And Then He Kissed Me

I could never have imagined that one small joke would change my life. Hours after he told it, the memory made me grin. As glasses were raised in toasts, as dinner plates were cleared, as one by one the guests began to leave, I thought of Henry. Sitting next to Kate, I watched as he and Brian talked, his long lean body relaxed in his chair.

"So..." Kate said slyly, "what's going on with you and Henry?"

I looked down and watched my fingers trace a red wine stain on the white tablecloth. "Nothing."

"Uh-huh," she replied, unconvinced. "That's why you guys couldn't stop talking to each other all night." She looked over at Henry and Brian, watching them for a moment. Turning to me, her eyes became serious. "Ellie?"

"Hmm?" I replied absently, staring at a certain cowboy.

"I want," she paused and took a breath, "I want you to know that I'm sorry. I stole your boyfriend and that's against the BFF Code. I'm so, so sorry."

I reached for her hand and gripped it in mine. "We've been over this before. You didn't steal anybody. I was just keeping an eye on him until he met you."

"Really?"

"Really." I gave her hand a squeeze and then released it. "Kate, you have to stop feeling guilty. I'm fine. More than fine. Besides," I took a sip of wine, "Brian never looked at me the way he looks at you."

Kate reached over and hugged me. I squeezed her, happy that I was able to speak the truth. She pulled away and gave me a watery smile. "Look at us! Three glasses of wine and we're acting like we used to after a night out."

"I love you, man!"  We both convulsed into giggles.

"That's it! I'm cutting you two off," Brian said walking around the end of the table. Reaching up he tapped a hanging lantern with one hand and winked at Kate. "I was just telling my future brother-in-law that he needs to go to the beach before heading back to the Montana wilderness."

"It's not exactly wilderness," Henry interrupted.

"Close enough," Brian waved his hand in dismissal. "I need to drive my beautiful bride-to-be home and make sure she gets her beauty sleep. So, that leaves Ellie to play tour guide."

"Subtle, Brian. Real subtle," Kate muttered next to me.

I ignored her and looked at Henry. "Do you want to?"

"I do."

Saying our goodbyes, Henry and I walked out the front of the building, passing the bench where I'd poured out my heart. We walked around the hedges lining the parking lot, crossed the street and stood at the edge of the sidewalk, our feet already touching sand, the ocean glittering in the moonlight. Balancing on one leg, I slipped off my shoes, lightly touching his arm for balance.

"Aren't you going to take off yours?"

"Nah. I'll just get sandy."

"Listen. If you don't take off your shoes, I'm going back to my car and heading home. You can't come to the beach and not feel the sand between your toes. Now," I pointed, "Take them off."

"Wow, you're bossy."

"Watch it." I waited while he pulled off his cowboy boots and rolled up his jeans. "Hold on. I'm parked right there." Taking his boots from him, I walked over to my car and threw them in the back seat along with my shoes and purse. Locking the door, I turned and jumped, startled to find him so close.

"You didn't have to follow me."

"It wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me not to."

"Please," I rolled my eyes. "Who's gentlemanly in this day and age?"

"Me," he growled.

"Did you just," I swallowed, "growl?"

"I've been known to do that." He edged a little closer. I took a step backwards and felt the cool metal of the car against my spine.

"You've been known to growl?"

"On occasion," he whispered, leaning in closer. He raised his hand to lightly caress my cheek. "I've been thinking all night about how you'd taste."

Nervously, I licked my lips, my eyes darting to his mouth, as his warm breath brushed me. "Have you?" I murmured. Slowly closing my eyes, I leaned closer. His lips, firm yet soft touched mine. Tentative at first and then, with more pressure. He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me closer. Sighing I relaxed into his hold and there, at the edge of a moonlit beach, with my back against my car and my toes on cool cement, the whole world shifted.

This post is a work of fiction inspired by The Red Dress Club's writing prompt. This week we were asked to write a 700 word piece begining with the words, "I could never have imagined" and ending with "Then the whole world shifted."

I hope you enjoy hearing more about Henry and Ellie. If you missed the other bits of their story, go here and here.  Please let me know what you think.