The Gentleman

I re-read your electronic messages a dozen times imagining your voice, the way your lips move, your hands stretching over your face, removing your glasses, rubbing your eyes. The notes allow me to imagine that we actually spoke, in person. Another chance to be near you, to smell you and watch your hands dance in the air as you talk, move close to me and then pull away.

When we're together, each gesture you make is exaggerated, twisted to satisfy my desire for your touch -- a simple move to brush dust from your knee turns into your long fingers reaching out to tangle in my hair pulling my head close to yours, your lips at my ear, breath moving in and out so loudly that I can't think about what I'm doing or the right way to respond and so each response is involuntary. Each movement of my body feels as if it's driven by your touch. Each fingertip you use to trace my jaw burns a flame that's hot and cold at the same time. Your fingers create thoughts and memories in my mind without my permission.

I watch your legs cross and uncross imagining the muscles below quivering and flexing. I tear my eyes away when it feels obvious that I'm staring. My cheeks burn with the arrested fantasy and I try to refocus on your words, your sentences, the conversation without watching your mouth directly.

I distract myself with papers, folders, a pen, a napkin to tear into pieces. Watching my fingers twirl a pen, I can see them, instead, trailing across your shoulders over your starched shirt feeling the stretched, smooth fabric over the heat of your skin. My fingers find their way down to your ribs and then waist where they pause to rest on your hips. The overwhelming and obvious need to press my body against yours is one I'm finding difficult to fight but also to imagine.

If I used your hips to draw us closer would you hesitate? Or worse, resist and pull back? Unthinkable. In my mind, you hesitate slightly before yielding to my desire to be closer to you, to be against you. Your hesitation translates to your need for me to be certain. To give me a chance to slow down the movement, to halt the eventual contact. But I won't, I can't. Once the shift is initiated, I have to have the contact; am mad for it. I feel the pressure of your chest, stomach, hips, pressed to me; a sigh escapes my mind through my lips and nose. The expressed breath moves the fabric of your shirt and I breathe back in slightly, losing myself in the smell of your skin.

There is very little light but it's not necessary to see when the need to touch and smell is so forceful. With your body against mine, I press my face to the cloth of your shirt. The buttons are small, unyielding disks meant to inject a small bit of reality. Is this what you want? What I want? Though the buttons are easily overcome, their boundary is obvious. Still, their warm, smooth surfaces are a welcome distraction to the crushing waterfall of your nearness.

My face is lost in the hardness of your chest, breathing deeply, my fingers explore your lower back, tips meeting briefly as they trace your spine, roaming, memorizing. They move slowly still waiting for your muscles to tense, for your tiny step backward.

At any moment, either of us could stop this, lend an ear to a suspicious voice cloaked in smug judgment, take that step back and lose the contact. And in thinking of this, I take a deeper breath, force these memories to sear themselves into my mind, absorbing every single second that I stand here, desperate not to forget any part of this.

I float back to the surface, your warm, soft words flowing around me still. I try to refocus on the conversation, the wall, any required responses that I need to offer. Have I been caught? Do you know where I am as you sit there, offering your friendship, your conversation? Can you read my eyes? Can you hear my heart beating differently? I realize that I'm holding my breath as I check your eyes and face for discovery. Am I safe?

I spiral back into what I can only hope is the future. I can feel your breath in my hair; your face is tilted down toward the top of my head as I stare into the darkened fabric of your shirt, my eyes wide open. Why am I holding my breath? It's as if I've willed my heart to stop beating; as if I'm trying to simply freeze the moment because I'm afraid of the next second, minute, hour.

I find my way back to you and release my lungs slowly, silently, hoping you haven't noticed. I re-focus on you; forgetting myself and my brain's unrelenting suppositions. Where are your hands now? Where will they go? Will they stop? When? At what point will you draw the line? It will have to be you who alters the course of this encounter. Whether subconscious or otherwise, I decided weeks ago that I would do nothing to stop this moment if I were to find myself lost here; caught between my dreams and reality, unwilling to force myself to realize on which plane I'm standing: one that's too enticing to give up, the other too undeserved to ask for .

My hands reach up toward your shoulders, the detail of your back quickly memorized and cataloged by my palms. I pause. To be able to remember this moment later, I need to know where your hands are as well as what you feel like during my own exploration.

As I was lost in my head, your fingers were dancing across my jaw burning an ancient pattern of longing where they trailed. I feel your hand rest under my ear, in my hair, the large, flat surface of your palm against the side of my cheek while your other hand still exploring my face.

Eyes closed now, I rest my hands on your hips. I concentrate on them, not pulling or pushing you, exerting no pressure on you while still maintaining contact. I re-focus on what you're doing. I am careful not to lose myself in the moment because I'm afraid I'll lose the memory and am desperate to ensure that the memory remains even if the touch doesn't.

