Smooth Operator

arry Tarkington knew that Dottie Westford was dangerous. He had know it since that drizzly April after noon when the petite brunette emerged from the shipping department entrance like a burst of blinding sunlight. She had walked purposely to where Larry was standing and handed him two envelopes of interoffice mail. She hesitated for a second directly in front of him and Larry found himself looking into two beautiful brown eyes.

"Enjoy your mail," she said, sounding to Larry like an erotic invitation.. >p>Larry felt a dry tingling sensation like the sharp zing of static electricity. He stared after her as her high heels clicked a rhythmical exit against the shipping room's concrete floor. In those few brief moments his attention was glued to her like a refrigerator magnet to its host. That realization had been both exciting and frightening. Now today, six months after he first met Dottie Westford both the apprehension and the scintillation were still a potent presence to his senses and the thought of her was becoming a preoccupation.

Larry shook his head a couple of times as he would shake his daughter's Etch-a-Sketch to erase Dottie's image from his mental slate. Tonight was Friday and the only thing that Larry could get passionate over on Friday was bowling.

He punched out at the time clock and shot out the door towards his Harley. Mark Jablonic caught up to him ." We gonna kick ass tonight, it's position night." He said pronouncing position as if it had a half dozen o's. Mark was the team captain and self appointed cheerleader as well as a character Larry had been friends with since high school.

Larry swung his leg over the Harley. "We'll do okay," he agreed. Mark was looking at Larry with a half smirk on his face. Larry scowled. "What?"

"You think Dottie pooh will be there again?"

"Don't even start" Larry came back. "She is not there checking me out. That's all in your own twisted sex crazed mind."

Mark was laughing. "Yea, right. She tries to fake it but her eyes follow your tush all the way to the foul line. I'm telling ya she's hot to trot man. And she knows what she wants. I can't even score with her my friend and you know that ain't about to happen unless the chicks in love.

Larry just shook his head. Mark was full of himself when it came to love conquests. He probably had every girl in their high school in love with him. All except Eileen. And Larry married her. He jumped twice on the starter and the Harley kicked in drowning out Marks words. "See ya, tonight" he said as he exited the parking lot.

He left his helmet anchored to the back rest and felt the unseasonably warm November air blow through his hair. He was looking forward to this Friday night The absence of the normal bone chilling Wisconsin temperature lifted his spirits further. The rush of fresh autumn air helped cleanse his thoughts of the images Mark's mention of Dottie had stirred up. He knew Dottie had been coming to the alley since the season started. Although he tried to deny it he hoped she would be there tonight.

"Damn me anyway," he muttered as he pulled up to his apartment.

After supper Lisa scooted off to watch one of her Disney tapes and Larry helped Eileen clean up the dishes. He walked up behind her as she stretched all of her five foot two frame on tiptoe to put the dinner plates on the second shelf. He gently took the plates out of her hand and slid them into place. " I'm taking off now," he announced as he kissed her on the back of her neck.

"Have fun," she said turning to give him a more proper sendoff with a kiss on the lips. His daughter came from the other room and pulled at his pant leg. "Me too, Daddy," she demanded.

Larry smiled down at her. Her curly blond hair and blue eyes helped Larry imagine what her mother looked like at that age. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Rub my head for good luck," she giggled, a veteran of this weekly routine. Larry smiled and rubbed his knuckles lightly over the top of Lisa's head. It was a good luck ritual he had acquired from his Dad.

"Knock 'em all down, Daddy," cheered Lisa jumping up and down like a cheerleader.

Mother and daughter waved to him as he mounted the bike and put on the clumsy helmet that he hated to ware. He bought it for Eileen to ware when they were high school sweethearts. Now he wore it at her insistence. Motherhood had turned his once wild, risk taking girl friend conservative. It was hard for him to remember this was the same girl that sat on the back of his bike and barley hung on to him when they navigated the roller coaster like hills at Wind lake. Those were the days, my friends, he thought in recollection. Even as he cherished that momentary reminder of their exciting past, he smiled at the picture of his two favorite girls seeing him off as he roared down the street towards the bowling alley. At that moment he was sure he would not have Eileen any other way.

