The Holy Grail

"Are you hungry by any chance?" she asked mostly as a joke assuming he was at work.

"I am as a matter of fact. I slept in until the last possible minute before getting up to go to work this morning and skipped breakfast."

"Ah. So your...diversion...kept you up last night," Erin said still being playful.

"No, I um...told her I wasn't interested not long after you and I talked."

"Oh. I see," Erin replied wondering if maybe, just maybe, he might really be interested in her.

"I was serious when I said she's not you," he told her.

There was a brief pause followed by Cole continuing with, "I've noticed you for a long time, Erin. But I don't ask out married women so I settled for making small talk. I have to say though, I always looked forward to seeing you come in."

"I suppose I could admit to enjoying the view, too, whenever I did stop by the pharmacy," she admitted.

"Then maybe we should go out some time, don't you think?"

"You know what? I'm starving right now and I'm pretty close to the drug store. I don't know when you can get away for lunch, but if you're free we could meet somewhere."

"That sounds great," Cole said. "I need about five minutes to finish the two prescriptions in front of me and then I can take off to grab a bite. What's your preference on lunch?"

"Anywhere that serves food," she said knowing she really could eat almost anything right now.

"There's a Burger King right across the street if that's okay with you," he said.

"I know exactly where that is. It'll take me maybe five minutes to get there and park so I can meet you inside."

"Yeah, great! I'd really like that," Cole told her. "I'll um...see there in a few then, okay?"

"You will," she said happily. "Bye, Cole."

As she hung up she felt a wave of happiness and optimism wash over her for the first time in months. And for the first time since she quit smoking she wasn't obsessing about it. She just really wanted to get to know this very good-looking, professional guy who seemed to be equally interested in her.

The parking lot was nearly full but she did manage to find a spot. The line for the drive-thru was already long, and she was grateful not to be in it. Burger King was the kind of place she'd have never even considered going to before, but now just the smell of fat, greasy food made her want to scarf down a double cheeseburger and a large order of curly fries and maybe a chocolate shake.

She smiled as she opened the door just thinking about meeting Cole when he came up behind her and surprised her.

"Hey, there!" he said as he stepped up next to her.

"What? Where did you come from?" she asked, sporting a bright smile.

"I saw you walking in and started running. Well, kind of running. I didn't want to yell and startle you, and yet it seems I managed to do that anyway," he said smiling back. "You look great, by the way."

"Ha! I didn't even put on any makeup this morning. I never dreamed I'd be having lunch with a handsome guy so...."

"Well, you don't need makeup, then," he told her. "You really do look amazing."

"Thank you," Erin said as the happiness quotient continued to rise.

"So what would you like?" he asked. "The filet mignon or the Beef Wellington?"

Erin laughed and said, "Cute with a sense of humor. I'm impressed."

"Good. Then I'm happy," he told her.

"I think I'll get the grilled chicken sandwich and a cup of coffee."

She waited for a second then added, "Although I still struggle every time I have a cup."

"Oh, right. The Smoke Free. How's that working for you?" Cole asked as he ordered the same thing only with fries and a diet Coke.

"It's pretty effective, I guess. I never tried quitting before so I can't compare it to the gum or patches, but yeah, it's made it...tolerable."

Cole grabbed their tray and walked with Erin to the drink area before sitting down.

"Here you go," he said setting hers down in front of her. He unwrapped his then said, "Do you mind if I ask why you quit?"

"Smoking?" she asked very surprised he was still on that topic.

"Yes. I mean, I know most people seem to want to quit, and maybe it's that simple. I was just curious," he said before taking a first bite.

"Honestly? I quit because every guy I met, along with my soon-to-be ex-husband, hated it. It's like having the plague or something, you know? As soon as a guy found out I smoked, that was it."

She took a small bite then said, "One guy even got up and walked out in the middle of a date mumbling something about how disgusting women are who smoke. So...I quit."

"Oh, wow. That's unreal," Cole said after swallowing that first bite. "It kind of sounds like quitting wasn't something you wanted to do but more something you felt you had to do. Is that about right?"

He picked up a french fry and munched on it waiting for Erin to respond.

