A Man and a Woman

The crowd surged towards me and I experienced a momentary sense of panic as I felt myself carried along with the momentum. Everyone seemed to be shouting, and ahead of me I could see massed ranks of men dressed in long brightly coloured robes, their faces covered in coloured paint. They were brandishing swords and as the bright light of the sun caught them, they appeared ferocious and intimidating, the grinning faces taunting me as I was swept nearer and nearer.

Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a tall man wave to me. He was gesticulating madly towards the open door of a house and seemed intent on grabbing my attention. Wondering vaguely why he looked familiar I managed to stop my headlong progress and made my way over to the side of the street, the man's face creasing into a smile as he watched.

"You're crazy!" he laughed as I finally reached him, the crowd still surging all around us, but with less purpose now. "How did you get caught up with that?"

I looked at him and smiled and suddenly realised where I'd seen him before. I was on holiday in the northern part of Majorca with a group of friends and looking forward to witnessing the famous Moors and Christians Festival which took place in the small ancient town of Pollensa every August. I had been swept along with the crowd following the Christians, who were dressed entirely in white, their only weapons long sticks with which they were going to beat the ferocious Moors. This was a celebration to commemorate a battle that had taken place centuries ago when the old town was regularly ransacked by invaders. For several days now, the town had witnessed bands playing in the old square, art exhibitions and dancing and I remembered my new found friend from one of the music groups, his long dark blonde hair and stunning blue eyes making him stand out from the rest of his ensemble.

We'd made eye contact several times as I'd sat in the square sipping a drink and he'd grinned at me once or twice, but that had been all. Now, here he was, standing in front of me, a warm smile lighting up his even features and I felt a glow of anticipation inside me.

"Come in for a drink?" He had to shout above the roar of the crowd, which had surged forward once again. In the distance I could hear the banging of sticks and a yell went up from the rabble of Moors who seemed to be gaining the upper hand in the battle.

I nodded and followed him into the dark hall of the house, the door suddenly clanging shut behind us. I looked around the shadowy interior and made out huge paintings on the walls, old wooden furniture and thick rugs covering the stone floors.

"Where are your friends?" he asked, his voice back to normal now, the sounds from outside deadened by the thick walls and heavy wooden door.

"I lost them," I replied. "We were separated when we decided to follow the battle and I'm not sure which way they went."

"I'm Dan by the way," he said, holding out his hand.

I laughed and stared up at him, his height making me feel small and protected. "Hi Dan. I'm Lara. Nice to meet you."

"Well, now we've got that over with, fancy a beer?"

I nodded and followed him into a small room which was as dark as the hall. I had always been fascinated with the old shuttered houses of Pollensa. They seemed to hold so many secrets and I longed to see inside one, my only sighting an occasional glimpse when I was walking past. It was cool and quiet and the outside world seemed far away.

"This house is beautiful."

Dan looked at me and smiled. "Yes, it is. It belongs to my family. I spend the summer here. I've been helping out with the music at the festival. Isn't that where I saw you?"

He opened a fridge and took out a couple of bottles of beer, expertly pouring one of them into a glass for me and then taking a long swallow from his bottle.

"We've been in the square a few times over the last few days. The bands have been great."

"I was there lugging all the stuff about. I do it every year."

His eyes held mine for slightly longer than necessary and I shivered. He was about my age, I guessed, in his early twenties and his long hair fell about his shoulders. I'd never gone for men with long hair before but with his startlingly blue eyes, I found him enormously attractive.

"Shall we go back outside?"

I nodded in agreement and we stood at the doorway and watched the crowd surging all around us. The town was alive with colour and noise and I could feel the excitement in the air. The local people were shouting and laughing and I felt suddenly sad that we had no similar type of festival at home. It wasn't only the battle that was important here, but I knew that once the mock fighting was over, the participants would gather in the huge church and celebrate the day when their town had been saved from the marauding army of Moors.

"Won't your friends be worried? Will they be looking for you?"

"I don't know," I murmured. "The house we're renting is right on the edge of town. It's not far so I think they'll just assume I'll head back after the celebrations."

