My Second Chance

The sun sets slowly as we sit cuddled together in the back of the boat. Your head gently rests on my shoulder, our fingers entwined as we watch the sunset. When I met you I wondered if I would ever feel love again. The divorce was painful, but the worst part was not seeing my daughter every day. I had given up on ever caring for a woman again when I met you. Seeing you as I walked into Starbucks after dropping my daughter off at school I noticed you immediately. Your long black hair, I have always been drawn to women with a little more to offer. Because I am a tall man who carries a few extra pound I had never felt comfortable with a slender woman.

You looked at me, smiled softly and your green eyes seemed to sparkle. My heart skipped a beat and all I could do was smile and whisper, "hi." I wanted to say more, but I have always been so shy. I heard them call your name as you picked you grande Mocha Latte and thought to myself that Michelle suited you well as a name. My heart fell as you walked out the door and I still lacked the courage to speak to you. After that day I stopped there every morning at the same time hoping to see you. But it never happened. My assistant questioned my sudden addiction to coffee not knowing that each day as I left I threw away the coffee, all I had become addicted to was hoping to see you again. Promising that when I did I would at least introduce myself. But months went by with no luck.

Three months later, my daughter and I were at the Piggly-Wiggly and I saw you. My heart lept, my knees shook, and my daughter asked if I was having a seizure. I shook my head now and fought for control. As a consultant I had traveled all over the United States, spoken to thousands of people and had never been nervous, but suddenly my legs would not work. My stomach went crazy and my only hope was then when I took my first step towards you that I would not experience the world's most untimely breaking of the wind.

Just as my head began to clear I heard a soft voice ask my daughter. "Is your dad OK?" As my daughter began to mumble something about not knowing if I was having a stroke, a seizure or the sudden onset of a senior moment at the ripe old age of 42, I managed to say I was fine. Our eyes met and I turned 37 shades of red. Suddenly my voice returned closely followed by my sense of humor as I declared the onset of my own private summer. The tension broke as you began to laugh. My daughter elbowed my sharply to the ribs and glared at me. That night we had dinner together for the first time at a little restaurant called "Pappa's." I found out you lived in a small settlement several miles outside of town which is why I had not seen you for such a long time. That night I memorized your every feature. The natural curl to your hair, the flecks of hazel in your eyes that made them almost change color depending upon the light, the light freckle on your nose, and the gentle creases that formed on the sides of your mouth when I made you laugh. Because of the way my marriage ended I wanted to go slow. But seldom did a day go by that we didn't talk. I began to look forward to your calls. You became the first voice I heard in the morning and the last I heard at night. You became my best friend.

It had been 4 months since my senior moment in the Piggly Wiggly a beautiful Saturday afternoon in the first week of June and here we were sitting in my boat watching the sunset. Anchored in a quiet cove the world seemed to stop around us. In the distance we heard a Bob White gently call out and as I looked into your eyes and smiled I realized I had fallen in love with you. As I reached over to brush the hair from your forehead you leaned forward and we kissed for the first time. Your lips felt like satin and I could have sworn I heard fireworks as I took your face I my hands and our kiss intensified. As the sun slowly hid behind the mountains our kissing increased in passion. After several years of my version of intimacy being limited changing hands and turning it around to feel like someone else was doing it I wondered if I would know what to do. Just as I debated my next move you stood up and straddled my lap facing me and suddenly my doubts were gone. I still remember the taste of the salt on your skin as I kissed your neck. The sound of the moan that left your lips as I gently reached up cupping your breast for the first time. Normally shy I could not resist unbuttoning your shirt and kissing the soft valley between your breasts.

The feeling of your fingers in my hair as you pulled my mouth against your breast. Your hips ground against my erection as I took your nipple into my mouth. My hands gripped your hips as I groaned trusting back against you. I never wanted anyone as badly as I wanted you at that moment. We stopped long enough to take the boat back to the marina. Our fingers were entwined as we walked up the hill to my truck. I held your door open but was surprised to see you slide onto the center of the seat to sit close to me. As we drove through the mountains back to my place I could barely focus on driving as I remembered the taste of the salt on your skin and the sounds of your throaty moans as I sucked on your nipples. I was pulled back to reality by your hand on my thigh. As I looked over into your eyes I felt my heart race as you said, "Take me to your bed." I smiled and turned down the road to my house. As we walked into the house you turned and leaned up to kiss me. As I leaned forward to kiss you jumped up wrapping your legs around my waist. The 20 steps from the door to the side of my bed passed in a moment. That night I remembered what it was like to make love to a woman, to feel her surround me, pulling me deeper inside of her. Fingernails scrapping my back as her orgasm rose inside of her. Looking deep into her eyes as I came deep inside of her and hearing her whisper, "I Love You" as she fell asleep curled in my arms.

That was 10 years ago and today she is my wife, my best friend and my lover. Every time we sit on the lake watching the sunset I remember falling in love with her and the first night we made love.