The warm weather continued through the weekend. Larry fought off the temptation to go biking with some of his buddies and spent the day with Eileen and Lisa. He had returned home early last night, despite the fact that his teammates wanted to celebrate his 299 game and his 784 series. He was the talk of the alley's and everyone wanted to share vicariously in his glory. At one point in the evening as he was checking out the second shift action from the bar he found himself looking into Dottie's eyes. She sat across the horseshoe bar in front of the glass widows that looked out onto the alleys. She made no attempt to look away when Larry caught her starring at him. Her short black hair hang low in curled bangs that ha on her forehead and gave the impression she was peeking at him through them. He felt off balance as she raised her glass to acknowledge him. The magnetic seductiveness of her dark penetrating eyes was evident even from that distance. For the second time since he met her Larry was afraid of Dottie Westford.

He decided Saturday was going to be a fun family day. He won out over Eileen's protests. His wife was the worlds champion list maker and had the day planned for all kinds of productive activity. Instead they spent the day at the park much to Lisa's delight. On the way home Larry stopped and picked up a couple of porterhouse steaks and even though it was already dark he grilled them outside by the dim glow of the yard light. His suggestion that they eat by candle light almost got voted down but Lisa was his usual ally in the cause.

"Please Mommy, Please Mommy."

The steaks were over done, but Larry didn't care. All was right with the world. He hadn't even given Dottie Westford a thought all day.

After that night at the bowling alley, when they exchanged guarded glances at each other, Dottie seemed even more dauntless ,as if some barrier between them had somehow collapsed. A subtle air of intimacy permeated their relationship. Somewhere in the midst of innocent conversation Larry learned that Dottie was divorced. He also realized their conversations were becoming more flirtatious. At first he delighted in her interest. He felt giddy and naughty. It was a harmless diversion from the boring routine of his job. In his more rational moods, he suspected that he was losing control of this fantasy. He thought of Robert Frost's two roads that diverged in a wood; but he dismissed his misgivings as nonsense. With a cool air of assurance like a practice tightrope walker, he removed the safety net and played a game of emotional brinkmanship. Dottie lobbed conversational tennis balls ripe with sensual double entendre and Larry willing returned the volley.

"Your not just a bowler," she told Larry as they discussed the games she had watched him bowl this season, your an artist with that ball." Then her voice dropped to a whisper, "I'll bet that's not the only thing your artistic with." She gave him a knowing smile and turned to go.

"You're either very perceptive or you've been peeking, " Larry said back. She smiled at him over her shoulder as she walked away. He stared after her for a long time. "God that girl is delicious looking," he thought.

That night as he lay in bed with Eileen he was still thinking about Dottie. There was no harm in it of course. He would never really do anything with Dottie. Fantasizing about it didn't really do any harm. In fact it was a healthy way of getting it out of his system. He was careful though. It wouldn't do to blurt out Dottie's name in the heat of passion. He'd never be able to talk his way out of that. And Eileen would be hurt even though he really wasn't doing anything wrong.

He rolled on his side to face her. He had only intended to kiss her good night as they do each night, but his lips lingered a few more seconds. He thought of Dottie and imagined his lips touching hers for the first time. A tingle of excitement shot ,through his body. His hand moved slowly over the flannel night gown to her breasts. He hated the feel of that flannel, but Eileen insisted the silky baby dolls he always bought her made her freeze. He felt Eileen pull away slightly.

"I'm really beat," she pleaded.

He removed his hand from her breast and slid it down to the bottom edge of the night gown. He began raising it very slowly. "I guarantee, you'll be full of energy in a minute," he whispered, again moving his lips towards hers.

"Come on Larry." Her words were clipped and final. "Besides, I can't get in the mood just like that. I'm not a guy."

