Thunderclaps grabbed my attention, as I walked down the dirt road towards the small cottage that id passed half an hour ago. My feet hurt, id taken my shoes off as I trudged down that road. In a daydream, thinking how my life had taken a turn, how my boyfriend had left me, how if I had not taken that job, then maybe now, id still be at home with Seth.
The sky opened up, and rain poured down, my hair stuck to my face, as the rain ran into my eyes, I looked through the haze of the storm to the light that I knew was in the distance.
The gate to the cottage was old, and hung off one of its hinges. Screeching as I opened it, making my skin crawl and every old Bela Lugosi movie id ever seen come into my head. Hoping against hope that there was someone inside. Someone that had a phone, I walked down the overgrown path to the front door.
There was a hurricane lamp swinging in the wind, lighting up the door, its glass darkened with soot sent distorted shadows over the old walls of the cottage. I walked to the door my body shaking with the cold, my teeth chattering I knocked and waited. There was the sound of scraping and footsteps, heavy on the floor; I could see a light through the curtain on the door.
The door opened and there you were standing there, your eyes sparkling, you smile enchanting, I was speechless.
I had already figured out what I was going to say when the door open and was not expecting to be greeted buy a tall extremely good looking man.
My body shaking with cold I explained that my car had broken down and I was in desperate need of a phone.
“ First” you said “ you need to get warm and dry, then we can figure out what to do with your car”. You led me inside to a small cozy room with polished floorboards and a roaring fire. There were hurricane lamps hanging from the exposed beams and large sheepskin rugs on the floor.
You disappeared through a door explaining to me that you would get me something to change into and to make myself comfortable. Which is exactly what I did. Sitting myself down on one of the rugs, right in front of the fire. My hair wet through, I let it out of the corporate bun that I’d had it in all day and let it fall down my back, leaning ever so slightly towards the fire in the hope that it would dry faster that way.
You walked back in the room; your arms full of towels and sat on the floor next to me. “ I’m Steve” you said, “ thought it was a good idea that I introduce myself.”
I laughed and tilted my head in your direction; “ I’m Stella.” Accepting a towel from you I began to dry my hair, wiping as much water from my shirt as I could.
“ You need to get out of those wet clothes.” You chuckled “you look cold, and those clothes won’t dry while your wearing them. Let me get you one of my old T-shirts, it will swim on you but it should do nicely.” And in saying that you stood up and walked out of the room.
I began unbuttoning my shirt; it was a standard woman’s business shirt, white with a nice lace collar. It looked good with the straight black skirt that I had decided to wear today, the tailored jacket that came with the skirt, I had left at home, never expecting to be caught in a storm and be cold and wet. I removed my shirt and draped it over the back of a nearby chair wrapping my hair in one of the towels I unbuttoned my skirt and stepped out of it, hanging it by the shirt.
It was nice, standing there in front of the fireplace, only my bra and panties stopping me from being totally naked. The warmth of the fire making me sleepy, I sat down on the sheepskin rug and before long had layed down and was dozing.
I woke to feel warm hands rubbing my arms, my back. It was so nice. So good. They were strong hands, hands that knew how to massage hard tired muscles. At first I was still so dreamy that it didn’t hit me where I was and who it was, that was rubbing my back.
I sat up with a start. Looking at you I grabbed at a towel lying on the floor and held it to me. Trying to cover myself. You grinned at me, your eyes sparkling in the firelight. Reaching out you
Pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, you leaned forward and kissed me.
Your kiss was sweet soft and lingering, I closed my eyes and tasted honey on your lips, your tongue searching for mine and finding it, playing with it. Your hands finding the towel and pulling it away from me you tossed it aside.
There is a moment where I think that I might have actually said “ no.” but that time never happened, your lips were magic, my broken heart finding the comfort that it needed in your arms.