Western Union (Closed for papillon24)

[Gr8chtr]

Jason was doing what everyone does if sitting in the Great Hall of Chicago's Union Station. He was staring up, transfixed by the ceiling. The "ceiling" of the Great Hall was, in fact, a skylight built as an arched dome 10+ stories above the floor, and extending the entire 219 foot length of the immense room. So remarkable was the Great Hall that it had been formally designated as a "Great Public Place" by the American Planning Association.

Union Station, at its peak, had handled as many as 300 trains per day, the grand hub of American passenger railroads until their decline. Jason Delaney knew all of this because he had spent countless hours reading up on the history of Union Station and the Empire Builder line that he would be boarding in about an hour. As a boy growing up in a blue collar neighborhood in Spokane, WA, he had frequently ridden his bicycle down to the end of W. 14th Ave. where he could watch the Amtrak passenger train go by. He repeatedly pleaded with his parents to take him on a long-distance train trip, but the family finances wouldn't support such a venture. Jason had had to satisfy himself with his travel fantasies.

Now, finally, at age 48, he was taking himself on that trip. His reservation on Amtrak's Empire Builder would take him on a 2-day, 2-night trip to Seattle where his niece was getting married. He had splurged - he could afford to - he had purchased a full bedroom, not the roomette, with its own toilet and even enclosed shower.

His childhood memories spurred more reflection: his college years at UW, his graduate work at Northwestern, and his marriages. Oh...the marriages. Jason's first marriage was to a college sweetheart that, as it turned out, a marriage that had no more meaning than just that. After five years and no children, he and his wife split amicably. His second marriage was to Betsy, a woman 12 years his junior. Their marriage featured high romance and hot sex, and a tempestuous quality to match, but it did produce their daughter, Amanda, now 14 and the love of his life. He was stunned when Betsy announced that she was leaving him for a younger man, but he was devastated when a conventionally-minded judge awarded full custody of Amanda to her mother. Jason had been awarded visiting rights, but when Betsy's new husband moved their family to Philadelphia, Jason's contact with his daughter decreased to just the one-week summer vacation with her that he was allowed. That was three years ago; seemed like a lifetime. Since his divorce, Jason had dated only a handful of times, none of which lead to any significant relationships and, remarkably, none of which had even involved any sex beyond something like two high-schoolers making out.

Jason's reverie was interrupted by quick movement across his visual field. He pulled his eyes off of that iconic skylight just in time to see her. She was in a hurry, moving rapidly toward the ticket counter. Tall for a woman - about 2 inches under Jason's 6',0" height - her snug jeans suggested a well-toned body, and definitely a great ass. He hadn't moved quickly enough to catch a glimpse of her front, but he had seen enough of her profile to conclude that she was in her early, mid-30's, a good 15 or more years his junior. As was often true when he saw a beautiful woman, he had fleeting images of her with fewer clothes and of them in erotic coupling. But the images were gone nearly as soon as they were formed. He would never see this woman again. He wondered, though, why was she in such a hurry? It was a Saturday, very little commuter train activity, and the only scheduled departure anytime soon was his train - the Empire Builder - but that was nearly an hour hence. What was her hurry? Oh, well; who knew. With an inaudible sigh, Jason continued his survey of the magnificent Great Hall and turned his thoughts to happier times.

 

[papillon24]

"Shit, shit, shit" Leanna mumbled to herself as she ran across the station. The detail in the structure was a blur around her as she moved trying to get to the ticket counter. Originally she was not meant to go to this wedding. Her Bestie from her sorority days was getting married and she was asked to go. She thought that work would not let her so she declined. A few days ago, after the pleading of a few other of the Sigmas she caved and requested the week off. Yesterday her request was granted. She had tried to get a flight but all were booked up. Train was her only option.

It had been ten years since she had been back to Seattle. She had packed her bags directly out of collage at the UW and headed east to take an entry level position at an hydrolic engineering company. She was young and had dreams and a fresh diploma in her hand. Her straight A status also helped her secure the position but it was her work ethic and morals that helped her keep it

She had build her life here in this city, she worked her way to the top fairly quickly in the engineering firm. She was the youngest ever to reach her head position, but as a woman in the field it was exceptional. At 32 she was the envy of what friends she had time for. Work was her lover and her companion. She loved life in her large flat she payed way too much for and her pizza. She had never known true pizza till she got here. There was something about the cold air and the snow in the winters and the warm breeze that came off the lake in the summer.

She got to the ticket counter "One ticket to Seattle. First class car please" the lady at the counter eyed her with annoyance.

"Yes there is one left but is not cheap"

"That's fine. I'll take it" she handed over her American Express and watched as the lady scanned it and handed it back.

She loved it in Seattle but it was no longer her home. She thought back to the days she was last here. She loved her many days spend taking runs around Greenlake and though Woodland Park. Kayaking on the lake on hot summer days. Watching the Dawgs play at home covered in a purple poncho. Yes, there were things she missed but not enough to ever come back.