The crowd had thinned out by now and we went back inside the house for another beer. There was an air of tension between us and I wondered whether I should go. Perhaps Dan had other plans and saving me from the hordes was just an impulsive gesture.

"Thanks for rescuing me, Dan." I grinned. "I had no idea the festival was so chaotic."

"Don't worry, Lara. It's been great having you here."

We looked at each other and I felt myself blush under his gaze. I glanced down at his brown hands, his tanned and muscled forearms and melted inside. Here we both were, caught up in an event that was both dramatic and passionate and I could feel the same emotions raging through me.

I'd been single for a while and this holiday was a break from the endless studying I'd been doing lately. I wanted to be a doctor but the relentless work was beginning to take its toll. I wanted more than anything else to relax, have fun and live a little before I resumed my studies in the autumn.

"I'll have to get going," I said reluctantly, looking at my watch. "My friends will be wondering where I've got to." I laughed a little but stopped when I saw the disappointment on Dan's face.

"If you have to go, that's a shame. I thought you might want to go to the church and see the ceremony. It's beautiful."

A surge of pleasure ran through me at his words and I smiled. "I'd love to. I've never been in the church before."

He smiled at me and finished his beer, his eyes never leaving my face. I felt a twist of desire shoot through me as he gazed at me. It had been so long since I'd been with anyone; my studying took up all my time and although I was considered attractive and had never been short of boyfriends at school, the last year had been devoid of any relationship.

The walk to the church was magical. On the way Dan told me he had just finished university and was going to work for his parents at the end of the summer. I felt a twinge of sadness when I realised this wonderful time would end, but it didn't last long. The velvety blackness of the evening lifted my mood and I was entranced by the soft glow from the houses that lined the street. As we entered the huge church in the square we were surrounded by masses of people gathering to celebrate the victory over the Moors. I felt at one with the old town and its inhabitants and I leaned into Dan who responded by putting his arm around me. The shiver of desire hit me again and he pulled me in closer. I could smell his fresh clean scent and breathed in deeply, feeling more alive in the last few hours than I had all year.

All around were huge candles and we gathered in the church with the triumphant Christians, most of whom still carried their long sticks. I knew there would be prayers of thanks and the atmosphere became serious as the ceremony went on. Dan's arm stayed around my waist and I could feel his warmth through my clothes. I loved being this close to him and loved the atmosphere in the beautiful old church, full of local people whose sense of devotion was wonderful to witness.

After the ceremony we were carried along with the crowd and Dan told me there would be fireworks later to finish the festival. "If you come back for a coffee, we can watch them from the balcony."

My friends were forgotten as we walked slowly back to the house, the sounds of revelry carrying on as the night deepened. It was warm and sultry and I longed for the coolness of the old building, the silent hushed rooms that radiated calm and peace.

Sipping a coffee on the tiny balcony I watched Dan as he stirred sugar into his cup. His features were half-hidden by the darkness but I could sense his eyes on me all the time. I wondered about his background and tried to quell the worries about whether he was single or not. With his looks and kind nature he must be spoken for, surely?

"You're quiet, Lara. Tired?"

"No, just thinking about this evening. How beautiful it was."

He came to sit next to me on the small sofa and I could smell his scent once again. "This is a lovely town and I'm so glad my parents decided to buy a place here."

"Are they on the island now?"

"No, they're back in the UK. They're coming out next week."

We looked at each other and I thought of all the shadowy silent rooms that lay behind us, the peace that seemed to pervade the old house and I felt myself shiver. A sudden intense longing to spend the night here overcame me and Dan bent to kiss me on the lips, his mouth tasting of the coffee he'd been drinking.

"I just had to do that, Lara. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," I whispered as I moved closer to him. "It was lovely..."

Our kiss went on for ages, his mouth soft and gentle on my lips. He stroked my long hair and wound it around his fingers, pulling me closer to him as our tongues entwined. I could feel myself grow damp with arousal and knew that he was turned on as well. Our breathing had become a little faster and our kisses more urgent as his hands moved to my shoulders, massaging my skin through the material of my top, his touch warm and firm.

