Stranger
I had only been in Paris two days and I was already regretting the decision to come back.
Last time, it must have been about 18 months ago, I had been sitting in the same bar, kissing my boyfriend, stroking his leg,
showing ourselves up… Stupid to come back. The door creaked open and a tall, long haired stranger strolled in. He had
on a cowboy hat, not what you usually see in Paris! He nearly
stumbled as he got to the bar and muttered under his breath as he just managed to sit on the stool next to me without falling
off.
“Wonder how many he’s had already”
I thought.
“Jack
Daniels” he drawled at the barman. Well I was correct about one thing he was definitely American. I automatically looked
at the third finger on his left hand, no ring. Then I blushed, why had I done that? There was no way I was going to be picked
up by some drunk, aging hippy. Okay he was only what, 10 years older than me, but still he looked as if he’d been around.
His jeans were torn and his leather jacket battered, mind you they looked as if they had been expensive.
The stranger had his head down as if he wished to be left to his thoughts but the barman was a chatty
type and started talking to him in rapid French. The stranger turned his head towards me:
“Have you any idea what he hell he is saying?”
I was just about to make a smart reply about Americans not being able to speak
any language, especially English when I saw his eyes for the first time. They were eyes to drown in, so gentle and filled
with pain. Just looking at them made my pulse race. I tried to pull myself together.
“He is asking if you have been to Paris before and if you are enjoying your stay.”
“Tell him I was married here and no I’m
not” he barked and sipped at his drink. I answered the barman and told him the stranger wasn’t in the mood for
a chat today. The barman shrugged and walked off. I thought I’d better slip away now before I had to look into those
eyes again, but too late:
“Thanks, we Americans are hopeless at languages.
I expect you don’t think we speak English properly, do you?” His eyes twinkled this time as if he had read my
thoughts. How the heck had he done that? I stared back at him in amazement, then blushed as I realised I was staring.
“We
English aren’t too good either.” I managed, “Except at English, of course.” Oh dear that sounded so
lame. But he smiled.
“You were married here?” I asked
, just to make conversation, but I regretted it as soon as it left my lips. He looked as if he had been hit by a bullet, I
swear tears actually appeared in his eyes for just a moment. He looked like a wounded animal and I had an almost irresistible
urge to put my arms around him and protect him from this awful world.
“I’m
terribly sorry” I stammered.
“I had no right to pry like that.”
and then for no reason at all I burst into tears. He looked totally shocked and then those gorgeous long arms wrapped themselves
around me and he pulled me towards him.
“Let it all out” he said in a gentle whisper
as my whole body was wracked by sobs. I heard the barman speak:
“She okay?”
“Fine.”
The stranger said.
“She
just needs a shoulder to cry on. Don’t we all?” As my tears subsided I found myself putting my arms around his
neck. I looked into the most beautiful eyes I have ever known and then down at the full luscious lips. No you can’t
kiss him, I thought, you don’t know him. Then he kissed me…………I have never been kissed like
that before. Our lips seemed to melt together and then very gently his tongue met mine….
We must have been locked together for several minutes before the bar man coughed loudly and I pushed
him away.
“That’s enough” I stuttered and
tried to climb down from the stool. Somehow my legs weren’t working.
“Hey,
where you going? Didn’t you like that?” The stranger’s eyes were twinkling brightly now. Even though they
were so gorgeous his comment annoyed me. Who did he think he was?
“I’m
not in the habit of kissing total strangers” I said gruffly and managed to take one step away from the danger. But he
caught my arm, holding it firmly.
“Nor
am I” he replied.
“I
find that hard to believe” I responded. Again I regretted my sharp tongue, the smile faded on his lips and he let go
my arm. Released I should have walked away but I stood there looking at him, taking in the long, flowing locks, so nice to
see a man with long hair that was so clean and natural. No dreadful gel all over it. The gentle mouth and gentler eyes. How
could you be angry at such a face? When he smiled it lit up the room.
“Do I pass muster” he whispered. I
blushed again. I was beginning to suspect he could read my thoughts.
Hell I hope he couldn’t, because my next thought
was:
“I
bet you are a wonderful lover”. Fortunately I didn’t say it out loud. But I must have been looking at him for
longer than is acceptable because he frowned.
“Sorry”
he suddenly muttered and turned back to the bar. I stood shocked, what do I do now? I walked to the door in a fog. What had
gone wrong? Didn’t he know I was ready to jump into bed with him if he’d only asked. I almost smiled at my daring
thoughts. No things like that don’t happen to girls like me. I wandered down the road in a cloud. Then I stopped, hadn’t
I decided to take risks? Wasn’t that the whole idea of this trip to escape the old ‘controlled’ me? I thought
of the eyes…. Then I turned round. He was standing outside the bar watching me. What do I do? We were only about 30
paces apart, that’s as far as I had got. I was rooted to the spot, I couldn’t move if I wanted to. Then he started
to walk towards me….
“Oh hell,” I thought.
“Now I’m in trouble…….”
