KISS NUMBER ONE

 

The first nervous kiss,

When tentative

And hesitant lips

Lacking confidence

Lacking conviction

Miss their mark

And teeth collide

DREAM LAKE

 

The dark lake at midnight reflected back

Her own image, she knew this to be her

Bu why was she at the lake at midnight

Why did she not know how she got there?

And why was she naked one the lake shore

A cool breeze blew off the quiet water

It played gently with her auburn curls

Caressing her velvet skin, arousing her

She felt her nipples erect then shivered

But not from the cold, she felt a passion

Welling up within her, a heat she had

Not felt before and may never feel again

Was everything as it appeared to seem

Or was it in fact just a vivid dream

Uncanny Love Tales – (035) The Pros and Cons of a Younger Man

 

Yvonne Maher was over fifty, only just over, but none the less she was the wrong side of that particular milestone, and she had a younger lover, 20 years younger to be precise, and she supposed that made her a cougar.

Yvonne had just come through a divorce when they met, not that she was heartbroken or needed picking up from it.

She didn’t actually mind being divorced, she hardly ever saw her husband, Graham, when they were together anyway, he was always either on the Golf course on in the 19^th.

When she met her young lover, Philip, it opened her eyes and showed her that she was still an attractive woman, still a sexy woman, Graham didn’t appreciate that, not ever.

She was very flattered to still attract male attention at her age she had had so little attention paid to her by her ex-husband.

Philip was very attentive, very considerate, and extremely vigorous, a session with him was like Zumba and Pilates combined and after a weekend with him she was quite literally shagged out.

She didn’t like to seem ungrateful, because many women would have been quite envious, if she’d ever told anyone, they would not have been sympathetic if she did.

After all, there was a lot to be said for being orgasmed to the point of unconsciousness, but sometimes she just wanted a cuddle and an early night, if she wasn’t careful his vital and sustained attention would shag her into an early grave.

Plus, she was no teenager anymore and getting ready for a date that would end with her being well and truly ravished took a lot longer than it used to do.

As a teenage girl a squirt of perfume and some lippy and she was good to go, now she needed 24 hours’ notice and five hours to prepare.

Yvonne wondered if it was worth it, well obviously when he was attending to her it was marvellous and then it was worth it and sex with Philip was really marvellous, but it was also very exhausting.

She really just wanted someone of her own age who would appreciate her for what she was when she wasn’t glammed up, someone she could be herself with.

Not that useless article of an ex-husband though, but someone kind and considerate.

Of course, she didn’t really have to see Philip again she could always just stay home and have a relaxing bath and avail herself of a digit otherwise his stamina could be the death of her.

DO YOU REMEMBER DANCING ALONG TO HARRY?

 

Do you remember?

When first we met

When we were set up

By our so-called friends

Tony and Gwen,

Who quickly abandoned us?

A quick introduction      

Then they were gone

Leaving us with each other

How awkward was that?

Being left with a complete stranger

You would never have chosen me

In a million years

And you were not my perfect choice

I had someone different in mind altogether

But there we were

Having to make small talk

With an unsuitable partner

Making do for the moment

While planning an escape

Then the music started

And I asked you to dance

You reluctantly agreed

I wasn’t bothered either way

I thought just one dance

Then I could desert you

With a clear conscience

Then just as we walked, hesitantly,

Onto the dance floor

The up-tempo number ended abruptly 

And for a moment there was nothing

Just the two of us feeling foolish

And wondering just how

We could leave the dance floor with our dignity

Then the music began again

And Harry Nilsson started to sing

We looked at each other briefly

And resigned ourselves to our fate

There was an awkward coming together

I gingerly put my arms around you

And we shuffled along to the music

Hoping that time would speed up

And the experience be over quickly

But as we danced along to Harry

The gap between us slowly decreased

Inch by inch until we were as one

And at that moment I felt at home

All thought of escape melted away

I never wanted to leave again

And now I wanted time to stand still

So, the dance would never end

We hardly left the dance floor all evening

And when we did it was brief

So eager were we to return to our embrace

“Without you” was the song

That we first danced to

And I have not been without you since

WHEN DID ACQUAINTANCE

 

When did acquaintance?

Turn into friendship?

When did friendship become affection?

When did affection change to love?

There were no obvious signs

That I can recall

No waves crashing on the rocks

No rockets in the sky

No bells and whistles

No brass band playing

No symbols crashing

But it has happened anyway

Was it when I saw you enter the room?

Or when I first heard you speak

Was it when I heard you laugh?

Or when you first spoke to me

Was it when I saw you smile?

Or when I made you blush

Was it when we danced?

Or when we first held hands

Was it when I stared deeply into your eyes?

And saw into your soul

Perhaps it was while we kissed

Or when we made love

There was no obvious cause

It was not any one of the above

Yet it was all of them and more

A STRANGER THAT I KNOW

 

I approached a stranger, a woman

Though not a stranger, somehow familiar

In some way, In her pale eyes I saw what?

