The Promise. Private to Alana_ and vin_26m

[Alana_]

It had begun just like any other morning since her new job took her back to the coast..She'd gotten up , gone for a run on the beach, felt the spray on her face as she'd run chasing after her terrier Kim through the shallows, and laughed as the little dog tried to bite at the smaller waves that rolled in..Back home in her condo, Grace had showered, dried her dark hair, the sun having given her skin a golden hue over the last few months, since her arrival........She sat looking at her face, as she applied a little make up to a complexion that was perfect...Cheeks that were perfectly aligned, a jaw that was refined and a nose that had just the right tilt on the tip , lessening the absolutely perfectly sculptured loveliness of a face that was hers, but not ....her own.

Dressed for work in a charcoal gray two piece suite, a smart shift dress with matching thigh length jacket, Grace drove the short distance along the main street to the county courthouse where her office lay nestled in the back amongst the archives and the janitors store room...Junior prosecutors didn't get the front offices until they'd saved the world from the bad guys at least three times in succession, and only then if they kissed ass at the ' old boys club'....That she now worked with some of the counties finest was a privilege that Grace was fully aware of, and that she was working along side of one of Her social contacts also gave Grace a rather perverse little feeling of satisfaction that she felt guilty for, but couldn't resist.....

If Madeline had known she was back, she'd have sweat stones, and threatened Grace ..Opened sores that had for three years broken Graces heart to pieces, and they would have been ripped open by a woman that hated Grace so much, she was prepared to do anything to keep her under her control. Even if it hurt of her own son..But Madeline was dead now, and Grace was healthy , and her heart now almost healed...Almost...Not quite healed...Never totally....That wasn't possible.. Six years in total Grace lived as Grace Fabersham..An identity she'd heard on tv, while laying drugged up to the hilt on morphine, agreeing to a life that would be hers, but never complete. Not with out him....

But choices had to have been made.....Choices for an nineteen year old, with no family to speak of, and untenable situation where her future was nightmarishly horrific....She'd just had no one...Every little thing she'd accomplished, she managed to do on her own...And instead of garnering approval , some,.. namely Madeline, had despised her for wanting what she'd thought, someone like Grace didn't deserve or have a right to ..Having won her position in college through hard work , leading to scholarships, Grace was exactly what Madeline hated.....In her eyes, Grace was an ''upidy nobody'' that was trying to be what she wasn't......and in love with her only son...and he with her....

So when it happened, Madeline had appeared at the hospital with her offer...Grace unable to think , hazed in a stooper of pain relieving drugs , and the terror of bandages that hid from her what she knew, had agreed......Agreed he'd be better off not knowing the truth...For the truth meant no help from Madeline and Grace having to face the most beautiful eyes in the world seeing what had happened to her...With him seeing the destruction done by the force of impact when her steering wheel had been driven upwards and forwards, literally pealing and breaking her face to a point that she'd almost smothered on her own blood before help had arrived..

Ruth Adams died that day, and Grace Fabersham was born.....Madeline was to tell 'him' of his girlfriends death, and console her son. Ruth stopped being that day, and Grace began...And all else ceased to exist because of a woman that had plans for her son, that didn't include his sweetheart, and her lack of the correct back round. A promise made, a promise that had been kept, and now a promise she was freed from, with Madelines death..She'd come back to what had been her city, her home, her place to create her life, and maybe....maybe...........
Madeline wasn't there to threaten her ..Or to remind Grace of the thousands and thousands spent on her care and after care..On her education, and her promise to stay away from her son..To remind her of her new face...her health, the months and months of round the clock care that had been needed to pull Grace back to wanting to live.. Madeline wasn't there to stand watching Grace suffer, as life ticked by and hearts ached, and healed, ...almost...
She had face that was perfect, but ....not the face that he'd loved.

Graces office smelled of lilies..Twice a week she bought a sprig from the local florist, to give a freshness to her little space..The office furniture smelled of 'old', and Grace tossed her coat on the battered couch, sat and crossed her legs , and began going through her mail......Three months she'd been back, and every morning she wondered if this morning would be the morning she'd hear something about him...Where he was...How he was........Even a dreaded 'who he was with'...But she never heard..No one mentioned him..No one mentioned anything to do with his family on their wealth in the area...........Much and all as it had ripped her heart out, she hoped he was happy at least. .......Especially now, since she was no longer morally tied to Madeline, and Grace could begin to find happiness for herself too...It was a horrible situation to be in....Loving someone, and trying to plan a future around a love that never quite healed. The physical healing was just done..and it had been a long and painful time.

Every year, more surgery for four years..Healing slowly, her face rebuilt from grafts from her hips and ribs....It hadn't been an over night healing.....And as much as she'd wanted to reach out for him, she couldn't.....Couldn't risk him shying away from her, when he'd seen the destruction...Couldn't risk seeing pity where she'd seen his pride in her and his love.........But he had been in her heart all time.......She'd loved once...At least she had that much...She new the passion in needing someone, the happiness of being needed back and the gorgeous warmth from desire and looks that said everything...........Madeline's promise had been kept...Ruth was gone.. and now Madeline was gone too....
Grace was here, only because she'd wanted to come home...Wanted too see her city, and be apart of something Madeline now had no control over, least her twisted secret was revealed......Her life was now her own....And she'd live it where ever she wanted.

Ms' Fabersham, you have a call on line 3......Something about a charity auction...Their looking for ladies to sell themselves as dates?

Her secretary started laughing, and Grace joined in....She'd heard on the grape vine that there was an event planned for the next couple of weeks, to try and raise money for a children's cancer research unit...Her secretary's laughter still ringing from the outer office, Grace lifted her receiver and trying to control her own laugh, her voice light and fresh, amused at the early morning phone call.

Good morning...Grace Fabersham here, and I'm not sure if there's enough money out there to get me on a stage selling myself.

[vin_26m]

A deep masculine voice spoke on the line.

Good morning, Ms. Fabersham.

Not enough money? How does $1,000 for children's cancer research sound? Would that be enough? Or how about the possibility of more?

We are doing things a little differently this time. Both men and women will be up for auction, and both men and women will be bidding.

The events will start off with a cocktail party, giving everyone a chance to mingle. The people up for auction will be wearing name tags that don't have their real names. Bidders only have numbers on their name tags. Everyone there will be bidding or up for bids, or both.

The auction is sealed and silent, at least at first. Bidders start at a minimum of $100 but may go up to $1,000 on their silent bids.

If there's a tie among bidders, then the auction becomes open, and then even more fun begins.

It seemed like the people whose time was being auctioned off did not want to risk embarassment of no or low bids, but actually enjoyed it when there was a bidding war over them.

If you don't like someone who bid on you, you can always bid on some you like.

How does that sound to you?

[Alana_]

Two weeks followed in a flurry of cases, meetings, and one day long trip to the suburbs, to fill in on a case that was little more than a waist of tax payers money..A promised email, from the charity events organizers came with all the details, the time, and even an offer to collect her ..Her reply had been brief, but humorous, thanking them, but declining ...If she had her own car with her, Grace at least wasn't tied to staying longer than was absolutely necessary..

On the day of the event, she got a confirmation phone call from an older guy called Peter, who was dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's of the final preparations..They'd had a brief chat, he running through again the format for the evening. He was charmingly funny about the whole affair, but highly respectful for what it stood for...

Grace managed to finish up two hours earlier than she'd planned, giving her time to visit the hair salon, have her nails done, and get home in plenty of time to dress...She'd spent almost half her months salary on an utterly beautiful red dress, something she found it hard to believe she'd have the occasion to wear again..But..The event had gained huge momentum, with the press generous in their advertising, and TV coverage advertising on most of the local networks..Therefore, she convinced herself the expensive dress was needed, so too were the couple of items she'd chosen to take with her over night...And she clipped off the price tags in her car, and pushed the prices out of her head..

Standing in her bedroom, dressing, she smoothed some lotion over her right thigh, where the now almost invisible scar from a skin graft has faded to near nothing..Her surgeons had been the best..Just as Madeline had promised..Their skill had reconstructed her face to an almost unerring perfection, her bone structure completely unrecognizable from the Ruth of before. Ribs that had been shattered, had healed, the scar tissues confined to two tiny threads beneath the curve of each breast..Little more now than creases on perfectly healed skin...In side though, she was the very same person..Someones daughter, that had lived from a young age in the foster care system, but lucky with each home she'd been blessed to live in....She hadn't slipped through the system, and when she aged out it, Grace was equipped with scholarships, and a capacity to survive on her own...


Her dress fitted her like a second skin..Snugly embracing her curves, the floor length sheath trailing an inch or two behind her..The simple cut of the front , contradicting the elegant cut of the almost backless gown, with two fine red straps clipped together at her nape...Her sole jewelry a pair of tiny red ruby studs in her ears, her hair falling to her shoulders..The dark brown complementing the healthy glow of her sun kissed shoulders...

The drive through town was a hectic delight....A friend in collage, one of the few Grace had made, had insisted she get back behind the wheel of a car eighteen months ago, and get past the fear...With patience, and a year of weening herself back into busier roads, Grace drove now, with care, ,...almost nervously, her 16 year old BMW... Watching for anything that moved, but she drove none the less alone, and conquered her demons one at a time...The hotel hosting the event in La Jolla, offered valet parking, and she gladly left her car in the hands of a kid named Jonah, and was met by one of the organizers..Graces over night bag was taken to her complimentary room upstairs, and she found herself being introduced to other committee members on the 'meet and greet' brigade....

