A True Connection

Hello. I hope everything is going well with you. I have a number of one-off stories that I dabble with when I get a story stuck in my head and need to shift it.

Most of my stories involve love between two people. The original idea stems from the love I share with my wife and the bond we have.

Although these stories are one-offs, they will appear under one title with different sub-titles. I am also trying to write some stories in various categories.

I would like to thank my editors, Pete and HP48, who put up with my bad grammar.

As always, any sexually active people are over the age of 18 years.

Please understand that parts of the story are made to fit so that they may detract from reality in places. There is a prolonged sex scene in this because the story's premise is based on that one night. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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One night that changed their lives

It's Ryan's last night in his hometown. Early the next morning, he will get into his car and travel back to Imperial College London to start his second year in his Mathematics degree. This is the second year of four in Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Mathematical Physics, Mathematical Finance, and Statistics. His main interest is in the latter, but everything math related fascinates Ryan.

It's also his 20th birthday, and that is the reason his friends have managed to get him out. The last stop of the evening is at one of the local night spots. The music is loud, and the drinks are flowing as Ryan and his four closest friends spend their last night together before they go their separate ways again.

Ryan, as you can imagine, is an intelligent man. Although talking to him, you would never guess how intelligent he is. He's quite shy, and until he gets to know you, you rarely see the man inside.

"Hey Ryan, get your laughing gear around that," Karl says as he puts a pint in front of his old friend.

"Cheers, mate," Ryan says. He looks out at his friends on the dance floor, trying to pick up a couple of girls.

"Maybe you should go get some. It's been over a year since Denise wanted to....you know."

"Yes, I know, I was there," Ryan says. His ex-girlfriend decided she didn't want a long-distance relationship a week after they left for his first year. They were in different universities, and apparently, it took two nights for her resolve to break.

"Hey, Ryan. Get your ass over here," Troy shouts from the dancefloor. Ryan raises his pint and toasts his friend, who just shakes his head.

Ryan sits back; he's more into a deeper groove. Ryan is aware of people standing and looking behind him. "Karl, what's happening?"

"Not sure...Oh shit...It's my one true love."

"Didn't think your mother came into places like this," Ryan jokes.

"Ha ha ha, hang on, my sides are going to split....."

"Okay, who's just walked in?"

"Rose fucking Macintosh, that's who." As Karl spoke, a group of four women walk past the table. Each one looks at Ryan as they strut past. But it's the third of the four, a woman whom Ryan can only describe as a goddess. Suddenly, time slows in the second that their eyes lock. Ryan's breath catches as there's a brief look of recognition before she blinks and looks away.

"Who's Rose Macintosh?" Ryan asks.

"Who's Rose Macintosh? Shit, Ryan, where have you been? Other than my future wife, she's got like twenty million followers on YouTube and every other platform you can think of. Did you see the way she looked at me...Man, I'm going to ask her to dance later. I'm feeling lucky tonight." Karl is in his own little world as he salivates at the possibilities.

"She doesn't half look like that film star," Ryan says, breaking Karl out of his dream. "A bit weird, her name being Rose 'n all," he adds.

"What? Oh yeah. That's how she became popular; she looks like a young Kate Winslet. I think she's....shit look at her. She's fucking perfect," Karl says.

Ryan's a realist. He knows that Rose (and all her friends, for that matter) are way out of his league, and his attention is drawn back to his friends rushing back to the table to get a drink.

"Fuck, did I see Rose Macintosh walk in?" Kent says, sliding in and grabbing a pint.

"Who's the guy we just passed? I recognize him from somewhere," Rose says to her best friend, Sis. Short for Sicily after the place where her parents had their honeymoon and fell pregnant with their first child.

"Which one? Everyone was gawking," Sicily answers.

"Don't make it obvious you're looking; his friend looked a little stalkerish. He is sat with four friends at the second table we passed just after we turned left to get here."

Sicily gets her compact out and pretends to touch up her makeup. Her eyes scan and count two tables over where five guys are sitting. "I see what you mean about stalkerish; he's staring this way. Are you talking about the blond guy with an attempt at a beard?"

"Yeah, his face is familiar," Rose says. She hadn't come out to hook up. Hell, she never hooks up, especially since becoming famous.

"Nah, can't place him." Sicily puts her compact away and says. "Henry, your round," to her friend, Henrietta.

The night rolls on, and Rose occasionally glances across to Ryan, but he doesn't look her way once. She thought there was something there when their eyes briefly met, but he didn't seem interested, unlike his friend.

