Love In The Dark

Thank you for reading my story, I hope that you enjoy it. Love Mica xx, Yorkshire England.

Please note that I am a British female, and I write in British English and vernacular, so for me a fanny is the correct term for female genitalia, a pussy is a pet cat, and the ass is a bum or arse.

I apologise for any typo errors in my story - I edit these myself, and I'm not perfect...

I stood at the sink and washed, first my face, then my arms, then my boobs and finally my groin. I felt for the plug and pulled it, listening to the water as it gurgled away. I ran the cold tap and swirled the water around the sink, hopefully washing away any suds. I could only hope.

Back in my bedroom I opened my top drawer and felt amongst the knickers until I found the ones that I wanted, known, I was told, as boyshorts. They were white and half lacy. All my knickers were white, I always stipulated that when I bought them. Colour was pointless, as were patterns. I didn't mind lace; I could feel the lace patterns.

I don't have an especially fulsome bust, or, to put it another way, I have small tits, I don't quite fill a B cup, so the lady at Marks and Spencer's said when I went for a fitting. I could often go without a bra, but today as I was going into the big outside world, I would wear one. Again it was white, and it was lacy.

I had this trick, I put the bra on backwards, that way it was easier to do up the catch, I then rotated it the right way, slipped the straps over my shoulders and dropped my boobs into the cups. Pretty foolproof I thought. I then opened my wardrobe and felt my dresses, I knew which one I wanted.

Found it, just exactly where I had left it, one and half palms from the right. I stepped into it and put my arms through the straps, trying to line my bra address straps together. Mum had said that I ought to buy dresses with bigger straps so that I could hide my underwear. I just flatly said no. Who in their right mind was going to worry about a visible bra strap? No one, and I didn't care for those not in their right mind.

At the bottom of the wardrobe was my small collection of shoes, and today's selection were the pair second from the left, flat soles, easier for feeling the markings on the pavements, and less likely to turn an ankle too.

From the top of my dressing table I picked up my handbag and felt around inside for the contents. House keys, check. Bus pass, debit and credit card holder, and place for bank notes, check. Tissues, check. Emergency tampon, check. Wet wipes and tissues, check.

I was ready. Today I was going to venture into town, go to the precinct, and buy a coffee and pastry in the Hot Java coffee place. By myself, for the first time. This was what some would call scary, me? I called it absolutely terrifying. I slowly went down the stairs, now was not the time to fall, and went into the kitchen, feeling every switch to make sure that they were off, and that the back door was locked.

I opened my front door, grabbed my stick from by the door and stepped outside into the big and noisy world. I locked the door behind me and took the thirty three paces to the footpath, and turned left, my stick sweeping before me, the ball on the end making an almost imperceptible swoosh as it moved over the path. First lamppost. Second lamppost and then eleven paces and that pole was the bus stop.

I stood facing the road and waited and listened. I heard the cars go past, I heard the vans and a lorry and then I heard the bus. There was a gush of air as it stopped and opened the doors. My only problem was several buses stopped here, and I needed one that would drop me off in the centre of town.

"Excuse me," I said to the open door, "does this town go the Bingley High street?"

"Yes love" a voice said. "There is a small step into the bus, about nine inches."

"Thank you." I waved my stick, found the edge and stepped in. I found my bus pass from in the bag and showed it to where I knew the driver to be. "Can you tell me when we are there, please?"

"Yes love. The second seat on the right is empty. I will call you for your stop."

Not all bus drivers were helpful, for some I was just an inconvenience that slowed them down, but someone always helped, until today that someone had usually been Mum, but today I was on an adventure, by myself for the first time. I had been lucky, a helpful driver.

I swept my stick and found the second seat, checking with hands that it was indeed empty and sat down and stared forwards, listening as the bus doors shut and the lurch as the bus moved forward. This was all familiar, so far. We stopped a few times, usually four stops into town, but the bus didn't always stop at all the stops, I supposed it only stopped if there was someone to get on or off.

"Hello love," the driver called, "the next stop is yours. Don't move until the bus stops, I will give you all the time you need, you don't need to rush."

"Thank you," I answered him, what a great human being.

The bus slowed and then stopped. I stood up, checked I had my bag, and swept my stick as I moved to the front of the bus and to the doors.

"Okay love, you are there, I am right next to the pavement, it is about nine inches down."

I used my stick, found the edge and then the depth and stepped down. I turned around and said, "Thank you so much for your help."

"That's okay love, you have a nice day."

I turned around and stepped away from the edge of the pavement. Now the crossing was around twenty paces uphill from the bus stop. I swept my stick and found the crossing bumps. I then found the crossing post and pressed the button; all I had to do was wait for the beeps.

Safely across the crossing, my next challenge, aka adventure, was finding the coffee shop. The precinct was opposite the bus stop I had arrived on, so that meant I now had to walk around twenty paces downhill and then I would be at the precinct, turn right and the coffee shop was forty paces down and on my left.

I arrived at the coffee shop, and I knew I could get to the counter okay, finding an empty table and seat could be interesting, we would just have to see how I got on. At least I wouldn't be seeking a window seat, that would be pretty pointless.

"Next please," a voice called.

"Is that me?" I asked.

"Yes." The voice replied.

"Thank you. May I have a cappuccino and pastry, please, I don't mind which pastry, and would you be so kind as to bring it to me at my table, only I don't know which table yet."

"No worries, here is a number flag just put it on your table, the server will bring it to you."

I took my debit card out and held it in the approximate direction of the till. Usually the till person holds the payment machine and the customer waves their card. For me it was the other way round. I heard a beep and so I assumed that the till operator had done the wavey thing.