 

[Gr8chtr]

As he boarded the Empire builder and found his room, Jason's mind was on only one thing - and it wasn't the woman that he had seen so fleetingly. Here he was, living the fantasy, first-class, cross-country train trip that he had imagined so vividly as a boy. Jason couldn't get enough of it. He explored the surroundings of his room, the layout and features of which he had nearly memorized from his online research. He even considered taking a shower, just because he could take one in his own room, but his typical focus on logic pulled him back from that extravagance. When the train started to move - 2:18, he noted, 3 minutes late - Jason felt a boyish excitement and a thrilling sense of adventure that he hadn't felt in a very long time.

After the initial thrill passed Jason's mind filled with thoughts about women, two women in particular: Amanda, the teenage daughter that he so adored, but now so painfully distant from him, and Katie, his wonderful niece whose wedding he was about to attend. He felt particularly close to his niece, who ten years go followed Uncle Jason's footsteps and graduated with high honors from the UW. Yes, their fields were very different - hers pre-med, his history - but what united them was that they were both kids from small town, blue collar families who excelled in the classroom and sought to live their lives in the larger world. The respect and affection were mutual.

Sticking to the fantasy of this trip, Jason watched the world go by for about an hour as the Amtrak train headed from Chicago into Wisconsin, then sauntered down to the sightseer lounge car. Buying a bourbon on the rocks at the bar, Jason settled in to one of the chairs content just to be there. He didn't expect any more adventure on this trip than just the trip itself; plenty enough, Jason thought, for a guy just two years shy of 50.

 

[papillon24]

Leanna boarded and rushed to her room. she set her bag down on a chair and fell back on the bed. she wondered why she was doing this. Going back was not ever in the plans. The plans were to have everyone come visit her in her new home. she would take them out on the town, show them the time of their lives. A time that would be forever etched in their mind and would always want to return again to relive it.

She felt the train lurch forward. Too late to back out now.

Leanna took out her tablet and went about confirming with the girls of Sigma that she was on her way and to make sure the Bride had no idea. It was going to be her surprise to Katie at the bachelorette party. She could not believe that quiet shy girl that she had bonded with during pledge week was now getting married. she could barely look at a man in collage, and now she was getting married. She actually could not wait to see her and catch up a bit.

Email done, and feeling a bit better about the trip, Leanna made her way down the train. She made sure her designer jeans and top were straightened and her auburn hair was laying as flat as possible. It was impossible with the static of the train. With that she grabbed a book and wandered down the train, passing by other rooms till she made it to the lounge.

A drink sounded nice, or maybe even two. She ordered a 18 yer old Balvanie with two rocks. The smell of the oak and smoke in her glass calmed her as she found a seat by a window.she opened her copy of The Iliad as she took a sip from the glass.

 

[Gr8chtr]

Jason sat in the swivel chair in the lounge car facing the panorama windows enjoying every bit of the scenery as it flashed by. The GPS app on his iPhone allowed him to pinpoint the train's location at any moment. The next stop, he knew, would be Milwaukee. A small grin crossed his lips; perhaps in honor of all of those German-Americans who founded that city he should be drinking a beer instead of his beloved bourbon.

The view outside the window reminded Jason how delighted he was with his niece Katie's choice of wedding date. Everyone seemed to love the "June wedding", but Katie and her fiancee had chosen the third week in September, one of the nicest times to travel anywhere in the U.S. The early autumn weather across the Northern Plains would be absolutely beautiful.

The moving landscape lead to Jason reviewing his own personal journey: growing up as a blue collar kid in small-city Spokane, his days as an honors undergrad majoring in history with a minor in math at the UW, his two years as a grad student in history at Northwestern - which had introduced him to Chicago and convinced him that, although is love of history only deepened, he didn't want to be a history professor - his night courses at the community college in IT which lead to his current job in a large financial services firm. He had advanced rapidly, becoming the head of the IT department in only a few years. He had been surprised to learn that his broad training as an undegrad and grad student in history was more valuable as the leader of the IT department than were the technical skills that his subordinates had in abundance. Jason didn't like his job, but he didn't hate it either. And, he was very well compensated, allowing him to have a nice apartment in a good section of the Windy City, a growing college fund for his daughter Amanda, and a very nice start on long-term savings for retirement or whatever might come next.

So absorbed was Jason in watching the scenery and in his own reverie, that he was barely aware that someone had set down in the swivel chair immediately to his right. Jason very much disliked unwanted intrusions on privacy; as a result he would have been unlikely to even turn to see his new neighbor, except that he could't help but notice the glass of Scotch in her hand. Moving his gaze up that hand toward the rest of the person, Jason nearly choked on his own drink. There, less than two feet from him, sat the beautiful, 30-something woman whom he had glanced only briefly in Union Station. He had seen her only from the backside, noticing her beautiful ass. Now, he saw the rest, her tight designer jeans, her top that outlined beautifully sculpted breasts, and her auburn hair flowing down toward her shoulders. And...on top of that, an apparent fellow intellectual, no empty-headed beauty here; she was reading one of the great classics.

