Bumps

Looking back now, he was so nervous....

 We both were, I suppose.  The feelings of attraction were so very strong.  "Defying all odds", I think were the words I used on him.  Knowing myself as well as I do, I previously told him I'm not one to stay reminiscent or to fantasize about all the wonders and pleasures that tomorrow can bring.  I have enough to keep my hands full with what today has already delivered.

 We'd spent so much time together drinking coffee and visiting, talking on the phone, and yes, even the occassional 'guaranteed-to-make-your-eyes-water' chick-flick at the local movie theater.  I felt as though I knew this man inside out and backwards.  That's what was so out of place about the whole thing.  I knew him so well, and yet, each time we parted, I found myself wondering if he could satisfy my body the way he satisfied my soul.  I would start a phrase and without skipping a beat, he would finish it.  The fact that he, too, was a writer helped immensely as far as the relationship development went.

 I remember the exact moment.

 It was at dinner.  He called me earlier and asked if I owned a dress.  "Uh..yeah..." with my tone saying something more like "Uh...DUH!".  Thinking about it now, I probably shouldn't have been so hard on him. Up until that point he'd only ever seen me in my jeans and tennie runners. 

 "Put it on.  I'll be there to pick you up in just over an hour."

 With my curiosity piqued to it's height, I did as I was told.  I jumped in and out of the shower, put my face on, and went to my closet to find the rarity they call a dress.  Things between us had always been so easy and comfortable, the oddity of his request didn't linger in my mind for long.  I found myself wondering with glee what the evening had in store.

 As promised, and as is his usual, he was promptly ringing the door-bell at 7:00 sharp.  As I opened the door, finding my own nervousness completely out of character, the sight before me on the other side directly took my breath away.  He was standing there with the most charming smile I think I had ever seen.  Why had I never noticed those dimples before?  Oh dear God!  So that's what the term 'my knees buckled' felt like.  His navy blue suit was perfectly pressed the light baby-blue shirt perfectly complimented the modern multi-blue colored tie.  His eyes were electric blue, and were in direct contrast to his perfectly groomed dark curly hair.

 "Wow!" escaped my lips.

 "My sentiments exactly" was what he said.  We both smiled.  Nervously.

 In the three years that we had known each other, never had a moment like this ever taken place between us.  We were pals.  We did everything together from mowing the lawn, to sweating out the long hike up Pike's Peak.  He took care of me during my recovery from my apendectomy.  I thought we'd seen it all in each other.  I guess I was wrong.

 The ride to the restaurant was a long one.  For the first time since we'd met, I didn't know what to say!  I wanted to hold his hand, feel the touch of his fingers on my face.  HAD I LOST MY MIND?!  I didn't know what was going on, but I figured I'd better just sit back and figure out a way to get these new-found emotions in check.  I wondered what he was thinking and if any of this 'wierd stuff'  was going through his mind as well.

 The restaurant was lovely.  Sit down Vietnamese.  Our favorite.  The tables were spread out so that none of those sitting at the tables could hear the conversations going on with the other guests.  The candles were many, and strewn just enough light to make the atmosphere of the place warm and romantic. 

 Dinner was superb.  The conversation on the other hand was sparse, and the fact that I could hardly breathe when I looked at him was really getting on my nerves.  All I could do was stare.  I felt like such a dweeb!

 We ate, and as we were waiting for the car to come back from the Valet, it happened.  He said my name and as I turned to him...time stopped.  His hand was on my face, and my lips were set on fire by the most amazing kiss I'd ever known.

 "I've waited three years for this moment, Pen.  I'm sorry it took so long."  I opened my eyes and was met with the most tender look I'd ever seen in anyone's eyes.  I could see the passion burning deep in those azure blues.

 "Me, too" I whispered.  Every inch of my body aching, longing for more.

 We drove back to my place in silence, only this time I did hold his hand.  I played with his fingers, wanting to memorize ever crease, every bump, every perfect flaw.  I finally looked up at him and I thought if I died right this moment, it would be a happy departure.

 We walked into the house and a passion I'd never known took over.  He kissed me.  Long, soft, deep, and breath-takingly slow.  Why did I not know this man was capable of such tenderness?  Why did I not know that this was the only man that could ever be capable of shattering my every thought?

 We made our way to my bedroom.  It seemed the clothes impeding our progress couldn't come off fast enough.  I went to unbutton his shirt and he grabbed my hand.  Hard!

 "What is it?"  I was breathless, and had never wanted anything more than I wanted him at that moment.

 "There's something you don't know."

 "Whatever it is, we can deal with it later.  I've never wanted anything or anyone the way I want you.  You've always trusted me.  Don't stop now."  "Please!"  More a whisper than a command.

