[mythryl1969]

By the time the plane landed, I was on a near constant adrenaline high. I rented a car and drove from the airport straight to Carmen's home; it was the same home that she had lived in with Esteban (she got it in the divorce). When I was almost there I called her; she answered and I began small talk with her, all the while getting closer to her. Eventually I got to her house, and parked outside still taking to her while I gathered the courage for the next step.

Finally I got out and approached her door, still talking to her. Right as I reached her door, I was saying something like, 'So, do you think we're ever going to meet up?'...and then I knocked on her door. 'Oh, wait' she said, 'There's someone at my door.' 'Are you expecting anyone?' I said; 'No', she answered....and then she paused...and then she said 'Is...is it you? Are you here?' 'Open the door and see', I said. I could hear her gasp...and then she started breathing hard, and finally she said 'No....no I can't..I can't have you come in here, I did that once and I can't do that again.' My heart was about to break, but just when I started to think that she was about to back away from everything she said, 'Do you remember where the Carl's Jr. is right up the street?' 'Yes, of course', I said; and she told me to go there, and she would change and meet me there in no more than ten minutes.

I know what you're thinking - Carl's Jr, right? Not at all romantic...but it wasn't about food, it was just about a place to meet that was close that we both knew, and within ten minutes sure enough she showed up. When she walked in it was just like meeting her for the first time all over again. She was as gorgeous as she had ever been, maybe even more so. She walked in, chewing her lip in a nervous and wistful way, looked around the restaraunt and saw me, and suddenly she had a smile that was both huge and shy at the same time. She walked quickly over to me and sat down on the same side of the table as me. 'My god', she said, 'You are even MORE good looking than I remember! Just as tall...but you're more than I expected!' I just chuckled a little; I knew I was in great shape, and I was wearing some really great clothes as well, but it was still amazing to have an incredibly gorgeous creature like Carmen saying something like that to me. Of course, I couldn't let that pass unanswered, and I let her know how incredible SHE looked as well. And then she cut right to the chase: 'Before we say anything else, I think it's time we had our first kiss. Get over here!' And I leaned in, looking into her incredible eyes, and then our lips touched for the first time. She smelled incredible...her lips were soft and she tasted sweet...and then as we kissed her mouth became firmer, her movement more urgent, and her tongue darted in to touch mine several times before the kiss finally broke. We leaned back from each other, still gazing into each other's eyes, and I think we could see the promise of so much more waiting for each other...