“Just checking if you got any new ones, that’s all…” he mumbled.
“Bob, are you sure you’re all right?” She asked, worry apparent in her voice.
“Yes,” he replied, heavyhearted; he couldn’t avoid seeing her. He stared at her lean body, the perspiration on her soft skin reflecting under the light, her round breasts, her visible, under the thin, white fabric of her t-shirt, nipples.
“Look,” she sat next to him, took his hand in both hers, “don’t think about what we talked about earlier; you have to stop thinking so much, you know? You tend to think so much and end up sabotaging yourself; take it easy, act more impulsively.
“Your friends, of whom you’re effectively so jealous, don’t waste time on weighing consequences, do they?”
Was it the wine, or her words? Bob could not tell, however, in the midst of his drunken haziness, and feeling Laura’s hot breath on his face, he couldn’t help but go for the kiss; it had been a dream of his since day one, since they were young children playing in kindergarten, or riding their bikes after school.
Laura was taken aback by the abrupt kiss; she did not immediately break it off, instead, she responded positively at first, allowing him clumsily to bite her lips, pushing his tongue reluctantly into her mouth. It felt wrong, however, thus quickly she pushed him away, albeit gently, and for a moment she simply stared at him in bewilderment.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” he whispered hastily, looking at the floor.
“It’s okay, it’s just…” she paused, staring at him inquiringly. “Why?”
He looked up abruptly, burning from the inside. He opened his mouth, shut it; repeated the same motion a number of times, unable to muster up a coherent thought, let alone an actual sentence.
“I do love you, Bob,” she said, in a hoarse voice, while the whole apartment was spinning around her faster and faster, “but, never did I… I never thought of you in… that way… you know, I’m… I’m sorry, really, it’s just…” suddenly, a hiccup thundered her body.
They both burst into chuckles, the tension suddenly decreased; he leaned forward, took her hands into his.
“Laura,” he said, in an unsteady voice, rocking back and forth, overcame by alcohol courage, “I’ve always loved you; ever since we were kids. I was just…” he paused, cleared his throat. He closed his eyes, desperate to regain some balance, to clear up the blurriness of both his mind and eyesight. “I’ve always been afraid, you know?
“I’ve always known I didn’t stand a chance, you know? I mean…” he looked down at his body, his protruding gut, his thin, untrained arms. “Yeah… anyway, it was probably just the wine taking over, we… did drink quite a bit, huh?” He tried to smile, unsuccessfully.
Laura was watching him intensely, unable completely to comprehend the inner struggle taking place within her mind. Overwhelmed by her own thoughts, she leaped up on him, kissed him; Bob, at first, was caught completely by surprise, certain he was dreaming.
She kissed him passionately, her hands on his face, sucking on his lips; gradually, he returned the kiss, his body was in flames. He helped her out of her t-shirt, gently touched her breasts; rubbed her nipples softly, hesitantly.