In a Class of His Own Ch. 01

- "Oh yeah?" he snarled. "You an' me, den? Outside?"

Oh, shit, I thought. I'm going to die. He was much bigger than me, and what I knew about fighting could have been written on my fingernail.

- "Right." said Moe. "Kicking the shit out of my little brother - that's a sure fire way to impress me."

- "Your brother?" said soccer lout.

From that point on, she owned him. His name was Ted. First off, Ted apologized - profusely. Then he offered to buy us a pint, as a peace offering. Next thing I knew, we were sitting in a booth with Ted and his 'mate', Ian, as Moe explained the finer points of non-verbal signals to our new acquaintances.

- "So, I should've waited till you 'ad seen me?" asked Ted.

- "Right." said Moe. "You can't just show up behind a girl, and expect a positive response. Put yourself in a position where she can see you." She went on to explain the significance of the signals she had told me about.

Ted and Ian were impressed enough to buy us another round, even though I offered.

- "S'alright, little bruvver." said Ted. "Dis is beyond price."

They invited us to a party, but Moe politely begged off. "Past my little brother's bedtime." she said.

As we made our way back to our B&B, I couldn't hide my admiration.

- "That was amazing, Moe." I said. "The way you handled those guys ..."

- "I didn't thank you for stepping in." she answered. "Trying to protect me."

- "I would've got killed. Your way was ... impressive."

- "Now that's a compliment, Chris." she said, with a big smile. "Almost like you were really trying to get into my pants."

***

Glen and the girls left the next day, headed for Dover. I was going to Bath and Glastonbury, on the trail of King Arthur. It was easy to say goodbye to Glen and Ellen.

- "I'm going to miss you, though." I told Maureen.

- "Ooh." she said. "Good one. Have I created a monster here?"

I kissed her on the cheek, and then they were gone.

As you can imagine, I thought about Moe a great deal as I travelled through Wales. I got to see some of the most amazing castles in the world: Caernarvon, Conway, Harlech, and Beaumaris. Then I took the ferry to Ireland. Dublin, the Rock of Cashel, and the Ring of Kerry.

But while I moved along, I pondered what Moe had said to me. I read less quickly than I had expected to. The hobbits had only just met Strider when I reached County Clare, and the Cliffs of Moher.

Absolutely amazing.

Not only were they visually stunning, but the Cliffs of Moher changed my life.

She was sitting on the grass, staring out over the sea. Everyone else there was part of a duo, or a larger group, but she was alone, as I was. It may sound strange, but I caught a glimpse of her profile, and that was enough to make an impression on me.

She was tall. I saw brown hair, a remarkably small nose, and a relatively small, though full-lipped mouth.

It was windy, atop the cliffs, and she was wearing a jacket that made it hard to discern her shape. But I was intrigued by her posture. She was enjoying the view, but also the sun and wind on her face.

I wasn't consciously channeling Moe's advice. I was simply enjoying the views: the cliffs, and the sea, and this exotic brown-eyed woman. I couldn't determine where she was from, based on her appearance. She seemed, to me, like a fantastic mixture of Asian and South American, combining the best of both worlds.

She saw me, and smiled. I remembered what Moe had said: that men frequently misread a woman's signals. But in this case, I acted as I thought this girl would have wanted me to act.

I left her alone.

She was enjoying herself, and didn't need some idiot hitting on her to spoil it. That smile was probably just the equivalent of a nod, to someone who was obviously enjoying the same sights she was. I will admit that I did invade her privacy just a little: I took a photograph of the cliffs and the sea, but with her in the foreground. It would be a little memento, to remind me of a special place, and a lovely lady. Otherwise, I left her alone.

Moe had been right. I only had to look at a girl, and my imagination was off and running. I could picture us in a relationship, holding hands as I introduced her to my friend Steve. Yes, I could visualize having sex with her, but I was also imagining waking up next to her on a Sunday morning. I have no idea if other guys do this; but I did.

For maybe an hour, I watched the sea, and this pretty girl. When she got up to leave, I let her go. Moe would have been disappointed in me. But a rejection would have spoiled the day completely. This way, the fantasy-vision could remain intact.

I spent a few more days in Ireland, even though I gave the North a pass. In those days, there were parts of Belfast and Londonderry that just weren't safe. A week later, I was back in England, headed north. One place I didn't want to miss was York.

I toured the Shambles, the medieval district, and then climbed the wall to walk around the old city. The sun was shining, but there weren't very many people on the ramparts. Then I saw her: the girl from the Cliffs of Moher. She was taking a photograph of the Minster, but when she lowered her camera, she spotted me.

- "Hello!" she said, with a cheerful smile. "I saw you in Ireland!"