"Could you tell me how much that was please?" I asked.

"Yes, that is seven pounds forty one pence."

"Thank you." That left three hundred and twenty six pounds and seventeen pence in my bank. Few people realised that bank cards had brail on them, and so I knew which card was which and I kept a mental note of exactly how much money I had in my bank. I could go to a cash point and get cash out, but what I could not do was go to a cashpoint and get a balance, I could not read the printed paper slip that they gave you the balance on, so I remembered my balance and took off all my spendings.

I headed off to the table area to find an empty one without groping too many innocent people.

"Excuse me," a voice said to my right, "please do not be offended I am not trying to but in, but may I help you to a table?"

"Golly, yes, thank you," I said.

"I am going to take your arm, okay and I will lead you to a table, it is very busy in here at the moment."

He, the voice was male, or at least it sounded male, took my arm and slowly led me through the tables, I still used my stick to ensure I did not stumble over someone's bags on the floor.

"Here we are." he said, "it is busy in here, do you mind if I share your table?"

I reached out and found the back of a chair and finagled myself into it, I folded my cane and put it on the table, they can be a real trip hazard for other people. When I was happily sat I turned to the direction of the voice. "Yes, my goodness, of course you can share the table, after all, I am only a temporary squatter."

He laughed and I heard the scrape of a chair, then the shuffle sounds as he sat down and then the slight clank as he put his number down.

"I think that you are so brave," he said. "I don't think I could do it."

"Oh, do what?" I asked.

"Go anywhere on my own if I couldn't see."

"I shall let you into a secret, this is my first time, I even caught the bus, and let me tell you, this is not scary, it is absolutely terrifying. I have my Mum on speed dial in case I have a problem, it would be difficult to tell her where I am though, luckily she has an app that tracks me, so she can find me if required."

"My name is Gilbert, or Gil, and I am delighted to have met you, you are such a brave person, really. I don't know how you cope, I really don't."

At that point there was a clunking and stuff was put on the table. The server didn't say anything, simply put stuff down, I had no idea if it was Gil's or mine.

"Here, this is yours," he said sliding things in front of me. I felt with my hands, a rather hot and very full coffee and a plate with something sticky on it. Excellent. I would let the coffee cool a little. There was also a serviette, I would need that to wipe my hands.

"I'm Florence," I said, "and it is nice to meet you to. As you have guessed I am blind. I could see when I was born, but an accident on a horse when I was seven meant I lost my sight. People seem to think that when you can't see it is black, but no, for me, it is basically daylight or nighttime, and I can see movement, I just can't see what is moving, nor do I see colours."

I paused and took a bite from my pastry, "but if someone mentions a colour I can see it in my mind's eye, you know, like a blue sky. I have no way of seeing what colour something is, but I do know some of the colours. I guess I am lucky in that way."

"Wow, but, I would think unlucky because you know what you have lost, someone born blind wouldn't know what they are missing."

"Yes, yes, that is true."

"Can I ask a personal question?" He said, I detected a tremble in his voice.

"Yes, but I may not answer, I reserve that right, it depends on how personal it is."

"I have heard or possibly read, that blind people often develop an exceptional other sense, such as taste or smell, have you?"

"Oh, okay, I can answer that, I did wonder what you were going to ask me," I laughed, for some obscure reason I thought he was going to ask about boyfriends or something like that.

"Yes, my sense of hearing is very acute, I can hear things and often I know exactly what direction from me the sound is coming from. Talking to my Mum and Dad, I know that is above average. I think my sense of smell is not so advanced, but it is clear."

"I envy you that and at the same time, I regret you the loss of your sight, if that makes sense."

"Yes, it does, and thank you, but, I don't envy anyone their sight, I am what I am, and any form of regret will only make me sad or perhaps bitter, and I am not that, that is not me. I am alive." At that point my phone chirruped. "Excuse me," I said

"Hello," I said into my phone.

"It is only me love, how have you got on?"

"Oh, hi Mum," I smiled in the direction that Gil was sat. "I am sat drinking coffee and trying to eat a very sticky pastry. It might be a Belgian Bun, going by what you have got me in the past."

"No issues?"

"Apart from being terrified? No."

"I am so proud of you Flo. Okay I will let you get on, I am only a phone call away if you need me."

"Thanks Mum, I might get a taxi home though."

"Good idea, bye baby." And she was gone.

"Parents never stop worrying do they?" Gil said.

"No, thank goodness, mine have been brilliant. The accident was no one's fault, a car driving passed the riding school skidded and the horse I was on bolted and threw me off. I had a bit of concussion and when I came fully round, I couldn't see any more. I was lucky, I could have been paralysed, now that would have been worse, imagine having to have someone wipe your bum for you."

"Good God you have a most peculiar way of looking at the world." I heard the smile in his voice and then his laugh.

In a strange and new way, I actually felt human. I was doing normal stuff, I had caught the bus into town and I was drinking coffee in a coffee shop, and here was the kicker, I was talking to a man.

Eventually my coffee was cool enough to drink, it was so full that I was sure that I must have dripped some onto the table, but thankfully not on me, I leant right forward so any spills or drips would be on the table.

"Right, that's me done," I said, "and I think I am going to get an Uber back home."

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Yes, of course, but again, I may not answer."

"Can I meet you again?"

"Oh. Er, well, I suppose, I wasn't expecting that question, wow."

"I am sorry, I have just never met anyone like you, and I really want to meet you again. I want to say 'see you again' but that sounds cruel in my head."

"Oh gosh." I handed him my phone, "put your number in there and make sure you record it as 'Gilbert' that way, if I am going out again, I can ring you and let you know."

"How do you ring me if you can't read the number?"

