The largest part of his day was thinking about her.
He had met here at the bookstore. The two had realized that they were descretely spying on one another. He remebered he blue beret and yellow scarf drapped over a black leather jacket. Marcus had spent the last fifty minutes looking for a particular computer software book for one of his many computer programs he did not understand.
They finally bumped into one another as they walked into the coffee bar area.
The biggest feeling at the time for Marcus was why she found him interesting enough to follow him around a bookstore on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Upstate New York.
It was Fall and somehow the weather outside indicated the coming lonliness and isolating nature of a northern city.
Marcus offered to buy the petite almost cherub size young woman with icy grey eyes a coffee.
Surprisingly enough was the fact that Marcus had asked the stranger but even more surprising was the fact the young woman politely with a large smile accepted.
The two ordered hazelnut coffee and sat at a corner table.
They were silent for a moment too long as they sheepishly looked down at their coffee but with a sigh the young woman began "I think your cute. I'm a photographer and I want to make nude pictures of you."
Marcus didn't realize how loud his laughter was but she threw back her head and joined him.
"My name is Deetra. Deetra Hawkins. I'm in the yellow pages under Photographers\Graphic Artists. The studio is called DH and Associates. I'm legit. Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Association, referrals from The Arts Council. I'm serious."
Marcus rolled his eyes and took a sip.
"In case you were wondering my name Marcus Reynolds. I'm a paralegal for Stienhaltz, Stienhaltz and Hertzman. We specialize in child custody and divorces.
"I think if my bosses found out I would find it difficult paying my student loan back working as a busboy at Joey's Diner on Route 22...I take your offer as a compliment but I really must say no. I also think your cute too. I'm just not nude material."
Deetra chuckle after putting down her coffee.
"Then will you sleep with me?" she murrmured softly in shear honesty looking directly into Marcus' eyes.
Marcus felt something kick in his stomach. He had read and seen movies acting out what was happening now. He felt at first fear then a carnal masculine hunger learned sometime in early highschool suddenly take the lead. He wanted to stand up and howl very loudly. He opted and said instead "....I would love to.".
Marcus followed the young woman's charcol late model Volvo station wagon to an exclusive cultural district of Rochester, New York.
The small house stood out from the rest for it was less modern but better designed than the others on the busy street. It was carefully maintain and for a long moment Marcus thought about how much he was in love with the strange woman and somehow how much he wanted her in a primitive conquest.
He pulled into the drive way and into a three car garage along side her car. He looked to his right and saw a high performance motorcycle. Somehow he knew it was hers.
The doors closed automatically behind him once he turned off the engine of his low end Japenese import which was in need of tuning and a carwash.
He watched the doors of the garage lower until they closed and finally looked to the young woman.
He felt nervous but somehow had to play out this little act that was created almost perfectly for him.
He looked into her eyes as she lit a cigarette. They were low and cunningly inviting. He threw back his head and laughed. The young woman motioned to him to come to the door leading into into the house where she stood. He walked slowly and took her hand which was outstretched.
They entered the home through the kitchen.
He expected it to be disarrayed like all the homes of artists he knew. However it was perfectly cleaned and arranged with intelligence.
She began taking off her coat and took off her beret revealing beautiful well maintained blonde hair.
Marcus handed his leather jacket to her which she took and placed into the closet near the area leading to the the living and dining room.
"Would you like a beer or a wine...vodka, gin...?" she asked.
"If you have tea that would be fine." he replied.
She smiled and nodded as she placed frgrant lips upon his. As she kissed him she took her hand and pressed it against her firm breast.
Marcus let out a sigh feeling his pulse quiken.
She drew back and walked over to the sink and filled a cup with water that was hanging on a hook over the stove. She placed the cup into into an expensive immaculantly cleaned microwave.
She walked in a way that he pictured dancers moved when they were young which was loose and controlled at the same time. It was almost as if she pperformed several behaviors at the same time.
She held a bowl in front of him. Inside the bowl were dozens of packets of a variety of flavoured tea.
"Just pretend your your a trick or treater..." she said.
He chuckled realizing her hand rested against his waist.
He reached in and pulled out a lemon-rasberry tea bag.