"I'm going in; wish me luck," Karl says.

"Going where?" Kent asks, confused.

"He's going to ask the future Mrs. Young to dance," Ryan says. "This should be entertaining," he adds.

Rose sees Karl make his way over and the amused look on Ryan's face. "What's so fascinating over there," Chelsea asks.

"Shit, stalker alert," Rose says as Karl walks up to the table.

"Hello, ladies," he begins. He is met by four stony looks. Unperturbed, he continues. "I was wondering if I can buy you a drink, Rose?"

"Sorry, we don't take drinks from strangers," Chelsea says.

"Oh, come on, how about a dance?"

"Piss off, bozo," Sicily says very flatly.

Karl's face loses his smile, and he nods his acknowledgment before walking back to his table.

"You never answered my question," Chelsea says.

"Oh, it's nothing; I just seem to recognize the blond guy on the same table as bozo."

Chelsea looks over and instantly says, "You do, his name is Ryan. Emily has been drooling over him all year. He's the barista at our favourite coffee shop."

"Really," Rose says. She glances at Ryan and then adds. "I bet she'll regret not coming out now." They use a coffee shop in town. She doesn't often go up to the cafe's counter, but she does remember him and a girl always being there. "Doesn't he have a girlfriend? I remember a girl always sitting with him."

"Don't know...Oh, hang on, if you're talking about the blond that's always sat at the counter, she's his sister. That's what caught Emy's eye. He's very loving and patient with his sister even though she's a bitch a lot of the time."

"He has got kind eyes," Rose says more to herself than anyone.

"Should I take his picture and send it to her?" Chelsea says, not waiting for an answer. She snaps the picture and sends it straight off.

The night goes on, and Karl's trip to the girl's table sparks a steady stream of guys trying their luck, much to the amusement of his friends. The girls are getting a little pissed with the attention, but it comes with the territory. Ryan's friends again go up onto the dance floor to strut their stuff with an eye on a certain table.

"Come on, Ryan, it's about time you dipped your short arms into those deep pockets; get 'em in, mate," Kevin says. Yes, Ryan's friends are Karl, Kirt, Kevin and Troy. At school, they were known as the KKK, which is either ironic or an indictment on the other students because both Karl and Kirt are of mixed race.

Ryan gets up and walks over to the packed bar. Luckily, one of his school friends is working behind the bar. "What do you want, Ryan," Cat shouts. Ryan can see a couple of pissed-off people, but he puts in his order.

Ryan is suddenly aware of the most incredible scent. He glances to his right, and Rose is about two feet away. He takes a moment to look her up and down. Ryan has never met a ten out of ten before, but he can't fault her. The main attraction for Ryan, though, is unlike his last girlfriend, Rose doesn't let it all hang out. Her dress covers her from her neck down to her knees.

"Can I buy you a drink, Rose," a guy says, pushing between Ryan and Rose.

"No thanks," Rose replies.

"Oh, come on, girls like you live on guys buying them drinks. Wow, you do look like Kate Winslet."

Ryan sees a flash of anger and discomfort in Rose's eyes. "And she politely said no," Ryan interjects.

"Butt out," the guy says angrily.

"Mate, if you think having a go at me will make her think you're a person worth getting to know, please carry on," Ryan says, stepping back and gesturing toward Rose.

The guy who is a bit bigger than Ryan thinks for a moment. He looks at Rose and then just leaves.

"It's okay. I get the message and won't ask," Ryan says as Rose takes a step forward.

"Mojito, please," Rose says.

"Oh, and do your friends want one?"

"I don't expect you to buy one for my friends," she says.

"It's buy one, get one free, so I'll only pay for two," Ryan says back. He doesn't wait for an answer and shouts four Mojitos, please, Cat."

"That's handy, you know her?"

"Yeah, we went to school together," Ryan says. He feels like a fish out of water but strangely comfortable talking to her. The problem is he feels he has no business talking to her.

"You don't dance?" Rose says, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Sorry, what?"

"You haven't got up to dance with your friends."

"Oh, no, it's not that. It's just not my bag. I like something a little smoother," Ryan says as he waves his card over the machine to pay for the drinks.

"Oh, you like a bit of bump and grind," Rose says as Ryan steps back to let her pick the tray of drinks up.

"Yeah, more dance style than slow, but either," Ryan says as he picks his tray up and then just walks off to his table without another word.

Rose is taken by surprise that he just went and didn't seem interested, but she has one more trick up her sleeve.

