Still Waters

New Year’s Eve 1995

Greg

I hate being such a good guy all the time. I really do. Most of the time I am okay with being my buddy Mark’s wingman, the sane sober one to balance his wild, tearaway personality. Of course things have been a bit different since Nell came on the scene. She’s an odd one alright, but she seems to have some control over Mark, at least most of the time. Tonight she seems a bit out of it though, not her usual quiet self. It’s probably Lisa that has set her off with her bitchy remarks. I love my sister, but I wish she would just learn to shut up. Mark is never going back to her and she’s done well hooking André. His family own half of Ontario, so she’ll do okay. Too bad he’s so boring.

And then of course there’s that gorgeous friend of Nell’s. Maura. She turned up tonight in some kind of nun’s outfit, looking like a cross between Julie Andrews and Jennifer Aniston, as if butter wouldn’t melt, but making you wonder what she had on underneath. I’d love to make a move on her, but she is so hard to talk to. Every time I try and break the ice with her I just come away feeling like a complete idiot. See what I mean? Nice guys just never get the girl.

It’s always the bad boys like Mark that they go for. Not that I haven’t had my share of hook-ups. It’s just that, as clichéd as it sounds, I want something more. I’m tired of a casual grope and the occasional fuck with someone I barely know. Maybe if I can get Maura to dance with me just before midnight I can have an excuse to kiss her and see where that goes.

Maura

I wish Mark’s friend Greg would stop staring at me. It’s not that I don’t like him – quite the opposite actually. He’s very attractive and has always been really nice to me. I can tell he’s interested, and that makes me uncomfortable. The last thing I need is a guy like him in my life. Or any guy for that matter. But maybe I should be the one to break the ice for a change and go over and talk to him. He’s looking really left out, and he looks kind of goofy in that stupid cowboy outfit he chose as fancy dress for the party.

I always feel a little sorry for him, being in Mark’s shadow all the time. Nell is my best friend here in Calgary, but Mark makes me really nervous. He’s just too unpredictable. But he and Nell seem to be doing well together, so who am I to judge?

Okay, here I go. I’m going to get Greg out for a dance, and who knows, maybe tonight I’ll even let him kiss me. It is New Year’s after all.

Greg

Oh, God, here she comes. She really is stunning. My cock stirs as I picture pulling off that silly headdress and burying my hands in her hair, while plundering her mouth. She flops down in the seat next to me and holds out her glass to toast me.

‘Happy New Year, Greg. I hope it’s going to be a good one.’

‘Yeah, you too Maura. You look beautiful tonight by the way.’

She laughs.

‘That’s me – the sexy nun.’

Before I can respond to that, she gestures over her shoulder towards the dance floor, where Nell and Mark are staggering around in each other’s arms and asks,

‘What’s with those two tonight?’

‘Who knows?’ I shrug. ‘Perhaps just a little crazier than usual.’

‘Why don’t we go and dance too, then we can keep an eye on them,’ she suggests.

Music to my ears. She doesn’t have to ask me twice. I am out of my seat and grabbing her hand to pull her onto the dance floor like an overeager jerk. There’s a slow number playing, so I seize the moment and pull her into my arms, wanting to feel her lovely body against mine, and her silky hair against my cheek.

To my surprise she doesn’t try to maintain any distance between us, as she winds her arms around my neck, and presses her stunning breasts against my chest. Her breath is hot against my neck as she hums along to the song that is playing. Her smell – some delicate scent that is both subtle and classy, just like her – is going to be giving me wet dreams for a year.

I met her at the birthday party Nell threw for Mark back in April. I was doing my usual nice guy thing of making sure everyone had drinks and helping out in the kitchen, when in she came. She just arrived quietly, cast her eyes around the room, and without making a fuss or trying to attract attention, she hung up her own coat and went to embrace Nell, kissing her on both cheeks, Gallic style. This was not a woman who created drama. But she was eye-poppingly beautiful, so I sidled over for an introduction.

Nell was giggling and she was laughing quietly about something or other – who knows with girls – when she turned to me and looked me right in the eye. I took in the dark blue eyes, creamy skin and that impossibly lustrous hair. What a stunner. Nell made the introductions, and Maura held her hand out to me for me to shake, which was an odd gesture under the circumstances. Her hand was cool in mine, and she murmured a stock pleased to meet you remark, and then just stood, looking at me, waiting for me to make conversation.

She had me really flustered and I came over all fake hearty, totally overdoing my nice guy act. Trustworthy and harmless, that’s me. Like a great big loopy puppy dog. Eventually I got bored so with my own act, and her complete passivity that I made my excuses and went off to grab a large drink. I avoided her the rest of the evening out of sheer embarrassment.

I found out about her from Nell though, and realised that she was out of my league anyway. She had a Masters degree in Chemistry, just like Nell, and now has some very impressive job with a chemical research company. So not only was she way too clever and successful for me – not to mention too beautiful – but Nell also told me that she came from a strict Catholic family in Quebec, and she was very conservative.

Too bad then that I couldn’t avoid bumping into her all the time, and even worse that she seemed like a really nice girl, even though she was so reserved and difficult to talk to. Well fortune favours the brave, so maybe tonight is my night.

