He always comes in twice a month. He never buys much, just the items needed to restock his pantry. A bag of flour one time, a can of baking soda another. He always checks out at register five. And I always bag his goods.

He never looks at me just states a firm "paper" as he pulls his cash from his wallet and makes his payment. I ask him if he needs help with his baggage and every time he never falters in saying "no".

I watch him as he leaves. I have memorized his walk, it is strong and purposeful and a lesser man would look a fool in his wardrobe. He was always impeccably dressed. The colors change from brown to gray to black, but the clothing is always the same. Expensive pressed slacks with a crisp white shirt tucked inside of them secured with a brown leather belt. I imagine that he leaves his jacket in the car. His brown dress shoes click smartly on the linoleum and I wonder why he would shop at this dingy grocery store. I mean, Super Wal-Mart is just up the street.

Marigold catches me staring, she always does. She gives me a rueful smile. We have been friends ever since the day I politely refused her advances. She was stunned, but then again so was everyone else. She is beautiful, with bright hazel eyes and glossy dark brown ringlets that swept across the top of her full seductive backside. Hell, I probably made a mistake, but I was already four months deep into my ritual with that man and his dusty blond hair and chocolate eyes far outweighed any woman’s healthy hips and pouty lips. Every one thought she would flip out, yell and wave her finger in my face, however, she didn’t play into that ghetto latina stereotype. Instead she opted to make friends with me, I think it was to prove to the others she was a mature woman more than that she really liked me. None the less we responded to one another and she was the second person I looked forward to seeing at work, save blondie.

" Damn Dee, when are you gonna give it up already?" Marigold was eating a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie while I sat across from her with a can of Pepsi.

I shrugged, " It’s just a slight infatuation. It will pass."

Marigold chuckled, " You said that, like, two months ago," I hated when she talked with food in her mouth, her words were already hindered by her thick Spanish accent so the cream around her teeth wasn’t helping much.

" Whatever," I take a long sip, because I knew she was right. This had passed beyond the point of infatuation long ago. I’m not obsessive, but I do feel I need him. Like if he stopped shopping here I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I wouldn’t go hunt him down or anything, but I would feel a lost. It’s all so high school.

" He’s damn cute though," Marigold was sipping her box of Hi-C.

" Yes," I nodded with a smirk, " That he is."

***

It was the week of Thanksgiving. Needless to say it was an extremely busy week. So busy in fact that all us baggers decided it was pointless to take our seats by the exit. So we all stood next to the cashiers. I, of course, was at register five. And, of course, some little old lady with a cart full of crap had to pull up two places in front my sexy blonde. I smiled as I bagged her groceries and nodded as she told me about her family coming up from Tampa. I got the feeling they didn’t come see her often and that would explain the over zealous amount of food and snacks she had bought. I knew she would need help loading her bags into her car so I didn’t bother asking. The woman’s car was small and she didn’t offer any assistance as I pushed and stacked her groceries. She could have grabbed her dog, the little mutt kept nipping at my knuckles. Never the less I finally, after what felt like hours, had loaded all of her bags. I knew Tetris was good for something. The elderly woman gave me a substantial tip and with a smile and a wave she was settled in her station wagon. I made my way back to the store slowly, I knew that the blonde was long gone by now.

To my pleasant surprise he was just stepping up to take his turn in line. In fact, if the woman I helped to the car hadn’t needed it, I would be taking the family’s groceries that was in front of him to the car and I surely would have missed him. God I was pathetic and I didn’t care, I was happy to be his bagger. As I was stepping up to the side of register five my name was called. It was Becky of register six.

" Dee I need you! Jennifer is in the restroom!"

I closed my eyes taking in a deep breath. I didn’t like Becky. Why was she yelling? I know we are busy, but this ain’t Wall Street. I listened to the steady beeps of register five calculating the prices of the bar codes that swiped across it’s glossy black pad. I opened my eyes and asked, " Paper or plastic?"

My beautiful blonde frowned a bit, but never took his eyes off the screen that tallied his purchases.

" Dee!" Becky was screeching now.

" Paper or plastic?" I was smiling.

His features relaxed and his lips quirked up into a smirk, " Paper."

The moment I began to pack his items I could hear Becky’s cry of frustration. Damn she was dramatic. I ignored her, I was too busy wallowing in my own bliss. I packed his goods slowly listening to Shawna recite his total. I glanced up to see his hands pull out his cash and hand over the bills. My eyes scanned his fingers, such long and delicate things they were, then up to his palm, wide and undeniably warm I’m sure. Then his cotton clad arm, his shoulder, looking strong and masculine beneath the white dress shirt. Higher to his neck and finally when I reached his eyes my breath was caught. He was staring at me.

I let out a controlled breath as he began to smile. It was a gentle smile, smooth and not showing off his teeth. He was even more handsome with his lips pulled up and his eyes twinkling. My heart quickened as I realized this was the first time the man has ever looked at me and this revelation sent the blood straight to my groin.

As per our ritual I asked, " Do you need help carrying these out?"

The man pursed his lips then he tilted his head back looking down at me through long dark lashes. I almost choked when he answered, " Yes, thank you."

***

Five items was all he bought. Butter, Jell-O cups, black trash bags, Windex, and gum. I looked odd walking along side a clearly athletic and healthy man carrying a bag that he could obviously hold himself. We ignored the strange looks from passer-byes and the only look I acknowledged was Marigold’s who gave me a wink.

We walked up to his black SUV and he opened the driver’s side door and smiling took the bag from my hand. Our fingers touched slightly as he did so and I sucked in a breath at the feeling.

" Thank you," he bent making a show of reading my name tag, "...Dee."

The sound of my name coming from his lips made the temperature in my pants increase. I was so preoccupied with trying to shift myself to a more comfortable stance that I almost forgot to answer back.

