The Coworkers Long Business Trip (Closed for Initiate_me)

[Cliffhere4fun]

As they left the first customer's building, Scott Grantsighed in tired relief. “Well, that took a lot longer than it should have.” He knew it was an understatement and his riding partner knew as well. Worse than the third 12 hour day in a row as they had a five-hour drive ahead of them and another install to go this week. Scott had called Petersons Printing to tell them of a day's delay, which gave them only two days for this next install.

As they got in the car, Scott shook his head. His wife Amy had expressed concern about him traveling with L on this trip. Not that Amy was the jealous type or that Scott was the type to chase other women. It was simply the fact that he was traveling with a very attractive woman. He said to himself, “Amy if you could see us now.”

Heading down the road, He couldn't help but listen to L talk to her hubby. Scott would call Amy when they stopped for dinner later. He just wanted to get going. He could tell L was just as tired. He hoped the people at Peterson's were more cooperative.

 

[Initiate_me]

Less than a year of marriage and Laura already hated the constant talk about household chores, things the neighbours were doing, who her husband had met at the grocery store. She felt bad for feeling bored with all of that domestic bliss, but she couldn't help it. And why did he have to give her so much detail on this crap, when he knew she was away for work?

She tactfully steered the conversation to a natural(ish) conclusion and hung up, exhaled and rested her head against the window. It had been a long day, and it wasn't over yet, no sir. She was desperate for the hotel- a bath, some wine, to lie on the bed and watch TV mindlessly... but she knew she hadn't quite made it yet. Focus.

She looked over at Scott. "I'm so fucking tired," she said.

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott agreed, "We have to get the people in sales to give realistic expectations with these presses. These long days fucking suck." He then let out a long sigh as they drove on. He suggested to Laura that she take a quick nap.

Small talk delayed that but soon Laura drifted off. Scott drove and thankfully traffic was light. He managed to keep pace with a small group of vehicles that flew down the highway. This really helped cut down the travel time.

When Laura woke, he grinned at her. "No you weren't out that long. We are just making great time. Was thinking we skip stopping for dinner at this point. We can shower and meet up for dinner. There are a few good places within walking distance." Scott then yawned, he was ready to get out of the rental.

 

[Initiate_me]

"Yeah that sounds good to me." Laura stretched and yawned. She knew if she'd been out here with her husband, they would have been arguing by now. That man just couldn't relax, and it was getting to her. It was nice to be away, she'd made out that the company had pressured her to take the trip, but it hadn't really gone down like that. She'd been happy to go, glad for a break. Scott seemed cool- she didn't know him well but other colleagues said he was easy company, and good fun as well.

"Yeah that sounds good to me, I'm sweaty, I'm sticky, and I'm just about done with work today already." She massaged her head through her short blonde hair. "Did they tell you it was going to be like this? I feel like they mislead me, I got the impression this was going to be easy."

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott couldn't help but laugh. "That place was the worst. They had no clue on what was required.. I wouldn't say it's easy but beats being tied up in the office."

He glanced over at Laura. He knew she was a good worker, not the lazy type. He thought about why she wanted out of the office. He really didn't know her very well he realized. Neither had been with the company all that long and he tended to not be in the office more than a week or so at a time. The guy who trained him was now training someone else. So when Laura volunteered Scott had no issue with a sexy hard worker coming along.

"Most clients are demanding but reasonable. A lot will take you out for dinner and drinks. Others." Scott shrugs, "Well, they don't want their home life interrupted."

They both saw the sign for Springfield, 25 miles. "Finally, we can clean up and relax."

 

[Initiate_me]

It was easier for Laura to relax now, knowing they weren't too far from getting a chance to have a rest. At last.

"I am so ready for a break. So ready. I bet you've had some funny things happen on these trips, right? I bet you could tell some stories?"

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott smiled. “Yeah, some good and some bad. You know Bill Dunne? The older electrician guy?” He glances over. “Well his nickname is shoelace Bill. Once he drove 3 hours to a customer with two different shoes on. Yeah, unmatching pair.” We both laugh. “Oh it’s better. Another time he drove with flip flops on. Thinking his boots were in the back.” he paused, taking the exit. “Yeah, they weren’t. So we went shopping at 7 am for work shoes.”

Finally they found the hotel. “Of course there are the what happens in Vegas type stories, but those I won’t share. I will say, remind me later and I will tell you who likes to drink a lot on the road and who Loves to hate spicy foods. But now let’s get checked in. I’m starving.”

 

[Initiate_me]

I liked Scott's stories, and it felt good to be here with him- relaxing. And I really, really needed to relax. I was looking forward to more tales of on the road chaos.

