It was a beautiful Sunday, and I was enjoying the morning sitting by the pool reading the newspaper when a woman that I hadn't seen before came in to the pool deck with two young kids. She told them they could jump into the pool, and she took a couple of chairs not far from where I was sitting.
As the kids jumped in, yelling and laughing, she put her things down in one chair, and as she was sitting in another chair, closer to me, she noticed that I was watching her. She smiled, rolled her eyes, and lowered herself with a loud sigh.
"Tough day already?" I asked, chuckling.
"And it's not even noon yet," she responded, laughing.
We tried to talk a little more, but kids being kids, they were pestering her to join them and asking a lot of questions. I could tell that she was reaching a quiet boil, when I told her that I would be right back.
I ran up to my apartment and brought back some pool dive toys that I had bought for my own kids a few years back. I gave them to her kids, told them how to use them, and they started to amuse themselves.
"Thank you," she told me. "You didn't have to do that."
"It was my pleasure," I told her. "I originally bought those so my own kids would quit bugging me while we were at the pool. You look like you could use the peace and quiet."
She laughed at that, and we talked a little more. She told me that she has been divorced for about five years, since her kids were toddlers, and that she had just recently bought a condo in our complex. She also told me that her name was Sarah, and that she was raised by conservative, Southern Baptist parents.
Thanks to a dark pair of sun glasses that I was wearing, I was able to check her out while we talked. She was a very attractive woman, I guessed about ten years younger than me, with strawberry-blonde hair. She had a little meat on her bones, but was by no means fat, just a couple of pound overweight, and was in a very conservative one-piece bathing suit.
The suit was not able to hide a nice pair of legs or what seemed to be an average sized pair of breasts, and I was enjoying watching her plump lips as she spoke, fantasizing about what she could do with them.
She then told me that she taught Sunday school, and that it was her students that had worn her out that morning.
When I told her that I had coached youth football and wrestling, and seeing how I handled her kids, she jokingly told me, "I should bring you along with me next week and let you take the wild ones."
I laughed, and said, "Thanks, but, no."
She chuckled, and responded, "Oh, well. It was worth a try."
Shortly after that, her kids came out of the pool and complained that they were hungry, so she took them in for lunch.
Before she left, as I helped her gather her things, I told her that I hoped to see her more often.
Sarah smiled at me, and said softly, "I would like that," as she took her things and left.
I did manage to run into her a few more times, usually around the pool, and we talked quite a bit. I was fascinated at how intelligent she was, and had to laugh as she told me tales of her alcoholic ex-husband, who rarely saw their kids. I also found out that she was fifteen years younger than me!
During one of our talks, she told me how nice it was having an adult conversation, outside of work and church. I told her that I enjoyed our talks also, and that I hoped we could have more. She smiled at me, and said, "I hope so too."
I decided right then to ask her out. "I realize that there is a bit of an age difference between us, but, I hope that doesn't bother you," I told her. She told me that she would really like that, that the age difference didn't bother her at all, and that she would ask around at church for a baby-sitter, and let me know the next time she saw me.
The following Sunday, she brought the kids to the pool and she had a big smile on her face.
"Well, I asked around at church for a baby-sitter," she told me. "I am all set. All I have to do is tell the girl when we want to go out."
"How does Saturday night sound," I asked. "We can go out for dinner, maybe have a drink, and then we'll play it by ear from there."
"Well, that sounds good," she responded, "but I have to tell you, I really don't drink that much."
"That's fine," I told her. "I'm not talking about staying all night in a bar. Maybe a drink or two, and then we'll move on."
"That sounds very nice," Sarah told me, and our date was set.
Our first date was very simple. We went out to dinner to a neighborhood Italian place, and had a glass of wine with our pasta. Afterwards, I took her to a coffee shop that had just opened up to listen to a small band that was playing there.
As we were driving home, Sarah told me that this was the first time since her divorce that she had been out without her kids. "Well, I really enjoyed myself tonight," I told her as I was parking my truck at home.
"I did too," she responded as we walked towards her door. "I hope we can do it again."
"I think I would like that," I told her as she opened her door.
After she invited me in, I told her that I would pay for the babysitter, and offered to drive her home. The babysitter, Karen, told me that she drove herself, so that wouldn't be necessary. I paid her, and we both walked towards the door.
After Sarah said good-bye to Karen, I turned to say good-bye to Sarah. As I turned, Sarah must have moved in to me, because her face was inches from mine. Taking what I assumed to be a signal, instead of just hugging her, I kissed Sarah softly on the lips.
Feeling her pillowy-soft lips against mine, I almost didn't want to stop the kiss! "Damn," I thought to myself, "If she can kiss like that, I can just imagine what else she can do with those lips!"
As we separated, we both sighed, and I whispered, "Wow!"
Sarah smiled, and said, "Yes, wow is a good word."
"I will call you soon," I told her as I left.
Sarah and I went on a couple of more dates, before I finally told her that I wanted to cook dinner for her.
"You really do cook?" she asked me, teasing me. "I would like that. No one has ever cooked for me before."
"Well, I will be honored to be the first," I told her, and we set the date.
The following weekend, Sarah knocked on my door as I was finishing up the cooking. Surprising me as she walked in, Sarah handed me a bottle of white wine.
"I thought this might come in handy tonight," she told me as she walked in. I couldn't help but look her over as she entered my condo.