Jason couldn't help himself; he had to make some contact with her. Wanting to not seem too forward and also to be just a bit teasing, he cleared his voice audibly, turned half way toward her, and spoke, "Hmm...Scotch, I see. Can you tolerate sitting beside a Bourbon drinker?"

 

[papillon24]

Leana got caught up in the epic adventure and battle. The works melted into her Mind like caramel falling over the ridges of a warm cake. She could almost hear the clang of the swords and smell the salt in the air and the sand as the pages danced across her fingertips leading her to the next words and imagery. she felt as if time was holding still for her and her moment. The gentle bounce of the train acted as if it were rocking her and comforting her from he distress and dislike of the trip that was at had.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see the colors of the landscape. The reds and oranges of the deciduous trees flecks with bits of yellow and green showing the turn of the seasons. The world as going into it's dying stages. But it was of so pretty to watch. In the city there were a few trees, but nothing like the rolling landscapes of the Midwest. Leanna pulled herself out of the past and planted herself back into the present as the train turned a corner. She took a moment to breathe as she brought her drink up to her lips letting the undertones of the scotch remind her of the season. The earthiness of it reminded her of home a bit. The smell of fall as the leaves fell to the ground and started to decay.

"Hmm...Scotch, I see. Can you tolerate sitting beside a Bourbon drinker?"

The voice startled her from her thoughts. Not harsh, but firm and kind. It was very few and far between times that people would just approach her if it were not a work related issue or someone she knew well...and there were not a lot of those in the world. work was her life. Most the personal conversations she had now a days were over Skype or a quick chat on the phone. the latest project had kept her busy seven days a week at least sixty hours a week for the past few months. There was not a lot of time for anything else but getting food or hitting the gym quickly.

She swirled her scotch gently as she turned her blue eyes towards the man. Leanna gave a little nod gesturing towards the chair that sat across from her for him to take it if he so decided.

 

[Gr8chtr]

Jason didn't have to think twice about taking the seat that was offered to him by this blue-eyed, good looking, younger, yet-nameless woman. He flashed her a warm, confident smile. For a second or two their gazes met and locked, just enough time to perhaps hint at some incipient interest by one, or both, in something more than just casual conversation.

Still, as he maneuvered his long-limbed body into the seat across from her Jason wondered about his own motivation. When he tossed his quip in her direction, he had acted impulsively, driven by some combination of instant lust and more intellectual attraction to someone who was reading the classics. Impulsiveness was rare for Jason; he typically was very deliberate in his actions, and just a bit shy when meeting strangers. What was he hoping for? A little bit of female companionship - something that he had not had for some time? An opportunity to stimulate a little sexual fantasy? Or, maybe, just a chance for some social contact? Jason wasn't sure, but he decided, uncharacteristically, to just go with the flow.

Whatever his motive - and certainly he had no way of assessing hers - Jason was enjoying the playful tone that his comment presaged and she had at least not rejected. He decided to continue in the same vein. First, of course, the introduction: raising his glass slightly and gesturing toward her, he announced, "Jason Delaney, here. It's a pleasure, I'm sure." Then, trying to appear somewhat more at ease than he actually felt, Jason continued, "Homer's Iliad and what looks to be a top-shelf brand of Scotch. Interesting combination. So, if, right now, you could have only one of the two, which would it be: Homer or fine liquor?" Jason sat back in his new seat, kept his warm smile, and waited for her response.

 

[papillon24]

She watched carefully as he sat down. Older, but still with looks. she wondered why she had been open to his company. Maybe it was her usual lack of company at home that drove her to invite this stranger to join her. Maybe it was the trip. the fantasy and Romanticism of the the train driving her actions as if she was a part of one of her stories that she would so often bury her nose in instead of interacting with people, escaping into a world of mystery or fantasy.

"Jason Delaney, here. It's a pleasure, I'm sure."

She tilted her head in response as she pondered on whether or not she would give him her name, or just stay a mystery. She decided for now she would keep her name her own.

"Homer's Iliad and what looks to be a top-shelf brand of Scotch. Interesting combination. So, if, right now, you could have only one of the two, which would it be: Homer or fine liquor?"

She smiled back with a half smile. she rarely ever would crack a smile or only raise a corner of her lip. there was something about him. He had an old world charm to him. she was curious about his intelligence as well.

"Now there is a great question. I'm not sure if I would ever want to choose. Homer feeds my mind, while good scotch warms my heart. If I had to choose I would probably go with Homer. The words dance on the page and come to life every time I read it. and every time I read it I discover something new. The scotch, while being wonderful is something I could go without. Any what about you, Jason Delaney? Which would you choose? Fine Literature or Fine Liquor?" Her voice was soft and sultry. Almost seductive. People had always told her that her voice was like honey. Her co-workers would always want her to do the presentations. In school she would always get conned somehow into doing the presentation.