Inside the hotel was a buzz with activity. Local TV crews setting up, cameras flashing, guys looking resplendent in their formal suits, and the ladies dressed to the nines...
Champagne flowed, tips were shared with teases of 'break a leg'..Everyone in high wonderful spirits, with stories told about previous events and the 'faux pas' that made the evenings more memorable.. The music began, and the compeers voice carried through the speakers, introducing the evening and the formalities of it that are detailed in a speech that is short, but to a very specific point...The children....

And the name tags of the auctionees were handed out each...Grace had for some unknown reason, chosen a name she'd not written, nor used in over 6 years....Ruth. She secured it to the curve on the cup of her dress, and felt a twist of nerves in her stomach. The hustle began, as the hosts voice welcomed everyone, ensuring a lovely evening, and that the auction would begin in ninety minutes, and concluded his little greeting with a laughed jovial.....''Enjoy..mingle....and spend..spend spend.''

[vin_26m]

Will was finally free of the shackles of expectation.

He didn't want to marry some spoiled brat who had everything handed to her.

He didn't want to take over his father's law firm that protected drug dealers from the law and laundered money for organized crime.

And he didn't want to carry on the family name.

Now, he didn't have to.

He fully inherited the massive fortune of his parents, both of whom died within the past few months.

He dumped the sleazy classless dilettante daughter of a hotel mogul, arranged to get bought out by his father's partner, and ran.

He no longer had to live a life that is his parents dictated.

Richard was gone. Will was born.

He changed his identity, getting a new name, a new place to live, even a new face.

It was a stretch, but he already somewhat resembled a famous baseball player on the east coast, and a couple of plastic surgeries proved to be enough to change a few details to make it an even closer match for people to do double-takes. Most importantly, his new face was far removed from his old face.

He used to hate charity events. His mother used to drag him to them, as if it made up for all the evil she and his father enabled.

But now that he didn't have to go, he kind of wanted to.

It didn't take much persuasion to put himself up for auction. The cause was important, and he already knew there would be a bidding war for him. He was no celebrity, but bidders might think he was, and if they knew better, he could pretend convincingly if they wanted him to.

Also, maybe it was time for him to move on. He let go of everything else, and perhaps it was time to let go of her too.

He snuck in through a side door and made his way to the reception table.

A crowd congregated around it, the men eyeing a a stunning woman in a red dress. No, it couldn't be, he thought. He recognized those shoulders, that back, that ass, that stance. No, it couldn't be...

He rushed to her, grasped her elbow, looked at her face... and it wasn't her.

He stumbled out an apology.

Oh, I'm... I'm so sorry, I thought I recognized you. Please, excuse me.

He looked into her eyes. There was something familiar there, too.

He looked at the table, picking up a nametag and marker.

So, uh, we're not supposed to use our real names, right? Hmm.

He looked at her nametag, saw the name and the penmanship. His eyes widened, then narrowed. Was this a sign? Did she want him to do this?

He shook it off.

So, Ruth, that's an interesting name. Like the character from the Bible.

Words just came out of his mouth, hopefully providing a distraction enough for her to keep her attention on him, as his eyes examined her like a patron looks at a work of art, appreciating both the big picture and the little details.

Ruth lived with her husband and her mother-in-law. When the husband died, Ruth needed to be "redeemed," meaning she had to marry a relative of the husband to keep the family line going and to keep her future secure.

He looked at her lips, full and pouty, and wondered what they would feel like pressed against his.

One man turned her down for financial reasons. But another man saw Ruth's loyalty to her mother-in-law. His name was Boaz.

He looked at her eyebrows, her eyelashes, the bridge of her nose, and her cheeks, and imagined caressing them with his fingertips.

He admired her character, fell for her and married her. One of their descendents turned out to be David, as in David and Goliath.

His gaze wandered onto her cheeks and her chin. What a statuesque beauty.

In a way, the story of Ruth is about a man who does extraordinary things for a woman of extraordinary character.

He thought for a moment, took the marker and wrote on the namecard. He put the card on his lapel. It said, "Boaz."

He also took a paddle with number on it, indicating he would also be bidding in addition to being bid on.

May I suggest you take one of these so you may bid on some lucky guy. It would be a shame for someone as lovely as you to not get a date you like.

Will saw enough. He filled out one of the silent bid cards, wrote "Ruth, $1000" on it, and slipped it into the appropriate box.

[Alana_]

Organizers led those that were wearing their name tags into the main area, where champagne was popped, and glasses filled, and the spirit of the evening began to catch pace..Everyone was on good spirits, everyone encouraging one another, some nervous, some completely delighted to be involved, and looking forward to the rather odd challenge of making money at the possible expense of their own dignity..Grace found the group a mixed blessing of teases and confidence...She was attracting some attention herself, from both them, and the guests that were beginning to gather and mingle with the auctionees'...And while it made her a little anxious, she also found it good for her esteem to feel eyes on her and whispers of 'who is she'..

It had been a long time since a man looked at her with out....pity..Pity in college followed her for years, as she was rarely with out some bandage to minimize scaring. Some form of evidence of surgery, and most definitely, until the final two surgery's two years ago, the last signs of damage done to her face in the car crash. Since then, she'd shown little or no interest in her personal life..She had none.
She'd thrown herself into an internship, and worked ungodly hours to pass the bar in the top three of her class. Forgetting Richard, hadn't happened..It had been there with her constantly, and the wishing that somehow he'd find her, disbelieve the lies fabricated by Madeline, and come after 'Ruth'....It hadn't happened, and nor had her feelings lessened.

Oh, I'm... I'm so sorry, I thought I recognized you. Please, excuse me.

His face was familiar..Very handsome, very classically good looking, and looking at her with interest that went past simple 'interest'...He was searching her face, and she pulled back a little as she saw something that was shockingly familiar. Too familiar on a face that wasn't Richard's..
His eyes..
Beautiful dark warm eyes. Looking at someone elses face with eyes just like his was one of the strangest things Grace had ever done..Even his voice was close to Richard's tone..More mature, but.......

It's fine..Um...It's ok..

He spoke...But Grace was lost. She heard what he said, but was comprehending only a little...He was explaining something to her, or trying to be, but she was stuck on the sound of how he spoke, how his words were formed, how they ran together, and .......his eyes.
It was just very strange..Maybe she was hypersensitive, and had been hoping too much that in being back in the area she'd have seen the one person in the world that could give her goosebumps.
Grace ran her hand up her bare arm, and felt little bumps, and inwardly shivered...

He was talking about something to do with the bible...Her name...Her original name...Why had she chosen Ruth tonight? Grace was completely stuck..She could neither converse with him, or walk away...This guy, that was writing 'Boaz' on his badge had her transfixed with his banter, and she didn't want to go..But she had to. She needed the space to assess just what was happening...A complete stranger, with eyes like molten chocolate, and only that his voice was older than the Richard that whispered in her ear when they........................Stop it!!

Her face flushed, and moving automatically, Grace took one of the paddles for the auction, and watched what he did..Her name..with the maximum bid for the private bid, was scrawled on his.. His lips were moving, explaining to her what to do..Grace's head was thundering...she could feel the blood roaring in her veins...Backing away, she smiled mannerly and nodded....God get me out of here.

Was she losing her faculties..? Why could one man disturb her so much? How could she imagine that he sounded like an old boyfriend that she'd hurt, and she still adored? How could it hurt to look in his face, and see Richards eyes?...Her mind was playing cruel tricks..it had to be..
She was a calm spirited woman, that had learned to rely on herself from an early age, and had clung to life when no one thought she could have survived. Even after Madeline stepped in with her money. But now, she felt weak ..nervous...out of her depth, and she nodded to 'Boaz' politely, watching his bid slip into the darkness of the voting box.

God he was.....impressively gorgeous. Physically he was as perfect to look at as any man she could imagine...There was something familiar about his face, she couldn't quite think what, but...his eyes...Instantly those eyes had caught her attention...It could have been eerie if it wasn't for that something else that drew Grace to him...Something primal, something far most base than just 'interest'.

I have to .....go...and..........and.

Bumping into one of the girls behind her, Grace turned, muttered 'sorry', and walked away...She didn't get far...
One of the organizers grabbed her hand, not seeing Grace's confusion and led her right back into the group for her vote...The only name that mattered was ....the biblical man that loved the biblical Ruth...She was given the privacy to write who she'd bit on, and the amount, and Grace slipped it into the voting box also..'Boaz..1000'.
Everyone now was excitedly wondering what was to happen next, and Grace raised her head, looking into the group...searching him out..
The voting box was taken to one side, and a hush came down as it was revealed that the auction would go public now...for four of the auctionees...Two other womens' names were called first...then 'Ruth's...and the name of one male .Her stomach lurched on hearing the biblical name called out and Grace found she was looking right across into the same eyes that had left her both fascinated and terrified her.

[vin_26m]

Will watched her as he spoke, admiring her beauty, but also trying to get a read on what was going through her mind.

She looked confused, puzzled, as if she wasn't understanding what he was saying.

Was he going too fast, or missing some details? He didn't feel too bad if either of those were true. He could only blame her for being so very distracting.

Then she looked flushed, maybe embarassed, maybe something else. Did he say something to offend her?

He was usually good at empathy, but her expressions were cryptic, as if she were hiding her identity with a mask in addition her nametag.

He felt that way sometimes, that his expressions didn't show well with his new face. Still, her mannerisms and movements were familiar.

And then she stepped back and away from him. She might as well have sprinted out of the building.