Maura

I know I shouldn’t let Greg hold me so close. I certainly told myself that I had no intention of getting involved with him, but the truth is that it feels really good to be in his arms, swaying to a romantic song. I shouldn’t encourage him but just for tonight I want to be like everyone else.

I feel his hands gently roaming down my spine, stroking me but stopping in the small of my back, before moving back up again to cup my shoulder blades. His touch is so sweet, and I can feel how much he wants me. It is a heady experience. Before things can get out of hand though, something catches his attention.

‘Oh hell,’ he mutters.

I glance over my shoulder to see Mark with Lisa, in a sort of embrace, not exactly hugging but standing closer together than I would like if he was my boyfriend. Mark is really out of it and swaying a bit, laughing at something she says, and then they kiss. It is just a peck, a brush of the lips, but I hope Nell doesn’t see it. But of course she does. Because when I turn back towards Greg, she is standing behind him on the edge of the dance floor, taking in Mark and Lisa’s little moment.

‘Oh no,’ I whisper and disentangle myself from Greg’s embrace to go after her as she storms off. Why do these two have to do this now, on the one night when I am feeling able to let him get close to me?

I follow her as she grabs her bag and tries to leave. I get the feeling there is more to it than just seeing Mark and Lisa on the dance floor, but before I can get to the bottom of her distress, Mark arrives to remonstrate with her. I leave them to it.

I go back to our table and sit down next to Greg. He reaches under the table and takes my hand, lacing our fingers together. I smile at him, pleased with his gesture, and squeeze his hand to let him know.

Greg

That smile is going to be the death of me. When she looks at me like that my mouth goes dry, and I have trouble swallowing. Her soft hand in mine is enough to make me want to drag her home to my bed to show her how I feel. But of course I don’t. I’m a nice guy, after all.

Mark and Nell come back to the table, and start playing one of their games. They wander off together and then suddenly they are back, Nell looking like she’s been crying, and the two of them leave. It’s not even midnight yet. Lisa looks pleased with herself for having ruined their night. I think I may have to have a talk with her tomorrow, but right now I just want to enjoy what seems to be happening with Maura.

‘Do you think they’ll be okay?’ Maura asks me, concern for her friend in her lovely eyes.

‘Why don’t we forget about their drama for one night, and just enjoy ourselves?’ I suggest.

I am sick of being the nice guy who always puts everyone else first. Tonight I am going to kiss Maura, and tomorrow I will worry about Mark, Nell and Lisa.

‘Let’s dance,’ she says quietly.

I hope it’s because she enjoyed it as much as I did, not because she doesn’t want to sit at the table with Lisa. I stand up and keep her hand in mine, not caring if the others see. I hope they do. We go back to our spot on the edge of the dance floor, and she lets me hold her in my arms again, swaying slowly against me, even though there is a dance number playing.

I slowly slide one hand under her costume’s headdress and stroke the nape of her neck with my fingers, while keeping the other hand in the small of her back. The intimacy of my touch makes her gasp a little and then she sighs and rests her head against me, accepting the embrace. Suddenly the countdown to midnight starts. It’s now or never. As everyone around us starts whooping and yelling, she turns her head towards me, and I close the distance between us, touching my lips to hers.

She softly kisses me back, but keeps her lips sealed. I move to concentrate on the corner of her mouth, teasing it gently with my tongue, until she yields and opens to me. I am hanging onto my self-control by a thread, but I know that I have to let her take the lead. I feel a thrill run down my spine when her tongue tentatively meets mine, and we kiss properly for the first time. When her hands come to rest on my hips and then my ass, and she pulls me closer, I nearly lose that self-control. She must be able to feel how aroused I am, but who can blame me? I am nice guy, but I’m only human.

Maura

I knew he was going to kiss me and I want him to. At least now I’d have something to confess to if I still went to confession. I wish I could make it into something for a real confession though, not just kissing and having dirty thoughts like a teenager. I may as well make it a proper kiss, because this is where it’s going to have to end. I slide my hands down his sides and grab his ass, pulling him closer, and thrill to the feel of his hardness behind his jeans. I did that to him. He tightens his grip on me and deepens the kiss, bending me over his arm while his hand tangles in my hair. He moans into my mouth and even though I am as aroused as he is, I pull away. This has to stop now.

‘I think it’s time I went home,’ I tell him, and head to the ladies’ room to straighten up.

He’s waiting for me when I come out.

‘I’ll see you home Maura,’ he says.

‘No, please don’t let me spoil your night,’ I say brightly. ‘I’ll just grab a cab.’

He smiles at me, a little sadly.

‘Is that what you think you’ve done? Spoiled my night?’

Suddenly he closes in on me and backs me up against the wall. I think he’s going to kiss me again, but he puts his lips to my ear and whispers hoarsely,

‘This is the best fucking night I’ve had in long time. I wish I knew you felt the same.’

I still beneath him, still madly attracted to him, but on my guard now. He feels my tension and lets me go, taking a step back.

‘Please let me take you home, Maura. I just want to be sure that you get there safely.’

His tone is even, and he’s back to being the nice guy.