"Oh, definitely. I still think about smoking a hundred times a day." She paused, smiled, then added, "And that's just before lunch."

Cole laughed and when Erin saw his response, she did, too.

"I have a very different take on that kind of thing," he told her. "I don't believe it's my place to try and change anyone; especially a woman I really care about. What she does is her business, and if I really like her then I accept her as she is."

It was Erin's turn to swallow a bite before speaking.

"Ha! Where where you when I married my husband?" she said jokingly but only half so.

Cole smile then told her, "I'd never have asked you to give up something you enjoy."

"Seriously?" Erin asked not sure she really heard what she thought she'd just heard.

"Really. I would never even think of asking a woman to quit smoking for me or anyone else. Why would I?"

"Wow. You're even more amazing than I thought you were," Erin said not realizing how serious her voice sounded.

"And after just a few minutes of talking with you, I'd say the same thing about you, Erin," Cole told her equally seriously.

Erin set her food down then cocked her head and said, "I noticed the girl you were with last night smoked. I thought that was really unusual then wondered if perhaps you smoke, too. You know...socially or whatever."

She put her hand on his arm then said, "Don't worry. If you do and it's a big deal because of your job or something, your secret will be safe with me."

Cole smiled at her then said, "Thank you, but no, I don't smoke. I never have."

"Wow. And you really don't mind a woman who does smoke?" Erin said, the incredulity in her voice rising.

"I'm not sure this is the appropriate time to get into this but, I find attractive women who smoke very um...well, sexy."

Erin's eyes opened very wide in complete surprise.

"You think smoking is...sexy?" she asked with even more incredulity.

"I do. I always have. At least for as long as I can remember."

"I...I can't believe what I'm hearing," Erin said. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything like that before. Not even close."

Cole smiled rather sheepishly then said, "I have no idea where it comes from or why, but for as long as I can remember, I've had this...huge thing for attractive women who smoke."

He looked right at her then asked, "Is that too weird for you?"

"Um...no. It...isn't weird at all, I guess. I've just never known anyone like that before."

She looked at him as though she was looking into his soul then said, "Like...you."

"Not to get too deep into something like this the first time we talk, but I can't imagine every settling down with a woman who doesn't smoke."

Erin watched him take another bite, and she could tell he wasn't joking. He was being deadly serious and along with the feelings of happiness she'd been enjoying, another feeling washed over her. A feeling of...what was it exactly? Maybe...hope?

"Does that mean you're at a point in your life that you're seriously considering settling down? Erin asked now so overcome with this wave of emotions she couldn't eat.

"I think I am," he told her honestly. "Last night was a kind of...I don't know...maybe it was something, pardon the pun, habitual."

They both smiled at the reference as Cole tried to explain.

"I got so tired of the hooking up and the meaningless...."

"Sex?" Erin said filling in the blank.

She couldn't be jealous. He was single and handsome as hell. Of course a guy like that would be able to hook up as often as he liked. But was he really ready to give that all up?

"Yes. Sex. But sex without love is just...sex. It's pleasant enough but it's not...satisfying. When that realization hit me a few months ago, I swore off hooking up and started looking for someone more...substantial. I even dated one girl for two months."

Cole paused, smiled, then said, "And that's a record for me."

Erin laughed quietly and asked him why it ended.

"Well, things seemed to be going along pretty well, and then one day she announced she'd wanted to quit smoking for quite a while and asked me how I'd feel about it."

"Ohhh," Erin said understanding better now how he thought. "Did she know about your um...preference?"

Cole shook his head. "No. I'd never discussed it with her. At least not directly. She knew I loved watching her smoke and had even asked her to when were um...fooling around...but no, I never actually told her about my...fetish."

"Fetish? So it's more than just a preference, right?" she asked trying to understand.

"Oh, boy. I'm probably going to run you off before we have a real first date, but since you asked...."

Erin put her hand on his arm again and told him sincerely, "You won't scare me off. I promise. I just want to understand this. That's all."

Cole did his best to explain it without sounding like some kind of pervert. He talked about what he enjoyed even though the 'why' part was a lot harder.

"I had no idea," Erin admitted. "So there are websites where the only feature is watching a woman smoke? Is that right?"

