5 comments/ 7540 views/ 0 favorites Against the Wind Ch. 01 By: loganforester Note from Jake Rivers: This is my sixth semi-annual "invitational." The initial one was based on the Statler Brother's song, "This Bed of Rose's." The second used the Marty Robbins El Paso trilogy: "El Paso" "El Paso City " and "Faleena." The third had stories based on the various versions of "Maggie May" or "Maggie Mae." The fourth invitational was based on any Country & Western song and the fifth on songs by Merle Haggard. The current invitational is based on any song written or performed by Willie Nelson. Regards, Jake Author's Note: This is the first part of a three part series to be released in July using the lyrics from the song "Against the wind", originally performed by Willie Nelson as part of the Highwaymen. It was later covered by Bob Seger. * Sacred Heart Church stood as a bastion of strength in the middle of our small town. Its lofty heights provided protection against the wind and elements for all the crows that made their nests in it. To me, it acted as an eternal monument of what I once had and lost. It had been years since I'd last been inside, but that was about to change. Just the sight of it gave me goose bumps as I approached, dressed in my best black suit. Groups of people were gathered around the entrance and making their way inside for the funeral procession, but I hung back out of a sense of loss and dread. "Hugh, is that you?" I turned my head to see where the familiar female voice was coming from. A woman about my age walked toward me, her long blonde hair flowing over her black dress like a tidal wave of brightness. "Claire is that you? How long's it been?" Opening my arms, I awaited her friendly embrace. The touch of her body against mine sent a surge of heat through my veins. It had been so long since I'd had a woman in my arms, I hugged her a little longer than was appropriate. "Almost ten years I'd guess. You look good, given the circumstances." "Not half as good as you though. Look at you," I said, motioning towards her. The last ten years had been very good to her; she was even more radiant than I'd remembered. "Thanks. You're still as charming as ever. Why is it we never dated?" "I don't think Jane would have liked that," I responded with nervous laughter, trying to keep the mood light. "I didn't expect to see you here. How'd you even know she died?" "Jane's mom called me to let me know. Jane was like a sister to me. There will be more people show up than you expect. She was very well known around town." I was in the middle of pondering what she meant as the church bells sounded, summoning us inside for the service. The unexpected ringing startled me. "Oh, we better get going inside. It was good to see you again Hugh," Claire said, turning with a smile and walking into the church. The bell rang again, sending shivers down my spine. I couldn't resist looking up at it swinging away in the tower. It took just seconds to realize that was a mistake. Memories of past years flooded over me, drowning me with their sorrow. My feet carried me to the steps by the front door on instinct alone. Thoughts swirled in my head like a maelstrom, while I saw her ghost as I walked up those steps and into the church foyer. The wind whipped through my hair, moments before my mind slipped into memories from the distant past. **** It seemed like yesterday, but it was a long time ago. The first memory that came to mind was picture day my senior year in high school. All the students dressed up in their best clothes to get their final school pictures taken. I was standing in the boys' lineup with my best friend, Scott Shipp. Everyone called him Bobby because of his habit of quoting Robert De Niro all the time. I surveyed the room looking for other people I knew. It wasn't every day that the entire senior class congregated in the same place. My eyes happened upon this angelic figure wearing a full-length blue dress, which seemed a little formal even for picture day. There was something about the way she moved with such quiet self-assurance that I couldn't help but take in every inch of her body. Her dark brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, falling neatly to mid-back. She looked familiar, but I couldn't figure out who she was from behind. "Hey, Bobby, who's that cute brunette in the blue dress getting ready for her picture, I can't see her face from here? She seems familiar." "Are you talkin to me?" he replied in his best De Niro accent, smirking at me. "Knock it off wise ass, I'm serious. I don't recall seeing her before, but she looks amazing in that dress." "Isn't that Jane Keller? It must be, since that's definitely Claire standing beside her. I'd love to get her into the back of my car." "You're such an ass. No way that's Jane; she always has her hair in a ratty ponytail. Besides, I never