The Eyes Have It

Chapter Five – The Kiss

The next day John was going out for lunch. He stopped by Shenanigans, a little burger joint, to grab a quick bite to eat. As soon as he walked in the door, he noticed Marlena and Maggie Horton sitting at a table together. Maggie saw him and waved him over. He asked if he could join them for lunch. Maggie was more than happy to accept. She hadn't really gotten a chance to talk much to the town's new resident bachelor and as the head of the volunteers at the hospital, and various social committees; she had made it her duty to know everyone and everything that was going on in Salem. Marlena just nodded her head and smiled. She did not want John joining them for lunch, but there wasn't much she could do.

Maggie kept John busy, asking him question after question and informing him about all the goings-on in Salem. John didn't really mind because it gave him a chance to watch Marlena and he was hoping that she was listening to his answers, since he was sure that she would never ask him these questions. Marlena was still not looking well, she looked flushed and John wondered if she was ill.

When Maggie finally left the table for a moment, John leaned closer to Marlena and asked her if she was feeling all right.

"I'm fine." she replied. "John what are you doing here?" she asked a little brusquely.

"Well, I think I'm having lunch with two beautiful women. Why?"

"This just doesn't seem like the kind of place where you would come for lunch." Marlena stated while playing with her salad.

"Well, if you want to know the truth Marlena," John said while leaning in again, "...I overheard Maggie at the hospital saying that she was meeting you here for lunch and I wanted to see you."

Marlena's fork froze as she realized what he had just said and her heart began to pound a little faster. She was extremely uncomfortable sitting this close to John. She couldn't stop thinking about the dreams she had been having lately. "Calm down, Marlena," she said to herself.

"Why did you want to see me, John? Is there some business that you would like to discuss?" Marlena asked, trying to sound cool and collected.

"No, Marlena. There is no business I would like to discuss. I simply wanted to see you and possibly ask you out for dinner."

A moment of panic raced across Marlena's face. She didn't want to go out with John. She didn't want to be alone with him. She didn't trust herself to be alone with him. The last thing she wanted in her life was to fall for a man like John Black and just be another one of his many conquests. She had to end this conversation right now.

"I'm sorry, John. I'm afraid that I'm busy tonight." She prayed that he would just take no for an answer and drop it.

"It doesn't have to be tonight, Marlena. Any night would be fine with me." John was enjoying watching Marlena squirm. He knew that she felt uncomfortable, but he also knew that he wasn't about to give up.

"John, I appreciate it, but I really don't feel comfortable dating my employer." Marlena said as politely as possible.

"I'm not really your employer, Marlena. You simply write columns for one of my magazines." John stated matter-of-factly with a little grin on his face.

Now Marlena was getting annoyed. "Fine, then I'm simply not comfortable with you, all right? Would you please just go find someone else to pursue?" and with that Marlena got up from the table and headed towards the back door of the restaurant.

John was in quick pursuit. He had had enough. He needed to know why she persisted in disliking him so much. He came up behind her and grabbed her by the arm. "That's it, Marlena. I've had it," he said to her angrily like a father reprimanding a child.

"You get your hands off of me!" she screamed.

John dragged Marlena into a nearby storage room and shut the door, standing in front of it so she couldn't get out.

"How dare you? You open that door right now, John Black," she was furious now.

"Not until you calm down and talk to me, Marlena," he said, calmly yet firmly. "I've tried to be pleasant. I've tried to be polite, but you won't give an inch will you? I really thought that after we got stuck in the elevator we had gotten past this irrational, juvenile behavior, but apparently not."

Marlena glared at him. "You let me out of here right now, or I'll..."

"You'll what Marlena? Slap me?...oh, wait I think you already tried that."

With that, Marlena threw herself towards John, pounding on his chest and trying to push him away from the door. Her arms were flailing...she was frantic to get away from him. John grabbed her arms and held them tightly. "Would you just STOP!" he yelled at her, shaking her slightly. Marlena just glared at him and tried to twist her arms out of his grip. He grabbed her upper arms and pushed her against the wall. They just stared at each other, both of them breathing heavily. John wanted to kiss her so badly right now he couldn't stand it. He started to lean in, thinking that she would push him away or turn her head. But she didn't.

Marlena felt like she was frozen in place. She was caught in his eyes like a deer in the headlights. She felt her face getting hot. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

John was close enough to feel her breath on his face and smell the scent of her hair. He moved towards her until his mouth was just inches away from hers giving her one last chance to turn away. She still didn't move. She was drowning in his eyes and she couldn't look away. He couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed her arms tighter and pulled her to him. He captured her mouth in his and feasted like a starving man. The combination of the taste of her lips and her intoxicating aroma were driving him crazy. He took a chance and urged her mouth open with his tongue. She still didn't pull away. Her mouth fit his perfectly and her tongue began to tentatively dance with his.

Marlena didn't know what was happening. Just a moment ago she was furious at this man and wanted to hurt him, now he was kissing her and she was kissing him back. She had wanted to pull away, she had wanted to slap him, but when he caught her with those deep, penetrating, blue eyes, she couldn't move, she couldn't speak and then when he began to kiss her she felt like she had feet of clay and she was melting into the floor.

At first John's kiss was hard and desperate, but as he realized that she was not going to pull away, his kiss became slower and more passionate… taking his time, enjoying the feel of her lips and her tongue against his. Marlena could feel the heat from John's body traveling through his mouth into her; every vein, every nerve was on fire. She had never been kissed like this before…ever.

When John finally pulled away to catch his breath, he looked into Marlena's face, afraid of what he might see. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily. "Look at me, Marlena," he demanded softly.

She slowly opened her eyes and matched his. They both stared at each other, their breathing in unison. "I'm not going to apologize for that, Marlena," he began, "….because I'm not sorry it happened."

"Neither am I…." she barely whispered.

"Good. Now what time should I pick you up for dinner tonight? Is 7 good for you?"

Marlena just nodded like he was willing her to do it.

"I….I have to go now," she managed to say as she finally broke the spell his eyes had on her. She looked away from him as she stepped back. She straightened her jacket, picked up her purse which had fallen on the floor and walked out the door.

As John watched her go, he raised his hand up and touched his lips, remembering what her mouth felt like on his just a moment ago. No, Marlena wasn't like any other woman he had ever known. There was something overpowering about her, intoxicating, seductive…and John wanted more…much more.