Larry removed his hand from her gown and laid back on his pillow. Not that argument again, he thought. He could explain that it was his intention to go slow and get her in the mood, but then she would say , I told you I am beat, and on and on and on. He said nothing, but lay starring at the ceiling. Eileen reached over and found his hand and squeezed it. "I love you honey."

Larry lay there listening to Eileen's steady breathing as she drifted into sleep. God, he thought, I can remember when we were so hot for each other we made love standing against her parents refrigerator after coming home from a late date. He smiled as he remembered kissing her hard to stifle the moaning sound that was coming out her. Then there was the bike trip to Devils Lake. They went hiking and lay down in the tall grass off the main trail. He began to feel himself become aroused thinking about it. It was alright though. If he was sure of anything, he was sure that Eileen loved him. He lay back feeling content. It did not occur to him until his eyes were heavy with sleep, that tonight had not been about Eileen, it had been about Dottie.

As the bowling season dragged on through the cold winter months, Larry's performance was less than stellar. Dottie had ceased watching from a distance and sat at the table directly in back of the two lanes on which Larry was bowling. Part of him knew that her presence was throwing off his game. She was like the alcohol he passed up to keep his concentration sharp. He knew that; but he didn't care.

He was realized his feeling for Dottie had intensified since the night he tried to use Eileen as an object in his fantasy. The daydreaming that was supposed to assuage his hunger became an appetizer. Reason told him they had done nothing , but he harbored this irrational sense that he and Dottie were already intimately connected. If Dottie sensed this change in his demeanor, she did nothing to discourage it and more than enough to cheer him on.

Larry welcome the last day of the bowling season. He had lost interest two months ago and his scores reflected it. He even began substituting his beer frame Seven up for a beer. He knew his teammates were not happy with him and he also knew they were blaming his infatuation with Dottie. Even Mark, who had egged him on all winter was now the voice of caution. In his own way.

"You got a get passed this broad," he had told Larry at work one day. "Just get in her pants and be done with it, man. In fact, I'll tell ya what. Forget her. I know you man. Your gonna pop her and then feel guilty. You'll end up telling your wife and good by happy home."

The last night of bowling Dottie remained at the observation table at his alley after the final game. Her girl friends had discretely left for the bar along with his team mates. Larry frowned, as he sat down at the table and stuffed his bowling shoes beneath his ball in the bowling bag. The second shift bowlers were crowding their way onto the alley benches, and Larry wanted to get out of there before any one asked about his game. Some of the bowlers were throwing practice balls, and Larry decided he had heard enough clanking together of bowling pins for one night.

Dottie smiled at him. "Why don't you and I get out of here," she suggested.

Larry looked at her and raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "What did you have in mind,"

"I don't know...we could go to my place and just hang out...have a beer, or whatever."

He took a long swig of his beer and looked at Dottie before answering, "Ya, let's go." He finally said.

Larry followed Dottie to her apartment which was located down town in a remolded warehouse, part of the new renovation of the downtown area. The radio was tuned to his favorite light jazz station and Sade was crooning through "Smooth Operator" Suddenly it was 1985 and Larry was back in high school. He was cool and sophisticated this time around-a smooth operator. Dottie pull into the ground level parking area and Larry pulled into the spot next to her. They entered the elevator and Dottie pushed number 5. Larry's felt his heart beating faster as The fragrance of Dottie's perfume filled the small enclosure. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to make love to her right there in the elevator. He did neither. He wasn't a desperate kid on a first date, he was cool, controlled.

He did not even remember exiting the elevator and walking down the corridor. He realized Dottie had turned her key and opened the door to her apartment, which was already dimly lit. He stepped in and unconsciously unzipped his jacket as his eyes took in the interior of her suite. The living area was much larger than he had imagined. The floors appeared to be solid oak hardwood with a circular rug covering only the center of the room. In spite of himself, his mind began to estimate the monthly rent on this place.

Dottie took his jacket from him. "Like it?"