Both hands are resting on my face, cradling my jaw line. The difference in height is obvious as I stand here with my eyes squeezed shut trying to guess what's in your thoughts, how we must look together, and the distance from your mouth to mine.

A slight movement. From where? Above me or below? Your hands remain on my face but something is moving. Panic bubbles up and I fight it back focusing on your flaming touch and its reality.

Your breath is closer, no longer on the top of my head but from the front. Warm, whispering and close. I fight myself to stay here, stay out of the future, out of my head. My skin surges with your sudden nearness and I can almost hear the crackling as I realize that you've arranged your long body to match my stance. I rise up, just slightly, on my toes. The movement connects our lips for a fraction as we both pull back in surprise and more than a little shock.

Quickly and at the same time, we both lean forward to erase the sudden, unbearable distance. Your mouth crushes mine while your hands grasp the back of my head forbidding any movement in the wrong direction.

My hands clench, gripping your shirt, nails scratching slightly and you shiver. The soft heat of your mouth and your obsidian lips cause my breathing to hitch. As I move into your embrace and shift into the kiss, I feel you sag against the wall capturing my hands and pinning them behind you, my chest crushing against yours and a combined heartbeat thudding without discernible rhythm.

Inventory begins...my eyes are clenched tight, not daring to open, validate that it's a dream or confirm that this is reality. My nose can only breathe in your scent; your skin pressed intoxicatingly close nearly canceling sustaining breath. Your cheeks are deliciously scratchy and as I wrench my hands free from behind your back, they find your hair, its texture incongruous with your beard growth.

Your hands continue to explore my jaws, neck, collar, shoulders, back. I am desperate to remember what each finger feels like, how your hands briefly meet then spread out, how they can nearly cover the back of my head, their size overwhelming and comforting at the same time.

The kiss deepens and I am desperate to stay here forever. Unable to bear the next kiss, next touch, next movement because it's further form the first, closer to the last.

We separate, your face retreats from mine and volcanic tears race to the corners of my eyes. My nose burns instantly with indignant desire coupled with confusion.

In moments, your lips are on my eyes, trailing over my lashes, breathing them and moving across my forehead. Your lips are dry and smooth against my cheeks, my chin and down my jaw. They barely trace my jaw and I'm not even sure they're touching me confused that I'm only imagining their papery touch.

It's only when the tip of your tongue reaches to taste the saltiness of my jaw and neck that I'm sure of you, your desire and intent. As you continue the course around my neck, I lean my head back and arch myself against you. At this movement, you pause, journey halted, lips slightly parted. My breath stops and I wait.

Your hands, which, only a moment before, had been supporting my arched back, force me up and against you in one sudden movement. As I gasp, the surf of memory in my mind crashes back onto the beach that is this moment. Your kiss lands hard, once again, on my lips and I force them wide to better taste you, accept you. My open mouth is an invitation and I am instantly unable to resist the need to touch your skin.

My hands scramble at the waistband of your jeans, loosening your shirt from under the denim and your cinching belt. My fingers are cold and bloodless as they find the warm skin of your waist and my nails involuntarily scratch as my fingers find purchase. My hands snake under your shirt to your back and pull you closer to me willing the fabric between us to dissolve. The feel of your skin is arrhythmic and I struggle to remember what other parts of my body are doing as my hands begin to move on their own, again tracing shapes on your back.

My lips move under yours and forget their own needs answering only yours. Your breathing increases and mine matches. Your hands scour my body, continuously moving over me, never lingering. My skin vibrates with anticipation, the desire, no, demand to be touched. My heart pauses painfully as I feel your fingers find a button and slip it through the opening. Then, again. Finally, a third button is opened and the staccato beating resumes when I feel rough fingers on soft, super-heated skin.

The undergarments, so carefully chosen for each possible opportunity, fall to the scrutiny of your fingers. They linger over the satin, so thankfully incombustible but terrifyingly suffocating. Everything strains to meet your roaming fingers.

More buttons slide away and fabric moves over my shoulders to land on the ground. A shiver rises and is quelled but not before being noticed. Your embrace tightens, the kiss deepens and I lose part of my thoughts to the possible failure of my knees, the loss of my ability to stand without assistance.

The pine needles are soft but scratchy on my shoulder blades; a sharp pebble is shifted away with only the slightest attention to the brief discomfort it caused. The discomfort replaced by the increasing pressure of your chest against mine. Your arms finally let go of me when you realize that I'm steady, safe. Your hands search for mine, your mouth never leaving my own. Our hands connect, first flat, then fingers laced. The top of your body rests on mine but our hips are side by side. The absence of your weight atop my hips and legs is noticeable and aching.

