Something More

Chapter Three

I was out for a walk in the park in the evening a week later. It had been a tough week and I had decided to excuse myself from the party scene.

I had gotten my clothes from Amelia, had hung out with the kids, finished all work and by the end of the week, I was free to an entire weekend by myself. I had even called my mother. She was travelling with her latest husband, number four. He was a nice guy, a retired judge who was not solving her cases, as per her words. She was happy. At the age of forty nine, she looked like a preserved thirty four year old ex-model. She was beautiful and many people had said to me, friends and family that I was an exact replica of my mother. I had blue eyes, piercing gaze as many commented, a Colgate smile because of my straight teeth which were natural thanks to my parents. I had the same long dark hair as my mother that fell into soft curls over my back. My dad used to say I had the same power walk and confidence that exuded from my mother.

According to me, my mother was an entirely different person. She radiated warmth and love and care. She was old but her soul, well it was young, and confident.

She always went after what she wanted, listening to her heart and soul, following herself and her needs. Even when it was time to marry my dad, she didn’t listen to anyone. She followed her heart and found her way. Their marriage lasted over twenty five years, almost three decades. That was until my father passed away in a plane crash. She was a successful lawyer and he was the partner at the firm where she worked. They had met in law school and had fallen in love which led to them achieving their goals together. Their friends used to say they were doubtful of what would happen, if they would even last since they were both very young and naïve. But somehow they made it work and my mother was the happiest woman in the world. I’d come home from school and they would be there, waiting for me, holding me for the longest time. Their jobs were hectic, stressful but they never made me feel the pull they had to fight between work and family. They could juggle everything, no matter how hard and tiring it was.

I saw them love each other and cherish each other, fight for each other when their jobs became straining and most of all, I saw them support each other. They would always find time for me and for a long time I thought that perhaps they took cases which never conflicted with my school or high school schedule. Under their guidance I became what I wanted, did things that I wanted, travelled, made friends, fell in love and got my heart broken and they were always there. Living without dad, that was hard but mum was there to mend the wounds.

She would talk about him, even now. She meets his old friends, colleagues, goes to lunch with them, attends parties, and keeps his legacy alive. That is what makes me think that my mother was happy with him otherwise why would anyone waste their time talking about someone they lived for some many years?

I walked through the park, inhaling the scents of different flowers, watching kids scurry past me, zooming out of my vision, only their clinking laughter buzzing in the air around me. I liked going out for walks, unwinding after a long week of hard work. I worked better than the others, I was conscious of the decisions I took, knowing completely well that they would come back and bite me if anything went wrong.

Every piece of paper was signed, every patient looked after. As an administrator of a private hospital it was my duty to see that everything ran smoothly. I didn’t like any problems that could complicate things, or burden the doctors who were working night and day, creating solutions, fixing problems.

Lately we had started a new research area, digging to the cure for AIDS. We were going through every loop hole, covering everything, all the basics, making sure we left no stone unturned, no box unchecked. We would be starting our experimenting soon and for that we needed volunteers. There were a hell of a lot of people who were ready to sacrifice their time and lives for this, ready to give their lives for a cure. I had come across a guy who had said that even if he didn’t remain alive, even if he couldn’t fight it, he would be just glad that he was part of a research for a cure that was killing millions.

Feeling my muscles relax, I picked up my pace and started running, feeling the air in my lungs come out slowly, the air brushing past me, the other joggers sweating as they carried on with their jog. I raised the music on my iPod and picked up pace. I was running now, leaving all the other walkers behind. All my thoughts were a blur as I caught on more speed, feeling the air fill my lungs. I only stopped when I caught sight of someone familiar and then not so familiar. Stopping suddenly I almost collided with him, almost lost my balance and he almost caught me. Our eyes met, both breathing fast, both barely able to speak, apologize, and shake hands. My side was cramping now, making me gasp in agony. I was fit but perhaps running so fast wasn’t good for health.

……………………….