noticed her looking like that before." I looked closer not believing what he was saying was possible. "Maybe you never really gave her an honest look before?" There was a presence to the way Jane stood there, all full of confidence and energy that was captivating, even without seeing her face. "She does look the part. I'd love to ask her to the dance next week, but I doubt she'd want to talk to me again." "Oh come on Hugh, that was three years ago. I'm sure she's past that by now." Jane and I were friends entering high school and spent a lot of time at her parent's farm. My own parents died when I was four and I lived as an only child with my grandma. We'd been close but she was a late bloomer who didn't even need a bra at fourteen, and so she was teased by the older kids. I'm ashamed to say that I distanced myself from her over the first year until we didn't see each other at all anymore. I never really told her why, but I'm sure she figured it out being the straight A student she was. "I hope so. I still feel bad about walking away from her back then." "Why do you want to take Jane anyway? You're a star athlete; you could get any girl you want. According to rumors I've heard, you've had almost all of them already." "That's bullshit and you know it. I've only been with two and I dated both a long time before we did it. Besides, Jane's always been different from other girls." "I'm just telling you what the rumors are. I hope she doesn't listen to them." "I think she's smarter than that. I'll know real quickly if she's still pissed. She does have a temper if I remember right." The entire time I was talking to Scott, I kept my eyes glued on Jane. She was so full of life, joking back and forth with Claire, unaware of just how hot she looked. Then she caught me looking from across the room. Our eyes met for a second and held a little longer than they should have. Her look changed from sparkling to almost sad, as if unearthing some painful memory. **** After the pictures were over, I couldn't stop seeing Jane in her blue dress in the back of my mind the rest of the day. I kept seeing images of touching her, the warmth kept hidden under that dress, her smooth silky skin and the feel of her body against me. I knew I had to talk to her. Her locker wasn't far from my own, so when I spotted her there at lunchtime, I decided to wander over. She'd since changed from the dress into her usual ensemble of jeans and a T-shirt with her long hair pulled back into a dangling ponytail. I caught her by surprise as she fished through her locker for books. "Hi Jane." She looked up from her locker, the recognition of my voice evident from the expression on her face. "What do you want, Hugh?" Her voice contained a strained edgy tone to it. "I um, noticed you at the pictures. You looked really pretty in the dress you were wearing." "You came over here to tell me that?" "Not just that. I was wondering if you had a date for the dance next Saturday night?" "You want to date me now? Isn't that funny. Weren't you the guy who couldn't handle it when we got here and I was being teased because my breasts hadn't developed yet?" "Oh shit. You remembered that. Jane, I'm sorry. I was a little kid back then. I'm not the same guy I was." "I guess I'm okay now that I have these," she said, pointing to her well-proportioned breasts. "Why do you even care what I think anyway? You could get any girl in the school, and from what I hear you have a lot of notches on your bedpost. Stick to the airheads, they seem to be your bread and butter." The look on her face was one of pain and disgust directed towards me. I tried to move in closer to talk to her so everyone around wouldn't hear us. "I deserve that I guess. I'm not sure who you've been talking to, but I haven't been with many girls at all. Besides, you're different from other girls I know." "Why, because I'm not falling all over myself to be your next semen receptacle?" "That's not why I asked you out and you know it. If I wanted an easy screw, I could have found one. "Oh, so you want a challenge? Is that it? Maybe you have a bet with that idiot Scott to see if you can get in my panties. Guess what, I'm not going to be just a notch on anybody's bedpost." "That's not it at all. Just give me a chance, Jane. Let me take you to the dance, you'll see I'm not like that." "Sorry, too late. I already have a date. With a guy who likes me for more than what's under my clothes. See you later Hugh." **** Distressed by my chat with Jane, I walked home alone at the end of the day, trying to wrap my mind around how I was going to get through to her. Our house was a modest bungalow on the outskirts of town a mile's walk from the school. The distance gave me time to clear my head a little before walking through the front door. "How was school today Hugh?" "It was all right Grandma, just another day. How are you