Happy Snogversary!
Today marks DH and I's 4th first kiss anniversary, four years from the beginning of our relationship. And just like one of my friends who tells her children about their birth on their birthdays, I have to tell you the story of Pete and I, and how it took 6 months for our first kiss.
Pete worked in a BP gas station that was next door (sorta, it was on a corner and we had space and a fence between us) to the house where I lived w/7 housemates in England. I saw him the first day I arrived in England, and all of us thought he was a cutie, but a bit odd w/his long fingernails (later we found out it was for guitar) and he never wore the same nametag twice, so we never knew his name. We called him Pete/Sam b/c those were the two he wore the most. Some days he was Daim-Ali. I always thought he was a cool dude and wanted to invite him over to some of our parties but never got the nerve.
Three months later I got a job there working the 2-10pm shift w/Pete three times a week. We spent most of the 8 hours just talking and after the first shift we were like old buddies. The day I was finally introduced to him, when my new boss asked him to train me, I just knew right then that I wanted to be with someone just like him. He was very non-judgemental, extremely nice, and didn't sound embarrassed when his Mum called.
After work we began getting together either at his house with his mates, or my house w/mine. We'd stay up talking, drinking, and smoking until 4am usually, and he'd stumble off home or walk me home and stumble back. During those walks home I always felt like we were close to something- but neither of us had the courage to make a move.
Fast forward to 6 months later. One of my housemates who just knew Pete and I had a thing for each other invited him to come along to a trip to Amsterdam with us. Pete jumped at the chance. I knew that I had to do something while we were on this trip or I'd lose Pete forever. Two weeks after the trip I was supposed to return to the States to begin my senior year of college.
By the second day Pete and I were beginning to feel a little closer to each other. When my friends were too tired, we ventured out of the campground back into town and stayed out longer than we should've just to get some time together. On the way back to the campground, we caught a tram going the wrong way, and ended up sitting on a bus stop bench for ages waiting for a night bus to swing by. I played the "I'm cold" card as an excuse for him to put his arm around me and I felt that then would be the time. However, neither of us moved, and the night bus came shortly after. I was too chicken to sit next to him on the bus, so I sat across from him.
The next night we all came back from town a bit late and my friends went back to the cabin while Pete and I sat on a bench and had a drink. This time I didn't have to pretend to be cold, he automatically put his arm around me and I snuggled up to him wondering how in the heck to make the move. He started kissing the top of my head, so I looked up and that was it. Our first kiss on a park bench in Amsterdam around 1am while two kids played soccer in front of us.