"It's Happiness Day today. What makes you happy?"
Lisa had been asking the question for an hour to passers-by outside the station and was beginning to feel a little weary.
Martin hadn't seen Lisa leap out from the shadows with her microphone, but once she told him he was live on air, he felt the quickest, polite way to escape was to answer.
"Waking up and realising I'm not dead."
Lisa was no stranger to eliciting opinions on the street, but she respected the fact that Martin had made her giggle when she hadn't expected.
Lisa told her listeners that she felt Martin's reply was a fitting finale to her quest to find out the thoughts of the town's people and announced the show was returning to the studio she was standing outside.
"Thank you for that. Before your contribution, it was getting to feel like hard work," Lisa told Martin, having seen him standing at the bus stop opposite her workplace.
"You're welcome," Martin replied with a smile.
As Lisa returned Martin's smile, her incurable curiosity surfaced, as it often did. She felt her unsolved mystery would play on her mind, too, if she didn't spend at least a minute trying to address the situation.
"I steal a living talking briefly to complete strangers, but, as all the best stalkers say, I feel I know you from somewhere," Lisa said with a giggle.
Martin joined Lisa in her laughter and felt her question deserved an answer in a similar vein.
"A fellow stalker would expect me to invite them for a drink so two of a kind could get to the bottom of this riddle. I wouldn't want to disappoint, so where are you taking me?" Martin asked, reasonably confident that Lisa understood his humour and wasn't going to call over the radio station's security guard and ask him to throw a random chancer across the street.
As soon as they sat down in a nearby cafe, Martin and Lisa began solving the mystery. Martin explained that his poor memory wouldn't be much help, although Lisa's greater ability came to the rescue far more quickly than either of them had anticipated.
"That woman who used to complain to you about having to travel so far to get a foot in the door in her new career as a broadcaster? Do you remember her never shutting up when she talked to you on the train when you went home on Saturdays after meeting up with your friends?" Lisa said triumphantly.
Despite his poor memory. Martin was delighted to be able to place himself in the scene she had described.
"It's a schoolboy error to say so and cut things short, but, astonishingly, my daft brain actually has managed to dig that from the swamp inside it," Martin replied, happy his memory had worked properly for once and hoping Lisa realised she had inadvertently made his day.
Lisa saw the delight in Martin's eyes and had no doubt that his joy was genuine. Although things hadn't worked out as she had hoped in some respects since she last saw Martin, Lisa was delighted to have an excuse to think about the gamble she had taken work-wise and how it had paid off.
"I probably complained most of the time to you when we chatted. At least I've put the travelling, my idiot of an ex, and my other baggage behind me, so you should be safe this time," Lisa said happily.
Listening to Lisa's light-hearted guess at how their conversations had gone reminded Martin of how he would have felt happy to hear her reading from the phone book when they had chatted previously. His life had changed greatly, too, but he still remembered the awkwardness he displayed at that time, an awkwardness he had at least managed to mask with humour in recent years.
Martin explained that he would have probably been happy just to see a friendly face whenever Lisa spoke to him. He also added that he was glad he had decided to be his cheeky self these days and let people take or leave that as they saw fit.
"That's probably why I thought I'd make a mistake when you mentioned stalkers and invited me for a drink," Lisa said with a look of relief.
As their conversation continued, Martin discovered Lisa's lifestyle had changed her outlook on friendship, especially after it had been tested during the unhappy stages of her past relationship.
"I've discovered that having two versions of myself works best. Most of those who know me through work wouldn't recognise the playful me, and I'm sure the reverse is also true. Sticking that microphone in your face would normally have decided your fate, but you're sitting here drinking coffee with me, and I'm in a quandary now." Lisa explained
Martin responded to what he had heard by telling Lisa he was sorry if his words sounded casual to her, but it was his way, and he hoped she understood. Lisa told Martin to say how he saw it and that it would be worth it just to hear him show how much easier he found speaking his mind than when they had previously met.
"I might still think about the consequences if I plan to do something, but my thoughts now focus on the chances of something nice happening rather than being crippled with worry about everything going wrong. It still does go wrong sometimes, of course, but I just accept there was a possibility it might and then move on." Martin said confidently.