We checked in and broke to our respective rooms to freshen up, and I found myself staring into the bathroom mirror. I messed with my hair, as if I could turn a bob cut into something else. Taking a step back, I tried to imagine what my husband saw, but all I could see were the facts. A young woman, 5' 9", short blonde hair, athletic figure from an obsession with running. Small breasts, small nose, eyes a sort of.... dark blue. No idea what other people saw.

Out in the corridor Scott had been waiting, his room being just a couple of doors down.

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott quickly called home once in his room. His wife was complaining again about the neighbors loud Harley. It was typical of her, he felt, to find something to complain about. He promised to talk to him again but told her, "look it is just past eight. That's not too late." They said their goodbyes, he never told her about the long day.

Then Scott took a quick shower. In the shower he began to think about Laura. And not in a work related manner. He quickly shook his head, "stop it" he told himself. They both were married and he had never cheated on Amy. And he doubted that the slightly younger Laura would be interested anyway. Again he tried to change his line of thought.

In the mirror he saw he needed a shave, so he shaved while he took stock. His once fit body was showing signs of road life. "I need to hit the gyms in these places." Still, he wasn't overweight but he didn't see the muscle tone that he once had. He sighed. Laura was so fit and cute. And fuck, Scott was in trouble. "Just get through dinner and get back here. You are just over tired." He told himself in the mirror.

He dressed quickly after the shower and went to get Laura for dinner. The company was paying afterall, why pass on a free meal? He paced the hall. Scott was about to knock, but three times now he stopped himself. He smiled as she stepped out. "Ready?" He smiled and winked his brown eyes taking her in. "Why did I wink?" He thought.

 

[Initiate_me]

Laura smiled back at Scott, they laughed in shared relief at finally being at the hotel and finally it being time for dinner. She was pretty sure he had winked at her- surely he hadn't winked at her? Whatever.

They took the stairs down to the lobby, chatting about the hotel, and Laura quietly admired Scott's dress-sense and enjoyed his little jokes.

"Where are we going for dinner? I'm leaving you with full responsibility for the choice."

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Laura seemed to be in a better mood, as was Scott. He made a few dumb jokes, as he did a lot, as they headed out. “Tonight we are going to a local dive. But,” Scott pauses, “They have huge margaritas and great bbq and smoked turkey. Plus it’s only a block away.”

Scott gestured to the left. “You can thank Shoelace Bill when we get back. Trust me, that smoked turkey is great. Remember, the company pays for the meal.” Scott grins. “Bill and I ate like pigs and drank like fish.”

He glanced over at his companion. Scott noticed her in a way he hadn’t before. Her smile was very cute. Her hair looked perfect. He looked away, hoping he hadn’t looked too long. His mind was racing now. He was in trouble and he knew it.

 

[Initiate_me]

"Sounds good," Laura said. They strolled along the sidewalk, light steps, free of their working shackles and employment minds. Ready to unwind.

She was happy to be out with Scott. With some other colleagues this could have been an absolute disaster, or at least an extremely boring evening. But she felt like she was actually going to have fun. The sun was making its slow way down and she felt better than she had done in a long time, relieved to have some mental space away from thinking about the ups and downs of early marriage.

She thought that he seemed to be looking at her quite closely- or maybe that was just imagination. Probably was.

"Tell me about your life, Scott. We've never really worked together properly, I feel like I don't know anything about you."

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott was amazed at Jennifer's question. Did she really want to know him? The last part of her statement almost escaped him.

It didn't surprise him. He spent little time in the office. "Well, I have been with the company 10 years now." He saw her glance over at him. Few ever guessed he was 31 years old. Most thought he was maybe 28 when he asked them to guess.

"I'm 31 now, been on the road for the company for five years now. I married Amy, my wife, just before that. It's been a little rough but we make up for it."

He felt like he was rambling on as he told Jennifer about playing small college football. How his brother had gotten him on at the company and then promptly quit. Then he saw that they had arrived.

"Don't let appearances fool you." Scott said gesturing to the restaurant. He thought, "Good advice that I should take and not read too much into things."

 

[Initiate_me]

Laura was enjoying the food, it was a good pick- always fun to travel with someone who had a bit of local knowledge. The place had what she supposed was called mood lighting, and it was half full. She watched the other people eat, enjoying seeing the couples interact, the friends laugh with each other. It felt good to be chilling out, good to be off her feet and done with work, at least for a while.

They had been eating in silence, happily sating their hunger, but she took a pause to take things back to what he'd said earlier, feeling a bit bolder, wanting to know more.

"When you said it's been a little rough sometimes, with your wife... do you mine me asking how exactly? I'm newly married, so I'm trying to anticipate things where I can." She smiled and kept her tone light, trying to show that this wasn't an interrogation.

