I waited at the crossroads next to the old town theatre, its lights glowing softly in the night while snow silently drifted on the breeze. Wearing a discreet warm winter dress that covered everything to the knee and boots that outlined the best curves of my legs and with a tight black hat pulled over my ears framing my pretty dark face I knew I was being a little naughty; my outfit was demure yet innocently seductive.
I hadn't applied much make up, not that much was needed -- just enough foundation, lipstick and eye pencil to accentuate my dark eyes and naturally full lips. I was waiting for him. He said he would come in his car but he neglected to describe the model -- not that I would have stood much chance to recognize it just from a name.
So I stood there, expectancy fighting off the cold as I watched each car pass with a nervous, eager excitement. I had seen his photo, his reddish hair and blue eyes had instantly captivated me but I was careful to hide the fact I had liked what I had seen from him and continued to play it cool as we chatted online just a few days earlier.
I had no idea if he was short or tall as the photo was carefully framed only showing him from his broad shoulders up but those shoulders held the promise that he was a well-built man which was an added attraction for me. When we had later talked on the phone I was enchanted by his cute foreign accent and found his faltering attempts to learn our language sexy and alluring.
We finally agreed to meet for coffee. I was still hiding my attraction from him and he seemed to be expressing just as much interest to see my home town for the first time as he wanted to meet me. Was he hiding something to? Was it naivety to hope for such a thing? To wish for a perfect match? I knew he could break the spell in an instant. He could say something crass, make an inappropriate gesture or stumble on one of my "pet hates" and suddenly any flicker of romance would die long before it could burst into flame.
Of course, I had to consider that I might not be his type either. He only had a photo and a voice to go on as well. Maybe he was expecting some angel from his fantasies that would be impossible to live up to. I pushed these thoughts from my mind. Let's just relax and enjoy the evening. What happens will happen. After all -- it's just a coffee. It's not like it's a date!
A silver car, a Mercedes I think, pulled up at the far side of the crossroads. I couldn't see inside so it was impossible to know if this was him. The car flashed its lights. Was he signaling me? Cars started to queue behind the silver one. He flashed again. I had hoped for a more memorable hello but I hurriedly crossed to the chorus of honking horns crying out in displeasure at this unnecessary delay. As I passed in front of the car I glanced in the window and, yes, it was him.
A little annoyed at his entrance but pressured to act by the growing queues behind I opened the passenger door and jumped into the empty seat beside him. I immediately turned to him, thoughts to admonish him evaporated as my eyes fell upon him for the first time. Our eyes met and time seemed to stop, the honking noised faded from my consciousness captivated as I was by this handsome man beside me. I was suddenly nervous being alone with him, this almost complete stranger yet I was unable to move, I was like a butterfly pinned to a collectors board.
The features that had attracted me to him in his photo were so much more pronounced "in the flesh". His eyes, blue as ice, seemed to pierce my heart. I didn't even notice that we were moving again until he politely asked me for directions to the cafΓ©. I shook myself free from the spell he had cast, hoping it had gone unnoticed and gave him perfunctory directions to a nearby car park. Only once a minute or so had passed did I risk a furtive glance back across to him. Had he noticed my clumsy entrance? I felt lightness in my chest as my eyes fell on him again and I noticed an unmistakable yet gentle smile on his lips. It was only then I realized I was smiling too.
We parked and walked to the cafΓ©. He was quite tall, but not ungainly. As we walked along side each other I noticed he was limping. He explained that he had been involved in a road accident some time ago and was still feeling the after effects, especially in the cold of winter.
We arrived to the cafΓ© and took a small table in a quieter corner. Oh, it was so Byronian! The time passed quickly almost without either of us noticing. We talked almost non-stop impressing each other with seemingly trivial stories and comments yet there was a force of nature at work, like gravity slowly, inexorably pulling us closer. I felt it and decided to play a little game to see if he felt it too.
I would lean back away from him and out of our little huddle, feigning slight boredom and each time I did it, fighting against gravity, his disappointment was clear, not in what he said but in his body language. It was clear he too was being drawn to me. In one moment as he spoke my eyes started to wander over him and he caught them lingering just a little too long and I couldn't help but blush. He smiled happily at the sight confirming, as it did, our mutual attraction.
Suddenly it was time to say goodbye and he offered to drive me home. Once we arrived outside my building I reached out to shake his hand goodbye but instead he grabbed it and pulled me towards him urgently. He gazed deeply into my eyes before kissing my lips. His kiss was light at first but then emboldened by passion and my lack of protest he started kissing me more deeply unable to stop himself. I could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest, his excitement obvious. Both our faces were flushed with passion but I could not allow this to go any further, not on our first date.
I pushed him gently away, straightened my dress then leaned across and kissed him once on the cheek and started to say goodbye. But once again he wanted a little more -- he reached for me and pulled me into a tight hug. I felt him trembling, almost as if he was cold. He kissed me on my forehead and wished me a good night. As I walked away from the car, determined not to look back, I was sure of one thing. I would be seeing this man again!
I knew he had quite a long drive ahead of him yet when I arrived home and checked my phone there was a text message from him already waiting for me. We exchanged a few good night wishes and to be honest one or two had subtexts. I was worried for his safety, texting while driving, so in my last text I agreed he should call me once he got home.
He phoned about an hour later and we talked just like we had done in the cafΓ© earlier in the evening. It seemed to last only a few minutes but the clock beside my bed put paid to that lie. In reality it was more than two hours and as we said goodbye it was early morning. At the end of our conversation we had set the date for our next meeting -- it would be the next weekend and despite that being almost a full week away a wonderful anticipation was already building inside me.
I woke the next day after only a handful of hours sleep. I was very tired yet so elated from my encounter that I almost floated from my bed. I seemed unable to stop smiling. My roommate noticed it immediately as I entered the kitchen for breakfast -- commenting oh so subtly that I was grinning like a lunatic. He texted me around 11 declaring that he could not wait so long to see me again. He missed me too much and if I agreed he wanted to see me the very next day. I agreed immediately, unable to hide my delight.