She seemed nervous at first, but now seemed terrified, like she saw a ghost. And it was his fault.

He sighed. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be.

The auction was about to begin. He spotted her again and couldn't stop looking at her.

Then her eyes met his. For a moment, he did a poor job suppressing a smile, then he gave in and just showed him his pearly whites.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said the master of ceremonies, "It's time!

"Before we begin, thank you for all of your generous donations to children's cancer research. Every year, supporters like you provide patients, researchers,..."

Will kind of zoned out, lost in thought, focused completely on her, until...

"... Madeline, Courtney, Ruth and Boaz!"

Will looked at "Ruth," hopefully sharing a laugh at how the MC linked the names of the biblical couple together. The four of them went on the stage and stood along with the MC/auctioneer.

"For those of you who won with your silent bids, you will be meeting your date immediately after these auctions for a lovely dinner.

"The four dates we have announced that have joined me on stage each received multiple bids for the maximum amount of $1,000.

"The bidding is now open to everyone, not just the silent bidders. Our first date is... Madeline. Do I hear $1,050?

The bidding from Madeline was fast and furious at first, multiple paddles going up in $50 increments. At around $1,500, the bidding tapered off leaving only two bidders to fight it out, finally settling on $1,800.

Courtney's bidding started out the same way, with lots of bidding going on until $2,000, then ending at $2,400.

The MC approached "Ruth" and "Boaz." "We're going to have Boaz go first," said the MC to both of them. "Ruth, you received a substantial number of silent bids, so we're saving you for last."

He turned back to the crowd. "And now, Boaz! As before, we start the bidding at..."

Will tapped the MC on the shoulder, putting out his hand for the microphone.

The MC shrugged and gave Will the chance to speak.

I just want to thank everyone here personally for giving your time and money to this cause.

I... I recently lost both my parents to cancer.

It was hard losing my mother and father, but I can't imagine how much more difficult it would be to lose a son or a daughter.

That being said, I have a limo waiting outside if you would like to have your date immediately tonight. I love dancing and I hope you do, too.

He paused.

I can go all night, and if you have any aching muscles at the end, I'll be sure to take good care of them.

Laughter erupted from the audience.

I mean I can go DANCING all night! I can take care of sore muscles from DANCING!

Before Will returned the microphone to the MC, women were screaming out bids.

[Alana_]

He had humor...The same humor as................
Graces mind was functioning in the mist of being watched, studied, with no privacy, people cheering Boaz on, as he teased and interjected his offer much to the glory of every woman in the ballroom...
It was a kaleidoscope of camera flashes, calls of bids and the loud girlishly flirtatious cheers from women that ordinarily were more restrained.. The younger women were alive with blatant suggestive paraphrasing.
Everything said had a double meaning, and Grace watched the man with the Boaz name tag, and gauged his reactions....He was so like Richard in how he moved.....how he enjoyed the 'game', but without overtly encouraging or promising anything....But his face...He hadn't Richard's face.

A tug to her hand got her attention...Her face broke into a wide smile as Grace stooped over, for a kiss from her middle aged boss, and he whispered to her she looked lovely, and that her floor had bought a table to support her ..He was a quick man..He had been watching Grace, and had watched her trying not to look at the dark handsome man with the biblical coupling to her 'alt'...But then he didn't make District Attorney by not seeing and judging peoples faces..He didnt' let Grace go, and whispered again in her ear.' Want me to bid for you'?....She leaned back..Looked at her boss, her smile fading, but not before he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and she had to read his lips over the din of music and the laughter and calls of the women behind him at the other tables..' Have a bit of fun ....Just give me a nod'

He was gone back into the crowd before she could reply, and Grace had to search for the table, and waved laughing as some others she worked with hollered her name , giving her the thumbs up from it.. It lightened her mood to have others there that she knew, and as one woman brought Boaz's bid up to 3000, Grace stepped back a little discreetly, making sure she was behind Boaz, and gave her boss a slight knowing nod....
And the bid went up to 3100, with her boss cheating, and texting in his bid. Grace didnt see him doing it, until the auctioneer raised his phone, and laughed that someone inside was playing dirty, with their number blocked, but that a new 'lady' was now in the play....

And it went on from there...Until the bidding reached 5200, and Grace was standing with her stomach in knots...Why she was still indicating to her boss to bid, when she was now at a point of depleting her savings, she didn't know.....She couldn't' possibly be jealous of other women, especially over a man she didn't know.....What ever effect he had on her, would vanish soon as she left the event, and she'd never see him again.

5300...5300...Is that it?.......Our texter??

the auctioneer looked around...There was only one lady bidding against Grace now, the last three bids having filtered out the other interests. If she bid, Grace was up to a couple of hundred short of cleaning out her account, and for what? A man that ...that......Jesus Girl...BID!

Her boss caught her eye, and the almost nonexistent flicker in her eye, and after a couple of seconds, the text pipped, and the audience roared as it's little chirp was captured in the microphone..
The lady across the hall that had been bidding sat back, her smile bright, but not quite reaching her eyes..She wasn't happy. Biting on her bottom lip, eye Boaz with blatant interest, she then pouted, and blew him a kiss and slowly shook her head..She was bowing out.

'5400 hundred!.....Ok....No more??? Going..........going once....going twice....GONE!.....

What a fantastic turnabout ladies and gentlemen!!...A big hand for our lovely lady in the far corner...and for Boaz......And of course for out hidden texterrrrr!......'

Graces boss stood with everyone else, and clapped, as if butter wouldn't' melt in his mouth....The organizers wanted the 'texter' to meet them as soon as the last auction was dealt with, which led the host to proclaim the last auction of the evening...
And announced ''A Ruth by any other name is just as sweet and lovely...'' before offering his hand to her, and guiding her forward...It happened so fast, she'd not time to process what she'd just done..How was she going to go through with it...Maybe she'd just pay the money and vanish....He was, as she looked over her shoulder at him for a quick glimpse to see what was happening, the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen....His eyes...God his eyes were so unnervingly special...She'd not the time to feel the nerves in her tummy lurch, as Grace smiled, and mouthed a little 'hi' at him, before turning back to the audience.. She was for a few moments the uneasy center piece on the stage..

Across the hall, her co workers erupted with cheers and cat calls,.. the males making sure that she was the focus of everyone's attention, as her boss stood, waving his check book maniacally, and started the bidding at 3000 before the auctioneer even announced a starting bid.

[vin_26m]

Will bowed to the audience, waved to everyone, then moved to the side of the stage.

He leaned into "Ruth" and said with a wink, "Well, it looks like somebody really wants to be with me tonight. I hope I'm worth every penny. Let's see you beat that, 'Ruth.'"

He went down to the floor, joining the audience.

"I have an opening bid of $3,000! Do I hear $3,050?"

"Thirty-ONE hundred!"

"Thirty-TWO hundred!"

"Thirty-FIVE hundred!"

"Four thousand dollars!"

There was a lull in the bidding, not as if it was going to end, but as if it was going to get serious.

"Five thousand dollars!"

Another pause, the audience murmuring among themselves at the unheard of increase in the bid.

"Six thousand dollars!"

"Wow! I have a record bid for $6,000 for an evening with the beautiful 'Ruth.' Going once, going twice..."

"Sixty-one hundred!"

It was down to two bidders, two men barking their bids at each other as much as to the audience.

"Sixty-TWO hundred!"

"Sixty-THREE!"

"Sixty-FOUR!"

The two could have gone at it all day, but someone else was more serious than the rest.

TEN... THOUSAND... DOLLARS.

It was Will.

Standing between the two men, he repeated his bid to each of them.

Ten thousand dollars? Ten thousand dollars?

He made his way back up to the stage, standing next to 'Ruth.'

The crowd was stunned.

Make it official, Mister M.C.

"SOLD FOR TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!"

The crowd went wild.

He looked at her, put his elbow out, letting her put her arm around his.

So, I guess you got the bigger bid, 'Ruth.' My name is Will, but the way. And you are?

He let her introduce herself to him.

So, I guess I have to wait here for my mysterious bidder. I hope she's half as lovely as you.

[Alana_]

The bidding was both a source of revelry and embarrassment. It was the one of the funniest and most flattering moments of her entire life, and Grace stood back a little bit, in an attempt to conceal herself slightly. It was a moment that caused her great laughter, she delighted, but her shyness not allowing her to appreciate the full depth of the experience..Boaz had vanished, after his self assured comment, and she had watched him as he'd vanished from the stage into the crowd, wishing, but not wanting to, that he'd stayed with her....

She'd wondered briefly, what it was about him that attracted her. What was it about him that was so familiar that it scared her stiff, but drew her to bidding on him?....She got caught up in the moment then, as the bids began getting higher, that her smile faltered, and Grace got nervous. She'd not expected it to go so far, and as one lone voice put a stop to the other to gentlemens' bids, Grace knew who it was before he stepped back on the stage to confirm his ten thousand dollar bid on a date with her. With 'Ruth'.

Boaz looked completely self assured as he took his place by her side, offering Grace his arm...God he reminded her so much of Richard, and the cocky arrogance that drove her nuts but captivated her too...One part of her wanted to refuse his arm..She looked at it, but she couldn't embarrass him in front of everyone, and reluctantly took his arm, and tilted her head to hear him over the constantly growing cheers..


So, I guess you got the bigger bid, 'Ruth.' My name is Will, but the way. And you are?

So, I guess I have to wait here for my mysterious bidder. I hope she's half as lovely as you.