"Ya, I mean what's not to like, wow." He tried to suck the words back into his mouth as he said them. god, I sound like an awe struck tourist at Buckingham palace, he thought.

"It is nice" said Dottie, "but its more than I can afford by myself, that's why I share it with Mary and Sue."

Larry knew that at one time, but it had not occurred to him tonight. He relaxed. Dottie gave him a quick tour of the apartment pointing out her room mates bedrooms first and then announcing with apparent pride, " And this one is mine," she said playing with the light rheostat flashing the lights from dim to bright and back again, and then leaving them on at a soft tantalizing dimness.

He smiled somewhat surprised that this embarrassed him.. They returned to the living room and he gazed around the apartment The suite was decorated in a definite Mediterranean style.. There was a gas fire place against one wall with a picture of a matador expertly placing his sword between the bulls eyes as it was pictured falling to the ground of the arena. Dottie went to the fire place and lit the gas burner erupting gentle blue and orange flames over the realistic looking porcelain logs. He picked up a statuette of what appeared to be a Spanish flamingo dancer. He was fascinated by the intricate lace work on the red and black costume. This was no cheap trinket, he decided.

"Neat, huh?" said Dottie.

Larry looked at her. "I didn't know you were into all this Spanish stuff," he said. He decided there was a lot he didn't know about Dottie Westford.

"Si, me amante," "Es muy linda, si?"

Larry had no idea what Dottie was saying, but she was nodding toward the flamingo dancer. "It's beautiful," he said, " where did you get it."

"En Espana."

Larry smiled. "I know that means Spain", he said, "but I don't understand the rest of that stuff. "

Dottie walked briskly toward the kitchenette, as if she had forgotten something. "I'm gonna have a drink, can I get you a beer," she asked, "or anything else?"

"Beer's fine," Larry answered. He was still fascinated by the Spanish dancer. "When were you in Spain," he asked strolling over to the counter where Dottie was pouring brandy and vermouth in an ice filled glass.

Dottie handed him a can of Miller. "Glass?"

"No this is fine."

"It was when I was married to Jack," she started, referring to her ex-husband for the first time since he knew her. "He was working for Sears... still is as far as I know...and he had to go Spain to set up this store in Barcelona. We were there over a year. It was pretty neat."

Larry began to feel uncomfortable. "Sounds like he was some kind of big shot," he tried to keep the envy from his voice. <[p>Dottie took a drink of her Manhattan and headed for the couch. Larry sat down leaving the middle cushion between them. "He was some kind of a big shit", she said much louder, Larry guessed, than she had intended. The long silence that followed was even louder.

"We don't want to talk about Jack," she finally said replacing an angry grimace, with the soft smile Larry was used to seeing.

He was happy to drop the subject, but still wondered about why Dottie and her husband split up. He decided it was none of his business, and if she wanted him to know, she would tell him. There was another uncomfortable silence and Larry felt stupid trying to think of something clever to say. What in the hell was he doing here any way. Did he really intend to...Jesus! He had to get out of here. He took a long swallow from the can of Miller taking in more air than beer. He suppressed a gas bubble that formed in his chest, and his eyes began to water.

"Jack didn't like me the way I was," Dottie said. She wasn't looking at Larry but staring into space. "I wasn't lady like enough, I was too aggressive, I smoked too much, I was this I was that or I wasn't this or I wasn't that. He liked me fine before we were married. Then I became a wife and he decided to remake me." She turned her head and looked into Larry's eyes. "The asshole compared me to every woman he ever knew....even when we were making love."

"I'm sorry" Larry said sounding as if it were somehow his fault. He wiped the tears quickly from his eyes.

"Don't be," Dottie said, "He was a lousy lover." She was not smiling.

Larry squirmed uncomfortably. "Well, you know....things change after you get married. I mean my wife used to like sex, but now....I mean it isn't all her fault..." Why was he telling her this? It wasn't as if he and Eileen didn't have good sex just because she was tired once in a while. He was feeling as if he had to console Dottie. He felt guilty that her marriage had been so bad and her husband was a lousy lover. He realized he was exaggerating so Dottie would feel they had something in common to bond over.