“You’ve got quite the stamina,” the mysterious stranger commented as we both walked to the nearest bench. I had controlled my absurd breathing and I was fine now, although I could feel my thigh twanging.

I recognized the guy from the one night stand I had. He looked much better than he did in the pictures I had taken. He had a sexy face cut, killer jaw line, big eyes that appeared as if they were laughing, as if they knew a secret no one else knew. They were beautiful and black, glistening, gleaming devilishly. He had dark brown hair that was trimmed on the sides and back, heavy in the front. Artistic long fingers, muscular arms, and a trimmed waist, this guy kept himself fine. I could make out the shape of his abs through the shirt he was wearing, which by the way was hugging his body as if a possessive girlfriend.

A lot of ideas came in my mind as I saw the shirt squeeze into the mid of his back. I could trace it with my eyes, taste it on the tip of my tongue. The air around his was heavy, manly. He smelled of earth and sweat and a familiar scent that I recognized from the night we had met.

We had actually met in a bar which was next to a club. After getting drunk, almost, we went to the club and partied, dancing for over an hour before we decided to sit. We didn’t talk, who would have talked if the guy they were sitting next to had pink lush lips, and vampire shaped teeth and a hard jaw line. He was splendid, shaped like an army guy but by the looks of it, he didn’t appear as such. I reckoned he was a businessman of some sort and was in the city for a meeting or something. At least that is what I remembered from the last time.

“Funny running into you here,” I said as I sat down. I wasn’t expecting to run into him. Frankly I hadn’t even given him a second thought and meeting him here was well quite a surprise.

“Well I do like to go out for a walk every once in a while,” he said as he sat down next to me. To my surprise he took off his shirt and hung it behind him, on the bench. I could see every inch of his upper body and it appeared as though it had been carved, by Vinci himself.

I raised an eyebrow and he just shrugged, his lips pulling back and exposing his sharp teeth. That sent an erotic chill down my spine and I started to get moist between my legs. What had this guy done to me? He was looking at me with a familiarity which was unnerving. I didn’t exactly remember what had happened, just glimpses.

“How have you been?” he asked jumping right into it.

“I have been fantastic,” I replied to a sexy stranger sitting next to me.

“Yes you are,” he said softly.

Shocked I looked at him and he smiled back, a slow easy smile that said he knew where my secrets lied.

“I don’t know you,” I said inching away from him.

“I know you,” he said looking at me, his head lying on the bench.

I could shape out his neck, long and thick, his wet hair, and the sweat dripping down his forehead. His chest was tough, hard, his abs as well.

“Keep dreaming,” I said as I tried to get up.

“Where are you going?” he asked as he grabbed hold of my wrist. I tried to pull it back but he wouldn’t let go.

“I have to get home, it’s getting late,” I said as if it should have been quite obvious.

“You have someone to go home to?” he asked quietly. His face had dropped a little, his jaws were clenching, as if trying to control his nerves.

“Maybe,” I said.

“Will you stay a few minutes?” he asked politely and I sat back down.

“You’re married?” he asked his voice sharp.

“No I am not,” I said enjoying that I was making a complete stranger feel jealous.

“Boyfriend?” he asked coldly.

“Nope,” I replied. One word answers were infuriating and I guess he was onto me when I answered like that.

“So you are a liar,” he said making me face him.

“You speculated all these things on your own, I didn’t have anything to do with them,” I said sweetly, smiling at him.

“I guess I don’t know you then,” he said shrugging.

“Of course you don’t,” I said happily.

“Well maybe a little,” he said pulling me back into the twisted game he was playing.

“Really? How do you know me?” I asked deciding to play his game.

“I know what makes you happy…” he said c*****g his head to a side.

Laughing I looked away from him and then looked back. There was a depth in his gaze, the way he looked at me, the way he kept looking at me. I felt as if I was exposed to him, as if he knew which puzzle went where. I knew he had heard me scream and moan he had heard me beg for him. I remembered that much.