 

[Gr8chtr]

The woman paused for quite a while before speaking, allowing Jason time to continue reflecting on his own motives for approaching her in the first place. Certainly physical attraction was a large part of the impetus for his action - not only was she very attractive, but she was a very attractive woman probably something like 15 years his junior. Jason had decided long ago that the world of men was divided into two groups: men who accepted and acknowledged that they are very much drawn to younger women, and liars.

But, there was more to Jason's attraction to her than just the physical. There was, as he had known immediately, the attraction to someone who was clearly intellectual, but there also was something mysterious about her. She had made a bold move by inviting him to come closer, but without as much as a single word, just a gesture. And, remarkably, she didn't return the introduction; this woman was, Jason realized, no one to be taken lightly.

The half smile that she returned to him warmed Jason's heart, but her voice nearly knocked him off his chair. There was something alluring, almost seductive, about her when she spoke. She could have been, Jason thought, a screen actress in the days when a husky woman's voice was the epitome of sexuality. Her voice worked it's magic; Jason became aware of the beginnings of arousal when hearing her words.

Now there is a great question...The scotch, while being wonderful is something I could go without.

Jason would have been happy with either answer, but her reply was most consistent with his growing sense of the Nameless One. In fact, he loved her answer because it fit so well with him as well.

And what about you, Jason Delaney? Which would you choose? Fine Literature or Fine Liquor?

Jason knew the answer before she even finished her question, but he didn't want to just seem like a "me too". So, he paused, looking pensive, and using the opportunity for another short period with their gazes locked. "Life without fine liquor or fine wine would be, I think, a tragedy for civilization. Nonetheless, if forced to choose I, too, would go with literature. I've occasionally encountered a memorable drink, but nothing compared to the impact that literature has on my mind. I'm particularly fond of history, though not quite as ancient as the story that you're reading." Though Jason had been truthful, he realized that he had also shaped his answer with the hope of making a positive impression.

Suddenly, unbidden, a thought struck Jason that was so funny, he actually laughed aloud, breaking the somewhat "serious" tone to their short conversation. Good sense, Jason knew, would dictate that he keep his thought to himself, but his impish idea was just too delicious to pass by. "So", Jason quipped with a sparkle in his eye, "we've settled that big question, but it leads to this one: If you could only have one, which would it be, fine literature or great sex?" Still chuckling hard enough to produce visible shaking, Jason took a large sip of his bourbon and settled back into his seat, waiting to see how the Nameless One would respond to his overtly flirtatious quip.

 

[papillon24]

She nodded and lifted her glass gesturing a cheers. She was starting to like this man in front of her. His intelligence played to her senses an the warmth of his demeanor set her at ease. Leanna felt more comfortable with him and the idea of flirting became more of a game. A game in which she was very out of practice. the last time any man had paid her this much attention was a few years back. A mutual friend had introduced them at a company social. Although Brian Mackey was handsome in the face, his mind could not intrigue her.

She took a sip of the scotch letting the smoothness of it warm her throat.

"we've settled that big question, but it leads to this one: If you could only have one, which would it be, fine literature or great sex?"


She raised an eyebrow at the question. It was forward but flirtatious. Her lip curled into a mischievous smile.

"Well, that is quite the question, Mr Delaney. I would have to say great sex."

She paused a moment to let the intent sink in before continuing on.

"there is so much great literature out there. Hundreds of great authors that stimulate the mind. Great sex is like the perfect gem dug out of the earth. Its rare, sometimes only found once or twice in a lifetime. Some do not find it at all."

 

[Gr8chtr]

Jason struggled to hide his eagerness to see how the Nameless One would respond to his forward and overtly flirtatious question. He imagined a number of possibilities: withdrawal from him, loss of her composure, or possibly even firing back with her own flirtation. But, at first, he got none of these. Instead, she played it cool, paused, raised an eyebrow, and smiled enigmatically. Hard to read, this one.

I would have to say great sex.

Unbidden, Jason's libido took a sharp upward swing, bolstered by the sense that the Nameless One was opening in response to his sharp move. The thought that this conversation could get very interesting, very soon flashed through Jason's mind.

there is so much great literature out there. Hundreds of great authors that stimulate the mind. Great sex is like the perfect gem dug out of the earth. Its rare, sometimes only found once or twice in a lifetime. Some do not find it at all.

Jason nearly sucked in his breath. With his newly energized libido he had come close to underestimating this woman. Her articulate, and carefully measured response snapped him back to reality - here was a woman who was at least his intellectual match, and she had just let him know it. He decided to regroup; he returned her quiet mischievous smile, maintaining contact, but moving slowly, pausing, giving himself time to think.

"Dance" came to Jason's mind. Flirting could be, and often was, sophomoric; grown men and women reverting to discourse that, at best, befits an adolescent. Flirting also often descends rapidly to crudity. At best, though, Jason thought, flirting is a beautiful dance in which each partner assumes the lead or lets the the other take the lead and, in either event, responds to the other's movements - a choreographed performance that, for those with an intellectual bent, is more erotic than anything that is called "pornography".

