It had been a week since my birthday and I was still floating on a natural high. I felt that, for the first time in my life, I was actually living. I started to realize that I had been surviving life in a safety net and it was time to cut away some more of the ropes.
I wanted to be bold and daring, something that I had been afraid of in the past.
“Caroline? Where are you?” I shouted through my open door into the apartment.
I heard the balcony door close and I knew she had been sun bathing again.
I met her in the kitchen with my phone, poised to show her my idea. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t going to want a part of this, but I’m going to offer anyway.
“What were you yelling about?” her eyes showing she had dozed off sunbathing again. I’m sure our the single guys living next door weren’t too upset at it, judging by the small amount of material her suit was made of.
“I was wondering what your plans were for tonight? It’s my last weekend off this month and I really want to go dancing at that new club in Little Five Points. They put you in a cage over the dance floor for an hour and you get to dance for the crowd. You get tips from the crowd if they like your style and you are featured on the big screens behind the DJ. How about it? You feel like shaking things up tonight?” My eyes going up and down, trying to get her excited.
“That sounds like fun but I can’t tonight. I’m supposed to be meeting that guy I’ve been chatting with online for drinks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me it had moved to the drinks stage? While I’m sure it’s safe to meet this guy at a public bar, I can go with you, just in case.” I practically begged her knowing she won’t want a chaperone on her drink date.
“You don’t have to do that Maddie. I have been talking to him for the last few weeks and you have been in the room when we chatted to start with. You know he is harmless. Besides, it’s just drinks at the bar around the corner.” She shrugged her shoulders like meeting a stranger, alone, isn’t a bad idea.
“How about this? I’ll get a table at the back of the bar, you enjoy your drink date with Mr. Harmless and I promise he won’t even know I’m there. Please, Caroline! I just want to know you are safe.”
Her shoulders moved up and down without her saying a word and a small smile broke out. “Thank you, Maddie. I would feel better if you were there, as long as he isn’t aware that you are.”
“What are sisters for? Come on! We have to find the perfect outfit for your date with, what is his name again?” I mocked her lovingly.
We arrived at the little bar a few blocks from our apartment and I made my way to the back of the room, trying to look like I’m meeting someone who is already there. I don’t want to upset Caroline, but I need to make sure she is okay.
I ordered a glass of house Pinot Noir from the bartender and find a stool at the end of the bar, facing the door. I slowly sip my wine, savoring the fruit flavors as they burst on my tongue, giving me a hint of the oak barrel it was aged in.
I was looking down at my phone when I felt someone sit in the spot directly next to me. Ugh! Really! You can’t sit in one of the other 20 empty spots at the bar?
I discreetly moved away from the man whose cologne is definitely all male. Woodsy, with a hint of sex, is all my wine-fueled brain can sense. I haven’t been with a man in more than six months and just having one sit so close and smelling so good was making me think naughty things.
I giggled to myself at the deliciously naughty thoughts running through my head. People think that only men fantasize about sex, but in reality, women do it too. They think about that sexy man on the motorcycle riding up and ravaging her or the alpha male throwing her down and dominating her.
We all think about sex, but sometimes I’d allow my brain to run wild as I zone out in my filthy mind. I’m not talking whips and chains or anything crazy like that; I just loved when a man takes charge and I give myself over to the pleasure he gives me.
Setting my glass down, I realized I drank the whole thing. I guess I needed that drink more than I thought. I nodded my head toward the bartender for another when the man to my right, turned his head toward me.
The size of this man and his is scent were enough for me to look at him and I was not prepared for the handsome man in front of me. He had dark brown hair that was long enough to run your fingers through and a beard that made me think dirty thoughts.
His tight jeans, white Henley t-shirt and leather jacket he just removed showed off his hard body. Dirty thoughts swirl in my head. I tried to be discreet in my observation of his beautiful body but when I turned his way, all I could do was gawk at him.
Real cool, Maddie.
“Can I buy you another?” the deepest voice I had ever heard, pouring over me like warm molasses.
