When Nikki and I met, it was over drinks at the local dive bar. I was paying undue attention to her. I was lucky that she found it flattering, instead of annoying. She had bedroom eyes of the deepest emerald green. Big eyes that would hypnotize you if you weren't careful.
Nikki was providing support for her stunning friend Beth. Beth, used to being the center of attention, was miffed that no one was obsessing over her. Beth was a beautiful cookie-cutter California blonde. But Beth's personality betrayed her image. She was transparent in her motivations, one dimensional. When it was clear that she couldn't distract from the electricity between Nikki and I, she left us alone. Nikki was enjoying the role reversal.
I couldn't quite put my finger on what was pulling me in to Nikki's orbit. The plunging neckline and ample cleavage might have helped. But, there was more to Nikki than cleavage. Nikki was bright, unapologetic and loud. Actually, everything in the bar was loud. We spent a good part of the night screaming at each other because I wasn't suave enough to suggest we find somewhere quieter to talk.
Talking to Nikki was natural and unforced. The longer we talked, the smaller the bar became and everything else receded into the background. Tonight there was only Nikki and my love-struck attention to her needs. We were flirting. I knew we'd never consummate the attraction that night but, we couldn't stop ourselves. Then flirting was a result of genuine attraction.
As it became clear that both of us were not pursuing a one-night stand, I dared her to go out with me.
"You mean on a date?" asked Nikki. "How about lunch tomorrow?"
She caught me off guard but, I like a woman who is direct. Lunch turned into dinner, which turned into a movie, and then late night drinks back at her apartment. The attraction was real. I just didn't know how to progress beyond the obvious without breaking the spell.
I was oblivious to her touches on my arm, or the way she curled her hair behind her ears. She even laughed at my horrible pun-laced jokes.
Nikki headed to her kitchen to open another bottle of wine, I was alone for the first time in hours. I began flipping through the stack of photos on her coffee table. Nikki was a Polaroid fanatic. When I came across a photo of Nikki at the beach she became visibly upset. Her hand darted out to grab the Polaroid. It showed something she did didn't want me to see.
It was Nikki in a one piece swimsuit with a grimace on her face. The kind of face you make when you don't want your picture taken. It was too late, I had seen the picture. On the verge of tears, she explained that she meant to destroy the photo since it was a source of pain.
The girls in the picture had called her a fatty and made fun of her choice of swimsuit. Apparently, you're not supposed to choose a swimsuit that cuts high over your hips if you have wide hips. Her friends were only teasing she said but, I know how words can cut.
Her eyes welled up as I said, "Nikki, you're not fat. You're beautiful."
The words hung there in the awkward silence that followed.
I broke the silence by blurting out, "I don't date ugly chicks, so you can't be ugly."
It was then that she started laughing at my absurd logic. It wasn't the smoothest line I could have uttered but, it was the truth. Nikki was anything but ugly. She had auburn hair that draped below her shoulders and an easy smile. Every time she'd laugh her eyes would crease. When they would reopen you couldn't help but be seduced by her brilliant green eyes.
The laughing came easy for her. Every time she smiled or opened her mouth it highlighted the freckles over her nose and cheeks. Nikki also had a way of pursing her lips that was innocent but, highly provocative. It was disarming.
Nikki was all curves, free any of the sharp jangling angles associated with runway models. Nikki is the healthy, buxom Irish girl next door. She was the picture of innocence — until she wasn't.
There was no other way to follow up the awkward exchange. So in true nerd fashion I tried to followed it up with an equally awkward kiss. I suspected Nikki had not been properly kissed in quite some time. It was just the ice breaker we needed to defuse the tension. The second kiss was better. It was long, deep, wet and soulful. She responded in kind as her mouth explored mine.
Her lips were soft and sweet. As crass as it sounds, at that moment, I couldn't help but imagine what they'd feel like wrapped around the growing bulge in my pants. The thought was a product of my oversexed, dirty mind. I must have groaned as her hand brushed my crotch. It was obvious that I was aroused.
"Oh my god," blurted Nikki.
I suspect she wasn't reacting to the modest size of the bulge in my pants but, more to how hard it was.
I kissed down her neck. The smell of her body, the musk and the vanilla in her perfume was intoxicating. I continued to sample the taste of her skin as I teased her shoulders. Nikki had worn a clingy long sleeved sweater that left her shoulders exposed.
She tingled at the touch of my hands until the skin on skin contact warmed to body temperature. I continued to explore the outline of her breasts as they pushed against the sweater. Such a thin layer of fabric separated my hands from heaven. As I cupped those globes of flesh her nipples started to protrude through the knitted fibers of angora.
Moving up to her ear I whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm a little bit rusty. It's been a while since..."
"I hadn't noticed," she interrupted.
She let out an audible moan as my lips continued to drop kisses and my hands explored the rest of her body. She was hot with anticipation.
We had gone from sitting next to each other to Nikki sitting on my lap with her back to me. I was rubbing up her thighs, pushing through the pleats of her tartan skirt and up over her stomach. As my hands moved under her sweater and I slowly cupped both breasts. Nikki arched her back as I rolled her nipples between my fingers.
"Oh god, baby," she exclaimed, "I need to have you inside me."
In my adult life this was fastest transition between heavy petting and the promise of sex.
I whispered, "What did you say?"