"Oh, I shall just say 'Hey Siri, ring Gilbert'."

"Of course, stupid me."

I smiled, he probably did that already, he just didn't have to think like me because he had eyes.

"Here is your phone back, may I walk with you and wait until your taxi arrives?"

"Why, yes of course Gilbert."

"Gil, please, we are friends now."

"Yes Gil, thank you, yes."

I put my stick back in one long piece and made sure I had my bag, and Gil took my arm and lead me out of the store into the precinct. I picked up my phone and spoke.

"Hey Siri, phone Uber."

There was a moment and then a ringing tone and then a man answered.

"I want a taxi please from Main Street Bingley from by the precinct. I am blind so I will not see the taxi arrive, please advise your driver. I want to go to 28 Acacia Avenue in Bingley, my name is Florence Brunoise, and I have an account."

"Yes madam, the taxi is three minutes away."

"As easy as that?" Gil said, "But you chose the bus to get here."

"Well yes," I said, "the taxi is too easy, I needed to challenge myself, but I am only brave enough today to challenge myself one way."

"Still bloody brave. We are here, by the curb," he said, but I knew that, I had counted the steps.

I heard a car pull up, a car window wind down and a voice call my name.

"That's me," I said. I turned to where Gil was standing, I leant to him and felt his face, a handsome face, I leant in and kissed his cheek. "Thank you Gil, I have enjoyed your company."

"And I yours you brave lady. Until the next time. Let me open the car door for you."

The Uber driver confirmed the address, and we were off.

I had been home a couple of hours, during which time I had two phone calls from Mum, one to see if I got home safely, and then the second to see if I was going to have Sunday dinner with them at the weekend. I answered yes to both questions.

The front door knocked, I went and answered it. I knew that Dad had put a sign on saying that the occupant my take longer than usual to answer and to please be patient. I opened the door.

"Miss Florence Brunoise?" A voice asked.

"Yes" I said.

"Flowers for you."

"Oh my," I said, "is there a card, if so, can you read it to me."

"Yes there is, and the instructions were to read it to you. The card reads, 'to the bravest person I have ever had the pleasure to meet with admiration Gil.'"

"Oh wow," I said.

"I was instructed to compile a fragrant bouquet, and we have Jasmine, Frangipani, Roses, Gardenia, Hedychium, Polyanthuses, and Lavender. They are in water but would benefit from putting in a vase sooner rather than later."

"Thank you," I said, "they smell lovely, they really do."

"Give me your hand," she said and as I put my hand forward, she put the bouquet into my hand. "Enjoy, and good luck," she said.

I wondered what she meant by good luck as I shut the door behind her and took the flowers into the kitchen. I had a vase in the cupboard under the sink. I knelt on the floor and opened the cupboard and soon found the vase.

I suppose it took me around five minutes to carefully unpack the flowers in the sink and then arrange them in the vase. I placed them by aroma, I couldn't really do them by looks, and anyway, aroma worked best for me.

"Hey Siri, ring Gilbert," I said picking up my phone.

"Hello?" Gil's voice answered the phone.

"You are silly and what a wonderful thing to do. Thank you."

"I thought you deserved a smile in your life."

"You must thank the florist; she did a fantastic job of selecting the flowers. I have arranged them so that I will get a different scent depending on how I approach my vase."

"I shall, I shall leave them positive feedback on their website."

"Good."

"What time can I pick you up tomorrow?"

"Excuse me?" I was surprised by the question.

"I want to take you out." He said.

"You mean, like a date?"

"Yes, exactly like a date."

"Oh." I had never been on a date; I wasn't entirely sure what to do on a date. "Er, what time would you like to pick me up?"

"I suppose sunrise is too early, I suppose I ought to let you wash and then have breakfast. Sunrise is at 04:47, say 5:15?"

I laughed, "speed eating my breakfast will give me hiccups."

"Oh, okay. How about a compromise, say 10:30?"

"Much better, yes, okay, I shall be ready at 10:30."

"Until then," he said, and the phone went dead as he killed the call.

"Hey Siri, call Mum."

"Hello Darling, is everything all right?"

"Yes, no, help."

"God what is it?"

"I have been asked on a date and I don't know what to do."

"Oh, oh my goodness. When, what time?"

"Ten thirty tomorrow."

"I shall be there at nine and I will help you. You will be ready on time. What is his name?"

"Gilbert, I don't know his last name, I met him today. He must have heard me give the taxi driver my address and he sent me flowers Mum, they just arrived."

"Okay, now then, do you know what sort of date?"

"No. He just said he would pick me up at sunrise which we both agreed was too early, and so we agreed on ten thirty, that is all I know."

"I am so pleased for you. I shall be over in the morning in good time, okay, right I am off to tell your father."

And that was that, and I was supposed to sleep tonight with a date tomorrow? My first ever date, my gosh goodness pixies.

I was up at six, I am sure I hadn't slept a wink, well, perhaps half a wink, I had a pee, cleaned my teeth and stood in the shower and washed every inch of my body, and I do mean every inch, some of the inches got washed twice. I put my dressing gown on and went downstairs and filled and then boiled the kettle.

Tea or coffee, tea or coffee, that was the question. It had to be coffee. I put the tea bag in a mug and added hot water and milk and only then realised that my coffee tasted wrong. The doorbell rang and then the door opened, it was, of course, Mum, I could tell by the way she walked, and her perfume helped too, I mean, who else would wear Estee Lauder Youth Dew these days? Only my Mum. And me.

"Come on, come on, tell me all about him," she said rushing into the kitchen.

"Morning Mum."

"Never mind that, tell me, who is he, come on, tell me."