Lisa made no effort to disguise her excitement at hearing Martin express himself in the way he had. She had been in situations before where all it would have taken was for someone to speak in the way Martin had just done, and their evening might have turned out very differently. Martin would not have been on her list to be the one to nail it, at least not the version of him she had encountered years earlier, but he had.
"Our previous meetings may have been brief. This one will be, too, but if I'm going to shift someone from the work to the play club, this has got the best chance of turning out well as I'm ever going to get." Lisa said with a grin.
***
Despite having made significant progress in self-belief since they first met, Martin still found it hard to believe Lisa was suggesting she had more than a trip down memory lane in mind with him. Martin had explained how he had changed, and Lisa felt that doing the same might answer some of the questions she thought were understandable Martin would have.
"Your journey was one that took you to optimism. Mine led me to an understanding that what's important can change. Make me laugh, feel important and feel sexy, and I'm not bothered if you're a Doctor of Fuckology, a contortionist or powered by a suitcase of Duracell. If someone does those things, it's special to me, and that's just as true if I see them once and never again as it is if they've been on the approved list for years. Someone who I'm well-placed to judge has come a long way? That's exactly the baggage-free escape I need right now.!
Lisa didn't subscribe to any particular theory about why certain things happened, but she did believe that coincidence at the level she was experiencing was foolish to ignore. If she had to set the agenda, so be it, but it would be based on something both she and Martin felt was achievable, and this needed input from both sides.
"I think a really good rummage around my toybox and making me giggle with a few of my favourites would be a splendid way to mark your crossover." Lisa began.
"At the risk of sounding like a 'yes man,' that sounds absolutely spot on," Martin replied.
"That's a wise call. I shall find a good way to show my appreciation for that," Lisa responded with a giggle and an admission that the discussion had already filled her with anticipation.
The discussion over what was planned fuelled Lisa's good-natured impatience to take Martin home with her and explore the opportunity that presented itself. The item on the agenda that had been agreed upon sounded exciting, and knowing it was something Martin shared her enthusiasm over was even more so.
"Patience might be a virtue, but now's not the time for that. You and I have a playdate, and I want us to go home and play with my toys!" Lisa shouted, perhaps a little louder than she had intended.
Once they had left the cafe, Lisa led Martin to her flat. Both of them knew there was a possibility of people they knew seeing them, but they were on a mission, and interruptions merely took the form of nodding acknowledgment and no more.
Lisa and Martin's arrival at their destination saw them hurry inside. Lisa shouted, 'Let's get naked!' at her playmate as she closed the door to her flat, setting the tone for everything that followed.
As Martin finished first with the task, he was dispatched to the bedroom, Lisa arriving a moment later and almost running to retrieve her toybox and its treasured mischief.
"More fun than collecting stamps or coins, I suspect," Martin said as Lisa handed him the first vibrator she wanted him to use. She also placed a second within reach so it could be called into action should it be decided it was needed or just a fun idea.
Martin fired up Lisa's opening choice and made sure he had selected a setting that was to her liking. His selection received a nod of approval, after which Martin knelt between Lisa's legs and focused his mind on the task at hand.
Lisa's face shone with a smile as soon as she felt the tip of her toy against her waiting lips. Martin smiled back, allowing a brief moment for Lisa to enjoy the first sensations before easing the vibrator slowly inside her body.
"Perfect," Lisa said, eager to ensure Martin knew exactly when he was on the mark in his desire to please her.
Lisa was as pleased by Martin's complete commitment to maximising her enjoyment as she was by its effect. She was in the company of someone who genuinely got satisfaction from knowing she was happy and aroused. He would respond to any guidance as a means to help him improve rather than criticise or dismiss what he offered.
Martin's softly spoken inquiry to ascertain if Lisa felt ready for an increase in tempo came just as she had been about to suggest it. Lisa knew that to many, such things might seem minor details, be missed, or be seen as unimportant, but the question meant the world to her.
"If you insist," Lisa said with laughter, passing Martin her second vibrator and guiding him to exactly where she wanted it to sit as the main mover slid further into her body with a little extra vigor.
"Perfect with knobs on!" Lisa said with a giggle of pure mischief that found Martin doing similar.
