cheap cologne assaulting her nostrils. “So, do you come here often?”

Her expression soured, and she rolled her eyes in frustration. Most men got the hint by this point. Most men weren’t this persistent. “Just tonight,” she said, her voice flat.

He chuckled, a low rumble that grated on her nerves. “Come on, enjoy the moment. There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly conversation while you wait for that pizza. It’s harmless.”

Harper’s lips tightened. She was about to deliver a carefully crafted dismissal, the kind that left no room for misunderstanding, when she paused.

Harmless.

It really would be harmless to have a friendly conversation with the stranger. It wasn’t like he was trying to drag her off to the woods or anything. Plus, it had been a long day at work, and it would be nice to vent a little bit before going home to her husband, who would be more interested in the game on TV than her problems with the copier. She looked up at him again as he stared at her, smiling.

“Fine,” she said softly. "What do you want to talk about?"

“How about we start with introductions?” He extended his arm for a handshake. “Name’s Reuben. You know, like the sandwich.”

Harper chuckled, shaking the person’s hand. “Harper,” she smiled.

“Oh, so like, um, someone who plays a harp,” Reuben said with a grin.

For the next several minutes, Harper and Reuben chatted away. Harper found herself secretly pleased that she decided to give in and chat. Reuben actually turned out to be an interesting guy, and he even seemed more than happy to listen to her go on about her workplace drama. Their conversation went so well that when her pizza arrived, Reuben pointed out that it would be harmless to chat a while longer, and Harper readily agreed.

About a half an hour later, Harper checked her phone and let out a little gasp. “Oh, crap. I completely lost track of time. Theo’s going to wonder why I’m not home yet. Well, it was enjoyable chatting with you, Reuben.”

“Hang on,” Reuben interjected before she got up from the barstool. “Before you go, why don’t you give me your phone number? It’d be harmless to chat again sometime soon.”

She let out a sigh. Usually if somebody asked for her number, she’d shoot him down. But something about his request just felt… harmless. Reaching in her purse, she grabbed a pen and scrawled her number on a napkin before sliding it over to Reuben. “There,” she said. “Don’t think you’re getting anything more than some friendly conversation, though.”

“I’d never dream of it,” he smiled.

Later that evening, Harper was busy doing laundry when her cell phone started to ring. Digging it out from under the pile of towels she’d tossed on the counter, she looked at the caller ID and furrowed her brow at the unfamiliar number. Not one to screen her calls, she pressed the button and answered the phone with a friendly greeting.

“I wondered if you’d pick up on the first try,” came a familiar voice.

“Reuben?” she asked. “Geez, you don’t waste any time, do you? It’s been, what, two hours?”

“Nearly three. Give me some credit. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t get into too much trouble for getting home late.”

“Nah,” she admitted. “Theo was a little pissed that the pizza was cold, but I tossed it in the oven for a few minutes and he got over it.”

“That’s good to hear. Can’t say I blame him, though. Pizza by Alfredo is bad enough when it’s hot.”

Harper let out a chuckle. “Yeah, it’s definitely not my favorite.”

“So, do you and hubby have any big plans for the rest of the night?”

“Not really. Knowing my husband, he’s going to be on the sofa watching the sports network until he passes out. I’ve got some laundry to finish, then I was going to do some dishes and doomscroll on social media until it’s bedtime. Exciting lives we lead, huh?”

“Boring,” he replied. “I’ve got a much better idea. Why don’t you drop what you’re doing and come over to my place for a while? I’ve got a deck of cards and some homemade cheesecake that’ll knock your socks off.”

“What?!” Harper asked, her tone somewhat harsher than she intended. “Look, Reuben, you’re fun to chat with and all, but I told you, I’m only interested in chatting. That’s it. There's no way I'm going to your house. Now, if all you’re going to do is try to ask me over, then I—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” came Reuben’s voice over the phone. “Take it easy there. I wasn’t trying to ruffle your feathers. I just thought you’d like to get away from your boredom. Coming to my place would be much better than hanging out at your place, and it’s totally harmless fun, I swear. Now, are you sure I can’t convince you to come by? I’m telling you, my cheesecake is to die for.”

A long, heavy silence hung in the air as Harper considered his words. Maybe she was overreacting. It’s not like he was being a jerk or anything. The pizza was barely palatable, and she was probably going to have to find something else to eat, anyway. Seeing some place new really would be fun, and like he said, it was harmless.