“No thank you. I can buy my own drinks. I appreciate the offer though.” I declared, without relaying my nervousness. Just looking at this man had my walls crumbling and my insides vibrating.
“It would be my pleasure, Miss…”
“Maddie Johnson, no Miss, just Maddie. And you are?”
“Lucas Walters” he rumbled, gently grasping my hand and slowly kissing the back.
My panties just spontaneously combusted. Lightening ran through my body. I pulled my hand away, cradling it in my lap. One touch from this man had my body lighting up but I needed to get control of myself.
Get it together Maddie. This guy is looking for a good time, just like the rest. No way do those tingles mean anything more than you need to get laid. Even though I am pretty sure that Mr. Lucas Walters know his way around a bedroom, I’m here for Caroline.
“I…thank you, Lucas. I would love another glass of wine”
Damn my southern upbringing. Please. Thank you, Ma’am and Sir. Always show respect and never be rude. Those were my mothers’ rules and I lived by them.
“What brings such a beautiful lady out alone on a Friday night?” he inquired without it sounding bad. Most guys made it sound like there is something wrong if you were alone on the weekends. Like being alone must mean you are hiding a sixth toe or a third nipple.
“I’m here with a friend. She had a drink date with a new guy so I’m sitting here to make sure she is okay. When she lets me know all is good, I am headed home to curl up in bed with a good book”
The groan he released is almost inaudible, but I felt the vibrations deep in my chest. What I wouldn’t give to curl up with him tonight.
“Giving up your Friday night with your…” His eyes flicked toward my ring finger for the barest second, “…boyfriend, to make sure your friend is safe is a really generous thing to do.”
“No boyfriend.” I answered, wondering why I felt the need to add that. I could have let him assume there was someone waiting for me and he would leave me alone to find someone else to flirt with.
The thought of him touching someone else made me momentarily see red. What the hell was that? I never got territorial about a guy, definitely not someone that I just me.
“Good!” is voice cracked and he cleared his throat and repeated in his deep, molasses voice. “Good.”
I smiled up at him, knowing that if nothing else, I could get laid tonight. He could scratch that itch and I’d be on my way.
“So, what brings you to this little corner of Atlanta?” trying to keep the conversation neutral.
“I had a meeting few blocks from here and I needed a drink after the week I had. I’ve heard good things about his place and decided to stop in. I’m really glad that I did.” He smiled a huge smile down at me.
I took a good look at him as I sipped my wine. He was truly the most attractive man I have ever seen: dark brown hair cut short on the sides and long enough on the top to run my hands through, green eyes the color of jade, a well-kept beard, strong, sharp features and a perfect smile.
“Your girlfriend doesn’t mind you having a drink before you come home? I’m sure she misses you,” slyly hinting about his current relationship status.
A sexy smirk is what I saw when I meet his eyes, trying to gauge his interest in me. He knows the exact reason for my question.
“No wife and no girlfriend.” He reveals, eyes twinkling at me, somehow knowing their effect on me.
I felt my phone vibrate in my lap and I glanced down to see a text from Caroline.
Meet me in the bathroom. ;)
“Excuse me. I’ll be right back.” I slid off my barstool and headed toward the back hallway.
I gripped the sink and looked at myself deeply in the mirror, giving myself a pep talk.
“You can do this. Yes, he looks like a GQ cover model, but you aren’t looking for anything more than tonight. Get it together.” I say to the image in the mirror, not realizing that Caroline had entered the room.
“One night, huh? That would be a first.” She leaned against the door with a knowing smile on her face.
“How’s the date going” I asked her, trying to deflect back to her and off the ridiculously sexy man waiting for me at the bar.