So, I told Mum my story, such as it was and as much as I could remember of it, I may have had a few of his inflections slightly wrong.

"He sounds gorgeous, is he?" Mum asked.

"I don't know, I didn't get to touch much of his face, but what I did felt pretty good."

"Right, come on, let's get you upstairs and sort your clothes out, what you are going to wear. Oh, and do you want makeup?"

"No, I can't do makeup myself, so, no, no thank you Mum."

We went upstairs and I sat on the bed with Mum pulling out my dresses one by one, and then my skirts and tops, and then back to my dresses. Mum knew to put everything back exactly where she got it from. My underwear was pretty much all the same, white bras and white knickers, my dresses though were very different, some were strappy, some were low cut, not that that was anything, not when I was an A and a half cup, most were above the knee, a few were below.

"Right then Florence, above the knee I think," Mum said, I could feel the air as she swirled the dress around in front of me, not that I could see.

"Blue Mum, I think blue."

"Which one darling, the dark Royal Blue with the low-cut front, or the cornflower blue with the low back and front?"

"Cornflower Mum." I could remember the cornflower blue, I had a dress in cornflower blue that I used to wear on Sundays when I was smaller, before the accident, I knew that colour.

"Right then, come on, get that robe off and let's get you sorted."

So, my robe came off and a clean bra went on, and then Mum sprayed my crotch with antiperspirant, and then I stepped into some knickers, "bikini style" Mum said, and then the dress.

"Right, let's have a look at you." Mum said, so I did a twirl. Mum doesn't mean anything by it, I couldn't have a look, but I could feel, and I liked how, when I twirled, the skirt of the dress flared and then slowly settled, nice.

"Shoes," Mum said.

"Flats Mum, I don't want to stumble, and I have no idea where he is taking me, so flats."

"Stockings?"

"What do you think?" I only have holdups, I do have a suspender belt, and I could use that to clip onto the stockings, just in case they started to fall.

"I think yes. Hold your dress up and I'll put the suspender belt on and then when you have put your stockings on, I can straighten the seams and clip them on."

Mum did up the belt and I sat on the edge of the bed and mum passed me a stocking, I pulled it up one leg, she then passed me the other.

"Try and straighten them, I'll tell you if you manage

I stood up and felt for the seam on my left leg, I then swished the stocking left and right until I thought it straight and then clipped it to the suspender. I then did my right leg. A final check.

"Okay Mum, I think they are straight."

"Yes baby, well done, they are perfect."

I pressed two fingers on my watch and it spoke. "The time is 09:55"

"Come on Mum, I am as done as I can be, let's go and sit downstairs, I'll have a water, do you want a tea?"

"No sweetheart, I'll have water same as you. You sit in the lounge, and I'll fetch our drinks."

I walked downstairs slowly and then went and sat in the lounge. I usually sit on the sofa, I don't know why, but there we are, that's where I sit. Mum put a glass of water in my hand and then I felt her sit by me. I took a sip and then feeling for my side table, I put my glass down.

"You know about boys?" Mum said.

"What do you mean?"

"Sex Florence, sex."

"Oh, yes, the mechanics of it, they taught us that at school. Everyone else was giggling at the video, but of course I couldn't see what they were laughing at, but yes, I know about a penis and a vagina and all that. And, before you ask, I am protected, I get an injection every 8 weeks."

"Good grief Florence, I never knew that. Why?"

"Because I live here now and, well, it was going to happen, is going to happen one day, and I like to be ready. It doesn't mean I shall, it just means I am ready if I do."

"Right. Wow. Okay, I shan't tell your father, you know how he worries."

"Yes Mum."

I pressed my watch "The time is 10:25"

"I'll see you off and then I will lock up for you, now have you got everything, purse, wallet, keys, phone?"

"Yes Mum, I am ready. Let me just get my cane and I will wait outside."

I unfurled my cane, gave Mum a kiss and walked slowly up my drive counting the thirty three paces. As I reached the end a car pulled up and I heard a voice, his voice.

"Hello beautiful, wait there and I will escort you to the car. Hello Mum," he called. "I assume that is your Mum waiting by your front door," he said more quietly.

"Yes Gil, she worries."

"Well, from what I have seen, I don't think she has to worry about you. An amazing daughter you have here Mum," he called to Mum. A hand took mine and guided me to the car. He held my stick as I got in and the passed it to me already folded. I did up my seat belt and heard my car door close, and then the driver's door opened, the car jiggled a little as he got in and then his door shut and the engine started, I could feel its small vibrations.

"Right then, first things first, wow, you look stunning this morning, I shall be the proud man walking by your side."

"Oh gosh, er thank you. Where are we going?"

"We are going for a walk. There will be stimulations along the way, but if they are in anyway frightening, I have a plan B."

"Oh, okay, right, thank you, and this morning I woke up to the most wonderful flowery scents in my house, I cannot thank you enough for that kindness."

We drove for about fifteen minutes and then I realised that we were in a car park as there was manoeuvring back and forth. I had tried to keep sense of directions travelled and was really please that when I got out of the car, I could feel the heat of the sun exactly where I expected it to be.

He got out of the car shutting his door behind him and then my door opened. I felt his hand and he helped me up, a hand on my head to ensure I didn't bump it on the door frame.

"Right then," Gil said, "we are going to walk along the riverbank. I will be between you and the river. On the other side of us, your side, there is a park. There are people with dogs, some youths playing football, and one guy is flying a kite. I hope that this gives you enough sensory stimulations."

"Oh, what a wonderful idea, yes, thank you."

"And then we shall go to a pub, the Brown Cow it is called, and we will have lunch, what we do after that is your choice. How does that sound as a first date?"

