The Encounter
A sensual short by Lola K.
It was dark, rainy and hard to see much, but his glistening
skin shown through the darkness nonetheless. The burning of my eyes from the
acid rain became a distant memory the instant I looked upon him. He didn’t walk
like everyone else. There was a grace about him. A silent confidence. I was
never the sort to stop a man and ask him for his contact information, so when
he passed me by and didn’t say anything, I quietly cursed myself for following
my socially conditioned, gender role haughtiness.
There was no use living in regret. If he and I were meant to
be, something would have happened to bring us together. After shaking myself
out of my love-struck frozen stance, I continued on my way to the hotel I was
staying at. I was booked with meetings all weekend, so it wasn’t like I had
time for a social life anyway. Maybe it was a good thing that he didn’t notice
me because I probably would have made some excuse about not having time,
sabotaging the situation for being too good to be true. I mean, I was used to
being approached by guys… but not guys with that type of… radiance.
He had an energy as if he was the C.E.O. of a major company.
He carried himself with a sense of calm and ease, as if he had everything in
his life together. Even in the rain, he didn’t cower from it like everyone
else. It was as though he accepted it… handling it in the most effective way…
breezing through it as if he didn’t care that it was ruining his tailored
Armani suit. While I, on the contrary, cowered, trying to protect my $20 satin
top. Maybe he didn’t mind because unlike me, he could just go out and buy
another one.
Why was I still thinking about him? He was long gone. Out of
my life forever. But I’ve never had a stranger linger in my mind like this before.
There was a loud crack of thunder that startled me out of my daydream. The
instinctual scream I made would have been embarrassing if it hadn’t have been
for the lack of people around. It was late and raining, so most everyone was in
for the evening. I had run to the corner store to get some ice cream before
bed. I had wanted to get some from the hotel market, but they didn’t have the
particular brand that I cared for and I was very particular about my ice cream.
When I had first started out, the rain was just drizzling, but as it sometimes
is with rainstorms, it just started to pour out of nowhere. I hadn’t thought
that I would need an umbrella; after all, I was just running around the corner.
So, all I had to shield me from the unexpected downpour was my purse.
Another crash of thunder sounded and I knew that a power
outage was impending. I tried to get back to the hotel lobby as quickly as
possible. I eased into the automatic, revolving doors, pulled my purse down
from my head and sighed out in relief to finally be out of the rain. I stopped
at the guest services counter to have an extra key made, then headed to the
elevator. I was staying on the 35th floor, so I started preparing
for my tedious journey up the elevator- at least I didn’t have to walk. There
was no one in the elevator car with me, so at least I could relax on the way
up. I pressed the button labeled “35” and pulled my bag of ice cream close to
my chest. Just as the doors started to close, I heard a voice call out, “Hold
it!” I saw a masculine hand pierce through the slit of the elevator door at the
last minute. I hurried over to try and press the open button but it had already
started to open from the sensor.
I looked up to see who was going to be my temporary car mate
and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the gentleman from the street- rain spotted
Armani suit and all. He smiled the most perfect smile as he opened his mouth to
say, “Thanks,” for my efforts in trying to halt the closing door. I blushed,
holding my head down a bit, gripping my bag of ice cream tighter and whispered
out, “It was… It was nothing.” A crash of thunder clapped just before the door
closed and I shrieked in fright. He reached over and gently touched my arm as
if trying to protect me and said, “Don’t worry. It’s just a little rain.” His
touch was firm and comforting, and the anxiety I had about the thunder melted
away but simultaneously transformed into butterflies from his touch. “I’ve
always been afraid of thunder,” I explained awkwardly as the car started to
lift off. He smiled back at me and reached over in front of me to press the
button labeled “40.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, catching myself. “I wasn’t even
thinking. I should have offered.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he assured. “I know you’re a bit
shaken up.”
I heard the chime ring for a 5th time, as we
slowly headed up to the high double digit floors. The lights in the elevator
car started to flicker and I grew anxious. The last thing I wanted was to be
trapped inside one of these things. I assured myself that the hotel would have
the situation under control and there was no need to worry. Five more floors
passed and there was a jerking motion which jarred me. I closed my eyes, leaned
against the wall and quietly started to count down from 10. The gentleman
chuckled a bit and said, “My father used to do that.” I sighed a laugh of
embarrassment and replied, “Yeah… it helps.”
“What’s in the bag?” he asked kindly.
“Oh… just some… ice cream,” I answered looking away
nervously.
“You went outside to get ice cream in this weather? They
have a store down stairs, you know.”
