Summer Thunder by Jill Candles
A romance series exclusive to the Lankville Daily News.
I guess it was Bret who first took me to the Wild Life Room.
“You’ll like it,” he said. “It’s red.” We drove down in his Neptune with the top down.
“I’m going to park around back,” he said. “Because I want…well…I want to kiss you.”
I heard the summer thunder. But it was distant, faraway. It didn’t feel part of this.
He kissed me. I didn’t move my mouth at all. He just crushed his lips into mine. I felt as though I could no longer feel.
“Let’s get some steaks,” he said.
It was a gay room, full of dancers. A band played upbeat trumpet music. Waiters dodged between the tables– they were dressed in white tuxedos.
“Pretty upscale, huh?” Bret said.
I heard it again. The summer thunder. It was louder this time.
“I’m going to the men’s trough,” Bret said. “I may be awhile.” He went off.
A waiter came to the table. Later, I would know him as Erik. Or maybe I already knew that. Our eyes locked instantly.
“What will you have, miss?” He puckered his lips quickly, sensuously.
“I…I want…something new, something different.”
“We have that new alternative to soda everyone is raving about. Lithium citrate 7. It helps to…stabilize the mood. Or…perhaps you don’t want your mood stabilized, miss. Perhaps you want it to fly freely into the sky.”
The summer thunder was right above our heads this time.
I went away with Erik. The empty beach at midnight. He built a fire and produced a ragged book called Great Rhyming Love Poems of Lankville.
“It is worn,” I said.
“Yes, I’ve read it many times,” he said. “Poetry is just wonderful, don’t you think. It’s intoxicating.”
I heard the summer thunder.
He read me several poems in his deep, sonorous voice.
“I want you inside of me,” I whispered. The summer thunder crashed down upon us.
“Let me just finish reading a couple more poems first,” he said. As he read, he removed his jeans shorts.
And when he was done, the summer thunder crashed its loudest.
The night disappeared around us.
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