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Julie
I know I’m dreaming. There’s no way that this is my reality. In my dream, Devan walks me to my apartment door. Only this time, when I invite him inside for a drink, he accepts. He follows me through the door and waits for me to set the chain and the deadbolt before reaching for my arms and drawing me against his chest. He grabs my chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilts my head up before bending down and bringing his lips to mine. He walks me backward toward the door then moves his hands to my waist and lifts me off the floor. I wrap my legs around his waist and feel the door pressing against my back. He pins me in place, his body pressed tightly against mine and I can feel the hardness of him pressed against my center.
He breaks the kiss to gaze into my eyes, his brows drawn together, and his pupils dilated, and lust filled. He opens his mouth as if he has something important to say and only makes a buzzing sound. Confused, my brow lifts toward my hairline and my mouth gapes open. He returns my look with a blank expression before opening his mouth as if to repeat whatever he had just said, only to return with another buzzing sound.
My eyes crack open on the second buzz and I realize the sound is coming from somewhere in my bedroom. “Holy shit.” I murmur to myself, rolling toward the edge of the bed and throwing my legs over. I sit up slowly, my feet resting on the plush carpet, and take a few minutes to rub the sleep from my eyes. “What the hell was that?” I think to myself as I feel the wetness in my panties.
Opening my eyes, I look around the room, squinting tightly hoping to make sense of the chaos on my floor. In my haste to get to bed last night, I stripped out of my clothes as I walked through the door and tossed them carelessly throughout. Thankfully, my glasses are nearby. I reach over and grab them off the nightstand and take a minute to focus again on the floor. I spot my purse on the floor just inside the bedroom door and walk over to grab my phone out of it. There are a few missed text messages from Devan and one from Marie.
Devan: I can’t stop thinking about how beautiful you were last night. Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Devan: I can’t wait to see you again.
Marie: Don’t forget about tonight. I still want deets on your date.
The text from Marie confuses me as I try to remember what tonight is. I take a few minutes to run through my morning routine, walking out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. After brushing my teeth and taking a quick shower, I grab my fluffy robe off the hook on the inside of the bathroom door and go into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. While the coffee brews, I return to the bedroom and change into my black yoga pants and a loose purple t-shirt before grabbing my phone.
Sitting at the dining table with a fresh cup of black coffee and my phone, I pull up the calendar app to see what I had scheduled for tonight. Marie and I planned to go to Club Blitz tonight at six. She is working on a story for work and hoping to catch a glimpse of her subject with his mistress and I had agreed to tag along. I respond to her text first.
Me: I’ll meet you there @ 6
Marie: *thumbs-up emoji*
That settled, I decided to go back to the texts that Devan sent. I notice the time stamp on the texts and see that the first one was sent at 7:30 this morning, the second a half hour later. He wakes up early for a Saturday, I wonder what he does on his weekends?
Me: I had a great time too.
I set my phone on the table and decide I need a second cup of coffee. I need all the energy I can get today with what Marie has planned for tonight. I have never cared much for the club scene, so I am not looking forward to it at all. I hear my phone buzz from the table as I am putting the carafe back in the coffee pot.
Devan: *Smile emoji* Big plans today?
Me: Just hanging out with a friend tonight.
Devan: Have fun!
The easy banter between the two of us brings a smile to my face. I love that he’s so easy to talk to. I can see the two of us becoming good friends, maybe more in the future. I have yet to decide honestly since I had no intention of starting to date anyway.
I spend most of my day on my sofa with my laptop searching news articles about the recent burglaries. Knowing I will meet Marie at six, I put my laptop away with enough time to style my hair and get ready before calling an uber to take me to the club. I have every intention on drinking tonight so I have to be responsible enough not to drive myself.
I decide to straighten my hair, sweeping the front back on a side part and pinning it behind my ear on the left with a shiny silver clip. The dress I chose to wear tonight is a strapless lavender mini dress which hugs my curves and gives me the perfect cleavage. I pair the dress with my favorite silver sandals on a four-inch heel and a silver clutch to hold my phone, keys, money, and ID. My Uber arrives at 5:45 to take me to Club Blitz.
Marie chose this time to meet because she knew the crowd would be small and we’d be able to get a good table with the perfect view of the front door. I wave to the bouncer as I enter and immediately find Marie already sitting right where I expected her to be. She gives me a wave as she sees me enter and holds her drink up in salute. While there may not be many people here yet, I know that it will be packed within a few hours.
“You look adorable.” She says in greeting.
I feel myself beginning to blush at her compliment and smile shyly. “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.” Marie is wearing a tight, off the shoulder mini dress in bright yellow. She’s the only person I know who could pull that color dress off with her bright pink hair, which she has pulled up in her typical pigtails. She looks adorable and reminds me of an adult version of Rainbow Bright. “What are you drinking?”
“I started with a Cosmo, and it’s fabulous.” She says, holding her hand in the air to call the waitress to the table. She orders me a Cosmo when the waitress arrives and gets another for herself as well.