The joy of Lisa's gathering excitement was matched by her delight over Martin's confidence in his work to please her. He wasn't someone she needed to judge on criteria different from others; he was making her feel as excited as anyone had done, regardless of their experience or expertise.
Although Lisa made her own rules when it came to how she enjoyed what others were able to offer, as her pleasure intensified. she realised something truly unexpected and wonderful was happening. The pictures in her head weren't of scenes of wild encounters of the past, as was generally the case; they were of the friendship of the past she had enjoyed with Martin and of his welcome transition into the select group she trusted to please her, something few could achieve.
The words to share her feelings would not have come out as intended had Lisa tried, but it made every movement she enjoyed lift her to heights she knew she would need to explain once she had relished every moment.
Martin needed no prompting from Lisa to advise him that she was heading towards something special. He noted her breathlessness, together with the noises of arousal that tripped from her mouth, and his determination was absolute.
"I'm...I'm so close," Lisa said, between erotic sounds, as her body twitched and welcomed the heat of excitement within.
Hearing Lisa's words spurred Martin on, and he pushed against her body with the toy as Lisa's muscles gripped tightly around it. Martin had no thoughts other than delivering Lisa's climax, and when he did so to a shuddering spasm of release, Lisa sent out a shriek of joy, followed by laughter, which replaced the words she was entirely lost for.
Whatever the background to Lisa's pleasure, the unmistakable truth was a climax of depth and power had possessed her that she found as wonderful as it was unexpected. Bright lights had overtaken the pictures of her past in her mind, and the erotic energy in her body was beautiful and relentless in its chaotic force.
Lisa greeted the next intense wave of her climax with a loud and high-pitched squeal she could barely believe was her own. The need? The situation? Lisa would have had no explanation, but she was too focused on its cause and the unexpected level of joy to analyse or to care.
Martin remained focused on his efforts to excite and please Lisa, ensuring she could enjoy further rhythms of wonderful sensation that raced beautifully around her entire body. The opportunity to enjoy something that would be there for as long as she needed it wasn't to be wasted, and Lisa took it gleefully and with Martin's blessing.
Despite Lisa's belief that experiences couldn't and shouldn't be judged against one another, there was little doubt in her mind that, in terms of exceeding expectations, what she had enjoyed with Martin had been exceptional. It did not surprise her in the least that she didn't have to ask Martin to hold her closely to enjoy her climbdown from climax. These things needed qualities as a person to initiate, not sexual prowess, self-assurance, or bravado to understand.
***
When Lisa awoke to see Martin looking at her, she smiled and eased a slow kiss onto his lips. She had every intention of making him aware of how much she had enjoyed what they had shared, but she felt this was the most fitting way to begin.
"I'm not sure you can play the shy boy card to end up here anymore, Martin, but you've plenty of other tricks up your sleeve, as I found out," Lisa said with a grin. She also explained that seeing Martin so aroused at her excitement had left her envious, as well as curious to find out if she could enjoy something similar.
"I'll make us a coffee, and you can decide what I have to do to join your 'excited by giving' club," Lisa said, her humour disguising a genuine need to discover what made Martin tick.
Although he felt sure Lisa understood he expected nothing outside what she had already shared with him, Martin sensed Lisa's light-hearted question was based on something she thought was important. Lisa knew that if she framed her curiosity in the way she had done, it would also present her desire to excite him in a way that Martin could feel more comfortable about if he saw it as another way to please her.
"Is telling you to do whatever you'd enjoy that you think I'd like best a cop-out? It might tell me how well you've sussed me out." Martin asked with a smile.
Rather than seeing it as a failure to speak his mind, Lisa understood it was Martin being himself. She wanted nothing else but that.
"I suppose some people might judge it that way, but probably not if the same picture had come into their head as mine as soon as you spoke, Martin. I'll get those coffees made," Lisa said with a giggle of mischief.
Lisa felt that keeping an air of mystery in what she had planned needed Martin's approval, and he had no hesitation in confirming that it was a threat in itself. As Martin wondered what awaited, Lisa was already full of anticipation of her idea coming to life.
"I'm super horny and ready when you are," Lisa said as she arranged pillows in line with her vision of what was to happen.