Harper let out a sigh. “I guess I’ll think about it,” she finally grumbled into the phone.

“Super! I’ll text you the address in a minute. See you soon!”

Before she could respond, the phone went dead. Just as Reuben promised, his address came in a text message a minute later. Harper stared at the message for a minute, wondering if she was losing her mind. Yesterday, if someone had asked her if she’d ever give her number to somebody in a bar and then go on over to his house a couple of hours later, she’d have laughed in their face. Now, the more she thought about slipping out for some cheesecake and a game of cards at Reuben’s place, the more she wanted to do it. There was just something about Reuben, she decided. Something compelling, but at the same time completely harmless. It definitely made him interesting.

Tossing the unfinished portion of her laundry back in the basket, Harper went into the living room to grab her purse and jacket. Sure enough, Theo was on the sofa, beer in hand, watching some game on TV.

“Hey, babe,” he muttered as she walked past, his eyes never leaving the screen.

“Hi, honey. Hey, a, um, friend asked me if I could come hang out, so I think I’m going to their house for a bit.”

“Have fun,” he mumbled, still staring at the game taking place on the screen.

With her black leather jacket pulled over her shoulders and her purse in hand, Harper headed out the door. A few minutes later, she pulled up to an unfamiliar, very upscale-looking house in one of the nicer neighborhoods in town. Confirming the address on her phone, Harper walked up to the porch, pressed the doorbell, and waited quietly. A moment later the door swung open, and she was greeted with the sight of Reuben’s smiling face.

“There she is!” Reuben pushed the door open and stood to the side, gesturing for the woman to come in. “Glad you could make it.”

“Thanks,” Harper replied, her eyes scanning the spacious, well-decorated living room. “Nice place.”

“Thanks. Here, let me take your purse and jacket.” Reuben stepped behind her, helping her out of her jacket before placing it in a nearby closet along with her purse. Turning back to Harper with a smile, he added, “Anything else you want to take off while you’re at it?”

“Har har,” she replied flatly, crossing her arms. “Don’t go getting any ideas, mister. I’m here for cheesecake and a game of cards. That’s it.”

“Of course, of course. Follow me; I finished plating up the cheesecake just before you got here.”

Reuben turned and started walking through the house. As Harper followed him, she continued checking out the house. It was definitely a lot nicer than she’d assumed it would be, with expensive-looking furniture and stylish art hung on the walls.

“Here we are,” Reuben announced as they entered a sitting room with plush seating and a large fireplace. Stepping up to a small buffet table, Reuben grabbed one of the two small plates sitting there with a fork and a piece of cheesecake, handing it to Harper. “Feel free to sit anywhere you’d like.”

Taking the plate, Harper looked over the room, finally choosing a spot on the sofa nearest the fireplace. Grabbing his plate, Reuben walked over to the same sofa Harper picked and sat down right next to her. Harper looked at Reuben’s smiling face and rolled her eyes.

“What?” Reuben asked with a chuckle.

“I think you know what,” she said with a little laugh. “You’ve got a room full of furniture, and you just had to plop down right next to me.”

“Well, of course I did. Who wouldn’t want to sit next to such a beautiful woman?”

“Come on, now,” Harper replied, slightly irritated. “I told you already, I’m here for dessert and cards, not for you to practice your cringey pickup lines. If you can’t stick to that, maybe I should get going.”

Reuben’s smile never wavered. “Oh, come now, Harper, it’s completely harmless for the two of us to flirt. You know you find me incredibly attractive.”

As his words left his mouth, Harper couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed. How could he know her so well? Of course she found him attractive. Who wouldn’t? He had a valid point, she realized. He thinks she’s cute. She thinks he’s hot. Where’s the harm in some innocent flirting? It’s not like he was asking to bend her over the sofa and fuck her senseless.

Harper’s eyes met Reuben’s as a smile materialized on her face. “You know what? You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry, Reuben. I guess I got a little over-defensive because guys hit on me all the time, and it seems like they all want the same thing. I should relax and just enjoy your company, shouldn’t I?”

“Don’t worry, my dear,” Reuben said. “I’ll let you make it up to me in the customary fashion.”

Harper giggled. “Oh, the customary fashion, eh? And what exactly is the customary fashion in this situation?”

“It’s nothing too severe. All you have to do is climb into my lap and make out with me. It’s totally harmless.”