Ryan sits back down, and his friends take their drinks. None of them had seen his interaction with Rose, so he kept quiet.

Ryan watches Rose go back to her table. She puts a little swing into her walk, and Ryan wonders if that's for his benefit but discounts it. He does take a proper look at her body for the first time and feels the blood heading for a different part of his body. Shit, that's never happened before, not even with his ex-girlfriend.

Rose is wearing a blue figure-hugging dress that has a silver thread that catches the light. Rose must be around 5ft 7", and with her heels matches Ryan's 5ft 11". She has a thin waist, making the flare of her hips more accentuated. When she gets to the table, she turns to face her friends and dishes out the drinks. Ryan can see the side profile and the breast size. She must be a large C or maybe a D. Depends on what bra she wears, Ryan says to himself. Fuck, Karl is right, that woman is perfect, she's not a ten, she's an eleven.

Ryan looks at Karl, who's eyes are fixed on Rose and not seeing Ryan check her out. The others come back to get at the drinks that Ryan has just brought back.

Karl's eyes start moving away from Rose's table, and Ryan turns to see what's caught his eye. Rose is walking around the dance floor toward the DJ booth. She has a word with the DJ, who nods and indicates five minutes.

Rose walks back to her table and takes a large chug of her drink before saying something to her friends. She then walks around to a post that's in front of Ryan's seat. All five lads' eyes are fixed on the woman standing in front of them. She is incredible; her complexion is flawless, and her eyes seem to be alive. Ryan can't tell in this light what colour they are, but they are staring at him.

Now Ryan doesn't hide his eyes, as he deliberately eyes her from head to toe, and she watches his every facial expression. The front is more impressive than the back. Her stomach is perfectly flat, making her breasts stand out prominently. Her dress is incredibly sexy but doesn't show much skin coming to just above her knee.

Ryan closes his eyes when the pace of the music changes, and he hears one of his favourites from his parent's collection. Next's 'Too Close' is an oldie but a goody. He knows she's put this on just for him.

He opens his eyes, and Rose gives him a come-hither with her finger. The smile on her face is confident, and Ryan is caught in her spell.

Karl gets up. "Karl, not you, mate," Troy says.

Ryan stands and walks toward the dance floor. Rose and Ryan's eyes don't leave each other, and the moment Ryan is close enough, Rose moves further onto the dance floor. Without a word, Ryan moves up close but not touching, and they begin to move.

Naturally, they move as one as the music takes them into a world of their own. Still, their bodies don't touch, but the heat between them is intense. People stand and watch the pair move in unison as the track beats to their rhythm.

Their eyes are still locked on each other; Rose can feel the heat between her thighs building. She hasn't felt such an attraction for any man; this guy feels different from anyone she has met, and she wants more.

Ryan is feeling a stirring down below. Even his ex-girlfriend needed to touch him to arouse him physically. Ryan hadn't even touched her, and he is almost coming in his pants. Her perfume, her red lipstick, her perfect everything has Ryan transfixed.

As with everything, the record comes to an end, and the DJ puts a slower record to follow. Instead of going back to their seat, they close the gap simultaneously and melt into one. They slot together like they were made for each other and pull each other in tight.

Rose feels the heat of his breath on her neck and feels the hairs over her body stand on end. "Christ, Ryan, what are you doing to me?" She whispers into his ear.

"I was going to ask you the same question, Rose."

"I get the feeling there's more."

"Rose, I have to tell you that I leave for university in London first thing in the morning," Ryan says.

"Are you trying to ruin a perfect moment?"

"No, but I want to be honest with you before we get too deep."

Rose's head is reeling with what he's just told her. She needs more, but that's not her. She comes to a decision. "I think that is two songs too late." She says, trying to think what to do. Then it comes to her. "Once we part, will you meet me out front in ten minutes? I will wait for you in a taxi in Penny Lane. You will have ten minutes, or I will be gone." Rose looks hopefully at Ryan, and he nods his agreement.

Ryan is in a bit of a daze as he walks back to his friends, wondering if that really just happened. He gets wolf whistles from three and nothing from a not-so-happy-looking Karl. Ryan looks at his watch. "Guys, I'm going to call it a night." If she's not there and it's just a joke, he will get home at a half-decent time. If she's there....well, time will tell.

"What?" Kevin and Kent say in unison.

"Guys, it's gone twelve. I need to be up at six." They don't look happy, but they nod in agreement.