Before lying on the bed, Lisa and Martin stood beside it and enjoyed a slow kiss. Once over, Lisa directed Martin to his position, which would allow them to be top-to-toe next to each other.
"It's time for us to let our lips and tongues bring joy," Lisa announced, making sure she and Martin were lined up so their kisses would fall exactly where she felt they needed to.
"By the way, I'm not stopping unless you tell me to, whatever happens, or when. If you play by those rules too, nobody needs to worry about anything at all," Lisa said as she reached for Martin's waiting cock and felt his touch easing gently inside her in response.
Martin began a slow and gentle massage, his movements bringing erotic sound as it met with Lisa's wet excitement. Lisa's final thought told him everything he needed to know and served as a reminder of just what a few well-chosen words could achieve.
Within seconds, the sound of Lisa's erotic giggles and Martin's gasps of pleasure filled the bedroom. Feeling Martin erect and pulsating between her fingertips gave every flick of his tongue inside Lisa's body delivered extra pleasure to her, and Lisa's slow, soft massage felt as beautiful to Martin as anything he could remember having done before.
Lisa's body was excited by Martin's lips, and she ensured he got a sense of this with her own attention. Her lips slid over his cock to a noise of joy from Martin, although he kept his lips and tongue in place in his concentrated work to please.
The pleasure Martin felt as soon as Lisa closed her lips and began to work on him launched his excitement to another level. Lisa's earlier words had freed Martin from any fretfulness, and he enjoyed everything he gave and received with equal enthusiasm.
Recognising Martin had taken her reassurances to heart, Lisa stuck enthusiastically to her own task. Martin did his best to follow suit, although Lisa cut him some slack as the inevitable happened, and he sent a river of erotic flow between her lips that saw her shudder with delight.
Martin's release made every movement he made on Lisa thereafter feel even more special to her than they had before. Lisa could feel the tell-tale signs of her own climax gathering forces, and the return of Martin's kisses inside her body escalated her arousal wonderfully.
When Lisa began her work to re-awaken Martin's arousal, her efforts were almost immediately successful. The joy of knowing she would be pleasuring Martin when she reached climax was absolute, and with Martin having begun to draw strong kisses inside her body, Lisa wanted Martin to be similarly aroused when he took her to climax.
Combined efforts and concentration saw both Lisa and Martin speed towards climax together. They did so with energy, enthusiasm, and a great deal of noise, and when a shared shout announced a synchronised climax, it filled their hearts with a joy they knew they'd treasure forever.
Martin swirled, sucked, and kissed Lisa's writhing body as she kept her lips busy on Martin. Lisa felt tears of joy fall on her reddened cheeks, whilst Martin felt his heart racing as he fought to keep everything making some kind of sense in his erotically confused state.
As Lisa and Martin writhed, laughed, squirmed, and shouted together, the absence of words or eye contact changed nothing. They knew what their experience meant to one another, and that was what counted. It was time spent in their world and living by their own shared rules and nothing would have made it better, it could not have been.
Just as they had done previously, Martin and Lisa reflected on what they had shared during time spent in each other's arms. Martin told Lisa the vision she had seen of what they had brought to life had been a moment of genius and Lisa admitted that, at the risk of self-congratulation, sheesas forced to agree.
Once Martin and Lisa had showered and dressed, Martin prepared to return home. As he did so, he asked Lisa what, if anything, she saw happening next between them. It was a question Lisa had already asked herself in the shower, but hearing Martin bring up the subject reminded her of how much he had blossomed.
"I absolutely want us to have days and nights like these. At some point, that might not be enough for you, but I'm sure you'll tell me if that's the case and I'll understand. What we have is something that seems to work well for us both and some people spend a lifetime looking for that and never find it." Lisa explained.
Martin didn't feel there was anything he could add to what he had heard, in terms of plans for the future, although he did in terms of how Lisa had delivered her thoughts.
"Realistic goals are always the most achievable. We planned what we were going to do with them and it worked, so using them for planning the future makes sense too." Martin replied.
The world might have wanted a fairytale, but it got reality instead. The reality wasn't always as smooth as life is portrayed in a fairytale, but they probably had more laughs than Cinderella. She'd have blushed a little at some of their further adventures too.