Jason was tempted impulsively to up the ante by responding to her comment with something even more overtly sexual, but that, he realized, would be like grabbing his dancing partner by the arm and jerking her toward him; no beauty in that. Raising his glass slowly while maintaining his quiet smile, Jason spoke with a quiet self-assurance, "I propose a toast. Here's hoping for many 'once in a lifetime' experiences for each of us in the remaining years of our lives."

 

[papillon24]

Leanna crossed her right leg over her left and leaned forward, her left arm resting atop her knee. His featured changed and she could see the wheels in his head processing her answer. She stared straight in his eyes watching his emotion deeply, reading him.

"I propose a toast. Here's hoping for many 'once in a lifetime' experiences for each of us in the remaining years of our lives."

His movements were fluid with the maturity and experience of his age. It warmed a sense deep within her. It was a feeling that had not been felt for a long time. A small ember ignited within her as her intrigue in him increase.

"Yes, agreed. To many 'once in a lifetime' experiences. My we both be so lucky."

She slowly raised her glass, gently tapping just the rim to his before languidly bringing it to her soft lips for a deep drink. She held the honey colored liquid in her mouth for a full second, letting it imbed itself deep in her taste buds and permeate though her nostrils before swallowing . Leanna took a moment and savored the slight burn as it trickled down her throat and the warmth it created in her belly.

She set her glass down on the small table beside her chair before letting the book she was reading follow it.

"My name is Leanna, Leanna Clayton."

It was time. time to share who she was, well not all of who she was, for her behavior here on the train was not usual for her. There was something about this man that intrigues her. The sense of him drew her in, made her want more. The loner side of her not even present in this moment. The thoughts of work and upcoming projects were fleeting thoughts and all that mattered was these few moments i this very space and time.

 

[Gr8chtr]

Jason watched intently as the Nameless One seemed to study his every move, but a study born of confidence, not mere idle curiosity. As she repeated his toast to him, apparently embracing the sentiment that his toast articulated, he sensed that they both knew that there was a soft, subtly double entendre' to his message. His toast, and her echo, could be taken as a hint of shared 'once in a lifetime' experiences, particularly of a sensual nature. Jason could feel a warmth fill his whole body, not just from the bourbon alone.

She deliberately, Jason thought, sent another subtle message as well by setting her book down on the table. "Take note", her movement said, "my attention is now all yours."

My name is Leanna, Leanna Clayton.

At last, the Nameless One emerged, cautiously, perhaps from the veil that had surrounded her. Jason decided to push the moment and see how much she would open up to him.

"Well, Leanna Clayton, I'm glad to have your name. Otherwise, how was I supposed to properly invite you to share my table in the dining car for the 8:00 seating?" Jason delivered his line mirroring the deliberate and confident style that Leanna had adopted. Holding her gaze, he sat back, sipped the last of his bourbon, and allowed the warmth that he was feeling quietly light up his face.

 

[papillon24]

She raised her eyebrow at him. His confidence was unshaken. She could see him beginning to branch out and push further and become more and more daring. The train had some magical affect on the both of them. Maybe it was the countryside passing by. Maybe it was the electricity pulsing though the rails charging the air. Definitely something was up with her. Maybe it was the adventure, or even just the man next to her. Leanna wanted to find out.

"Dinner?...At eight? That sounds quite delightful."

She let the rest of the honey colored liquid flow down her throat and set the glass on the table next to her with a soft clink.

"Is this a formal dinner or just a casual meal?"

 

[Gr8chtr]

Dinner?...At eight? That sounds quite delightful.

Jason fought to maintain the sense of confidence that he had so deliberately constructed. He had not expected such a quick and, apparently, ready acceptance of his invitation. A tingling sensation cascaded from his head to his feet, hovering notably just below his waist. The metaphor of flirting as dance returned to his consciousness; he had pulled his partner closer to him and she had responded in kind as though they were in a swirling waltz.

Is this a formal dinner or just a casual meal?

Jason lost it, his composure completely gone. His whole body shook with laughter that could be heard several seats away. So much for the carefully constructed image. From the time he was a boy in Spokane watching the unreachable passenger trains go by Jason had read about the history of the American railroads. Preparing for this planned trip that made real his childhood fantasies, he had redoubled his reading on the topic. From his studies Jason knew that during the hey day of American passenger trains in the first half of the 20th century, an elegant dinner could be had in the Pullman dining car on routes such as the Empire Builder, dinners served on fine china surrounded by crystal and linen. Sixty years later - in Jason and Leanna's time - you would be dining at formica-topped tables with paper placements, surrounded by fellow passengers in logo-infested T-shirts. The image of "dressing for dinner" in such surroundings was just too hilarious.

Wiping tears of laughter from his eyes and attempting some semblance of composure, Jason leaned just a bit closer to Leanna, "If we dressed more formally for dinner, we would stick out like a sore thumb." "I don't mind being stared at," Jason continued playfully, "but I'd rather not be distracted from getting to know the beautiful woman sitting across the dining table from me." With a deliberate move that he was sure Leanna could see, Jason ran his gaze slowly down her body and back up to her face. "You look fine, just as you are."