“Have you been here long?” I ask as she finishes her drink. I wonder how many drinks she’s already had and start to feel bad for waiting so long to start getting ready.
“No. This was my first drink.” She winks at me. I set my clutch on the table, feeling relieved that she wasn’t waiting by herself for long, and take the seat across from her. We’re here for her story, so she’s the only one that really needs to be facing the door. “So, tell me about your date.” She says, smiling wickedly with one eyebrow raised.
Again, I blush while putting my hands in my lap and lowering my head. “What can I say? It was perfect.” It was more than perfect, but do I want to tell her all the details?
She reaches across the table and nudges my arm. “Come on! You gotta give me more than that. Where did he take you? What did you do? Did you go back to his place? Did he kiss you goodnight?”
“Oh my God, Marie.” I narrow my eyes at her and shake my head. “No, I didn’t go back to his place. It was a first date!” I tell her honestly. “He took me to Spartina for dinner...”
“No way!” She interrupts, her eyebrows almost to her hairline and a huge smile on her face causing her eyes to crinkle around the edges. “I’ve never been there. Is it as fabulous as I hear?”
“It was amazing.” I answer, smiling in response. “We ate dinner on the back patio and shared a dessert. Then we walked around the block and ended up at a rooftop movie. It was really romantic actually. Afterward, he took me home and walked me to my door.” I stopped, not sure if I wanted to give her any more information. I look down at my hands and actually start to blush as I think about the kiss he gave me at my door.
“And? I know he didn’t come in, since you’re such a goody two shoes and all. But did he at least kiss you goodnight?”
“Yeah, he did.” I take a sip of my drink that just arrived at the table. Even my drink glass can’t hide my smile, however. And Marie knows that I’m leaving out the good part.
“You’re killing me girl. Tell me!”
“Marie, it was amazing.” I set my drink on the table and place a hand over my heart. “I’ve honestly never been kissed like that before. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’ve been kissed for sure, but never like this. It was otherworldly.”
“I knew it! So, are you going to see him again?”
I think about her question for a minute before answering. “Yeah. I think I am. I really like him. He was easy to talk to, like I’ve known him my entire life. And when I talked, he gave me his full attention. He treated me like I was the only thing in his entire world worth listening to.”
Marie smiles wide, showing all her perfectly white teeth. “Girl, I’m so happy for you. You deserve it.”
I smile and take another sip of my Cosmo. “This is really good.” I tell her, setting my drink down on the napkin. The cocktail is perfect and bitter-sweet with the tanginess of the cranberry and sweetness of the lime. It is not overpowered with the alcohol burn you would come to expect from vodka. “So, what are we looking for tonight?”
She proceeds to tell me about the story she has been working on. “Do you think he’ll actually come here?” I ask her.
“That’s what I’ve heard. Apparently, this chick he’s with is a lot younger than him and this is ‘the place to be’.” She says, curving her fingers to simulate quotation marks. She giggles as she takes another sip of her drink.
A couple hours and several Cosmos later, we are both feeling the effects of alcohol. Marie gets a serious expression on her face and leans across the table toward me. “So, tell me about this story you’ve been working on.”
I freeze, my drink halfway to my mouth, and gape at her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh please. I can hear you talking on the phone from across the wall. I know it’s not for Travis. So, what is it?” She leans back in her chair crossing her arms over her chest. One eyebrow is raised, and her head is cocked to the side and I giggle at the sight.
“So serious.” I say, setting my drink down and resting my elbows on the table. “Okay. But you can’t say anything.” A small voice in the back of my mind tells me to keep my mouth shut, but I don’t listen. Marie is my friend. Technically, she’s my only friend. I can trust her. “It’s about the robberies that have been taking place around the city. You know, the ones with no evidence?”
“Yeah. I’ve seen them talking about those on the news. But what about ‘em?”
“Don’t you think it’s a little weird that none of them were able to get video after having security systems installed?” I lift my brows and nod my head as if to tell her to think about it.
“So, you think they’re all connected somehow.” It’s not a question. She states it as a fact, like she understands why I want to dig into it more.
“Exactly!” I exclaim, a little louder than I mean to. “I don’t think your guy is coming tonight.” I point out.
“I don’t think so either. And I’m getting tired of sitting here. Let’s dance.” She suggests standing from her chair and grabbing me by the arm.
I giggle wildly, the giddy tipsy feeling of the alcohol evident in my laughter. I grab my clutch from the table and nearly trip over my own feet as I stand under the strength of her pulling on my arm. We move to the dance floor and push our way through tight miniskirts and leather tube tops, finding an open spot toward the center of the floor. We’re practically right underneath a giant disco ball which has caught all the neon lighting in the bar and reflected it in tiny prisms amongst the faces of every dancer.
The music is loud, pulsing through my body like an extra heartbeat, and it’s easy to find the rhythm. I begin swaying back and forth with my arms over my head, wild laughter spilling from my lips as I face Marie. Pretty sure I would never have done this without the assistance of liquid courage, I find myself having a great time and actually being glad that I agreed to come along tonight.
