from a smoked up jazz filled bar to the quiet of this seat

We shared cigarettes and drinks,
leaning over each other to be heard
or noticed, taken for more than just a passing glance
and shy hello.

Sitting thigh to thigh,
even though the spaces did not demand
this nearness of breath and skin,
with subtle touches of idle thoughts
and fingers tracing arms, lips brought to ears
over loud music, felt in the depths of chests,
there was more in that moment than
just the bass of drums and the aftertaste of tequila-lemons,
with conversations of learning the curves of your laugh
and eyes held to eyes
and the lifting of lips, heavenwards.

Night quickly ran forward to dawn
for a collision of an embrace
as we sat in a warm car,
playing music that fell on content ears,
and I left something, in me,
back in that car with the street lights
and good music,
and you
holding onto the steering wheel
with your quiet glances.

And it is yours
to keep.