"Hey, the hell with them," Dottie said jumping off the couch and going over to the stereo. "What do you like?"

"I usually listen to Smooth Jazz ninety two point three."

Dottie spun the dial until a sensual female voice was singing, "If I never feel you in my arms again, if I never feel your tender kiss again..." Dottie turned from the stereo and smiled holding out her hand to Larry.

"What?" he said playing dumb and then realizing how dumb he was being.

"You can't tell me you do not like to dance," she insisted.

"As a matter of fact, I've been mistaken for John Travolta, " he bragged.

He took Dottie's hand and raised himself slowly from the couch feigning reluctance. He cupped his ear with one hand and leaned toward the stereo. Tony Braxton was sensually breathing through the speakers "I promise you, I promise you that I shall never breath again ."

"Need to hear the beat of the music," he clowned. Dottie laughed, and Larry thought it was a delightful laugh. She kicked off her shoes and they began to dance around the edge of the rug on the hardwood floor. They came together at just the right beat as if choreographed and moved slowly to the seductive sounds purring from the speakers. She put her head on his chest and whispered the lyrics as they were sung. "And I can't stop carin' about / about the apple of my eye/ and I can't stop doing without/without the center of my life..." She put her hand on the back of his neck and caressed it gently as the song finished, "And I can't get you out of my head/And I know I can't pretend/That I won't die if you decide you won't see me again..."

Larry's head was spinning. The combination of Dottie's perfume and her soft breathing of the song's lyrics overwhelmed him. As the last sounds of the song trailed off and were replaced by the low mellow offerings of a saxophone he stopped dancing. She raised her head from his chest. Their eyes met briefly and he pulled her to him, their lips meeting in a soft kiss, barley touching at first. Dottie wrapped both of her arms around him and pulled him into her body, her kiss becoming more passionate, and imploring. Larry ran his fingers gently through her black hair and then cupped her face gently with his hands. Her lips parted slightly. He felt the tip of her tong with his own, and then their gentle and cautious ingenuity gave way to raw passion.

He broke off for a second taking her hand and starting toward the couch. Dottie pulled back and shook her head.

"No, in my room." She was still breathing hard from their kiss. Her hair had been tussled by his probing fingers and the red lipstick that was a part of her glamour was worn away from her lips ironically giving them the look of bare innocence. Larry's desire for her intensified as they kissed and grouped each other on the way to the bedroom. He had already pulled down the zipper on the back of her dress and she raised her arms as he pulled it over her head and then falling with her onto what Larry discovered was a water bed.

Dottie rolled over on top of him straddling his legs and unbuckling his belt. He looked up at her with a sense of euphoric helplessness. He reached up around her back and unsnapped the black bra, pulling it down her arms and flinging it across the bed. He pulled her to him and brushed his lips against her nipples and then taking them into his mouth savoring the succulent taste of her body. They wrestled in the waves of the water bed until Larry was completely naked and Dottie was left with her black bikini underpants. The sight of her aroused Larry to an intensity he had not felt in years, and with an urgency that promised to bring this affair to an untimely end.

He rolled over suddenly and lay by her side breathing heavily. He was aware of Dottie beside him lifting her legs and sliding the bikini off. She again straddled him leaning down and kissing him passionately. "Dottie," he pleaded, "I can't hold back I'm going to..."

"I know, I know," she breathed. " I love you Larry, I love you, I want you in me now," she said reaching down and trying to guide him into her as she straddled him. The touch of her hand send spasms through his groin. Dottie pushed her vagina against him and buried him deep inside of her. He bucked rhythmically against her weight.

It was all over so quickly.

The sound of a key in the apartment door and the chatter from two female voices woke Larry up. He was disoriented for a second, until Dottie sat up next to him. Larry glanced at the clock on the side of the bed. It was four o'clock. The lights in the living room became brighter and Larry realized the bedroom door was open. Dottie sprang from the bed and quickly closed it. The sight of her naked body brought the whole evening into sharp focus.