Ryan finishes his pint and makes his way to where he checked his jacket in. Once outside, he checks no one has followed him out and runs around to Penny Lane, where a taxi is waiting with the door open.

Ryan slides in next to Rose, and he shuts the taxi door before it pulls away. "Hey," Ryan says.

"Nobody saw you leave, did they?" Rose asks, looking out the rear window.

"No, I checked before I ran around the corner," Ryan replies, still not fully believing the position he's in.

The taxi makes its way into the suburbs; Ryan hasn't got a clue where they are going, his brain is going twenty to the dozen, and in a trance. Rose reaches across, startling Ryan for a moment before he recovers, hoping Rose doesn't notice his nerves.

Rose smiles at Ryan's reaction and finds it endearing. She's desperate to kiss him, but doesn't start anything in the taxi because any gossip can quickly get out of control, especially on her social media sites.

They pull up outside a modern-looking two-story house, and Ryan pays the taxi driver before Rose even thinks about it. He gets out and then offers his hand. Rose takes it and gracefully gets out of the taxi. Ryan takes in the house. The full moon illuminates it enough as he follows Rose up the drive. They stop at the front door as Rose searches for her keys.

"Is this your place?" Ryan asks.

"Yes, I moved in just before the May bank holiday," Rose says.

"Looks fantastic. Does your online stuff pay that much?"

Rose finds her keys and then stops and looks at Ryan. "Ryan, before this evening, had you heard of me?"

Shit, Ryan's not sure what to answer. "Ummmm, no, to be honest, I still don't. It's just my mate Karl looked at me with total disbelief when I asked."

Rose laughs. "That must be a first," she says. She opens the door and walks in, turning the light on and closing the door when Ryan walks in, looking around.

"Wow, you have an incredible home," Ryan says, looking around with his mouth open. "What is a first?" he then asks.

"What? Oh, that I know you, but you don't have any idea who I am." She thinks for a moment. "You know, I quite like that." Rose smiles at Ryan and grabs his hand. "Come on, if you are off to the smoke tomorrow morning, we have limited time."

Ryan just goes with the flow and follows Rose through the house. The pool glistens in the moonlight as they pass the largest set of patio doors Ryan has ever seen and up a sweeping open staircase. His eyes fixed on the swinging piece of art a couple of feet in front of him.

"Are you looking at my arse?" Rose says.

"Guilty as charged," Ryan says, getting more confident at what looks like is going to happen. He has to admit Rose has the finest rear that he's ever seen.

"Good, I would have been offended if you hadn't," Rose says, looking back over her shoulder and expecting to see Ryan look uncomfortable. What she sees is a guy smiling back with confidence. "Looks like tonight is going to be an interesting night," she adds.

Rose can't believe she is so relaxed. She'd never done anything like this before, but she'd never felt such a connection with another human being before. Hell, Ryan is the first man she's brought back to her house. She can't believe she's being so trusting with a person that is fundamentally a stranger. Every time she goes out, she gets hit on by the guys and some girls. She could have her pick of any man. This makes picking so much harder and fraught with danger.

Ryan was the same. Casual sex just wasn't him. He liked to know the person first, but he'd never been so close to someone so beautiful, so perfect. What's more, everything felt so familiar but new and exciting. Christ, every emotion is going through this young man's body; he can't keep up.

Rose kicks her shoes off and turns toward Ryan, who's watching every move she makes. She walks over, eager to taste those lips. She wanted to kiss him in the club, but that would have set a bad precedent, and you can guarantee someone would catch it on camera. She's ninety-nine percent sure someone captured their close dance.

Ryan pulls Rose into him when she's close; he doesn't hold back as their lips touch for the first time and then with more passion. Everything they felt from a distance is magnified by a hundred as sparks fly, and they get lost back in the world they first found not forty minutes before.

Rose isn't sure how long they were there, just kissing. She pulls away just a bit to catch her breath and take in the moment. For the first time, she runs her hand over Ryan's shirt-covered chest. She hadn't even thought about his body; she had been more wrapped up in the new sensations she was feeling. With a steady hand, she starts to unbutton and then pulls off Ryan's shirt. Rose stares at Ryan's torso that she's just uncovered. Ryan isn't the usual type she goes for. He's not ripped, and he doesn't have a six-pack. He is not overweight, but he obviously hasn't seen the inside of a gym. She had no idea what he had been hiding under his shirt but the way his chest definition and the line of fine hair travels down to his belt. This man was making her pussy throb. As her eyes move back up, she can't help a small groan escape her mouth, which takes her by surprise.