“I know,” I said, crinkling my nose in embarrassment of my
particular nature. “I’m picky about my ice cream,” I explained.
He smiled in response. His smile was so sincere and
captivating that it almost melted all of my nerves away. He had the most
beautiful, deep and dark eyes, and his skin was smooth and flawless. I shook
myself out of my trance, becoming aware of the fact that I might have been
staring. I looked down at the floor and then briefly back up again and noticed
that he was taking quick glances at me as well. This made me feel somewhat
better about him having not noticed me initially in the street. I managed to
get through the next 10 floors without much concern, and only being 15 floors
away from my destination, I was sure everything was going to be fine. That was
until I heard the sound. It was a dropping sound, like something powering down
and then it happened… the elevator stopped moving.
I got a bit nervous but I figured I would just go over and
press the buttons again. I leaned forward and pressed “35” a few times, looking
up at the digital counter to see if anything was changing. I pressed almost
frantically but nothing happened. The gentleman said, “I’m sure it’ll be back
up in a moment.”
I smiled nervously as I pried my fingers away from the
button. I started to breathe deeply, focusing on keeping calm. I knew
everything would be back up and running shortly. I glanced over at him and he
was looking at his sleek watch and glancing up at the digital floor counter.
The lights flickered again and I started to feel that sinking feeling in the
pit of my stomach.
“What kind of ice cream did you get that they don’t have
down stairs?”
The question temporarily distracted me from my feelings and
I answered, “Uh… Blue Bunny. Hotels generally only sell brands like Häagen-Dazs,
Edy’s or Ben & Jerry's. They’re always too fancy, too sweet, or have too
many chunks. But Blue Bunny has a nice balance between quality, creamy ice
cream that isn’t too sweet, and chunks without being overwhelming. Plus, they
make pistachio ice cream...with almonds in it. And I love pistachio ice cream.”
He started to chuckle and I blushed. I looked down a bit and
said, “I’m sorry… I was rambling.”
“No. No. No. Don’t be sorry… It’s just… you really are particular about your ice cream.
I’ve just never met someone that cared that much about it before.”
We both laughed and then a moment later, the lights
flickered for a final time, finally going out.
I gasped and clenched on to the metal hand rail, like
someone hanging on for dear life. I heard him ask, “Are you ok?” I shook my
head “yes” but I’m pretty sure he couldn’t see it in the darkness. I heard a
cranking sound, as if we were teenagers in a third generation hoopty, and I
dropped to the ground. I just knew the elevator was going to go down. I sat on
the ground, arms clenched around my knees, praying for dear life. He came over
to me and put his hand on my arm and told me everything was going to be fine.
“No,” I rebutted. “It’s going to crash. It’s going to crash.”
“It’s not going to crash. I promise you.” He assured me.
“How do you know?” I asked hopefully, with tears forming in
my eyes.
“Because I won’t let it.”
I laughed at his absurd confidence. I knew he really didn’t
have the power to determine our fate but something in his level of confidence
made me feel like maybe he was right. Maybe he could keep us safe.
“Besides,” he continued, “We can’t die until we’ve had some
of your famous Blue Bunny ice cream.” I could feel him smiling at me in the
darkness. I dryly joked back, “Who said you were getting any?” He laughed a
hearty laugh and I chuckled nervously along with him. He took off his suit
jacket and wrapped it around my shivering body. “You must be chilly from still
having these damp clothes on… This should help.”
“Thank you,” I replied, trying to see him in the darkness. I
could feel the heat of his body around me, making me feel safe and protected.
He had the most wonderful energy and I just wanted to lean into his chest and
fall asleep. But instead, I started to hyperventilate. I don’t know… it came
out of nowhere. I thought I was starting to calm down but… I guess not. He
started to rub my back and encourage me to relax. But, when he noticed it
wasn’t working, he did the strangest and sweetest thing. He took a deep breath
and started to sing:
“When this old world
starts getting me down
And people are just
too much for me to face…”
I couldn’t believe it. He was actually singing to me. He
wasn’t Luther Vandross or anything, but he had a masculine and sweet voice, and
he could keep a pitch. He continued on,
“I climb way up to the
top of the stairs
And all my cares just
drift right into space…”
He rubbed my arms, leaned into my ear and continued on,
“On the roof, it's
peaceful as can be
And there the world
below can't bother me
Let me tell you now
When I come home
feelin' tired and beat
I go up where the air
is fresh and sweet…”
Then he nudged me. I looked at the dark shadow of his face
with shock and he said, “Come on… your turn. Don’t leave me hanging.”
