Clocks, in relation to

[CHRISTOPHER PIERRE LANE]

Chris grinned. "Of course!" He sounded far more excited than he should have about that, but in any case, she looked wide eyed and excited and it made him smile. He'd drive her all over Europe if she wanted. He really thought he would. Maybe that was too strong, but he loved the way her hands felt around him and the way she spoke, and the way she had said pardon me to the bookcase.

When the light changed he rev'd up the vespa and zoomed up toward the fancy part of town, large villas owned by the rich and such. Large gates and sprawling lawns. A few had parties going on inside with fine clothes and loud music, others you could see just lounging about in terrence apartments as they worked back toward the heart of the city. They reached the poorer housing next, kids playing soccer in the dusty streets and women chatting in doorways. Dingier housing, but happy faces all the same. As he took a turn down his grandparents' street a few people shouted to great him and he took a hand off the handle bars to wave as the whipped around. The world was a blur from here, and it was only when you stopped at the light that you caught your breath and looked around.

Next stop was the beach and he drove along side the ocean on the road for as long as he could, and then he pulled over to park. He'd given her his grand tour, and now of course, he would take her wherever she needed to be, a pretty girl like that had to have somewhere to go. He pulled off his helmet and ruffled his very short hair. "So..." He said turning around. "I realize I don't know what kind of time you have, do you need to be back somewhere?"

[ARIELLA MANON]

Ariella wandered a lot, often liking the idea of happening upon new places without any sort of plan in mind. Everything occurring by chance and being surprised. Wandering around Barcelona often got her lost, but in any case people always offered directions, and worst come to worst, she could get a cab. Now she was seeing the city almost in its entirety - not in its intimate detail, but at least she had a very good idea and what was out there. He had lived here for a while, she decided - he seemed to know people well enough to be recognized on a passing vespa.

They came to the ocean and he parked. Getting off the vespa, Ari immediately took her helmet off, glad to be ridding herself of the device. She ran her fingers through her hair mostly along her scalp to loosen up the roots and add volume. A gust of wind helped - sending her hair swirling around her face before settling in a slightly wild fashion. She pushed most of it out of her face and didn't bother doing anything else to it - it typically always looked the same regardless.

Ari smiled in appreciation to his concern. "I don't need to be anywhere with any considerable degree of urgency." Friends mentioned getting together, but that wasn't urgent. Her body turned towards the ocean like she was being called. The waves had that sort of effect on her. She took a step, and kept going towards the water - but took his hand absently and loosely so that he'd come with her. They neared the water, and she turned her face towards him and smiled. "Thank you for bringing me here."

[CHRISTOPHER PIERRE LANE]

Christopher scrambled off the bike after her, watching her hair fly out behind her in the wind. She looked like she belonged on the coast, sun-kissed and hair the color of sand, her eyes like the point where the foams of waves crashes into the sky. Maybe he was just fantasizing... In any case, he was there where she reached out her hand to him. Her fingers were warm, soft, gentle. He liked the feel of them and he was glad for the extra time to touch, a handshake only was a moment.

Chris smiled, squinting slightly into the bright light. "Anytime, it was my pleasure." He said playfully bringing the hand he held to his lips. Who said chivalry was dead? Besides, he had loved it, just knowing she was there, and who even knew if they would see each other again, it wasn't like they were anything but strangers, and as dumb as he felt around her, he liked her being and respected her mind. And he would like to see her again.

They were nearing the water now, and the water was probably cold, even though the air was decently warm. But frankly, he wouldn't even care if they ran in with their shoes on. Or they could stand here and feel the sun and the wind. It didn't really seem to matter. He wasn't even sure why she had even taken him up on his offer, or why she seemed happy to be here. Chris figured he had impressed her, in some way, and that was good for him. She was very impressive.

[ARIELLA MANON]

Ariella read a scientific article once that said attraction to a person is established in the first few second of meeting the person. Clearly, there was some sort of way that the body knew whether or not you liked a person - there really was a sort of "chemistry" between people. Ari had no trouble believing this because she knew it from experience. Simply by observing people, Ari knew how she would feel about them. Every time she had seriously fallen in love, it had been at first sight. She figured she read people well.

