That Day At The Fair

That day was a day of firsts. I had not been on a roller coaster in so many years that it was like a first. Hell, spending the day at the fair going on rides was a first. It was two years since my ugly second divorce, and I had settled into a routine. When I go to the state fair, it’s usually to see the sights, mingle with the people and enter the lame contests that no one ever wins anyway. I guess I have always told myself I'm too old for the rides.

I received a phone call a few months back from an old college friend. She said she would be in town and would love to see me and catch up on old times. I should have suspected something right then. We were close friends in college only because I helped her with her studies. Out of all the other students in program, she happened to have the same course schedule as me, so I guess we were a familiar pair all the way through the two-year course.

It happened that the fair was on the same weekend Chris would be in town, so I planned that we would take the fair in. If things got awkward, we could at least go on the rides or view the local distractions to fill our time. After all, it had been fifteen years since I had last seen her. I was nervous as I always am when meeting people. I'm not a very public person, so it's difficult to put me in a one on one situation and make me feel at ease. Although I spent two wonderful years with Chris at my elbow five to six days a week, I still felt I did not really know her.

I met Chris at the airport early that Saturday morning and as soon as I saw her all the worries faded. Her smile lit up her face when she recognized me and we exchanged wonderful, close hugs. There is something about meeting a long lost friend that really warms the heart. She looked great with her long, flowing blond hair and her flower-print summer dress clinging tightly to her gorgeous body. I felt a twinge deep down inside.

I grabbed her bags, she grabbed my arm, and we headed out.

Planning ahead, I had gotten a set of all-day rides passes for us, so we headed for the fair. Though I am a loner, I do enjoy the anonymity of being in a crowd. The sights and sounds of a fair thrill me just by being a part of it. Taking the park-and-ride, we chatted like we had never lost touch. Standing close, I could see how the years had touched her with fine lines etched around her eyes, her fair skin tanned from being in the summer sun, the odd gray hiding in her golden blond hair. But she still was a stunning beauty. Standing on the crowed transit, we were forced closer and closer as each stop brought more people on the bus. By the last stop, I had my hand nestled in the small of her back, shielding her from the touches of other passengers. There was that twinge deep inside at having her so close.

Chris seemed to ignore the touch of my hand, so I kept it there, feeling her warmth under the thin fabric of her dress. Was I protecting her by laying claim? I smiled at the thought and she, seeing me smile, nudged me with her elbow.

"What are you grinning about?" she asked.

"Our stop is next," I said, neatly avoiding the question as I pressed her further ahead toward the exit doors.

The fair grounds were crowded. It was a beautiful day for the fair and even more crowded because it was a weekend. It would be a record-breaking day. I did not like the heat, though, and could easily have done without the long lines, but that all comes with a day at the fair. Even before we got to the gates, our senses were assaulted with the smells and sounds of the fair, both good and bad. My stomach growled loud enough to be heard by Chris and she turned back to me.

"We'll have to take care of that problem quickly," she said, then laughed.

"Corn dogs and mustard!" I suggested.

What would a fair be without corn dogs and mustard, washed down with a tall cold glass of fresh lemonade? I headed for the nearest stand, but passed it by. The smells of rancid oil and overheated tarmac suddenly twisted my stomach into knots. I was sure the heat of the day would bring out more unpleasant smells, but that was what a fair was all about. Popcorn, ice cream, spilled pop and candyfloss mixed with the smoke of BBQ chicken and ribs and the odor of stale beer drifting in from the beer gardens. It was three more stalls into the fair before I settled on one that drew me in. Chris joined me in a corn dog. We walked on, taking in the sights. My corn dog was gone in seconds, as that’s the way I've always eaten, fast, like it was my last meal. Chris took her time with hers, eating it slowly and making eye contact with me as she licked the ketchup off the tip before nipping small bits from the end. My heart skipped a beat watching her with that corn dog. She was teasing me. I guess the look on my face was too much, for Chris started laughing. I blushed, and then I started laughing, too.