feeling today? "Oh, I'm okay. My hips are a little sore but I can still get around. You don't look fine sweetie, are you sure nothing's bothering you?" "Well I saw this girl at picture day..." "Oh, it's girl trouble. I should have guessed. Nothing gets you young guys tied up in knots worse than dealing with us girls," she responded with a light airy laugh. "It's just that I don't know what to do. She's so stubborn and strong willed; I don't know how to deal with her." "Well, isn't that part of what you like about her?" "It is. Most girls you sweet-talk them, tell them what they want to hear and they end up throwing themselves at me. I mean, I'm a good looking guy, athletic and pretty smart. She even told me she knows I could have any other girl. Why do I want her so much?" Walking over to sit in the chair beside me with slow deliberate steps, Grandma replied, "You don't want someone you can control, you want an equal. It's her strength you're attracted to." "I suppose so. But what do I do? She doesn't want to have anything to do with me. I think I blew it." "Sometimes you have to fight for what you want Hugh. In life, you only get so many chances at love. Don't miss out because you're afraid." "Afraid of what?" "Getting hurt, putting yourself out there and giving someone the power to trample your heart if they choose." My heart was pounding in my chest at the thoughts of giving up control to someone like that. I'd never been hurt by a girl before, keeping my heart closely guarded. A large part of that came from losing my parents when I was so young. The wounds had never fully healed from growing up without them. It had never occurred to me before that I'd been shielding myself to keep from feeling like that about anyone again. "I think she's worth it." **** I spent the next week and a half working on a plan to find time with Jane at the party. Scott had an idea for an emergency call to get Vince, her date, out of the picture so I could swoop in. Thoughts of her in that dress and the way she put me in my place so easily came rushing back every night as I tried to sleep. The best-laid plans become a waste from the realities of life sometimes. Bales of hay, scarecrows, multi-colored leaves and pumpkins, the traditional trappings of fall, decorated the school gym. Scott and I arrived early before the majority of the students. As the night grew older, Jane and Vince arrived arm in arm, with Jane sporting a detached look on her face in addition to her ensemble of blue jeans and a red tank top. Her hair was in its customary ponytail. Vince went to get drinks, so I decided to prime the pump by having a chat with her. "Good to see you again Jane." "You're either brave or stupid coming to talk to me after our last meeting. So which is it?" she inquired, with a quizzical look flashing across her face, arms folded across her chest. Truth be told, she looked ever sexier when she was serious. "Actually, I'm both and obviously desperate," I retorted with a smirk. "You think you're all that, don't you? I bet those blonde cheerleader chicks just eat your crap up." "I'm not into that kinky stuff Jane. You're quite the pervert aren't you?" Caught off guard, Jane struggled to come up with one of her usual witty retorts. "That's not what I meant," she said, stammering. I played along, hoping that embarrassing her would break the ice a little and tilt me some advantage. "Sure it is. You think I'm a player who's done everything possible, so you can talk to me like that. I'm not that kind of guy, Jane." "You'd be more fun if you were," she replied, and then proceeded to hide her face, seemingly mortified that the comment had slipped out unintended. She managed to recover some composure and tried again. "What game are you trying to play with me?" "No game, just making small talk with a pretty girl at a dance." "Well, Vince will be back any second. So why don't you go back to where you came from. Then, if you want to continue this on Monday, you know where my locker is." Jane turned away from me, looking around to see if she could find her date. Despondent, I walked back over to Scott, retaining the little dignity I had left. My mind roiled like a cauldron overflowing with mismatched thoughts. If she'd not wanted to see me, she would have told me to get lost right away. There must have been some level of interest on her part, but her nature wouldn't allow her to express it. "How'd it go man?" "Not too good. I think she likes me, but she's fighting those feelings all the way." "That's a good sign though. Still want to go through with it?" "What do we have to lose at this point? Make the call." With that said, Scott disappeared for ten minutes while I stood and randomly chatted with some of my other baseball teammates. Every few minutes I glanced in her direction to see how things were going between them. Jane and Vince were