Dottie crawled back into the water bed and slipped between the sheets. "They'll go to bed right way," she whispered reassuringly. "Then you can slip out...or you could stay if you want."

Larry felt a hint of anger coming over him. "I can't stay for God's sake. Eileen is probably worried sick. I've never done this before...I mean I've never stayed out without calling her. She probably thinks I was in an accident...shit!"

Dottie reached over and put her fingers to his lips. "Shhh, I understand. Call her now, tell her you went to Mark's got in a card game, and were too drunk to drive. Mark will back you up."

Larry just starred at her. What in hell had happen. He never had to lie to Eileen as long as they knew each other...god they practically grew up together. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and began collecting his clothes. "I don't know...I better just go. I'll think of something on the way...Jesus!"

Dottie went to the closet pulled out a negligee and slipped into it as Larry got dressed. He watched her put it on and found himself wishing he could get Eileen to wear something like that. She walked over to him as he slipped into his shoes.

"Larry, your not sorry are you?"

At this point he did not know what he thought. He liked her. He liked her too much. A few hours ago he was sure he was in love with her. "Dottie," he began and let it trail off. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. Jesus, what about Eillen's feelings. He evaded the question.

"I'm sorry about, you know...the way I got off before you were ready." He looked away and almost whispered, "Your husband was a lousy lover and now..." he shrugged the rest of the thought off.

Dottie threw her arms around him. "Don't even think about that. I have never felt more like a woman in my life. I feel very satisfied. And there will be other times lover boy," she said kissing him hard on the lips."

It was what he thought he wanted to hear. but hearing it, made him feel worse. He unwrapped her arms from around his neck and sat down on the rail at the foot of the bed. He stared into space for the longest time and then looked at her trying to find the right words, trying to make sense of this. He wanted to tell her he was married and that he loved his wife. Of course she knew that, but they never talked about it. It was more his fault than hers. He didn't want to derail the fantasy train he was riding. He had enjoyed Dottie's flirting from the beginning. She never asked about his wife and he avoided mentioning her. That way she didn't seem real. Now reality had sideswiped his phantasmagoric joy ride.

"Dottie, I really do care about you," he whispered.

"Do I hear a but in there some where?"

What was he going to tell her? That he loved his wife, but he was bored with her on some level and need this diversion? Was he going to say we can still be friends. She should have know this couldn't go anywhere. That wasn't fair was it? Dottie was sincere. She thought she was in love with him; maybe she really was. He should have known that. He should not have encourage her. Mark Jablonic was right, this was more than Larry could handle, he should have left it alone, left this to some one like Mark who never gets involved, he just enjoys. But he wasn't Mark and he never would be.

Dottie spoke before he could decide what to say. "Larry, I'm not asking you to leave your wife. I don't need a husband. I need a lover and your it. You turn me on and I want you. I don't mind doing it in secret if that's what you want." Larry was puzzled and his expression must have shown it because Dottie interrupted her self. "What," she said incredulously.

He was embarrassed. "I just thought...well you said you loved me and ...you know... I thought it was getting too ... well complicated."

She smiled and touched his arm gently. "We say a lot of things in the heat of passion, Larry. Maybe I am in love with you, maybe I just love your body. I mean it's not like I won't ever have another boy friend too. Can't you just relax and accept that."

Reality slowly seeped into Larry's consciousness like the dampness of falling dew. He couldn't accept that. A lot of men could. Hell, Mark would be in heaven with an arraignment like that. Larry needed commitment, he needed love, he needed fidelity. The irony of his outrage did not escape him. He had always thought that Dottie was dangerous, and that had excited him, but the danger wasn't Dottie. He had seen the enemy and it was him.

He started for the door and then turned and put his arms around her again, with a more chaste hug. He kissed her on the forehead and said good by.

"This was the last time, wasn't it," she said.

" I hope so Dottie," he said softly, " I hope so"