She looked at him...Her boss appeared at the foot of the stage briefly, clapping and winked at her.The irony wasnt' lost on him, that the man he'd bid for on Grace's behalf had just blown the bidding out of the water to secure a date with her. It could have been funny, if it hadn't created so much tension in Grace....Just what was it about Will that sent shivers down her spine when she heard his voice....and god forbid looked up and could see the dark perfection of eyes that were so familiar, it was...wrong.

Can we have the young lady that bid for Boaz please.....We dont want him escaping on you dear.

Grace spoke quietly, her voice barely registering over the din of music and the audiences voices...Her cheeks were flush , and she could feel her body stiffen on hearing the hosts voice invite 'Boaz' bidder forward...There was no real way around this...She owed the money, and she couldn't conceal her bid any longer..What the hell was I thinking?.....

I'm Grace...

She took her hand from Boaz arm after giving him her name, and stepped forward to the podium, to whisper in the hosts ear..The expression on his face was almost worth the nervous lump in Graces stomach as she stepped back beside Will, but couldn't bring herself to look at him as the host grinned into his microphone, and announced proudly, almost as if he'd arranged the entire situation himself.

You're never going to believe this ladies and gentlemen............

It was Ruth that bid for Boaz!!!!.....Can you believe it?...These two just paid for the dearest date in history!....Give them a huge hand folks! I think they deserve it!...

Faith sure tossed these two something special tonight!

[vin_26m]

Will felt her hand come off his arm and immediately started missing her. What the hell is she doing? She started whispering in the host's ear, then started returning to his side, his puzzled look being unreturned as she looked away. I know that look. *She* had that look when she was going to receive recognition for something. Few things surprised Will, but he was certainly taken aback by the turn of events that the host announced. He was also eternally grateful - he couldn't think of a better outcome to the auction.

Will was a bit of a loner, had only a few close friends and didn't generally like people. Strangely, he craved being in front of an audience once in a while, and the man who preferred to work behind the scenes loved being in the spotlight occasionally. He was going to savor being the center of attention. Will took the host's cue, moved toward the middle of the stage, and took a bow, waving to the crowd, especially the ladies who bid on him. One of the women even swooned, falling into her husband's arms.

He then turned to Grace, who was, in his mind, the true star tonight. He pointed both his hands at her, shifting the audience's attention to the beautiful, mysterious young lady in red, and started clapping himself. The applause was already impossibly loud, but somehow the volume in the ballroom still increased, encouraging her to give the audience one last look to imprint in their memories.

The host invited the audience to dinner at the banquet hall in the next room.

He turned to her, focusing on her eyes. Look back at me. Remind me. Help me think of *her*.

You know, Grace, you could have bid a little more on me. I expected to get the highest bid, or at least close to it, but you just had to go out and get the attention of some wonderful man.

He leaned in and whispered.

Just make sure you don't break his heart, too. You seem to have quite a collection already.

He tilted his head toward the crowd, some men still occasionally looking toward Grace's way as they were dragged by their wives and girlfriends to dinner.

I have to be honest, Grace, I don't really feel like being here any longer. I need somewhere with less people, less light and less noise. It's a beautiful night. I have a car outside. How do you feel about getting out of here? I have places in mind, unless you have somewhere you want to go.

[Alana_]

Her face hurt smiling..Cheeks ached, and Grace waved away offers of drinks as she listened to Will, trying to divide her attention politely with him and those that vied for their attention...She offered no reply to what was said about her not having bid more...for her reply was quite simply, she couldn't have afforded more..
He smelled so fresh..Wills natural scent was abundant as she breath, and her bodies basic response was instinctively to attach itself to him...Grace had to move a step back, just to prevent her hand from resting anywhere on him...from her fingers clutching , her natural responses having to be quashed and resisted..
It hurt..It bothered her that he had such an affect on her, with no reason than a shameless physical attraction to him....

It took her back to six years ago..to Richard....To the first time they'd seen one another...'Ruth' was only 18, but she could still remember the first glimpse..the first second they'd connected, the first time they'd worked their way through the crowds at the beach party and just stood a few feet apart..Neither had said a thing ..They just looked, and knew ........They were together from that moment, and love came quickly to them, with all its promises and plans, until..................................

I have to be honest, Grace, I don't really feel like being here any longer. I need somewhere with less people, less light and less noise. It's a beautiful night. I have a car outside. How do you feel about getting out of here? I have places in mind, unless you have somewhere you want to go.

Her nervous butterflies were attacked with a surge of excitement in the tummy..Grace looked up at him, and anything and everyone was tuned out. The impossible was possible. Perhaps.
Maybe the move back to home ground was healthier than she'd thought. She'd wanted to move on and get past the longing.......She'd also dreamed that the longing would be answered...but by Richard..
Never would she have suspected, that she could find that surge of adrenaline with someone else....in such an unbelievable fashion.

The crowds were dissipating into the banquette hall, through the large ornate double doors...Voices still interrupted, attentions were being sought, and annoyingly so...She nodded to him. Yes. ..she'd go with him.

Grace turned, and walked towards the main doors that led to the foyer, avoiding the last of the guests, and paused..
Her car was parked up outside. She didn't care where they went..You should...he's stranger. No he wasn't...There was something there between them...They 'knew' one another. She smiled a rather quick ironic smile to herself. Did she believe in that mumbo jumbo about destiny,.. faith,.. ..souls that were meant to be together?...Faith hadn't done much for her in the past, tearing her away from Richard.
What ever was happening now, ....she wanted...Even if it scared her stiff...Grace wanted to find out more...be a part of what was enticing her to leave a hotel with a man she knew nothing about, and that had just bid on a date for her, and she for him. How immensely fucked up and beautiful was that?

My car.......Just give me a minute.

She was awkwardly shy...It was just them now, and Grace wasn't very sophisticated or practiced around men ... The accident had robbed her of friends, male and female, and left her socially quiet, unsure of herself..She had known one guy that left her breathless....loved one guy.....missed and longed for one guy....And her recovery had stolen even that grief for him from her, distracting her with the surgeries, and the endless smells of disinfectants and white ceilings as drugs numbed everything.

She left Will briefly and went to the concierge to make arrangements for her car to be taken to her house later that night. Giving her address, and a generous gratuity for the driver, she turned back to Will, and felt her smile fade a little as wistful realizations slowly began to be accepted.

He was beautiful. He gave her butterflies, and filled her tummy with nerves and goosebumps...He made her think of him, and she felt that the past faded just that little bit more away from her. Was Richard happy? Was he loved ? Was he alone? Please dont be alone.
She crossed the short distance back to Will, holding her dress purse tightly in her left hand, and tucked an errant strand of dark hair back over her shoulder with her right..Her voice was quiet, reflecting the nerves that brought with them excitement, and guilt...For she'd never thought such interest, such attraction...such provocative intensity , could ever happen with another man..

You'll take me home if I ask, ......No strings?.......

Just...a drink or something? Yes?

[vin_26m]

Will loved how Grace was focusing on him, not just with her words but also literally focusing with her eyes. He imagined, hoped even, that her thoughts were as concentrated on him as well. His smile reflected hers, and he wondered if the aching he was feeling to be closer to her was shared as well.

He didn't try to suppress his instinct to venture nearer. He gave in to the desire, like a hummingbird approaching a flower to gather nectar. When she took a step back, he tried to figure out why. It wasn't out of rejection or discomfort. He somehow knew he did nothing wrong.

He couldn't remember the last time he was so taken... No, he remembered exactly when, and with whom. Six years ago, seemingly a whole life ago, with Ruth. He almost felt the sand in his toes, the sea breeze in his hair, the ocean mist on his chest, the sun beating down on his skin, his heart beating so hard and so fast it felt like it would burst. When he met Ruth, it was loud and bright and crowded, as it is now with Grace.

He also remembered that night with Ruth, when they were alone and away from the crowd, when it was dark except for the full moon instead of bright under the warm sun. Even the breeze was going the opposite way, out to the sea instead of in from it. They walked together, sat together, and lay in the sand together.

He felt something... eternal back then, and he told her, as he held her close, looking into her eyes, the very first night they met, "I promise to love you forever."

He was feeling it again with Grace, which helped him keep the smile on his face and the tears inside, except for a couple of clear salty drops that sneaked out and made his eyes a little glassy.

He didn't say what he really felt. It's not so much that I want to get away from these people. It's really that I want to be alone with you. He was going to tell her that, but she nodded before he did, accepting his invitation.

My car.......Just give me a minute.

He was thankful for the short break away from her. Already, he couldn't stand to be separated, but he needed a moment to compose himself, to reconcile all the memories and hopes that haven't crossed his mind in so long, to use the back of his hand to subtely absorb the moisture in his eyes.

You'll take me home if I ask, ......No strings?.......

Just...a drink or something? Yes?

He looked into her gray eyes with his dark brown ones, a smile slowly building up until his pearly whites were revealed. He licked his lips.

I guess we're going on the date that *you* bid on instead of the date that *I* bid on. In that case, I'll take you *anywhere* you ask... no strings. However, that is *after* our first destination, which will be a drink... or something.

His car, actually a limo, pulled up. The chauffer came out, about to get the door, but Will took him aside and whispered something to him. The chauffer nodded and got back in the driver's seat.

Will opened the door for Grace, letting her get in first. As the chauffer rolled up the partition, Will said to him, "Take it slow, please, no hurry." Will wasn't sure why he said that.

The driver replied, "Yes, sir," right before the small dark window closed.