dancing on the floor and there was a space between them at all times. They seemed more like the way friends would dance together, no intimacy or passion at all. While I was watching one of the teacher chaperones walked over to Vince and talked to him for a few minutes. After she left him, Vince went to get his coat and left as well. It was obvious that Jane understood what was happening but wasn't happy about it. "Okay Hugh, the coast is clear, time to make your move," he said, moving to stand beside me and sipping his drink. "Now or never, I guess. What's the worst that could happen right? She says no, I can handle that ... I think." I made the stroll across the dance floor again towards Jane when I noticed her best friend Claire dancing with her boyfriend. She gave me a stern stare as I passed her, pretending not to notice as I accosted her best friend again. "I see you're running solo now." "So you thought you'd swoop in to take advantage of the damsel in distress? Get real." "No, I was just tired of standing in that sausage fest over in the corner and the scenery is much better here," I retorted, giving her a little wink which she couldn't help but grin at. "I bet you say that to all the girls you're trying to sleep with." "Nah, that one's saved for trying to get blow jobs. I have better material if I want to get laid." Jane couldn't help herself but laugh, causing her to choke on her drink. I reached out and patted her back a couple times to help her out. "Thanks. So why are you interested in me?" "I'm like you, I want more. More than just a quick screw or roll in the hay, I want someone with staying power." "And you think I have that?" "There's only one way to find out." I grabbed her hand and pulled her out on to the dance floor and into a slow waltz. I can't begin to describe the feelings that pummeled my body from having her pressed against me. There was a surge of energy, and I battled to control my erection, knowing that she could feel it against her body. We danced the first song without even talking, just dancing hand in hand with my other across her lower back. The temptation to lower my hand and grab her tight little ass was so overwhelming I almost gave in to it, but I knew that would end our dance. I wouldn't give up that feeling of gliding across the floor with her for anything. Even her natural scent as she nestled against me was intoxicating. Years later, I can still remember every touch, movement and smell from that first dance. After the DJ changed songs, we moved apart and looked at each other, uncertain what to say or do. Her eyes allowed me to see the vulnerability that she kept secret from everyone she met. "Why'd you do it Hugh?" She was almost crying as she talked her voice barely audible. "Do what?" "Let those kids make fun of me and not try to help me. You just walked away from me. How am I supposed to trust you?" "Is that why you've been so hard on me? I'm sorry Jane, I knew better. We were new at the school and I wanted people to like me. I beat myself up over it every day for months, but I did it anyway." My hands pulled her closer, reveling in the heat created between us, her mouth so close and eager. I could tell she wanted me to kiss her, but I held back not wanting to take advantage of her in the moment. "You didn't know it but I had a huge crush on you back then. It was awful when you just stopped being my friend. What made you change your mind about me?" "I'd always seen you as that flat-chested tomboy little girl that I knew when we were friends before. When I saw you all grown up wearing that dress it hit me so hard I couldn't stop thinking about you. My heart's racing just being this close to you." "I can feel it; mine's doing the same." I heard a voice from somewhere in the crowd, but I tried to tune it out until it got close enough that I heard the words clear. "Are you dancing with my date?" It was Vince. Our diversion had only worked for a short time and he was back. From the sound of his voice, he wasn't very happy about us dancing either. "Hey buddy, get your hands off my date. You thought since I left you could just take over? Get lost." He grabbed Jane's arm and gave me a shove backward. I just maintained my balance to keep from falling over. Blood pounded in my ears as I struggled to keep my composure, not wanting Jane to see me lose my temper. "She's a big girl and she can dance with whoever she wants, asshole." I reached out and grabbed him by the collar, forcing him to let her go. He pushed me back until we ended up in a shoving match, with other kids coming over to see what was happening. "Knock it off, both of you," yelled Mr. Cooper, my biology teacher, as he came walking through the crowd. "If you two have a problem we can discuss it in the principal's office." We both walked away, in opposite directions. I saw Scott waiting for me at the