“Yes, all right,” said Chris.   Standing, he looked toward Rita, then Sonja, both of whom shook their heads.

As embarrassed as Chris felt walking beside Gabrielle, it was pleasant also, and certainly less uncomfortable than sitting between the two girls, Rita glaring jealously across at Sonja, who was more sheepish, yet seemed equally jealous of Rita.   As he walked with Gabrielle, Chris imagined that he could feel two sets of eyes boring into his back.

“It’s a good thing that looks can’t really kill,” said Gabrielle, as Chris poured two glasses of rose then handed one to her.   “Or else I would have melted down into a pool on the floor, under the glare of your two girlfriends.   They both seem to resent me taking you away from them.”

“They’re really only acquaintances,” said Chris, justifying himself to Gabrielle.   “I used to work with Rita, and I went to night school with Sonja last year.”

“I see,” said Gabrielle, taking a sip of red wine.   “But you really don’t have to explain yourself to me,” she said in a way that made it seem to Chris that her words meant the opposite of what they said.

“Well, our young friend certainly has the knack for recruiting,” said Henry Porter walking over to the wine table.

“For recruiting young girls at any rate,” said Gabrielle.   “It’s just a shame that he can’t convince them to bring their boyfriends along too.”

“But I thought that Chris was their boyfriend?” said Henry, drawing a glare from Gabrielle, and a blush from Chris who hurried to explain the situation to Henry.

“Oh I’m sorry,” apologised Henry, leaving Chris wondered whether he meant that he was sorry for his mistake, or sorry for Chris that Chris was not the boyfriend of the two girls.

“Henry tells me that you have been saying that you’re thinking of giving up your job?” said Gabrielle to Chris, after Henry had wandered away from them.

“That’s right,” agreed Chris.   ”I don’t like to, with the job scene such as it is, and I don’t even know if they’ll even let me back on the dole if I quit of my own accord,”

“They should,” said Gabrielle.

“And then there are my parents to consider: my mum’s all right, but my old man will see red.”

“Oh you can’t live your life just for your parents,” said Gabrielle soothingly.   “You have to be prepared to do whatever is best for yourself.”   So saying, she lightly rubbed one leg against Chris’ leg adding, “If you know what I mean?”

Chris had a good ideal or at least he thought he did, but he said, “And the damn job is so obnoxious, coughing in sulphur all day.   I know that down at the CES their motto is, ‘a-jobsa-jobsa-jobsa!” but there has to be some limit, doesn’t there?”

“Of course, there has to!” agreed Gabrielle, still lightly rubbing one leg up against Chris.   She turned; ostensibly to top up her cup of wine, and Chris found himself standing hard up against Gabrielle, one of her thighs between his legs, his face almost nuzzling her deep cleavage.

“She’s a lot of woman!” thought Christ.   “But I wouldn’t mind climbing up to her.”   He blushed at the thought.

“I’m not making you uncomfortable, I hope?” asked Gabrielle.

“No, no, not at all,” said Chris, staring deep down her cleavage.   The long black dress that she wore, swept the floor, and seemed to be a size too tight, as it compressed her large breasts together and thrust them up like an offering.

“See anything you like?” asked Gabrielle.

“Yes, both of them!” Chris almost said aloud.   But he was stopped in time by Gabrielle continuing, “At the CES I mean.   Henry told me that you’ve been going there straight from work every night, to look through the cards on the job board.”

“No nothing,” said Chris.   “The only jobs that they have on offer seem to be at least as bad as the one I’ve already got, if not actually worse.”

THE END