 

[papillon24]

She smiled, letting his charm melt once more though the layer of ice and concrete that usually surrounded her persona. She lingered in the idea that she was more than just and engineer, focused solely on herself and her career. This man sitting in front of her caught her attention, and held it and it was the first time in years a man had done so.

She loved his laugh, its was deep and guttural, and she was glad she made him do so. The idea was one that was dated and she was enjoying messing with him as the flirtatious dance continued on.

"Another drink then while we wait for this dinner? My treat since you invited me to dinner. "

She rose from her spot and made her way over to the bar. Leanna ordered 2 more Balvanie on the rocks and brought them back to where he was waiting.

"I know its not your poison, but if you are to sit with me now..." She handed him the glass. "Don't worry. You'll like it." she lifted her glass in a cheers

 

[Gr8chtr]

Another drink then while we wait for this dinner? My treat since you invited me to dinner.

Leanna moved too quickly for Jason to respond before she headed to the bar to buy their drinks, but her short trip also provided him with a second view of her whole body from behind. God, she had a beautiful ass! His brief glance at her in Union Station as she had hurried past him had not been a mirage. Having discovered that Leanna had a razor sharp mind and refined tastes in both reading material and Scotch, Jason confirmed that this woman had one hot body. In an instant, Jason knew what he wanted - he wanted Leanna as a lover. Flat out, no question.

But that raised a bigger question for Jason - to what end? In his "dating period" between his two wives, Jason had had sex three times on a first date, all of which turned out to be one-night stands, and everyone of which Jason regretted. To be sure, the sex was good, but the aftertaste was bitter. Jason wasn't a prude; he had also had several dating relationships where he and the woman had had sex after just two or three dates. He was fine with that; they embodied mutual relationships and, depending on the particular relationship, either romance or just adult play.

Leanna would be returning quickly, he didn't have time to figure out the larger questions. That would have to wait for later. At the moment, though, he was filled with a more narrow objective. Jason wanted to touch Leanna, just feel his hand on her somehow.

Leanna handed the glass to him quickly enough that all he could do was to take it. But, then, almost as if by magic, she gave him a second chance when she lifted her glass in a cheers. "Let's be careful that we don't spill any this rare Balvanie", Jason said with a twinkle in his eye as he caught Leanna's gaze with his. As their glasses clinked, Jason took his other hand and cupped it over Leanna's hand holding her glass. Slowly, he guided them to resume their seats, never allowing their gaze to wander from one another's.

 

[papillon24]

The spark in eye kept her focus, like a fish to the shimmering of a lure beneath the waters edge. She felt drawn further by his charm. Warm, inviting, even a little bit dangerous. It was something she had never really experienced before and she reveled in it for that one instantaneous moment.

The warmth from his hand made her inhale and inaudible breath. She could feel her heart beat a little harder as she played into the infatuation. She could feel the energy buzz along her skin. Each millisecond electrifying along her skin.
He guided her back to her seat.

She allowed his hand to linger on hers, enjoying the spark of the touch. The true connection of the moment. She could not take her eyes away from his and felt the need for more from him.

What was happening to her? Her heart and her irrational part of her brain taking over and speaking over the rational side for once. It was refreshing, a much needed change of pace from the rigidity of her life.

 

[Gr8chtr]

Jason sensed that his small advance on Leanna, cupping his hand over hers, was welcomed by her and was having something of an effect. Perhaps this was just a projection of his own feelings. His senses felt more alive than they had in many months, not to mention the almost painful, growing tightness in the crotch of his jeans. But he thought that it was more than just his imagination; Jason could see in Leanna's eyes and her posture an intense connection with him in the moment.

Jason wanted to push the moment further - not physically, that could wait or never happen in any way at all - but push the connection without being too heavy about it. Suddenly an idea struck him, hopefully it was not too clever or sophomoric. Jason took the leap, "Well, this isn't a cruise ship with an activities director", he began with a impish smile, "but I propose an activity anyway, a game with no winners or loser. We can each take turns asking the other a question, which the respondent may choose to answer or not. However, if the respondent does answer, then the questioner is obliged to answer the same, or very similar, question in return."

Jason paused, trying to gauge Leanna's response. Clearly, she was still intently engaged with him, her gaze and posture showed that, but it wasn't clear what she thought of his proposal. "Well", thought Jason, "I'll just let her take the lead." Deliberately lowering the intensity just a little in case he had pushed too hard, Jason sat back some, trying to show a little relaxation. Still keeping his gaze on her, he spoke calmly, "Lady's choice, Leanna. I offer you the option of being the first questioner."

 

[papillon24]

Her eyes widened at the new proposition. She brought her glass to her lips taking a small sip from her glass. Her gaze unbroken from his as he spoke. She could feel him becoming more daring, bolder in his actions. It drew her in. She wanted to uncover more of this man, his mind, history and whatever else he was willing to share with her.

