Consumed (3 page)

On each side of the dance floor sits a bar manned by half a dozen employees each. Each one running around like crazy trying to keep up with the demanding customers.

“Isn't this place amazing!” Kristina yells over the music nodding her head in approval.

“Yeah, amazing.” I say at normal volume knowing full well she can't hear me or pick up on my sarcasm.

“Come on ladies, this kitten needs a shot.” Dana shouts leading us to the bar to our right. Dana shoves her way through a sea of people and returns just seconds later with three shots in hand. I start to protest but give up almost immediately as a shot is shoved into my hand.

“What is this?” I yell over the roaring noise of the music.

“Patron.... Tequila.” She elaborates, realizing quickly that I have no idea what Patron is. I examine the clear liquid for a total of five seconds before throwing all caution to the wind and pouring the liquid down my throat. It's not as bad as I expected and only leaves me with a minor burn after effect.

Before I have time to react Kristina hands me a pink drink in a martini glass. “Cheers.” She says clinking her matching drink with mine. I sip it tentatively and then take a huge gulp once the sweet candy taste hits my tongue.

“Wow this is good, what is it?” I ask

“Cotton Candy Martini.” She replies with a wink. I take another long gulp emptying the contents of the glass. I turn to sit the empty glass on the bar and turn back to the girls.

“Let's dance!” I shout, feeling a little more adventurous and knowing full well it has everything to do with the fact that I had a shot and a drink in the matter of two minutes and for someone that doesn't drink much, that's a lot.

I get a scream from Dana and a whoop from Kristina as all three of us make our way to the crowded dance floor. With my two best friends by my side I feel myself starting to relax and my body falls in rhythm with the music. It's a catchy tune, something pop genre that I don't recall hearing before.

Before I know it I am presented with another shot of Patron. I hadn't even noticed Dana leaving to get more drinks. We all clink our shot glasses together and empty the contents. Dana disappears to drop the empty glasses at the bar and returns just as the next song starts to blare out of the speakers. This one is a song that I know and I instinctively start singing at the top of my lungs. Both girls join in and soon we have attracted quite a crowd with our singing and dancing around like fools.

We carry on like this for what seems like forever. My legs have begun to ache and I feel like a sweaty mess. I look up at Kristina just in time to catch her wide eyed and then I feel arms slip around my waist and pull me in. I catch scent of an overwhelming cologne and spin around to see who is touching me.

A tall business type man with dark slicked back hair and wire rim glasses stands facing me, his hands resting lazily on my hips. “Let me buy you a drink.” He almost growls in my ear causing every hair on my body to stand up.

“Thanks but no thanks.” I say back, leaning in close enough so that he can hear me without me having to yell. I remove his hands from my waist and turn back to Kristina, giving her a 'what the fuck' kind of look. She bursts out in laughter and I instantly follow realizing this is the first time I have ever been hit on by a sleazy guy at a club. This is fun, I mean really fun. I turn back around to see the man already preying on his next victim not ten feet from me. This makes me laugh even harder until I find myself doubled over having trouble catching my breath and feeling like I am going to pee myself.

“Ladies.” I mouth to Dana. She nods and points to the right of the stage. I excuse myself through the hundreds of dancing people and finally enter the bathroom. The noise instantly dies out as soon as the door closes and I am thankful for the quiet for a moment. The bathroom is deserted with the exception of a skinny blonde touching up her lipstick on the far side of the room. She doesn’t acknowledge me and I quickly slip into a stall and take care of business.

After washing my hands I exit the ladies room and decide that it's my turn to buy the drinks. I weave in and out of the crowd until I finally reach the edge of the bar. A petite woman with red hair is standing behind the bar mixing some drinks but doesn't look my way. I turn back to watch all the people on the dance floor. “Can I get you something?” I hear a man's voice ask.

I turn to find myself facing a man that literally takes my breath away. For a minute I lose my ability to speak. He is gorgeous. Not just gorgeous, god like. He's tall, lean, with broad shoulders, and short dark brown hair that is lightly messed. He has a light line of sweat across his forehead and he looks slightly amused. Instantly my brain starts working again and I realize that I am gawking at him like a school girl.

