The window came down and she heard a voice say, “Mariah, are you okay? You need a ride somewhere?” Surprised, she arose from the bench, walked cautiously to the car, bent down a little to see this dark figure. The inside light came on and a huge smile developed on her face. “I’m so glad to see you.” Visibly concerned about her well being, Eric opens the door from the inside to allow her entry.

“What are you doing out here Mariah?”

“Just needed to go for a walk. That party wasn’t where I wanted to be.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be walking around here by yourself in the night.”

“What are you doing out here? You left the party a while back.”

“Just driving. I don’t live too far from here anyway. Often times I like to go for a ride. You’re on my side of town.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you lived out here. It’s a beautiful area.”

Eric reached into his back seat to grab his thin jacket for Mariah to wrap around herself.

“Thank you Eric. You are a good person.”

“Thank you for the compliment. So, what are you doing out here?”

“I thought I told you.”

“You said something, but it wasn’t an actual answer.”

“Just needed to walk. You ever feel like that sometimes.”

“Actually I do. But what’s more important is where do you want me to take you?”

“Well, you say you are just driving so drive.”

Eric was a little surprised by her reaction to him. Not to argue with her, he decided to drive around with the moon roof open, enjoying the soft, fresh air blowing while they talked about freedom, living off the wall, things to do to relax, and many other sorted topics. As they drive through one of the neighborhoods near Eric’s home, the old Sterling Park sits to the right.

“Eric, what is that over there?”

“It’s the historical Sterling Park built by the community to celebrate the life of a successful businessman and community activist in the area. She helped develop this area and to this day, her foundation gives grants to different organizations.”

“Wow……You mind if we stop there? Is it okay if we stop there? I mean it is getting a little later in the night.”

“No, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Eric turns around and pulls along the curve to park on the street. The trees stand tall, shadowing his car from the moonlight. Eric exits the car and opens the door for Mariah. Taking her hand, he feels the softness of her hands, as well as Mariah feeling the heat emanating from his hands. The door shuts softly behind her, and the walk across the damp grass to the sidewalk to enter the park. It feels as if they have been doing this their whole lives. Walking and talking, the smell of the rain blending with the tree bark and grass fills the air. Mariah and Eric talk and walk, not realizing that the time is passing. The night sky acts as a blanket to keep their moment private. Suddenly, Mariah stops walking and stares blankly at Eric.

“What didn’t you tell me Eric?”

“Tell you what?”

“Don’t do that right now. Just speak frankly with me.”

“You want frank huh…Mariah, it wasn’t clear to me at first and it was more about rejection than anything. I’ve never felt like this before, so how could I approach you. Besides, I respect your relationship.”

“Don’t you dare use that as an excuse. You could have told me! Do you know how unhappy my life is? All I have is work.”

“You never told me Mariah. I can’t read your mind.”

“You never told me! You really opened my eyes tonight and it’s like my eyes have been closed. Now I see you in a way I’ve never seen before.”

“Mariah, don’t just say these things to make me feel better. I know I was out of line, but you don’t have to do this.”

“Do what? This is not for you, this is for me.

Eric stands before her, unsure of exactly what she means. She approaches him slowly and kisses him softly on the lips.

“Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to do that?” Smiling, Mariah responds, “No, but you have all the time in the world to tell me. As she wraps her arms around him, the jacket he gave her falls to the damp walkway, and they kiss deeply, feeling the contours of one another’s bodies. Mariah realized that night that she was keeping her heart closed. The only difference between her and Eric was that he realized it before her.

Taking both of her hands, Eric guided her to the old tree stump with initials carved in it from lovers before, in order to sit. Moving closer, he placed her hands on the back of his thighs, with both of his hands on her precious face and kisses her softly on the lips. As soon as his lips touched her, the wind blew softly across their faces. Their eyes unite in the darkness and the kiss continues in a soft pattern. Mariah firmly holds his thighs as Eric continues to embrace her beautiful face and lips. They are at one with the nature, consumed with one another. Leaning forward, she places her head on his abdomen, as he deeply massaged her back. Palms open and fingers spread, Eric studied every inch of her back, sure to miss nothing. She moves back and looks in to his soul with those deep brown eyes, inciting Eric to become one with her in any way possible. Suddenly, the tension that has been between them releases and their lips meet again with a fury. Her hands clasp to his back and moves down slowly. As their tongues collide and make love to one another, the strawberry scent incites him to become increasingly excited. The unbridled passion that Eric has tried to contain releases and takes a hold of them. Mariah follows his lead and falls in as if she was falling into a bed of feathers. They please one another orally as the kiss speaks volumes to their spirits.

The End…….Catch the rest in Clarity of Absence. Due in stores soon.

Rate This Post:

Did you like this article? Submit it to your favorite social bookmarking sites:

About The Expert

On our About the Expert page, you can learn more about the author, including contact information and other posts they've written. About Rajah Smart, M.A. ED.