The Night in New Orleans

Jack left work Friday afternoon and began the long walk to the train station and shivered. A storm threatened above and he shoved his hands in his wool overcoat to keep them warm, but when he saw her coming towards him, the coldness of winter melted as she brushed past him on the street, the smell of her perfume lingering behind. He inhaled the fragrance he knew so well, the same scent that mingled with the heat of their bodies on that hot and steamy night in New Orleans. When he reached the station, it was dark and his mind was on anything but the long ride home to Connecticut. She was on his mind. She was still in his heart. The train rumbled in and he boarded taking a seat near the window just in time as a cold wintery mix of snow and rain began pelt against the glass pane. His mind wandered as he traced with his finger a drop of water from the top of the window to the bottom and he remembered again.

He was on Bourbon St. settling in at Bernier's bar and grille after a long meeting with a client just north of there. It was a business trip he had been dreading and with heat of summer bearing down on the city, he would be glad to leave. He was tall, firmly built, with blue eyes, square cut jaw, and had a summer tan. He ran a hand through his hair as he ordered a scotch and soda and glanced up at the TV over the bar where a bleached blonde woman was giving the weather report and had only bad news. More heat with no break in sight. He took off his jacket, loosened his tie, and rolled up his sleeves. At least the bar was air conditioned and if he ate there he could stay well past the heat of the day before he headed back towards his hotel. That was the plan anyway.

A few minutes later, the door opened and a woman walked in dressed in business attire, a slim gray skirt, pink blouse opened at the neck, stockings and tall black heels and all of it fit like it was painted on and not worn. Her auburn hair was piled on her head and when she removed her sunglasses her beautiful green eyes sparkled like emeralds. She made her way to a table next to his and sat down facing him. The waiter immediately brought her a glass of white wine and he surmised she was a regular as the bartender already knew what she would order. She tipped the waiter generously and he smiled at her, but not without glancing down at the cleavage that peaked through the v in her blouse.

Jack tried not to stare, but it was if he was drawn to her. There was something mystical about her, some magical energy that kept his eyes focused on her. She looked up and noticed him and smiled before picking up her glass and taking a sip of her wine. He brought the scotch and soda to his lips and did the same, but his eyes were still on her. She didn't seem to mind. Normally he wasn't the kind of guy to pick up a woman in a bar and hated guys that did that kind of thing, but it wasn't something he could control. He knew he had to speak to her so he rose and approached her table.

"Would you mind if I sat with you?" he asked clearing his throat.

"No, I don't mind," she said smiling up at him.

My name is Jack. What's yours," he asked as he sat down next to her.

She stared down at her drink, "My name is Bella."

"It's nice to meet you Bella," Jack said and smiled.

She gave him a half smile back.

"So do you live in New Orleans?" he asked trying to keep the conversation going.

"No, I'm here on business," she replied.

"Me too," Jack said.

And that was how it began. Another round of drinks later and they had told their life stories, the Reader's Digest version anyway. She was married, but he was never around. No children, big house in the city, luxury cars, the works. He told her of the condo he had just bought, the promotion he got so he could buy the condo, that he had no girlfriend, but there had been someone a year or so ago. He told her he lived the bachelor life and loved it. He lied.

They ate together both ordering the shrimp jambalaya. Another round of drinks and it was time to leave. Both sat quietly not wanting to broach the subject, but knowing they had to before it got too late. It wasn't good to be on Bourbon St. late at night. It just wasn't safe.

"Can I get you a cab?" Jack asked.

"No, I have a car," she replied opening her purse to pay her portion of the tab when the waiter delivered the bill.

Jack touched her arm, "I've got this and handed a credit card to the waiting server.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Maybe I can drop you off somewhere? It's the least I can do."

Jack looked at the green emerald pool that was her eyes and melted.

"Sure, I'm only a few blocks up the way at the Madison hotel. I was going to walk," he admitted.

They both sat quietly again, not speaking, but the looks they gave each other said volumes. With the bill paid, they got into her car, but instead of going to the Madison hotel he drove to the Barkley hotel where she was staying, pulled the car up to the front where a valet appeared just outside the front entrance. Jack handed him the key and he walked Bella to the door of the hotel. He told her that he could catch a cab when he left and she didn't question him.

"Would you like to come up for a night cap?" she asked.

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

They walked across the foyer to the elevator, rode it to the fourth floor where the door opened and they stepped out and walked down the corridor to room 358 where she swiped a card in the key slot and they entered her room.

"I'll call room service," she said heading towards the phone.

"Don't bother," Jack said.

"Why?" she turned with a slight disappointment in her voice.

He walked towards her, placed his hands on her either side of her cheeks and kissed her.

"I came here to drink my fill of you," he whispered.

"But I'm married," she said almost apologetically.

