As she drove home, she tried to steady her cold hands on the steering wheel, watching them shake as her uneven breathing fought her attempt at control. Carolyn closed her eyes briefly as she tried to concentrate on her still-ragged breathing. Her heart was beating so heavily she could feel it.
"Mom, you OK?" Kendra asked, bringing her back to the real world, as they rapidly approached a red light.
He let his imagination run wild as he dreamed of nervous excitement in her eyes when she felt desire for the first time... the hesitant touch of her delicate hands on his body... her incredible mouth beneath his... a fragile spring of awakening sensuality that flowed through his mind and then his body. He wanted to hear her say his name.
He awoke to find that his body had betrayed his innermost desire.
**********
The morning's newspaper called the game a "lesson on how to play basketball" with the final score 113 to 45. Halfway through the first half, the coach sat down all his starters and played his second string. Even so, it was a disaster for the home team who ended their worst season ever, losing every game badly.
It might have been of interest to David if he had bothered to read the sports page but he was too busy getting ready to go to the beach. He reached for another beach towel and the umbrella.
Last night, in a bit of wild surprise, he had invited Carolyn and her daughter to accompany him to the breakwater. He told himself it would give Kendra practical experience; in truth, he realized he was more interested in seeing her mother again.
After putting on his college sweatshirt, he packed his Chevy Malibu with buckets, towels, gloves and nets and drove back to the school. He offered to pick them up from their home but Carolyn said it would be easier to just meet there.
Mother and daughter were waiting in the school lot, both wearing sweats over shorts and tank tops and holding a cooler. He pulled up, unlocked the doors and popped the trunk. "Here, let me take that," he said, lifting the cooler into the car.
"We fixed some lunch. I hope you like ham sandwiches, potato salad and coleslaw," Kendra happily said, glad that her mother seemed to be enjoying herself. Her plan to pair her mother with her favorite teacher was working, she was sure of it. After all, they were going to Venice Beach, weren't they? ...and, Mom still looked good, she noticed.
David was sure that Carolyn was blushing. "That's great," he said and realized how inane that sounded. How could I sound so stupid? he asked himself.
Early afternoon came as he and Carolyn leaned back on the beach blanket he had brought, watching Kendra search for sand crabs in the swash-covered beach. The light breeze that had kicked up was blocked by his large umbrella. David thought she looked like a chocolate Coppertone girl, all that was missing was the little black dog yapping at her feet. Every ten minutes or so, she came back and changed the seawater in the buckets holding the sea anemones clinging to the baseball-sized stones.
"I hate to say it," he said, "but I think we better get going. It's still winter and it's going to get cold pretty soon."
"All right... I've had a wonderful time, David. I know Kendra has. I haven't seen her this excited in such a long time. You've had a good influence on her these last few years. Thank you. After her father died, there was no father figure in her life. Michael has his coach but I think she happily found you."
He wanted to say it was just part of being a good teacher but knew better. They were there at the beach because he was enjoying himself... they were enjoying themselves, he corrected himself.
On the drive back to the school, he remembered his sweet, intelligent Evangelina and their hoped for life together. Her death had caused a self-imposed exile from life; it had worked well for the Air Force but not for living in the real world. He tried hard not to think about it but the memories came unbidden by themselves. He didn't even have a gravesite to visit; her parents had taken her body back to Mexico City following the crash. All he had was a photo album of a lost love... and a family that never was.
And now, here was Carolyn and her daughter, seemingly inviting him into their lives. Did he really want to open his heart, after all these years? It was so much easier to just be alone...
After putting the new animals and some wayward slippery brown kelp in their own tank, he walked Carolyn and her daughter out to their car. Smiling, Kendra got in and turned on the radio. Carolyn turned to him and lightly kissed him on the lips. "Call me?" she asked quietly as she gave him a piece of paper and then disappeared into the car.
He stood in the parking lot, watching them drive away. He felt his lips where her kiss had touched him. Did he really want to go there? Could he not? He carefully put the piece of paper into his pocket and got in his car.
