Isobel and Mark were sitting on his couch, drinking and chatting.
They had first made contact on an internet dating site. Mark had immediately been attracted to her pictures and what she had to say, even though she was quite a lot younger than he was. One thing she had mentioned in her profile was that she liked the sea. Kevin sent a message, with a comment about one of her pictures. It was picture of Isobel in a bikini, starting to walk out of the sea with the waves crashing around her. The picture showed off her curves and feminine form, but there was also a bit of vulnerability to her pose. Anyway, Mark had sent his first message, telling her with her love of the sea that she looked like a mermaid in the picture.
He didn't expect a response, but she did reply, intrigued by the older guy (that she tended to like) that was quite a traveller, who also loved the sea.
Well, they immediately clicked, and with an increasing number of emails, they got to know each other, their thoughts, and outlooks on life, and messages that got more and more intimate as they also started to flirt with each other. But they still needed some courage to take that plunge to see each other. In their correspondence they'd explained they had been in relationships before, and in most cases, at the right time, it was the right to move on. But there were times when it had been more difficult, especially when two people still loved each other, but now found it difficult to stay together.
Mark went on to explain his fascination with mermaids and the whole myth of mermaids luring fisherman to their doom. Mark explained what he felt the mermaid and the fisherman was really about. It was about taking a risk in life, when two people really fell for each other in an intense way. It might all work out, lovers and soul mates for life. Or it might be lovers for a short, but intense time. Or, worse of all, ending up destroying each other by letting go to their inner passions, and opening their inner soul to someone.
He also sent her a copy of a picture on his bedroom wall. It was the 'The Fisherman and the Siren' by Frederic Leighton. The fisherman is standing at the water's edge with a mermaid coming out of the water and embracing him. In the picture he is enchanted by the mermaid and he has an almost Christ-like stance, as the naked mermaid looks deep into his eyes with her ample breasts pressed on his chest.
But it is the rest of what is in the picture that holds the key. The fish he had caught are tumbling out of the basket back into the sea, and he is oblivious to this, enchanted by the mermaid. A mermaid that is only a 'fish' from the knees down, so still a voluptuous woman, with all the parts. And the mermaid is also vulnerable, coming up out of the sea.
Overall, the fisherman and the mermaid myth might be about taking a risk in love when you feel a special bond and passion for someone that touches you deep inside. It could all work out, the ideal lovers and soul mates, or you could end up dashed on the rocks in an emotional storm!
Isobel loved the analogy and she also sensed Mark was a bit of a romantic. She also sensed, like her, that Mark was a bit wary of being hurt in a relationship.
Anyway, they finally plucked up the courage to meet. They were both confident they would get along, and even if there wasn't that 'spark', it would be nice to chat in person, then go their separate ways at the end of the night. They finally met at a local pub that they both knew, and Isobel liked the way Mark had left it up to her to decide on the final venue.
Both were nervous about the meeting, but they got along fine and were soon chatting away like they were life-long friends, with no awkward silent moments. Isobel was even more beautiful in person. He was lost in the gaze of her dark eyes and utterly enchanted by her smile. She was wearing red lip stick that showed off her lips that begged to be kissed, and her long dark hair cascaded over her bare shoulders. Isobel was wearing a black top and a black and white flowery skirt that enhanced her beauty.
As they chatted Mark couldn't help but notice her top and the way it outlined her breasts and pushed them together in a delightful cleavage. He tried not to stare, and to be the gentleman, but he couldn't help but glance from time to time. In their correspondence they had shared thoughts and photos and he told Isobel how much he loved her eyes and her smile. He had hinted a couple of times about her lovely curves, but had not plucked up the courage to say how much he had admired her breasts.
In most of the pictures she had sent, the pictures nicely outlined her breasts and her cleavage, that went so well with her hair, that smile, and those dark eyes. The pictures were taken in a way that celebrated her curvaceous shape without being too provocative, to celebrate her being a woman. There was one picture Isobel had sent him, with her looking towards the camera in a tight top that squeezed her cleavage together, and her gorgeous smile seemed to have a mischievous hint, as if she was saying, have you noticed my cleavage!
There was also that picture of her on the beach in the bikini looking like a mermaid.
They had got along so well that the evening was getting late. Mark asked Isobel if she needed to go home with train times, or would she be interested to have a drink at his place, and chat more. Isobel liked the way he had invited her around, but with the chance for her to say no, and go home.
"Yes, I would love to, but I need to keep any eye on the times of the last train."
Mark felt they really had a strong bond and was eager for things to go further, but the two of them were nervous, about opening to those deeper emotions and passions. Back at his place, Isobel was fascinated by his small house, full of mementos from his travels. Mark opened a bottle of wine and he then showed Isobel around the house with the items he had collected from his travels, the books he liked, and various pictures and photos from his travels, including that picture of 'The Fisherman and the Siren' by Frederic Leighton above his bed. He whispered how she was a mermaid and leant over to kiss her, but Isobel moved away slightly, asking if he had any more wine for her empty glass. He could see she was nervous, so they went downstairs, and he topped up her glass.
Isobel's heart was all a flutter, she had really wanted him to kiss her and take her into his strong arms, but she was still nervous, and was puzzled why she declined that first kiss, perhaps the first kiss in the bedroom would have been too forward for her.
They sat on the couch, Isobel on the left, Mark on the right, and they continued to talk about all sorts of things, and both had huge smiles on their faces. More and more they were looking deeply into each other's eyes as they chatted. Mark also loved the smell of her perfume and the way her hair cascaded over her bare shoulders, and that black top that showed off her breasts. Her body so close to his, he could easily just reach across - and touch! Isobel knew that Mark admired her breasts in the way he would glance down at her cleavage from time to time, but in a slightly nervous way. She hated men that just stared at her cleavage. But she liked it when men noticed and did not stare, but couldn't help but glance from to time, as if she had a secret power over them!
They had been talking and talking since they had first met, but they then came to that first silent moment. It wasn't that they had run out of something to say, they both desperately wanted to kiss and embrace, but it was to take that plunge, the next step! Their bodies were almost touching and then Isobel whispered, "Cat got your Tongue?"
