We met a lot since that day. He would talk to me at length. I did a lot of talking. He would take me to the ship. It was a proud moment when he walked me up to his friends, holding my hand and introduced me as a well-read girl.Yeah, he did that -Introduce me as a geek. But it was respectful. The Navy folks-his colleagues were kind and respectful, just like him. He would talk respectfully so much that I started growing fond of myself and more than that of him. It was an easy ride after that.

We would talk whenever he was on leave and on land. And when on deployment, he would write, which though passe, was unbelievably romantic. He was a man of honor. Unlike the usual love stories that I watched or read, he was just different. He said it was the sea that turns you in to such kind of person and the responsibility that came along. I loved him. I realized that. I think he did too. But it was never put in words. I was still the un-touched and un-kissed girl of the Sailor. The Navy folks knew me as Sammy’s girl. I felt like Olive. He was no Popeye though. Popeye used to kiss Olive! Blah!

“You’re a desirable woman”, he said one day, all of a sudden. We were sitting at the deck away from prying eyes, feet buried in the sand, enjoying the breeze. I chose to keep quiet. “Don’t stop smiling. Ever”, he added. I looked at him and back to the sea. “Except when you’re kissed”, he added not looking at me. “Oh! Don’t wory! I have never been..”,I had hardly completed the sentence when I felt his lips on mine. That was the first real contact we had since we started dating. It was after 2 months technically speaking. I am clueless as in to put the feeling in words. It was peaceful and incredible. It was effortless and not the messy ones you see in movies. I learned that you could actually kiss without holding each other.

I opened my eyes. I saw the man I want to spend my life with. I knew. “Thank you”, I said, not knowing what one usually says after the first kiss. He thanked me with another kiss. This could go on forever.

I was curious about his feelings for me. I was not the type men fall for. I was crude and ambitious. Yet, you do not know when things catch you off-guard and you fall for people you never thought you would. I sank in the cool breeze and my first kiss. I am a romantic. I discovered that late though.

He cooked delicious sea-food. Even if he were not the kind,honorable and the sexy man he was, I would have dated him for all the food he cooked.

~More to follow.

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