"I would love to participate in this activity, you have suggested."

She took her time to ponder the question. What would be appropriate..What did she want to know about this man sitting with her in this very moment of time that seemed to have been paused on the big screen of life.

"I accept your offer of being the first to propose a question." she smiled, almost mischievously as the question danced in her head. "hmm." she hummed as she thought.

So many things. Where should she start? What would be too imposing for a first question? What would she be willing to share in return?

"Ah, I know...Tell me your fondest memory from your youth. What made it special? Why is that moment in time imprinted in your mind?"

 

[Gr8chtr]

Tell me your fondest memory from your youth. What made it special? Why is that moment in time imprinted in your mind?

Jason knew the answer to Leanna's question immediately, for he had thought about this very question on many occasions over the years. What he had never quite figured out, though, was exactly why this particular memory was so fond. Slightly fearful of appearing to fall back into a boyish re-living of this event, Jason stifled the impulse to leap into the story with great enthusiasm, but he pulled back only a little, allowing his heartfelt emotion to show to this somehow alluring woman.

Leaning slightly forward, Jason began, "My oldest sister, Patricia, is 12 years older than I. When I was 11 she got married to a great guy whom she had met while she was in the Washington State School of Nursing. The wedding was at St. Augustine's Catholic Church, where my family attended every Sunday. I liked St. Augustine's and felt very comfortable there, but, of course, you were supposed to be quiet while in church and my family and most of the others were always a little somber during Mass. "

"So, here I was," Jason continued with a growing smile on his face, "prepared to be my usual quiet self, but the atmosphere was so different. All the adults seemed so relaxed and everyone was chatting. Then the bridal procession began. Like everyone else, I turned around in the pew to watch. First the bridesmaid came, then the maid of honor, and then, of course, Patricia dressed out beautifully and being escorted down the aisle by my dad dressed in the best clothes I had ever seen him wear. I could hear the grown-ups oohing and ahing, all commenting about the bride. But, even though I, too, was struck by how nice my big sister looked, that's not what caught my attention. What struck me was my dad's expression. Dad was, generally, a pretty serious guy. He wasn't cold, but he wasn't effusively warm, either. Walking up the aisle with Patricia on his arm, dad's face absolutely glowed. He looked so proud and so happy. And the warmth from that glow washed over me from head to toe. I have never forgotten that image or feeling, nor will I ever forget it."

By the time he had finished his story, Jason had dropped all efforts to conceal his own warm feelings of the moment. Leaning back a bit after finishing his tale, he managed to speak through his big smile, "OK. I have answered your question fully, I think. Given the rules, before I get to ask my first question, you must answer your own question back. So, Leanna, was the fondest memory of your youth?"

 

[papillon24]

A smile lit up her face. The tenderness in which he recalled the memory of his sister was so sweet and caring. She could not help but to feel a glow within her as he spoke.

"OK. I have answered your question fully, I think. Given the rules, before I get to ask my first question, you must answer your own question back. So, Leanna, was the fondest memory of your youth?"

Leanna paused at that. There were so many great moments of her childhood. Where would she begin. She was a focused child, but still there were great times to have been had.
“Well, Its so hard to choose. I have so many memories that I would call fond memories. Some were better than others. Some defining and some just funny. But I would have to say it was the summer when I was six. It was actually on my sixth birthday. My parents had set up my first party with both boys and girls attending. I had decided that we all were going to be knights and princesses” She stopped to chuckle to herself. “As you can see I grew out of that phase.”

“Well, my mom had spent all night making a cake that looked like a castle. A very big pink castle that looked like Barny and friends would come crashing out of it at any moment. The week prior she had spend her evenings off crafting cone shaped princess hats in pink and purple, and little swords and shields out of foam...She always did so much to make sure birthdays were special for us even if we could not afford it. My dad had been away on business for about 2 weeks or so. I don't remember the exact length of time, but I remember missing him very much, and was sad he was going to miss my very special party.”
Her voice trailed off as she thought back on the occasion.

“The day of the party, we showed up at Woodland Park. I remember being sad we could not take all my friends to the zoo for my birthday, so my mom set it up close enough so we could hear the zoo and pretend they were at my party. The other kids arrived, and we played castle for a bit before it was time to open presents. There were so many neat things. But there was one present that had to be brough in on the back of one of the other parent's trucks. I was so surprised. I climed up onto the truck and began unwrapping this giant box that was twice my size. I could not even imagine what was in it.” A huge smile came to her face as she thought of how ridiculous the sheer size of the box was.

“I got to the box itself. It had been somehow wrapped in about 3 layers of glittery purple paper. There was a cord hanging from one side and my mom lifted me down from the truck and I took the cord in hand. I was instructed to pull as hard as I could. With a deep breath and all the might my six year old self could muster I pulled. I was so surprised. My dad was in the box, and he was holding a very small black kitten. I almost cried. Both the things I had wanted for my birthday were in the box. But seeing my father was the best part of it. And he had brough me a ktten. I had that cat up until the year I left for collage.”

