Matt casually wandered and weaved his way through the people, smiling at some, nodding at others, picking up a salmon topped hors d'oeuvres from a tray offered him by a young girl, probably the daughter of Malcolm, his new boss,  and accepting a glass of red wine from another tray, but inexorably making his way towards the kitchen. It was a fact that all good parties started and ended in the kitchen. At forty-one years ol...

Paris … ah, Paris … he had been in love with the city since that magical day in April fifty-five years before when he had stepped off the train at the Gare du Nord and walked out of the station into the bustle of the busy streets of the capital. He was a country born and had lived all his life on his father’s farm and his mother had decided that when he was sixteen it was time he saw something of the wider world. He was a...

It’s on summer nights such as this That I remember so clearly; Sitting in my chair in silence As the daylight fades from the sky And the soft air folds about me Like a soothing blanket of peace.   It’s on gentle nights such as this That I remember so clearly; Looking out across the calm loch To the fell-sides outlined ink black Against the paler indigo Of the star bedecked northern sky.   It’s on special nights such as th...

The year was 2001, I was currently in my final year at college. During the year I attended an agricultural college in Wiltshire, England. To me, these were the best days of my life. I had the occasional fun evenings, with my mates. When we went to the local for a drink. They even tried to encourage me to hook up with the ladies. But for some reason, none of them stoked up my interest. With all that happened, I still manag...

You never know when it will happen and you certainly don't know what to expect or how you will feel when it does. At the tender age of sixteen and one month, it's impossible to gauge how a person will behave when faced with affection from another, especially when they are shy, reticent and immature. It's true what they say, that women develop emotionally, far earlier than men, or a teenager in my case. I must have experie...

I didn't fall in love with you, I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we'd choose anyway. And I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you. ~ Anon ***** You stick a bookmark into Armistead Maupin and...

A tiny clench of the stomach,Confirming that - The 'look' is returnedMouths, gasp open across a crowded room.The sudden glance awayAfraid, not wanting to blush -An inner smile triggersThe earthquake on luscious lips.Too shy to pursueTo see if - A few steps towards the kitchenDriven to the safety beyond.A tap on the shoulderFrozen in time - A glance over the shoulder andRelief, eyes close and then a smile.The chatter, the...

Let me say these things now, as IThrow these words down on this electronic canvas. Words that are written in internet ink, andWords that have stayed in my head,Stagnating and idle,Clogging up my life, and my soul...For far too long.Words that I should have said when I was young,But these words did not come easy then.In my silent and unforgiving shyness I could not utter those words of love,Or whisper the feelings of lust,...

March 1992 She was walking home from school with her friend Addy, who lived across the street and down a few houses from her. The pair turned onto their street and the girls said their goodbyes. It was Friday, finally, and they wouldn’t see each other until Monday – Addy was out of town for the weekend, she was visiting her father in Bloomington. Jennifer walked up the street to her house, which was at the end. He sidled...

Ainsley woke up on the couch to a knock on the door and blinked as fear chilled her veins for a few moments. She glanced around the apartment rapidly, trying to see what time it was until she remembered her phone. The knock grew louder when she realized it was midnight and Ainsley stood up slowly. She leaned up to peek through the hole in the door, frowning when she saw Connor standing there. Ainsley took a deep breath an...