Will pulled out a bottle of wine. "A drink?"

If she was agreeable, he would have opened it, poured a glass for each of them, and shared a toast. "To love," he would have said, tapping his glass to hers, "the kind that lasts forever."

In no time, they were at the beach, the very one Will met Ruth on.

[Alana_]

The beach..

She remembered salty kisses....Tangy skin that was touched and kissed, lips dragging over Richards shoulders as they'd whispered to one another laying on a stolen towel in dunes away from everyone..

It had been impossible not to charge into the depths of delirious passion, and wonder at the wisdom of restraint...Touches that had been intimate were heaven....
They had awoken in Ruth a sensation of being flooded with feeling..To the tips of her fingers she felt pleasure...Her lips puffy from their kisses...Her top pulled lose as Richards hands had warmed and stirred her body to trembling beneath him.

He was the sublime deliverer of seduction...His want had been so sweet, and his control as battered as hers....But his won....For night.
He'd taken her back to her tiny studio apartment, pried them from one another, and promised her he'd be back the following night at 8........
He came at 6....When she'd opened the door, Richard kissed her.....This time, control was lost, and neither tried to find it, or use it.........

It was to be her first time...She'd smiled, her cheeks burning, when he'd guessed that while Ruth was as aroused as he was, she was also still innocent...
Ruth had assured him, took him by the hand, and led him to her bed, and told him as she slipped her hands beneath his tshirt, to touch the heated smooth skin of Richards back.., that yes, while she knew the theory, she'd not yet put it into practice, but wanted to....With him.

He didn't go home that night.


The electronic window lowered with the touch of a button......The beach was deserted but for one or two people off in the distance...The pier was a little sadder looking....Its silhouette rather skeletal on the shadows between sand and sea..Graces eyes moved slowly over the area, her glass of wine half drank as she pushed the car door open, allowing herself out. Standing there....she was torn between the beautiful memories created long ago, right here.......and wondering why Will had taken her there.? Coincidence?..Maybe....Some cruel twist in that faith that persisted in letting her down?..More than likely.....

Sitting her glass on the roof of the limo, she walked a little further away, and stopped on the edge, where the path rose, only then to dip towards the strand, and Grace slipped from her high shoes, reducing her stature to her usual 5ft 4, and dipped her toes into the still warm sand. Turning slowly, she looked back at Will.

Yeah....He was tempting the bar that Richard had raised on their first night...It didn't seem fair somehow. Richard had just been a boy to Wills 'man'.
How could that memory survive the challenge of a man that could sweep her off her feet, shake her logic to its core, and awaken in her a heat that started in her toes, and crept over every fiber of her body....

Body. Her imagination was positively shameless in how it envisioned Will naked....How it suspected him to be between the crumpling sheets of a bed as they ...................................Jesus, Stop it!

Why here Will?..........There's only the sand..No bar...no fancy boats.....Just the beach.

She backed onto the sand, feeling it tickle between her toes, and she looked down, gathering her dress over her calves to watch her toes curling and uncurling in the sand. Salty kisses.....She remembered salty kisses. Grace looked back at the long car, evidencing Will's wealth, and she looked to him again....
She searched for answers on his face, her smile soft, her voice husky, the breeze shifting her hair in soft little waves over bare shoulders.

I think its beautiful. Thank you.

[vin_26m]

He stepped out of the limo behind her and watched her make her way to the sand on her own. The light was dim, but he could still clearly see her balance herself as she stepped out of her heels, the way her exposed back curved and bare shoulders shifted, the way her bottom moved and hips rocked, as she literally came back to earth.

Then she turned to him, providing him a profile of the outline of her body, her silhouette against the full moon low on the horizon right behind her. He hoped for an invitation, but instead he got a question.

Why here Will?..........There's only the sand..No bar...no fancy boats.....Just the beach.

He just smiled at her, agreeing, acknowledging that she just answered the question for him.

I think its beautiful. Thank you.

Yes, beautiful would certainly describe the view. He walked to the trunk of the limo, which popped open as soon as he stood behind it. He still kept his eyes on her as he looked for what he needed, her hair cascading down as she looked at her feet. He liked the combination of elegance and simplicity.

He put everything in a shopping bag, then approached her.

I'm so happy you like it, Grace. I had a feeling you would appreciate a place like this. Here, maybe you can see better with this.

He turned on a flashlight, pointing it at her feet and offering it for her to take. He stood next to her on her left, watching her work her toes in the grains at their feet. He quickly removed his own shoes and socks, putting his hand on her bare shoulder for balance, then placed them in the bag, adding her red heels as well. He worked his toes a bit too, pressing the right side of his body against her left side, the backs of their hands brushing against each other.

It's been so long since I've done this, since I've come here.

He flexed his left arm so the bag was hanging over his left shoulder. The back of his right hand went up the bare flesh of her outer forearm, barely grazing her, like a warm breeze. His fingers curled around her elbow, then the tips lightly scratched the inside of her forearm back down toward her wrist, over her palm and along her fingers. He interlocked their fingers and looked down at her. He looked in the distance and nodded in its direction.

There are some dunes that way. The view is even better over there.

[Alana_]

She remembered another time, a younger time where beach parties didn't allow for the time to appreciate sand between toes...She remembered having to go to the quieter parts on the beach, where sand between toes soon was forgotten, when smiled kisses and ever increasingly intimate touches replaced the ticklish pleasure.
Feeling Will close by, how his hand brushed her arm..how he took her footwear , brought her back to the past memory, but also invited a sweet growth for a newer one..

Resisting thinking of Richard, and drawing comparisons to him and Will was really hard...Her responses were perhaps even stronger towards Will...She wasn't a girl now..but a woman..
Her experience with men had been cut short between recovering and throwing herself into studies rather than thinking of missing Richard..
But her body still knew what it was to feel the tightness in her nerves, and how her blood seemed to roar through her veins , heating her skin...throbbing in her temples.

There are some dunes that way. The view is even better over there.

She looked down, feeling how Will's fingers found hers, how her skin was tingling, and how her palm faced his for their fingers to interlock...His hand was warm..
Grace looked up at him, and slowly nodded, mouthing a slow 'ok'..The dunes..the very dunes they'd made out the first night they'd met...The very dunes that they'd visited to escape friends and...................

Had Richard ever come back here? Grace couldn't help but wonder.....Where was he now?....Had he stayed on after she'd left, and ...found someone else to care for, and bring there?...
Somehow, she felt a little guilty being there with another man....Especially a man that had such a hold on her so quickly...How could that kind of instinctive raw interest happen twice?..
Will felt it too...she was pretty certain....He looked at her in a manner that was almost predatory...very male..highly sensual...Definitely like a man that knew how to get to a woman..

The dunes were the silent guardians against the breezes that could sometimes chill...They were the guardians from eyes when privacy was needed and laughter quietened to whispers and the tenderer of moments....
She walked over the first with Will, her feet slipping as the sand shifted when going down the far side..Breaking into a little run, Grace had to pull her hand free as her balance was threatened .. with her gathering her dress as she laughed on almost sliding on the shifting sand, needing to regain her balance. ...

Turning quickly when reaching the tiny valley below, she pointed the torch down, lowering the glare to the sands, and Grace offered her hand again to Will...
It was pitch black where they were, only the lamp light offered any glimpse of Will, and Grace stooped, leaving the touch on the ground before rising slowly, and looking up at his shadowed outline..

...have you been here before Will?....

Closing the space a little between them, she gathered her dress again over one knee, her feet warm in the still warm sand...Her mind raced to images of tangled limbs, heated lips, eager touches, groaned pleasures, and the escape into oblivion on release... Graces breathing quietened...She could feel the tremble that raced up her spine, to the tips of her fingers...her voice lowering to a whisper, the torches glow soft on Will's face and mouth...

Do you bring all your dates here?

[vin_26m]

Running away from me already?

He followed her down the slope, using the light in her grasp to guide him to her. He felt like a moth to a flame, unable to resist the attraction even if something bad might happen. He took back the hand that slipped out and was subsequently offered, then supported her as she lowered herself to put the torch down. He turned to face her directly then stayed still while he felt her eyes looking up at him as she stood back up.

What am I doing? What was I thinking coming back here? Bringing someone I just became acquainted with to where I first met... her?

Somehow it felt so wrong, like he was taking a precious memory and tarnishing with the presence of someone else, yet it felt so right, like he was paying homage to it by reliving it. Reliving. Living again. Doing it all over again with his new life, new face, new name, and a new woman. He had the obvious feeling of having been at that spot before, but he also had the feeling of having *been* there before.

...have you been here before Will?....

Was she reading his mind? He found that questions like this from dates always had other, more subtle meanings to them.

He didn't feel like playing the games that women claimed they hated. But still, somehow, in reality, they required the games.

He ran through some possible answers in his head before answering.

No, this is my first time here ever. Then they wonder if it's because they're so special, if what he's saying is true, and if he's just saying what they want to hear. Even if they knew he was going through the verbal motions, would they stop him from continuing?

Yes, actually, I have been here before. Then they consider if he does this as part of his routine of seduction. Even if it was true, if he doesn't have the sense to conceal the truth, would he be dismissed? For failing at the game?

Sometimes it's just a question. Sometimes, it shouldn't be answered, or even asked. Why can't they just enjoy the moment?

Because they're afraid.

Why was he thinking so much?

Because he was nervous. The same way he was nervous...

Once before. Yes, Grace, once before. It was... a long time ago. It actually feels like it was a lifetime ago.

