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The night I went to retrieve my earring was life altering.  The pull I felt toward her was thrilling and overwhelming.  When she kissed me, I knew the connection was extraordinary.  I told her as much when she broke our initial contact to ascertain my comfort and acceptance.  ‘It’s all right,’ I’d whispered, ‘I want this too.’  Deepening our subsequent kiss.

After the shared intimacy at her gallery there was no question of me going back to my prior relationship.  I broke it off with him immediately.  It felt utterly right and I didn’t have any doubts or fears.  I wanted to spend every free moment I had with her.

If anything, it was Bette who was more forgiving about giving me time to adjust.  She allowed me space and was in no way forceful or insistent.  So, we took things slowly.  Her tempered movements impressed me even more as I got to know her.

She was a confident woman.  That was obvious from the beginning.  Yet when it came to us…to me…there was a loving hesitancy in her movements that was endearing.  I’m certain there was an element of uneasiness given my history of being only with men but the behavior was indicative of just how much she valued our growing relationship.  There was no doubt that was the primary motivator.

We’d spent time talking about everything.  Growing up, school, friends, learning to drive, music, places we’d been to and still wanted to visit, movies, favorite children’s books – Bette was amused that I adored Dr. Seuss and couldn’t believe I hadn’t read ‘Monkeys Go On Strike’. 

Subjects both mundane and meaningful, the inconsequential and highly significant were covered.  More importantly, we talked about our dreams and aspirations. 

I wanted to drink this woman and inhale her everything.  Certainly, we were comfortable with each other’s presence.  But there was an undercurrent of an almost electric bond that flowed between us and deep feelings of kinship.  Comfortable and infinitely magical.  Practically from the start.

That made my frustration with her patience even more acute.  Patience that was apparent in terms of the controlled intimacy shared.  The kissing was satisfying and fulfilling but bordered on inadequate.  I was falling for this woman and I wanted more.