- "The Cliffs of Moher. It was a beautiful day."

- "Just like today." She held out her hand. "My name's Nina."

- "Chris. Pleased to meet you."

Nina was from Chicago, originally, though she was studying Finance in St Louis. She was in Britain for a month, and - like me - travelling alone. We talked about the places we'd seen, and the experiences we'd had.

- "Where are you going next?" she asked.

- "The Lake District." I said. "One of my English teachers was nuts about the Romantic poets."

- "What? Where, exactly?" she asked.

- "Windermere. I was going to stay at the Youth Hostel there."

- "That's amazing." she said, with an odd look on her face. "That's exactly where I'm going!"

The coincidence was a little spooky. We were both already surprised to have run into one another twice. Nina suggested that we tour York together, since we were headed in the same direction the next day.

We had a wonderful time together. She was easy to talk to, interesting and interested. It was a bit surreal, for me, because in my imagination, I had already served Nina breakfast in bed, on a Sunday morning. The real person was not quite the same as the imaginary woman I had been creating, in my own world. But she was delightful, in her own way.

When we stopped for lunch, Nina opened her bag to put her camera away. I spotted a paperback inside.

- "What are you reading?" I asked.

She pulled out The Fellowship of the Ring. I was struck dumb. All I could do was open my own backpack, and show her my own well-worn copy.

- "Wow." she said, a little breathlessly.

By the end of our first day together, I didn't need any of Moe's signal reading to tell that Nina liked me. For my part, I liked everything about her.

I wasn't blind to her physical attractions. She was only a few inches shorter than me, and solidly built. Not fat, but definitely not petite. Her loose-fitting travelling clothes couldn't hide the fact that Nina was chesty, and had hips that could be described as 'child-bearing'.

But I kept looking at her face. She had the most unusual combination of features: big, dark brown eyes, high cheekbones, a small nose, and sensuous lips.

- "What are you looking at?" she asked.

- "What's your background, Nina? I can't tell at all."

- "I get that a lot." she said. "People think I'm part Asian, or Latina. But my dad's family were German, and Mom's roots are French."

- "Really?" I found that hard to believe.

I was also stunned by how quickly, and how smoothly we connected. The coincidences were eerie, for sure. But the conversation flowed naturally, and I felt relaxed in her company.

We had dinner together, and a couple of drinks in a pub. We wished each other a good night, and parted at the door to her B&B. I was staying a few blocks away.

No, I didn't push my luck. It had been a perfect day, and I was looking forward to two more in the Lake District. I didn't want to risk spoiling any of that by making a pass at her.

Besides, I didn't have to be a genius to see that Nina was a 'nice' girl. I don't mean a blushing virgin, or anything like that. But I got the impression that she was like me: selective, and patient - willing to wait for the right person.

We took a train together, to Kendal, and then made our way to Windermere. We walked along the lake, a few miles, to Ambleside, and then back. It was idyllic.

- "What do you want to do tomorrow?" she asked.

- "We could go to Keswick." I said. "I don't really care, though, as long as it's with you."

Nina blushed. So did I - it wasn't really like me to be so forward.

- "Well ..." she said, "we could have a picnic, on the edge of the lake."

- "That sounds wonderful." I replied.

If you're not familiar with International Youth Hostels, they're strictly segregated - at least they were when Nina and I were there. We said a chaste goodnight, and I went over to the men's side.

I woke to the most beautiful music. Many hostels ring a bell, or have some nasty way of warning people that they have to get up - and get out. But the folks in Windermere were wonderful. They played music. Good music. I opened my eyes to the opening strains of Peter Gabriel's 'Solsbury Hill'.

If you know the song, you will understand why I had a smile on my face as I got up, showered, and then met Nina. She seemed to be in an excellent mood, too.

We did a quick shopping run, to pick up bread and cheese, a green pepper, a tomato, and a few other munchies. Nina had seen a spot at the lake's edge, and wanted to go there.

The sun was shining, again. I know that Britain is supposed to be grey, and rainy, much of the time. But the weather that day was perfect.

Nina spread a blanket on a grassy patch between some trees, with a wonderful view of the lake. We made messy sandwiches, and ate and talked.

- "I'm so glad I met you." she said.

- "It's the highlight of my trip." I told her.

- "So far." she said. "I envy you the next few months."

- "This is perfect, Nina. I can't imagine a better day. Or better company."

She blushed again. But we had already discussed our unusually quick connection, and how comfortable we felt with each other.

At that moment, it just felt right to lean over, and kiss her. She moved to meet me, as if she had been expecting me.

Her lips were soft, and yielding. It wasn't just my first kiss with Nina - it felt like my first real kiss, ever. I had trouble breathing while I kissed her.

