Tiffany was a former administrative assistant at my office who worked for us for a short while before leaving to take a teaching job that she had been looking, for in the mean time. She was offered and accepted a job teaching 4th graders. Teaching was her true calling which matched her sweet, kind, loving personality. Her beauty was just as sweet as her personality.
We ran into each other at a Relay for Life event. She approached me with an always warm smile and gave me a long, soft hug. I could feel her soft breasts pressing against my chest. I wanted to hold her forever. When she pulled away, we exchanged greetings and chatted about the events in our life since we last met.
We walked together from booth to booth until the dark settled in. The hot, humid day was exchanged for a cooler night, now that the sun had set. A cool breeze started to pick up and felt splendid against my skin. We took a seat on the grass in the middle of the football stadium, where the event was being held, and prepared to watch the candle lighting event. The candles represented a family member who was lost to cancer.
I sat next to her, wanting to wrap my arms around her and hold her close. We sat in silence and watched the candles as they were lit one by one by several volunteers. The candles formed words. First, the word "Hope" was illuminated, followed by "Faith" then "Love".
Tiffany leaned in and rested her head against my right shoulder. This was my chance to hold her close and I did. My right arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close to me. I looked at her and saw her staring back at me. We smiled warmly at each other before turning our heads back to the direction of the candles. The candles had been repositioned and now spelled out, "Forever remembered". Everyone began to clap.
After the lighting of the candles, there was a survivor walk. We stood and joined the crowd in forming a wall around the track that circled the football field, cheering on the survivors. After the victory lap, everyone was invited to walk the track with the survivors. I took Tiffany by the hand and walked next to her. The candles placed on the outside of the track were the only lights to be seen.
I enjoyed the surreal moment of silence in the dark, holding her soft hand in mine and walking next to her for a full lap around the track. I was feeling nervous. Several thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to gather the strength to ask her to spend time with me away from the event.
"I want to buy one of the brownies that were for sale on the South end of the track. Do you want to join me?" she asked.
She was looking at me so I turned and looked into her brown eyes and replied, "Yes. I want to buy one as well."
As we were walking, I finally gathered my courage and said, "Would you like to hang out with me after we are finished here?"
I wanted to say more, but my thoughts suddenly went blank. It felt like an eternity before she responded. I felt her take me by the hand and squeeze my hand softly. "I would like that", she responded softly.
After purchasing Brownies, Tiffany followed me across town to a cafe' where I bought her a cup of hot chocolate and a cup of coffee for myself. The hot day had transformed into a cool night. A storm was slowly rolling in and the winds picked up, cool the air. We sat outside on the dimly lit patio. I listened to her tell me about her first two months teaching. She also told me about the things she learned and about many of the students she was teaching. I was happy to sit and listen. Her voice was calming to my soul.
If she knew how in love with her I was, she would probably have ran the opposite direction screaming like a wild woman. I wondered if she felt any feelings similar to mine. My eyes moved back and forth between her full, moving lips and her enticing eyes, as she spoke.
After she finished telling me about the funny boy in her class, she changed subjects without a segue. "It is getting a little chilly out. Would you like to come back to my apartment? I get scared when it storms because I am all alone there."
Caught off guard by the change of subject and unexpected invitation, I did my best to act calm and pretend to be contemplating my options, even though my answer was going to be an emphatic "YES"!
I followed her back to her apartment building. My body was flushed with adrenaline and excitement. I felt as if I must be dreaming. She was the girl of my dreams, the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. She was out of my league, so I never intended to ask her on a date, even though I wanted to do so a thousand times while we were working together.
She unlocked the door to her apartment and I followed her inside. The thunder was starting to rumble in the distance. She flipped on a dim lamp light in the living room that the doorway opened up to. My left hand rested on her left hip and my arm wrapped around her back as I stood on the right side of her.
"You are such a good man." she whispered softly. "Thank you for coming and keeping me company."
"Trust me, it is all my pleasure. I have wanted to spend time with you for awhile." I blurted out, unable to hold back my feelings for her anymore.
"Really?" she asked with a surprised tone of voice.
"Yes, you are the sweetest, kindest, most selfless and generous person I have ever met." I said, spilling out my adoration for her.
"You are so sweet, Ryan. Many people do not get to see how caring you really are, but I see it. That is what I like about you."
"Thank you" was all I could muster up for a reply. She was making my heart swell in pride and joy.
I couldn't think of anything else to say. She placed her left hand against my hand resting on her hip and started walking toward her leather sofa. I followed a half step behind and joined her on the couch. Her body turned toward me and I felt her left leg rest on top of my knee.
"I want to get to know more of the Ryan underneath that tough exterior. I want to see more of that sweet, caring person you hide from the world. Can I do that?"
Was she really asking this of me? Did this mean she wanted to spend more time with me? My mind was not truly accepting the full meaning of her words. I wondered if I was simply misreading the meaning of her words. Her actions were not vague nor indirect, however. I felt her place her hand on my knee and massage it softly.
She smiled softly at me with anticipation of an answer on her face. "Yes, I want to show you all of me and learn about all of you" I answered.
My groin was starting to stir. The combination of her spread legs and her soft, warm touch on my knee was exciting me. I placed my hand on her shoulder and started rubbing it softly. I could not help but glance all over her body. She was wearing a pair of brown dress shorts and a yellow, sleeveless top. With her one leg propped over my leg and the other leg on the ground, the pants hugged her body, giving me a teasing look of the outline of her crotch. I did my best to pull my eyes away from her spread legs.
The sleeveless top was loose, but laid against her body as she leaned back on the couch. I could see the faint outline of her breasts and realized I was staring a little too long. I moved my eyes up to her face and saw her giggling as she watched my eyes. I leaned forward to kiss the back of her neck. Just as my lips were about to touch the skin on her neck, she leaned forward and stood up.
"I am going to go change into something more comfortable if you don't mind." she said.
I shook my head back and forth, telling her that I didn't mind, but spoke not a word. A large crack of thunder outside, rattled the windows, followed by the sound of a strong rain outside the apartment. Tiffany squealed in surprise and jumped into my arms. I caught her and held her shuddering body for a moment before she stood back up.
"I hate storms. Will you walk me upstairs? I am too scared to go up there alone now and the light switch is at the top of the stairs." she requested with fear in her voice.
"Yes, of course." I uttered.
She put her arm around my waist and my hand was around hers as we walked up the stairs. I wondered just how these events were going to proceed as we carefully navigated each step in the darkness. I held onto the side railing as I felt her body move against my hands with each step she took.
Soon, the light to the hallway turned on, ruining my excitement of holding her close in the darkness. She took me by the hand and guided me into her bedroom. I wondered if she was using the storm as an excuse to pull me into her bedroom and changing clothes was her guise.
Tiffany guided me to her bed where I sat down and watched as she opened the middle drawer of her oak dresser and pulled out what appeared to be silk pajamas. She turned toward me and smiled again. I could never get enough of her heart-melting smile. She passed me as she walked across the room and entered the master bathroom.