"It sounds fantastic," I said. First date, gosh golly.

He took my hand, and we walked slowly along a rough path, probably an ash or cinder, not a hard path like tarmac. I could hear the water flowing in the river, and I knew it must be quite shallow and an uneven river floor, probably rocky. In my mind's eye I could see the path, well, a visualisation of it anyway, just as far as I could hear.

"Is the river shallow and is it rocky?" I asked as I pulled him closer to me and put my arm through his arm, that made it feel more intimate to me.

"Yes, exactly right. Just here the river is quite shallow. A little further up, not far from the pub there is a weir, and the river is artificially deeper the other side.

"Was that a fish jumping?" I asked him at a small plop sound that I heard.

"I think it was, they are jumping, but I was looking at my date and not the river, so I missed it. I shall try and pay more attention to our surroundings. I can only apologise."

"Silly man," I said and laughed. "Oh, a bird that I don't know, I can hear it, it is over there," I said pointing towards the river.

"My God, okay, that is a kingfisher, you are so lucky, people all along the river hope to see them, I am told that they bring luck. It is perched on a twig and looking for fish to dive in and catch."

"That is bird number twelve for me."

"Bird number twelve?"

"Well, I can't see the birds, so I don't know what they are, but I have identified the sounds of eleven different birds, twelve now, so I just call them bird one, bird two etcetera. After bird eleven comes Kingfisher. Excellent, now I have a named bird."

I heard a sort of swoosh noise from the direction of the river. I pointed and asked, "and that, what is that?"

'Wow, your hearing is really keen. You just pointed at a man fishing, he just cast his rod, I didn't hear that at all."

We walked on and then he said, "there is a bench here facing the river, shall we sit for a few moments?"

I used my stick and felt the bench and then used my hand to identify which bit was the seating bit. I put my hand down to determine where the seat actually was and how low it was, and then I sat, my stick to my left. Gil sat to my right. "Is the river about three me's away?" I asked.

"Three me's, what does that mean."

"well I can't see measurements. I do a lot of things by my paces, the road is for example thirty three paces from my front door. But other distances I judge by how many of me laying down that they would be. The river sounds about three of me away."

"That is so clever, and God that sounded patronising, I apologise, yes you are right I would say it is just over five yards away, and that would be you laying down three times, the last you might have her pony tail dangling in the river."

"Oh gosh, I washed my hair this morning too, the fish would nibble my pony."

I felt him move and then his hand was on my cheek and then his lips touched mine, gosh golly pixies, I was being kissed. His hand moved from my cheek and rested just below my left boob. I hadn't been kissed before, well, not a proper boy girl kiss, I mean obviously I had kissed people, just, you know, a peck, this was very different, and golly, it made me tingle.

"I am sorry," he said into my mouth, his lips moving as he spoke was a very peculiar sensation, "but your mouth is just so kissable."

I kissed him back, I hoped I was doing it right, I mean, well, how do you know how to kiss when you have never done it? I rested my right hand on his leg and squeezed a little, that seemed like the right thing to do. He pushed his tongue into my mouth and I gasped, that felt so much nicer than it sounds, his tongue played with mine and the river babbled three me's away.

His hand moved up a bit and he was cupping my boob, all one and a half A's of it, and that felt nice too, almost too nice for a bench in a park by a river. His fingers managed to find my nipple through all of my clothes and squeezed it, and I had a really funny feeling between my legs.

I pulled back, "gosh," I said, "I don't even know what you look like."

I twisted towards him and ran my hands over his face, feeling his forehead, his nose, his cheeks, his chin and then running my fingers over his lips. Gosh, he felt gorgeous.

"Are you okay?" he asked, "only I guess I got a bit carried away."

"I am, as long as you are not going to apologise."

"Good and no I am not, in fact," he said as his lips brushed mine again, "I am going to do it again."

I had that feeling again between my legs, a sort of squishiness, and then there was a boing sound and Gil pulled back and laughed. "Bloody kids and their football," he said. It hadn't ruined the moment, but it had reminded us both where we were, on a bench in a public park.

Gil stood up and took my hand, "come on, let's find that pub and get some lunch."

At the end of the path by the river we had to cross a busy road bridge with no footpath which seemed to worry him more than me. Although the day was warm, he suggested that we sat inside the pub. "The sounds of the weir," he said, "they just overwhelm me, so I am guessing they must be for you too, it will be quieter inside."

Actually he was right. There is something about rushing water that is unsettling, I don't know what it is, babbling is fine, but falling? No that is actually a bit scary. He bought me a gin and tonic. I have never had gin and tonic before it was, er, well, interesting, a very strange flavour. I don't have any alcohol at home, and when we went out with Mum and Dad we tended to drink wine.

He read through the menu for me, and I picked the vegetarian burger, not because I am vegetarian, but because it sounded really tasty. He had a steak. We ordered and then sat and waited, and I had a second Gin and tonic, mostly to see if the flavour changed. Not sure if it did, but it slipped down rather more easily than the first one.

"What do you do?" I asked him, "I mean here I am sitting in a pub by the noisiest river in England with a man that I know nothing about"

"Ah well, perhaps, if I tell you, then I shall have to kill you."

"Oh, look, if you are going to kill me, don't do it where someone else will have to clean up the mess, I mean, that would be unfair on them."

He laughed and squeezed my hand, I had more of that squishiness.

"I run my own consultancy firm, and my employees are most troublesome, they keep wanting to take time off."

"Gosh, how many do you have?"

"Just the one, me," and he laughed again with more squeezing.

"Who consults you?"

"Well now, that would require termination," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice, "Government agencies and larger private firms, all require me to sign a non-disclosure agreement."

"I have never heard of one of them."

