It was exceptionally hot at the barbeque that Saturday, but no one seemed to mind. It was a party complete with lots of food, liquor, loud music, and people milling in and out of the back yard. The pungent smell of searing meat over smoldering charcoals filled the air and Michel was feeling hungry, as usual. He headed toward the table to grab a plate and was completely taken aback by a pair of huge brown eyes smiling his way. He glanced behind him to make sure she was looking at him. When his eyes returned to her, she met his gaze with a smile.
She stood alone and he wondered if someone was there with her. As he contemplated his next move, she walked into the house. Suddenly, he wasn't interested in what was on the table. What he wanted was inside that house and that is where he had to be. He was overcome with the urge to know her. He didn't know if she was with someone and he really didn't care.
Sean spotted him as soon as he walked through the gate. He was tall . . . really tall. His skin was golden in the sun and he looked at her with expressive eyes that hid secrets she wanted to uncover. She had never seen him before and didn't know who invited him, but he appeared to arrive alone and since she was solo as well, she looked at him, hoping he'd see the invitation in her smile. He looked away, then back at her and she smiled again. Sean waited for a moment for him to approach her, but he didn't. She shrugged and went inside to get a drink. It was stifling outside and she could really use some air conditioning anyway.
Bending in front of the open refrigerator, Sean perused the variety of cold beverages, but her mind was still on the handsome stranger. Had she misread the look in his eye? Did he not like what he saw when he was looking her up and down? She was certain he wondered what was beneath the denim mini skirt she wore. Was she wrong? She grabbed a Corona, closed the refrigerator door and there he stood.
"Can I get you something?" she asked him. He stared into her eyes and replied,
"What I want isn't in the fridge."
"I'm sorry?" she said.
"I want something, but it's too hot to be in the fridge."
"Oh, I see. You like to flirt," she said. He stood, his unblinking eyes fixed on her and said,
"Call it what you want."
Nothing like this had ever happened to Mike before. She was a perfect stranger, yet he could not shake the feeling that they somehow connected. It was more than physical. It was mystical. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to know every inch of her chocolaty skin. Mike wanted her and he couldn't make himself walk away. He was about to say something witty when one of her girlfriends burst through the kitchen door and went to the fridge.