She nodded and took it from him as the chime sounded on the microwave. Once again like a dancer she turned with unknowing to her, erotic grace.
She placed the tea bag into the simmering cup and without looking to him as if they had been mates for a long time asked "Honey or sugar...cream?"
"Just honey would be fine..."
She looked back at him with a cherub smile.
There was a long silence as she finished preparing his tea..
Finally he turned to him.
He held the cup and sipped. She reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of wine. She poured herself a glass.
She looked at him and smiled.
"Do you mind?"
He shook his head with a grin. She began to take off her shirt revealing a halter top bra. Unshaved armpits were visible. He felt a heat surge in. He surpressed a yelp. She stared directly into his eyes waiting for a breaking a breaking point.
Marcus continued to sip his tea and hoped his hands were not shaking. She slipped the bra above her head. Her breast were in perfect proportion to her torso and his mind shot back to a young Brazilian woman he slept with on occasion in college. There was a stark contrast for though the Brazilian woman's was gorgeous in a dark mysterious way and had the feauteres of a professional model this particular woman in front of him had the bearings of not being an everyday plaything for intamacy, but a master of sensual gratification. He skin was powdery but retained a glow of of health.
She walked toward him slowly with glass in hand but shirtless.
He put down the cup of tea on the table. He tried to slowly as possible flow with a steady current with what ever would occurr these next few moments. he looked down at her for she only stood head to his shoulders.
She placed her glass down and slid down her blue jean.
She did not have to look down at what lay below his waist. She simply looked up with peircing grey blue eyes with a soft pink pout and a slight scent of musk mixed with fruity wine.
He slowly lowered his mouth to hears and kissed her.
He felt her hand slide up his button down oxford shirt and make contact with his nipples. She captured them with his thumb and forefingers as her tongue darted to where she cared of his mouth.
She pulled back and Marcus breathed in heavily. The woman took his hand as he slipped out of his shirt and lead the man through the living room and up tthe stairs to her bedroom.
He sat at his desk after completing a call to the a landlord of a single mother who was having trouble meeting her rent due to her drug addict ex-husband was no longer sending child support checks.
He had been distracted for the entire day. He wanted to see her again. It had been three days since they had slept together and though he had her phone number and she had his he did not feel it was the right time yet to call her. He visualized what they had shared as it rained heavily against the window into the early evening until he finally left at 7:30pm.
His thoughts fixated on her face and scent. The long kisses the soft smooth skin and the moist contact.
"Marcus...there's a package for you at the desk." said a hollow voice far away.
Marcus jumped with a yelp almost knocking over his third can of cola soda by 11am.
"Easy guy...easy." said Benjamin an actually nice man who was quietly gay and the office manager assistant.
"You looked so tired when you came in this morning. We're in good shape with the cases assigned to you. This is not the time of year to burn the candle at both ends. After the closing statements at Fannarro v.s. Jaynes today why don't go take some time off for a couple of days. You have tons of comp time. We want you alive you know. You know your getting that raise and promotion. Just be around to get it."
Marcus grinned back holding back a shout of confusion and contempt.
"No I just...have been ...a little out of step lately ...I mean just...I well ya I go to court today and use the personal days for tommorrow but I'll be back before the weekend." stammered Marcus.
"Good for you. Use my guest member pass tonight at my health club. They have a steam room, whirlpool and a massuer. You know for a young guy just out of college your extremely conservative...you know...tense...but your good guy...don't eat yourself up...." stated Benjamin in sheer honesty and a quiet wisdom.
"Thanks Ben," said Marcus standing up to go to the mail drop off area "I would love to use your membership card....I think that's all I need..."
"Cool Marcus." said Benjamin reaching into his wallet and producing a paper card.
Marcus looked at it as it read: GUEST OF - BENJAMIN WALLACE.
Marcus nodded to the gay black man who had never hit on him nor shown outward signs of being a homosexual where especially in an enviroment where frustrated emotions could though everyone into a chaos.
Ben walked away and waved with a soft smile.
Marcus walked down the hall out of his small office of one of the few actually tall business buildings in the metropolis of the upstate New York city.