"It is a contract basically, legally binding, where you agree to not reveal certain things, sometimes it is technical information, sometimes it is as abstract as simply the fact that you are doing something for them."

"Gosh, sounds intriguing."

"Actually it is a bit boring. Now then, tell me, why cornflower? Your dress I mean, I assume that you chose it, not your Mum."

"Oh, yes, me, not Mum. I love the colour, it is one I remember, it makes me think of summer days."

"It looks fabulous on you, you wear it very well, it is a wonderful style too."

"Well, I can't see how it looks obviously, but when I try a dress on, I can tell by how it feels and moves if I am going to like it. If I like it, then it is up to other people to like it too."

He laughed again. "And" he said, "I can just make out the clips of your suspenders through your fabric, and that is so wonderful," and then he lowered his voice, "and so arousing."

Gosh and golly, is that what the squishiness is, arousal? It was all new to me. Then the food arrived, the server placed food in front of me and then touched my hand.

"The plate is very hot miss," she said, "so I won't touch your hand to it, but it is directly in front of you. I hope you enjoy, there is a table over there with sauces on, if you want anything I will go and get it, otherwise perhaps your companion could."

"Oh gosh, thank you," I said.

Gil thanked her and she left.

"Give me your hand," Gil said and he moved my hand and placed it on my burger. "You know where your food is, okay? Now, be careful of the plate, it is ridiculously hot."

"Thank you kind sir," I said. He was right, I now knew exactly where my food was and could reach for it when I was ready. I heard the noises of his knife and fork, his food being cut and then put into his mouth. I heard him breath a sort of satisfied breathe and then a small sigh of pleasure, I guessed he was enjoying his steak.

I felt around my burger, gauging how big it was, some of them can be quite huge and you would need a detachable jaw, a bit like a snake, to be able to bite them. This was fine, big, but okay. I picked it up, leant over the table and took a bite. It was just as tasty as it sounded. I know a vegetarian feels the need to only select nonmeat foods, but as an omnivore I am quite happy to select from the full range of foods available.

Eventually, after much munching, biting and chewing the food was completed and I sat back and resisted the urge to let out a little burp. The food had been good, a real treat. I used the napkin to wipe my face and finished off my third, and last, gin and tonic.

"Would you like coffee?" Gil asked.

"We could," I replied.

"Where would you like it? We could have it here, we could go back to Hot Java in the precinct, or, and this is just a thought, we could go back to mine and have it there."

Oh goodness and golly, I am not quite that naive, I knew what he was thinking and I had to decide if I was thinking the same way.

"Yours," my mouth said which almost surprised me. I guess my heart was speaking for my brain, I guessed my brain had stepped out of the room.

"Okay, well, if you are ready ma'am, we will head back to the car, or, do you want to wait here and I will go and get the car and pick you up."

"Oh, don't be silly, it's a nice day, I shall walk with you."

We walked back over the narrow bridge and then when we had crossed the road and were back in the park by the river, I put my arm through his and half leaned on him as we walked, I was river side this time and the river sounds tended to mask the park sounds.

"Oh, bird number two," I said pointing to where the sound was coming from.

"Right, well, that is a small black bird, it is about the size of your fist. It has black feathers and a bright yellow orange coloured beak, with a ring the same colour around its eye."

"Oh, right, yes, thank you, now I have two named birds."

We walked arm in arm and then I stopped, the air had changed its smell. "It is going to thunder," I said.

"Gosh, yes, looking up the clouds look quite angry, and the temperature has dropped, let's hurry as best we can."

We hurried, me holding on to him for guidance and, it has to be said, security. I felt the rain drops and I was sure we still had a way to go, I chided myself for not counting the steps when we had walked. "Oh golly," I said.

"I think we may get a little wet, I hope that your dress isn't dry clean only."

"No, it isn't, none of my clothes are, if they can't deal with a washing machine then they have no place in my life."

We hurried on, the rain getting heavier with every step, and then we were in the car park and Gil was opening the car door.

"Quick, give me your stick and get in out of the rain. I'll mind your head."

I dipped and got in and Gil had his hand on my head making sure I didn't bump it on the door. He folded my cane and passed it to me. "Elbows" he said, and the car door shut. He got in the other side and laughed.

"Well, my goodness, I have to say I wasn't expecting that sudden downpour."

"No, and it was sudden, no sooner than I smelled it and the drops started. I am a bit wet, how about you?"

"The same as you Florence, wet."

"Crumbs, do you want to forget the coffee and just drop me off so that you can go home and get dry."

"Goodness no. I have towels at home, you can slip your wet dress of and wrap yourself in a towel and I can hang your dress up to dry, that is, if you don't mind. I will of course take you home if that is what you want."

"Well, I would still like a coffee," I said, and, well, I still had the squishiness.

He started the engine and off we went, it didn't take long to get to his house, I heard his tyres crunch across the gravel of his driveway. "The rain has eased, let me go and open the house and then I will come back for you," he said as he got out of the car.

I heard his footsteps across the gravel and then some beeping, I guessed he had a house alarm, and then I heard his footsteps, and my car door opened. He took my arm, "right, let's get you into the house and out of those wet clothes." To be honest, I wouldn't have minded even if the clothes weren't wet.

In the house he stopped me at the doorway. "Right, first things first. Ahead and to the right are the stairs, the usual thirteen steps. At the top of the stairs in front of you is the bathroom, and to your left is the main bedroom. Now, down here, ahead of you is the way to the kitchen, and about 8 steps along on the right is the down stairs loo."

"Okay, yes, got it so far," I said, I liked how he was so thoughtful of my needs.

