Emily's Dilemma by Gabriella Como Page B

company and the final clinical trials, and submission to
the FDA.
     
    After spending time in the hotel bar, she
mentioned she hadn't had dinner yet and should soon. She told him
she wanted to be in good shape for the next day's conference
opening and the Robert's meeting. She jokingly thanked him for his
time, and rose to go up to her room, where she got into her pajamas
and ordered dinner from room service. He stood as she left and said
that he'll see her the next day, and said he hoped to find her at
the meeting at which he spoke. "I hope you can make my presentation
tomorrow. I worked so hard on it," he said, smiling. Again, both
laughed heartily. She made a call home to see how her husband and
kids were doing and to let them know she got there all right. After
speaking to each one of them, she wished them a good night and went
to bed. Of course, her husband needed answers for all the things
she told him before leaving. As she turned off the TV and closed
her eyes, her thoughts returned to Robert. Much was riding on
tomorrow's meeting. She was sure he was going to deliver a powerful
presentation of the clinical trial data. What they didn't know was
who was going to be in attendance.
     
    ****
     
    The next morning she got up, made herself a
cup of coffee, and checked her email. She put on her running
outfit. She never thought too much about her looks. She thought she
was plain and uninteresting-looking. Her love of running kept her
in shape. She had been running since her first year at Georgetown.
Her husband was a runner too, as it was something they had in
common. That’s how they met years ago she reflected, when they
literally ran into each other. Now, he was too busy working on his
own body to notice hers. But to neighborhood men, her running was a
welcome sight, especially in warmer weather when they could take in
her legs and sigh, and daydream about what they would do with legs
like those wrapped around them. Taking the elevator down she could
see the atrium populated with early birds enjoying breakfast.
Setting her runner's watch for a 20-minute run, she walked out of
the lobby and through the automatic doors. After a few minutes of
stretching, she looked around and planned her route. She started to
run, slowly at first, and then picked up speed as she crossed the
street onto the third block of her journey. The run was starting to
make her feel good. She looked ahead to navigate the upcoming
intersection when she saw a man running towards her. Robert slowed
down as he finished his run and started his cool-down and with
hands on hips, looked up and saw her. She slowed down as they
approached each other.
     
    They exchanged greetings. He was breathing,
but not heavily. A thin veneer of sweat covered his face. He was in
a good mood, as the endorphins gave him his runner's high. He told
her she didn't have to stop her run to say hello, knowing runners
never stop to chat no matter what. She laughed it off and joked
that he was a special case but not to let it go to his head. He
noticed her nipples poking through her tank top, and how round and
firm her breasts were. He tried to put it out of his mind. It's
funny how men could still appreciate the female figure despite
having things on his mind. His eyes went down to her narrow hips,
wrapped tightly in spandex shorts that revealed how her athletic
thighs joined her hips in that perfect manner that men like so
much. Try as he might, he could not turn his sexual interest off.
They continued to talk, and yet he couldn't help but enjoy the
physical female form in front of him, smiling and laughing, in her
revealing runner's outfit.
     
    Back in her hotel room, she peeled off her
running clothes and climbed into the shower. As she felt the warm
water coursing over her body, she caressed herself. She thought of
Robert. She thought of his engaging presence in a room. She tingled
when he paid attention to her. She remembered the specialness of
being at the bar with him, just