Half way between wanting and not wanting to believe him, I was surprised, both by what he had done, and by what he had said to me. I crumpled to the floor as though my legs forgot that they were supposed to hold me up. Sitting there, on my plush mahogany colored carpet, I reached up and touched my breasts then my nipples. They tingled as though his hands were still on them. I felt warm and achy all over, but instinctively I yearned for his touch yet again. Willing my legs to move, I pushed myself up to my knees and struggled over to my bed.
I began hoping against all odds that Brian was joking with me even though, somehow, I knew that he was not. Using the bed to stabilize myself for an attempt to stand again, I began to make one of my many mental checklists as to what I should bring with me.
"Wait a minute," saying to myself, pacing the length of my room on slightly unsteady legs. "I can't really be thinking about going? What if he finds out about how I really feel about him?" Coming to an abrupt stop in front of my closet, I lightly smacked my brow as reality finally set into my hazy brain, "What am I saying? He saw the picture. Of course, he knows and now he is going to.... No, I can't even think about what he has in mind." I suddenly became frantic with fear and excitement.
Thinking was proving to be difficult as I heard Brian's words drifted through my head.
"I'll take you camping with me tonight. Be ready."
Knowing that this would be my only chance to explain why I had the picture, I reached in front of me and opened the closet doors. Groping along the top shelf until I found my small duffel, I pulled it down and tossed it onto the floor at my feet. Looking through my collection of clothing, I tried to decide what to take on the camping trip as I tossed one thing after another over my shoulders, not finding anything that would work. Maybe if I were to look in my dresser. Dashing over to it, pulling open my underwear drawer, I move around the boring old panties that I wear everyday.
Sighing in frustration, "None of this will work. I just cannot go to him wearing something that I wear everyday. I have to have something special for tonight." Pulling out a pair of black shorts and a pink T-shirt, I hurriedly dress as I head for my door. I grabbed my car keys and my purse, as I slipped feet into flip-flops. Quietly, I walked down the hallway, not wanting Brian to know that I was leaving the house. Making my way down the stairs, paying more attention to finding the right key than to where I was heading, I did not notice Brian standing there at the bottom.
"Going somewhere, Erika?" He said to me in his smooth masculine voice.
The shock of hearing his voice caused me to come to a sudden stop on the stairs, just two steps from the bottom. Standing eye to eye with him did nothing for my nerves. "Uh... I was... going to the store. Maybe... uh... get something for tonight." I started to bite my lower lip, half expecting him to tell me to go back up to my room.
He leaned close with one arm resting on the rail, inhaling deeply once he came close enough. Wrapping his free arm around my waist, he pulled me close until only a scant inch separated us. His peppermint-laced breath caressed my lips as he said, "I do hope that you will...," again inhaling my scent, this time closing his eyes as though he found it intoxicating, "Hmmmmmmm, purchase something alluring. Oh, and get your hair done as well."
With him so close, my heart was racing, my breathing heavier; I was drawn to him. Keeping my eyes locked with his, I stood there watching him as he moved out of my way. Taking his hand off the railing, he held it out to me as though to guide me down the remaining steps. Putting my hand in his, I let him do just that. On impulse, I stood up on my toes and briefly touched my lips to his then turned and all but ran to the front door.
Just as I went out the door and was about to close it, I heard Brian call out to me, "Make sure whatever you buy is white."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My destination was simple for what I needed. In our area, there was only one mall and that was a good thirty-minute drive from my hometown. Having a clear idea of what to get, I set out for a specialty store that I knew would have just what I was looking for. Once I got there it did not take me long to find exactly what I was looking for. In fact, the sales woman acted as though she was expecting me. She assisted me in picking out a beautiful silk gown with lace on the cups and hem, as well as a few other things like panties and a bra for the trip. I had a feeling that Brian would like it. Wasting no time in buying it, the sales woman seemed to sense that I was in a hurry, I signed the sales slip and walked as quickly as possible back to my car. Taking a bracing deep breath once I climbed in, I stared the engine and practically sped home.
Another thirty minutes later, I noticed that Brian was not there, but thankfully neither were my parents. Hoping that Brian would not pick that moment to come driving up, I grabbed the bag containing my purchases, bolted out of my car, sprinted to the house and into my room. Feeling the wall shake with the force from the slammed door, I leaned against it as laughter caused my body to tremble. Oh, how good it felt to laugh over all this. The tension from my fear and excitement eased a bit as I stood there. That is until I heard a car pull into the driveway.
If there were ever an Olympic event for flying across a room from door to window I would have gotten the gold medal that day. Looking out, breathing a sigh of relief, for the car I saw was not Brian's, nor was it my parents' car. Nevertheless, my curiosity was still aroused, wondering whom the driver was since it was next to impossible to see from my location. Knowing that the sound of a car door opening and closing did not reach my room during my dash to the window and figuring that the driver was just lost, I turned my back on the window.
Excavating the duffel from under a pile of clothing, I began to pack the things one would need for an evening such as the one planed. Of course the typical necessary items were added, such as a sleeping bag with built in pillow, two changes of clothes, my new black bikini that took me almost a month to talk my mother into allowing it, my hiking boots, and of course a small travel case of basic toiletries. Having added my new things to the duffel as well, I heard a car door close.
I jumped up and over my bed to get to the window before the person moved beyond my view so I could see who it was. Peering out onto the drive, I saw a breath-stealing site. Brian was leaning on the front fender of the driver's side of the same car, and he was looking right at me tapping my watch. Wondering why he was driving another car, but not caring and not wanting to keep him waiting, as I grabbed my duffel bag. Making a mad dash down the hall and stairs, I was scared that he might leave without me. Coming to such a complete halt at the front door I almost smacked right into it.
I just stood there behind the front door, with my hand on the handle, for a few heartbeats trying to calm down. Brian would probably tease me for running out to him. Taking a deep breath and holding my head high, I opened the door and wet out to meet the man of all my fantasies.