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott smiled. "The separation is rough. We make up for it when I am home but still. It can be hard to be apart." He broke off to take a bite and then another drink on his second beer. He looked around.

"The road offers a lot of temptations." He said after a moment. "More than you face at home." He wondered how many of the couples were really together and which were "hooking up" for the evening. He knew he was tired and tried not to sound it as he added, "might be best to try and make sure you hit the road only with other married people. Or risk becoming a wingman.." he let out a small chuckle, "or wing woman."

He thought about Dan and Josh, great workers but single and always horny it seemed. Dan was gone now, but he had gotten Scott to be his wingman too many times.

He didn't realize he was getting lost in thought. Only once before had he ever been tempted to step outside his vows. He stood his head and sighed.

 

[Initiate_me]

Laura nodded. "Yeah I can see that. It's good we're both married, I think I'd find it pretty boring if you spent the evening drooling after some girl in a bar." They had finished eating and Scott was quiet, clearly thinking about something, but she didn't feel like she could directly ask him about it. Even though she wanted to.

She wondered how things were at home. And if she could trust her husband. David hadn't shown any signs of wanting to cheat, but they hadn't really been apart much before in their marriage. And her mother had always said that it was in men's nature. In every man's nature.

"Shall we go to a bar or something?"

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott smirked at Laura. Smiling he said, “So you can watch me drool over some girl?” He let out a laugh and even got Laura to chuckle. When the waitress came and returned the company card and receipt to sign off on, neither could look at the other without smiling.Scott said to the waitress, who smiled back with a “Ok, Imissed a joke” look. “Thank you Becca, have a great evening.” Then the two coworkers headed out. “I then I know a bar close by.” Again, they laughed.

Soon they were walking a couple of blocks over. The sidewalk had a few other people on it and they walked without much talking. His brain telling him, “she is the only woman I want to drool over tonight” which was followed by, “Don’t be a creepy guy”.

“So is this your first time away from your Husband? Scott asked as they crossed the street, alone for the moment and not wanting to pry too much. He hoped that she would say that she missed hm and that being apart was tough, so the evil thoughts threatening in the back of his mind would die down.

 

[Initiate_me]

Laura was enjoying being out with him, enjoying the jokes and the lightness and the easy feel of it all. They walked among people she supposed were residents, and she felt herself appreciating them, appreciating the opportunity to spend time there, being a visitor. There was a freedom to that- no one here knew who they were. They could be anyone.

"Yeah, it is." She tried to think about how she felt about being away from David. How she really felt. It wasn't easy to tease the truth out. "It feels weird. But I think it's good timing, we've been arguing a bi recently. Nothing major- stupid little stuff. I think the break will do us both good to be honest. Do you enjoy being away from your wife?"

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott remembered those times he and Amy had fought before he went on the road. Those had been rough times but the sex had been incredible when he got home. Damn, why was his brain going there so much tonight?

“Some trips seem longer than others, which makes it hard. Especially with customers who have no clue on what they purchased.” He spotted the bar, just past the the old brick building they were walking beside. “My guess is you guys will forget the fight by the time you get home.” He kept himself from saying, “And jump right into bed.” He would have if she was a male coworker and if he wasn’t getting attracted to her. Then he added, “Im sure the reunion we be great for both of you.” He wondered if hitting the bar was going to be a mistake.

The place was crowded and was playing country music for the moment. As they hit the doorway, Scott took Laura’s hand and said, “Let’s find a table.”

 

[Initiate_me]

It seemed like a cool place, everyone there looked to be genuinely having fun, relaxing, a mellow vibe. She allowed Scott to lead her to a free table in the far corner. It was a good spot because they could look out onto pretty much all the rest of the room, which she always liked. A chance to observe. He asked what she wanted to drink and she said "I don't know really- surprise me. I feel like I never try anything different, I think that's one of my issues, you know?" He nodded and went off to weave through the people towards the bar.

Laura checked her phone, a message from David- something about switching their insurance, and not a hint of affection in the message. Whatever. She put the phone away and looked up just as a couple, arm in arm, approached the table, unsteadily.

The woman, a curvy brunette probably in her thirties, said ""Hey there honey- do you mind if we squeeze round this table? Place is packed, and we've been walking round all day, really needing a nice sit-down now."

The man gave her a reassuring smile. He looked to be in his forties, glasses, strong dark beard. "Don't worry, we're not swingers or crazies or nothing. Pete and Mandy- pleased to meet you."

Laura took his extended hand and smiled. "Nice to meet you too. Sure, have a seat- my colleague's just at the bar but we've got room. Are you from round here?"