“Oh no! Don’t you dare ask me about my date when I saw the hunk of man-meat you were visiting with at the bar. And stop with this ‘no relationship’ crap, Maddie. You deserve so much love and affection and all you do is keep guys at arms’ length. You date but won’t allow yourself to really be open and vulnerable”
“Like I am going to find my forever love at a bar. Get real, Caroline. He and I just met and, while there are sparks, I’ll never allow it to get to a flame. Someone like him is only looking for one night and I won’t let feelings get in the way of good sex”
“There is more to life than good sex. You have never slept with a man you weren’t in some kind of relationship with. Even if it was friends with benefits. What you are missing is love, commitment, marriage, babies. You know, life! You need to get past the crap you have rattling around your head and open yourself up to love, or just the possibility of love. I mean, look at Josh…”
I held my hand up to stop her before she says any more, “I will not lose Josh as a friend just to see if the chemistry we have in the sheets correlates to the rest of our lives. He means too much as a friend for to me to take that chance. Besides, he knows how much I care for him and hopefully, one day, he will find his one. It is just not me. It was never me”
“Time for a subject change. Now how is your date going? Is Mr. Harmless being a gentleman?” I giggle to her, knowing his name is Spencer and he is a really nice guy.
“He is so nice and we have decided to grab dinner. That’s what I was going to tell you when I saw you with Mr. Hottie.” Sticking her tongue out at me like when we were ten.
“I’m so glad the date is going well. Have fun at dinner. I’ll just head back to the apartment and start that new book I just downloaded.
“What about your night with Mr. Hottie? You know I’ll be out for a few hours and I don’t plan to invite Spencer back tonight.” She looked at me with sad eyes now.
I knew she was feeling bad about ditching me, but I wanted her to have fun on her date.
“Me being here was about you being safe, not about me meeting someone. Besides, Mr. Hottie has probably moved on to another girl at the bar while we’ve been in here. Don’t worry about me. I’ve got a bottle of wine, my Kindle is charged, and I going to reread Falling Down by Anne Mercier. I’ll have my night in bed with Jesse Kingston and I’ll be waiting up to hear all the juicy details of your night when you get home. Now, go! Have fun!” I hugged her as I was opening the door to ger her moving.
When I got back to the bar to grab my coat, I saw that Lucas was still waiting for me and looked almost relieved when I rejoined him.
“I took the liberty of having the bartender move your wine behind the counter when you got up so that it was safe to drink when you got back,” motioning to the bartender.
“I saw you leave and your drink has not been touched at all.” The bartender explained as he sat my drink back down.
Nice service and safe too. I will definitely be back for a drink.
“Thanks, but I’m going to head home now. I would like to settle my tab, please” I replied as I set my credit card down. I needed to leave before Lucas gave my raging libido any more reason to stay.
“You can’t stay for a little while? I saw that your friend and her date just left and I was hoping you would have time for another drink or maybe dinner,” he asked me casually as I signed the receipt and put on my coat to begin the lonely walk back home.
“Not tonight, but I really appreciate the offer. Maybe I’ll see you around. Atlanta can’t be that big of a city, right?” I tried to use my most seductive voice but I’m afraid he heard the nervousness in my words.
I wished I could extend my new care-free feelings to my sex life. It’s not often that a man like this walk into your life and a night with him would definitely be memorable. I’m just not capable of having sex with a stranger. No matter how dirty my thoughts are, the person in them is always someone I know. Someone safe.
Maybe Caroline’s right. These short intense relationships and friends with benefits situations I had going aren’t getting me anywhere.
Is it possible I’m ready to give love a chance?
“Do you believe in fate, Maddie?” Lucas asked when I was starting to walk away.
“No, Lucas, I don’t believe in fate,” I smiled at him, winking. “I believe that chance favors the prepared mind”
I looked back one time when I was exiting the bar and he was standing tall, his hands tucked into his pocket, staring at me with a heat in his eyes unlike anything I have ever seen. It was almost like he wanted to eat me alive.
“I’ll remember that for our next meeting, Sweet Maddie,” he growled, loud enough that a few heads in the bar turned toward him. Somehow, I knew he meant it.
I hoped I’d be ready if I ever ran into Lucas Walters again. Not likely though, this is a town of six million people.