The River at Night

i met him by the river at night, where the water whispered secrets to the shore. his name was noah, and his eyes held the moon in them, bright and full. he moved like a shadow, all muscle and grace, his beard rough against my cheek when he leaned in close.

we didn't speak, not at first. our bodies did the talking for us, hands roaming over skin, mapping out the contours of desire. i traced the line of his jaw with my thumb, felt the pulse beating in his throat. he slid his fingers up my spine, leaving trails of fire in their wake.

our lips met, soft and searching, then harder, hungrier. i tasted the night on his tongue, dark and sweet. his hands were everywhere, tugging at my clothes, pulling me closer. i wrapped my arms around him, pressed my body to his, felt the heat of him burning through me.

we sank to the ground, the grass cool beneath us. i ran my hands over his chest, his stomach, his thighs, learning the landscape of him by touch. he gasped when i took him in my hand, hard and hot and heavy. i stroked him slow and steady, watching his face in the moonlight, the way his eyes went wide and his mouth fell open.

he returned the favor, his fingers sure and strong. i arched into his touch, letting the pleasure wash over me like the river washing over the rocks. we moved together, a tangle of limbs and sighs, until we both came undone, shuddering and breathless in each other's arms.

afterward, we lay there for a while, just holding each other. the night was still and quiet, the only sound the murmur of the water and the beat of our hearts. i looked at him, this stranger who had become something more, and i knew i would never forget him.

as the sky began to lighten, we stirred, stretching and yawning. we helped each other dress, our fingers lingering on skin. he kissed me one last time, deep and slow, then turned and walked away, disappearing into the dawn.

i stayed there for a while longer, watching the sun come up over the river. i could still smell him on me, still feel the ghost of his touch. i knew i would carry the memory of him with me, like a smooth stone in my pocket, worn and warm and precious.

i met him by the river at night, and he changed me, somehow. made me see the world a little differently. made me see myself a little differently. i was glad for it, glad for him. glad for the night, and the river, and the way they brought us together, if only for a little while.