When I Met Her 1

I drove to a hotel near the airport, explaining to my wife that it would be more convenient to stay near Hartsfield than drive an hour and a half from our home. By the time I made it into my hotel bed, it was already 11:30pm, well past my ten o'clock goal. It didn't really matter though, as my body was so wound up I probably would have laid there wide awake. My mind played back the same planned scenario about the next day, over and over with little variation. The important thing was that all the plans were completed and ready. There wasn't really much of anything to do except fall asleep and wake up in time to make the 6:30 flight. I wanted to look my best, and that meant getting rest. Of course, that's the tricky part. It was difficult to rest when the expectation of meeting someone for the first time is high, and I didn't want to look tired when I met her.

I checked for her text, but hadn't seen anything since we chatted earlier in the morning. If I could concentrate and relax maybe I could slow down my hyper driven brain. It worked for a few moments until I allowed her to creep back into my thoughts. I had to do something, so I set out my clothes for the next day. It was going to be colder than normal, even for Chicago, and worse was the forecast for rain. It didn't deter me, just a minor inconvenience. I draped my heavy navy wool pea coat over the desk chair. It was then I heard the "ping" from her incoming text. She apologized at the late message, but she had been out with her cousins who felt obliged to entertain her. It put me at ease, and even though she was not under any obligation to text, I still wanted some reassurance that we were actually going to meet the next day. I hoped she was as excited about the visit, that she would have the same trouble sleeping. I responded I was ready and would text her once I boarded my flight.

It was a restless sleep, but I still awoke energized and eager for the day ahead. After arriving at the airport and boarding the plane, I ran through the mental checklist again -- parking, parking voucher, ticket, coat, cash on hand... check, check, check, check, and check. The one item that remained was texting her once I boarded. I was pleasantly surprised to see that she had texted me a half-hour before to ask if I was awake. It meant she was awake as well somewhere around 5am Chicago time. I texted back I was on board and headed her way. Once in the air there was nothing to do but wait the two hours of flying time until landing. It would then be another series of check boxes. I could relax a while, and though filled with a sense of eagerness, I welcomed a feeling of relief. At odd intervals I slipped into a light sleep, as did most of the other passengers.

On arrival I grabbed my travel briefcase and coat, making the long walk from the plane through the terminal and to the rental car shuttles. I was familiar with Chicago because of the many business trips I took there. Navigating to her place wouldn't be difficult. Yet, I didn't go straight to pick her up. Two days before the trip I wrestled with the idea of finding some place for us to be alone. We had never talked about it, but since we were meeting up and playing things by ear, I wondered about needing privacy. After all, we only had the car, the place where she was lived with her two daughters, and whatever places we decided to visit for lunch and then sight-seeing. What about a place where we could relax, where we could lounge and not have to worry about people around us? And of course, if things progressed it would be nice to have a bed. Was I being presumptuous? Yes, probably so, but I went ahead and booked a hotel room for the day. I wanted to have the option available for us, and also an option for me in case things turned out badly. If she decided to cut the visit short, I would have a quiet place where I could work for a few hours until the time of my 7pm flight back to Atlanta.

I drove to the hotel in Schaumburg to check in, but more than anything else I wanted to have the key so we could go straight to the room and not have to deal with check in. It also allowed me to see the room and freshen up before meeting. From the hotel I was still 29 minutes away. I texted that I would pick her up at 11am, an hour later than I planned, but I was ready to meet.

I pulled into the cul-de-sac near her townhome sometime close to 11am. I parked the car as close to her place as possible, though still a good walk from door to car. I didn't know what to expect. Would her cousins pop out of nowhere and confront me? Was I being set up to be robbed? After all, despite meeting online and months of texting and video calls, I hadn't seen this woman in real life. What could I do if she was using me for nefarious purposes? This was the last opportunity to back away. But I hadn't come all this way to turn around.

