Chance Encounters

[cgraven]

"Forgive you for what?"

I smile as Lisa’s hand softly caresses my cheek

"You haven't done anything wrong."


Her hand is on the back of my neck and Lisa draws me to her lips, a soft lingering kiss. Then slowly pulls away our lips clinging to each others till the last possible second. Our eyes meet and I am again lost in the clear soft depths of hers.

“Lisa I do not want this evening to end.”

 

[Shadi]

My heart is pounding in my chest as I look into his eyes.

“Lisa I do not want this evening to end.”

"Neither do I, we still have the whole night ahead of us, what should we do with the time?"

All I want to do is hold him, feel his arms around me all night, his warmth next to me, his breath on me but I don't want to rush anything either, already he means too much to me for it all to be lost in my haste to be with him.

 

[cgraven]

"Neither do I, we still have the whole night ahead of us, what should we do with the time?"

Lisa eyes shine up at me our kiss broken yet she stays close in my arms, I feel the rapid beating of her heart against my chest. Slowly my lips meet hers again my tongue gliding across her full moist lips, slowly parting them, begging entrance in to the sweet warmth of Lisa mouth. Our kiss deepens and I savor the sweetness that is Lisa.

“I am staying not far from here Lisa would you care to come up to my place for awhile”?

I shock myself at the boldness of my question and steal myself for the polite refusal I know must come.

 

[Shadi]

Holding me close he leans in to kiss me again and I sink into his arms. His touch is soft and I shiver as his tongue gently slides across my lips, tickling, teasing them open. I want to stay like this all night but all to soon we part.

“I am staying not far from here Lisa would you care to come up to my place for awhile”?

I'm torn between staying with him and finishing the date at some point, I want to go with him but I know I shouldn't, not yet.

"I would love to Mike but not yet, I mean not tonight. I don't want to rush anything, you do understand don't you."

I feel bad and hope that he understands why I've said no. In an effort to lighten the mood, I pull away from him and take his hand leading him along the path, not giving him too much time to think.

"What's your favourite, Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate...?" I smile at the puzzled look on his face, "You're favourite ice-cream, there's a place the other side of the park thats open late, do you want to go and get some?"

 

[cgraven]

"I would love to Mike but not yet, I mean not tonight. I don't want to rush anything, you do understand don't you."

Lisa eyes are soft and kind, yet her words set a cold clammy feeling in my heart and I chide my self for being and old fool.


“Sure Lisa I understand’

There is a deep sadness I my voice I can not hide.

She quickly pulls away a bit and leads me down the path

"What's your favorite, Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate...?"

Lisa eyes smile up at me

You're favorite ice-cream, there's a place the other side of the park that’s open late, do you want to go and get some?"

“Vanilla”

I mutely follow Lisa as she leads me on threw the park.

 

[Shadi]

We reach the park gates and just up ahead is a small soda shop, it's always open even in the middle of the night. Mike is quiet, he hasn't said anything apart from choosing a flavour since I turned him down.

Inside Mike sits in a booth and I go and order, while I wait for the ice-cream I look over to Mike, he looks so forlorn sat there alone. Carrying the bowls back to the booth I slide in opposite Mike, he barely looks up at me when I push the dessert in front of him.

"Mike talk to me, tell me what you're thinking."

 

[cgraven]

Lisa places the bowl of ice cream in front of me.

"Mike talk to me, tell me what you're thinking."

“I see the deep concern in her eyes as she sits opposite me.”

How can I tell her what I am feeling with out playing the pitiful fool? Yet what has to be said has to be said.

“Lisa remember what you asked back at the restaurant? Have you ever met someone unlike anyone else you've met before, we've only got to know each other over a few short hours but I feel like I've known you for a lifetime. then the kiss in the park?’

I toy with the ice cream slowly eating it.

“‘Well I guess I miss understood you. And when you said I would love to Mike but not yet, I mean not tonight. I don't want to rush anything.” it hurt is all.”

I fall silent as I eat my ice cream., then looking up into her eyes I continue.

“Lisa I like you more than any woman I have met in years. Your young and have time I on the other hand have little time my life is over half spent .”

 

[Shadi]

"You didn't miss understand me Mike, I do like you and feel as if I have known you a lifetime, you're an amazing man, you treat me with a respect I haven't felt in a long time and I could get used to it."

I smile at the thought, then carry on. "I want to spend all my time with you, no one has ever touched my heart like this before but if I went to your place tonight, I don't think I would be able to stop at just a kiss and in fairness what would you think of me then.

You've lived half your life, isn't it worth the risk to wait a little longer and work on something together, rather than rushing things and possibly spoiling what we have now."

