What's in a Name?

To my readers:

Some of my past stories have generated occasional comments from a few readers who feel compelled to bring to my attention the fact that I cannot spell worth a damn. To those compulsive few, I just want to point out here, that after nearly fifty years of writing, I have long been painfully aware of my inability to spell, and to effectively proof read my writing. I say this only to save such readers time and effort, as telling me what I already know, is pointless. It's not that I don't like comments -- I love them. But doesn't it make more since to say whether you liked my story, or hated it, and perhaps elucidate how it made you feel?

My only purpose contributing here is to hopefully give others some enjoyment, and maybe a little excitement; the same as I get reading other's contributions. So, I hope you enjoy this effort, in spite of the typos you are sure to find. I re-read all my stories 6-8 times before submitting, but hey ... no one's perfect! LOL

Enjoy ...

Joan

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As soon as he put his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, it happened.

Brittany.

He pondered the name as he lay in bed ready for sleep. He saw in his mind's eye a cute young woman, blond, not tall -- rather short, in fact. With an up turned nose set on a round face, crystal clear blue eyes and full sensuous lips; that was the face he saw in his head. Her body appeared to him as slim and athletic, but her breasts seemed large for her slight frame; in his mind she was quite naked. Her hands were delicate with nails painted a pale rose. He knew somehow that she was coquettish.

Ah, to meet such a girl, he sighed mentally.

Where the name came from, he didn't know. It just popped into his head as he was about to fall asleep. It was odd, though, the clarity with which he saw the girl in his head; as if he knew her, had actually seen her. Then, he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning he got up and began his day; just another very typical day in a long succession of typical days. Nothing ever happened to him. Why? Because he was just an ordinary guy.

He went to the office, as usual. He was a programmer; he supported old code in obsolete languages, like COBOL. At lunch time, he had to remember to go to the bank and deposit a check. He figured he'd grab a sandwich after the bank and probably take it back to the office and eat at his desk. He did that a lot.

At the bank, there wasn't much of a line; it was unusually quiet. He grabbed a deposit slip and started filling it out as he stood in line; there was only one person ahead of him.

"Next customer in line, please." He heard the bank teller say.

He wrote in the amount of the check and the check number on the slip; then wrote in the date and his name. He drew a blank on the account number. He always did that. He was retrieving his check book from his coat pocket when he heard the teller again.

"Next in line, please."

He stepped up and set his check book on the counter and hurriedly wrote in the number.

"Take your time, sir, we're really slow today." She said as he finished filling in the form.

When he looked up, he almost had a heart attack.

"Oh my god! Brittany!" He said, stunned. He spoke her name before he saw the name tag pinned to her blouse above her full breast.

"Yep, that's my name. Nothing to get all excited about, ah, Mr. Bowers." She said, checking the deposit slip for his name; but also, giving him an odd look.

"I, ah, I'm sorry. It's just that I ... I know I've seen you before. Have we met someplace?" He said, still nonplussed by the spitting image of the girl he'd seen in his mind the previous night as he'd fallen asleep.

"Oh, Mr. Bowers, nice try. That's a very old line; but, ya know, it still makes a girl all tingly inside to hear it." She said and gave him a coy smile.

"Oh no, please, that's not it at all. I wasn't coming on to you. I really do think we've met before; I recognized you the second I looked up from finishing the deposit slip." He tried to explain.

"I don't know how that's possible. Today's my first day at this branch. I came from the Forrest Hills office. Perhaps you saw me there sometime." She said. "Will there be anything else Mr. Bowers?"

"I've never been in the Forrest Hills branch. I've never even been in Forrest Hills." He said.

"Oh my, that is odd." She said. "Sir, Margaret can take care of you, just go on over to her window." Brittany said as she looked around Mr. Bowers to someone waiting in line behind him.

"Look, I'm really sorry to be tying you up. You've got work to do and I should be going." He said.

"No, no, that's OK. Like I said, it's really dead in here today." She reassured him. "You know, I really believe in fate, and predestination, and well, supernatural things. Maybe you're supposed to meet me and that's why you think you know me."

"Really?" He said. He did not believe in such mumbo jumbo. "I never thought of that."

