Monday, late morning. Train from Lausanne pulls into Bern station. Pulse quickens already. I rush to trams. Famous hotel looms. Seminar calls. Five days sealed in. Strangers from everywhere. Tongues swirl. Work talks. Thrilling. Terrifying. Wild blood in me. I dodge crowds. Men most. When they near. Yet hunger stirs.
Check-in fast. Bags dropped. Top-floor lobby. Glass walls frame old town. Alps bite the sky. Buffet hums. I hover. Fear ridicule. Empty words. Near car-chatting men. Tap on shoulder. I jolt. Breath stolen. Your mischievous eyes. Ruinous smile. Scan plates. Cheese. Meats. Bread. Salty crackers. No greens. Fruits ignored. Laughter erupts. Swiss-German health freaks us Latins. Me French-speaker. You Italian. Phone buzzes. ‘Yes, later.’
The Fever
Day drags. Glances lock. Nods. Smiles pierce conference room. Evening with cousins. Late return. You at bar. Beauty clings. Malaise twists gut. Surprise.
Tuesday lunch. You near. ‘Sit?’ ‘Yes.’ French flows easy from you. Talk. Listen deep. Walk back together. Offer seat. ‘Join?’ ‘Yes.’ Seminar grips. Focus flees. Groups split. Watch you vanish. Crave reunion. Eyes hunt always.
Wednesday night. Vault folk show. Heat chokes. Cross street. Mini-square cool. You emerge. Jacket draped arm. ‘Shoulders? Chilled night.’ ‘Yes.’ Silence binds. Street pulses. Kid grins wide. Your smile aches sad. Hand on arm. Eyes urge: speak. Child. Wife. Life dull. Flat. Sigh heavy. Hand slides knee. Smile mine invites. Yours covers. Rise. ‘Hotel?’ ‘Yes.’ Quiet thick. Trust hums. Complicity burns low. Elevator hums. Your floor. Turn. ‘Good night. Well?’ ‘Yes!’
Room mine. Replay floods. Smile haunts. Hand ghost-caress. Jacket perfume clings. Heat pools core. Want rips. Fingers dive. Skin slick. Pulse hammers. Thighs quake. ‘Yes!’ Cry rips. Hair wild. Breath gasps. Body floods. Sated. Sleep claims.
The Blaze
Thursday dawn. You wait breakfast door. Seduce relaxed. Tension shed. Day glued. Gala closes. Bar last drink. Orchestra sways. 90s slow hits. Ski camp laughs. Clumsy dances. Eyes weld. I see you. Want primal. Animal pull. Hand seized. Frenzy dash. Lobby blur. Elevator surges. My floor. Corridor flies. Door slams.
Grip hand fierce. Lose you? No. Eyes devour. Hearts thunder chests. Breaths chop air. Yours scream ‘Yes.’ Free hand climbs arm. Fingers ghost sleeve. Fireball erupts belly low. Eyes hood. World spins. Mouth parts. Hot breath necks. Bodies arch taut. Hand cups face. Thumb traces lip. Melted. Moan slips. Yours echoes. Eyes fuck slow. Bodies throb echo.
Tug hand. Bed nods. Sit? You tower. Eyes plunge deep. Light dims. Tears brim yours. Mine well too. Souls merge. Inner war yours screams. Hand rises cheeks wet. Caught. Pressed heart yours. Beat wild under palm. ‘No.’
Pain shared. ‘No. Of course.’ Blind to your flight. Deaf steps. Collapse bed. Black sleep.
Friday morn. Tease light. Session ends. Hotel exit. Card slips pocket. Train or home finds: ‘You’ll miss. Long heal. Your ‘No’ birthed love. For all it meant. ‘Yes’ to her. Happy, love.’ Skin still simmers. Heart echoes yours. Ashes glow unique. Burned forever.