A quick note of thanks to Randi, for her editing skill, and her generous assistance with the story.
As always, I add a little disclosure. There will be mistakes. Even with Randi's wonderful editing, I can't help going back and noodling, and changing things.
Any, and all mistakes contained within, are mine, and mine alone.
It was one of those days: hot and humid, the air heavy, no breeze, just the awful cloying moisture laden air. It had been like this for days; all I wanted was respite, a break in the weather...
Days like this shouldn't be allowed to happen. It had been one problem after another. No sooner was one remedied, than something else cropped up.
I was pleased to be on my bike. The traffic was thick, as every Friday evening, and I was happy not to be trapped in a car. Yeah, it was hot and sticky, but zipping between the cars was liberating. No gridlock for me.
Fuck Auckland and its shitty traffic congestion.
I could hear the drivers cursing as I rode silently by, the horns blaring, sirens somewhere in the distance.
The only thing in my way was traffic lights. I slid to a stop at the red light, the driver in the car beside me glared. We waited, and that's when I felt the presence, glancing to my right, sitting astride a Trek EX, top of the range mountain bike.
There she was, the most spectacularly gorgeous woman I had ever seen in my life. She gave me an acknowledging nod as her eyes took in my old Cannondale scalpel. She might have been old, but she was still impressive. I liked that my gorgeous companion recognised it.
The lights changed, and we were off, peddling like crazy. I heard her giggle as she stood in the saddle, her legs pumping like her life depended on it. Considering the insane Auckland drivers, it probably did.
Across Queen street, heading for Fanshawe. The bloody traffic was awful, but pedalling frantically beside me was the hottie on the Trek. Another stop on the Nelson Street intersection, the traffic, crawling, and gridlock only moments away. Drivers had tried to push on after the lights turned red on them. Now they were stuck in the middle of the intersection with nowhere to go.
Our lights turned green, but the cars were stuck, the intersection still full of cross traffic. We set off, side by side, flicking between the stationary cars. Our lanes were clear now. Standing on the pedals, the bike swaying, I pedalled as fast as I could, the Shimano gears flicking neatly as I changed it up.
Surprisingly, she was still with me. I'll give her credit, she was fast. It came to another grinding halt at Hobson Street. She pulled up beside me, I glanced quickly, and annoyingly, she was hardly even panting. I was feeling it, the damn humidity.
The light changed, and we were off again. Damn it, I couldn't shake her; she was right beside me as we pushed between the lines of cars. I thought the traffic might scare her, but no. She was actually moving in front of me.
Approaching Halsey Street, I saw the lights changing, already orange. The traffic slowed to stop. I made a reckless decision, changed down a gear and put my back into it. I flew around the corner, going flat out. I chuckled to myself as I cleared the intersection. Surely I had lost her. I took a peek to my right, and there she was, going harder than ever. "Fuck," I grumbled under my breath.
The traffic was stopped at Victoria Street. It meant riding around cars to get to the front of the queue. Horns blared, arms waving from angry drivers.
Again, the intersection was flooded with cars going nowhere, and when our lights turned green, I zoomed out into the crawling line of cars. Ducking in and out around them. Then it was the hard slog up College Hill.
Heading up Jarvois Rd, I decided I wasn't going to shake my companion, so I slowed, taking the chance to suck in a few deep breaths. As I pulled up beside the Elbow Room. I pulled over and slowed. Coming to a stop outside the cafe, my friend pulled up beside me. "Thanks for the ride," she said in a sultry, yet melodic voice, "Are you stopping for a drink?"
I nodded, thinking if she was. I definitely was. "Yeah, I was going to. I was going to pick up some groceries up the road at the market."
"Could I join you?"
Talk about stupid questions. "Absolutely. I would be delighted."
We locked the bikes, put our helmets on the lamppost outside and wandered in. Finding a quiet table by the window, we sat down. She reached her hand across to shake mine. "Hi, I'm Sarah Sanders."
Her hand felt perfect. "Hi, I'm Ross Turner."
"I hope you didn't mind me riding with you. I love a bit of competition."
"No worries," I replied, as my eyes tried to stay focused on hers. I mean, it shouldn't have been a problem. She had the most beautiful eyes, a deep bluish grey that seemed to suck you in. It was hard, though, because in her tight fitting Lycra riding gear, every bloody inch of her slinky body was right there.
"Do you work in the city, Ross?"
"Yeah, afraid so. Have to pay the bills somehow. What about you?"
"No, well, not properly. I do some promotional work."
"Promotional, you say. Like advertising?"
"No, I was doing a radio interview for the world champs."
Radio... it was then the penny dropped. Bloody hell, she was the Sarah Sanders. She represented New Zealand at the Commonwealth games. She was getting ready to go to the world championships in the Netherlands.
"Oh shit. Sorry, I should have recognised you. Wow, I must seem like a dick."
She giggled. "Not at all. Its nice not to be noticed."
"No, I meant me trying to race you."
"I loved that. I am super competitive and love a challenge. You were going pretty hard."
"Yeah, I like to unwind after a shitty day. Cycling is my relief valve, if you know what I mean."
"Oh, heck yes. I certainly get that. The old Cannondale, it still looks nice."
"Yeah, she goes all right. I've had her for so long now I take her for granted."
We sipped our drinks, enjoying the air conditioning. "Where do you live?" I asked.
"Point Chev, what about you?"
"Waterview."
We chatted a little; she was just stunning. Absolutely stunning, and I jabbered on like some idiot, just to keep her there. Nothing I said made sense, but I kept blabbing on and on. She was kind enough to go along for the ride.
It was over too quickly. I wanted to hold her in my arms, feel those succulent juicy lips on mine. I had known her for less than an hour, and I was already in love. If you had asked me if I believed in love at first sight the day before, I would have laughed in your face. A ridiculous concept. How could you fall in love like that...
It was bloody easy, actually. My heart was racing as we walked towards the door. I wanted to ask her out, to say something incredibly deep and meaningful. My mind, however, was stuck in the mud, my tongue flapping saying dumb shit.
As we were putting our helmets on, it was she who said, "Me and a couple of mates are going trail bashing up in the Waitaks tomorrow, if you have nothing planned?"
"Wow, that'd be choice. Yeah, I'd love it. What time?"
"We are meeting up in Henderson, about nine." She gave me a pouty thoughtful smile. "Tell you what, give me your address and I'll pick you up. My Ute's got a bike rack that takes four bikes."
We quickly exchanged phone numbers, and I sent her a text with my address. She gave me the thumbs up she had received it. Then, we were back on the bikes, ploughing our way through traffic. The cars were backed up, and we zoomed in and out. She took the turn for Point Chevalier, and I kept going.