edge of the crowd that had gathered. Looking around, I realized Jane was gone. "Scott, have you seen Jane?" Against the Wind Ch. 01 "Yeah man, she just walked out through the doors. She looked pissed." I took off out the doors at full speed hoping to catch up with her. About a block away from the school, I saw what looked like a girl walking home alone. Breaking into a run, within seconds I was next to her. "What happened in there?" "I was going to ask you the same thing Hugh. I've never seen you like that before. What came over you?" "I don't know. I just saw him grabbing on you and it made me crazy. I felt this overwhelming need to protect you." "I can take care of myself you know. He's not the first guy who's wanted to get physical with me. The last one is likely still trying to pry his balls from his ass." A laughing fit hit us both, right there in the middle of the street. I can only imagine what the two of us must have looked like, having run out of the dance without our coats, bristling against the chilly October air. The breeze was picking up, whipping fresh fallen leaves across the neighborhood lawns. "I know you can, Jane. It's a guy thing. We like to protect pretty girls; we can't help ourselves. Want me to walk you home?" "I'd like that Hugh. I'm getting a little cold too, since we left our coats inside." She nestled in against me as we walked to her farm at the other end of town. Aside from the activity at the school, the town seemed deserted this time of night. The sparse streetlights were our only light source; otherwise, we followed the stars as our guide. We were comfortable, like an old couple who had been together for years. By the time we arrived at her laneway, we were chatting back and forth about nothing in particular. I sensed the time was right to move in and kiss her but was too nervous. There was so much riding on one little touch of skin that I hesitated. My hand reached out and held hers, looking into her eyes. They shone back at me, radiating an inner light of happiness I hadn't expected. The pressure was overwhelming, so I turned as if to go. In that moment, my courage galvanized as I pivoted back towards her quickly, collected her in my arms and pressed my lips against hers for the first time ever. Our lips touched and I breathed in her scent carried on the wind around us, the omnipresent breeze. My heart skidded to a halt at the touch, unable to imagine the powerful emotions she invoked. My eyes slammed shut by involuntary reflex and I pulled her closer against me, feeling every curve of her lithe body. A red-hot spark ignited my desire, causing me to pull back from the kiss lest I get too far gone to control my impulses. With a mind of their own, my fingers moved up to her cheeks, feeling her smooth skin as we broke apart. We didn't need words spoken between us; that one look sealed our bond. We both turned in sync and walked away. If anyone had been around to see my face on the journey home they would have thought that I was on drugs from the delirious expression I wore. I felt like I was floating on a giant cloud and never wanted to come back down. **** That night featured some of the best sleep of my life. Jane followed through my dreams all night long and by morning, I was ready to see her again. I called her house, but she was busy with farm chores all weekend long. Monday morning was to be the first time I'd see her since our kiss. To my surprise the voice I heard call my name while I stood at my locker wasn't Jane, it was Claire. "Hugh?" "Um yeah. Hi Claire." "What did you do to my best friend?" I didn't know how to respond since I couldn't tell if she was angry or not. She was a beautiful girl as well, with shimmering blonde hair, whose looks had always been intimidating to me even with my experience talking to other girls. "What do you mean?" "Oh, I don't know. She's been grinning like a silly little school girl all weekend. She seems really happy." "I kissed her, but that was it, I promise." "Relax; I'm glad she's happy. I know you would never break her heart, because you'd have to answer to me, right?" The look on her face was friendly and yet very serious at the same time. "Of course not, I really do like her Claire. Her happiness is important to me." "Good, good. Well, she had to stay home and help around the farm. She wanted me to ask you if she can pick you up tonight. I guess there's something secret she wants to show you." "Yeah, I'd love to see her again." "Is seven all right?" "Perfect." "She'll meet you at your house then. Just remember to treat her right and be a gentleman." Claire walked away down the hall, leaving me confused in her wake. I had a date for tonight where Jane wanted to show me something. But what could it possibly be? My mind churned trying to figure out the possibilities. **** The remainder of the day was a painful process of