By the third song, my limbs are feeling incredibly loose. Marie has found a partner to dance with and has her arms thrown over his shoulders. He is a good-looking man, about six inches taller than her with wavy black hair that hangs nearly to his shoulders. He is wearing black jeans, a white button-up shirt and light leather jacket. He has his hands wrapped around her hips and resting just above her ass, his head tilted down in her direction like he’s ready to spill all his secrets so only she can hear.
I’m about to call it quits and give my feet a rest when I feel someone come up behind me and place their hands on my hips. I’m pulled back against a tall hard body and begin to sway again to the beat, moving along with whoever it is that has decided to dance with me. I reach my arms up and back to hold onto their shoulders, enjoying the moment. That is until I turn my head to the side and see Edward. I stumble away from him, whirling around quickly to face him and nearly falling in the process. He reaches out and catches me around my waist and saves me from hitting the floor. I place my hands on his chest and push away from him, my brows drawn together. He releases me and steps back, holding his hands in the air, palms facing me in surrender.
“What are you doing here?” I ask loud enough that he can hear me over the music.
“I came in for a few drinks with friends. Imagine my surprise when I looked over here and saw you dancing by yourself.”
I shake my head at him and walk away to find an empty table to sit down, ready to get off my feet. Preferably alone. As my luck would have it, he follows me and sits at the same table. “Are you following me?” I ask.
“No. I promise, it was just a coincidence.”
I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. I don’t know if I’m more upset that he tried to dance with me, or the fact that my buzz has started to wear off. “Then where are your friends?” I ask him, looking around as if I would recognize whoever he’s here with.
“They left already. I was getting ready to leave myself when I saw you on the dance floor. Can I get you a drink?”
“No, I think I’ve had enough already. I should probably just head home.”
“I can give you a ride.”
“I don’t think that would be wise.” Even in my drunken state, I know I do not want Edward taking me home. I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly feeling a little too exposed in front of him.
He cocks his head and chews on his lip when he sees my reaction to him. “Come on, Julie. I just want to make sure you get home okay.”
“I came in an Uber. I’m capable of getting another one to take me home.” I grab my clutch and retrieve my phone, pulling up the Uber app I order a ride. Pushing myself up from the table, I walk back to the dance floor to find Marie and let her know I’ll be leaving. But I can’t find her anywhere after several minutes of pushing through dancers. I send her a quick text instead letting her know that I am going to go home and will call her tomorrow before heading for the door.
I step out on the sidewalk and stop, regretting my decision to wear a sleeveless dress as my arms are suddenly cold. I rub my upper arms as goosebumps break out all over my body and I shiver in the cool night air. Checking my app, I see that the car, a red Prius, will be here in three minutes when I hear footsteps approaching behind me. I turn and see Edward coming out of the bar. “Please don’t, Edward.” I say, holding my hand up with my palm facing him. “I have a car coming, I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. At least let me stand with you while you wait. Make sure you get into the car okay.” He says, taking off his jacket and slinging it over my shoulders. “You look cold.”
“I am a little. I forgot my jacket when I left my apartment earlier.”
He runs his hand through his hair, a faraway look in his eyes, while looking up and down the sidewalk. Neither one of us say anything else as we wait together for my Uber to arrive. When it does, he holds the door open for me as I take his jacket off my shoulders and hold it out to him. He takes it from me, giving me a tightlipped smile. I nod my head and get into the car before he shuts the door. Looking out the window, I see him standing on the sidewalk, his hands in his front pockets, jacket held against his body in the bend of his arm. He stares after me as the car pulls away.
By the time the Uber pulls up to my apartment, my buzz is officially worn off. Looking at my cell phone, I see that it is almost midnight. I walk up the two flights of stairs and enter my apartment quietly so as not to disturb my neighbors. Once the door is deadbolted and the chain is in place, I retreat to my bedroom to change out of my dress into my fluffy pajamas. I walk back into the kitchen and chug down two glasses of water before deciding to go to bed.
After a night of tossing and turning, I decide it would be a good idea to stay in today and work on setting up more interviews for the story I hope to break soon. After changing out of my pajamas, I make a pot of coffee and boot up my laptop while sitting at the dining table. Pulling up the list from my work email, I decide to call five of the store managers and arrange a meeting for this coming Friday.
As I set my phone down after the last meeting is scheduled, it buzzes on the table. I pick it up and see a text from Marie.
Marie: Sorry about last night. I had to bail in a hurry.
Me: Everything ok?
Marie: Yeah. Just got a little too drunk. Bad decisions and all. Needed to sleep.
Me: Did this have anything to do with the hotty you were dancing with?
Marie: Maybe. I’ll see you @ work tomorrow.
It would seem that I was not the only one that felt the need to bail in a hurry last night. Still, I wonder what happened with Marie. These thoughts keep me company as I continue outlining the information I have so far on my story and planning my next plan of attack.