As I walk down the beach, barefoot and pensive - carrying my sandals in my hand, the salty wind whips my face, plays with my hair, invigorates my soul and rejuvenates my spirit. I think of you. I think only of you. And me ... and us, of course - and what will become of us. I breathe the salt air in, deeply.
I love you. I don't know you - well, I do. But not the way most people know people. I love the feeling of you - the warmth of your touch - the presence of your spirit. It makes me feel happy, warm ...it moves my soul; it makes me want to cry out, because for the first time I finally feel like I know what love really is. It makes me want to jump out of my skin. It makes me want you like I've never wanted anything ever before in my life. It keeps me up at night. It wraps itself inside of my dreams, it infests my thoughts constantly. What to do? What to do with this obsession ...this passionate and moving obsession ... this beautiful disaster?
I walk closer to you. You don't know I'm coming. I don't know you're there, but I wish, I hope, I think if only ... if only.
And we pass each other, only we don't know it - like kismet ... we feel it, we look back at one another, we smile. I partly wave, scrunch my nose, and look down.
I know you. We smile at each other and the energy rushes through both of us. I keep walking, though. I flip my long, blonde hair back and I can feel you still looking at me as I continue down the beach. I bite my finger, realizing that this is real.
Your friends are oblivious to the entire exchange. They continue talking to you even though you've drowned out their conversation with the thought of taking me, right there in the flesh ... finally. You drink me in, you wonder... you wonder, is it her? But, you know ... you know.
I walk about fifty more yards before I find a beautiful, meditative spot to sit and think as I look out to the crashing surf. I fold my knees up and hug them tightly. It's just a tad chilly - early evening, and I'm glad to have my sweatshirt on. I feel warmed by your perceived presence, even though it startles me when I realize that you're right behind me.
"Kate?" You say my name and my body responds with tight tingles and heat. I turn to drink you in. I can't believe this is real. I love the way my name rolls out of your mouth. The tone and texture of your voice just sends waves of lust through my being.
"Yes?" I look at you, questioning, but truly knowing, feeling heat rush to my nether region. I naturally look innocent, so I try to play that up by making my eyes wider and pouting my lips out, slightly smiling.
"What ..." Your query trails off distracted. You look at me, intrigued, irritated and taken aback all at once. "You - oh, my god, Kate, what are you doing here?" I can't tell if you're mad or glad that I've come.
Your friends yell for you in the distance, but you ignore them. I just smile up at you. Not answering your question, but rather assuming that it's simply rhetorical. You smile back in kind and shake your head.
The wheels in your mind grinding into high gear, churning with thoughts and wants and needs and compulsion, "Stay here." You order. "I'll be right back."
I don't argue. I learned that lesson long ago. I just smile and watch you as you walk away, back to your friends. I see them protest whatever it is your telling them, I see a few of them look over at me, wondering who I am - the girl you were talking to. I wonder what you tell them. I can only imagine your exaggerated explanation of me. I sit on my hands, waiting for you to return.
I love watching you as you walk toward me, striding through the sand; my thoughts are fantasies of what you'll say to me, how you'll kiss me, how you'll make love to me, how you'll bend me over the desk chair and take me. You're the most handsome, sexy man I've ever seen in my life, and a million butterflies swarm in my stomach. Just looking at you makes my heart swell with desire and makes my body warm and gushy and tingly.
I feel heady with lust. I play with the sand and look away from your gaze to gain my bearings. Suddenly, I regret coming here. I've forgotten the speech I rehearsed in my head as I drove over.
"Let's go." You demand with your hand held out to mine, ready to pull me up.
I wonder if you're angry that I intruded on your "turf" ... I mean, I did come to this specific beach intentionally, looking for you ... wanting and tired of waiting - longing to meet you in person and not just on the web cam or through our prose-infested emails. You kept me at a distance for whatever reasons - the myriad that you listed - to protect us both ... but I didn't feel like I needed protection. I had a mind of my own.
You take my hand and hold it securely in your strong grip. I can't tell if it is from being frustrated with me, or from being happy that you finally have my real, tiny, soft hand in yours, and now you never want to let it go. You say nothing as you walk with me down the long stretch of beach to your house.
We walk into the patio and you lead me to the side of your house. You turn to face me. You stare at me for a long time, penetrating my thoughts, peering right into the depths of my soul as the sea wind whips against us. You breathe deeply. I feel small. I bite the inside of my lip.
The waves crashing behind us, the sun setting, you look at me and shake your head again. I wish that you'd just kiss me and say that everything is going to be alright.
"You're in so much trouble." You sneer at me, but with lust and desire, mixed with a sinister threatening tinge.
You slide open the sliding glass door, "Get in there, strip your clothes, kneel in front of the fire place and wait for me."
I breathe in and move to protest, but you look away from me with disgust. I know that I have no choice. I know that this is exactly what I've asked for.
I gently creep through the doorway and inside. I feel like Gretel in the witch's gingerbread house ... I take in every color, nuance, appliance, knick-knack, artwork, furniture ... it sears into my brain. And the smell - it smells like home.
I find my way to the fireplace, where much to my surprise, there is a fire already roaring. I step out of my sandals and nudge them away from me. My fingers hasten over the button on my jeans, and I unzip my pants with trepidation. I kick my jeans to the floor near the edge of the couch and press my lips together wondering if you are somewhere secretly watching me. I peel off my sweatshirt and proceed to slither out of the tank top underneath.
All that is left are my bra and panties. Earlier, I had picked them out carefully, hoping that they would please you if I had been lucky enough to find you. A little turquoise and yellow and light green pattern on thin silk - a matching set. I look around and tuck my hair behind my ear before I unclasp the back of my bra and let the straps fall to my arms and then to my waist and then to the floor, setting loose my perfectly taut breasts with their light pink nipples erect and ready for your mouth. I then step gingerly out of my panties, and feel slightly embarrassed as I walk in front of the fire and kneel on the soft, plush rug. I hang my head down and place my hands on my knees. I wait for you.
I close my eyes and silently chastise myself for being so impetuous and invading your space. You didn't invite me here, I came searching you out. I can only hear the crackle of the fire and the roar of the crashing ocean just outside the window. It seems like hours before I feel your presence near. I bite on the inside of my lip.
"Kate." You say my name with disdain in your voice, and as though you're struggling with emotion inside yourself. "This is not how I wanted our first meeting in person to be." You let the weight of your words seep into the air. I feel like a small child being scolded for loving you, and only wanting to show you that love.
"I'm very disappointed in you." Your tone conveys the meaning of your words.
Your disappointment is my breaking point. I feel ashamed and stupid ... and very naked. I want to leave here. I want to flee ... but where can I go now?
I let my head fall further; allowing my hair to shelter my face so that you cannot see the tiny tear that has escaped my eye.
"But this is the way you want it, and no one else's feelings have any importance to you, so..." You admonish me, your tone is harsh.