Do you bring all your dates here?

Another question, with a whole new set of meanings behind it.

He was tempted to give a response that was funny or cryptic, and he would have with any other woman. But he would not have taken any other woman here, to this spot, besides Grace. So he was straightforward and honest again. He was sure that, somehow, the moment would be spoiled, and he would lose her, not the same horribly tragic way he lost Ruth, but lose her just the same.

No. No, I don't. Just that one time, when I was still in college, with someone who was really...

Damn. This was bad. The conversation wasn't supposed to go like this. It certainly would not have been part of the plan, if he even had a plan. He just wanted to be here with her. But he wasn't even sure which her he was talking about anymore, Ruth or "Ruth."

That's a sad story for another time.

Still holding her hand, he mimicked her earlier action and lowered himself also, putting down the bag holding the shoes and other things. He reached in blindly while he looked up at her and pulled out a blanket, a blanket he had been tempted to throw out for years, but always kept to help him remember her.

He released her hand and opened up the blanket, laying it flat on the sand, using the illumination of the flashlight and the full moon to do it, like he did so long ago.

He repeated the words from that night, also, words he said that Ruth heard.

Here, let me help you sit down.

Then he pretended to blindly reach for her hands, miss them completely, and found her hips instead.

He remembered the next thing he said, and repeated that too.

Are you trying to get my hands on you?

He decided that when she was in the middle of her laugh, he would do what he did before. He would lean in close enough for her to feel and smell his minty breath, pause to see if she backed away, then plant a soft kiss on her lips if she stayed in place to test the waters. He wanted to rush to the next part after waiting so long, when they both keep kissing while they lowered themselves to their knees, holding each other as they leaned over to lay on the blanket together.

[Alana_]

No. No, I don't. Just that one time, when I was still in college, with someone who was really..

How odd...how strange...That both she and Will, could have a connection to this place....A connection that for them both is sad...hers lovely too, but nevertheless , sad...She watched how he choose his words carefully, and looked down for a moment, almost embarrassed that she had asked...What he did on dates, with other women, was none of her business....

But the moment, the place, the setting, the dunes, and their memory dictated that she feel guilty for sharing them with another other and Richard..

Every movement Will made, Grace watched....He was indeed a beautiful man, in a physicality that bordered on perfection...Again, she shook the feeling of familiarity...That face..that face just dwelled on mind for some reason...But...it wasn't his face that distracted her so much....it was the eyes..Will's eyes.

On bending over, her hand lost his as she saw the product of the bag...The rug wasn't new...it was one of those colorful beach blankets with every color under the sun in its weave...Chain store bought, everyone had one..... Even Richard had had one....that night.

Drifting away...back...she remembered how he'd been bold..Beautifully funny, humorous in his convincing her to sit with him...How he'd feigned searching for her hands, but finding her hips instead, as 'Ruth' had tried to look coy, but couldn't resist him when he'd teased her and she'd gone to him willingly....''Are you trying to get my hands on you?''

Here, let me help you sit down.

Wills hands rested on her hips...the fabric of her dress fine, the heat of his fingertips filtering through the material to the flair of her hips..It led her to take that one step closer.....their bodies almost touching..not quite...but just a breath from contact....The lamp light offered enough to see that in the dark Wills pupils were dilated as Grace's lips parted but remained silent......
Another time she'd laughed with Richard when this happened...

Right then though..she didn't feel like laughing.....she didn't feel like doing much only knowing the warmth of his hands, and taste of...his............Her eyes focused on Wills lips then.....there was a strand of hair blowing in a small curl on her temple, and she had to control herself not to reach out and brush it aside....She didnt want to move...didn't want to risk spoiling the moment....

His breath warmed her lips they were so close, and Grace whispered , a faint shy flicker of a smile on her full lips....

Were you trying to get your hands on me?

The correlations between that moment and six years ago are almost cruel...The similarities could almost be planned to remember of a time shared between two people....only its not the same two people....But what ever was happening...it was magic....and she wasn't denying it.

He tasted of menthol....Wills lips were perfect for hers to graze...invite..tempt with little butterfly kisses....Her hands were hesitant..Touching him was a step further to letting go of memories and creating more...Tentatively they move to his face, cupping, fingertips placing the touch to memory...

Her flesh grew warm...She could feel the response with in her core, as her heart beat quickened, and her hands trembled..With deepening kisses, she found she was closer, leaning, pressing against him...and Grace whispered huskily again against his lips..

God, I didn't try to make it hard for you, did I?

[vin_26m]

Will had different voices going on in his head. One voice was saying that this can't all be a coincidence, while another said to just enjoy the moment. But the loudest was telling him Don't fuck this up like last time.

Will's smoothness was great until the moment before the kiss. After that, the gods of love had a sense of humor.

He could barely see her, but he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. The resemblance... the way she stood before him within arm's reach, the way she moved her hands, some scent of hers in the air, the appeareance and movement of her eyes... it was the voice. In the dark, with so little distraction from the other aspects of her, the voice sounded so similar.

He took a hand off her hip and slowly brought it up as they locked eyes. Even though he knew it was going to happen, the back of his finger still just barely bumped up against her nipple. Holding in a smile, he then tenderly moved the strand of hair off her face, and went the extra mile of putting it behind her ear.

Will did the same on the other side, pulling a strand that was invisible this time, then pretended to tuck it behind the other ear.

Were you trying to get your hands on me?

Why, yes, I believe I was, now that you mention it.

It couldn't be...

He cupped her face and tilted her head slowly, leaned in, and planted one right on the soft pillows of her mouth.

He brought his hands back down, his knuckles again clumsily grazing over her breasts.

He took her hands and guided them up to his face. He wanted her to touch him. He wanted to touch her back. He puts his hands on her waist, slid them up to the bare skin of her lower back, and pulled her in.

As their passion burned hotter, their kisses lasted longer until they couldn't let go of each other. He felt like he was drinking from the water fountain of youth.

God, I didn't try to make it hard for you, did I?

It had to be. But how?

He fantasized about this moment for years. He wondered if he would ever feel anything *like* it again. But here, now, it was happening *all over again.*

The words came slowly and punctuated with kisses, exactly like they did six years ago, but with a whole new meaning and a whole new set of consequences.

No, you didn't try...

He kissed her.

to make it hard...

He kissed her.

but you did...

He kissed her again.

make it hard...

He kissed her.

Held it.

Considering.

Ruth...

He looked at her face.

Adams.

[Alana_]

The very instant he spoke, Grace felt the reality of 'now' growing more entangled with the resemblances of the past. Will's lips kissed teasing kisses, punctuated with whispers, each whisper carrying a memory.
The caressing of her finger tips felt the movement of his jaw, the unequivocal 'feel' of his kisses, as she stood pressed...no held against him.., her eyes half closed beneath thick curling lashes..

Word by word, brought with them the slow feeling of his hands moving up her lower back, to where the dress was cut low, exposing the curve of her back, and the graceful hollow of her spine ..
Graces hair cloaked Wills hands, as she moved her head slowly side to side to receive each kiss..each whisper..

but you did...

It was just as if faith was reenacting the first time they'd come here...the first time he'd kissed her...the first time she'd known such arousal that denying it was futile.

make it hard...

Shivering beneath the salacious promise of the lingering kiss, ..her breathing was slow..so very slow, as her lips clung, dragging kisses to his bottom lip...
Graces hands moved beneath Will's jacket, and finger tips fanned his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heart, and heat of flesh beneath the crisp white fabric of his formal shirt...
The first button gave way with just a gentle tug...Her hands trembled, his kiss preciously introducing her to the constant reminders of a long time ago as the second and third parted, and they paused on the fourth.....She didn't want to think of Richard now...Not now...Not when Will was so................

Ruth.......

Jesus.

Adams.......

There was everything at once...Panic..Confusion...An almost unrealistic surge of jealousy....But for years of control, used to hiding reactions , used to concealing her secrets, Grace hid behind an expression of subdued surprise..
Wills eyes were dark, her eyes searched...Quickly Grace's logic snapped her back to the present..Had she heard right?...No..Yes...Maybe..........Oh God...Oh God...Oh God! ..The quick blinking of her lashes brought to her attention the sting of unwanted tears....

Who was he?...How did he know?...She shook the feeling of foreboding from her, and tried finding the will in her legs to have them move her away....No...She'd heard wrong...The past had played tricks with her memory..with that precious night , that beautiful hope that had been destroyed by a car accident, and a Mother desperate to control everyone..

No...She blinked, and tried to smile through the sense of , ....quite simply bafflement..... It was maddeningly obvious that Will wouldn't even know Ruth Adams...What was she thinking about!!..Of course she'd heard things...Fallen into the trap of her mind and the longings stirred now a man that was awakening even deeper desires than the boy on beach over a half decade ago..Only a split second had passed in time..but it felt like an eternity, and her lips were still so close..so warm against the exhaled whisper of a breath from Will and Grace whispered her breath to him.., ..her hands clutching his half open shirt, almost afraid to let go..but also terrified to stay.

What did you say?

[vin_26m]

He tried to read her as he said the name of his long lost love, partly as a test, partly because he was so lost in the moment. It was dark, but he could still see her face, especially her eyes and teeth reflecting the faint illumination of the moon. He attempted to interpret her reaction, any reaction, any sort of emotion, since he couldn't hear anything in her voice that was stunned to silence.

He saw her eyelashes fluttering, he eyes opening and closing rapidly, like wings of a butterfly, creating little breaths of wind that he could feel distinctly when the land breeze died down, as if he ruined the magic between them.