"I want you, Lara," he murmured and drew me closer. Our bodies were pressed together and I'm sure he could feel my rapid heartbeats and my nipples which had stiffened in anticipation.

I pulled away slightly and looked at him, loving the blue of his eyes which now matched the midnight hue of the sky. Thousands of stars twinkled above and I breathed in the scent of the flowers that covered the trelliswork of the balcony. The fireworks were erupting all around us, the noisy bangs echoing around the high walls of the town. I suddenly felt so alive and wanted more than anything else to be with Dan now. To feel his hands roaming over my body and making me feel needed and wanted. I would never normally make love with someone so soon after meeting them but this felt special. The whole night had been special.

Dan stood and took my hand and I followed him up another flight of stairs that led to the upper part of the house. He opened a heavy wooden door and we entered a room that was breathtakingly beautiful. An old bed stood in the middle of the room covered in heavy drapes of red and gold. The ornate canopy above gave it an almost medieval appearance and I gasped at the oil paintings on the wall. Heavy furniture was dotted around the room and Dan opened a drawer and took out some matches, lighting several large creamy candles placed on the fireplace opposite the bed.

"This is so beautiful, Dan. Is this your parents' room?"

He laughed. "No, this is the guest room. My mother is an interior decorator. She likes things to match the age of the house."

He came over to me and stroked my hair again. "You're beautiful too, Lara. I noticed you at once when you were in the square. The colour of your eyes matches your hair exactly."

I shivered as he kissed me, his lips warm on my skin. Closing my eyes I gave in to the feelings that were surging through me. There was no way I could stop now, and despite hardly knowing Dan, I wanted him more than anything else.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and we kissed deeply, tasting each other and exploring each other's mouths. I could feel his arousal as he pressed himself close to me and I reached down and tentatively touched him, my reward a small groan as he kissed me.

"Touch me," he murmured and I unzipped his trousers, fumbling with the button and belt, longing to caress him there and give him pleasure. I wanted to feel that velvety hardness and stroke the sensitive tip. I needed to make him moan again and see the yearning for me reflected in his eyes.

He was so hard and smooth beneath my fingers. I watched his face as I ran my hand up and down the rigid shaft and felt his hands lift my skirt. His fingers found the softness of my thighs and I moaned as his hands moved towards my waiting sex, the skin already damp from the desire I was feeling.

"Let's move to the bed," he whispered as he took my hand and led me towards the middle of the room. We kissed again, all the time undressing one another and feeling skin on skin, our breathing fast again as our need grew.

"Slowly, Lara," he murmured. "I want to savour this with you."

In the candlelight my skin looked luminous, the dancing flames casting shadows over my breasts and thighs. I felt his lips on my shoulders and his hands stroking my back, my skin responding to his touch with tiny goose bumps that made me shiver with ecstasy.

My bra was removed and my breasts were caught by his hands. I gasped as he ran his fingers over the soft skin and hard nipples, yearning to have his mouth planted there, wanting so much to feel him feast on me.

"Lay on the bed, Lara."

I did as he said, settling against the heavy brocade cover. His eyes never left my face as I lay there, one hand playing with my nipples while the other stroked my downy skin which was lightly tanned from lying in the hot sun. The candle-light was kind, casting a beautiful warm glow over us both and I gazed at Dan as he stood there, his erection standing proud, filling me with a desperate yearning for him to be inside me. I lifted my arms and he moved towards me, his eyes dark as he bent to kiss my face. I moved over and Dan lay down and we turned towards each other, his hand running down my body, over the curves of my stomach and hips. He parted my legs and gently brushed the damp mound of my vagina with his fingers, making me gasp with pleasure and anticipation.

I lay back and with his fingers he opened me up, parting the folds of skin and probing inside. We kissed, our tongues warm and wet and I shivered when I thought of his lips touching my inner thighs and working their way slowly upwards...

He leaned over me and I could feel his hardness pressing against my thigh, the insistent questing that was making me so aroused and giving way to a desperate yearning to welcome him deep into me and be as one. I opened my legs wider and wrapped my arms around his waist to draw him in closer.

"Not so fast, little one," he smiled. "There's no rush, is there?"

