Little did I know that Saturday morning when I went to the grocery store, that my life was about to change. I was in the bakery section of our local supermarket, selecting some fresh croissants, when I had that feeling. You know that feeling - that sense that someone was looking at me. I glanced up and saw a man wearing a baseball cap, partially obscuring his face. He seemed to be looking at me intently.

I smiled briefly and carried on. Still, I felt his eyes on me. I tried to sneak a discreet glance, but it was proving hard to do. Finally getting a good look, there seemed to be something familiar about him. I just couldn’t place it. Finally, he came close enough to speak.

“Jill? Is that you?” he queried.

That voice. I would know it anywhere. It was the voice of my high school crush, Brad.

“Brad? Is that really you?” I answered with excitement, as I looked into his familiar eyes.

“Yes, it is!” he exclaimed as he closed the distance between us, giving me a big hug. His arms held me tight against his chest. I could hear his heart beating loudly, as was mine. All of those old feelings came pouring back, much to my chagrin. It had taken me years to get over him, and now here I was in his arms again…

He released me, giving me a quick look up and down. “You haven’t changed a bit,” he quipped. “Still as hot as you were in high school!”

“You thought I was hot in high school?” I asked.

Brad smiled a sexy smile. “Everyone thought you were hot in high school! Especially me.”

“Well, you sure had a funny way of showing it,” I replied.

His revelation that he thought I was hot back in high school had me playing the ”what if” game. What if he had told me? What if he had known how I felt - surely he had, hadn’t he? What if he had asked me out? What if…. But there was no going back.

We spent a few minutes catching up. The last I had heard from Brad, he was working on one of those huge cruise ships as part of the house band, and was living quite the playboy lifestyle. After two decades of that, he had just moved back home, and bought a house right in my neighbourhood.

I briefly filled him in on my life, telling him about my career as a teacher at our old high school, my newly renovated house, and updating him on some old friends. I also let it slip that I was single - as it turns out, so was Brad…

There was an awkward silence as we both let our minds wander. So much to say, yet words failed us in the moment.

“Well, I suppose I should finish my shopping. It was really nice to run into you again,” I said, flashing him a smile as I turned back towards my cart. My heart was racing, not wanting to leave, but knowing I had to.

Finished with my shopping, I went through the check-out and headed to my car. I was going through the motions automatically, my mind still thinking of Brad.

As I sat down that evening with a glass of wine to relax, I allowed my mind to take me back to high school. I met Brad on our first day of grade ten. We both played the saxophone in the school band, so at our first music class, we ended up seated beside each other.

I instantly had a crush on him. He was tall, with perfectly tanned skin, long blonde hair (pulled into a man bun) and crystal blue eyes. He had a muscular build, unusual for boys that age. Plus he was musical. My sixteen-year-old self was hopelessly smitten!

We became fast friends, almost inseparable. We were so comfortable with each other - constantly laughing, joking, hugging… It didn’t take long for me to develop a huge crush on him. I spent my days daydreaming about what it would be like to kiss him, to be his girlfriend.

But that was never to be. For three years, I watched him date a steady string of girls, wishing I was one of them. Maybe I never dated him, but Brad was my first love and my first heartbreak. I cried so many tears over him; I had been sure we were destined to be together.

And now here he was, right in my neighbourhood. All those deeply buried feelings came bubbling up to the surface again.

A couple of weeks passed, and I found myself looking for Brad everywhere I went - the supermarket, the gas station, the coffee shop, the park. I was constantly scanning for him. But our paths didn’t cross - that is, until the night of the closing band concert….

All staff were highly encouraged to attend the concert, to be supportive of the students. I didn’t mind going, and, in fact, was looking forward to it. I had such fond memories of my time in the band program. I was standing along the back wall when I saw him.

My breath caught, and I froze, prompting the colleague standing beside me to ask if I was okay. I assured her I was, but I wasn’t convinced! Just watching Brad gave me butterflies. Thankfully, he was engrossed in the concert and hadn’t seen me. I secretly hoped I could slip out without him seeing me…or did I?

With the concert over, I quickly made my way to my classroom to prepare for tomorrow’s classes. I figured I’d avoid the crowd and get some work done at the same time. It was a solid plan. When the school and parking lot had emptied out, I made my way to my car.

I heard a car approaching behind me and slowing down, making me nervous. I stepped up my pace. I was relieved when I heard that familiar voice call out to me.