The instant was drawn out for him. What was he thinking? How could she have reacted? How did he want her to react?

Please say it. Say my name, the name I abandoned because I no longer had a reason to keep it after you were gone. Please, be Ruth, my Ruth, and I will be your Richard.

But that's not what she said.

What did you say?

Damnit. How could he be so wrong? His logic was breaking down, turning reality into a dream. He was thinking of moments from his past and blending them with those of the present. His brain was trying to comprehend them all, to turn them into something sensible. It made him think of things that weren't actually there.

He hid his reaction well. She thinks she misheard him! He can cover up his indiscretion.

He smiled.

"You... want to hear it again?

He paused, recalling, rewinding his memory.

No, you didn't try...

He kissed her.

to make it hard...

He kissed her.

but you did...

He kissed her again.

make it hard...

He kissed her.

Held it.

Grace...

He looked at her face.

Fabersham.

Way to almost spoil the moment, as if rubbing up against her breasts wasn't enough.

His right arm went around her back, his left raised up to the back of her head. He ran his fingers through her hair, tugging on it gently, tilting her head at just the right angle to press his lips up against hers. He pulled her into him, wanting to maximize the amount of contact between them, her breasts against his chest, his excitement pressing up against her.

Nice recovery.

He broke the kiss and just held her, resting his chin on her head. He rubbed her bare back, warming the surface to counter the wind, but she was already radiating heat. He pulled back and held her hands as he sunk down to his knees.

Don't move. Stay right there. I want to see you just like that.

He sat down on the blanket, looking up at her, like a pagan worshiper admiring a statue of goddess.

Turn around for me Grace, I want to see all of you.

He kept watching her. He put his hands out to her.

Come closer, Grace. I want to feel you and taste you again.

[Alana_]

make it hard...

Yet another kiss confused her to receive it, respond to it, enjoy, give back to it...Her eyes flickered closed as Grace got a little more lost in the temptations of Will's mouth and hands......Why had he said Ruth?...God his kiss...his mouth...his taste...

Grace

She tried to not give in..not be so openly enraptured..His scent...his body.....Jesus his mouth...Stop...Stop...No....Nooyeeessss..yes.

Fabersham.

She'd been wrong...She HAD miss heard Will..Had clung too long to the memories of Richard, and was confusing the passion of now, with the young love of the past... ............It's so unfair... Why would she have clung to some perverse hope that this was Richard?..That Will wasn't a man sensual enough to draw her to him , and know the sensations of flickering warmth as their bodies seemed to already 'know' one another....There was a very odd, beautiful faith playing with them. Unfairly , delighting in confusion, ..painfully making familiar old feelings, old desires..old arousal's be remembered......My God he's beautiful.

The almost dominant stance over her dictated to Grace that her body conform to Will's...Her head tilted back..his fingers clutching her hair as his lips seared hers, with every part of them touching...barriered only by their clothes....She was aware of the fullness of his arousal pressed against her belly, and Grace knew a surge of heated excitement racing through her flesh, as her blood pounded through her veins.

Don't move. Stay right there. I want to see you just like that.

Her full lips were parted from the remnants of Will's kiss....Watching him lower to the rug, her eyes focusing on his...then his mouth..back to his eyes..

Turn around for me Grace, I want to see all of you.

Refusing ...second guessing, wasn't an option....Slowly, looking at Will, Grace turned , and as her back faced him she turned her head to continue looking at him..She needed to...
In the quiet, ..in the moment, ..he was what kept her brave enough not to remember the past..She wanted 'now'...and wanted him..not the memories....not the misunderstood words....Just the 'now'.

Come closer, Grace. I want to feel you and taste you again.

Her hands found his..Finger tips slipped to Will's palms as she drew closer..It was warm..but she shivered...Grace stood over him a moment, just looking at Will's face...those eyes....Those beautiful eyes...

His lips were supple reminders of a passion closely interrupted...Her tongue flickered as she lowered to her knees, having to tug the dress a little higher up her thighs to straddle his right thigh slowly....Her fingers combed into his thick hair...She caressed him with herself naturally..Breasts pressed against his chest, her nipples straining against the fine fabric..

Her breathing grew ragged.. Kisses became a little less shy, and more demanding...The flesh beneath Wills shirt was warm, as her fingers walked beneath the fabric and caressed his shoulders, slipping to his neck...Her heart raced as the mood was plaintively more erotic, and more enthralling...Will moved in her something only thought of in memory..., but was being brought back to life. Passion...
Passion stirred in Grace.....Want was aroused, and the heated rush that licked between the softness of her loins was sensually captured in her husky whisper of admission against his lips..

I want you.

[vin_26m]

He was sitting up on the edge of the beach blanket, resting his forearms on his knees and wiggling his toes in the sand, as he looked up to her, turning around slowly. She was beautiful, heartachingly beautiful, and with the full moon behind her, she was a silhouette that was sublime. The majestic red dress clung to her every curve so tightly that she looked like she was standing there in the nude, ready for a group of artists to immortalize her in sculptures and paintings.

He recorded every moment of her spin in his memory. Was she intentionally arching her back, accentuating the outline of her breasts and her bottom when she was in profile? When she directly faced toward him or away, did she intentionally move her arms to show how her round hips tapered up toward her slender waist? His jaw went slack and dropped as she looked over one shoulder at him. His throat made a deep swallow as she turned her head more quickly to catch his eyes over the other shoulder.

It was like seeing Michaelangelo's David in person for the first time, but 100 times more awe-inspiring. For a moment he wondered if she was a gift from a god to mankind, or if she was sculpted by the hands of a supremely talented man. He put that thought away, just like he put away the idea that Ruth didn't have a moment on the beach like this. This was new. This was all Grace.

He was aching to feel her body in his arms and her mouth on his lips again. He hoped the aching was mutual, and when she reached for his hands from her higher position, he felt transformed, as depicted in another of Michaelangelo's works, the Creation of Adam. Up until now, "Will" was a disguise. With Grace's touch from above as the final blessing he needed, he felt reborn, like a real person for the first time in six years.

He reached up, helping her down, but still pulled away, drawing her closer. He licked his lips and picked up his jaw, his smile growing ever wider as she pulled her long gown up a bit to put her knees on the rug. Her left knee went outside his right knee first, and he thought she would just sit next to him. Instead, she made an unexpected move and surprised him. Instead of sitting on the edge of the blanket, she planted her right knee between his legs.

He pulled back further, still wanting to draw her in. He looked up at her, at a lower angle of elevation this time, with her breasts at the level of his eyes. They were close enough to feel each others' heat and breath. He leaned away from her painstakingly slowly, making her follow, enticing her, turning up the heat of both of their desires, until he had nowhere left to go except to lie on his back. Gravity did the rest. She was on top.

Her kisses started off gently. He felt himself growing against her right thigh, while his own right thigh lifted up, providing a platform for her to grind herself on. Her body movements caused her breasts to move against his chest. Her kisses became more fierce, her touches more sensual going from his hair to his shoulders to his neck. Will felt like a prey to the predator that Grace became. He lay still, like a deer trying to blend into the forest when it heard a noise. She, in a word, pounced.

I want you.

He realized he froze up for a while, but her barely audible and very tangible words reactivated him. He kissed her back, just as hungrily, while his hands held her tight and roamed up and down her back again.

He thought about what to say, how to respond. This was wonderful, a dream come true, but something... was off. He couldn't put his finger on it. Then he knew.

Too much.

Too soon.

He pushed her back a bit, took his suit jacket off, then ripped his shirt open, the buttons flying everywhere. He tossed them aside, laying there bare chested.

His hands went to his pants, undoing the belt and unzipping the fly. He adjusted himself, providing some freedom and relief to his trapped, aching member, repositioning it, but not taking it out, not pulling the pants down.

He lifted his torso back up and kissed her, hiking her skirt up so she could straddle his hips instead of only a thigh.

He cupped her face in his hands, then let his fingers go down the sides of her neck, around to the nape, to undo the clasp there, letting the front of her dress fall, exposing her breasts to the night air, pressing her stiff nipples into his hard chest as he pulled her back down on top of him.

Through his actions, he showed that he wanted her, too. They devoured each others' lips voraciously, every kiss satisfying their hunger pangs but also increasing their appetites. Agonizingly, he broke the kiss to whisper something in her ear, before going back to the buffet of her mouth once more.

Tonight, Grace, the underwear stays on.

[Alana_]

In an elegant tease, Will tempts Grace with promised kisses, whispered looks, and the haunting longing for passion..Her lips parted, attempting kisses...denied kisses as Will lowered back slowly, in a teasing seduction..When they came they rained on sucked lips, probing tongues until she whispered to him...The instant reaction in Will from Graces whisper, inspired a dart of insecurity to her briefly, until his mouth responded with delicious oral pleasures on her full lips..

He tasted of hunger..A hunger that equaled hers, with flavors of temptation that sent shivers up Graces spine....His kiss leaving her brought with it a forlorn groan of resistance from her, until Will lay back and pealed his shirt away, his body perfect, his chest void of bulk , but rippling with taught muscle....
She backed away when his hands went to his pants, and the pupils of her eyes darkened as the belt buckle clinked, and whip of the zip revealed the pale cotton fabric of his shorts..

