Jennifer offered to do her friend a favor. Chris had two cats that she couldn't take with her as her family moved to the Seattle area, but once she was settled in her home, she could take them back. There was a gap of about a month when she had nowhere she could keep her cats, and boarding them for that amount of time was prohibitive. So, Jennifer offered to house (or find homes) for the cats for the month period, and then drive them up in early February.
She called another friend, Misty, and asked if she was up for a road trip. Then she checked her calendar and found a week that was more or less clear - they would leave around noon on Friday, February 3rd, and return by Thursday or Friday the next week. They made plans to see the Space Needle, the beautiful surrounding lake areas, and a few friends that lived up in Seattle.
The drive took all of Friday and Saturday, and Jennifer and Misty met Chris on Sunday. They stayed the day with Chris in order to visit and sightsee. Once they had dropped off their cargo at Chris' house, they selected a motel to stay in for the few days.
On Monday, Jen left Misty relaxing in the room while she took off to meet one special friend in particular for lunch. She wore a form-fitting black silk T-shirt, with a slight turtleneck, over a beautiful flowing lavender and black paisley printed skirt, which came down to her ankles, flaring at the hem. She had on warm black woolen tights (against the chill Seattle winter) and adorable black zip-up ankle boots with a solid two-inch heel. Her hair was lightly curled, and fell gracefully over her shoulders. She wore contact lenses, and her makeup accented her gorgeous green eyes. She was a-twitter with anticipation. She would be seeing "an old friend" from Claremont. "An old flame" was a more apt description for Donald. They worked together once upon a time at the college computer lab, and were drawn together almost magnetically from the first time they met. They were a perfect match for one another - their needs and desires were in constant concert. Now, nearly 25 years later, they would be meeting over a 'harmless' lunch. She knew she had to meet him in public, in a safe environment, or risk throwing herself at him and ripping his clothes off in a fit of passion.
She entered the quiet, dim-lit restaurant and shrugged off her warm mantle and scarf, hanging them on a coat tree she found near the entrance. The maitre-d' greeted her and inquired as to whether she'd be dining alone. "No, I'm meeting a friend...do you know if he has arrived? The name is Donald," she replied.
Peering over the rim of his glasses, he consulted his seating list. "Actually, yes, he arrived a few moments before you and is waiting at the bar. Right this way, madam."
Jennifer nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and followed the man. He directed her toward the bar, and returned to his post. She wove her way through several small tables and approached the bar. As she neared, a gentleman seated at the bar swiveled on his stool and caught her eye. He stood and immediately walked to her. Smiling, he took her elbow and said, "Hello, Jennifer...you are as beautiful as ever," and kissed her on the cheek. His arms enclosed her in a fierce, tight embrace, and they stood there for a moment, clutching each other and rocking slightly. The bar was nearly deserted, and they were disturbing no one.
She heard his voice softly in her ear. "Care for a drink before lunch?"
"Absolutely," she purred, pulling away a little. "But don't think you can ply me with liquor...I intend to keep my wits about me today!"
He chuckled lightly and said, "You misunderstand me, darling. I'm as gentle as a lamb. No need to fear." But the light in his eyes belied his words, and she shivered with arousal. As they took their seats at the bar, she leaned into him, lightly stroking her breasts against his arm and arching slightly. "I'll have a long island ice tea," she murmured in his ear, "and you'd better order a second one for me right away."
While they waited for their drinks, he leaned close and whispered in her ear, "It is so good to see you...nothing's changed, don't you know that?" He stayed close, breathing in the scent of her hair and nuzzling her cheek with his nose. She placed her hand on his chin, directed his lips to hers, saying, "A proper hello kiss is called for, don't you agree?" and gently pressed her lips to his. Then she took his bottom lip between both of hers and stroked it with her tongue. His mouth opened slightly, and they shared a 'first kiss' of sorts, with all the chemistry and electricity and promise of newness.
Donald pulled back and stroked her hair, looking at and searching her eyes. "I missed you so much. Jennifer, darling, please don't ever leave me again." Jennifer was speechless as she looked at him, observing the way he drank in the sight of her like a thirsty man in the desert.
"I...still live a thousand miles away, Donald, and trips like these are next to impossible to manage...I...I guess I need to know what you want of me..."
"I know where you live, and I know who you are. It just matters to me that your heart is open to me and that you will never close me out again. It matters to me that you still want and crave me as I do you. It matters to me that you feel safe with me, and that we understand one another."
"Well, then, I will never leave you again, Donald," she said, breathlessly. The bartender brought their drinks and she sipped hers, desperately needing to cool the heat she felt in her head and her heart. The heat was like a fever, and she felt dizzy with desire for this man. As the cool liquor slid across her lips and tongue and down her throat, she was seized by a very different image, one not nearly so cooling. She closed her eyes, but the image remained. She looked up at Donald, and it seemed as though he were projecting his ideas into her mind via telepathy. She giggled, and asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Almost certainly," he grinned, and she was struck again by his gentlemanly formality in contrast to his wanton lustfulness, which he had not yet displayed, but which she knew lingered just beneath the surface of thin veneer of propriety and cordiality that he assumed in public.
"Excuse me, but your table is ready. Please follow me." The host led the way through the restaurant to a cozy table for two by a window. The rain pattered against the panes, and the candlelight on the table reflected cheerily in the window. The white damask tablecloth was lovely, and Jennifer and Donald took their seats opposite one another. The table was small enough that they could reach easily across and touch each other's hands, and their knees grazed one another's under the table linens. Jennifer didn't even glance at the menu, but asked Donald to order for the both of them. Then she sipped more of her drink, and began to relax slightly. The alcohol definitely helped. And while she was determined to make this meeting safe, public, and relatively brief, she knew that her defenses were lowering even as Donald expertly gave the waiter their order.
Her cell phone buzzed in her purse, and she flipped it open, murmuring an apology as she did so. The number was local; she supposed it could be Misty at the motel. "Hello? ... Yes, Misty, I'm here at the restaurant... How's your day going? ... You're getting a cab and hitting the mall? ... Okay, but if you want to wait, we can go out later... Oh, okay. Well, check the movie listings. It might be fun to take in a flick while we're here. Okay. Thanks for the call. Okay, keep safe, and I'll pick you up downtown when I'm done." She glanced up at Donald and dropped her voice lower as she again averted her eyes, "Uh-huh. What time is it now? Noon or so? Hmm. Don't expect me before...3:30 or 4:00 pm. Give me a call when you are ready? ... Okay. Thanks. ... Yes, I will. ... Love you, too. Bye." She flipped closed, and looked up at Donald, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "What?" she asked, feigning innocence.
"Long lunch date, don't you think? Three or four?"
Changing the subject, Jennifer asked, "What did you decide on for lunch?"
He referred to the menu and replied, "I'm starting out with a nice order of oysters Rockefeller, then a light tilapia over rice pilaf. For dessert we will enjoy chocolate dipped strawberries and champagne. I just wish I could take that order to go." He looked directly in her eyes, and then he dropped his gaze to her luscious lips. After a long moment he slid that gaze slowly, longingly down across her shoulders and breasts, taking in every inch of what was visible above the tabletop. His knee chafed against hers, and he reached across to hold her hand lightly, at first just stroking the top of her hand with his thumb, circling slowly, and then massaging more deeply. He stroked the inside of her palm, and she closed her eyes to savor the moment. Jennifer was overcome with desire, and she reached down to caress his knee next to hers.