**********
He stood in the doorway. "There's two bucks for you," David said, paying the Domino's boy. He took the pizza box into the den and hit play on the DVD. Optimus Prime had waited, on pause, long enough for him to get his own 'energon'...
The memory of her day with David was so powerful that she found herself sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs gone weak again. Her heart seemed to ache every time it beat. He wasn't even in the room and she couldn't control her response to him. What was happening to her? How could someone she just met affect her so strongly?
**********
Chapter 2: Shake, Rattle and Roll
Sunday morning, David slept late, his dreams filled with dark kisses, ocean breezes and rolling surf. Had he been bewitched by the woman? It had seemed so real. There were worse things in life.
The building shook, rattling the windows. The ground was as unsettled as his mind when he thought about Carolyn. He was still unbalanced from yesterday's events.
He turned on the bedroom TV. "...somewhere near Northridge and felt as far south as Newport Beach. Preliminary reports say it's at least a five point five. We're having another aftershock..."
He put his pillow over his face and hoped for the best as the quake continued. Aftershock, hell... he thought. This is probably the main quake.
He could hear things falling and breaking in the kitchen as the cabinets, no doubt, sprung open and spilled dishes and glasses onto the floor. A good fifteen, twenty seconds later, the rumbling stopped. Car alarms outside were screaming and he saw new cracks running across the wall by the window. If it was this bad, there was going to be serious damage. Last time, he had to replace the sewer lines under the house and his plans to restore his grandfather's '57 Chevy had gone on hold for three years.
David stayed in bed, still hiding under the covers. He should have gone to the doorway like all the drills instructed but the truth was, unless the ceiling's coming down, people tended to stay where they were until the ground stopped moving.
His first thought, after wondering what shattered mess he would find in the kitchen, was wondering what happened to his aquaria at the school. The second was 'what happened to Carolyn?'
David looked for his Nikes. He didn't know much about basketball but he liked the shoes much better than house slippers. Another shake rumbled through and the TV went dark. It wasn't as bad but it was bad enough. He waited and the TV finally lit back up. All his clocks blinked, as usual, unable to reset themselves.
The kitchen was the disaster he expected. Well, this can wait, he thought, while I find her number. Where the hell did it go? He went back into the bedroom and looked on top the dresser.
Nervously, he punched in the numbers as another quake rumbled through. He grabbed the top of the dresser and braced himself. This one was only about a 'four', he figured and waited for the call to go through. The call never finished. He'd have to wait, he realized, until the phone lines were free, again. Too many calls flooding through just crashed the system.
He looked out the patio doors to his pool. The water was sloshing up and down and the cement was soaking wet.
It wasn't until late morning before he was able to make the call.
"Are you OK? I tried to call, earlier but I couldn't get through." He couldn't hide the tension in his voice.
"I know I asked you to call me but I didn't think it would take an earthquake to get you to do it." Her nervous joke wasn't enough to hide the fear in hers as another aftershock rolled through the Southland. She had grown up in Indianapolis and this was her first real earthquake swarm.
"But, you're all right? I just worried, that's all."
There was a pause. "Thank you." He could feel the appreciation through the silence.
The rest of Sunday was anything but a day of rest as aftershocks shook Los Angeles, Orange and finally Ventura Counties. The television stations had a field day with the tremblers as their helicopters flew across the city looking for damaged buildings and bridges. Another severe shock caused the cancellation of Monday's school day across the three counties as buildings were inspected for safety.
**********
Monday morning, David drove in, anxiously wondering what he would find in the classroom.
Aside from some spilled water, though, everything looked normal, to his great surprise and relief. The thick rugs under the tanks had cushioned them just enough. Dead animals and spilled seawater would have left the room uninhabitable for at least an extra day, probably longer, just getting the smell out. Unlike freshwater tanks, saltwater aquaria had no grace period once the oxygen stopped. He had learned that the hard way when a car hit a power pole on a Saturday night and he walked in the following Monday.
**********
School started on schedule Tuesday morning but he saw neither Kendra nor her brother, Michael. As it was, about a third of the students were absent.
David called Carolyn during his prep period but all he heard was her voicemail. Now, he was worried. Could something have happened? He accessed his computer and got the home address. He was determined to drive there as soon as he could after school.
