I keep it as simple as I can. Whiskey, food, and women. That’s all you really need in the life. It used to be, I went out searching for the magic. Anything to get me going, really. Anything that made me feel like I was more alive than I actually was. Now, I keep it simple. A nice movie. Dinner. My mouth between her smooth legs. That’s all I really want.

But I’m sure as hell not wearing any kind of suit. That’s out of the question. No, I keep it simple as pie. I put on an old pair of jeans, an undershirt, and a nice pair of boots. I’m a fuckin’ SEAL. She should know by now that she’s not going on a date with a billionaire or anything of the sort.

Still, as confident as I act, I’m still debating the whole thing. The way she left that one night was so out of the blue. I’ve got so many questions. Is she going to run off again? Is she just playing hard to get? I hate it when people play games. That’s my number one pet peeve. I like it straight up and raw.

I head out, combing my hair, while acknowledging the nice breeze outside. I get in my old BMW, the one I’ve had for at least ten years, and start the engine. Only problem is that it doesn’t start. It clicks over. “Shit!” I hit the steering wheel. “Come on, don’t do this to me now, babe.”

I turn the keys again and to my surprise, it starts. “Hallelujah!” I laugh to myself. I head over to the address she texted me a little bit ago and I have to raise a brow when I see just how nice the neighborhood she chose is. For a teacher, it’s a damn good area.

She’s outside, underneath the American flag that’s on hanging on her house. “Hey, Miss America,” I wink, window rolled down.

“Hey there.” She smiles, looking cute as hell. She’s wearing a white skirt and white crop top, and she’s showing enough skin to make my cock twitch against the zipper. She takes a deep breath before getting into my old car.

When she’s inside, I get a better look at her. Her skin is so fucking smooth. It makes me go crazy. She’s wonderful. I don’t use that word too often. It sounds a little hyperbolic to use often, but she’s the epitome of that word right now.

“You look gorgeous,” I hug her. She kisses my cheek out of custom I guess, or maybe not, and smiles.

“Thanks,” she says. “You look good as always. Want to get a little tipsy before this movie?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I smile, knowing full well she hates being called that.

She frowns jokingly and we head to the local dive bar, The Office, which is not too far from the theater we’re going to.

The drive is quiet, so I turn on some music to lighten the mood. On the radio is some R&B, and I dance to it, while driving.

“You listen to R&B?” she asks me.

“What? You don’t?” I stop at a red light and turn to her and start dancing, grinding my hip against the steering wheel, while smiling.

“I do, actually,” she laughs.

“Well, come on! Dance with me then,” I say. It’s a good icebreaker because dates are always awful in the beginning. There’s never anything to say and both people usually just want to go home and fuck, anyways. But you have to dress it up a little, so I do.

She starts to dance with me, until the light turns green, and then I floor it to the bar. “What’s so funny?” I ask her.

“I just didn’t think a guy like you listened to music like this, is all.” She smiles.

“What, you thought I listened to AC/DC all of the time?” I ask her. “Because I went off to war, or something?”

“Well… yeah, actually,” she laughs. “I’m sure you think I’m some nerdy teacher, right?”

“No, actually,” I say. “Teachers are always insane.”

“We are?” she asks me.

I nod confidently. “You grabbed my hand and forced it on yourself, right? That was you, right?” I glance down at her skirt and then back up to those beautiful shifting eyes.

Her throat gets tight for a second, before she takes a deep breath and relaxes, remembering who she’s dealing with. “Was that me?” She laughs. “I forgot.”

I give out a deep laugh as we pull into the parking lot. I jump out of my seat and grab her door, holding it open for her. “Such a gentleman,” she says, stepping out of the car. I glance down at her legs for the millionth time and I notice her black heels.

And then something different happens. At first, I think I’m just dreaming it, but it quickly becomes apparent that it’s reality. She grabs my cock and lightly feels my shaft. I’m hard within seconds. “Let’s get that drink,” she winks.

I groan and have to adjust myself, while she walks into the bar. I hurry to catch up with her, but I’m still fucking hard. She sits down on a bar stool and her ass comes crashing down against the leather right in front of my eyes. My heart races and my emotions go off the wall. What’s a guy to do when a woman is this good at playing games? Okay, pet peeve number one… I think I like it when women play games.

“Jesus Christ, woman,” I smile and sit down. “You serious right now?”

“What?” She plays innocent. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” I admit. “I just—”

“I’m making up for the other night,” she says. “Bartender, we’ll take two whiskey cokes, please.”

“How’d you know that’s what I was going to order?” I ask her.

“Just intuition, I guess,” she replies.

I put my hand against her thigh and push my stool close to hers. She smells like evergreen and nightshade, a deadly combo, but I’m already hooked to the core. She’s a smart woman. She knows that she’s got me locked in her crosshairs. When she doesn’t push my hand away, I know that I’m totally fucked.

“So, is this movie we’re seeing any good?” I ask her, trying my best not to bend her over this bar and force everyone to leave with my lewd actions.

“That romcom?” she asks. I nod and she just shrugs. “Probably not,” she laughs.

“What’s your angle?” I ask her. She goes from hot to cold, to hot, and cold again so fast I can’t keep up with her. But she doesn’t have to say anything for me to know what her angle is. She guides me with her eyes, looking down at my crotch, and I know she doesn’t just want me to pay for drinks. No, tonight, she wants something much bigger.

“No angle.” She smiles. “Tonight is all about having fun.”

But within a few minutes, Halloway walks in, stumbling drunk. When he’s five feet into the bar, I can already smell the alcohol coming from his breath. “Shit,” I mutter, trying my best not to make eye contact with the guy.

“That’s your friend, right?”

“Yes,” I mutter. “I can’t believe he’s here. Well, I can, because he’s a drunk, but the timing is too spot on.”

“Addison?!” he screams near the jukebox. Everyone turns to look at him. When they see that he’s staring at me, they all look at me.

Even the bartender is worried. He leans over the bar and shakes his head. “If your friend doesn’t leave, I’m going to have to kick all of you out,” he says, wiping his hands on a towel.

“He’s not with us,” I mutter, feeling like I need to sock the guy across the face.

“Addison, don’t bullshit me,” he says. “Come on. Get your friend out of here.”

Somehow, Helena thinks the whole situation is hilarious. She laughs and watches as I struggle deal with Halloway.

“Addison!” he screams again. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you, motherfucker.”

“Come on, man,” I sigh, jumping off my stool. I throw my arm around his shoulder and say, “What are you talking about? Bone to pick? We’re brothers.”

“Always?!” he screams. The whole thing is embarrassing.

“Always, man.” I sigh. Fuck, I’m ready to never talk to this guy again. I don’t care what we went through overseas. This is so much worse.

“Why haven’t you called me?” he slurs his words. “It’s ‘cause of that girl. We never go drinkin’ anymore,” he says. I have to drag him outside and set him down on a bench. I even call a cab to pick him up. The whole thing is a fucking disaster.

“You good?” I ask him, as he gets into the car. Inside, I can see Helena sipping the last of her drink. That’s when I know the date is ruined. Again. Great.

“I’m fantastic,” he smiles as the cab drives away. “Hooyah,” he says, saluting. It’s fucking embarrassing.

I walk back in, ready to say goodbye to Helena and destroy some sad sack who talks to me the wrong way.

To my surprise, she’s already grabbed her purse and headed my way. The date is ruined.

She walks right by me.