The cool crisp fall air penetrated her and sent shivers down her spine. She loved this time of year. The cool air, the crunchy leaves, and any reason to curl up in front of the fireplace. Too bad nights were spent alone.
The dog ran to the edge of its leash pulling Reina along. The park was the perfect place to mentally get away from it all. As she daydreamed longingly about having a man to caress her on these cold nights, there was someone staring at her from across the park. His steel blue eyes were locked on her, wanting her to pay attention. But as always, she seemed just out of his reach.
Since they were children, he had always looked at her longingly, but she was always too busy to notice. She would date his friends, but chat with him as if he was her older brother. She would ask his advice about other guys, but never give him the time of day. She had always seemed just a little out of reach. Out of his league.
He walked across the park, eyes fixed on her like a predator stalking his prey. When he finally got close to her, he had trouble finding his voice and barely whispered her name.
"Reina?"
She spun around not knowing who was close enough to say her name so softly and still be heard. The leaves crunched under foot, and her body tensed. He noticed her breasts heaving under the tight cranberry colored sweater.
"Mike!" She was surprised to see him after all these years.
She threw her arms around him in an embrace that surprised them both. Her chest pressed close to his, and his strong rugged body holding on to her as if he never wanted to let go. A gust of wind sent shivers down her spine, and she curled up to Mike even more.
As if finally realizing what was happening, Reina began to pull away, but Mike held on to her waist, not wanting the embrace to be over quite so soon.
"It feels like it has been a lifetime since I last saw you," she said while realizing just how cold it was getting outside. "What has it been? Ten years?" She shivered as a gust of wind nearly blew her back into Mike's arms.
"That sounds about right. You look good Reina." He couldn't keep his eyes off of her heaving breasts. The cold wind made them even more pronounced than before. "We really ought to sit down over a couple of beers and catch up." Mike wanted to kick himself. Get together over beers? Was he setting himself up to be the best friend again when he finally got the nerve to even say hello.
She smiled at him, and looked at Mike as if it was for the first time. His charming smile and dimple in his left cheek were still there from their youth, but that is where the Mike she knew ended. This man had grown up. His dark hair speckled with grey made him look sexier than she could have ever imagined. She also noticed that those arms that had just held her so close were quite muscular, as was the rest of his physique. She bit her lower lip as she looked him over. He truly was one of the beautiful people and grew up so nicely.
"A beer would be nice," she said breaking the almost uncomfortable silence, "but I need to stop home to let the dog in. Want to go for the walk with me?"
He hadn't even noticed the leash in her hand, and the rather large dog that was stalking him from the end of it, deciding if he was friend or foe.
"Let's walk, and then we can take some time to catch up."
They went on their way chatting about mundane things in life as they headed to her home. Such polite and coy conversation she thought, but didn't know what else to expect. Maybe this is why they were only ever friends, too much being polite to get in the way.
Mike couldn't believe that he was finally spending quality time with Reina. She was so out of his league back in high school that he had longed to be with her, but knew it could never happen. Now all these years later, their lives had managed to bring them both to the park on this late October afternoon.
As they stepped up on to the porch, Reina nervously played with her keys.
"I wasn't expecting company, so please don't pay any attention to the house," she laughed. "I live alone these days, so who knows what you are going to see lying out and about."
He smiled, "No worries." Was it his imagination or did she seem a little nervous around him? How odd. Reina was always so confident and beautiful that he couldn't imagine her being nervous about anything.
Just as she turned the key in the lock, her long black hair was blown free of its small silver clip and fell to her shoulders. Mike let out a low whistle, and Reina blushed. She looked incredible. Her hair falling in dark waves around her shoulders, the tight sweater and jeans accenting her every curve, and those long legs that seemed to go on forever. He knew she had always been beautiful, but now she was no longer that hot teenager, but rather a ravishing woman.
They walked into the small dimly lit entrance of her home. The lingering smell of incense hung in the air. She put the dog in the back room, just to be safe, and began turning lights on as she walked through the house. She was giving the place a quick look over to make sure there was nothing too embarrassing laying about.
"I am so cold from being outside, I want to warm up first before we get going. You don't mind do you?" she gave him that pouty look that said she always gets her way.
"What if instead of going out, we catch up here? I could go pick up a pizza if you are interested?" and then he quickly added, "Because here we could actually talk and catch up."
She smiled at the thought of getting to stay home for the evening. As she bit her lower lip she replied, "That sounds like a wonderful idea. Do you want to start a fire while I go get changed?"
She pointed at the fire place and smiled, and without saying a word he went over and got to work. He heard her walk into the back of the house, her bedroom, he guessed. The fire lit right away, and he couldn't help but wonder around a little bit checking things out.
Reina attempted to make a mad dash from her bedroom to the laundry room to grab a sweatshirt, when she realized Mike was standing right there in front of her. She couldn't decide what to do, so she kind of stood there dumfounded her black yoga pants and crimson bra.
"You caught me off guard," she muttered looking down. "I was trying to get a sweatshirt from over there..." Reina's voice trailed off. She was so nervous to be caught half naked. Mike couldn't help but stare, which made Reina even more self-conscious.
