I was in the office, editing one of my articles when he arrived. It was mid-morning, so I wasn’t expecting anyone. I had been working vigilantly on an interview I had recently had with a local chef at the newest hipster restaurant in town when Patty, the receptionist, called my desk.

“Arts and Entertainment, this is Sarah,” I answered automatically.

“This is reception. I have a … person here who says he is an old friend of yours.” She sounded annoyed, almost. I might have guessed who it was had I not been so sure that I wasn’t expecting anybody.

“Does this person have a name?”

“He says he is a vagabond.” She said this in a huff, expressing how annoyed she was with this curious and obnoxious stranger. 

“I’ll be right down Patty.”

I couldn’t believe that David would do this. He made it a point to let me know when he was coming and when he would be delayed. It wasn’t like him to surprise me, but to be fair he wasn’t too conventional. Excitement grew inside me as I rode the elevator down to meet him. I might have been embarrassed about his behaviour, especially at my place of work. I had only been at the magazine for eight months, and having a strange unidentified man coming to look for me might not bode well with my employers, but somehow I knew that things would be ok. I would just have to explain that it wouldn’t happen again, and make sure of it. David would listen to me; he loves me, just like I love him. 

When I reached the lobby I walked around the corner to reception and I saw him. No wonder Patty was annoyed. Against the backdrop of a working office lobby, filled with busy people wearing suits, was this man in khaki cargo shorts, with a tie-dye tank top, grey hair in a man bun, and three large duffel bags covered in purple marijuana leaves. 

“David!” He may have been an odd sight to everyone else, but to me he was the best thing that had happened all day, and I wouldn’t have him look any other way.

“There she is!” He said this loud enough for several people to turn and look at what the racket was. He dropped his bags with a large thud and pulled me into a hug, Goodness if it didn’t feel good to be in his arms.

“You said you had an assignment and you wouldn’t be able to visit.” I tried to keep my voice down, acutely aware that as happy as I was to see him I was still at work. 

“I did say that and it is true. I am on an assignment. It just happens to be here in the city. I thought I would do something different and surprise you. I never surprise you.”

“Well you may have overcorrected, but you certainly surprised me.” I pulled away just enough to look at him, but not so much that I was released from his warm embrace. It felt so good to see him, in person, to be held by him. “Listen why don’t you go to the apartment settle in and come back at six. I have a whole day ahead of me before I can really enjoy your company, and I want to get it done as soon as possible so that I can focus on you.” 

“Your wish, my command.” He took a step back, clicked his heels together in a military fashion and saluted me. Then he picked up his bags, left a quick peck on my cheek and made his way out of the lobby. It was only as he left the building that I saw him place a large sombrero on his head.

“Who was that?” Patty’s question brought me back to reality. It took me a moment to stop looking David's direction.

“That is my best-friend, from grade school, all the way to college.” She seemed a little taken aback by that.

“What?”

“He is so…” She was trying to find a way to say it without being rude or insulting. I knew what she meant, it’s just always fun to watch people struggle with their thoughts. “... so eccentric, unique.”

“That’s David, outrageous and damn near ridiculous, but he belongs to me and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

That seemed to pique her interest. She had a rye smile on her face, terribly suggestive and comical to look at. “Yours, is he?” She asked this coyly, looking as if she knew the answer.

“Yes mine,” I replied, “But not that way. We dated a bit in high school, but friendship was the best and only way to be together forever.”

“Awe …” She was mocking me in a friendly way. “Together forever! That is so cute.”

“Ha ha. I’ll see you later.” I went back upstairs, only slightly bothered by Patty’s remark. No one understood what we were to each other. We were mismatched in so many ways, and on paper we didn’t belong together. I think that is why we were so close, we may not have been a mirror image of one another, but we were like puzzle pieces; we fit. 

The rest of the day went on uneventfully. The Now was a small online magazine, and it focused on the local events taking place in Tribeca. I fancied myself a writer in college, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Journalism, with a minor in office management. I was working as a secretary in a small paper company when I found The Now. This magazine was just beginning, and it was picking up in popularity quickly. I was lucky to get the job, and I was hoping to stick around for as long as possible. It was a friendly place to work, and I fitted here. 

When I went back to work Emily, who worked in Home and Family was waiting for me. Somehow she had heard about David, and seemed quite interested in my unusual guest.

“Grey hair?” These were the first words she said to me. “Tie-dye? Who is this guy?” she asked obviously shocked at my choice in company.

“An old friend.” I sat at my desk with my back to her.

“Don’t you mean old flame?” Patty worked fast.

“We did date, but not for very long. Our friendship was more important.”

“Too many differences?” Emily seemed to think she knew exactly what the problem was.

“No. We know where we stand with each other as friends. When you cross that line things get complicated. We have always had one another. We want to keep it that way.” I sounded like a child, and when I turned to see Emily’s face, I could see she thought the same. I didn’t really care how foolish I sounded, it was the truth. Once people got to know David, once they saw who he and I really were when we were together, they understood.

We went back to work in silence. I was determined not to let anything bother me, and to finish the first draft of my assignment. When I was done I walked out with Emily and a few of our other co-workers. When we walked out into the lobby Emily stopped short to look at the man that was sitting in the waiting area. He was wearing a navy blue suit with a white shirt and no tie. He stood up and walked forward. He was lean and tall, with a well built frame and a playful look on his face. Emily no longer took notice of his grey hair, which was no longer in a man bun, but properly combed for a man as handsome as this. I said a half-hearted goodbye to my work friends and walked up to David.