When Cole told her there were many of them and admitted to watching them as his only 'adult videos' in which the women were always fully clothed, Erin was stunned.

"How could I not have at least heard about this before?" she asked almost rhetorically. "I know I'm not exactly an 'aficionado' when it comes to that sort of thing, but it seems like someone would have at least mentioned it somewhere along the way, you know?"

"I'm guessing it's not the kind of thing most guys talk about. If a guy has a thing for...I don't know...latex or leather or whatever, I'm sure he doesn't bring that up during a first meeting. You know, like...me."

His boyish smile warmed her heart, and she assured him she wasn't judging him in any way.

"I'm glad," he told her. "Just as you felt it would be easier to find someone if you quit smoking, I'm sure it would be easier for me if I didn't have this...this...fetish. But I do so it means I have a smaller pool of women to choose from, but because it's so important to me, I don't feel like I have any choice but to keep looking until I find that very special girl."

"So...what else is important to you in a relationship, Cole? I mean, assuming you find a women you think is attractive and she also smokes, of course."

Cole took one more bite, chewed quickly, then said, "Unfortunately, I don't get much time for lunch. I have to be back in five minutes, and I still need to brush my teeth. Could we possibly finish this conversation over dinner or drinks maybe?"

"Oh. Sure. Of course. If you need to run by all means," she said sweetly.

"Just know I'm not running...off, okay?" he assured her.

"Me, either," she told him sincerely.

"May I call you again?" he asked before getting up.

"Yes. Please. I'd like that very much, Cole," she told him.

"Then I'll do that when I get off work this evening, if that's okay."

"Sure. Yes, please do."

He stood up, grabbed their tray, and said, "I can't tell you how much I enjoyed talking with you, Erin."

"Same here," she said truthfully. "This was not only very enjoyable but also very enlightening."

"Well, I gotta run, but I will definitely call you," he promised.

Cole took a step then stopped and said, "You're a very beautiful woman, Erin. I...I just wanted to tell you that."

Before she could really thank him, he'd turned and was dropping off their tray. She watched him trot across the street and disappear back into the drug store and Erin was suddenly aware she was very wet in that one special place where that happened whenever she was sexually aroused.

"What just happened here?" she said to herself as she sat there staring into space.

Erin couldn't get their conversation off of her mind the rest of the day. She replayed it over and over again, analyzing every word to try and determine if Cole could really feel that way about women who smoked. And if he did...and if they really hit it off, did that mean...could it possibly mean....

That evening, she was so deep in thought, her phone's ringing startled her. When she saw who was calling, she smiled before answering.

"Hi!" she said sweetly.

"Hey, there," she heard his rich baritone voice reply. "I uh, I've been thinking about you all day."

"Oh, really?" she said feigning surprise. "I suppose it's possible I've thought about you a time to two, as well."

"I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but it seems like we've known each other for a whole lot longer than we have."

Erin smiled then said, "It doesn't sound strange at all. In fact, I...I feel the same way, Cole."

"I'm glad," he told her. "And I have to be honest with you again, Erin. I'd really like to see you as soon as possible. I mean, as soon as it's convenient for you."

"Are you hungry again yet?" she asked, her voice brimming with happiness.

"Very," he told her. "Why? What did you have in mind?"

"I make a pretty decent lasagna," she told him. "I'd be happy to make dinner for you if I'm not pushing things too fast."

"No. Not at all," he assured her. "When would you like me to come over and can I bring a bottle of wine or anything?"

"How about at 8 o'clock? That'll give me time to get everything in the oven, change, and try and look reasonably nice for you."

"You don't have to do anything special to look great," Cole assured her.

"Well, with one exception, right?" she said immediately regretting having said it.

Cole felt himself get hard just thinking about her smoking, but wasn't sure that's what she meant.

"An exception?" he asked giving her an out if he'd been wrong.

"Well, yes. I mean, I did quit smoking and if I understood you, that would put me outside of your prospective...what did you call it? 'Pool of women'?"

"Yeah, that didn't sound so good, did it?" he said reaching down to adjust Mr. Happy who was about to tear a hole in his pants.

Erin laughed quietly then said, "I knew what you meant and took no offense."