"Yeah, listen, I get off for lunch in five minutes. Would you like to meet me across the street at the sandwich shop? We could talk and see if we can figure out what this is all about. That is, if you'd like to." She said.

He was astounded. All of a sudden, he had a lunch date.

"Yes, yes, I'd like that; sandwich shop across the street, then. I'll go on ahead, would you like me to order you something? Save some time."

"Sure, a club sandwich, no fries, and a diet coke." She said.

"OK, see you in a few." He said and went across the street and ordered two sandwiches.

After he ordered, he found a table and waited for his ticket number to be called. Brittany came in a few minutes later and he waved to her.

"There you are." She said as she came over to the table and sat down opposite him.

"So tell me, how do you think you know me?" She asked as they waited for their food.

He told her about her name popping into his head the night before, followed immediately by a mental picture of her; accurate in the slightest detail -- he left out the part about her appearing naked to him. So that, he told her, was how he'd recognized her at the bank. While he told his story, their ticket was called and they went up to the counter to collect their food; and then they returned to their table.

"Oh my god, that's so weird." She said between bites of her sandwich after he finished telling his story.

"Yeah, that's what I thought when I saw you at the bank just awhile ago."

"Maybe you saw me somewhere else and just don't remember, you know, it was in your subconscious." She suggested.

"I knew your name before I noticed your name tag." He said. "How do you explain that?"

"I don't know." She said.

"Neither do I." He agreed with her.

They talked some more and she told him how she believed in ghosts and other psychic phenomenon. When she finished her drink she looked at her watch.

"Oh, hey, I gotta go. I only get a half an hour. Look, I really want to talk some more about this, don't you?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, sure." He didn't care so much for talking about psychic stuff as he did about just talking to Brittany. She was beautiful and he was really taken with her, so any excuse to see her again was fine with him.

"Look, I get off work at four. Maybe we could meet after you get off work. We could have dinner and talk some more; unless you have other plans, Mr. Bowers." She said.

"Phil."

"Huh?"

"My first name, it's Phil. And, yes, I'd like that. But, I don't get off till five." Phil told her.

"That's OK. I've got some shopping I want to do anyway. How about we meet at the Italian restaurant down the street? You know, the one across the street from that big discount clothing store, TJMaxx. That's where I'm going to shop." She said.

"Oh yeah, I've been there; good food." He said.

"Great Phil, then I'll meet you there a bit after five." She said as she stood and gathered up her purse.

"After five." He repeated.

"See you later." And she hurried out of the sandwich shop and went back to the bank.

Phil waved at her back when she went out the door, but he doubted she saw it. He cleaned up the table -- it was that sort of place where they have bins that say "thank you" in bold letters and they expect you to dump all your trash in the bins.

The rest of the afternoon at work was a total waste of time. He'd have gotten more accomplished if he'd have just told his boss he was going home sick. He couldn't keep his mind on his work. His thoughts just kept returning to Brittany. He was filled with a mixture of bewilderment and excitement. She was so vivacious and yes, he had to admit, she had such a great body; he really wanted to get to know her better.

But, on the other hand, he couldn't get over the way in which he'd met her. How could that have happened, he kept asking himself? He racked his brains for some logical explanation. He thought her suggestion that he might have seen her somewhere, and heard her name, but didn't remember, might possibly be what had happened; that was the best he could come up with. But, she was so utterly beautiful that he couldn't image having seen her somewhere and not remembering her.

Before he knew it, it was five o'clock. He signed off his computer, grabbed his briefcase and sports coat and rushed out of the office to the parking garage under the building. It took just a few minutes for him to pull up in his car near the restaurant; there was even a parking space on the street just a few doors down from the eatery.

He hurried into the restaurant and the hostess asked him "how many?" -- like she couldn't see he was by himself.

"Uh, I'm meeting someone. Let me look around - if she's not here yet I'll come back and get a table." Phil told the girl; she looked to be of high school age.

