Urban Foxes

Urban Foxes

As the taxi set off, Zoe snuggled up against Steve, leaned her head on his shoulder and reflected on their evening.

They had had a meal at the Oriental Pearl, followed by a few drinks at the Rain Hard bar; but the first physical contact they had had was when he'd put his arm around her shoulders while they were waiting at the taxi rank. So much for Fiona's, 'He won't be able to keep his hands off you.' In fact, although Steve had been his usual charming and amusing self throughout the evening, and had even insisted on escorting her all the way home, when they left the Rain Hard she had found herself wondering whether he really did fancy her, or whether he'd just invited her out as a friendly gesture to celebrate her birthday.


'I've had a lovely time tonight,' she said.
'The pleasure was all mine. I've thoroughly enjoyed your company,' he replied.
'I'm so glad you asked me out,' she smiled, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Steve turned his head towards her and gently brushed his lips against hers, a kiss so light and delicate it made her lips tingle. She parted her lips slightly, inviting him to take full advantage. He didn't disappoint her, delivering a long, lingering kiss.

It was Zoe who ended the kiss, withdrawing her lips from his when she felt his hand slide inside her jacket. Although she would have liked more such kisses, she didn't want to give him the impression that she was encouraging him to go any further.
'You look absolutely gorgeous tonight,' he said, as he brushed his fingertips against her blouse, trailing them slowly up her back.

Zoe had been interested in the handsome sales rep from her very first sight of him in the Dog and Vixen: he was tall and dark, smartly dressed, and had the most fascinating smoky-grey eyes she had ever seen: and her initial interest had gradually blossomed into a full-blown fancy during the six weeks that she had worked behind the bar at the city-centre pub.
Steve was a regular customer, visiting the pub every weekend. The first couple of weeks she'd worked there he'd had a young woman with him, and they'd sat in one of the alcoves at the back of the pub; but over the past few weeks he'd been sat on his own at the bar, chatting to the bar staff during the quiet periods.
Susan and Fiona, Zoe's work colleagues, would often gossip about him. According to them he had invited both of them out on numerous occasions. Susan had boasted that she'd always turned him down, saying that he was too glib-tongued for her liking; but Fiona had told her she had been out with him a couple of times before joining Susan in spurning his further advances. She said he had too much testosterone in him. But Zoe wasn't put off by her colleagues' comments; she put their eagerness to criticise him down to the fact that since she'd started working there Steve had been paying more attention to her than he had to either of them. All right, so everyone knew he was a bit of a flatterer; he was always paying Zoe compliments, and never failed to notice when she had changed her hairstyle or was wearing a new outfit; but, she saw his smooth tongue as being an integral part of his masculine charm. And as for him having too much testosterone, what was that supposed to mean? For heaven's sake, he was a healthy young man in his mid twenties. Susan and Fiona's scornful gossip had only served to strengthen her feelings towards Steve, so much so that Zoe could hardly believe her luck when he had invited her out.
It had been her 20th birthday on the Wednesday; she had had a bit of a party in the Dog and Vixen after hours. Unfortunately Steve had not been there, as he was out on the road at the time; but when he got back on the Friday he had asked could he take her out on the Saturday evening on a belated celebration. Luckily, it was her Saturday off that week; she accepted his proposal straight away.

As the taxi sped out of the city centre towards the suburbs, she felt Steve's hand move further up her back.
'You're not wearing a bra,' he whispered in her ear as his thumb reached the spot where the clasp of her bra would have been.
Normally she would have been more than a little concerned at such familiarity; but not wishing to dampen the romantic ambience she herself had so eagerly fostered, she hesitantly replied:
'No,.I've got a camisole on.'
'Oh yes,.very nice,' he said, as he gently stroked her blouse against the lustrous fabric beneath it.
Zoe felt her body begin to flush with excitement, thrilling to his touch as he ran his fingers up and down her back. She longed for another kiss, but this time she was determined that he should initiate it.
She held her breath as his fingertips travelled around her waist, causing little waves of pleasure to ripple through her upper body. She knew that were Steve's hand to move towards her front she would be incapable of putting up anything other than a half-hearted resistance: she could feel her breasts straining against the thin camisole, their swollen tips aching to be caressed in the same tantalising manner in which Steve was slowly trailing his fingers up her side. But it was Steve's other hand that made the next move: it moved down to the hem of her skirt, where he nipped a small fold of the material between his thumb and forefinger.
Zoe crossed her legs in a sharp scissors-like movement, causing her skirt to ride up as she reached to remove his hand.
'Am I making you feel uncomfortable?' He asked concernedly, as she tugged her skirt back down to her knees.
'No,.it's not you,' she replied.
'What's the matter then?' he asked, removing his hand from her jacket and placing his arm around her shoulders.
'It's the driver,' she said hastily. 'I thought he might have been looking at us in his mirror.'
'Ah,' he said, gently squeezing her hand. 'I thought you thought I was trying to put my hand up your skirt.'
Zoe's felt her cheeks redden. She turned her head away from him.
'Oh, I've embarrassed you,' he said, his arm dangling limply around her shoulders.
Zoe moved away from him, leaving a couple of inches space between them.
'I'm terribly sorry,' he exclaimed. 'Believe me, Zoe, I would never intentionally do anything to offend you.'
Zoe turned to face him, the flush in her cheeks having subsided.
'That's not the point, Steve,' she said. 'The point is that I'm just not used to the way you talk so,.so personally.'
'I really have offended you, haven't I?' he replied.
'Look, Steve,' she said, looking directly into his eyes. 'I really like you, I like you very much. And I really wouldn't mind...Well, what I'm trying to say is,.I think we should take the time to get to know each other a little better.'
'I like you very much too, Zoe,' he replied. 'And, of course, I want to get to know you better. And you're right; I suppose I do come across as being a bit too upfront at times. Perhaps it's because I have to be like that to earn my living, perhaps it's just me, I don't know. But one thing I do know is that I'm not as superficial as some people make me out to be.'
'I'm know that, Steve,' she said, squeezing his hand, 'that's why I want to get to know you better.'
'It's me who's embarrassed now,' he laughed.
'Look, perhaps we should start all over again,' she said.
'I think that'd be a very good idea,' he replied, his arm around her shoulders coming back to life.
Zoe snuggled up against him once again.
Steve leaned towards her to kiss the tip of her nose, and then her waiting lips.
'Did you though?' he asked, as he finally withdrew his lips from hers.
'Did I what? Think you were trying to put your hand up my skirt?'
He looked at her and nodded.
'Actually,' she replied, a mischievous smile appearing on her face, 'I was worried that the driver might have been able see my knickers.'
'And what kind of knickers are you wearing?' he asked.
'Oh, Steve,' she sighed. 'You're unbelievable!'
'Well,.go on.'
She leaned towards him and put her lips to his ear.
'They're black,' she whispered. 'Black silk.'


Kate L Worthington