 

[Gr8chtr]

Jason listened intently to Leanna's story. It was, to be sure, touching, but it also told him three things about this woman for whom he had both a growing fascination and a growing lust. The part of her story where her father had been away on business suggested to Jason that her father may have frequently been absent for some lengths of time. His father had not been physically absent very often, but he had been emotionally absent much of the time, which was why his dad's glowing pride on the day of his daughter's wedding had made such an impression on the young Jason. So, perhaps "father absence" was something that he and Leanna shared. Interesting. The kitten part of Leanna's story was right out of a Hallmark Channel story, almost banal, but the fact that Leanna had kept that cat for a dozen years suggested to Jason that this was a woman who was fully capable of long-lasting emotional attachments. Nice!

A small detail, though, was what mostly caught Jason's attention. Her reference to Woodland Park and the Zoo revealed that Leanna had grown up in Seattle, the place to which they were probably currently heading. So, likely, either Leanna still lived there and was returning from some trip to Chicago or she lived in the Windy City and was returning to her familial home for some reason. Jason, of course, had roots in Washington State and and spent four wonderful years in Seattle at "U-dub", as they called the University of Washington in his college days. Their mutual ties to Seattle was another connection that might fuel at least interest in one another, if not attraction.

Although Jason was intent on attending to both the text and the subtext of Leanna's story, he was also thinking about his first question to her. Under the rules of the game that he had invented and Leanna had agreed to, his question about her fondest childhood memory was merely the reflection back to her of her question to him. It was now his turn to initiate a question, and he didn' want to waste the opportunity on something trivial. Jason liked the intimacy of the question thread that Leanna had started, but he wanted to keep up the lighter, flirtatious tone of their interaction. A small smile crossed Jason's face while listening to the "big package" part of Leanna's story as he briefly considered a question like, "So, what's your favorite sexual position"?, but in his metaphor of flirtation as dance that would be like jerking your partner's arm out its socket rather than leading her fully but firmly into a fuller embrace. Then, he had it.

"Leanna", Jason said sincerely, "that's a very heartwarming story. I hope that your childhood had many such memorable events." Leaning forward and sporting a mischievous grin, Jason continued, "OK, my turn to initiate a question. When I opened our conversation originally with a flip comment about our differing choices of drinks, you could have simply smiled or said something that would have ended the exchange, but you didn't. You replied in a way that kept the conversation going. So, I'm curious, what was it about me physically and the way that I presented myself to you that caused you to open up to a strange man who, for all you knew, might have less than pure thoughts?"

 

[papillon24]

Leanna watch as a grin crept upon his face and his eyes lit up. Something almost childlike, no not childlike. They were youthful and full of light.

“That right there.” She smiled at the realization she had at that moment. She pointed straight at him “You had this smile on your face. Something about it was playful and it caught me a little off guard. And the look in your eyes..”

She stared into them, looking beyond the color and into the soul hidden deep within. They had seen so much, but were still kind.

“Well, it told me a lot about you. Something about them made me want to get to know the heart and soul behind the mischievous grin and the bad taste in drink.”

She reached up gently, and let her finger touch the small lines that were beginning to for at the corner of his eyes.

“And these.”Her fingers slowly traced them as she spoke “People who are unkind don't have these. It shows you smile honestly a lot. From your heart”

Her smile beamed with satisfaction of her most honest answer.

 

[Gr8chtr]

Jason had never imagined this! His quick mind had run though a whole variety of Leanna's possible responses to his deliberately provocative question. But, he had never imagined tenderness. Not by a mile.

Leanna's tenderness struck him with such great emotion that he felt a warmth, as well as an excitement, that literally flooded his body from head to foot. She had "touched" him, both physically and symbolically with great force. That force led Jason to know in the moment what he wanted - no, what he was compelled - to do.

As Leanna stared into his eyes and touched his face gently, Jason returned her gaze, holding the moment that she had created between them. When Leanna finished speaking and with the beaming smile on her face, he firmly reached up and took her hand as she was lowering it from where she had touched him so tenderly. Without interrupting the intimacy that now drew them together, Jason said softly, but firmly, "Come to the edge." Acknowledging the quizzical look on Leanna's face, he stood, pulling her gently up with him, and lead them to the alcove at the end of the lounge car, affording them some degree of privacy.

"It's the title of a poem, 'Come to the Edge' by Christopher Logue, a 20th century English poet. It goes like this:

'Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and we pushed,
And they flew. '"

By the time Jason had finished reciting one of his favorite poems, he had turned them so that he and Leanna were facing each other straight on, with each of his hands firmly gripping one of her upper arms. Pausing briefly, but before Leanna could speak, he pulled them close together and pressed his lips to hers. His kiss was not long, nor was it particularly sensuous, but it communicated clearly his romantic interest in her, and hinted at the passion that was growing within him..

Breaking their kiss and re-establishing their mutual gaze, Jason spoke softly, "That, Leanna, is the answer to the question that you have not yet asked: Why did I approach and speak to you."