“I... I... I'm sorry. Can I have three shots of Patron, two cotton candy martinis, and a glass of Andre Spumanti?” I manage to get out but only just barely.

“Coming right up.” He smiles and I go weak in the knees. He turns and starts busying himself with my order as I stand rooted to the spot unable to rip my eyes away from him. When he picks up the drink mixer and gives it a shake I literally feel my insides seize up at the sight of his muscles flexing and then relaxing with each shake. His black fitted v-neck shirt clings to his abdomen just right and his worn jeans fit him in a way that causes me to stare knowing that at any moment he could turn around and catch me drinking him in.

He is unlike any man I have ever seen. The absolute definition of perfection. He seems casual enough but something about him doesn't fit the bill of your typical bartender. There's something different about him, something I can't quite put my finger on.

He returns with my drinks and sits them on the bar in front of me. “Will that be all?” He asks not losing his grin. I must seem like a blubbering idiot to him right now. I look up to meet his eyes and I melt. They are the brightest hazel. The kind of eyes a girl could get lost in. I shake my head trying to regain some sense of sanity.

“Yes, how much do I owe you?” I ask, managing to sound a little more confident.

“It's on the house.” He says and with that he quickly walks away without glancing back. I stand there utterly confused and not sure if I can actually leave since I haven’t paid for the drinks. After what seems like an eternity my numb state begins to some what wear off and I pick up the drinks and head back to the girls. I find both of them in the middle of the dance floor, each one entangled with a strange man and doing dance moves that should be outlawed.

I manage to get Kristina’s attention and she abandons her partner mid grind to relieve me of some of the glasses, clearly seeing that I was struggling to carry all of them without spilling them all over myself or the floor. She smacks Dana's shoulder to get her attention. She smiles brightly when she sees the drinks in my hand and takes a couple steps forward to retrieve hers.

“You okay? You look kinda flushed.” She says before pouring her shot into her mouth.

“Just warm in here.” I lie, knowing full well that I am flushed due to the amazingly sexy man that just threw me for a loop by his very presence. She nods not questioning my excuse and takes a long gulp of her champagne.

“Let's take a break.” She yells and turns on her heel, walking quickly off the dance floor and snagging an empty bar table in the carpeted area.

“Seriously Addie, you look funny. What's up?” She asks just as the music turns from loud and pulsating to slow and seductive.

“I just met the hottest guy I think I have ever seen in my life!” I blurt not really giving myself time to think it through.

“Shut up! Where?” Kristina asks, immediately standing from her stool and surveying the area.

“He's one of the bartenders. He was over there just a few minutes ago. Gave me our drinks for free. Said it was on the house.” I say, blushing when Dana gives me the 'You go girl' nod.

“Which one?” Kristina asks climbing up on her stool to get a better look. I look up and down the length of the bar but don't see any sign of him.

“Not sure where he went.” I shrug trying to ignore the disappointment in the pit of my stomach.

“Probably on break.” She says before climbing down and downing the rest of her drink. “Alright ladies enough lolly gagging, let's dance!”

“Go on without me, I want to finish my drink first.” I lie. Truth is I just need a minute away from the crazy and I am perfectly content to sit here on my stool for a while.

Dana gives me an 'are you sure' look and I nod my head and gesture for them to go. “Don't be long!” She calls as they both make their way back to the dance floor.

Just as I am settling into people watching mode and starting to come down from my interaction with a god, a man approaches my table and sits down. He eyes me up and down and gives me a piercing smile. A smile I am sure he reserves for his prize of the night.

I smile politely and turn to face the other direction hoping he's just taking a break and not planning on joining me. “You come here often?” I hear him ask. I turn back to face him finding the smile has not faded.

“First time actually.” I reply politely. He's a good looking guy. Tall and thin with messy dark blonde hair and eyes so blue they stand out in the darkened room. He's dressed in what is sure to be a very expensive tailor made suit. Something tells me this man has money and a lot of it.