Even though her instincts were usually right, Ari doubted herself, believing (despite past example) that she really had no way of knowing. Since the beginning of the meeting, Ari sensed that Christopher was a person she could easily fall in love with.

His lips touched her skin. It was only her hand, but the spark traveled to all corners of the body and nearly crippled her. The kiss sent her heart and stomach aflutter with butterflies. And in the overwhelming physical response, there was no denying what her body knew - she loved him now, though she didn't even know him. There was no going back. He transcended any doubt. It was a strange and irrational certainty, but it was a certainty none the less. Ariella knew enough not to pretend; this happened before.

Near the water, they seemed to watch the waves for the moment. That's where Ariella's eyes were, but she wasn't really seeing them. Between her heart still racing and their fingers still locked, she was trying to keep her composure. You have the power to destroy me. She was thinking - she glanced over at him. And you don't even know. You have no way of even imagining it now, do you? I am such an absurd being ... Her thoughts trailed off into infinity in that tone. Though she was fearful, she was slightly thrilled.

[CHRISTOPHER PIERRE LANE]

Christopher watched her face as she reacted. Arielle probably wasn't even aware of her facial features and body. He could see it in her eyes, she was promptly somewhere else, probably thinking, thinking about feeling. He watched her lips quiver to such a small degree, her fingers tighten inside his grip. And he followed her eyes gazing at the water, that is, until she looked back at him, and he reached out with his free hand to touch her face. "You think too much, and don't ask how I know that, because I just do." he smiled and tilted her face closer to his, cupping her cheek in his hand.

He wanted to kiss her, he did. But they had only met... maybe a hour ago? Give or take a few minutes. It hardly felt acceptable to lay one on her. Granted, this was a romantic part of the world, and maybe she would agree, the sun and the sat air got o kiss her lips, why couldn't he? But was it rude to just lean in, was it better to ask. Many would say, you're a sissy if you ask. But most times he had, the woman respected his courtesy. So which kind of woman was she?

"May I kiss you?" he said finally, his tone honest and sincere. He didn't break her gaze for a moment. Chris just hoped she knew how captivating she was.

[ARIELLA MANON]

Thoughts interrupted. Senses scrambling out of control screaming - "Something important is happening!" Fire. Electricity. Fear. Delight. Thrill.

He was holding her face. He was smiling. All this took her completely off guard. This was new and impressive - she almost always anticipated how things unfolded.

Her eyes were wide with surprise, but they seemed to take in every detail of his face. It wasn't perfect, but at the same time it was. He was beautiful, though she knew there were men out in the world that were more so - but their faces wouldn't be as dear to her. Love made things complicated like that.

She didn't expect him to ask, but at the same time, it seemed like him. Unable to speak, she gave a single small nod.

[CHRISTOPHER PIERRE LANE]

The deer in headlights look she gave him made him grin. Adorable. This girl felt so many things, thought so many things. But at the same time, ignored some of the humanity in it, she'd probably gone through the different ways this could go as if they were static people. It didn't work like that. Chris may not have even bothered to think this one through, but the physical nature of it didn't embarrass him. Not in the least. He had a beautiful girl holding his hand, a girl that was too goo for him mentally (if not in other ways). There was no reason to do anything except relax, smile, and do what came naturally.

When she nodded in a tiny way, he chuckled softly and tipped her face closer to his, laying his warm lips tenderly to hers. Now, it wasn't a terribly soft kiss, but it was leaning in that direction, light and quick by all accounts, and just firm and long enough that she would know it had been real and that he meant it.

She tasted like honey mostly, but there was something else there that he couldn't describe. Maybe a mix beyond recognition, maybe a taste that was inherently hers. Arielle's mouth was warm and soft, and the very shape of her lips was a turn on. Not like he would say this much out loud. Some things were better off in the brain.

But he pulled away once a moment had passed, they were strangers and as nice as it felt to him, that did not give him license to keep on kissing her. Chris let his hand fall from her face, but he kept holding her hand.