After a few moments the house door opened and a face peered out. I could tell it wasn't her, but probably her oldest daughter. The face quickly moved back inside, and just as the door closed it opened back up. Out she stepped, walking towards the car. There was no mistaking it was her, just as I had imagined and not far off from the pictured images and videos she had shared. For a moment I debated stepping out and opening the passenger's side door. But I wasn't sure if she told her family the nature of her visitor. Was I to greet her impassively like a hired driver? Was I supposed to let her approach as if she was getting into a friend's car? I figured there was someone observing us, so I opted for the latter. I leaned over to help her open the passenger door, but she reached the outer handle first and quickly settled inside.

I smiled and leaned over from the driver's seat, embracing her in a half-hug made difficult by the way we were sitting. She was as lovely as her pictures and video, actually more so because she was there in the flesh. In a moment her light floral scent permeated the car. We released our embrace and looked at each other, in awe that this moment was actually happening, that all the planning, wishing, and anticipation had come to fruition.

I couldn't think of much to say other than "it's good to see you." I know I said that because it was exactly what I felt. At some point I asked where she wanted to go, and she replied anywhere. I asked if she wanted to go downtown, though she would have assented to going anywhere. The only thing that mattered is that we were spending time together.

I drove out of the neighborhood, winding my way through a number of stops and stoplights. She took my free arm and embraced it. At the second stoplight, she leaned over, pulled my cheeks toward her, and gave me a long kiss. It surprised me, but in a good way. I held her kiss, though I wasn't sure for how long she wanted to keep our lips locked. I pulled away slightly, but she held it. I then brought my lips back in as she was releasing. She finished by pressing her lips to mine one last time. By then the light had already changed from red to green. I was gratified that she had broken the ice, because had she left it up to me, I probably would have handled the first kiss awkwardly. Wow, what a way to say "hello."

She was warm and pretty despite being a little under dressed for the climate. Her jeans were thin as was her soft blouse. She draped a sweater over her shoulders and brought along a neck scarf. But her open heeled shoes revealed she was dressed more for effect than functionality. She was outfitted for a bright, warm climate despite the cold, wet Chicago grayness. It was refreshing. She held my hand as we drove on, continuing to make small talk. Every few minutes and I had to release her grip, as my palms became sweaty in hers. I apologized and insisted that I wasn't nervous. But in truth I was stimulated by her touch. My pulse was racing, and I could feel my cheeks and neck warming. A look in the rear-view mirror confirmed my face was flush. Nevertheless, I played it calm. I didn't want to appear too eager. It was enough, at least for the moment, just to share the same air.

As we approached downtown Chicago she was content to recline in the corner of her seat with her back to the window and face me. She surveyed my face and commented on how she admired my chiseled features. I never really thought my profile was that distinct, but she talked about how she loved my nose and cleft chin. She even reached over to touch it a few times, sending a warm pulse through my body. Seeing that she wasn't paying much attention to the scenery outside, I diverted the car to Lower Wacker to get us there quicker. And where was there? I figured Water Tower Place would be nice for walking around and eating if we were so inclined.

It was warm and open once inside, a large open atrium with retail shops seven floors high and two anchor department stores. I thought it was a good place to start since she had often mentioned her love of shopping. These were medium to high end places of well-known names -- White House Black Market, American Girl, Aveda. I suggested maybe we walk around with no particular destination in mind. I also had no idea where any particular stores were located, so I lead us to the escalator. I liked the way she held me closely, making me feel as though somehow she'd be lost if she let go. I hinted at a few of the places we saw as we rose slowly upwards, but it was clear she was leaving the decision to me. On the sixth level I we stepped off and browsed the windows of a jewelry store. She liked some of the offerings, but didn't seem to engage with close inspection. We continued to Victoria's Secret. I was interested to see her reaction, and I think she wondered about mine, but as much as we had shared we probably weren't ready for her to sample intimate apparel.

I figured we had enough of window shopping, and since it was nearing noon, I suggested we take in some lunch. I should have been hungry, but I wasn't. I was feeding off of my body's adrenaline and her attention. I couldn't get enough, but despite that, I selected a soup and half sandwich. She selected a flatbread pizza. We found a table we and enjoyed our lunch. I was delighted at the ease of our conversation, that I didn't have to struggle to keep her interest. I never felt obliged to fill in the quiet moments, because there weren't very many. My smile was genuine when she spoke. Whether it was about her family or the mundane nature of work, I wanted to know more. But at some point we had eaten all the food we had, and it was time to move on.

