Merlot Melanine

Melanine was five foot seven inches, thick in all the right places. All Michael had of her was a photo she sent him. He had more photos of her but this one was the most precious to him so he'd had it printed. He stood there under the glow of the street light, imagining their second meeting. They'd actually been sharing photos for two years. Michael never wanted a long distance relationship. Melanine never believed it could work. They couldn't help the connection they felt. They'd changed their relationship status five times over the two years. Since 2018 they'd been talking non stop. They matched in the best of ways. They shared the same humor so they were always able to cheer each other up on bad days. Covid 19 had devastated the entire planet, and yet Melanine and Michael found love.

Michael was tall, athletically built, not too much not too little. This breezy cool summer evening, he wore a white V-neck shirt and slacks, freshly faded hair cut and trim. Being near him was a dream, an actual vision of love. She didn't want to feel too much so soon. Truthfully they'd been seeing each other for two years now. Was that enough?

"Should we count this as the first date?" He asked politely as he reached out for her hand. Before they touched they instinctively reached for their hand sanitizers and nervously laughed.

"Does this even matter anymore?" Melanine shrugged as she placed the bottle back to her purse clip.

"I guess better safe then sorry," Michael nodded.

"Wow remember when people usually just said that about condoms?" Melanine joked, and awkwardly bowed her head.

Michael smiled and she frabbed his hand as they walked along the low lit sidewalk.

The sun had just begun to set, so the beautiful sky shined with brilliant burgundy wine colors. The soft sweet summer wind blew Melanine's maxi dress in the Sumner breeze as the long fabric flowed across her pedicured toes.

Michael watched as nature kissed her beautiful briwn skin.

They say men fall in love first and everything after that moment is their fight for it or flee from it response.

He lived and worked in Rochester, New York. She lived and worked in East Orange, New Jersey. Normally that wouldn't be considered "long distance" but in the wake of the Covid19 pandemic, self quarantined in your home for work, the travel and health risk were too much.

Melanine was a nurse, only a home health aide nurse. She predominantly worked with the elderly, easing the fear in their eyes while comforting them in the passing of their neighbors at the nursing home. It was depressing in the wake of this tragedy. She was determined not to dwell on the sadness of her job. Holding his hand she thought only about the gentle touch of his rough skin. He worked with his hands so his hands were not as soft and delicate as her own. For her, that was a welcome difference. To consider that her soft hands are what overcomes his hard hands. She reflected on the famous Lao Tzu quote and silently smiled as her mind drifted to other parts of his body that might also be hard.

"So I thought we'd just go for a walk. After being in this whole quarantine situation for so long, its just nice to catch the air with you," Michael began," If you don't mind, I just have to stop by car to grab something special." Melanine was intrigued, yet hesitant. While working form home she read up on all these dating horror stories of dating online and how to avoid the "fuck boys". The last thing she wanted was to feel pressured for sex and no way home. She took a deep breath. Michael had always been a gentleman even when things were sexy on their virtual dates. After being on lock down for so long, this was the longest dry spell she'd ever had. Honestly, it was on her mind, and on her body.

Michael glanced at Melanine for a second and noticed she might be overthinking. He thought to say something to stop her thoughts but instead he just figured he'd put her mind to rest in general, "Just wait here. I'll be right back. I don't want to leave you alone out here but it's up to you. We're not getting in the car. Is that okay?"

She thought for a second and then decided she'd be better sticking with him, and she was considering more than just the date anyway. "I'll walk with you." They walked together hand in hand. He opened his car door and pulled out a bottle of merlot wine and five dark red roses. Mel's eyes widened in surprise. He handed her the bouquet and told her, "No matter how this goes with us, I'm just glad I got to know you during all this mess."

Mel smiled and her heart felt lifted as light as the air as she took a deep breath in, closed her eyes and smelled the roses. "It's crazy how simple things like smelling roses in public and feeling someone's hand was kind of taken for granted. Now I pretty much want to feel everything," she said and quickly tried to change the subject, coyly suggesting, " You know I miss the outdoors so much why don't we just pick up our meal to go and sit outside somewhere?"

"Yea- yea, that's good," he accepted.

