The other night I went for a walk in the park with a guy I’d met a couple days earlier on my lunch break at a posh little downtown café that is just up the block from where I work. He was struggling to find a way to carry three to-go cups of coffee and a pastry, and being a regular at this particular café, I knew where they kept the little multi-cup caddies, so I casually plucked from behind the counter and helped him wrangle his pile of coffee cups. He was a bit embarrassed by his silly struggle, but it provided the perfect opportunity to break the ice with a stranger, so we each felt pretty good about things after sharing a laugh.

I’d agreed to meet him for dinner and we went out the next night. Things were stale and awkward at first, but after a few glasses of wine, conversation started rolling and things picked up pace. John - John was his name - wasn’t the best looking guy I’d ever been out with, but he was by no means unattractive. He was very… average. He had a modest build, not heavy, but he didn’t look to be a gym freak either. His hair was a neat, trimmed brown, and he was just beginning to show signs of thinning, with the hair at his temples stretching back a bit further than the hair line along his brow. His skin was smooth, and pale. He was immaculately clean-shaven and had squinty, deep-brown eyes.

He was, however, quite charming and obviously very intelligent. Our conversation covered subjects ranging from current political events to what was the best Smiths album. At the end of the evening, we parted ways with a brief kiss, and a promise to meet again.

That promise was kept the following Saturday when we met for a walk in the park. We headed out at dusk, and there was just a slight nip of a chill in the air. We immediately resumed our volley of banter that was moving so swiftly during our previous engagement at the restaurant. As we walked and talked, our hands gravitated together, our fingers intertwining, and our shoulders brushing together. I realized, as we strolled along holding hands, that I was becoming genuinely very interested in this guy.

After about a mile, we decided to stop off at a little gazebo at the center of the park to rest our legs, relax, soak up the cool, fresh, night air, and continue to get to know each other better. As we talked, our bodies continued to become closer, and more active. My hands were on his thighs, his forearm, his shoulder, his back. Just quick touches and clasps as I responded to the things he said or offered back thoughts of my own. He responded in kind, his hand atop my knee as he regaled me with silly tales from college and explained what a bore his job was as an insurance adjuster.

Soon enough, there was a lull, and our lips occupied themselves in the silence by seeking out one another in embrace. He was a delightful kisser, very methodical and attentive in the way he gracefully suckled and switched from upper to lower lip and back again. His hands were strong and authoritative, and I felt very secure in allowing them to guide me wherever he wanted me to go.

To my surprise, where they went was to the fly of my trousers, where his thick, calloused