Recognition? There was something but what

We held each other’s gaze and then she stood

We faced each other in silence, watching

She offered her hand to me smiling

I took it and smiled back, in silence

Her hand soft and gentle lay on my own

Then her fine delicate fingers fitted

Between mine like pieces of a puzzle

Placed to fit perfectly, completing

A picture of lost moments found once more

She spoke and opened an eternal door

Snippets of Downshire Life – Elementary My Dear Leo

 

The Pepperstock Hills National Park stretched from the bare, and often barren crags of Oxley Ridge in the North, to the dense wooded southern slopes on the fringe of the Finchbottom Vale and from Quarry Hill, and the Pits in the West to Pepperstock Bay in the East.

It is an area of stark contrasts and attracted a variety of visitors.

The Quarry Hill side of the park to the west, as the name suggests, was heavily Quarried over several hundred years, though more extensively during the industrial revolution, the Quarries had been un-worked for over fifty years and nature had reclaimed them and the former pits had become lakes and were very popular with anglers and the sparse shrubbery and woodland made it a popular spot with courting couples whereas the northern crags and fells were popular with climbers and the more hardy folk.

To the south and east was an extensive tract of magnificent mixed forestry and was rivalled only by the ancient woodland of the Dancingdean Forest, which was where Jacqui Fowle lived in the village of Springwater.

She was a trained Paramedic and worked at the Springwater Mountain Rescue Centre which was located on the outskirts of Springwater and was they last bit of civilization before you entered the Pepperstock Hills National Park.

It was a moderately sized complex, which housed a café, and a shop where you could buy everything from tents, sleeping bags, clothing, and footwear, to Sandwiches and Kendal mint cake.

In addition, there was the Springwater Mountain Rescue HQ, where the team met or assembled and where they stored all their equipment, and of course a manned first aid station where Jacqui worked.

 

Jacqui was an attractive woman, but with her blond hair scraped back into a ponytail she always looked severe.

She was a divorcee and in her mid-thirties and had long since decided that she would put all of herself into her work and draw a line under any hope of a romantic future.     

That was until the Leo Humphrey entered the Aid Station and re-entered her life.

It was mid-afternoon on a wet miserable day when she got a call on the radio to say that mountain rescue were bringing in a casualty, injuries were not life threatening but an ambulance would be required.

“All received thank you” she responded

It was a busy day for Jacqui and fellow paramedic Katie Ralph, nothing major but a steady flow of cuts and bruises, sprained and strains, and a lot of blisters.

But getting a stretcher case in, re-energized them, even though they didn’t have any further details.

Jacqui called for an ambulance and passed on the information they had received and would update when they had more to impart.

 

When the casualty arrived with the mountain rescue team Jacqui and Katie went on to autopilot and quickly assessed him, it wasn’t until Jac was checking a cut on his forehead that she realised it was Leo, her old flame.

All of a sudden, he opened his eyes and looked straight at her and said

“Jacqui Fowle!” then he smiled and added

“I really love you” and then he closed his eyes again.

“I really loved you too” she thought to herself

 

While they were waiting for the ambulance Jacqui questioned mountain rescue to find out what had happened because he wasn’t dressed as a hill walker.

As far as they were aware he was driving a hire car when he was run off the road, down a ravine and into a stream, but they didn’t know who the hire company were.

And as he was found on the bank of the stream they recovered none of his personal effects and his pockets yielded nothing, but thanks to Jaqcui they did at least know his name. 

She was a little disappointed that his pockets were empty, if he had a wallet or driving license she might have gleaned some information about him, and his marital status.

Before she had a chance to muse on that too much, paramedics, Sam Liburd and Andy Mason arrived, so she returned immediately to paramedic mode and passed on all the relevant information and then they loaded Leo onto the ambulance.

“Where are you taking him?” Jacqui asked

“St Martha's in Finchbottom” Andy replied

“Ok I’m going to make some calls and try to find his family” she said

 

She watched the ambulance drive away and then she spent the next hour phoning car hire companies, in order to try and identify the origins of the car and by extension Leo’s home address, and she was eventually rewarded for her efforts when she spoke to a young woman named Janine from Clarion cars, she was further furnished with his home address, which she was delighted to discover was in Springwater. 

 

The next morning, as it was her day off, she drove over to Finchbottom to visit Leo at St Martha’s, she had already phoned ahead and spoke to the ward sister and was told he was being discharged at midday, but when she reached the ward her courage deserted her, and she almost turned tail and ran.       

But she steeled herself, and took a deep breath, and approached Leo’s bed.

“Hello Leo” she said, and he opened his eyes

“It was you” he said

“I thought I had dreamed you again”

“Again?”

“Yes” he replied

“Is that why you moved back to Springwater?” she asked

“How did you know I moved back?”