I blushed and sang in a mousey, cracking voice,
“Up on the
rooooooof….”
He chuckled and continued,
“I get away from the
hustling crowd
And all that rat-race
noise down in the street…”
“Up on the
roooooooof,” I sang.
Then we both sang,
“On the roof, the only
place I know
Where you just have to
wish to make it so
Let's go up on the
roof.
Up on the
roooooooooof.”
We both broke out in laughter as we hit the final note. He
continued to hold me close to him, even though I had calmed down. And even
though I felt a bit nervous about him being so intimate with me, I didn’t stop
him. We sat in silence for a moment until I broke it saying, “My dad used to
sing to me when I was scared.”
“Yeah?” he asked.
“Yeah… it was nice.”
We were quiet for a moment, then he hesitantly asked, “Do
you mind if I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure,” I answered, trying not to get too used to his arms
being around me.
“Why are you so afraid of storms?”
I held my head down for a moment and after mulling over
whether or not I was going to answer that question, I decided that the least I
could do to show my appreciation for this stranger helping me get through this,
was to answer a sincere question, honestly.
“I was like… 8 or 9. I went out for a drive with my dad. He
didn’t want me to go but I would give him these Shirley Temple eyes and he
would always give in. It was late, so I already had my jammies on but… he
didn’t mind. He put me in the back seat on the right, this way he could look
back casually and talk to me during our trip. We weren’t going that far away.
Just to the local grocery store. It wasn’t winter… but it wasn’t spring either.
It was like that strange period in between when it’s stormy, cold, and there’s
a lot of sleet and hail. We had managed to get to the grocery store jut fine,
but by the time we started to head back home, it had gotten really bad. It was
almost impossible to see.”
I took a deep breath and continued on, “The thunder was
really loud and it had me shaken up. My dad… he was always singing. He started
to sing to comfort me from the storm. Then… the singing just stopped. He looked
away and the singing just stopped. Then there was a crash.”
I paused for a moment to gather my composure and went on, “I
don’t think it was his fault. He just came out of nowhere. I don’t think he
could see any more than my dad or I could. He just… he couldn’t stop… I was
knocked unconscious. When I woke up, I called out to my dad but he didn’t
answer. I got out of my seat belt and went to shake him, but nothing happened.
He wouldn’t wake up. Then there were sirens. I don’t know… I’ve just… I’ve
never liked storms…”
He held me tighter and leaned into the side of my face. Then
he said, “Well I promise you… there won’t be any crashes tonight.”
There was something powerful that radiated out of his body.
I felt the most wonderful feeling coursing through me as he held me in his
grasp. His face nuzzling against mine felt electric. I turned to look at his
dark shadow, hoping that I could see into his eyes, and I could, somehow, even
in the darkness. I could see into the depths of his being. His lips were so
close to mine, and the tension in me kept rising and I just kept hoping that he
would take me right then and there. I looked forward, away from his stare and
when I did, he kissed me gently on my cheek to comfort me… I sighed into it. I inched
more and more, turning toward him, and each time, he kissed me on my cheek
again, getting closer and closer to my trembling lips. I felt his soft lips
graze against the corners of my mouth and I thought I would surely lose my
breath.
He didn’t kiss my lips at first… he just rested them against
mine, as if he wanted to be certain that I was comfortable. I didn’t push or
lean in, but I know the change in my breath was affirmation enough for him
because before I knew it, he was pulling me close to his chest and kissing me
deeply. The power of his kiss was so intense, that I couldn’t even kiss him
back; I just took all of him as he massaged my tongue with his. We grew hotter
and more passionate in our embrace, until he suddenly stopped. I knew it was
because he didn’t want to cross the line. But I wanted him to. I wanted him to
take me. To have all of me… right then and there. I reached for him in the
darkness, touching his face gently with the tips of my fingers. I eased up onto
my knees, leaned into the shadow of his face and gently kissed him on his lips.
I was nervous, but I knew if I didn’t act, this moment would
pass me by and I would surely regret it. I kissed him again, softly, and slowly
started to part my lips, making him aware of my desire. He grabbed the back of
my hair, pulling it firmly. I breathed heavily, my chest moving up and down up
against his. He kissed me down my neck, moving toward my bosom. He grabbed my
skirt firmly, hiking it up and then straddled me around him. When I was comfortably
seated on him, he started to slowly unbutton my water stained satin shirt. He
was so delicate as he undressed me in the darkness of the elevator...
i love this story. it's on point!!!
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