 

[cgraven]

“Yes I guess your right Lisa”

What else can I say to her I am at a loss for words so unsure of what to do what to say to this vibrant young woman. I toy with the last of my ice cream

“I’ll be leaving town in the morning Lisa to go to my place in the country. I really do not expect to be in the city till the beginning of tour season in the late fall.”

When in doubt tell the truth is the only thing I can do.

I wait for her responce

 

[Shadi]

“I’ll be leaving town in the morning Lisa to go to my place in the country. I really do not expect to be in the city till the beginning of tour season in the late fall.”

I didn't know what to say, he was going, he'd be away for months.

"You can't be leaving.....I've only just met you....I..."

My mind is spinning with the news, a moment ago I was feeling bad for turning him down and now it's the last chance we will have to be together for a long time.

"Do you have to go in the morning... can't you stay...stay for a bit longer...."

 

[cgraven]

There is shock and surprise in Lisa eyes at my news

"You can't be leaving.....I've only just met you....I..."

Lisa voice trails off I reach my hand across the table covering hers with mine, it is so small and dainty in comparison to my rough calloused hand. I look up as she continues.

"Do you have to go in the morning... can't you stay...stay for a bit longer...."

Lisa eyes plead with me to stay, and there is a lump in my throat as I feel a tear trickle down my cheek God I wish I could but know I can’t.

“Lisa I must go God how I wish I could delay a day or so but I can’t”

then almost as an after though.

“Would you like to come out for the weekend if you have no other plansd”

 

[Shadi]

His eyes are filled with tears as he tells me he can't stay and I know they are a mirror of my own.

“Would you like to come out for the weekend if you have no other plans”

I'd have to make some calls, I was going out with a friend tomorrow but I can cancel, would you....would you stay with me tonight, if I can't make the weekend I don't know when I'll see you again."

I know what I have asked is the opposite of what I said earlier but everything has changed.

"I don't want to give you the wrong impression but I want to be with you, near you and now you're leaving and I..."

My shoulders slump, I have no idea what I want anymore all my thoughts and fancies about a slow romance have just gone out the window and who knows what will happen by fall.

 

[cgraven]

There are tears in Lisa eyes

I'd have to make some calls, I was going out with a friend tomorrow but I can cancel, would you....would you stay with me tonight, if I can't make the weekend I don't know when I'll see you again."

Her voice is soft and sad as I wipe the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs, my hand caressing Lisa’s cheek

"I don't want to give you the wrong impression but I want to be with you, near you and now you're leaving and I..."

There is a haunted desperation in Lisa eyes her voice quivers as she speaks. I place a single finger on her lips to still the mad rush of words.. A gentle smile, and I rise extending my hand to her.

“Lisa first makes your calls. Then we will talk about tonight.”

I quickly scribble my hotel ‘s number and my room down on a scrape of paper. Then hail a cab for her.

“Lisa give me a call when you have made your calls.”

I watched with a heavy heart as the cab pulled away from the curb.

 

[Shadi]

Clutching the piece of paper tightly in my hand I sit in the back of the cab, the driver tries to start a conversation but gives up when I don't respond. Once inside my home I grab the phone and call my friend Sarah, she's annoyed that I'm cancelling but agrees to go out next week some time instead.

I put the phone down and go into my kitchen, rooting round in the fridge I find an open bottle of wine and pour a large glass, I sit at the table and look at the piece of paper with Mike's number on it.

I could leave it, not call him, chances were I would never see him again and he would forget about me in no time but was that what I wanted. Taking a long drink of wine I think about Mike, how could I forget him, it wouldn't be easy and I didn't want to. In a short time he had become very important to me, did I want to just throw that away and spend my life wondering what if, I knew I didn't.

Carrying my glass I walk to the living room and pick up the phone, looking at the note I dial the number and wait for it to be picked up. "Hello, could you put me through to room 114 please." I wait as the clerk makes the connection, my stomach is tied in knots and then I hear Mike's voice.

"Hello Mike, it's Lisa, you ok?"

 

[cgraven]

It was a lonely walk back to my hotel, Over and over again I tried to prepare myself for Lisa’s call when it came if it came and the there was the memory of her eyes those haunting eyes so alive so expressive. Would she be able to get away for the weekend, would she call and say come on over Mike, or would that be the end of it her driving off in a cab with me standing there on the curb watching her go.

The hotel room seemed smaller than it normally did, it was cold efficient and impersonal as is the natures of such rooms that are yours for only a night or two.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when the phone rang, hell my hands where sweating and shaking like I was a high School kid.

Swallowing heard I answered

“Hello”

"Hello Mike, it's Lisa, you ok?"

“Lisa I am as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof.”