“I got your address from Clarion Cars” she replied

“Oh, very Sherlock Holmes” he said

“Elementary” she retorted and laughed

“I called round to the house but there was no one home”

“I live alone” he replied, and her heart missed a beat

“Oh, I didn’t realise”

He didn’t elaborate further, and she couldn’t think of what to say to make him say more so she changed tack.

“When I phoned Clarion, they said they will get Richards Recovery to tow the car out of the stream and they will also arrange to deliver your personal possessions to your house”

“Ah that might be a problem”

“How so?”

“I’ve lost my keys, and I only had the one set” he said

“Oh, that’s ok, I anticipated that, and Daniel Lawrence will meet us at your house at 1.30”

“Us?”

“Yes, us, I’m going to drive you home” she said, and he nodded

“Thank you, but who is Daniel Lawrence?”

“Oh, didn’t I say? He and his brother, Scott, own and run Lawrence Locksmiths” she explained

“Really?” he said quite astonished “how did you manage that?”

“Daniel and Scott are both part of the Mountain Rescue and are obviously in awe of my prowess as a paramedic extraordinaire,”

“No seriously” Leo said, “how did you manage it?”

“Cheek” she retorted

 

When they reached Leo’s house it was 1.25 and there was no sign of a locksmith’s van, so Jacqui parked the car and turned off the engine.

“So, what brings you back to Springwater?” she asked

“It’s a long story” he replied just as a top of the line Range Rover pulled up and as the driver got out Leo could see it was a very well turned out man in his mid-forties.

“Who on earth is this?” he asked

“That is Daniel Lawrence” Jacqui answered

“He doesn’t look much like a locksmith,” Leo pointed out

“No but he does look like the Managing Director of Lawrence Security” she said

“Really?” Leo said impressed

“Yes, but he started as a locksmith and he likes to keep his hand in” Jacqui answered and got out of the car.

“Daniel!!” she said warmly

“My dear Jacqui” he responded and embraced her

“Thank you for doing this Danny” She said “This is Leo Humphrey”

“Ah” he said shaking her hand “So you are the lucky man, I saw the aftermath and you could easily have died”

“Yes, I was very fortunate,” he agreed and then they went up the path to the front door.

Leo was impressed with Mr Lawrence, he was a very likeable man, and very presentable, but impressed or not, he wasn’t sure he would gain access to the house with his good graces alone and his tool bag was conspicuous by its absence.

But once they reached the door he slipped his hand in to his pocket and pulled out a bunch of keys and after a momentary perusal of the lock he said

“Ahhh, we’re in luck” He announced “it’s one of ours”

And after a few seconds he selected a key and opened the lock

“Easy as that” he said

“Wow” Leo exclaimed, truly impressed

“Wow indeed” echoed Jac

“I can’t thank you enough” Leo said and shook his hand

“What do I owe you?”

“Nothing” he said “I did it as a favour for my favourite paramedic”

“Thanks Danny” she said and kissed his cheek

“My pleasure my dear” he said looking at his watch “Well I must be off”

Daniel Lawrence took his leave and walked back to his car and Leo whispered to Jacqui

“I think he fancies you”

“No more than my other male acquaintances” she responded grandly as he stepped into the house

“What would his wife think?” he asked

“He doesn’t have one” She replied, “He’s a widower”

“What would your partner say?”

“I don’t have one” she replied “I’m single”

“Oh”

“I’ll leave you to rest now” she said, deciding to leave him to digest the information and then took her leave of him, and digest it he did as he made himself a coffee and sat in his armchair but while he drank it the phone rang and when he answered it, it was Clarion Cars and they had phoned to report that Richards Recovery had already picked up the car and they also notified him that everything was being dealt with on the insurance and he had nothing to worry about and they hoped he wasn’t injured in the crash and that his personal possessions would be returned to him forthwith.

 

After the phone call ended he sat back in the armchair and within minutes the long blinks set in and he fell asleep until he was rudely awoken some time later by the persistent knocking on the front door and when he opened it he found a small man standing there holding a small cardboard box.

The little man worked for Richards, Leo invited him in, but he declined, so he just handed the box over and left and then he returned to his armchair and once again went to sleep.

 

It was 5.30pm when he woke up and cursed himself for sleeping the afternoon away, so he took himself upstairs and had a shower to wake himself up and he had just finished drying off when the doorbell rang.

Leo slipped his robe on and made his way down the stairs and the doorbell rang again

“Ok I’m coming” he called and got to the front door as quickly as possible, and on opening it he discovered Jacqui standing the other side.

 

Jacqui hadn’t spent the afternoon sleeping, she had spent every minute since she left him making the most of herself, hair, nails, eyebrows, outfit, shoes and makeup.  

So, the version of her standing on the doorstep was stunning.

“Wow” he exclaimed

“Well that’s precisely the reaction I was hoping for” she said and stepped inside and closed the door.