watching the clock toil away at what seemed like mere seconds at a time. School let out for the day and I walked home with Scott as usual. It was not meant to be a secret that I was going out with Jane tonight but I really didn't want to tell anyone about it, maybe so my hopes didn't spring too high. At home, I hurried around trying to get myself as presentable as I could not sure what she had in mind. I felt like a nervous schoolgirl trying on different clothes, posing in front of the mirror. By the time she finally arrived out front, my stomach was so full of knots I felt like it would tear me apart. I'm not sure to this day what I was expecting, but an old beat up emerald green farm truck wasn't it. There were hubcaps missing and paint scraped off the fender but it seemed to run fine. I could see her sitting behind the wheel, her hands fidgeting and knew then that she was as nervous as I was. My heart felt as if it was convulsing as I dashed through the front door and into the old truck beside her. "So where are you taking me?" My voice wavered, although she didn't seem to notice. "You'll see," she replied, with the cutest little grin. I could tell she was nervous by her habit of biting her lip every time she looked in my direction. After several glances, I noticed her hair was down for only the second time that I could remember. "I like the way you have your hair tonight, Jane." "Oh thanks, I didn't do much to it, just let it hang loose." We drove out of town and turned on some back farm road it seemed. I was becoming a little nervous as to our destination, but I think I disguised it well. Conversation was sparse though we shared a few smiles. During a long pause, I turned the radio on to a local classic rock station that I liked. "Hey, you like this kind of music?" Jane inquired. "I love the old stuff, it's much better than most of the crap they play these days. The garbage that passes for music today is ridiculous." "Yeah I can't listen to that either. I'm more a sixties, seventies, eighties fan. Anything that has a beat with people who actually play instruments is a plus. I don't mind a little country either. That Willie Nelson is pretty good." "Yeah, he has a few good tunes. I really like "Always on my mind". It's such a sweet romantic tune." "I prefer the more upbeat ones though. I love to dance. How about you?" "What you got the other night was the best you're going to get from me, although I know how to polka. We had to learn that in gym class years ago." The casual chatter helped to pass the time as we drove through the fields. Finally, she stopped the truck in what seemed like the exact geographic center of nowhere. My mind, which had calmed down as we drove, now swam with possibilities of what we were going to do here. "We're here." "Where exactly is here?" "It's my private spot where I come to get away from life. I wanted to share it with you. Come on and give me a hand, I have blankets in the back." I followed her around, picked up the blankets and trudged through some slight underbrush finding my way in the dimming sunlight. She had a large blanket she unrolled on the ground in a well-prepared setup routine. The way she moved, graced me with generous views of her ass in tight jeans that molded themselves around her heavenly form. It was a challenge, not to stare at the efficiency with which she flitted from spot to spot preparing the area while I stood around feeling like topiary. "Need any help?" "Nope, all done. Could you put the key back in the ignition and turn the radio louder so we can hear it?" "Sure thing." I went back and did as she requested. Soon the sounds of "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas wafted over the speakers. I lay down on the blanket beside her, looking up at the stars that were beginning to appear in the sky. The combination of the stars and the music made me begin to appreciate the weight of the moment. "Jane, I'm sorry." "Sorry for what? The other night?" "No for three years ago. I never meant to hurt you. I just couldn't deal with all the teasing you were getting. I know it sounds immature, but even then it was hard just being your friend." She turned to look at me, giving me a quizzical look. "What do you mean?" "I liked you, but when you started getting teased, I knew there was no way I could ask you out like I wanted to. There was no way I could handle the ridicule I would get from dating you." "So that's a mature response. Just run away from it. The peer pressure was too much for you? I thought you were a man." The sting of her comment was like a slap. No, it was worse than that. I could handle my guilt and even what I'd done to our friendship, but having her hold that low an opinion of me was beyond painful. "We were just kids back then. I'm a different person now. I wouldn't sacrifice you for anything." "Do you really mean