[ARIELLA MANON]

The moment would go in her book as one of the better kisses. It was everything a first kiss ought to be, and entirely unique. Her single complaint was that it seemed over entirely too quickly. His lips pulled away and his hand dropped, leaving her face feeling too cold in the warm air. For a moment, she had the horrifying notion that he didn't want her as much as she wanted him, which left a trailed of poisoned bitterness in the bottom of her stomach.

She let go of his hand.

Then came a sudden moment. A moment like jumping into a cold pool - she knew that fear and doubt would talk her out of it if she thought about it, so she purposely didn't. She wrapped an arm around behind his neck and shoulders and pulled. Did she mean to pull him towards her? She wasn't quite sure what she meant. In any case, that wouldn't have worked because he was much heavier and larger than she, and she didn't have the strength to move him any way at all. So she ended up pulling herself up and towards him and landing her lips on his again, her other hand finding its way to the side of his face somewhere mid-kiss.

[CHRISTOPHER PIERRE LANE]

For one horrifying moment Chris thought maybe he had gone too far. She had let him kiss her, true, but she had let go of him. Maybe he had done something wrong? Chris wasn't a terrible kisser, he was pretty sure of that, and he hated eaten anything offending so what was the problem? Chemistry worked both ways, he felt some, she had to also... right? But she just seemed to stand there.

That is, until she flung an arm around his neck and pulled. Now, whatever her intent had been, the motion had shot her face towards his and he caught her in the incoming kiss. Without even meaning too, he let this kiss become more fevered and deep. Of course, it wasn't like this was a one way street. And besides, he figured a second kiss meant she had liked it, no reason to hold back completely. Chris let his arms reach around her waist, pulling her delicate frame toward him until their hips were a mere few inches apart.

She tasted even better this time and he let himself give in a little more to hid own desires, without being a pig. he saw men do it all the time--take things too far. But he wasn't going to be the first one to pull away again, she had initiated the kiss this time, and she could break it.

[ARIELLA MANON]

It happened before; situations like these ended a certain way. Not frequently and with just anyone, but sex was never a big deal to Ariella - and it was lots of fun. However, as much as she may have wanted it, there's only so far she could go without her mind catching up; and what she thought now was this: it didn't seem his way, and so it wouldn't feel right, and it wouldn't be right to push it. He wasn't her ex-boyfriend of eighteen months, with whom she snuck out of the house late at night for on romantic, whirlwind escapades. Nor was he the Italian hottie at a bonfire party that she danced with for hours before their bodies made rhythm another way.

The kiss melted into a second, and a third before she eased her way out with a few short and feather soft pecks. And then her weight was back on her feet, and she opened her eyes.
Her eyes looked over his face and smiled.

She wanted to know if he preferred coffee or tea. What he ate for breakfast. If he separated his laundry, colors and whites, or, like her, didn't believe it actually made a difference. What kind of books he read. If he watched the news. What he was like as a kid. She wanted to see him grumpy in the morning because he had to wake up too early. Get dressed. Devour food she cooked for him.

She wanted to know him. Yes, there were all sorts of things they could do, but getting to know him would also be intimately sweet and fulfilling.

[CHRISTOPHER PIERRE LANE]

Christopher was grinning when she pulled back, and he kept his arms around her, he just loosened them. He wasn't a one night stand type, and it wasn't even night anyway. Christopher believed that you could find attraction quickly, you could care within minutes, but it took real time to really love. Sex wasn't always treated as an act of love. Rape in this city was increasing at an alarming rate, and most people treated sex the way they would a game of hide and seek--harmless.

But for him, he felt it should be more, it should be kept important, otherwise when you found someone you really wanted to care about you couldn't really make it count. If you trivialized it, the real thing felt just as empty... that was his assumption anyway. And he had no intention of going down that road. It hadn't even crossed his mind to sweep her away and have her now. It wasn't in his nature. he might have been physical, but a simple touch was sometimes as good as an intense one.

Chris smiled, "So, wanna give me your number so we can do this again?" Honesty was better than subtlety, girls usually picked up on it, but it always made things harder. He didn't mean for it to sound like he had to go, he didn't. he did have shift later... what time was it?