Three o'clock took forever to arrive. With so many students out, he was forced to show a film about whales, one on earthquakes and give an extra credit assignment to his advanced biology class.
He took Crenshaw north until 48th Street and then turned west. Keeping one eye on the road and the other searching out street addresses, he finally found the home. It was a cared-for, small wooden Depression bungalow with a flower garden in the front, a sharp contrast to the rest of the neighborhood, full of gray, tired homes and broken cars.
He understood why she had wanted to meet him at the school. What to do, now? he wondered. If he walked up to the front door and rang the bell, she would be embarrassed and then angry he had invaded her privacy. He parked further down the block where he could see the house in his mirror.
Another aftershock rumbled through and Carolyn and her two children ran outside. "At least, they're OK," he said to himself. "That's good." He waited until they went back into the house before he drove home.
**********
"Hi..." he nervously said, speaking into his cell. He felt like a high school boy asking for a 'first date.'
"Hi..." she said, sounding breathless like Marylyn Monroe, quietly thankful that he had called.
"I don't want this to sound strange, or anything, but I missed you." He prayed he hadn't ruined it. It had been too many years since he'd done this.
"I... I missed you, too." You have no idea how much, she thought.
"Are you OK? I mean... with the earthquakes and all... ah, whom I kidding? I didn't see or talk to you yesterday and I didn't like it." Wow, I probably came on too strong and now she's scared I'm a stalker or something.
"I missed you, too," she said, again. "I know we've only really just met but you've been on my mind ever since." "Did I just say that?" she whispered, surprised at her boldness. She walked over to the window and looked out to the street.
"Me, too," he said. "Look, would you like to have dinner with me, tonight or tomorrow? Just the two of us, this time? If the quakes stop?"
"Yes." Oh, yes, oh, yes, yes, yes... "Where would you like to meet?"
What to do? What to do? He didn't like the idea of her coming home late at night, by herself, but what could he do?
"Say, I've an idea. Why don't you drive to my house and then we can go together?"
He could feel the hesitation when she said nothing. Damn it! He felt so close he could taste it and now it seemed to just slip away.
"ummm... sure, why not? Now, how do I get there?"
They watched the sun set along the Pacific horizon from the Charthouse's window. On short notice, it was as romantic as possible. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder royal blue evening dress borrowed from her neighbor and a single strand of pearls. With her high heels and her teased hair, she looked several inches taller than he but David didn't care. He hadn't taken his eyes off her since they arrived. She was beautiful. How had all this happened, so fast?
"Have you come here, before?" she asked.
"Yes, it's one of my favorite places. I come here when I feel I deserve something special. I love their bleu cheese dressing and their croutons are the best."
"Is that what tonight is? Something special?" How many women has he brought here? she wondered, nervously, a tight smile on her lips.
"You have no idea." He leaned forward. "I've always come alone. You're the first woman I've ever brought here... so, I... yes, it's special."
"Oh... thank you. What do you recommend?" Oh, thank God. She blushed, feeling the hot rush of blood flood her cheeks.
Oh, what I'd love to recommend right now... "Lobster? Filet? Whatever you wish..." I know what I wish... damn! What's wrong with me? What is this woman doing to me? He blushed and reached for a piece of bread to draw attention away from his face.
"Maybe, just the salad bar?" she asked, not knowing what his price range was.
"Please, are you sure? Anything your heart desires." Anything at all, he thought.
"OK, I'll have the filet. Thank you. Oh, look! A pelican!"
David turned to the window just in time to see the ungainly bird slowly fly by.
"Pelecanus occidentalis, the brown pelican... well, actually, 'the pelican of the west'. He dives for his food. Pesticides almost killed them off in California but they're making a comeback... finally."
Carolyn smiled. "Are you always so full of information? Kendra said you're a walking encyclopedia." Then, she realized she probably embarrassed him with her glib remark. Sometimes a simple compliment comes out wrong.
"I can't help it. Sometimes, I just talk and talk... maybe, I shouldn't have said that. You might like a little more quiet. I just can't shut up, once I start talking. Character flaw, I guess." Damn it! he cursed himself. Even now, he couldn't shut up.
