want to know where you live,“ he stated.
Annie’s heart jumped for joy. They hadn’t spoken about seeing each other again. This would mean there was hope for continuing encounters. Finding her voice, she said, “I don’t live far. It is about a mile down the street.“
At this news, Jeff opened her door, surprising her because she knew it had been locked. She had forgotten she had given her keys to him earlier. He handed her into the car, releasing their almost constant contact for the first time in the past few hours. He leaned into the car and gave her a quick kiss. “Where you lead, I will follow,“ he said as his eyes sparkled mischievously in the dome light of the car. Giggling, she started the motor as he closed the door.
***
On the short drive to her house, she kept her eyes on the rearview mirror, still not truly believing he was sincere. Yet, the headlights of his car were right on her tail. While waiting for the traffic light to change, she began to shiver. She didn’t know if it was from the cold or from fear of this strong attachment which she had already formed in her mind for this stranger. She took out a piece of paper and quickly wrote down her name, address and phone number in the glow of his headlights.
When she pulled into her driveway, the headlights were still behind her. She hurried out of the car, and made it to his car before he was able to fully emerge. She gently pushed him back onto the seat and knelt between his legs, blocking his exit. For some reason, even unknown to herself, she had to keep him in the vehicle. She reached out with both hands and captured his face. Without saying a word, she burned his image into her soul. Closing her eyes, she traced his face as if she was blind. If she never, ever laid eyes on him again, she would forever know him. Jeff submitted to this intense search without a word.
As before, she saved his lips for last. With the index finger of her right hand, she slowly traced his lips. He captured her finger within his mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at him. His tongue played with her fingertip before releasing her finger. Her heart took flight . This man is too good to be true , she thought.
He reached for her and gathered her close to him in an embrace which expressed so much tenderness she began to cry softly. She buried her face in his neck. Startled, Jeff held her tighter and began to caress her hair. “Annie?“ he inquired after several seconds.
Without looking up she reached up with her left hand and placed it on the nape of his neck. “I will be all right,“ she choked out.
Using his left hand, he reached for her chin. He tilted her tear-stained face up. His eyes searched her face; it was his turn to do the same intense search. He ever so gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs. He then traced her face, starting at her widow’s peak, at the top of her forehead, and ending at the point of her chin. As his fingers found her lips, his eyes gazed into hers. The same desire he was experiencing was coursing through her. She pulled his head down to her and kissed him, believing this was truly her first real kiss. She had been kissed before this one, but she was always on the receiving side. This time she was the aggressor.
The kiss startled him a little at the extreme intensity, but it only lasted a brief second before he returned it with matching force. This kiss represented many things to her -- thankfulness, gratitude, lust, desire, needing, but most of all love. She broke off the kiss and backed away slowly. Cupping his chin in her right hand, she kissed the tip of his nose and then reached for the paper on which she had written her personal information. She pressed the paper in
Helen Edwards, Jenny Lee Smith