Your lips leave mine without preamble. My every effort is unable to contain the low sound that escapes my throat. Panic rising hesitantly but quickly. Now? Is this the cut-off point? Did I miss something? Did an errant, irrational thought insert itself in an unknown fissure?

I realize that I've tensed every muscle and am rigid with confusion quickly moving into a well of sadness. Almost before I can stack up the reasons why this should not stop, I force myself to open my eyes. You are looking at me, waiting. Were you able to read my thoughts? Do you know how badly I want this to never end? Are those your thoughts or am I alone?

I am unable to read your eyes but notice an almost imperceptible dip in your head. With agonizing slowness and while your eyes remain locked on my own, your lips return but not to mine. They are barely felt on my chin and down my jaw. Lips feather across my neck and to the hollow of my throat, tasting the damp skin.

As your mouth moves across my shoulder, I shift my hands from yours and slide your shirt back over your shoulders scratching your skin gently with my fingernails. Once it's off, my hands roam wildly over you remembering, searching, and teasing.

Your breath is hot on my shoulders and down my arms. The anticipation of your touch, your tongue, your breath is overarching. I force myself to stay in the moment and not think about what you're thinking, planning, feeling, seeing. I know your eyes are open though mine are squeezed tightly shut. I force my teeth apart and try to relax my jaw while giving in to the intoxicating feel of you.

Suddenly, I lose my mind to an aerial view. I can see your body across mine; your bare back is a darker slash across my unclothed torso. Glimpses of skin appear and disappear under you. I have one knee raised and can see my other leg sliding under you, encouraging you to rest further atop me and I am desperate to support you and feel your weight on me.

Your mouth burns a trail down my chest and across the tops of my breasts. My back arches, involuntarily, and the pink slippery fabric shifts, whispers against your chest as our bodies move.

I am unable to understand the passing of time and it is not surprising that I discover we are now skin to skin with the delicious abrasion from the hair on your chest causing my stomach to flip and dance each time you shift over me.

My body flames again as our eyes connect. Your mouth opens and I am terrified that you are about to speak words that I am not ready to hear; words that you can't possibly think of uttering now. Your head cocks, your eyes stay on mine; your mouth closes then opens again.

No, please, no. Don't say anything. Not now. Please know what I'm thinking. I'm begging you with my eyes as I'm unable to do with my mouth and my own words.

Your mouth opens again and this time, words fall down to my ears.

"I can't stop this."

Before the last word tumbles from your lips, I find myself raised in the air and dragging you back to me. I am grateful that I was wrong and I lose myself in the flavor of your mouth, the strength in your arms and your heat. The fleeting moment of fear and anxiety is dandelion seed.

Time stops, memory halts and my eyes lose focus as I bear your full weight atop my body. I am frozen when your knee slips between my thighs and I involuntarily surge against it. There is a telling, hard heat on my hip and I am, again, lost in what I'm now sure is a burgeoning certainty.

Again comes the surprise of skin on skin and the delicate sandpaper of rough upon smooth. Heat meets heat, hands are relentless, roaming, owning. Legs tangle.

The unyielding strength of your body is at once fearful and necessary. I strain to fit you and am rewarded. My eyes open, my gasp causes a momentary furrow in your brow as your head dips again. Your tongue surges in time with your hips and I am lost in the matched thrusts.

Were I able, I could not find words, only sounds and so I let them flow around my tongue and from my open mouth as it is pressed against your neck. I close my lips whispering nonsense against your throat while I continue to draw your body further into mine praying that I will be split to give release the increasing crescendo of emotion and desire inside my chest.

Seconds later, I find myself staring down at you, both of us surprised by the shift, the perspective change, the physical surge of feeling in the spinning movement. I force myself aggressively down against your body now slick with sweat. At the same time, I lower my face to your ear whispering secrets and nonsense.

Your hands are on my shoulders, downward pressure, then on my hips, pressing harder. I can feel your muscles tighten and release and know that we are here and nowhere.

Your body stiffens and we move closer, locking hands again. Our lips and tongues fighting to best the other movements of our bodies but knowing the battle is futile and successful at that same.

The waves are without end. I open my eyes to find yours tightly closed. Were I to try, I could not release myself from your grip.

The night air begins to cool my skin although where it touches yours, it remains overheated. Our eyes are open, again, searching, wondering, waiting for words when we know there are none. An easy smile from you and my own lips curve upward, my eyelids close and a small need that began months ago escapes me in a wracking shudder.

At that, a thought flashes across your eyes that I can't read clearly. Confusion? Doubt? I put my hand on your chest, scratching gently with my nails while barely shaking my head.

"No, none of those," I whisper. "Content."

Your smile flickers and grows. The stars dim as the breeze picks up. We don't notice.