Fortunately, we were only a block away from the John Hancock building, a 95 story edifice with a nice bar on the 94th level offering great views Chicago. We sat by a large window looking out at the panoramic view of the city. It was a rainy day, so the view didn't have the breathtaking effect I had hoped. But it didn't matter. We were practically alone sitting close to each other on bar chairs looking west to the distant suburbs. Somewhere before the horizon was the place from where I had picked her up. For just a moment, I was a little sad because I would have to return her and say goodbye. But the sadness passed when she asked if me to join her for a selfie. She took two pictures of us, and I asked her if she wouldn't mind sending me one. She leaned in close to me and told me how happy she was that we were able to finally meet. I told her the pleasure was mine.

I wasn't sure what more we could do for the afternoon that wasn't touristy. It was cold outside, so there wouldn't be much change of a lakeside walk. I wanted to be alone with her. I wanted to be close to her. I wanted to hold her. More than that, I wanted to taste her again, and not just in a short burst of a passionate kiss. I wanted it to lead to more. I wanted to indulge my passions. It was at that point that I made a decision. I told her that I had booked a hotel room in Schaumburg for the day. I told her we could spend some time together where we could do what we wanted. We could just sit, relax and talk. Or, as I tried to subtly offer, we let nature take its course. I made it clear that either way I would enjoy the pleasure of being with her. To my delight she enthusiastically agreed.

After fetching the car, we were soon on our way out of the city along the Kennedy Expressway. We were impatient, though there wasn't much we could do in the car but engage in fun foreplay. While driving, I reached my hand to her leg and squeezed her thigh. Not to be outdone, so she reached over to my thigh and teased me mercilessly. When the traffic stopped, we kissed. She decided to become playfully tempting and leaned her head down over my lap. Though still driving, I welcomed her boldness and wanted to see how far she would go. The car continued to ease forward as I kept one eye on the road and one eye on her. It was about that time I turned my head to the right lane and saw we had pulled alongside a school bus full of kids.

I yelled, "School bus!" and she sat up attentively looking to the right. We looked at each other and laughed. It broke the mounting sexual tension somewhat, but it didn't dissuade our mounting desire. The traffic finally broke and we arrived at the hotel.

It was a first floor room with a living room, kitchenette, and bathroom. The bedroom was small but ample. In the living room we took off our coats and draped them on the couch. Now that we were completely isolated I embraced her, tilted her head back and gave her a long kiss. We stood there kissing in a way that was more than just romantic, but also yearning. We both wanted more and didn't need to ask where this was going. Still, I felt an obligation to ask if she wanted to take it to bedroom. She nodded in agreement and walked to where we were just a few feet from the bed. We kissed again before she pulled away. She told me she needed to go to the bathroom before going further. I wasn't sure what she needed to do, but I trusted it was something in preparation.

This time together was months in the making, and in a few moments we would be sharing intimacies we had only talked about. She made me wait, but whatever came would be worth it. I felt I had to do something regardless of what was happening in the bathroom. I removed my shoes, my socks, my shirt, and my trousers. I was down to my boxers and undershirt. Still she hadn't come out of the bathroom, so in my nervous energy I neatly folded my shirt and trousers and placed them on a chair. I didn't even contemplate getting into the bed. It didn't feel right presuming she would walk into the bedroom and succumb to me. No, I could wait. I knew what I wanted. I wanted her, and I wanted her badly.

Five minutes later she walked into the bedroom still fully clothed. She stepped up to me and slowly gave me a kiss. I leaned down further as she had lost of few inches with the removal of her shoes. As we separated, she continued to grasp my hand. She pulled the bed sheets back and covered herself. I found it odd that suddenly she was self-conscious of her appearance. She removed her clothes beneath the sheets. I removed my shirt. It was then I realized despite my rising body heat, the room was somewhat cold. I joined her beneath the sheets, where I could already sense her warmth. I slid off my boxer shorts and looked at her naked body for the first time. She had no reason to be shy. Her body was lovely despite what she might have felt.