“I figured you’d be here somewhere!” he said, leaning out of his window.

“Brad! You gave me a little scare,” I chastised him playfully. “Yes, it was a great concert.”

“I’m going to Paddy’s for a snack and a beer. Why don’t you join me?” he asked.

Paddy’s was a local pub and hangout spot. It was a tempting offer. “I have to work early in the morning…” I began.

“It’s just an hour, Jill. Come on! It will be fun!” he coaxed.

“Well, I guess so. I haven’t eaten supper yet, so I’ll have to make something anyway,” I said, feeling the need to justify my response. “I’ll meet you there.”

Brad was waiting for me outside of the pub. Paddy’s was fairly busy for a Thursday night. When we arrived, the only table left was a private booth in the back. He escorted me to the table, his hand in the small of my back. I could feel his hand searing into my skin through my clothes. It was an innocent touch, but it made every nerve ending in my body tingle.

The dark booth had a very intimate feeling to it. We were enjoying getting to know each other again and reminiscing about the good ole days. The undeniable chemistry we once shared was still there. The drinks and the food disappeared all too quickly, and soon it was time to leave. We paid our separate bills and slid out of the booth.

Once again, Brad’s hand rested on the small of my back, but this time, he pulled me closer to him as we made our way out to the parking lot. Ever the gentleman, he walked me to my car and opened the door for me. His right hand was on the roof of the car, his left hand on the top of my door. I was trapped.

I tried to control my breathing as I looked up at him. He was so close, I could feel his breath on my lips. One little movement, and I’d be kissing him. I had dreamed of this moment for more than twenty years. And then, in the blink of an eye, the moment was lost. Brad stepped back and tapped the roof of my car.

“I guess it’s time to let you go home to bed. It’s been more than an hour,” he quipped, flashing me a mischievous grin.

Disappointed, I responded, “ Yes, I did only agree to an hour! Good night, Brad. This was fun.”

“Good night, Jill,” he said while closing my door. “See you soon.”

I liked the sound of that. It gave me hope that maybe we would be spending some time together.

Sure enough, the next Friday, as I was leaving school for the weekend, Brad was waiting for me in the parking lot. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him leaning against my car, arms crossed, and a sexy grin on his face.

“You never gave me your phone number,” he remarked.

“You never asked,” I replied, grinning back at him.

“Well, Jill, would you give me your number?” he asked, grabbing his phone out of his pocket, and getting ready to enter it.

I told him my number and watched him diligently typing into his phone. A moment later, my phone dinged - I had a message from Brad.

“Free tonight?”

Chuckling as I looked him the eyes, I typed my reply. “Yes!”

“Great. I’ll pick you up at 6:00!” And with that, he jumped into his car and left, leaving me tingling with excitement.

As 6:00 approached, my nerves had me pacing. I had no idea where we were going, or what we were doing. The anticipation was killing me!

Brad showed up right on time. He flashed me a dazzling smile as I opened the door. He looked effortlessly sexy in his jeans and button-down shirt, his muscular build very evident underneath. He leaned in to give me a quick kiss, sending shivers down my spine. It was a friendly peck, but immediately had me wanting more.

“Ready to go?” he asked, reaching out to offer me his hand.

“Yes!” I exclaimed as I placed my hand in his. “Let’s go.”

We didn’t head to the trendy part of town, like I was expecting, but rather to the outskirts. I immediately recognized the spot. It was the pizza joint where we had spent almost every Friday night when we were in high school. I had a huge smile on my face as I let nostalgia transport me back twenty years.

“I haven’t been here since high school!” I exclaimed as Brad came around and opened my door.

“Neither have I. It seemed the perfect place for our first date, don’t you think?” Brad said with a twinkle in his eye.

My breath caught. He intended this to be a real date, not just a couple of friends hanging out. My heart was racing. “It’s the perfect spot,” I replied, almost under my breath.

Brad grabbed my hand and walked me into the restaurant. It hadn’t changed a bit; in fact, it still had the same red and white checkered tablecloths on the tables. We grabbed our old booth by the window and ordered our usual combo - a meat lover’s pizza and garlic fingers.

The conversation flowed effortlessly as we enjoyed our meal and relived the good old days. The only thing different was this time, Brad paid the bill, unlike our high school days when we went split it.

We got back in his car and headed back to our neighborhood. I was getting worried that he was taking me home and our night was over. I was surprised when we pulled into his driveway.

“I thought maybe we could watch a movie, like we used to,” Brad said.