The first ride we decided to go on was short one, yet it had a long line. It must be good and with a name like "The Drop of Death" it had to be a heart stopper. We chatted merrily as we waited in line, stopping every time the ride would drop another group of screaming people, only to start up again when the ride loaded and the line moved on.

Finally we were next to load. The group before us had one woman similar in age to us. Seated in a car that held four people, she was strapped in the middle. The car held passengers in the seat with a bar that folded down over the shoulders, firmly clamping their bodies into the seat. Their feet were left dangling. I hate having my feet dangling in a ride, so my heartbeat went up a few notches just at that thought. The operator told the woman to remove her sandals, as they might fly off mid-ride. She smiled her nervous smile and slid them off, leaving them where they landed. The ride cranked up and lifted the car vertically one hundred feet into the air, only to drop it straight down again. The screams coming from the crowd could never drown out the hysterics of this one woman, who I swear was screaming as soon as she lifted off the ground. She screamed all the way up and down. The thing that struck me funny was that her feet landed into her sandals and she was up and out of the ride before she even stopped screaming. She didn't even have to look; her feet found those sandals and were carrying her away as fast as they could.

Our chance was next and we marveled at the sights of the fair as we rose above all the other rides. The ride lifted fast, but slowed to a crawl at the top. This was to draw out the anticipation of the drop, for as soon as it hit the pin at the top, the car dropped. Such was the construction of the ride that you could not turn your head to see when you were about to reach the top, so you were never quite sure when it would happen until you were already falling. I am not a screamer but Chris is, and yell she did, all the way down. I think I just stopped breathing. It was a rush for sure, but one that I would not repeat, for once is enough.

The next ride was a roller coaster with three full loops in it. I guided Chris into the line. Chris took advantage of the lineup and stood close to me as we talked. Soon I had my hand on her hip, more I think to keep her at a distance than to pull her in, but she felt good all the same. We talked of all that had gone on in the last fifteen years, of how she had married and divorced and was on her way east to meet someone. She mentioned that she had always liked me and that I was lucky. I was at a loss for words as she continued to sidle closer as the conversation got deeper. My heart was pounding more from being this close than the anticipation of the ride.

‘Lucky?’ I thought to myself. Does she know that I too was divorced, not once but twice since we had last met, and that I have been alone for the last few years?

Our turn came and we jammed into a car near the back of the ride. Strapped in, my hand landed on her knee and stayed there where her dress had ridden up and her skin was cool to the touch. I wasn't sure what I was doing, but she smiled shyly and then the ride started. I didn't have time to think after that until the ride was done. Climbing out, I held out my hand to help her out. Both of us were a bit shaken by the ride. It was fun - more than fun, exciting. She clung to my arm with both hands as we shakily made our way down the ramp. It was an entirely innocent gesture on her part, or was it? I felt a bit guilty letting her stay arm in arm all that way. She was off to see someone, after all. My heart was still racing. Was it from the ride or from her close contact?

We did a few more rides, and then Chris had enough. During the last ride we went on, she screamed so long and hard that she almost stopped breathing. Her face was all red and blotchy and I told her it was enough. At that point she had to agree, so we went inside the arena to watch a few shows and check out the sights and displays. One dark theater held a dog show, putting all the dogs and handlers through the paces of doing tricks, jumps and races. It was quite entertaining and dark. Just when a hand touched my thigh, my cell phone lit up and rang. It was another friend of mine, a single mom who just wanted to talk. I begged off the phone quickly, saying I was in a show and couldn't talk.

Chris reached over, touched my hand, and scratched a single nail over the back of it, idly tracing a little pattern. I'm sure she saw me tense up as she did so. It was a game for her, but my life was on the line. Do I really want to walk that line again? Is there any truth the 'third time’s the charm' saying? Should I play? I pulled my hand away.

"You bored?" I asked. "We can go on and find somewhere else," I stammered. "I mean, something else to do."