“You want to dance?” He asks sitting his beer bottle on the table and reaching his hand out gesturing for me to take it.

“No thanks, taking a break.” I say drinking the remainder of my martini in one long gulp.

“Oh come on. It will be fun.” He presses. My head is spinning a little, telling me that I have had too much to drink and even if I wanted to join this man, which I don't, I doubt I could manage to actually dance at this point.

“No I'm good here.” I say again hoping he will walk away and leave me alone before I throw up the contents of my stomach all over his expensive black leather shoes.

“Don't be a prude. I just want to dance.” He says this time losing the grin. I catch sight of a large frown line across his forehead and it gives me the feeling that being told no doesn’t happen to him often.

“She said no.” I hear a voice say from behind me.

I swivel around only to find the god of a bartender glaring over top my head. I turn back around just in time to see the man throw a vicious glare at the bartender and stomp off.

“Sorry about that. He can be a bit relentless when it comes to beautiful women.” He says walking around the table and taking the stool next to me. “He's a regular.” He says in way of explanation, clearly catching my confusion.

Hearing him group me and beautiful together is enough to send my already drunken brain into an absolute frenzy. My heart is hammering in my chest and I feel like I might hit the floor at any moment. I try to give myself a mental pep talk. I know better than to get caught up in the player game and something tells me he's very good at it.

“Not your type?” He asks, eying me curiously.

“No I'm not into the rich, think they own this town kind of people. Not my style. People with that much money have trouble written all over them.” I manage to say without stumbling over my words or sounding like a complete idiot. I can not let him know how affected I am by him.

“Is that so?” He says grinning widely at me. His smile alone causes an ache in my lower belly so fierce I feel like I might buckle under the need at any moment. I have to get away from this man.

“I'm sorry, I'm not feeling that well. I think I need to go find my friends.” I say standing, only to stumble over my own two feet before even completing one full step forward. Instantly his hand reaches out and grabs my shoulder to steady me. The contact sending a bolt all the way to my toes.

“Easy there, you okay?” He asks. “Here let me help you find them.”

“No really, I got it. Thanks.” I say, taking a step forward trying to make sure I am steady enough so I don't trip again. When I feel confident that I have my balance I give the bartender a quick nod in thanks and make my way back into the crowd.

Within seconds I locate Dana and Kristina, both still dancing wildly around the dance floor. Dana spots me and picks up that something is off almost immediately. “You okay girl?” She shouts over the music as soon as I reach them.

“I'm good just a bit tired. Can we go?” I ask.

She nods, reaching out to take my hand and pulling me off the dance floor, Kristina following behind us. As we pass the carpeted area I glance over and catch sight of the bartender leaning against the side of the bar watching the three of us. Our eyes lock and instantly the heat returns full force.

I immediately break eye contact knowing that if I don't get out of here soon I am going to end up throwing myself at this man that I know nothing about. Not to mention he's a bartender and a damn sexy one at that. I can only imagine how many women he takes home with him after a long night at the bar.

As if that thought alone restores some of my sense, I quicken my strides leaving Kristina and Dana scrambling to catch up.

––––––––

I
feel the warmth on my face and pry my eyes open to find the sun shining brightly into my small bedroom. As my mind begins to reprocess the events that took place the night before, everything hits me at once. The pounding in my head, the twist in my stomach. I groan and roll to my side quickly realizing I am still in the little black dress that Dana loaned me.

I hoist myself out of bed instantly feeling off balance and woozy. I grab the foot board of the bed to steady myself before setting off in the direction of the bathroom. The apartment is quiet, the girls must still be sleeping.

After a much needed bathroom visit, I return to my room with a glass of water and two ibuprofen. I close my door quietly behind me, pop the medication in my mouth and wash it down, sitting the glass on my nightstand before curling back into bed.

I snuggle under the covers and close my eyes, determined to get a little more sleep. But just like that, a certain sexy bartender flashes through my mind and I am wide awake. I roll to my back and stare up at the ceiling. There was something about him. Something beyond his obvious gorgeous appearance. A pull so strong I could feel it coursing through my body. A chemistry I have never experienced with another person before.