November Romance

     A chilly November night, downtown Houston. We had gone to a show, an outdoor theatre. It was in the middle of a huge park, the theatre. We swayed to the music, letting the sweet melody and the lights move us from within. His hulking but tender arms held my waist tightly, pulling me in from behind. As the music ebbed, the crowd dispersed. He gave me a little twirl. The world spun, but it kept spinning even when I stopped. His smirk was the root of my dizziness: so genuine and kind. The innocence of it all baffled me. He was so different from anything I had experienced before. 

     He took my hand. He guided me through winding trails. An oasis of green, smack in the middle of downtown, beautiful. Night had long since fallen, but not a single star could be seen. The overcast sky hung low and heavy like an net, threatening to moisten the ground at any moment, but keeping the rain at bay all the same. 

     We came upon a lake. A man-made lake, with an enormous fountain on the far side. Fowl with multicolored feathers glided across the surface, leaving barely distinguishable wakes behind them. A set of overly large stairs led down to the water, with a thick barrier at the edge. We paused on one of the lowest stairs, and sat. I leaned my head on his chest. He still clutched my hand, fingers interlaced. His hand was so much larger than my own, but it was warm and comforting. We talked for what seemed like hours, completely alone in the world, just staring at this fountain. 

     He led me to an old dock; it looked as if it would collapse at any given moment. The area was secluded from the walking trails. The only sounds were those of the birds swimming and far-off traffic. We chatted and laughed, until there was no more to say. He leaned against the rail of the dock, and drew me in close. The look in his eye said it all, but he spoke those heavenly words anyway. Gingerly, the question left his tongue.

     "Can I kiss you?"

     Without so much as a pause, I lifted my tip-toes and pressed my lips to his. The softness of his kiss, the tenderness with which he stroked my face, set butterflies aloft within my core. I laid my hands behind his neck, pulling him in closer, closer. There was no room left between us, and the kisses exchanged were full of emotion we dared not say aloud. With each kiss, I told him the stories of my heart, how he had renewed my faith in love. I told him tales of past heartbreak. I told him that I never wanted him to leave. With each kiss, he showed me his mind, his soul. The lapping water on the dock pulled me back to reality.

     He looked deep into my eyes, his irises alight from the glow of a street lamp. He lightly kissed my forehead, and I could't help but to smile.