When I did speak I was careful to keep my voice controlled, " No problem..." I let the end of my sentence open hoping he would give me his name in return. He smiled again as if he knew what I was waiting for and god if I wasn’t losing my mind. I was utterly seduced by this man and I knew at this moment that there was no turning back now.

" Ryo," He slipped into the driver’s seat and pushed the key in the ignition.

" Ryo," I repeated and it must have came out sounding flushed and lustful because his head snapped around and his doe brown eyes were wide. I quickly tried to cover, " Drive safely," I turned before he could speak and I practically ran back to the store. I took deep breaths as I walked trying to calm down my hormones and praying that my raging trouser snake would die down before I had to greet customers again.

***

He, Ryo, came back the next month, but this time to my amazement he had used a cart and had effectively filled it up. I was in the process of bagging them when I heard Shawna ask him a question.

" What a feast you got here! You didn’t buy this much for Thanksgiving."

I watched him as he smiled sheepishly, " Well, I didn’t have anyone to cook for then," even though his volume was soft and friendly it was still clear he wanted the conversation to end there.

Shawna nodded and I continued bagging. In fact, Ryo had bought so much that after he had paid Shawna helped me with the remaining groceries. I didn’t have to ask if he needed help because the moment the last bag was back in his cart he started walking toward the exit, knowing I would follow. Two times in a row I would help him to his SUV.

Once to his car he opened the back hatch and I began loading the bags and unlike the old woman I helped around Thanksgiving Ryo assisted in getting the goods into his car. We both seemed to be leaning in at the same time, we were so close that I could smell his cologne and feel his heat, I sighed softly because this closeness without touch was maddening.

" You tired?" his chocolate brown eyes scanned to the right to look at me.

" Yes," tired of this stupid infatuation. Tired of this need to be around him. Tired of emotions period.

He stopped loading and turned his body fully to look at me. So I did the same. We were still leaning into the back of his dark SUV, my hand on the top of the sack I had just loaded his were splayed across two and we were inches apart.

He whispered, " I am sorry to hear that."

" Nah," I shrugged, " don’t be. Work is work and it tends to wear out a man."

He nodded slowly and I watched as the strands of his dusty blond hair moved gracefully with that action. God he was beautiful, I have never felt a pull this strong for anyone else before, no one could ever capture my attention the way he did. We were still standing, staring at one another and his close proximity was slowing playing into my carnal emotions, I swore I could feel his breath sweeping my cheek as he breathed through slightly parted lips. I could feel my control slip, but if he was content just standing there looking at me then so was I. The wind shifted then and I caught the scent of him again and that was my undoing.

My hands were on either side of his face before I could think about what I was doing and my lips were on top of his before I could cause myself to care. I heard a light gasp, but he didn’t struggle or bite my lips, so that was good. I concentrated on kissing him passionately, I wanted to dispel all of my feelings into this one kiss, because this may be the only one I get.

I ran my tongue along his bottom lip then higher, pressing against his teeth, trying to spread his mouth so I could enter. He finally allowed me entry with a sigh and I was tasting him. His mouth was hotter than I expected and I felt as though it was scorching my tongue as I explored him. He tasted sweet, like he had just sucked on some hard candy. I moaned deeply, the thought of this man sucking on anything sent the blood straight to my center. I felt his hands come up and clutch at the fabric at my shoulders. I thought he was gaining leverage to push me away, so my mind became heady as I felt his tongue touch the tip of mine.

My hands slipped from his face then, one finding the back of his neck the other resting on the small of his back. I pressed him closer and was pleased to feel he was just as turned on as I was, his arousal rubbing gently against my own. I deepened the kiss and he moaned into my mouth and I drank the sound hungrily.

Ryo pulled back, breaking the kiss, but still his lips were touching mine and as he spoke his breath rushed into my mouth, " W-what the hell?"

" I don’t know, I don’t know," my response came out between pants and I took his mouth again before he could think twice about what he-what we were doing in the middle of the parking lot. He allowed me to indulge myself for a moment then he was pushing away and I reluctantly let him go.

Ryo’s face was flushed and tinged pink at his cheeks, he was gasping for air and his eyes were glazed and heavy with desire. I knew I must have looked just as spent.

I felt as though I should say something considering I attacked him first, " I’m, well, damn I’m sorry."

" For what?" his brows furrowed together and he looked even more adorable.

" For.." I waved my hands between us and watched as his eyes grew wide.

" No, no..." Ryo looked at his feet, then suddenly he was staring into my eyes again, " I am cooking for old college friends, but we are all friends. Just friends."

I was taken aback by what seemed like a change in subject then realized he was informing me of his status. He was single and he wanted to make sure I was clear about that.

I smirked, " Well, that’s good to know," he nodded shyly and it occurred to me that he wasn’t normally this forward or reckless and that pleased me even more than I already was, " I hope everything goes well for you guys then."

He looked up, those brilliant browns boring into my soul, " Yes. Thank you."

We continued loading his baggage silently and when we were through I walked with him as he made his way to the driver’s side. He settled in and rolling down the window he smiled slightly and whispered, " Until next month."

I shook my head and leaning in gave him a quick kiss on his lips, " Too long."

He blushed cutely, " I suppose you’re right..." he looked into his lap briefly. Then he looked up and turning the key in the ignition he put the car into reverse. I backed up some and suddenly Ryo’s hand was thrusting out the window and in the fingers he held his business card. The moment I took it he turned his head, looking behind him and pulled out of the parking space.

I studied the paper in my hand and felt a thrill go through me. I proceeded to make my way back toward the store and was faced with all the baggers and some of the cashiers staring at me. Marigold was in front of them all with her arms crossed over her chest and the widest smile I’ve ever seen on her face. I am sure I looked about the same as she.