He walked past the coffee machine hesitated and shook his head and continued to walk.
He stopped for a minute in front of a smoked mirror and saw small dark circles under his eyes and continued after shaking his head.
He found Michelle the office-know-it-all standing over a box of roses trying to figure out from who it came from.
She jumped and made a cat like grin.
"Oh Marcus...lucky you!! No one ever sends me flowers and gifts. Watcha got... a secret admirer." stammered Michelle waiting for Marcus to open the flowers, cards and gifts in front of her.
Marcus looked at her blankly as he picked up the packages.
He stood waiting for her to speak.
Michelle smile began to slowly turn in a pout without her realizing it as a phone in the distance rang for the fourth time.
"...oh...jeez...that's my phone..." she said as she whisked by him with almost a shove which was ment to be a pat of camradere.
Marcus felt fine for the first time the entire day. He held his head down and surpressed a giggle with his tongue firmly wedged between his front teeth. He walked back to his office trying not to be seen eye to eye by anyone.
The young man finally made it back to his office and closed the door behind himself.
There was a pile of paper work neatly arranged on his desk. He was also aware he had to make two more phone calls and meet one of the lawyers that worked for the firm at the court house in one hour.
Caught slightly by perhaps opening the present when he returned from the court house or put his professional life on hold for several minutes. As his mind flashed back to the sounds Deetra made as they neared ending making love he laughed at the idea that he would hesitate to open the flowers, cards and present.
He looked behind himself to see if any one including Michelle was looking through the glass walls on either side of the entrance to his office.
He started with the flowers. Inside the box from one of the premier flourist in the city he found a dozen of fresh cut red roses. The smell of the roses cascaded about the area he sat.
He fretted for a moment as to where he could put them in water. On each rose was a small plastic clear capsul which held water.
He chuckled and opted to leave them in the box and take them home to his dining area of his small apartment.
Gently as if kissing them with his hands he folded the roses back into their damp green tissue paper and closed the lid of the box. He chuckle, he had never recieved a bundle of roses from a woman. He turned to the small box knowing somehow it was a watch. Carefully he seperated the paper from the box and opened the small container.
It was an extremely expensive divers watch.
He could not fathom how much she had spent on him. It nudged something inside him. He sighed out in wonder. He had been in many relationships. He had not slept with every woman he had dated but the majority. It was virtually the twenty first century and though he praticed safe sex, the relationships would ignite something in both parties but quietly retract into simply an experience. Marcus had slept with Detra once and that was the bulk of their first meeting. He had slept with women on first dates but usually those where the ones that disappeared and weresomething of history first.
"Did she really feel for him?"
"Is is going to turn into a serious and steady thing?"
"Who is she?"
He slipped off his adolescent almost sports watch which he had had since college.
He pulled the diving watch onto his wrist. It felt good to look down at it and possess it. He didn't want to ever be without it. Somehow a soft voice said it was not right and he had to somehow earn enough money perhaps to pay her back with a gift in kind. The watch by make and name was worth close to$1,000. He simply just could not take the gift. But he would immediately call her when he returned home and straighten things out.
He sighed with a smile though. He opened the card.
It was the photgraph of two youngsters in adult clothes kissing under an umbrella. The models could not be older than five years apeice. It was somehow erotic the children in adult clothes and the kiss did not seem very child like.
The picture was maticulously processed and computer enhanced.
He opened the card and the printed text that came with the card read:
TO LOVE AND BE WITH YOU IS TO LIVE
The small caption that Deetra wrote read:
Marcus you are like a dream come true. I love and need you so much. Please call me.
Love Always,
Deetra.
Marcus' brain raced. Did he actually love her enough to change his goals and lifestyle after sleeping together one time. He tought hard and remebered the scent she left on and somehow did not want to wash off when he arrived home that night.
He picked up the phone subconciously and began to search his wallet for the phone number she gave him. He squeezed his eyes tight deep in emotional thought. The energy he felt inside flashed with more intensity. He opened his eyes and groaned. A phone number of a gas station where one of the firms clients whose husband owned sat squarely and carefully written.
He shook his head and went back to work as he began to dial the number.
He coughed heavily as the tone throbbed into his ear.