When I finally broke the kiss, and pulled back, I looked into her eyes, and saw there the reflection of the very thing I was experiencing: amazement.

I wasn't a virgin - though I felt like one. But it was immediately apparent to me that I would rather kiss Nina than fuck Carol. That's how good the kiss was.

We kissed again. And again. Nina and I had an old-fashioned necking session, on the edge of Lake Windermere. It was glorious. We lay down on her blanket, and pressed our bodies together.

Eventually, I found the courage to reach up and cup her breast. She gasped into my mouth, and I suppressed a moan. I pulled back, for a moment, and looked into her dark brown eyes. Slowly, deliberately, I touched the top button on her shirt. She made no move to stop me.

I undid the top button - and then the second. Nina kissed me, hard. I continued to undo buttons, until I reached the top of her pants. I slid my hand inside her shirt, and shivered when my fingertips encountered bare skin.

She was breathing rapidly, too, as turned on as I was.

My attention was torn, between kissing Nina, and getting her shirt off. It took me quite a while, but eventually I unwrapped her. She was wearing a big, black bra. When she reached behind her back, to unfasten it, I held my breath.

Nina wasn't just chesty. She was stacked. Big, beautiful, full breasts, with large pink areolae, and perky nipples. Her breasts monopolized my attention for the next half hour or so. I stroked them, cupped them, and then leaned in to kiss and suck her nipples.

- "Chris - do you have a condom?" she said.

I didn't. I told her so.

But I wouldn't let that ruin our day. I trailed kisses down her stomach, and around her navel. Then I undid her pants, and pulled her zipper down.

Her hands came down to grab my head.

- "No, Chris." she said. "Not without a condom."

I crawled back up, until we were eye to eye.

- "Nina, I wish I had a condom. Or two. But I respect your wishes. I won't try to make love to you. I just ... want to please you. Very much. I want to ... go down on you."

She flushed, a full body blush that was seriously attractive. I didn't wait for an answer. I played with her spectacular breasts again, for a while, and then slipped my fingers into her panties. She was very warm down there - and very wet.

Nina let me peel her pants off, and then pull her panties off as well. Her bush was neatly trimmed. There was a drop of clear liquid, clinging to the edge of her outer lips.

I licked up that drop, and then ran my tongue the length of her pussy lips. I had had plenty of practice, with Carol, but this was no chore. Nor was I eating pussy in the hope that it would lead to intercourse. That was off the table. I just wanted to make Nina feel good, and give her an orgasm.

It didn't take long. Nina drew a sharp, deep breath, and came on my lips.

I would have kept going, but Nina was too sensitive. She pulled me up, next to her, and smothered me with kisses. Then she became more aggressive. She undid my shirt, and flicked her tongue across my nipples. Her hands were busy, too, undoing my pants.

She pulled my jeans and my underwear down, and right off one leg. She took hold of my erection, and kissed the very tip. Then she slid her lips over the head of my cock, and took me into her mouth. It was far too exciting, far too intense. The sight of her full lips sliding along my pole was just as stimulating as the physical sensations. I grunted, trying to warn her that I was close. She either didn't get the message, or didn't care.

I erupted, spraying a massive load of come all over her cheek and lips. Nina engulfed my cock with her mouth, trying to catch the remainder of my ejaculation.

When she had caught the final spurts, Nina swallowed my semen, and then wrapped her arms around me. We lay side by side, breathing heavily.

Words weren't necessary. We kissed again, for a while, and then got dressed. I didn't feel shy around her. We started to walk back to the Hostel. I stopped several times, to kiss her, to fondle her ass, or her breasts.

We had dinner together, in a pub near Windermere. It was ... unusual. We were both quite conscious of the fact that we had just had oral sex, and would have done more, but for the lack of a rubber.

Nina and I ate our salads, and smiled at each other.

- "I don't know what to say." she said.

- "This was the most amazing day of my life." I told her.

She blushed again.

We kissed again, after dinner. But there was no place to go, however much I wanted it. We parted, tenderly. Nina went to the women's side of the hostel, and I watched her walk away. Then I went to the front desk.

- "Could you do me a favour?" I asked.

- "Depends. What 'you need?" said the young clerk.

- "Could you play Solsbury Hill tomorrow morning, again?"

- "Sure can. Good day for you, then, was it?"

- "It certainly was." I said.

***

Nina was shy with me, the next day. However wonderful our time together, I suppose the reality of our lives was kicking in. We lived over 1000 kilometers apart, in different countries, with very different futures planned.

We had shared a beautiful few days together.

- "You're amazing." I told her.

Nina gave me her address. Then she kissed me, tenderly.

She caught the train for Liverpool. I headed north, to Scotland.

*****