that?" Looking through her eyes and into the depth of her soul I gave my answer. "Yes I do." Minutes passed with us simply lying together, having cleared the air of our past issues not sure where to move the conversation. My head still throbbed from her criticism and also from nerves at being this close with her. Just the mere sense that I could reach out and touch her made my stomach lurch. I wanted to climb on top of her and unleash my lust on her unsuspecting body, but I wanted more than that. I wanted her to feel the same heat and pent up lust that consumed me. Her next comment shattered my reverie and caused my mind to concentrate on other issues again. "Do you ever feel like you're running against the wind, Hugh?" "What do you mean?" "I mean things in life are just that much harder all the time than they need to be. How our path is preordained and we really struggle if we go against where it wants us to go." "I know the feeling. I've wanted to go off to college and maybe become a lawyer but with my grandma being sick and all I'm not sure I'll ever make it out of this town. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but even with all the work I do to try and get a college scholarship, all I really want to do is to get out there and see the world. I feel like I'm missing so much going on everywhere if I'm just going to sit in a classroom for another four years." "This is a pretty deep conversation for a first date isn't it?" "It's my way of getting to know you, since I suck with small talk. I just don't get the point. Oh Mr. Simpson how bout the weather today, beautiful isn't it? How about those Red Wings, yeah it's a shame they lost the cup finals but they'll get it next year. It just seems so pointless. If you'd rather us have inane banter back and forth, maybe I'm not the girl for you." I burst out laughing in spite of myself. It was perhaps the most honest comment I'd heard in my life before or after that moment. The look on her face was so serious; I just couldn't deny her the conversation. "No, I enjoy a serious conversation. The more we talk the more I like you. People do talk about stupid stuff just to fill time in a conversation. It's more than how's the weather though. It's trying to figure out how people think and see situations. You can learn a lot from a simple chat like that. Like this one, I've learned you think way too much about some things." "I think about how sexy you are all the time." A grin appeared out of nowhere on her face, lighting it up like a vast galaxy of stars twinkling. The look in her eye was so intent, it was obvious she was telling the truth. Her comment shocked me and melted my resistant down to nothingness. "You don't mess around when you want something, do you?" "Oh, I mess around plenty." She planted her lips on mine, tender at first and then with increased vigor, exploring my mouth with her tongue. The heat grew between us, and emboldened by her forwardness my hands crept over her shirt towards her breasts. Fingers danced over her curves until they felt the soft swell they sought. To my surprise, she didn't resist, only pressed her mouth harder against me. Her sweet scent and hot mouth drove me to heights no other girl had managed even going all the way to sex. Something different about her caught me like a wildfire out of control, and pushed my desire to levels I thought impossible. My mouth burned with her kiss and my hands sought to go under her shirt, to touch her naked breasts. That's when her hand came across and stopped me. "What kind of girl do you think I am," She tried to keep a straight face at first and then burst out in hysterics. "Sorry Hugh, that was mean. Let's just take it slow, there's no rush." My face was flushed and my cock felt like an iron bar pressing against my pants. She must have been able to feel it against her. Perhaps the level of my passion overwhelmed her. "It's okay, we'll take our time." I could never tell her even later how much I wanted to make her mine that night, to take her warm body and bury myself in her. "It's not like I'm a virgin Hugh. I'm not that innocent, I just want everything that comes with the sex this time." "You're not? I didn't know you'd been with anyone." I was shocked. Although she'd never said anything, I was under the impression that I would have been her first. It's not so much that I was disappointed, but more curious. "You sound almost hurt by it." "No. Just curious, actually." "It was nothing special. People make a big deal over a girl's first time. It's not that important." "I thought girls only wanted sex with someone special." She burst out in hysterical laughter. "That may have been the way it was but I'm not like that. Sex is sex. Making love is a totally different thing. That's what I've never done. When we do it, I want it to have all the feelings and emotions that come with it, not