I pause dreading to ask the question that I knew had to be asked.

“So what’s the verdict?”

 

[Shadi]

"Well the jury has reached a unanimous decision, I'm free this weekend if the offer still stands and....I would still like you to stay with me tonight, nothing heavy I just want to be with you if thats ok."

I grip the phone tightly waiting for him to be all practical and say no, my shot at being turned down.

 

[cgraven]

"Well the jury has reached a unanimous decision, I'm free this weekend if the offer still stands and....I would still like you to stay with me tonight, nothing heavy I just want to be with you if that’s ok."


“Give me your address”

I scribble the address down on a scrape of paper.

“I’ll be there in about 30 minutes Lisa.”

I call down to the front desk and tell them to prepare my bill for check out. And call me a cab.

30 minutes later I was at the address Lisa had given me and with bag in hand I press the bell.

 

[Shadi]

I hold the phone until I hear the click at the other end, he's gone but not for long, smiling I look around, just enough time to change and tidy up a bit. Moving from room to room I put things away and straighten cushions that don't need straightening.

Happy that it all looks okay I rush to my bedroom and grab some clothes, I pull on a soft jumper and some baggy trousers, then pace around the room. Wandering into the kitchen I move some things around and then back into the living room to re-straighten the cushions.

The bell rings and I nearly jump out of my skin, then run to the door, I pause and take a deep breath before I open it, suddenly nervous.

Pulling the door open I can see Mike on the doorstep with a bag in his hand, he looks as good as he did an hour ago.

"Hi, come on in."

I stand back and hold the door open, then close it behind him as he walks into the hallway.

 

[cgraven]

The door opens and there she stands baggy pants and all so casual and so damned good looking.

"Hi, come on in."

Lisa voice soft inviting as I step in and put my bag down in the hall. It is an awkward moment she had said she didn’t want t rush things and the next think I know its midnight and I am standing in her front hall. The silence is deafening finally I clear my throat.

Lisa do you have something to drink? I think I could use a drink right about now.

 

[Shadi]

Now Mike's here I'm not sure what to do next, we stand in the hall neither saying a word until Mike breaks the silence.

"Lisa do you have something to drink? I think I could use a drink right about now."

"Um...yes...a drink... there's drink in the kitchen...some wine...this way."

I walk towards the kitchen, 'Great move Lisa, real smooth, glad to see you showed him how well you were handling this.' In the kitchen I picked up the bottle from the side, got two glasses and filled them both. Turning to Mike I handed one to him, "Well, here we are again, do you feel like drinking to anything in particular?"

I was trying hard to regain my composure and it was proving to be very difficult, having him so close and doing nothing would be more of a challenge than I had first thought. One look into his eyes and I just wanted to hold him close and tell him we could work this out, we would find a way.

 

[cgraven]

"Um...yes...a drink... there's drink in the kitchen...some wine...this way."

God this was awkward Lisa as ill at ease as my self. The wine poured we stood there in the kitchen like two kids at a school dance each waiting for the other to say or do something I was take a sip of wine and then;

"Well, here we are again, do you feel like drinking to anything in particular?"

I set my wine down on the counter and held my hands out to Lisa.

“Come here young Lady”.

 

[Shadi]

Putting my glass down I take his hands in mine gripping them tightly, looking up at him it takes all I have not kiss him.

Stepping closer I can feel his breath on my face, the warmth from his hands runs through me and I think back to the park, how his lips felt on mine, the taste of his tongue in my mouth, the feel of him holding me close and those thoughts make me shiver.

 

[cgraven]

Lisa hands are in mine, she steps forward, my eyes hold hers. I slowly lower our hands and step towards Lisa till they are behind her back, then I lean forward and my lips brush hers in a tender kiss that slowly deepens. Our tongues dance in each other’s mouth, her body warm against mine. slowly our kiss ends our lips clinging to each others till the last possible moment.

“Was that what you had in mind Lisa?”

 

[Shadi]

Our hands locked together he slowly lowers them and steps forward until there is no gap between us and our arms are behind my back, leaning towards me he kisses me, softly at first but the passion quickly grows. All too soon we part, my lips searching for his until the last possible moment.

“Was that what you had in mind Lisa?”

I can't stop smiling, "Mmmmm, it wasn't entirely what I was thinking of but I think we might have to try that again."

 

[cgraven]

Lisa voice is soft and inviting her eyes dance with devilish merriment. My lips find hers again and that kiss is filled with passion. Then light feathery kiss soft gentle tonguing as my kisses trail down to the hollow of Lisa neck and rest on the pulse of life that beats there. Slowly I lift my eyes to hers.


“Do you want me to slow down Lisa,?”