She paused then said, "I guess the real question is...how important is it for me to jump back into that pool?"

"All I can tell you is I haven't felt like this about any other woman before, Erin. I...I really do like you and I would very much like to have a relationship with you. You know, something more than just being friends."

"I'd like that, too," Erin told him. "So...I'll leave it up to you, but if you'd like me to re-enter your um...pool...my brand is Virginia Slims Menthol Lites."

"Well, I will be stopping for a bottle of wine so...I guess I could pick up something else for us."

"Us. I like the sound of that," she said sweetly.

"I'll see you around eight then?"

"Yes. Eight o'clock. Bye, Cole."

Erin had never experienced this kind of confluence of emotions before in her life. Her mind, her body, and her imagination were running wild at the thought of all that could possibly happen. At a minimum, she felt like tonight would be the end of the longest dry spell of her adult life. At best, she might actually find herself in a relationship with a man she could fall in love with.

So unless she was completely misreading Cole, or if he was the greatest liar/actor she'd ever met, there was a very good chance she might not only finally make love with an attractive man again, she would be doing so with one who needed her to smoke as badly as she still wanted to.

Sex, cigarettes, and sweet romance. Erin tried not to get her hopes up too high, and yet they were already soaring, and the feelings were intoxicating. What if it was more than even romance? What if this was her future husband and the man of her dreams because she would be the woman of his dreams?

Erin's head was spinning at the thought as she tried to focus on preparing dinner in order to distract herself from the potential pleasures to come. She wanted everything to be perfect. Not just dinner but everything.

Her hair. Her makeup. Her nails. What she wore. The ambiance. The music.

Music!

Erin found her favorite jazz CD and dropped it in her stereo and turned it on letting the sweet sounds fill the room. She was dying for a glass of wine and a cigarette as much as she was to get deliciously fucked by this gorgeous guy who loved attractive women who smoked; a man who had told her he thought she was attractive.

"Two plus two equals me and you," she said trying not to laugh. She wasn't just happy, Erin was positively giddy.

She put the lasagna in the oven then went to get ready for the new man in her life. She spent quite a while debating about just what to wear. No jeans tonight. No tee-shirts. Not even a blouse. No, she wanted to look perfect and knew just what she wanted to wear for Cole.

Erin let herself laugh out loud when she started saying her first name and his last name together.

"Erin Braden. Mrs. Cole Braden. Hi, I'm Cole Braden's wife, Erin."

She had a momentary lapse in confidence when she imagined Cole either not showing up tonight or being the slickest player she'd ever met. If that was true....

She quickly shook it off then undressed and got ready to do her makeup. There was no need to shower again. It had been very cool all day and she was as fresh as she'd been that morning.

She spent some time carefully putting on her makeup. Not too much, but some light mascara wasn't even close to being adequate. Foundation, eyebrow plucking and shading, eyeliner, eye shadow, blusher, and some dark red lipstick that was shiny and shimmery.

Her shiny lips looked amazing and matched the long, slick nails she painted the same color.

She'd set out a very sexy white knit top that was cropped at the waist along with a short, black skirt she hoped would hide the extra weight in her hips. Weight she could quickly lose were she to start smoking again.

Once dressed she slipped on a pair of four-inch, black, open-toed heels and added a simple silver chain to complete her look. Feeling very satisfied with the way it all came together, she headed back toward the kitchen just as her doorbell rang.

Erin's heart began pounding in her chest as she changed directions and got ready to let him in.

"Cole. Hi! Please come in!" she said still excited in the extreme.

"Hi, Erin, and wow do you look great!" he told her.

"Oh, thank you! I'm so glad you're here!"

There was an awkward pause before they sort of hugged and Erin invited him in.

"Oh, before I forget," he said handing her a bottle of red wine.

"Thank you, Cole. This is expensive," she said as she looked at the label. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," he said. "And did I tell you you look amazing?"

"Maybe once," she said with a smile. "Would you like a glass?"

"Yes, please," he told her.

She poured a glass for both of them then handed one to him.

"Oh, thank you," he told her.

"I have to admit I've hardly even been able to think all day," she said before asking him to sit down.

"I'm not that great when it comes to being someone's company," he told her.