I can remember the day vividly; how could I forget?
I had ventured from my office into the center of Madrid. The day was stiflingly hot with neither a scrap of wind nor hint of cloud. It was just before 6pm and the sun was still reasonably high in the brilliantly blue sky. Each separate ray of sunshine had seemed to take perverse delight in the change from blinding light to searing heat, by absorbing into my inappropriately dark and heavy clothing. The black jeans and long sleeved cotton shirt had seemed a good idea when changing in the air-conditioned comfort of my hotel room. But as they clung to me with perspiration I was continually made aware of my mistake.
I retreated to the partial sanctuary of a shady bar and sank gratefully into the welcoming embrace of a slightly reclined wooden chair. Shortly after I was enjoying the refreshing taste of beer and nibbling on a lightly dressed salad. Despite my relief from direct light the air held itself inertly around me, its heat making it seem alive and slightly malignant. Remembering a simple trick from childhood I sat as still as possible, except for the occasional sip of beer, allowing my body to adjust as best it could. After a while the heat didn't seem quite so bad and I was able to simply enjoy the moment.
I looked out at the street and allowed the flow of people’s lives to distract me. I listened to external sounds mingling with the gentle hum of conversation created by my fellow patrons. There were relatively few people around. Locals would only venture out into this sun if their business was too urgent to wait a couple of hours for the city to cool off. There were enough of them to keep me happily entertained though, and I whiled away my time watching pretty girls walk past.
The soothing combination of heat, beer and people watching, almost distracted me from my true purpose. It was no random coincidence that I was in this particular bar, dressed so inappropriately. I was waiting for someone special. A flash of colour and movement pulled my attention firmly back to the bar's interior. Glancing in its direction what I saw immediately cleared my mind of the myriad thoughts that, till that moment, had occupied it.
It was her.
She had entered from the other side of the bar, and by the time I looked up was making her way to my table. She strolled straight towards me, hips swaying as though traversing a catwalk. The movement was understated though, simply her natural walk, and sexy as hell.
My eyes traced the curve of her body, evident beneath the accentuating cut of a maroon dress. I admired her sandals, an obvious concession to the temperature and revealing lightly painted toenails. The dress's skirt moved in opposition to her hips, accentuating the sensual walk. Legs obscured by the garment then a suddenly narrow waist. Her firm breasts moved in a way that suggested the absence of additional support. Pale, smooth skin of her chest all the more arresting for its contrast to the dress's colour. The slender curve of her neck led me to her face. It was uncharacteristically devoid of the shoulder length blond hair that normally framed it. The hair had been tied back, another concession to the heat.
Her face captivated me. Delicate features and shining blue eyes that sparkled with good humour. Her soft lips curved into a gentle smile. Unable to shift my attention from her face all I could do was watch as she approached me. Only after she had reached my table and spoken did I remember it was appropriate to stand.
I did so slowly, my body brushing against her slightly. Grabbing her waist I pulled her close and kissed her hello, hands moving around to the small of her back. My attention held completely by the brush of our bodies pressing together.
An indeterminate time later I pulled back to look into those smiling eyes. We sat and time blurred into conversation and a gentle touch of fingers.
Written: 26th May 2001