Straddling him..with out question or hesitation, ..Grace straddled Wills lap, pulling on his shoulders as he rose back up, their combined kisses roughly charged with a wildness of desire that literally left her skin prickling...His hands worked the halter of her dress open, and Grace gasped in pleasure, inhaling sharply as her bare flesh met his , and wiry tight string of arousal grew harder to hold on to.

Tonight, Grace, the underwear stays on.

Her heart actually sank in her chest..She was highly aroused..highly turned on, her body ridged with tension as she felt the moist warmth between her thighs grow..She needed that release from the scalding heat that had her body frantic in its behavior ..He aroused her with his hands, his kisses..just smell of him reminded her of.................Not now.!. ..
Wills kisses served only to turn her on more, as her tongue dueled with his, filling his mouth, sucking on his, dragging her teeth to capture his bottom lip and suck...Her hands were impatiently skimming over the surface of his chest, tugging fingers on his nipples soon trailed lower over the ripple of his tight belly..She ground against him..feeling the cotton barrier sheathing his arousal, her breathing ragged, as she whispered to him in a confusing array of heated arousal and shy nerves..

Please...touch me.

Finger tips halted at the band of his shorts...Her hand slipping further between her parted thighs, until they cupped him through the fabric of his underwear...Groaning against his lips, Grace kissed across Will's jaw, sucking on his lobe, as she stroked his heavy length, letting her fingers roll over the top, and back to cupping his balls, as she admitted the newness in such an illicit feeling...

Oh God..............

I can't...believe this.

Back to his lips, she kissed him long and slowly, but not with out any less heat, or passion...Perhaps more..
Enticing his response, daring to ignite her own further, as Graces touches grew tentatively more brave...Her lips moved down his throat, and she payed homage across his collar bone, as she shifted slightly, raising her hips from his crotch as her caressing strokes continued exploring the girth and fullness of his hardening cock....

Soft lips latched to his nipple, her breasts brushing his lower belly as Grace turned her attention to the other side of his chest...and licked over the tight pebble there...Slowly, more out of insecurity, she returned to the safety of kissing his lips, her hand warm,.. again tempted to touch him more intimately..But she was afraid..unsure that in the admissions of wanting him so much, that it was happening too fast, ..too soon.

Please tell me.....what to do.

[vin_26m]

After he told her the limit on their passion, he understood better why he stated it.

Her preference seemed already made, and now he had a choice to make - give in fully to their desires now, or wait until another night.

At its essence, the decision was simple, but for Will, the second option had so many consequences. He waited once before, just one night, and not even a full 24 hours, but it turned into the most meaningful relationship he ever had. He wanted that again, with Grace this time.

Still, he had to ask himself, while still feeling Grace's lips and hands on him, was he ready to again lay down that strong foundation consisting of trust and patience, to rebuild a home made up of passion and love that could stand the test of time even after its physical existence ended? It broke his heart losing Ruth, but he healed, and now he's stronger than ever. He was ready. It was time.

To give himself fully to Grace, he had to deny a part of himself to her now.

He felt kind of bad for Grace and this predicament. He didn't intend to transform her from a kitten who wanted to be taken home after a drink into a tigress sinking her claws into his chest and her fangs into his bottom lip, only to put her back into a cage.

Please...touch me.

He already was, but he knew what she meant. He nibbled back on her upper lip while she bit into his bottom one. As she tugged on his nipples, his hands went from her back to her sides to her front, his sensitive fingertips caressing her ribs below the curves of her breasts, barely feeling the threadlike imperfections on her skin there before fulling cupping the soft mounds of flesh. He felt the stiffening peaks against his palms as he felt the weight of her hills in his hands. It mirrored the way he was growing under her exploration, separated only by thin fabric.

Oh God..............

I can't...believe this.

It's because of you, Grace. Look at what you do to me. Feel how hard I am for you.

His member was already peeking out of the waistband, and there was no way to sneak the tip back into his boxers. He pulled down the elastic, all the way under his balls, freeing it like he did her breasts, allowing the manhood to sense the soft caressing grip of her hands without obstruction, permitting her the privilege of feeling it grow longer, thicker, harder, with each kiss on his neck and torso, until it felt like a lead pipe wrapped in silk.

Please tell me.....what to do.

He was tempted, so tempted, to tell her what he wanted her to do, but he didn't want that, not yet, not when there was the potential for countless more nights like this if he just showed patience. He waited years for this moment, he can wait a little longer to have her satisfy him.

He had to get her hands off his hardness soon, before he lost what little control he had, to give him a little time to think about what he could do to make her feel as good as she was making him feel.

Help me get that dress off.

That bought a little time. Together, they pulled up the red curtain to unveil her body, and now both of them were down to her panties and his boxers, which were still on, but not providing any containment or concealment of his arousal.

Let's get you on your back, Grace.

He pulled her close and rolled her over effortlessly. He then took her wrists and lifted them above the halo of brown hair around her head.

Keep those hands there for me, my sweet little pet.

He didn't know where the name came from. Maybe it was a subtle prediction of how she was going to taste, an indicator of how big she made him feel, and a hint at what he was going to do with his hands to her.

He slid his hands from her wrists down her arms, leaning up and kissing her wrists, letting her feel his stiffness against her folds through her panties. He continued down her body, his hands leading the way, his lips following, along her shoulders and collarbones and neck. As he continued down the valley between her breasts to plains of her stomach, the pressure against her pussy was taken away. He journeyed further along the tops of her thighs to her knees.

He reached back up.. He teased her pussy with his cock some more when he kissed her mouth, then took it away again when he ran one of his hands in a sideways figure 8 directly on the skin of her breasts. Starting higher up on the left side of her chest, he stroked around to the outside of her left breast, under it, up over her rapidly beating heart, over the top of her right breast, then outside and under that one. He repeated the motion, this time with two hands simultaneously. Finally he followed the same path of an infinity symbol around her nipples with his lips.

Unable to resist tasting her peaks any longer, he licked her skin then kissed around her nipple, making a nice airtight seal, so he could suck her erect tissue into his mouth. His tongue danced all over it, painting circles, crosses and x's, then trapped the tissue in his teeth. He sucked, licked and nibbled, in different combinations and all at once, then did the other nipple too.

He reach up and took her hands, bringing them down between their pelvises. He put his cock in her hands and moved her hands up and down on it, making her stroke it.

I'm not going to take you tonight, Grace. Not tonight. But tonight is the night for your date. Tonight, you come first. Show me with your hands how you want it. Show me with your hands how you want me to fuck you.

He paid close attention to what she did, the depth, the rhythm, how they changed as time went on. Then he held her hands still over her pussy, and moved his hips forward and back, fucking her hands the way she would have wanted it in her tunnel.

[Alana_]

There was an almost cruel beauty in how he provoked Grace..Her hands over her head, with a husky warning to keep them there, only served to both offend the need to touch Will, and turn her on more..
Her nature wasn't a submissive one, ..and certainly she had no desire to be one sexually..but God she loved how he dominated her...Thrilling her with the subsequent display of kissed teases, and the weight of his cock straining against the fabric of her delicate panties..

Her thighs spread , and cradled him, her knees bending as she dug her feet into the rug, grinding upwards , stroking the sheathed sensitive fissure of her pussy along the turgid girth of his cock...
Her breathing was harsh...
Deep breaths panted , as her breasts heaved and her belly undulated..Her skin actually quivered beneath lips that kissed and explored as her nipples were taken and enjoyed in a suckling homages to both..Flexing her fingers, Grace groaned in exquisite pleasure, as she arched her back, raised her knees to caress either side of Will's body...
The weight of his distended cock twitching its arousal on the soft fabric had her almost break down and plead..

She remembers another time where things were intense...deeply intense and highly arousing...She remembers another time where patience and restraint were encouraged by.......................Not now...dont think of him now!
But Wills insistence on waiting drew comparisons she couldn't help....even if he was driving her to delirium in arousing her.

Her hands were guided down between them..Graces eyes widened on feeling the heat of his desire, and the thick silky meat that pulsed in cupped hands....Was he changing his mind?...Her mind exploded as she felt her sex creaming, moistening beneath the remembered pleasure in being fucked by..................Jesus Christ....Stop!!...


'm not going to take you tonight, Grace. Not tonight. But tonight is the night for your date. Tonight, you come first. Show me with your hands how you want it. Show me with your hands how you want me to fuck you.

Biting his bottom lip, Grace stroked..Deep long strokes, tapping the glistening tip onto her belly..Smacking the soft flesh of her abdomen, she kissed Will hard, darting her tongue into his mouth...
His hand covered hers, guiding the action between her thighs, and Grace stiffened as the bulk of his cock and her hands forced her thighs wider..The mimicking fuck of his driving hips had his shaft gliding , stroking her palms, as Grace watched Will's face, and focused on the darkening of his eyes..

Cum......Please cum........

She kissed him deeply then...She needed to cum...needed the release...needed to escape the passion that was being driven through her body, needed him to give his passion to her...Her mind was mottled with confusion...
Only hours ago she'd not ever seen Will before...And now...now...she was jacking him off, wanting him to fuck her until she couldn't see sense....How could he control the need to just enter her...to have her..while so aroused.? How could he have her so high on want after just a couple of hours together, and do something so erotically sexy with her and want to wait.

Will please......................

Oh Jesus..

One hand continued stroking..his precum glistening her palm, aiding the fluid gliding strokes of her hand..The other moved to his hair, and grabbed it at the crown roughly, and she whispered with tears in her eyes wanting to know why he wanted to wait when they were both so charged and turned on...

Tell me....Tell me why..........

Oh God, Will I need ..........to cum...Please..