We kissed again, but this was more of a prelude to bigger thing, as there was much activity going on below our necks. I didn't think much about where I was or why I was there. I let my body act on its impulses, and she obliged by letting me go there. For a long time I desired her, and now that I had it, I wanted to savor the moment. Her body was ready for me when I entered her. I didn't have to plunge slowly, but doing so allowed a relishing of the sensation. She felt wonderful beneath me and moved in tandem with my movements. I didn't withhold anything. The buildup and anticipation was so bottled, I came relatively quickly. I could see she was surprised I released inside her. Realizing that this might have been a mistake, I asked her if it was okay. Without hesitation she smiled and told me it was fine. I kissed her and kept myself close to her warmth.

As we lay in the afterglow, we talked of our lives, filling in the blanks our previous online conversations had omitted. We were naked before each other, lying bare our rawest emotions. And yet, there was never any feeling a subject was taboo. She asked me innocently enough how I felt about my wife. I hesitated few moments before I answered. It wasn't that I didn't want to tell her. In fact, it would have been cathartic to let her know I would always regard my wife with some degree of love. There were levels of complexity to my answer, and I wasn't sure I could fully address what she wanted to know. I told her that I would always regard my wife with fondness, and yet before she had time to follow up with a more in-depth question, I turned her over and began a deep massage of her back. It was a something of a diversionary tactic, and I suspect she knew ths. But she was also kind enough not to press. I know she wanted more. Perhaps this wasn't time for the difficult questions.

While we pressed further into each other's past, we also shed the inhibitions of lovemaking. I shifted her into a position where I could take her from behind, as my batteries had recharged and I wanted to resume the exploration of her body. I told her as I held her from behind I was closing my eyes, that my mind had already imprinted the shape and image of her naked body. Now my hands would memorize the way her back tapered to her ass and then curved sharply to her legs and thighs. Nothing needed to be rushed. I had plenty of energy and stamina. She accommodated my urges and delighted in the positions I placed her. For her part, she took initiative as well, moving me to a position below her and releasing her inhibitions. She expressed herself vocally, whimpering and moaning in joyful ecstasy. The demure woman from the pictures and video calls didn't hold back.

After collapsing on each other, we both rested in a tender embrace. We didn't say much, as we were trying to make that moment last forever. I couldn't hear anything beyond her nearly silent breathing and thumping of her pulse. And yet, I knew 3:30pm would be approaching sooner than we wanted. At that time I could still drive her home and make it back to the airport in time to catch my flight. Maybe I could have pushed it to 4:00 or even 4:30, but that would have put me at risk on a day traffic around Chicago was heavier than normal.

By 3:30 we made overtures to get up, but did so without any urgency. I didn't want to put my clothes back on, as it meant the end of our time together. Still, we dressed and collected our things. She grew concerned I would miss my flight if I drove her back to Elgin, and went so far as to offer paging an Uber ride. I told her she wasn't getting rid me that easily.

I drove her back to Elgin, and during the ride in the heavy traffic I felt a sense of melancholy, that I should have made some provision to stay longer. We talked, held hands, and smiled with the satisfaction of two lovers in their aftermath. The drop-off at the house was brief, but not rushed. I kissed her slowly and held both of her cheeks in my hands. I wanted to remember the touch of her lips, as I wasn't sure the next time I would taste her.

The good-bye was more of a mutual "thank you." I watched her walk the 20 or so paces to the door. As she reached the stoop, she turned, smiled, and gave me a quick wave. And then she was gone, somewhere inside the warm house. Though the damp wind hit me as I stood outside the door, my cheeks were flushed and my palms still sweaty. I eased back into the car and looked at my time. With the distance and traffic, I still had a window that would put me at the departure gate with about 30 minutes to spare. That was 30 minutes more I could have spent with her. Damn!