Pam reveled in the power that she felt every time Jim looked over. It helped her to feel feminine, even when she knew that she looked more like a nun than a seductress in her current work wardrobe. Their flirtation had been going on since she had started working there, and it had always felt comfortable, like an old shirt that always made her feel good. Something that she could count on without ever having to see.
And then it had all changed. First Jim had kissed her, then gone away. And now he was back, which was supposed to make everything alright, because they would fall into each others arms and finally get rid of the sexual tension that had been plaguing them for years. But that wasn't how it had happened. Because he had fallen in love in Connecticut, and brought her back with him. Now Pam had to sit there and watch as the only man she had ever really wanted, ever really... loved, moved on in his life with someone else.
For months, she had let this go. Told herself that it was only what she deserved after all of the torture that she must have put him through every time she went home with Roy. And so she would go home alone, back to an empty apartment that still seemed empty, even though she had already moved all of her stuff in. Almost every midnight would find her curled up in a ball in her bed, clinging to the shirt that he had once let her wear home and crying until she was so spent that she could no longer move.
But one morning she woke up realizing that she had had enough. Karen was as fleeting to Jim as Roy had been to her, it had to be that way. They were supposed to be together, it was the one thing that they had both wanted but were too afraid to reach for. And after all this time, it couldn't be too late for them. She had to convince him somehow that they owed it to each other to give it a shot. With a plan forming in her still hazy mind, she got out of bed and went into the kitchen to pour herself her first cup of coffee. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the toaster, and was shocked at what she saw. Where had the limp curls and dark bags come from? Was she breaking out!? The wife-beater and boxers that she slept in did nothing for her figure, and suddenly she saw herself the way that everyone else must see her. Hurriedly finishing her coffee, she raced into the bathroom and tried to figure out if she had enough weapons in her beauty arsenal to fix this abysmal mess.
Half an hour later she marched back into her bedroom clad in only a towel. She had shaved, washed her hair, deep conditioned it, put on lotion, and was actually bearing some resemblance to the Pam Beesley that everyone else knew and loved. Knowing that the clothes she had picked out wouldn't do, she dove into the back of her closet and came up with an outfit that she had bought a long time ago, but had quickly dismissed as office wear. Laying it out on the bed, she went to her lingerie drawer and pulled out one of the few pretty sets that she had bought for herself right after she and Roy had broken up.
Laying out everything on the bed, she began to methodically get dressed. First the black satin bra and panties, then the garter belt and stockings. She pulled on a blue silk camisole, feeling the luxurious fabric glide over her curves. Next was a black pencil skirt that had a bit of detailing at the waist and a kick pleat in the back. After pairing it all with a dark grey cardigan, she stared at herself in the mirror.
The sensible shoes that she normally wore obviously wouldn't do, so she pulled out the black pumps that she had gotten one time when she was shopping with Jim, after seeing the way that his eyes traveled up and down her legs. They had been out of her budget at the time, but she never wanted to wear them in front of Roy, as it seemed slightly dishonest, though she wasn't sure to whom.
After getting dressed, she blew out her hair and tucked it up into one of those messy hairdo's that look as though they are about to fall down. She very carefully applied her makeup, and added an extra coat of gloss to her lips. If she was going to seduce someone, she might as well go all the way. Bundling herself into her winter coat, she locked her apartment and headed to work.
One of the perks of being the receptionist was that she was one of the only people who had a key, and therefore could technically enter the building at any time that she wanted to. Though she always came in early, it was normally only early enough to turn on the lights and straighten her desk before anyone else showed up. This morning she had given herself some extra time, and so after she hung up her coat she began to hunt through his desk. She was very careful to make sure that nothing was disturbed, and when she found his appointment book, she was glad to see that there was nothing in it for that night. It looked as though every other date with Karen had been recorded, so the fact that there was nothing going on tonight would hopefully work in her favor. She put everything back the way that she had found it and went off to start the first pot of coffee, a small secretive smile playing over her face.