They walked up the street to the restaurant. As the hostess asked for their names, Michael informed her they'd take the meal to go. They quickly looked over the menu, and sat at the bar until the order was packaged and ready. Since December 2019, they'd talked so much, laughed so much, they were completely in sync. Mel thought about the Boondocks episode they'd watched together on one of their first video dates last year and joked to Michael, " No cheddar biscuits." They laughed and admire each other with their eyes. Their connection was so easy.

The breeze was so beautiful along the shore, it was a warm air not too hot or sticky, and the smooth cool breeze blowing off the ocean was similar to a gentle fan waving across their bodies. Bodies don't lie. As a woman in her thirties Melanine was not unknown to what her body was telling her. As she walked she tried to ignore the wetness of her inner thighs and panty line, hoping he didn't notice. She wanted to be a lady, badly. The anticipation to be together had gone on for so long. She'd dreamed of their first touches, first kisses repeatedly. Stirring in her loft apartment, Melanine would even call and leave sexy messages while he was at work. Though she feared complete video sex, she definitely enjoyed the phone sex. She was shy but she wanted badly to be different right now.

They sat on the beach watching the beautiful colors of the sunset across the sky. Mel flipped through her cell for her playlist and they ate their small meals.

"You never had this merlot before. Have you ever?," Michael boasted about this fine bottle of wine for almost ten minutes attempting to cover his own anxiety. And just as mother nature would have it, the song 'So Anxious' played. They laughed and sang along to see if they could finish it.

"It's getting a little cold, want to walk back to the car now, your car or mine?" Melanine suggested.

Four buildings down she noticed the sign of the local motel light. She figured that she was enjoying his good boy manners and maybe she should let him off the hook, so that he wouldn't say it- if he was thinking it. Was he thinking it?

They'd both finished their meals with only a small fruit salad left, strawberries, pineapples and a bunch of deep dark red grapes. Melanine looked over at Michael who was trying convincingly to sway his hips to the song and "show her what he was working with".

"Well that motel is closer. It's a pretty new establishment. Might be kind of nice. They look like they have fourth floor balconies, you up for a little cozy view?"said Melanine. Michael froze in his steps as he attempted the Ginuwine slide.

"Um yea if you're ok with it? You sure?" he tried not to sound rushed.

"Yes. Yes," Melanine said excitedly. She perceived he was only hesitant to be polite and made sure to show her excitement. They ran to the motel, kicking up sand along the way, laughing happily.

The room was cleaned like brand new, you could smell the fresh bleach, which post Covid19 was always a welcome relief. The sheets smelled like fabric softener and the balcony curtains swayed in the moonlight. Melanine placed her roses on the night stand and walked out to the balcony. Michael walked up to her and casually brushed his hand against her waist. She reached over to him and placed her hand at his back in reassurance and turned to him for a kiss.

This was technically their first kiss. It felt wrong to sour that first kiss with the acts she was thinking in her mind. She knew she was safe with him. She was ecstatic to finally be with the guy she'd spent countless hours on the phone and virtual dates with. She was relieved to feel him so close.

She grabbed his chin as she kissed him deeper, pressing her soft lips to his, and gently adding her tongue to his mouth. He moved his hands to her hips and slowly around to her round behind. She smiled and opened her eyes to kiss him more. He ran his fingers through the curls of her long black hair. All that time in quarantine had built up so many words in her mind, Melanine felt like she had every clever thing to say.

She paused from the kiss to mention," you know we still have that fruit bowl left over." The dinner bag was sitting on the bed inside. He turned to look and caught his breath for a second, "Oh yea, yea we should go finish those." He walked back inside and Mel laughed to herself a little. This was cute to her, and a turn on. He was actually willing to wait to eat this fruit first.

He was so handsome in person, Melanine bit her lip and grinned just watching him. She walked over to the bed and sat next to the dinner bag as he was shuffling through it. She casually took out the fruit and ate a few pineapples and a strawberry. Michael watched her lips enveloping the strawberry as the juice of the pineapples slipped down her breast.

"Sorry I'm eating a little sloppy, these pineapples are delicious, so juicy and sweet," Mel said.

"Not the strawberries?," Michael asked as he reached for a strawberry and took a bite.

"No, no, they're a little sour. I know technically strawberries are aphrodisiacs but this batch seems sour."