"To your left is the front room, my lounge. Now let's walk on. Okay, stop. To your right is the downstairs bathroom come loo, and just in front of you to the left is the dining room and the way to the conservatory. Let's walk on into the kitchen."

We walked forward another eight paces and I felt the flooring change. I think it was wooden floor in the hall, but here was tiled, it felt different under foot.

"To your right is the usual kitchen stuff, sink, hub, fridge etc, and to your left is a small table and chairs. Now, where do you want to take your dress off? You think about that whilst I go and get you some towels."

Well, now that was the question wasn't it. I thought in his lounge, there would be somewhere to sit, I guessed that there probably was in his conservatory too, but the lounge was a better bet. I turned around and using my stick I carefully found my way into his lounge. I felt his furniture, and yes, there was a sofa to my right. To my left the brightness suggested that would be his front window.

I undid the catch on my dress and let it fall, and then I felt cold, and as I rubbed my hand on my arms, I realised I had broken out in goose bumps.

"Here, here, my goodness," he said wrapping a towel around me. "I have taken my wet clothes off and have put my dressing gown on, I have brought you some towels, so, you sit here wrapped in towels and get warm, I shall go and make coffee, how do you have it? Just white if I remember correctly from Hot Java."

"Thank you, yes, just white." I pulled the towel tight and rubbed my hands over it warming my skin up a little, I then sat down on the sofa putting another towel over my legs. That felt much better. I heard the noises of coffee making from the kitchen, and then his footsteps down his hall and into the room.

"Have I sat in the right place?" I asked.

"Anywhere you sit would be right Florence."

"Silly man, I meant am I in the right room?"

"Oh yes, this is perfect. Your coffee is on a small table to your left, I guess it will be a little warm at the moment." And then I felt him sit next to me on my right.

I felt a breath on my lips and then his lips touched mine again and we were once more kissing, my right hand on his leg, his thigh more accurately. His tongue was pressing again, and his hand was on my leg as mine was on his. I felt the towel on my leg slide and his hand on my skin, my squishiness got more intense.

I moved my hand and found the gap in his robe and slipped my hand inside and moved upwards. I wasn't sure what would happen, I had never done this before, I mean, I knew technically what I would find, I had just never found one before.

I moved up higher, his hand moved higher up my skin, and as his fingers touched my knickers, my hand found his dick and I gasped, I wasn't sure whether it was my hand on his dick, or his hand on my knickers that caused my gasp, and to be honest, it didn't matter. I was touching my first man sexually.

I gasped again as Gil's finger moved along my knickers, tracing my crease, golly pixies, that felt really good, so much better than when I did it. I knew that women's boobs were different, I didn't know if their fannies were too? Golly, what if he didn't like what he found.

I held his dick in my hand and I moved my hand, I was absolutely fascinated, I mean I didn't have one and so this was all new territory for me. His dick was soft on the outside, I mean really soft, but inside, it was hard, very, very hard, and it was much bigger than I had expected, but then as I was exploring I got very distracted, his hand slipped inside my knickers and he was touching me, actually touching me down there.

My breath held, for some reason I did not seem to be able to breathe. His finger slipped into my crease and I realised I was very slippery down there, perhaps that explained the squishiness. His finger moved upwards and then I almost screamed, he had found my little button and lightly pressed it in a circle, pleasures that I had only experienced privately at home when no one was about, suddenly started flooding through my body.

There was a huge gulping sound, I realised it was me, and my bottom was trying to lift off the sofa.

"Shall we go upstairs," he asked into my mouth. In all the excitement I hadn't noticed that we were still kissing.

"Yes." I said quietly, so excited at what was about to happen and yet so scared too. 'Silly girl' I told myself in my head, 'everyone has a first time.'

I stood up and the towels fell off me, it mattered not, and Gil took my hand and led the way. I counted his steps and yes there were thirteen and at the top of the stairs we turned left and walked forwards. He held my shoulders and turned me around.

"Step backwards, perhaps two steps," he said, and when I did, I bumped into what had to be his bed. Golly pixies. I felt his hands on my back and he was undoing my bra, and then his hands were at my waist and my knickers were going down, falling to my feet once they were passed my knees.

'Oh my, I am naked,' I thought and then realised when I touched him, that at some point he had lost his robe, and he was naked too. I then remembered our coffee which must still be downstairs. Oh well.

"Lay down lovely," he said, and so I did, I leant back and rolled and was in the middle of the bed, I wasn't entirely sure what should, or even would, happen next, I soon found out, I was kissed on my fanny.

I think I mentally jumped about two me's into the air, I hadn't expected that, not at all. His lips were on my fanny, kissing me in the exact way he kissed my mouth, his lips on my labia and his tongue delving between. Oh my God my pleasures were just ramping up, I didn't know what to do in return. His tongue moved along my crease, first upwards to my button, and then downwards to my fanny entrance.

I realised that my fingers were curling and straightening, I was clutching at air, my back was tight, and my mouth was gasping. A finger traced the outline of my entrance, and my breath held again, and then it slowly, oh so very slowly, pushed inside me, I could feel my fanny giving way to the intrusion. The finger wiggled inside me, and I had butterflies in my tummy, this felt so weird, something inside my private place that I had no control over.

The finger eased out and my fanny felt empty, and I didn't like that emptiness. His tongue found my button and licked it and then dabbed it and flicked it, it made me gasp, my fingers were clutching emptiness. I felt him circling my entrance again and then again pressing inside, only this time he was bigger.

I realised that he must be using two fingers, and I felt my fanny stretch and widen, and I felt his fingernails scrape as they moved over my little ridges inside. He had his fingers pushed all the way inside me and his other fingers lay over the crease behind my fanny, pressing at my bottom entrance too, that felt very odd and also very arousing. What would he do next? This seemed strange, I had just expected him to put his dick inside me, this was odd. Nice odd, but odd.

