The party was in full swing when somebody suggested it was time for a round of shots. A voice shouted
"Get a buddy, and have a toast together." I didn't even have to look around the room to see where she was; I could feel her eyes burning into my back. She is the one that has been first and foremost on my mind for what seems like forever.

Ever since I got here, I've been avoiding her. We hugged hello at first, but I moved away. Since then, I've managed to never be alone with her, only within a group of people. I had fallen in love with her, but was so afraid of being apart, that I couldn't allow my self to get close now that I had the chance. So, I thought that if I never said hello, I wouldn't have to say goodbye and have it tear me apart inside.

The shots started to be poured as people shouted their drink of choice out. Before I knew it, I was standing behind a chair; her chair, which was off in an area that couldn't quite be seen from the main room. I found myself leaning over to her, my mouth almost brushing against her ear as I whispered to her. "Have a drink with me." I said. Slowly she turned her head, an expression on her face that I couldn't quite understand. I leaned over again, "Please, just one." She smiled and said one word "tequila."

I went over to get our shots, and poured an extra one to drink right then. What I was going to do, I didn't know. Just that it was time to stop avoiding her. I walked back to where she was sitting, and put down our drinks. I took her face in my hands and without speaking, I straddled her hips. It didn't concern me that anyone could walk in and see us there. All that mattered was her.

She reached over to get her glass, and I stopped her by the wrist "No, wait." Again, she gave me that expression that I didn't quite understand, but maybe it was her sunglasses that threw me off. "I had been so afraid of saying goodbye to you this whole time, that I never allowed us to say hello." As I spoke, I dipped my finger into the shotglass of chilled vodka, and took the tip of my finger and trailed it across her lips, and down her neck. I bowed my head, and reached my tongue out to touch her neck. The shot of electricity from our first real connection ran straight through my body. I was sure that she felt it also. The reaction gave me a boost of confidence, and I allowed my tongue to follow the path of the vodka right up to her lips. Right before I reached them, I paused to feel her breath mixing with mine. We were barely apart but not yet touching. I took my tongue and slowly ran it right below her bottom lip. A moan was heard but was it hers or mine?

I couldn't fight it anymore; I had to touch her lips, needing more of her. As I ran my tongue over them, I felt her hands on my hips pulling me in closer to her. I paused, waiting for her to permit my tongue entrance, as she reached one hand up to the back of my head, drawing me into her deeper. As our lips met, and our tongues danced, I heard a moan again, this time knowing it was one merged from both of us. When is a kiss just really a kiss? Not this time, as it felt like it was a meeting of our hearts, possibly our souls. I finally broke away, feeling the need to breathe.

My breath like hers was ragged, I needed to compose myself, but I also needed to continue to touch her. I looked at her, and with a slight smile, she raised her sunglasses up, and gave me a wink. My heart melted, and this time she leaned in to kiss me. I felt her hand go to the front of my shirt, slowly unbuttoning it, as she kissed me harder. When her hands reached in and caressed my skin, it felt like fire. I couldn't get close enough to her, I wanted to feel her skin against mine, but she pulled back.

Without saying a word, she motioned to me to turn around, then lifted my shirt, and before I realized what she was doing, her glass of tequila was tipped, and the amber liquid ran down my back. I sensed her tongue before I felt it as she ran it down up and down my spine, only stopping to bite and suck on occasion. The sensations my body was experiencing was throwing me into overload, I couldn't think, I couldn't speak. Her tongue dipped into the little indentation in the small of my back and I honestly think I passed out from the feeling. The next thing I felt was the tequila being splashed across my chest. Some how in my daze, I had been turned around again. As I felt her breath against my stomach, my back arched, my head was thrown back. Her hands and tongue felt like they were everywhere. She shifted to be able to lean forward, and I wrapped my legs around her, leaning my back against her legs. As she sunk her tongue into my bellybutton, my fingers grabbed her hair pulling her closer never wanting to let her go. She stopped, pulled me up, wrapped me in her arms saying, "Not here, not like this, come with me" Then she took my hand and led me to the front door, into the night to embrace our future, what ever it held.

I learned many things that evening into the next morning; I will keep them all with me forever. However, I think most importantly I learned that I would never say the word goodbye to this woman. Nor will I worry if life's twists and turns mean I have to leave her or her me. I will end it always by a simple "till next time." All I have to do is close my eyes and she'll be right there by my side. Moreover, I'll always find a way back into her arms.