“Sure!” I replied, my voice shaking in anticipation.

He grabbed a couple of beers out of the fridge and pointed towards the couch, indicating for me to have a seat. He sat beside me, so close that our thighs were touching, immediately sending a shiver through me. Brad noticed and put his arm around me, pulling me close.

“Cold?” he asked.

“No,” I replied, looking up into his eyes.

He knew exactly what I meant. Time seemed to freeze. I knew he was finally going to kiss me after all these years. The lips I had dreamed about kissing were finally on mine. They were soft and warm and inviting, and with one touch, they set my whole body on fire.

By the time we broke the kiss, we were both breathless and wanting more. Brad stood and offered me his hand. “Come with me,” he said in a gravelly voice.

I followed him to his bedroom, where he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. His hands found my ass and pulled me tight against him. I could feel his hardness pressing into me. My hands started slowly unbuttoning his shirt as we kissed, our tongues dancing together, exploring each other. I slid his shirt down over his shoulders, letting it pool at our feet. My hands explored his chiseled chest - he was even more sculpted now than he was in high school, every muscle clearly defined. My eyes were drawn to the “V” that disappeared into his jeans…

I felt his hands gently cupping and fondling my breasts, making my nipples harden and poke through my bra, wishing his fingers would graze against them. Brad didn’t disappoint - he let his fingers glide over my nipples, one at a time, making my clit tingle in response. Finally, he pulled my shirt over my head and threw it to the ground. He reached behind me and undid the clasp of my bra, freeing my breasts. I could hear his soft moan when he finally saw them for the first time. His reaction made me tremble.

Brad lowered his head to gently kiss the soft flesh of my breasts. My breath caught as he captured my hard peak, sucking and licking it until my knees buckled beneath me. He scooped me up and laid me on the bed, laying on top of me, continuing to suck and lick my nipples until my hips were writhing. He quickly unzipped my jeans and slid his hand inside, his fingers finding me already very wet. His moans and increase in intensity told me he was excited by what he found.

Pushing my underwear aside, Brad slid his fingers along my slit, teasing me briefly before plunging them deep inside of me, his thumb rubbing my clit. With his mouth on my nipples and fingers deep inside of me, I was unable to hold back, and quickly reached a shuddering release.

Embarrassed about so quickly orgasming, I started to apologize to Brad, but his lips silenced me. His hunger was very apparent. He slid my jeans and underwear off in one swift movement as I undid his jeans. He slid the remainder of his clothes off and my jaw dropped as I saw his cock for the first time. It was straight and thick and larger than I expected. I couldn’t wait to feel him inside me.

Climbing between my legs, Brad raised my ankles to rest on his shoulders as he teased me with his cock, rubbing the tip up and down my slit, over my clit, finally pausing at my entrance. My eyes locked on his, silently pleading with him. I could feel the desire in his eyes. Finally, he slowly slid into me, inch by inch. After so many years of wanting him, he was finally inside of me. It was the most euphoric feeling I had ever experienced!

He began to thrust, slow deep strokes, as he leaned forward, bending me in half. His lips found mine with a passionate kiss, his chest crushing my breasts, my hands holding his ass, pulling him even tighter into me.. I ground against him until I felt my body starting to tremble. I started clenching my muscles tightly around his cock, which I could feel pulsing inside of me.

There was no need for words. We moved in perfect harmony with each other. I knew we would - there was never any doubt! Our worlds were finally colliding, and it was well worth the wait. I could feel Brad tense and knew he was about to explode inside of me. I squeezed his cock even tighter, and gave in to my own release.

Tired and spent, Brad collapsed onto the bed beside me, holding me as I laid my head on his chest. I could hear his heart racing, as was my own.

“That was worth the wait,” Brad whispered as he planted a kiss on the top of my head.

“It sure was. Maybe don’t make me wait so long the next time!” I quipped.

“Okay. Maybe just nineteen years next time,” he teased.

I sat up and gave him a playful punch in the arm. “You are such a….”

I was silenced by his lips, as he pulled me upwards, off his chest, kissing me deeply. It took us a few minutes to realize the banging we were hearing wasn’t actually our beating hearts. There was someone knocking on his door.

Soon a female voice called out “Brad? Are you home? Your car is in the driveway!”

He froze, swore softly under his breath, and then leapt out of bed, throwing his pants on hurriedly. He gave me a quick apologetic glance, and left, closing his bedroom door behind him…