"Come here often?" she asked sitting down at the bar stool next to me. She was about fifty years old but wore it well. She was very attractive, about five-five, reddish brown hair, big blue eyes and fair skin. She had fair skin and wore little make up and there was something about her, a sophistication, a confidence in the way she carried herself, that made her very appealing. I had a hard time taking my eyes off of her.
"I'm from out of town," I said, and then smiled, looking her in the eyes. "We have that line where I come from too, though."
"Yeesh," she said, "Tough crowd over here."
"It's all right, I'll let it slide."
"When I was your age, that line was new."
"That couldn't have been too long ago," I said, still looking in her eyes.
"You're sweet," she said, touching my arm. "Full of shit, but at least you're trying."
We were in the bar of the hotel we were staying at that sat right on the beach of an island resort in South Carolina. I had driven sown for my brother's wedding. I came down to the bar after the reception had fizzled out. It was late and the bar would be closing soon but I was not tired.
She finished her martini and brushed her chin length hair out of her eyes. She sat looking at me. She didn't say anything, she just looked at me for awhile.
"What?" I asked.
"You're a very handsome young man." It was the first time she had slurred and it was slight. She had remarkable composure for how tight she must have been.
"You must be drunk."
"Very," she said, and her composure was back so quickly I wondered for a second if she was in fact as drunk as I had first thought.
The bartender came by and asked if we were all right. I asked her if she wanted a drink.
"No, but you have one," she said tapping my almost empty whiskey and soda.
"I'm fine," I said.
"Bring him one," she said to the bartender and he went to make it without waiting for approval.
"You're trying to get me drunk."
"I am," she said into my eyes, smiling.
The bartender brought my drink and I sipped at it.
"So why are you here?" She asked. "Vacation?"
"No, my brother got married earlier tonight in one of the reception halls."
"What a coincidence," she said, "I'm here for a wedding too."
"Is that another line you're feeding me?"
"I wasn't aware I still needed to be feeding you lines. I was just making conversation while you finished your drink."
She was sitting closer now and our legs were pressed against one another.
"Well," I said, "If you still need to be feeding me lines now, you won't after this drink."
"Drink it faster."
I laughed before I realized she was dead serious. I took a big drink. She looked tired and her head slowly lowered itself onto my shoulder, as if she couldn't control it.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, it's just been a long day."
"Why?"
"My ex-husband was at the wedding."
"Oh."
"He was with some young little slut that he just got engaged to."
"The bastard," I said.
We didn't say anymore. The bartender came over and told us it was last call. I told him to bring the check and to put it on one.
"Want to get some air?" I asked. "We could walk along the beach."
"Okay," she said.
She raised her head when the bartender brought the check and threw down her credit card before I could bring my wallet out.
"C'mon, let me get it," I said,
"No," she said handing the card to the bartender and waving him away.
"I have money."
"Hush," she said and put her finger to my lips. She let it sit there a moment and then leaned forward and took it away, replacing it with soft lips. I kissed her back gently. It was just a small kiss and she pulled away. The bartender returned with the card and she signed for it, leaving a big tip. I helped her to her feet. She was wearing a light, floral sun dress that she must have changed into after the wedding. I was still in my tuxedo slacks that I had worn at my brother's wedding, but I only had a white t-shirt on now.
I offered her my arm and I led her out of the bar and through the hotel lobby to a glass door that took us outside. It was a big hotel and there were a few people still awake. There was an atrium with a lot of palm trees and bushes and up in the center we could see the lights from the pool. I led her up past it and past a hot tub and up some stairs to a board walk. The wind hit us as we were walking just before the walk rose over the dune and we could see the dark waves of the Atlantic rolling in.
We went down more steps to the beach and she kicked off her beach sandals and left them by the boardwalk. We walked a good ways up the beach. She stumbled twice and I had to steady her. We were almost out of sight of the hotel when we passed a line of beach chairs that you could rent during the day time. The chairs were tied together to keep them form being stolen, but you could still sit in them. I helped her down onto the chair on the end and sat down beside her.
Nothing was said for awhile and I put my arm around her. I was very excited by the smell of her perfume and I buried my nose in her neck, breathing her in. Then I started kissing her neck. Then I kissed her on the mouth. It was warm and hungry. I ran my fingers through her hair and lightly spread my palm and fingers across the back of her head and neck as we kissed. I reached behind her and unzipped her dress. Bringing the straps down I kissed her between her breasts and felt her start to breath heavier.
There was a half moon so we could barely see each other. She had on a black bra on and I reached around and undid it, but before I could take it off, I felt her breath pound and her start to jolt and I realized she was crying. I stopped and pulled her to me.