“You clean up nice.” I went in for a kiss and David did not disappoint. I could never be embarrassed or ashamed by David, but he knew what he had made people think this morning. He took great pleasure in shocking people. He took me on his arm and lead me out to his rental. He didn’t say a word until we made it into the car. 

“How’d I do love?” he asked knowing exactly what the answer was.

“You did wonderfully.” I couldn’t resist it. I leaned forward, grabbed his face and kissed him. “I’m so glad you came. But you didn’t have to change like that. I would take you any which way.” 

“I know it. So where to love? You know a good place to eat?” 

“I know plenty.” I gave him another kiss. “Take me home, David.”

We lay in bed for a while, catching up in quiet whispers. He played with my fingers as I asked him what on earth compelled him to go grey.

“I thought it would be cool. Some people look nice with grey hair.” He was right, it was cool. Somehow the fair grey color suited him. He was kissing my finger tips. “Your new friends don’t seem to like me.”

“They changed their tune by the end of the day.” Our fingers intertwined. “To be fair you did take them from one end of the spectrum to the other all in one day.” He put his arm around my back.

“It was fun.” He kissed my neck. 

“How long are you here for?”

“Two weeks. Enough time to finish this assignment, and move on to the next.”

I looked at him when he pulled back. He was my best friend, the person I cared for more than anyone else in the world. And true to his word, a  vagabond. Almost completely incapable of staying somewhere longer than he has too. So I said it, the same thing I say at least once every time I see him. “You should stay with me.” Part of me meant it, wanted him to stay with me for good. The rest of me knew that it was an unfair expectation. Moving about, going from place to place was as much his dream as mine was to find a forever home. I ask this of him knowing what he will say. 

“You should come with me.” Neither of us ever expected the other to give in, and we have never once played the blame game. We ask because in a perfect world, there would be a way for us to be together without having to sacrifice who we were to be there. We ask knowing the answer will always be a regretful, though unanswered, 'no'. I smiled at him, and he smiled back.

He kissed me and moved closer. I kissed him and wrapped my arms around his neck as he moved under the blankets. I felt the weight of him on top of me. I felt his warmth envelop me. He ran his fingers down the side of my body, and gently grabbed my legs to wrap them around his waist. I ran my fingers down his back, digging in slightly. Just enough to make him moan. He moved down to place tiny kisses on my neck and collarbone. I combed my fingers through his thick grey hair, tugging oh so lightly, just as he liked it. I used my other hand to move up the side of his body, and ran it across his chest.

I reached his nipple, and rubbed it lightly, moving it back and forth, pinching it softly. He decided to return the favor as his lips moved from my neck down to my right breast. He encased my nipple in his mouth and sucked on it, This made my breath come heavier, deeper. My legs and arms were warm, my chest was hot, and my core was burning with fire. He was there, hard and hot too. I could feel him just outside of me, aching to get in. He came up from my breast to kiss me. When he stopped he raised his head to look at me. He gazed into my eyes.

“Come with me.” He was breathless when he asked me this.

“Stay with me.” I was breathless too.

With nothing changed, and nothing left to say, we stared at each other for only a moment more when he leaned down to kiss me, and thrust himself into me. The sudden fullness made me gasp. It had been so long since I had been with a man, so long since I had been with him. Though this was a second time tonight, the intensity was so great that it took a moment before I could relax around him. But when I did, my did he feel good.

With him inside me, and his mouth on mine I felt more connected to him than I have with anyone else. We were strong people, intense people. Never more so than when we were together. As our bodies lost control, intertwined with one another we felt our strength between us, our unnatural bond. It was hard to believe we could walk away from this feeling. We lost ourselves in our passion, moving and thrashing about, We didn’t bother to come up for air. We relished each others thick hot breath. 

The taste of his mouth, his skin, his body. I wanted nothing more than him wrapped around me, and deep inside me, for as long as he was here. It didn’t take us long to get there, our rhythm always matched. Our pace increased in both speed and intensity. He rolled onto his back and sat up with me on top. It slowed us slightly for a moment, but we moved faster still. He looked up at me as I rode him, my arms around his neck, his hands holding the small of my back, guiding me on him. I looked down at him, wanting him, needing him, knowing I would never have more than this. Knowing one day this would all end, that this might be the last time. It was too much to handle. I wanted him so badly.

I kissed him hard and came, my core clamping down on his hardness. I felt him come inside me, felt him groan from deep down inside himself. When our lips parted, we dared not move, There were too many sensations. Our bodies were so sensitive, our skin tender to the touch. We stayed there, breathing heavily, leaning on each other.

His head rested just above my breasts, in the middle of my chest. I laid my head on top of his as he listened to my breath, or my heart, I didn't know which. I didn’t care, I just loved the feeling of his body in my arms, Just like I knew he loved the feel of mine in his. We stayed there until his hardness softened and fell from me. Then we slowly laid back down. He curled his body around me, wrapped his arms around mine, and gently kissed the back of my neck as we fell asleep. 

Tomorrow he would sleep in the guest room, where he would stay for the rest of his trip. We always allowed ourselves the first night; it was easier to do away with the preamble. We learned long ago that trying to resist was futile. The only time we ever managed was when one or both of us were in a relationship. We had enough self respect to keep from crossing those lines, and we loved each other enough to respect those boundaries. But if we were single, as we were now, all bets were off, for the first night at least. Any longer than that did too much damage. We didn’t want that. But we had tonight, and tonight was beautiful.