"I'll go if you want me to," he said and kissed her again.

She reached up and pulled the pins that held her hair in place and let the tendrils fall loose about her shoulders.

"You're stunningly beautiful," Jack said as he twisted one of the tendrils around his finger.

"There is no future in this," she replied near tears."

"I'm only asking for tonight," he said.

"It's been so long," she whispered to him.

"For me too," he said hoarsely as he began to unbutton her blouse.

She felt his hands on her breasts.

"Make me forget, Jack. Make me forget," she whispered again.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he drew her into him. He kissed her this time with deep passionate sensual warmth while his tongue darted in her mouth to taste her. He released her just long enough for her to undress and he sat on the bed to watch. She removed her blouse and tossed it on the vanity, unzipped her skirt and let it slide to the floor then stood in front of him. She wore a black bra and panties, black garter belt held up her stockings and her tall stiletto heels were still on her feet.

Jack breathed in deeply and let it out slowly as his mind absorbed the image before him. She came to him. He grabbed her hips and buried his face into her panties biting at the silk fabric with his teeth. She leaned forward and kissed the top of his head. His hands reached up and pulled her breasts from the black lace bra. He licked his lips as the soft mounds and pink nipples stiffened at his touch then brought them down to his mouth. His touch fired her sensuality and she pushed him back on the bed. Her hair fell over her face and he pushed it away so he could see her looking at him. She straddled him just below his waist, unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned his pants and slid down the zipper. She lowered his pants and boxers just enough for his erection to be freed and uninhibited. Next she pulled the crotch of her panties to one side, rose up over his shaft and impaled herself slowly on to it taking its full length into her.

All Jack could do was hold her hips, those gartered hips that began to gyrate on his shaft. Bella moved slowly at first rubbing her clit against him grinding him deeper and deeper. He could feel her wetness, the soaking of his shaft with her juices fueling him. He bucked inside her and she leaned forward letting him pump her before impaling herself on him again. She leaned back to allow her hand to rub his balls cradling them in her fingers feeling how full they were before riding him again this time with the intent of releasing her orgasmic ecstasy on him. She moved up and down, up and down, again and again.

He bucked inside of her matching her in a sensual symbiotic rhythm. She leaned over to kiss him before throwing her head back and moaned loudly, crying out her release. His body tensed. He was going to explode. He was going to lose control any moment and did so when he felt her peak in her orgasm and shuttered. He bucked faster and drove into her throbbing sex that exuded juices over him and when he released his seed it wracked his body convulsing the sensation through him. Both gasped and breathed in gulps of air, their hearts racing, sweat pouring over their bodies, and ultimately she collapsed on him with his shaft still inside her.

It was the way it was that night. Again and again they made love and healed each other from wounds so deep that neither could have comprehended the depth. In the morning, they parted. Jack left her, grabbed a taxi and headed to his hotel to change for his next meeting and she made arrangements to fly back to New York. There were no long goodbyes. Neither knew what to say. There were no promises of meeting again, no telephone numbers exchanged, only the kiss that sealed their night of passion forever.

That was a year ago and he could still remember it as if it were yesterday and had relived the night over and over since then. Now he sat in his seat on the train and watched the night storm stir in a frenzy. Earlier she had walked passed him and didn't even say hello or acknowledge him. She had such a faraway look on her face that he didn't think she had even seen him. He didn't know. He could make a thousand excuses why she didn't say hello, but it didn't matter. He looked at his watch. He had another hour on the train before he reached Connecticut and home. He didn't mind. He wasn't in a hurry. There was no one there waiting for him anyway. He took a deep breath as if to exhale the memory of her, but it didn't help. He slumped in his seat and closed his eyes.

The train came to a stop and several passengers rose and left. The train moved again and Jack felt someone sit next to him. He didn't open his eyes. It was a common occurrence, strangers sitting next to each other until their stop then leaving without saying a word. Then he smelled the perfume. It couldn't be her he thought. Life would not play such a cruel joke on him. He opened his eyes and there was Bella, her auburn hair about her shoulders, her green eyes sparkling, wrapped in a mink coat and smiling at him.

"What...How...What are you doing here?" he asked his voice trembling.

"I saw you in the city and ..." she smiled showing him her left hand minus a wedding ring.

Jack swallowed hard, "You're free?"

"Free as the breeze. It seems the now ex-husband had a mistress all along," she winked. "The rest is history."

He shook his head.

"You...you are free too, right?" she asked almost afraid.

"I couldn't be with anyone else after that night in New Orleans. I thought I'd never see you again.

She leaned forward and kissed him with the lips he remembered so well.

"I think you owe me a nightcap," she cooed.

"I owe you more than that," he said as he grabbed her and kissed her again.

THE END.