"Sure," Chris said, giggling. Her giggles sent shivers up my spine. Were girls born with that skill? We made our way out of that show and wandered around, her on my arm, like we were lovers. I was enjoying this; she made me feel like I was sixteen again. We wandered the stalls of the fair, stopping here and there whenever something caught her eye. She'd hold a dress with an African print up tight to her body and ask the question no male could answer, then giggle and put it back on the rack before I could say anything. Truthfully, I was watching her hand slide down over her curves more than what the dress looked like. What guy would turn down this beauty if she offered herself to him? I swallowed hard.

"Let's go in that pavilion and see the dancers," Chris suggested, pointing at a large sign displaying Caribbean dancers. We could hear the faint sound of steel drums through the closed doors. Arm in arm, we headed for the door.

As we entered the dark theater, she led the way to the seats in the dark corner at the back of the theater. She settled in, pulling me down quickly. I pulled back a bit.

"This type of music makes me so hot!" she said.

I laughed at the comment, but looked around and found we were quite alone this far back. I began to get nervous. She picked up my arm and crawled under, snuggling close.

When she brought my hand around, it landed right across her right breast. ‘This can't be happening to me,’ I thought. I looked down to see the lights of the stage reflected in her eyes like tiny stars. She had her bottom lip clamped between her teeth, making her top lip curve out in a beautiful pout. How could I not fall for her? She made me melt right there in the seat. Well, part of me melted, while another part, well, let’s just say it was waiting at attention.

I brought my hand into play and caressed her, pulling her to me. We kissed slowly at first, then, hungry for more, we devoured each other. Images of her eating that corn dog flashed across my memory and I must have moaned for she was very responsive to my touches. My caresses chased down across her body as I watched her slouch down in the chair, her sundress sticking to the fabric and riding up her long, tanned legs. She was hot. I could feel the heat rising from her skin.

I was lost and there was nothing I wanted more than to draw a curtain around us and close out the world, but I couldn't. My nervousness showed in my fumbling attempts at caresses. I backed off before I touched anything more intimate. She was hot and obviously turned on by the music, but I couldn't bring myself to such displays in public.

"Hmmm, it's been so long," I said. "Care to take this home for the night?" I nibbled her neck and down behind her ear, waiting for her response.

"I was wondering if you were going to ask, " she replied, digging her nails into my thigh when I touched a particularly sensitive spot.

I leaned back, nibbled her ear, and invited her to spend the night so we could explore these feelings more. She agreed in a breathless response, but also with her nails digging deeply into my thigh.

The music finished and the audience started clapping. I sat up, saved in part by the changing of the band. The lights slowly started to brighten as the audience stood to exit the building. Chris got up and rearranged her dress. I, on the other hand, was a little more uncomfortable when I stood and she laughed at the bulge in my jeans. Kissing me deeply, she grabbed my hardened cock and worked it around to a more comfortable position.

"I love what I see so far," she whispered. "I can't wait."

Back outside, there was a short time to grab something to eat before the free concert was to start. I wasn't too interested in the band, but it was one that Chris really liked. It was a band from the eighties, back when she was in high school. I missed the eighties rock bands; I was more into country at that point. By the time we met in college I listened to nothing but country, so I was at a loss for knowing the band. But we wandered and picked up our meals on the way, then headed to get a spot to listen to the band.

It could have been more romantic if the setting was different, but the company was fine and music wasn't that bad. A little louder than I liked, but it was okay. We didn't get a seat in the stands, so our view of the stage was limited. We sat back against the fence and ate our meal with the crowd milling, both in front and behind us. I lapsed into silence; just smiling at her was enough. We talked with our eyes as we ate. She put her hair up into a ponytail to keep it out of the way while she ate. I loved the curve of her neck and her tiny ears; even after I finished eating, the sight made me hungry. Would I stop again before I could do anything? Was this why my previous marriages failed? Was I that much of a chicken, a loser, a killjoy? I wondered what she was thinking now.

Just then, the band struck up a song that the crowd went wild over. Chris jumped up and started dancing on the spot, excited by the music. Not being as fast to rise, I got a great view of her legs as they rose up, disappearing under her dress. If I just sat there while she swayed and danced would she…

"Hey, get up here. You can have a look see later," she said, looking down and catching me staring at her legs.