"Sure are," said Mandy. "And we come here all the time- this is the place to be, so you chose well. Best establishment in town."

"My colleague picked it out," Laura said. "I'm a bit of a novice in terms of travelling for work."

"Well forget work!" Pete said with a loud, rolling laugh. "It's time to chill out now!" They sipped from big glasses of frothy beer.

Laura nodded- "Yeah, I'll drink to that."

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

At the bar Scott wondered what to get to drink, when the guy next to him ordered 3 old fashions. "I'll take 2 as well," he told the barmaid. The guy smiled at him, "Trying to get your sexy wife hammered?"

Scott looked at him and almost said, "She isn't my wife." Then he thought better of it. "No just trying to relax after a very long day."

The guy smiled back. "Good drink to relax with." Scott nodded and said, "Just what the doctor ordered." The drinks followed a few minutes later.

As Scott got back to the table he saw Laura wasn't alone. The man stretched out his hand, "Ypu must be Scott, I'm Pete and this lovely lady is Mandy." Scott handed Laura her drink and shook Pete's hand.

Then he said to Laura, "Something new, an old fashion." He grinned, then turned to the new couple. "The place is crowded tonight."

Pete chimed in, "That's why we joined you. Laura said you guys need to relax from work. We love to relax with new friends."

Scott raised his glass in a toast, "to relaxing with new friends." They clinked glasses. The whiskey was smooth to Scott, he liked this drink and could see how dangerous they could be.

After a few minutes of small talk, Pete asked Laura, "So do you dance? Good way to relax, you know." Scott smiled, he rarely danced. There never seemed to be time. He wondered what it would be like to dance with Laura. So different than Amy. He looked over at her, waiting on her reply.

 

[Initiate_me]

Laura laughed. "Not really Pete, I'm not much of a dancer. I mean, I can do some slow stuff- but nothing like this lively music. I'm sort of a boring dancer."

"Well why don't I have them put something a bit more classy on then? And we can have a little dance," Pete said.

Mandy smiled at Laura. "Humour him, otherwise we'll end up spending the evening listening to all of his heroic combat tales. Please."

"I suppose I could," Laura said, taking a big swallow of her drink to try and lower her anxiety of dancing in a public place. Over the other side of the room there was a very informal dancefloor, but not much going on. She caught Scott looking at her, and she poked her tongue out at him. Telling him not to laugh. Telling him that she was having fun.

Mandy said "You sure are a nice couple, you seem so relaxed together," and Laura just laughed it off. Pete had disappeared to the bar and a few seconds later the music changed drastically- on came a slow, dignified waltz. A few drinkers let out mock groans of dismay, but others laughed and two couples made their way to the dancefloor quite happily. Pete held his hand out for Laura and she took it and stood, casting a glance back to Mandy and Scott as she was pulled away- enjoying the evening and hoping Scott was too.

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Mandy's words bounced around Scott mind as he watched Laura following Dan to the little dance floor. Was it his imagination or was her laugh a little different just then. And that playful sticking out of the tongue.

He looked at Mandy who was grinning at him. He had to ask her the repeat herself. "So how long you two been together?" When he said they only worked together, Mandy only smiled more. He tried again in vain to convince her before finally saying, "would you like to dance?"

Almost laughing Mandy replied, "I was wondering if you were going to ask, platonic Scott." Scott smiled and stood, hoping his red face didn't show it the bar lighting.

Reaching the dance floor, Scott felt a twinge of jealousy seeing Laura with Pete. He knew he had zero reason for it, but her smile at seeing him approach with Mandy. He smiled back, laughing inside about his imagination. Soon Mandy and Scott joined the half dozen couples on the floor. Mandy said in his ear, "You should ask her to dance, we all know you want too."

 

[Initiate_me]

Pete was certainly getting into it, swaying about all over the place and Laura wasn't sure if she was allowed to laugh or not. She settled on smiling at him, encouraging him, and trying to move her own body with some semblance of coordination. Pete was holding her correctly but otherwise clearly had never done a waltz or seen one done. She looked over his shoulder at Scott, tried to give him some invisible gesture- help me!

 

[Cliffhere4fun]

Scott caught the look from Laura and told Mandy, "I think I want to dance with Laura." To his surprise she hugged him and told him to go for it. "You guys seem like you need it."

Scott taps Pete on the shoulder, "hope you don't mind but I want to dance with Laura."

His look was one of shock at first but then his grin was genuine. "Sure Scott, she's a keeper my new friend." This made Scott scowl a bit but he was sure Laura didn't hear it.

Scott then put his arms around his coworkers back. Feeling hers on his shoulders. "Didn't look like he knew how to slow dance at all. Yikes. Hahaha."