Harper stared into Reuben’s eyes, her smile gone. The look he was giving her told her everything she needed to know. She considered telling him to get lost and getting out of there. She was happily married, and she knew what he was asking was going too far. Before she could form her words, though, something occurred to her.

This was harmless.

Reuben could have asked for many things. He could have asked to see her tits. He could have asked for a blowjob. He could have asked to fuck. All he really wanted was a little makeout session. Compared to everything else, it seemed harmless. Sure, she didn’t usually go this far with near-total strangers, but it’s not like it would be all that bad if she did.

Harper set her plate down on the end table, her lips curling into a grin. She turned her head toward Reuben and took his plate, setting it next to hers. With the desserts set aside, she turned and straddled Reuben, grabbing him by the shoulders.

“So, Reuben wants a makeout session, does he?” Harper gave the man a sexy grin as she leaned in closer, letting her lips hover just above his. “Maybe I can make that happen,” she breathed.

An instant later, Harper pressed her lips against Reuben’s, and almost immediately her tongue slipped into his mouth as they began making out passionately. Reuben wrapped his arms around the woman, drawing her closer and eliciting a moan as his hands started roaming up and down her back. As their kissing continued, Harper felt Reuben’s erection pressing into her, turning her on and causing her to groan into his mouth.

After a couple of minutes, their kisses started winding down. When their last kiss concluded, Harper slowly drew back from Reuben, cheeks flushed and panting as she smiled into his eyes. “Well, that was lovely,” she purred. “You’re a good kisser.”

“So are you,” Reuben grinned. “In fact, as good as you are at sucking lips, I think it would be totally harmless if you got topless and showed me what kind of skills you’ve got when it comes to sucking dick.”

With as turned on as she was, Harper only had to think about his words for a moment before she knew what she wanted to do. Normally, if someone apart from her husband wanted to see her tits, she’d tell him off. If he was so forward as to ask for a blowjob, she’d probably punch him. But coming from Reuben, she had to admit that it seemed completely harmless. She was already so turned on, and it was clear from the bulge pressing against her that the guy was packing. She wanted to see it, and what better way to do just that than giving him a little head?

“You’re so naughty.” Harper smiled, her fingers beginning to work loose the buttons holding her blouse shut. “You know what? I kinda like it.”

A moment later, Harper’s shirt was completely unbuttoned, and she was shrugging it off her shoulders. With her shirt lost to the floor, she reached behind her back, unclasped her bra, and slipped it over her shoulders. Grinning at Reuben, she slowly lowered her bra, allowing her tits to come fully into view.

“Fuck, those are glorious,” Reuben breathed.

Harper smiled at the man’s declaration, then slipped down to her knees in front of him. Reuben slid forward on the sofa, unbuckling his belt and opening up his pants. Harper reached out, grabbing Reuben’s waistband and giving it a tug. A moment later, his pants were on the floor, and Harper had transitioned to removing his underwear.

She let out a gasp as Reuben’s cock came into view. It was even bigger than she’d expected. As much as she loved her husband, she had to admit that he couldn’t compare to the package Reuben was toting. She knew she wouldn’t go further than giving Reuben a blowjob, but at the same time, she couldn’t help but wonder what a monster like that would feel like inside her.

Leaning forward, the woman pressed her lips against his cockhead, giving it a little kiss and moving back once more. Her eyes roamed up and down the massive shaft, taking in every bump and vein. Lifting her eyes up to Reuben’s, she could see the expectant look behind his smile. Smiling back at him, she leaned forward again, maintaining eye contact as she pressed her lips up against his tip and slowly took him into her hot, wet mouth. As he entered her mouth, her tongue swirled around his shaft, eliciting groans of approval from the man. She pushed further and further, taking him as deep in her mouth as she could, until he was bumping against the back of her throat.

Once she had taken as much of his cock as she could, Harper began slowly bobbing back and forth. Reuben let out a groan, and Harper increased her pace, working her lips faster and faster. Before long, she was going down on him with wild abandon, slamming her lips down on him as hard and as fast as she could. Reuben grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her even deeper than she’d previously gone. Harper gagged and groaned, loving the way he had begun face-fucking her. Soon, she felt Reuben begin thrusting his hips, really getting into it.

“Oh, fuck,” Reuben said a few moments later, pulling Harper off his cock and looking into her eyes. “You suck cock...