Phil headed into the dining area and looked around. He'd always had a problem picking out people in a crowded room; even people he knew really well. He'd always thought he had some sort of brain deficiency. So, he was afraid he was going to look right at Brittany and not see her, and piss her off. He did that once in high school; walked right past his girlfriend in a crowded corridor during class change and didn't see her, and therefore, didn't speak to her. She'd dumped him later that same day. Funny, he thought, but I don't even remember her name.

As he scanned the room, Brittany stood up from a booth across the room and waved at him. He thanked the gods for small favors as he walked across the room to her.

"Hi Brittany." Phil said as he approached.

"Hi Phil." She said, and then she shocked the hell out of him. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him. Not on the cheek like a friend, but on the lips, like a girlfriend would do. Not a long kiss; just a girlfriend length 'hello' kiss. She must have noticed the startled look on his face.

"Oh, Phil, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that." She apologized. "It's just that I got here early and I'm almost finished with my second glass of wine ... I think I'm a little tipsy."

"No, no, honest, I kind of liked it. In fact, I really really liked it." He confessed.

Brittany slid into the booth where she'd been waiting and there was an almost empty glass of wine sitting on the table. He started to sit on the other side of the booth when Brittany grabbed his arm and she pulled him down to sit next her.

"There, that way we can talk better." She said, slightly slurring her words.

"In fact, I liked it so much that I want to do it again." Phil said, being bold; which was definitely not part of his character, usually.

"What?" She seemed confused.

"Ah, the kiss." He said, thinking he'd definitely blown it.

"Oh ... sure." And she put her hands on each side of his face and pulled his head toward her lips.

When their lips connected he closed his eyes and felt the warm familiarity of her lips on his. He put his arms around her and drew her to him and caressed her lovely body as they kissed. The kiss was tender, yet he felt an undercurrent of eagerness and need in her; or perhaps, he just wanted to feel that. But more than anything, he knew deep in his bones that it was not the first time they had kissed like that.

"Uh hum." The waitress cleared her throat to make her presence known. "Would you like to order something to drink, sir?"

"Oh, uh, yes, please. A beer would be fine; whatever you have on draft." Phil said after he and Brittany separated and tried to regain some modicum of decorum.

The girl raddled off a long list of European sounding beer labels, most of which he'd never heard of.

"Tell you what, forget the draft. An MGD in a bottle would be great; oh, and another glass of wine for her, too."

"Sure." And waitress left.

"I don't know what got into me. I've never done that with a stranger before." She said, sounding troubled and confused. "But, I have to say it felt so, so natural, like we'd kissed before; a lot. It's so weird 'cause I just met you."

"Me too. I had that same feeling. Like we've been going together for a really long time and kissing like that was what we always do ... because ..." And he stopped mid-sentence realizing what he was about to say.

"Because?"

"Nothing." he couldn't bring to tell her for fear she'd run away.

"Tell me!" She demanded.

"Alright, just, please, don't be mad. It's just what suddenly flashed into my skull for some weird reason, but, I was about to say it's because we're lovers." Phil admitted.

"Oh my god!"

"Damn, I knew you'd be mad."

"No, I'm not, its just ... that's what I was thinking, too. Oh, that's so weird! But, we both know we're not -- we just met, for heaven's sake." She confided.

"Oh wow."

The girl returned with their drinks and set them on the table.

"Are you ready to order?"

They looked at each other, didn't speak, and then simultaneously they each said, "not right now, give us a few more minutes." As the girl walked away, they broke into hilarious laughter.

They each took a drink. He drained half his beer and he watched as Brittany downed half of her glass of wine. They were both keyed up. Was it from the sudden attraction? From some bizarre psychic happening; he didn't think so. But just what it was, he had no idea; but he thought Brittany felt it, too.

"Phil?"

"Yes?"

"I know I said I wanted to have dinner and talk, but, I ... I don't want to do that now."

Dread ripped through him, he thought she was about to tell him good-bye and he couldn't bear the thought of it; didn't know how he'd get on without her. Then he wondered to himself where that horrible feeling came from for a girl he'd just met.

"I want to go home." She said.

"Well, if that's want you want, I guess ..."

"I want you to come with me and make love to me. Please, Phil, I want you so much, I need you so desperately." She pleaded.

"God yes, I want you, too." Phil agreed. She hugged him and they kissed again.