I shook my head and closed my eyes as his mouth found my nipples, sucking gently on each one and making the buds harden under his tongue. I looked down at his blonde head and ran my fingers through his hair, the silkiness and length so different to the boyfriends I had been with before, and making me shiver as the sensations shot through me.

He devoured each breast completely, taking his time to lick and suck at my swollen nipples making me cry out his name as the ache in my vagina increased. I had never been made love to like that before and I never wanted this feeling to end. One of his hands was still stroking my moist labia, seeking out my exposed clitoris and rubbing in small circles. I could feel myself approaching an orgasm and my fingers covered his, our motions making me gasp and moan. Together we hastened my climax and soon I was falling into that delicious abyss, my lips seeking his as he kissed me hard on the mouth, the intermingling of our tongues prolonging the feeling and making me tremble with the intensity of the orgasm.

He looked down at me in the candlelight and smiled. "Did you enjoy that, Lara? I think you did!"

I gazed back at him and felt that wonderful glow emanate from every pore of my body. I now wanted to give him the same pleasure and I kissed him, my tongue exploring his mouth while my hand moved down his body, revelling in the feel of his taut stomach and smooth skin.

"Lie back for me Dan," I asked and he relaxed back against the cover, the shadows dancing over his body and highlighting his erection. I started at his neck, planting tiny kisses on the tiny trace of stubble and then moving down to his chest, my fingers trailing through the blonde hair that covered his skin.

He tasted wonderful, so clean and warm and I spent ages kissing him and stroking his body, my reward a series of moans that told me I was doing well. I wanted to tease him too, so I gently touched his hardness and stroked the tip before once again stroking the top of his leg, loving the firm muscles beneath the skin.

All the time I was kissing him, his fingers played with my hair, winding themselves in my long tresses and keeping up a constant massaging of my head. I was shivering with delight from his touch but I was also aware of the tiny insistent nudges he was making for me to go lower...

So I did. Opening my eyes, his erection was inches from my face and I gazed at his beauty, loving the pleasure I knew it would give me. He was beautiful, there was no doubt about that, and I slowly licked the tip which was already moist with his arousal. He tasted like nectar and I moved my mouth over the head, my teeth very gently grazing the skin which he seemed to like, his moans increasing as I slowly took all of him into my mouth. As I concentrated on giving him as many sensations as he had given me I opened my eyes and looked at him. Oh, it felt so erotic as we gazed at each other and I sucked up and down in long lazy strokes. The feel of him in my mouth was heaven and I wanted to take as much of him into me as I could, my tongue caressing the ridge, encircling it and then sweeping down to the base.

I could hear him moaning and I knew that with all the arousal, he was going to achieve his own climax soon. But I wanted to feel him deep inside me, wanted to have him as close to me as it was possible to be.

"Lara, I'm going to explode soon," he warned and I stopped what I was doing and smiled.

"I need you inside me, Dan. I want to feel you hard inside me..."

I rolled over and lay back and he turned to me. His eyes were now midnight blue, so dark with the pleasure he was feeling and we hesitated a second, wanting that anticipation to last. I felt him shift his weight and opened my legs to welcome him. He held the tip of his penis at my opening, and kept it there, driving me crazy with the need for him.

"You like this?"

I nodded, my eyes locked onto his. "Yes...please Dan...now."

He smiled. "I want to savour this. The first time I enter you..."

"Please..." I held out my arms and he leaned forward to kiss me, his cock entering me just slightly as he did.

"Like this?"

"Ohhh, yes," I moaned as the head disappeared inside and I wrapped my legs around his waist, trying to move him closer.

"You feel so good, Lara. So soft and warm."

He slipped in another inch and I tried again to get him closer. "Oh, this feels so good...don't stop."

"I'm not going to..."

Slowly and sensually he entered me and our bodies were locked together. He held the position and we kissed deeply, our tongues meeting and parting as we tasted each other again.

The shadows from the candles lengthened as we made love slowly, the emotion between us so deep with longing and need. This was like nothing I'd experienced before and I felt as if Dan was an extension of my body as we moved together. There was nothing stange or raw about this act, just a long session of love and desire.