just putting tab A into slot B." "If that's what you want, why did you do it?" "Like I said, people make a big deal over virginity. The other girls were always talking about how I was still a virgin and how they lost theirs, different positions and stuff. I was curious and wondered how it felt. Also, I wanted my virgin label gone for good. The funny thing is that I've never told anyone, until now." "I'm the only person who knows about it? You didn't even tell Claire?" "Nope, just you. I trust you and want to be honest if we're going to have that type of relationship. Want to know the details?" "Um, not sure I really want to hear about another guy touching you." "I'm not going to go into detail, silly." She grinned at me and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into another long slow kiss. "It was last summer, I was at my cousins and we met this older guy named Gary. I wanted to lose it, so I came on to him and one thing led to another and we had sex. Just sex." "What do you mean, just sex?" "There was no emotion or connection, just raw passion. He was good, I mean he had experience and knew what to do. I didn't enjoy it much since there was no connection. That's what I meant the first time we talked about wanting it all. I need someone who makes me feel alive and wanted when I'm with them. You do that to me." "You have no idea what you do to me, Jane." She reached down and felt my pants bulging in her hand. "Oh I think I do. Some day you'll get to put that to good use." By that point, the light had faded to a forgotten memory and the stars were fully in the night's sky. They were even brighter out of town without all the lights to compete with them. We lay together for a few hours enjoying being together under the stars. The wind picked up, howling across the ravine that was no longer visible in the darkness. Before we knew it, I checked my watch and it was time to go. We packed up and drove back through the narrow driveway and into town. Instead of turning down my street Jane kept driving straight towards the hill at the far end of town. "Where are we going now?" "I have something else I want to show you tonight." Her tone was thoughtful and yet an air of nervousness still crept into her voice "I thought we'd shared everything already." "Oh there are lots of things left to learn. You know how I told you about helping out at the church on weekends, cleaning and such?" "I remember you mentioning that." She reached into her pocket and held out a key for me to see. "Father Gilchrist gave me a key to the church, so that I could go in and do my work even if nobody else was around. I want to show you something inside, after dark." What could I possibly want to see at a church? It had been years since I'd gone to service. Grandma's heart was in the right place, but she wasn't much of a churchgoer herself. My parents had been regular attendees, but after they died, I'd stopped going. Jane pulled the truck into the parking area and we walked towards the front door. She slid the key into the lock and turned it with a loud click. Candlelight came into view inside, giving us enough light to navigate by as we crept around the outside. The candles came from a memorial that had been setup for one of the church's main contributors who was dying in the hospital. I had no idea what she wanted me to see and she wasn't giving anything away. She opened another door revealing a very long circular staircase ahead. "This is the stairs to the churches bell tower. It's one of the areas I'm responsible for cleaning. The view is amazing and I wanted to share it with you." We trudged upwards, Jane leading the way, with my eyes looking around trying to avoid staring at her ass wiggling in front of my face. I pride myself for being in good shape, but the climb put that to the test, as we both started to huff and puff. When it got to the point where I thought I'd have to stop, we crested the top of the stairs and found a small chamber with a large steel bell hanging in the middle over an open hole. The tower was open to the outside on two faces allowing for an amazing view down over our sleepy town below. We crept to one of the openings to get the best view. "This view is almost as beautiful as you, Jane." She leaned back against me as I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her warmth. The swirling breeze pummeled us as we watched the storm clouds building off in the distance. It was as if the electricity charging through me from Jane's touch ignited the air, setting off the first flashes of lightning. Sparks would fly from that tower before too long. * I appreciate all forms of feedback whether private or public as well as votes. If you enjoyed this story the next two chapters will be released by the end of the month. In order to find them faster it would help to add me as one of your favorite authors.