At First Sight

The Morning After

Sara's head pounded, the thumping against her temple echoing in her ears. She pressed her eyes closed even tighter as the day's dawn spilled through her windows and across her face. She held up a lazy hand to stop its track to her face and blinked her eyes open groggily. The soft snoring of a content man escaped Michael's throat on the floor beside her as she recalled the previous night. She smiled at him as she sat up on the edge of the couch.

She took a crumpled throw from the back of the sofa and wrapped it around herself protectively. Michael did not stir, laying face down and naked on her expensive carpet, resting his head on a stray cushion. She was sure it had found its way there before he had but she couldn't be sure. The night before was a blur, a night of passion between two people and now the morning after loomed on the horizon.

Sara whipped her head up to look at the clock, noticing a picture that once hung on her wall was missing. She frowned slightly before remembering how it had ended up in its final resting place behind her telephone table. Her skin tingled under the throw as she recalled Michael's hands on her hips and his lips on her skin. She bent down, picked up the photograph and reset it back on its hook before padding silently towards her bathroom.

It was only just 6AM and Sara did not have work today. She locked the door behind her as she entered and let the throw fall to the black and white tiled flooring. She took her toothbrush in one hand, squeezed a generous helping of toothpaste onto its bristles with the other and cleaned her teeth. Rinsing her mouth she gazed at her reflection in the mirror before her. Her lips were reddened and pleasantly sore from the night before and her hair had lost its natural zest, tumbling over her shoulders in a tangled mess.

Reaching into the cubicle she turned the shower on. Steam filled the small room as she stepped in, gasping at the heat as she shuffled under the torrent of water. It felt good, like Michael's touch on her skin, and she rested her forehead against the coolness of the tiles as the water beat down on her back. She blew a few stray droplets of water from her lips as she exhaled, eyes blinking slowly through the thick condensation.

Grabbing a soft, white towel she wrapped it around herself and stepped from the shower unit, the tap squeaking as she turned it off. Her head still pounded, every noise was exaggerated to the extreme. She unlocked the bathroom door, the lock screeching from its cavern in the doorframe, and silently pulled the door free from the frame. She glanced down the hall for any sign Michael was awake but her ears were met with his still soft snoring.

Across the hall was her bedroom. Her sanctuary. The walls were deep red in colour and her silky bed sheets were crisp and new, untouched by them the night before. Heavy tab top curtains with a golden trim shut out the offending sunlight as it crept over the city below. Silently Sara dressed and brushed the knots from her hair, it springing back into tighter curls now it was wet.

Leaving her bedroom she pulled the door closed behind her and tip toed back into the lounge. She glanced around the room. It was wrecked. Her purse lay close to the door, its contents spilling out into view. Her keys were in a heap next to the kettle, obviously their final resting place from a long slide across the counter. Sara smiled as she spied Michael's boxers covering her dress behind the couch, the pile abstractly neat and out of view.

The rest of their clothes were everywhere. His pants were on the floor by the edge of the couch and as Sara bent to retrieve them a hidden lamp appeared from under them. She inspected it for breaks and replaced it carefully back on its table. At Michael's feet was her underwear, sprawled out as if ironed to the carpet. Two messy pairs of shoes littered the kitchen floor, laces still tied where they had been wrenched off in a hurry.

Back towards the fallen photo was Michael's shirt. Sara picked it up and held it to her face, inhaling his manly scent. She closed her eyes briefly, flashes of last night etched onto her eyelids. Her daydream was interrupted by a small grunt by the couch. Sara turned to see Michael stirring, his face crinkling in the sun as it moved onto his face. Sara took another cushion from the couch and promptly dropped it onto his behind, causing him to jolt awake.

On instinct he pulled a heavy arm around to wipe his mouth, inspecting his hand with squinted eyes afterwards. His mouth felt dry and tasted like bear and vanilla. His lips smacked together a few times, coaxing the saliva from its glands. Michael pushed his self up on his arms, as if doing a press up, and scanned the room. Sara was busily collecting garments and sorting them into piles according to ownership.

"Good Morning," he beamed, propping his head up with one hand while the other coyly covered his manhood with the cushion. He was not shy of his body but Sara seemed to be looking anywhere but at him. She gave him a shy smile and tossed his boxers to him.

"You have work," she informed him as he pulled his boxers on and took the time to stretch his entire body. "So you have to go home and change" she continued to buzz around the apartment, pulling the drapes open as she passed them. "Or people will know". Michael pulled on his somewhat creased pants and buckled his belt after tucking in his crimson shirt that had also found its way onto his back.

Michael caught her in his arms as she scurried past him. She froze under his touch, her eyes taking a prolonged blink as her eyes rolled in her head. His touch was gentle but firm and he pulled her to him, taking the lacy bra from her hands and throwing it to the couch behind him. "Who will know?" he teased, brushing strands of red behind her ear.

Sara leant into his touch, defeated, and without thinking, brought her hands to rest on his chest. He cupped her face in his hands and made her look directly at him. Into him. "Do you regret last night?" he quizzed, a worried look on his face. Sara laid her smaller hand over his on her cheek and sighed. Her pause was too long and Michael broke contact, slipping on his shoes from the kitchen.

"I only remember a few parts," she admitted, closing up behind him as he reached the door. "We were drunk and..."

"It doesn't change what happened," he cut her off. "It doesn't change how I feel right now" his steely stare bore into her, her dark hazel depths watching his face lovingly. He was right. What happened last night was incredible, mind blowing even. Michael had made her feel wanted and given her what she needed. She took a step towards him, closing the gap between them even further.

Electricity danced between their bodies and Michael licked his lips nervously as hers hovered above them. Her mind told her she was rushing. She had only known him for a few days and they hadn't even gone on a date yet. But her heart told her that the man stood before her, caressing her cheeks with his talented hands was the one. The man she had waited for her entire life. Her love at first sight.

Without another word she connected their lips, rekindling the fire within. She brought her hands to his face, rubbing his cheeks with her thumbs before snaking them to his neck and breaking the kiss. Michael inhaled hard and rested his forehead against hers. "I have to go," he told her sadly, neither of them wanting to leave each other's embrace. She nodded sorrowfully as he reached behind them and turned the door handle to the outside world.

Sara slid her arms from around his neck and rested them by her sides, her clammy hands tingling with the sensations he left on her skin. Michael stole one last quick kiss, a smile crossing both their lips as he did. "Go!" she laughed at him as he jogged off down the hallway towards the elevator.

Michael turned just after stepping into the elevator and pressed his flat hand to his lips. Throwing it out in her direction as he blew her another farewell kiss, Sara playfully caught the air with her hand as the steel doors enclosed him from her view. Sara simply smiled and walked back into her apartment.