A Walk in the Countryside

Part 1

"Come on . . . this isn't easy holding them apart." Jason held the rusty wires up for Leona to pass beneath. "Go under the fence," he told her. "It's OK."

"Are you crazy, Jay? This is private property. Didn't you see the sign, silly?"

"I never did like rules . . . most of them have no point."

"Yeah? I guess that's what I like about you so far . . . but there's limits to that you know."

Leona bent down and passed gracefully under the barbed wire strands that protected the large, beautiful tract of land from outsiders. Her body was fit and curvaceous in the right places and Jason's eyes lingered on her apple-shaped derriere before she stood back up. They both ran freely out onto an expanse of green, a field that moved gently into a densely wooded area. The weather was bright and promising for their planed first date--an arranged "walk in the country" that afternoon. They had only been together once before in the company of others at the college back in Colton. Still it was officially their first outing together, as unorthodox as it seemed, and yet there was something irresistible to Leona about being with Jason. She had hoped it would happen after meeting him that first time. And now as they walked side-by-side, she felt the little fantasy she had had for the past two weeks was actually happening.

While she watched Jason's athletic body bounding out in front of her as he ran toward the trees, she took note of how well he filled out his worn khaki colored jeans. Who says girls can't check out guys the way they do us, she thought to herself, a little impishly as she eagerly followed him. As he stopped and perused the woods before them for any trace of a trail, Leona's eyes shamelessly continued to stay on Jason-up his broad shoulders and down again to his narrow hips and muscular thighs.

He turned and faced her. Then held out his arms widely in a gesture of liberation, but also as a sign for her to join him farther up the hill. She ran to him and was surprised by his sudden, exuberant hug. For a moment they just looked into each others' inquisitive gaze as they embraced. There were definite sparks in that long look. Jason had the type of striking eyes and a tanned, boyish face, but just enough beard growth that made girls bite their lower lip when they saw him up closely. She flashed back for a moment to the little dream she had had earlier in the day back in her dorm room. It envisioned just such a physical encounter with him while she waited nervously for him to pick her up.

It was a friend of hers named Jeff who actually set up their first meeting. He shared an anthropology class with Jason and told her confidentially it was a favor for her help and counsel with his own girlfriend. The short but intense reveries Jason had inspired in her from that first brief meeting on campus never quite had the opportunity to develop further, though on a few occasions, sprawled out on her bed, she had tried to conjure him up from little scenes into a longer and more intense movie. Over the past week at each opportunity for this, however, Leona had been interrupted in some way or another, usually by her roommate, Jessie on the phone. But now the seeds from their first meeting, back in the commons, were finally beginning to flourish, there in the wide open space of the countryside just outside Colton.

As Jason released her and continued to walk toward the stand of trees, Leona wondered if he would again take her in his arms at some point that day to give her more gist for future fantasies. She knew the promise of more enthusiastic embraces while out alone with him might even morph into something more if she let it happen. Would his kiss be soft and sensitive, or forced and overly aggressive? She wondered.

"Come on!"

Jason was suddenly running again out in front of her while entering the forest. Leona was herself in good physical shape, thanks to the volleyball season in full swing. And though she still felt she had a little ways to go with her gym visits to be totally ready for bathing suit season, she was, on the whole, proud of her body. There was an extra air of confidence in her this day which made her feel daring and adventurous.

As Jason was satisfied he had located a path to follow, he turned and waited for her to catch up. He was feeling charged by the moment himself, liberated from school and the town altogether. Being with this lovely girl whom he was impressed with the day he met her, gave him some instinctive messaging--to eventually bring her back into his arms again. Perhaps it was her eager smile, the burgeoning suntan of late spring on her face, or the close-fitting riding pants she wore that began to augment Jason's desires for her. It was also her honey-colored, shoulder-length hair which danced about her face as she approached him that made him wonder why he had not noticed this beautiful girl before on campus.

As he took her by the hand and they moved deeper into the trees, they discovered their little path seemed to lead nowhere in particular, but only conspired to put them further into the countryside, away from the car and the fence and any notion they had anything better to do that day. What mattered only was the powerful whim of being physically together in such a pristine and natural setting.

Walking on silently, the light was quickly changing, noticeably by the darkening clouds which had gradually blown over the area. It perhaps threatened a spring shower. As a distant rumble of thunder unexpectedly sounded somewhere miles away, Jason stopped and turned to Leona once again. He took both of her hands in his and moved her closer to face him.

"Listen," he said, almost in a whisper.

"To what?" She replied nervously.

"To the most amazing sound out here. . ."

"The thunder?" She couldn't take her eyes off his close, fixed features.

He gently pulled her nearer, still. His body was now lightly against hers.

"No . . . to the sound of a kiss," he added in a breathy voice.

He took her in his arms and pressed his lips softly and sensually against hers. She felt the icy fire of his hands around her waist as his slightly opened mouth made contact with hers. The kiss was long, sensitive and gaining in passion as he pressed his warm torso against hers more hungrily. It seemed like an eternity to her as their faces moved gently in little circles, exploring the form and shape of each other's lips. There was a pattering sound on the leaves suddenly audible, which neither of them wanted to acknowledge. But from the cool drops of rain, growing in intensity, they knew they must put this long-awaited moment on hold and quickly find some shelter.

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Text and e-book copyright © 2014 Califia Montalvo

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