I stood with a sheepish grin on my face and slid around behind her, enfolding her in my arms. We swayed to the music blaring from the stage. She was warm against me, her arms holding onto mine, which were wrapped around her waist. I started nibbling her neck, but that sent shivers down her neck and she slapped me away. So we stood wrapped up in each other until the concert was over and the sun had set. It was a fitting end to the evening. The cool evening air was perfect as we walked one more time around the fairgrounds.

We talked the Ferris wheel operator into one long ride, since it would be a shame to waste our day passes. So we went up in the Ferris wheel high above the crowds. The lingering sunset was so beautiful, the reds and pinks of the horizon faded into the blues and purples of the evening sky. Soon the stars would be winking and blinking. About three or four turns into the ride we stopped at the top and just sat there. Not really worried, we cuddled closer and I wrapped my arms around Chris. She looked up at me then and thanked me for the wonderful day. I hushed her with a kiss.

Suddenly, fireworks lit up the sky, shooting golden sparks and silver showers skyward. It’s one thing to see fireworks from the crowded ground, but up here it felt like we were one with them. I was in awe seeing Chris's profile silhouetted against the exploding stars of the grand display. Slowly the Ferris wheel started up again and we landed. Joined at the hip, we exited and thanked the operator for the glorious ride.

My heart was still beating as we left the fair grounds, heading back to the car. The transit was not as crowed as when we arrived, but we still stood in the back by the exit, Chris pressing her backside against me, teasing, promising more fun to follow. I can still hear her giggle softly.

Back at my house, she settled in like she owned the place. She shook her head at the dishes piled in the sink and the newspapers littering the floor around the big, overstuffed chair in the main room. My cat hissed at Chris when she stuck her head in the bedroom, but Chris laughed. I tiptoed up behind her and wrapped her in my arms, kissing her neck.

"I guess that Texas has laid claim to that room," I said. "Hell, it's her house. I just sleep here."

She wiggled out of my arms and headed back to the main room. I walked over and turned the stereo on low. The CDs in the rack were instrumental with natural sounds: bird song, rain and others mixed in. It was my relaxing music. Chris didn't seem to mind, so I left it as it was.

She walked around the room, picking up some of the little things I had collected over the years. A crystal cat, a miniature rooster, a wire sculpture of a tree with foil leaves - tacky things that have a story but are usually just dust collectors. She walked slowly, swinging her sundress as she did, looking at the paintings on the walls and the plants along the big picture window.

"Would you like a drink?" I asked.

"No thank you, unless, yes, just a glass of water please," she said.

Bringing in a glass of water, I settle into the overstuffed chair. Chris settled into my lap with her legs over the arm of the chair and her arms around my neck. She ran a finger back through my hair as she looked into my eyes.

"Thank you for the lovely day," she said. "It's been quite awhile since I had that much fun."

I just smiled up at her and swallowed, saying nothing, for I had nothing to say. The look in her eyes stole any words I had. She smiled, bent and kissed my lips lightly and started undoing the buttons on my shirt. I look up to see her concentrating on the buttons; her brow creased ever so lightly when one of the buttons refused her fingers.

Standing, I lifted Chris in my arms, pulling a shocked giggle from her lips. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I carried her into the back room. Texas ran from the room and I closed the door. Half falling, half-jumping, I landed in the center of the bed, with Chris laughing all the way. I rose on one elbow, looking at her with her long blond hair sprayed out around her head like a golden cloud. I settled my hand across her stomach and leaned down for a kiss, slowly caressing upwards until my hand covered the soft mound of her breast. "Before we continue, what about tomorrow?" I asked.

Lifting a finger to my lips, Chris silenced further questions. She squirmed out from under my hand and slowly rose. I fell back onto the bed, afraid I had said the wrong thing, and slowly rolled onto my back.

"Chris, I'm sor…"

"SSShhhhhh," she interrupted.

I opened my eyes and looked up at her. She slowly reached behind her back and pulled the zipper of her dress down and shrugged the sundress off her shoulders. My heart stopped at the sight of her standing in nothing but a royal blue satin thong. Her breasts, still high and firm, were a wonder of nature.