Micahel grabbed a slice of pineapple, "I see. Mind if I pour some more of my fine merlot?," he said with humor.

"Sure," Melanine said," Fill me up too."

They sipped the merlot and finished their fruit bowl down to the grapes. As Melanine plucked one of the larger juicer grapes, she said, "you know what they say- the darker the berry the sweeter the juice." She blushed a little and Michael raised his eyebrows as he confidently took the grape vine out of Melanine's hands to take a bite, "oh yea? these berries are very sweet and juicy."

They both hinted they knew the phrase, her milk chocolatey brown complexion and berry colored lips, his smooth brown caramel complexion and berry lips. His complexion was only slightly lighter than hers and in this moment they both just wanted a taste.

As they kissed Melanine laid back and Michael lay on top of her. She pulled the strap of her bra down to reveal her bare tender breasts. Micahel glided his mouth down her neck tracing his tongue over her breast to her nipple. Melanine bent her leg up to his waist as she arched her back in pleasure. She could feel his arousal through his pants. Just as she reached to release his belt buckle. He moved down further and slid both hands up the side of her long dress, raising it up to her hips. He pulled her panties down soaked in her own juices and peeled them off each leg.

Michael knelt down between her legs and proceeded to place the lips of his mouth to the lips of her dark juicy berry. He held her hips as she wound in pleasure. His wet tongue licking up and down and around her inside. She gripped the sheets and let out a loud moan. He held her hips and ass tighter to hold her stable as she lost control of her body in the ecstasy of feeling his mouth inside her. He held her legs. She grabbed her breast and squeezed herself as the climax intensified. The sheets poured wet beneath her. He inserted his finger inside her and slipped his tongue around her. She held the back of his head as he motioned in and out and up and down.

As her body began to tremble uncontrollably beneath him. She tried to scream quietly as to not draw attention to their balcony. The curtains blew in the wind and the breeze gently cooled their hot bodies. As her body finally began to relax, Melanine licked his fingers and said," so the juice is sweeter." She pulled at his belt and released the buckle just before unzipping. She took him into her mouth and from the root to the crown. As he noticed the wind blowing at the curtain. He stopped her for a second.

"Wait wait, let's go cool off out here."

Surprised she straightened up and fixed the top of her dress back. He walked her to the balcony holding her from behind and she relaxed back against his chest, with his beard tickling her shoulder.

"Was this a bad impression of me?" She smiled.

"Absolutely not. We felt more for each other over the phone than I'd ever felt. I dreamed about us for so long its crazy having you here with me. I just don't want to let you go," He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

Michael reached in his pocket and played a song from his phone, Backstreet-Before I let you go. A condom slipped out from his pocket and fell to the floor.

"Oh so you letting me go now huh?", Melanine smirked.

"Nope," he said as they swayed side to side to the soft song. She slowly bent over and picked up the condom, holding it in her hand tightly.

By the time 'Gotta get you home' played they were dancing smoothly together in rhythm. He held her hips as she motioned and she held his hands. She turned and kissed his lips from behind and continued to grind her waist upon his. He reached higher and held her breast. She reached behind and lifted her dress with one hand, guiding his hand underneath. With her second hand she reached in the slit of his pants. As she felt him inside her she easily bent forward to hold onto the balcony railing. He stroked in and out of her as juices dripped down her thighs. She held his hands as he tightly held onto her and braced herself with her other hand on the railing. He held her hair to the side as the wind blew against them and continued to kiss her mouth as he motioned in and out of her thighs.

No, it wasn't too soon for this. this was post Covid. Walking down the streets, multiple homes posted for sale signs. Families had died in an outbreak of covid19, where only a few of the younger relatives lived to pass on the home. Homes had gone up for sale due to foreclosures of lost jobs. Bodies were cremated to save funeral costs and save space. They'd survived the apocalypse and found each other. They could have easily given up hope from 2019 to 2021. They could have moved on to other people, closer in proximity. They could have rebounded to familiar exes just to keep warm in solitary quarantine separate from each other. Neither of them gave up on the bond they'd found. This wasn't a first date. They'd had thirty seven virtual dates, This was not too soon. This was meant to be. And whatever came from this moving forward was also- meant to be sweetly.

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