Rachel and Josh met at a post-Election Day birthday party of a mutual friend, and had gone out together a few times in the month since, but hadn't yet slept together. He didn't want to push too hard, because he believed she was worth waiting for.
He knew he was attracted to a certain physical type, and she had it: round and lush. The promise of her full breasts and butt, coupled with her long dark hair and blue eyes, bright smile and throaty voice kept him entranced. They were adults in their late 20's, and were getting along so well. Those hot, moist good night kisses they enjoyed seemed to be promises of things to come, so he was willing to invest time in developing the relationship. Still, he craved her two breasts that rose high up on her chest, practically underneath her chin. He felt like they were radio beacons, calling his name, yet he hadn't quite summoned the courage he needed to caress them in the hallway outside her apartment. So instead he went home and caressed himself, imagining himself naked and sweaty with Rachel.
---
"Josh," she said on the phone, "Hanukkah starts this Friday night, so why don't you come over and I'll make some latkes, you know, potato pancakes for Hanukkah. Then we can light the candles together. It would be terrible to be alone the first night of the holiday, don't you think?"
"That sounds really great. Tell you what, I'll bring my menorah too."
"Ooooooo, yes, two of them burning at the same time. Sounds nice. Why don't you plan on showing up around 7?"
"Great, see you Friday," Josh said.
"Yup, see you then," Rachel replied.
Yes! Josh thought: In her apartment. For the evening. With candles. Yes! But shortly he realized that while coming for dinner may have called for bringing a bottle of wine, he also needed a fitting Hanukkah present for this woman who was now his girlfriend. He needed something fitting for someone who he wanted to take to bed. There was only one answer: jewelry!
The next day at lunch hour he did some window shopping, but nothing he saw struck him as being as unique as the woman whom he had fallen in love with. He resolved to spend the evening after work shopping for just the right item.
As he was driving from work to the mall, he noticed a sign on the front lawn of Temple Beth Zion that said "All your Hanukkah needs are HERE."
"Hmm, why not," thought Josh. He recalled the glass showcases full of interesting jewelry that he'd seen in the various synagogues he'd been in over the years for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other events. Perhaps he'd find here a gift more intriguing than a cookie-cutter trinket from a mall McJewelry store.
He pulled into the lot, parked, and walked into the synagogue. The lobby was filled with parents waiting for their kids who were in Hebrew School. At one end of the hall was a table where people were selecting Hanukkah goods: Menorahs, wrapping paper, dreidels, candles, decorations, and assorted other items. Three women behind the table were selling the items. Josh worked his way up to the table.
"Can I help you, young man?"
"I was looking for a gift for my girlfriend."
"Did you have something in mind?"
"I was hoping to find some jewelry."
"I have a few things right here, and some more down the hall in the regular gift shop. Take a look at these things, and if nothing catches your eye, go down the hall to the main cases." Josh looked at the stock at hand, but nothing caught his eye. He found his way to the main showcases, and immediately his eyes were drawn to a pair of earrings. They were sterling silver filigree, with an opalescent light blue flat stone. He knew he wanted these for Rachel.
He returned to the main table, and while he was waiting for the lady to be able to help him, he spied a box full of tiny glass cups, about half an inch high. He picked one up.
"Those are for oil," the lady behind the table said.
"Huh?" said Josh rather inelegantly.
"You put the glass cup in your menorah, fill it with oil, put in a wick, and burn it instead of candles."
"Oil? What kind of oil?"
"Olive oil, just like the Maccabees used at the first Hanukkah nearly 2200 years ago."
"Oh, of course. Cool."
"Did you find anything down the hall for your young lady?"
"Oh, yes," replied Josh.
"Let me grab my keys and I'll open up for you."
As they started walking, Josh said, "There were some silver earrings with a chunk of light blue stone. Kind of translucent."
"That's Roman glass. Buried in the earth almost two thousand years. Unusual. Comes up iridescent. You have good taste. Your girlfriend is lucky."
As the lady removed the earrings from the case and placed them in a gift box, she said, "There's a matching necklace for this, by the way."
"What the hell," thought Josh. "Could you please put that in a separate box?" Josh thought that if things worked out the first night, it would good to have another present for another night.
They returned to the lobby so that he could pay, and on a lark, Josh decided to get a set of oil cups, wicks, and a plastic squeeze bottle of olive oil.
