Chapter 1

The rest of the tour is like a dream to me. I have a hazy impression of the group following our guide around the streets and alleyways, stopping here and there to be told about the historical significance of this or that building. But I judge the highlights of the tour not on the historical pedigree of the buildings, but how close I managed to get to Alexandra as we stood and listened to the stories of our guide. I remember talking to her, but I don’t remember what we said.

To my now jaded memory it seems as if I spent the whole tour running about the group trying to be as close as possible to her for as long as possible. The reason I had to keep running to catch up with her was because she kept moving away from me. It wasn’t that she didn’t like me, or so I thought, it was just that she wanted me to chase after her. A fact to which I should have paid more attention at the time.

But at the time all I thought about was being near her, to be close enough to touch. To talk and listen to her. She had an irresistible attraction for me, like a moth to a candle flame. And I circled closer and closer to the burning passion.

After the tour a group of us retired to the pub as usual. Alexandra joined us, but sat at the opposite end of the group from me. During the night I switched from conversation to conversation, gradually working my way along the group towards her. But unfortunately I didn’t get to her before closing time.

For the next week I could think of nothing but her. When I went to bed my last thought was of her and when I woke she was in my first. The physiologists say that men think of sex once every five minutes, well I seemed to have changed that thought to Alexandra. At that time I knew that I was going to have sex with her. Now I know I wanted much more than just sex from her.

It was a sensation of almost physical hunger. I wanted to touch her and see her and be with. To smell her even ! I’ve never paid much attention to smell with a woman before. Except on the odd occasion when I meet a woman who seemingly uses a perfume designed to fumigate the whole room. But with Alexandra it was as if I wanted to devour her with all my senses.

I can’t remember what the lecture at next week’s meeting of the Club was about. But I do remember the disappointment I felt that she didn’t show up before the meeting started. However after the announcements were read and the meeting was concluded I turned to find her sitting in the back row.

I smiled at her and she smiled back. So I made my way over to speak to her.

“Did you enjoy the meeting?” I asked as I stood beside her chair.

“Yes,” she stood up. “But I missed the beginning.”

There was an electrical tension between us. I wanted to grab her and hug her, but I couldn’t.

“Oh, you didn’t miss much,” I smiled, while the smell of her perfume sent my heart racing.

“Good,” she smiled back.

I couldn’t think of anything to say. Or rather the only things I could think of were along the lines of, “Lets go back to your place and have mad, passionate sex.”, which didn’t seem appropriate to either the location or the stage our relationship was at.

“I think I’ll go up stairs for some coffee,” she started for the exit.

“Err, yes,” I replied and watched her make her way through the crowd.

Paul tapped me on the shoulder and asked, “Are you coming for a pint?”

Normally I would but today I wanted to follow Alexandra up to the coffee dock. “I’ll be down later, Paul,” I said. “Tonight I feel like a cup of coffee first.”

“You ! Coffee?,” he faked amazement. “Are you feeling all right?”

“I do drink coffee on the odd occasion,” I replied.

A few other people headed for the street exit. “See you later,” he said and joined them.

I made my way upstairs and got myself a cup of coffee. I saw Alexandra browsing through the couple of cupboards that the club stored its small library in. I went over and stood beside her.

“Anything interesting?” I asked.

“Oh,” she looked up. “Yeah. It’s all about nineteen twenties fashion photographs.” She turned the book to show me its pages.

“Oh yes,” I half turned and looked at the book. “They had style then, didn’t they?”

“Yes,” she slowly flicked through the pages and we looked at the old style glamour photos.

I was leaning back against the wall, but close enough to her to feel the heat from her body. As she flipped the pages she lent back and towards me, pressing her shoulder against my arm. I wanted to put my arm around her shoulders and hug her close.

Instead I cleared my throat and asked, “Do you want to come out to the movies with me on Friday?”

She looked up at me, “This Friday?”

“Well yes,” I smiled.

“Well …” she hesitated. And my heart stopped beating. “I think that would be very nice.” And I sighed with relief.

“Meet you at half seven outside Eason’s newsagents on O’Connell Street,” I said.

“OK” she smiled back.

I almost left then, but Alexandra turned the page of the book and held it out so that I could see. So we stayed there for the next hour, flicking through photography books.

Then Brian, another member of the club, offered me a lift home, as he lives out in my direction.

I hesitated, not wanting ever to be parted from Alexandra.

“Oh,” gushed Alexandra, “Do take your lift.”

So I said “OK.” And “Goodbye” to Alexandra. And took Brian’s lift. And spend the next few days thinking only of Alexandra.

Chapter 2

---

You can buy Alexandra in Paperback and Kindle versions from Amazon.com.

---