Pia found herself driving further up the coast then she originally planned. The 101 to Santa Barbara for a weekend visit to the parents was a regular diversion for her. Her children were with her first husband; her second husband was with his kids. Weekends with parents or visits to the gym were just getting too monotonous. Pia had been reading a few Steinbeck novels of late and was currently reading 'Pastures of Heaven'. All of a sudden Pia decided to visit the area Steinbeck's novels and Carmel became her destination. She did give thought that maybe she should change clothes; her bikini was a little risquΓ© for an area where she'd never been and didn't know anyone. Pia decided to keep her outfit as is since she was also wearing a sarong. The beautiful drive and fresh sea air made her feel all the more like she made a smart decision with every mile.
Pia pulled into a parking lot and entered a cute deli she noticed from the road. Ordering a sandwich and a salad, she also bought a small cooler and a 6-pack of Corona. The man at the counter was able to tell Pia a great place to sun, read and nosh. It was not an easy task for him, he was barely able to not stare her up and down her incredible body and face. Pia was amused by the reaction she caused, depending on her mood and the situation, her looks could be a blessing or a curse. She was in a good mood so the tongue-tied counter help was more charming than rude and off she went to the location he suggested.
Pia found the place, she laid out a towel, opened a beer, put the food to the side and began reading her book. Forgetting the food, Pia sipped on her beer and another and continued to read her book. By the third beer, Pia was feeling no pain and thought she might be imagining her name being called. "Pia!" she heard again. She looked up to find one of those incidents of the world being a small world after all. Looking over at her was a friend from LA, Robert.
Robert was in Carmel for bicycling. He often put his bike on the train and got off at picturesque spots and biked around for a few days. They had talked at the gym a few times, had even had lunch once. There was a definite chemistry, but not every time there is chemistry does it have to be explored. The coincidence of the two of them in Carmel added to three Coronas had Pia contemplating furthering their 'friendship'. Pia offered a Corona and had another herself. The conversation flowed smoother than the beers and by the time they finished splitting the final beer, Pia's sandwich was forgotten and dinner plans were made. Robert's bike easily fit in the back of her SUV and they went to drop off his bike in his hotel room. Pia had already decided they would not leave his room that day or night, but should she be passive or aggressive?
When they got to the hotel, Pia asked Rob if she should change her clothes, she arched her back while asking and enjoyed the way Rob tried not to let his widening eyes be too obvious. He barely croaked the words, "You look perfect." It was the last conversation they had with their clothes on. Their lips met, their tongues danced and their arms pulled each other tight together. They squeezed each other tight and only let go long enough to unhook, untie and unbutton. Their fingers explored each other, but their lips never broke free. As he kissed her, he was in shock, this goddess with a face that put Helen of Troy to shame and a body that seemed a collaboration of god and the devil was kissing him. He had been in silent awe of her for over a year and had only recently begun to talk to her. In their few talks and one wonderful lunch he was amazed to discover how multi-faceted she was and how incredible each of these newly discovered facets were.