"Let's get out of here." She said.

He left enough cash on the table to cover the drinks, plus a really good tip.

When they got outside, the 'my place or yours' question came up.

"I have a condo about five minutes from here." She said, so he followed her in his car. He was a little worried she'd had too much to drink, but they made it to her condo complex without incident.

They went up the outside stairway to her second floor condo. As soon as they walked in the door Phil knew he'd been there before. It wasn't just a sense of déjà vu, either, he knew where she kept her spare paper towels and toilet paper, where she kept her iron and ironing board. He knew exactly which cupboard the wine glasses were in without looking, or asking her. Before Phil had a chance to voice this strange unexplained acquisition of knowledge that he had no business possessing, she pulled him to her bedroom and she started tearing at his clothes.

"Oh Phil, I've missed you so much." She said as she frantically unbuttoned his shirt. Neither of them caught the implications of her words; they were both too eager to touch and caress and to love the other one, to have given it any thought.

Phil felt a similar crazy feeling of need to be with Brittany, to feel the warmth of her naked embrace. He fumbled with the buttons of her blouse as she finished his shirt and pulled it off him. He peeled her blouse off her and revealed a delicate white lace bra underneath, while she clawed at his pants; undoing the belt and unzipping them with her trembling fingers. As she knelt to pull his pants and underwear down to the floor, he unhooked her bra and exposed her perfectly formed breasts. They were exactly as he remembered, which was truly insane; he knew he'd never actually ever seen them before.

Before he knew what was happening, she had his erection in her mouth. She removed it briefly.

"So good ... so good." She said, and sucked him in again.

He bent over her back while she sucked him and found the zipper to her skirt and pulled it down. Under the skirt she wore white lace panties that were obviously a matching set with the bra. He pulled Brittany to her feet so he could remove the last barrier to their mutual bliss. Phil knelt before her, as she had just done with him and pulled the skirt down her perfectly proportioned legs. Besides the lace panties, she also wore thigh high stockings with lace tops. He knew, somehow, that Brittany loved lace; she thought it extremely sexy. He did, too.

When Phil pulled her panties down and leaned in and nuzzled the little narrow strip of closely cropped hair above her mound, she shuddered. He reached around her and grasped the soft flesh of her cheeks; pulling her hips to him while sliding his tongue down to the top of the crease of her sex. Bizarrely, he knew exactly what she liked most, exactly how to extract the most pleasure for her; just how he knew all this was a complete mystery. At the time, Phil could have cared less about such puzzles and he gave it no consideration as he flicked his tongue wildly over her swollen nub and heard her scream her delight.

"Phil, baby, that feels so good, but ... but I need you, honey! I need you inside me right now!" She pleaded. He knew exactly what she meant.

Phil arose and they both moved over to her bed. She sat on the edge and he pushed her gently back as she opened her legs to welcome him. Without further foreplay, Phil knelt on the edge of the bed and placed his erection on the folds of her womanhood. She reached down between her legs and forced his warm hard penis between the velvety lips of her sex and arched her hips up to rub his penis against her clitoris. Her hips gyrated to intensify her joy, but only briefly.

"Now baby, take me now!" She demanded as she moved his stiff penis to her opening and thrust her hips up toward him.

Suddenly, Phil was inside her; exactly where he felt he belonged, where she frantically wanted him, where she needed him. She was as tight as he remembered.

"Oh god, this is crazy. Totally insane ... can't be." He mumbled and pressed home; sinking deep inside her love.

He lay atop her petite frame and her arms enfolded him, her lips devoured his, her sweet whispered words confirming her longing for Phil; her love for him. Her hips thrust up to meet his as he continued plunging so deeply inside her.

"Oh Phil, oh yes, please don't let it end, oh, oh ... yeeeeeeees!" She cried out as she shuddered; taken away by the intensity of her bliss.

It wasn't long before he felt his own wave building. When it crashed over him and his semen surged into Brittany; his whole body tensed. Phil squeezed his eyes shut tight and thrust one last time; feeling wave after wave of his seed filling her.

As his tension receded, like the ocean from the shore, he opened his eyes and saw his sweet love with tears streaming down her cheeks.