Carolyn laughed. "Actually, I enjoy adult conversation for a change. You have no idea how much teenagers... well, I guess you do. For a moment, I forgot you're a teacher. You know, I thought Kendra was infatuated with you; she spoke about you so much. It seems she had other plans for you."
Other plans, indeed, David thought, as he drove them back to his house. They couldn't pay the bill fast enough and it seemed like every light was red.
David pulled Carolyn into his arms and just held her. It's what a lover would do, wasn't it? What a husband would do? He tried to think about husbandly things the last few days, so entranced he was. He wanted her to get used to him doing things for her, like warming her on cold nights and keeping her safe from harm.
He reached slowly, brushing back the dark curtain of her curls, revealing her face to his. His fingers lingered, resting on the side of her face, where her skin was soft and warm.
He shoved the front door shut and they rested against it as he ran his fingers through her hair, then held the back of her head, holding her still against him. Carolyn's arms tightened around him and a fire spread and raged between them.
He moved his hand to the back of her neck and gently pulled her closer. Carolyn's mouth was warm and soft. If I can't respect a woman, I can't love her, can I? he asked himself. He stepped behind her. She swallowed, trying not to let the heat of his body affect her. He placed his hands on the hips of her blue dress, gently but insistently pulling her back against him.
Slowly, he moved her hips with his. At his touch, her nipples drew tight beneath the soft, clingy dress. She felt his mouth on her hair, gently inhaling her fragrance, then kissing and caressing her neck. She licked her lips and cleared her throat, afraid he'd continue, praying he wouldn't.
Carolyn felt David's mouth warm against her ear. She inhaled sharply when his lips touched her earlobe. He turned her in his arms. The kiss wasn't gentle, it was full of heat and hunger and she wasn't stopping him. She smiled as he covered her mouth with his again and then the world went away, lost in his kiss.
This time, when they finished, he took her hand and pulled her gently into the bedroom. He kissed her deeply, searching for her soul. "Carolyn, are you all right with this?" he asked. His eyes were kind and warm and waiting for her answer.
For her, it had to be more than the sexual excitement. She had to respect the man and like him a lot, love him completely. It could never be a one-night stand. "More than all right," she said, touching his cheek.
She held her breath as he slid his arm around her, again, holding his hand across her stomach. When he spread his fingers, his thumb touched her left breast, growing heavy and sensitive with her arousal. His hand moved lower to tease her into a hard throb of response, faster than light, quicker than sound.
She lifted her arms, curved them behind her, over his shoulders, arching her body upward, seeking... more, something more than just this tight, about-to-explode need that radiated through her. He brought his hips back against her, aligning his arousal with her tight butt, pressing close, tempting her with his response. She savored the reflection in the mirror of the mingling black and white of their clothes and bodies, the bright edge of desire glittering in their eyes.
His hands held her like a husband would. Ever so slowly his fingertips moved to her center, tracing the apex where her thighs met. He slid a foot between hers, nudging her legs apart. Shocked by the unfamiliar expression she saw on her own face in the mirror, she arched her back and closed her eyes, ignoring the wantoness she saw. She let herself enjoy the sensations, instead, as he pressed the heel of his hand against her and rubbed, a circular motion building in power that was mirrored inside of her.
She shifted back and forth, needing... something. The friction was driving her insane. She heard herself make strange, low sounds and wondered whether she was shocked or embarrassed. She could feel the impending explosion, so close as his hand continued to move. Just a little more, she silently begged.
She could hear the sound of the zipper as it moved down and then her dress slipped to the floor, breaking the last barrier between them.
And then, for a long time, there were no more words as he slipped into her velvety slickness, his hands beneath her, holding, pulling. It had been so long and she was as tight as a virgin and for the first time in her life, her moans were caused by a lover.
She opened her eyes to the dim light of the room. On the bed, David's arms were still around her, his body warm but she was cold. It was hours later and he was sleeping deeply beside her. Easing away from him, she found his pullover near the dresser and slipped it over her head.
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