I gasped loudly again as he moved his fingers inside me, his fingers moving in different directions and his tongue pressing on my clitoris just was overwhelming. I realised I was gulping, that my pressures were about to blow, that electrics were fizzing in my groin, this was like when I did it myself, only much more so, much, much more so.

My fanny was squeezing his fingers, my button was throbbing and my buttocks were gripping his mattress, I tried to say something but all that happened was I shrieked, and I screamed, and it felt like my body exploded, pleasures were in every part of me, in my boobs, my ears, my toes and even in my ears, my body was bucking on the bed.

That was the best orgasm I had ever had, I could not believe how much better it was than when I did it myself, how could this be so good. I felt his fingers gently leave my fanny and he lay beside me, I knew that I had to make him feel good too. I felt him and realised that if I sat up and bent over, I would be able to kiss his dick. I wondered if he would like that.

I bent over and as I leant down to his groin, I used my hand to find and hold his dick, I was surprised how big it was, I mean I had never held one before today, I had kind of assumed it would be size of a finger. But no, this was much bigger, perhaps three fingers in size and soft and hard, and the skin moved.

I used my hand to push his skin down and I kissed the end of his dick, Gil groaned, not a groan of pain, but one of delight and pleasure. I had not expected the end of his dick to be different, I just thought it would all be the same, but no, when I moved his skin the end was different, it had like an edge, a rim.

I opened my mouth and put his dick inside and on my tongue, Gil immediately started moving his dick, sliding it in and out of my mouth. I licked and I sucked, I did not know what else to do. Underneath his dick were his balls, I used my hand to find them and hold them, they felt very different to his dick, they were wrinkly and the skin was much rougher, they were not as hard as the inside of his dick, although I could feel something hard inside, I moved them around and sucked harder on his dick, Gil grunting and gasping as I played with his dick and balls. I slid my finger along the crease behind his balls and found his arse.

His arse was much crinklier than mine, and I wondered if he would like me to touch it the way I liked him touching mine. I pressed my finger at the centre of his crinkle, and he gasped loudly, "oh fuck yes." So, he does like it then. I felt his hands on my side, and he pulled me away and then I was laying down again.

He must have been laying above me, there was a feeling at my crease, and I realised that it must be his dick. It moved up and down my crease, he must have used his hand to do that, and then it was at my entrance, gently and slowly pushing, going inside my body, a dick inside me for the first time ever. Oh my pixies, this felt better than anything ever before.

I thought that he would never stop, how could I take so much inside me, it seemed impossible that I could fit it all inside me, and then I felt his stomach pressing on mine and his dick stopped pressing in, it was just there, filling me in a way I did not know possible. His lips brushed mine and we kissed, my hands around him, holding him as we kissed.

I felt his dick move, he was easing back, I was feeling empty again, I did not enjoy being empty and oddest of all, I could feel the skin on his dick moving inside me, that was really weird. He was out, well, almost, just the end of his dick at my entrance, and then he pushed inside me with so much speed, there was a slap as his stomach cracked against mine.

I gasped, both with the slam of his body against mine, and the thrust of his dick into my depth. His lips pressed hard against mine, his kiss overwhelming as his dick started moving inside me, going faster and faster. I could not breath properly, I was gasping when he pushed in, and my gasps were going faster and faster. I was beating the air with my hands; my mouth was struggling to open passed his kisses.

Again, my pleasures were rushing around my body, flowing to my toes, caressing my A and a half cups, tickling the lobes on my ears, my hair felt as it were standing on end, how could happen, how could it create so much pleasure. Was it because I could not see that my pleasures were so intense, or were they intense for Gil too, is this what sex is about?

He began to grunt, his mouth pressing harder at mine, I was sure my lips would be sore tomorrow, and I didn't care, with the pressures and electrics in my body I did not care about anything, my lungs felt so full that they would explode, and then he pushed in harder and stayed still just pushing and I felt his dick twitch and he gasped and my fanny went cold, I felt the cool spurts from his dick as he finished and it sent me over.

I screamed into his mouth, my back pressed up and left the bed, my fingers dug into his back, and I shrieked, and my pressures released, and I had the most wonderful rush I had ever experienced, it was so much more than earlier. I was gulping in air, I was laughing, and I was crying with the experience.

I was sobbing and I was laughing, I was gibbering, my voice made no sense, there was just sounds coming from my mouth. I felt Gil move and his dick slipped from my fanny, and I felt him lay by my side, his hand held mine, I squeezed back, I could not use words, not yet.

I lay quietly recovering, my chest was heaving, of that I was sure, and eventually my breathing became normal, and I felt I could speak, if I dare.

"Wow," I said, what other word could convey that moment?

"My word Florence, I have no words, you have taken them all from me, I have never experienced anyone like you, ever."

"I have never done that before Gil, so, I don't know what to do, so I hope I did it properly."

"What? That was your first time? Bloody nora."

I could hear my phone ringing down stairs. It was Mum's ring tone, I bet she wanted to know if I was having a good time. Well, yes Mum, I have just had a very good time.

"Shall I go and get your phone?" Gil asked.

"It's only Mum, she will want all the details."

"Oh. Will you tell her."

"Probably."

"Okay. Er, can I see you again? You know, take you out again."

"Do you really want to? I mean, I don't know what I am doing," I said hoping and praying that he meant it and that he really wanted to see me again. Obviously I wouldn't see him, but it turned out that wasn't important. I had hands, I could feel.

"Yes, I really want to."

"Okay then, yes."