 He let go of my hand, and I started, more slowly this time, unbuttoning it one button at a time.  With each one, leaving a kiss in the opening.  About halfway down, his shirt half unbuttoned, I went to kiss his chest, and suddenly it was bumpy.  Still smooth, but bumpy.  The scarring was so extensive.  I didn't skip a beat.  Not a word did I speak.  I laid him down on the bed and as I removed his clothing I kissed every inch of his body.  from the middle of his chest, to the middle of his legs, yes even his ... manhood .. his skin was scarred.  Fearcely.  Tears were in his eyes and he was holding his breath. 

 "Shhh...."  "Please.  Let me love you. Now..."  I whispered the words, but my mind was racing.  How? Why was he so afraid?  How could anyone not love this man as I did?  My kisses were tender.  Touching his cheek, I moved my face to his tears and loved them away.  On every inch of his body did I love those tears away.

 He made love to me the way every woman deserves to feel love.  Every inch of my body, every whisper of my soul was moved. 

 Through the night, until dawn.

 We fell asleep, and he woke up to the feel of my fingers tracing his scars.  All of them.  They were beautiful to me.  Every inch of hardened skin.  Every crevice and pocket and swirl.  All of him.  So much made sense now.  His quiet ways.  The words he never said...the quiet sadness in his eyes.  His words interrupted my thoughts.

 "I was afraid."  He spoke softly, but in his words was a forced determination.  "I've wanted to make love to you since the first moment I saw you.  I was afraid you would see me as a freak and that I'd never see you again.  So I convinced myself that we would never be anything more than friends.  Ever.  But when you opened the door last night and I saw you ... you were stunning...ARE stunning.  I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold my emotions off.  Thank you for not ..."

 I put my fingers up to his lips. "Shhhh...."

 " I love your scars...I love your..."  A sheepish grin, and a throaty moan.  My eyes said it all.  "YOU are beautiful to me. You've always been beautiful to me!  This?  This...this is YOU...and does not change you.  It is your mind...and your passion that move me.   And now, I have one more thing to love about you." 

 With loving humor in my voice... I moved my hand down to his growing hardness.  "You're not like other men...one dimensional.  You have DIMENSION...and....texture!  What's not to love about that?!  Let the other women have that smooth ... stupid guy that thinks he's all that!  Besides, women pay GOOD MONEY to have your  sort of texture on their toys.  I've got the real thing FOR FREE!"  I tenderly bit his lip.

 We both laughed, and his tears faded away to kisses....and the kisses made way to the most glorious round of mind-blowing...never before earth shattering love making I had ever known.  What he perceived as his flaw became my greatest weakness. 

 He asked me to marry him that morning.  That was then. Now? Fifty-two years later we are loving hard, and living strong. 

 

© 2007 Sm Davis

Author's Note

This is my first piece of fiction...I just read it again for the first time since I wrote it. It was written originally for the contest " The Beauty of our Flaws"...but it can stand alone I think. What do YOU think?

Reviews

[Rain]

Great first shot at fiction. You had me guessing where it was going. I would have liked to know more about the scar, but let the reader use his/her imagination. I envisioned a fire. It was a perfect write for a contest called "The Beauty of our Flaws." Rain..

[V. Lucien Maier]

good, you bring your message perfectly. First person though I would not have expected that from you.
I like the flow. although it may have dragged a bit around the dinner scene. Very good. I would love to hear in audio (what I had to!)

[Eagle Cruagh]

Awwww !
Usually my reviews get out of hand. I tend to
use all of the adjectives out of Webster`s , but here
I am left speechless. You have said it all.
Your story mounted to a crescendo , a gushing stream of
all known delights, crashing cymbals and collapse.
You leave your audience trembling, but wanting more.
Thanks for a very interesting story.
----- Eagle Cruagh

[R J Askew]

'Time stopped. Every perfect flaw. Don't stop now. Please. I remember the exact moment.' Just of a few of the key lines in this well executed and tender story of hope and dreams fulfilled. The anticipation is built up well as is the excitment when they get home. But the best part for me is the handling of the critical moment, 'Tears were in his eyes and he was holding his breath.' Yet the inner love is strong enough to carry the two lovers through this potential crisis point to a happy life together. The comment about women paying good money for such bumps shows how humour can help defuse difficulties, too. I wondered when i first read the story whether it needed to say how he got the scars, but on second reading am not sure it matters, the essence of the story being hope and humanity. Uplifting read.

[Lydia Shutter]

"What he perceived as his flaw became my greatest weakness." What a fantastic line!!!!

A story of great compassion....not to mention how sensual, provocative, and seductiveit is! True love does not shy away from physical flaws. True love...the sort that last as in your story for 52 years....is of the soul and heart. If this is your first shot at writing fiction, you simply MUST write more. This certainly could have been expanded to a couple chapters of a book. How exactly did they meet? Fifty two years ago, there were no computers! How was he scarred? I enjoyed this very much. Lydia