---
Rachel was pleased that she had figured out an upstanding way to get Josh into her apartment for the evening. She had determined that he was top-notch boyfriend material, possibly more, and she was now ready to intensify their relationship. She needed someone who would respond positively to her needs and desires.
It had taken her a year to get over her last break up. The guys she had gone out with since getting back into circulation were uniformly disappointing. Most had problems with intelligent, competent, and attractive women like her. These guys seemed to need to feel superior. Other guys seemed to be chiefly interested in themselves. One guy couldn't look her in the face, but kept talking to her breasts. Rachel knew that her 34Ds acted like magnets sometimes, but "shit, buster," she thought, "you gotta pay attention to my mind before you get near my body."
Josh was different. He seemed to thrive on Rachel's intelligence, and seemed to be respectful, even in awe, of her great body and sharp looks. Rachel sensed that he understood exactly what a treasure she was, and was prepared to wait. Well, she was done waiting. Not only was she ready, but also she was unbelievably horny. She was dying to jump his bones.
That Friday, Josh dashed out of work so he could shower and change for his dinner at Rachel's. He wasn't too sure what kind of wine went with potato latkes, so he had chilled two bottles, a Yarden Riesling from the Golan Heights, the finest Israeli vineyard, and a California Merlot. He placed the wines in a bag, along with his menorah, two of the glass cups and wicks, the bottle of olive oil, and the earring box.
"Shmuck," he thought to himself. "Forget the grocery bag. Let's make this look good." He took out a nylon carry-on bag and placed everything in that. He put a toothbrush and some condoms in the pocket. He felt the blood starting to rush to his cock just thinking about using the condoms with Rachel.
After Rachel buzzed him in to her building, he took the elevator up to her floor, and knocked on her door. Right away it opened. Even before the aroma of frying potatoes and onions hit Josh, Rachel's arm was behind her neck as she drew him close for a quick but firm kiss with her soft, moist lips.
"I'm so glad you're here," she said softly.
"I'm so glad I'm here, too," he replied. Then Josh realized that the room was lit with up with candles, only candles, around the room. About ten or a dozen candles were the only light in the room. Not Hanukkah candles, but all kinds of other candles, ranging from 2" to 8" in diameter, from 3" to a foot high.
"I see you've got the Hanukkah motif well under control," Josh said.
" I really like candles," Rachel replied. I've already set up my menorah with candles. Why don't you set up yours so we can light them? Then we can eat."
"Actually, I don't have candles. I have oil lamps, just like in the story of the Maccabees. I brought some wine. Why don't you open one of these bottles while I get set up." Josh opened his bag and took out the two bottles.
"Yarden Riesling!" Rachel cooed. "You've found the way to my heart!" Laughing, she took the bottles into the kitchen while Josh set up his menorah, placed the glass cups into it, put wicks into the cups, and poured oil into the cups. He finished just as Rachel came back into the living/dining room with one uncorked bottle.
"Let's light the candles, then we can eat."
She lit the first candle with a match, and leaned in closely to light his first wick. Her breast nudged his arm, and he looked at her. She pressed in harder, and moved up and down almost imperceptibly. He swore that he felt her nipple harden. She winked at him.
Together they sang the proper words before lighting the rest of their lights, and then each touched flame to wick.
"Happy Hanukkah," Rachel said to Josh.
"Happy Hanukkah to you," Josh replied.
They settled down to eat and to drink, enjoying the fresh potato pancakes Rachel had made, accompanied by applesauce and sour cream. She also brought out a platter of smoked fish, and one of cheeses.
"I figured we needed some protein, too. There's smoked bluefish, some sable, and this smoked salmon with peppercorns."
They ate, and drank, and talked, enjoying each other's company in ever-increasing amounts. After cleaning up, they sat down on the couch as they filled their wineglasses up from the bottom of the bottle.
"These candles make it awfully warm in here," Josh said.
"Why don't you take off your shirt?" she said, smiling at him.
He wanted to say the same to her, but before he did, she began to unbutton her shirt. He took off his shirt, as once again she wrapped her arm around his neck and drew him close. Their mouths found each other, and they got lost in each other's wet lips and probing tongues. Josh went from zero to hard in about ten seconds. She began to purr, and with her other arm she reached up to his chest. The tips of her finger found his nipple, and gently drew little circles on it.
