idisagreecompletely

That made him smile. He was even more adorable when he smiled. He poured each of us another shot. We quickly clinked our glasses and drank them in one gulp.

I could feel the tequila beginning to warm me. We were sitting by a fireplace in the bar we had stopped at. It had turned chilly and I was starving.

I never knew riding on the back of a Harley could be so much fun and exhausting at the same time. I was beginning to thaw and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.

Life was beginning to be fun again.

“So Susan, what are you doing with someone like me?” he asked as he brushed his long hair back.

He had gorgeous hair.

He had a gorgeous face.

He was an Adonis and he was mine for the weekend.

“Having fun. What are you doing with someone like me?” I asked and took a sip of my coffee.

He laughed. “I guess having fun.”

“Then we are agreed. This is just for fun, right?”

“Right,” he said but there was a hint of a question when he said it.

“What? You don’t believe me?” I leaned forward and rested my chin on my hand and looked at him.

My friend Nancy had introduced us. She had known him for a few years and when he walked into her store when I was there, we shook hands, chatted and then he left. Nancy began poking me on my arm as he walked out.

“What do you think?” she asked. She had that hopeful look on her face mixed with a mischievous grin.

“Him? He’s hot,” I said as I continued to look at the scarves she had on sale. I picked one out and handed it to her to ring it up. “I want this one,” I said.

“You are right. He is hot, but stay away from him,” she said as she rang up my purchase and put it in a shopping bag.

“Don’t even worry about it. I have no interest in dating anyone. Ever again. Never. Ever.”

“Oh, don’t say that Suz! You’ll find someone,” she said.

I sighed. Why do people always say that?

“Nancy, I love you but seriously, I don’t want anyone. I just got out of a loveless and sexless marriage that put me in financial ruin. The last thing I want to do is repeat that mistake again.”

“Well that’s good because guys like Christopher never settle down. He’s sweet but…”

“But what?” I asked. Now I was intrigued.

“He’s a bit wild. He’s also a bit younger than you, so…”

“So what? You think I’ve just shriveled up all of a sudden?” Now I was interested.

“No, not at all.”

I thought for a moment. “Just because I am no longer in my 30’s or even my 40’s doesn’t mean I’m dead!”

I had Nancy call Christopher and tell him to call me. He did immediately.

“You got a Harley?” I asked him one night on the phone.

“Yes.”

“I want a ride on it,” I said.

“Whatever you want,” he said.

And here we were, relaxing, eating and drinking after an afternoon riding through the hills and along the coast. I had no plans on when to get home and neither did he.

We had been going out for several weeks and each time I had fun and loved being able to close my front door at night and be alone.

No one to answer to.

No one to criticize me or leave a mess in the kitchen for me to clean up.

I could own the remote and watch whatever I wanted.

Why didn’t anyone ever tell me how much fun being single could be?

And now, sitting across from him and feeling the warmth of the fire warm me on the outside and the tequila on the inside, I felt happy.

I was content and not waiting for the other shoe to drop because it didn’t exist.

“Yes I know you said this was just for fun, but it doesn’t always work out that way,” he said. He then mimicked me by leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand.

We were nose-to-nose.

“Stop talking and pour me another shot, please,” I said and leaned back.

“I have to ask you something,” he said and leaned back. His voice had turned serious.

“Sure, what is it?”

“Where do you see this relationship going?”

I thought I heard him wrong. I asked him to repeat his question again and he did.

I had heard right.

“What relationship?” I asked. “Didn’t we agree this would only be for fun?” I could feel myself start to back pedal and looking at the front door.

He was a heart breaker to women. I knew that and I didn’t care. Mine was on the shelf and no one had access to it, not matter how handsome or charming they were.

“Don’t you want more than fun? I mean, isn’t that what most women want? I keep waiting for you to push for a commitment or start asking me about what I do when I’m not around and shit like that?”

I laughed. “Oh, you mean you expect me to act like a young, silly and jealous woman?”

“Yes I do!” he said.

“Well, welcome to the joy and wonder of dating an older woman. We are a well-kept secret and we would like it to stay that way. Otherwise, we would be too busy with all you younger men to get anything done.”

It ended up being the best few months of my life.

And yes, I do have a big, shit eating grin on my face while I write this.