Dark Escort

Cato

New York City was the greatest damn place on earth.

The food was awesome, the bars were always open, and the chicks were hot. I’d never live anywhere else as long as I lived. And Manhattan was the place to be for my favorite holiday. Technically, it wasn’t really a holiday, but it was a holiday to me.

New Year’s Eve.

The streets were crowded with people. Confetti was flying through the air even though the ball hadn’t dropped, people were bundled up under coats and scarves because it was bone-chilling cold, and most of the people were already drunk.

The best thing about this holiday was the resolutions. Women were always doubting themselves and thinking they were leading their lives in a bad way. Chicks even broke up with their boyfriends because they wanted to start the New Year right. They were adventurous and would do things they’d never done before.

Basically, it was the easiest day of the year to get laid.

Jett, River, and I moved through the crowd so we could find a good spot.

“My dick is so frozen it’s going to fall off,” Jett muttered. He wore gloves on his hands and his breath was escaping in wisps.

“Suck it up,” River said as he punched him in the arm. “I can’t believe Troy and Rhett bailed.”

“Sitting at home and watching the ball drop on TV is pretty pathetic,” I agreed. Union Square was right in their backyard and they didn’t even appreciate it. Why did people have to stop living their lives once they settled down? I would never end up like that.

“So, who are our dates for the evening?” River said as he scoped the crowd.

“Yeah,” Jett said. “Who are we going to sleep with then ditch first thing in the morning?”

I looked around and tried to find a chick that wasn’t completely drowning in a huge jacket and boots. Then I zoned in and found a group of three girls. I wasn’t sure if they were all pretty because only one had my attention.

The brunette was short, just a little over five feet, but she made her presence known with her obvious beauty. She held herself like she respected herself, and her eyes twinkled like icicles hanging from the outside of an igloo.

She was definitely a looker.

A gray beanie sat on her head, and her curled hair trailed on either side of her face. She wore a blood red pea coat, and her cheeks were rosy from the cold. She looked up at the sky, amazed by the sight of falling confetti and twinkling lights hanging from the rooftops.

I stared at her for so long I forgot the noise of the crowd. Even my boys’ voices fell on deaf ears.

“Check out the fresh meat,” River said. “They sure are cute.”

“I got the brunette,” Jett said immediately.

“I got the girl in the red jacket!” I shouted.

“No, I called her,” Jett said.

“Forget it,” I argued. “Take the blonde.”

“I don’t like blondes,” Jett argued.

“Hey,” River wrapped his arms around our shoulders. “When the lights are off and you can’t see a thing, what does it really matter?” A smug grin was on his face and his eyes sparkled in mischief.

Jett and I both looked at each other.

“I still get her,” I argued.

“Don’t be a dick,” Jett snapped.

“I’m going for it.” I headed over there.

“Jackass.” Jett’s voice came from behind me.

“I’ll take any of them,” River said. “They’re all cute.”

I got to Red Jacket first, and I tried to be sly about it. If I ran trying to beat Jett I’m pretty sure it would freak her out. I wore a long sleeve shirt and a jacket but I didn’t wear a beanie or a hat. I wanted my face to be clear and visible.

Red Jacket turned to me once she noticed me. Her lips was turned in a slight smile like she was amused, but her eyes were guarded because I was a random stranger that just walked up to her.

“What’s your New Year’s Resolution?” I asked. “And please don’t tell me it’s to lose weight.”

The hesitation disappeared from her eyes once she recognized my charm. She looked into my blue eyes, clearly liking what she saw, and then a beautiful smile broke out on her lips. “To try every different kind of Oreo.”

I heard a lot of New Year’s resolutions, like taking more pictures, spending more time with friends, learning a new skill, whatever. But I never heard that one before. “You know, that has to be the best one I’ve ever heard.”

“Really?” She seemed a little surprised.

“Definitely.”

“What’s yours?” she asked.

“Uh…I don’t want to say.” I kicked my foot out and looked at the ground like I was embarrassed.

“Why not?” She shifted her weight and relaxed, like she was having a good time with me.

“How am I supposed to follow that?” I asked seriously.

Jett reached the group then gave me a distinct and unmistakable glare.

I smiled in a dramatic way, knowing I cock-blocked him good, and then turned back to Red Jacket. “When you open up with something like that how am I supposed to compete?”

“It’s not a competition.”

“Life is a competition,” I said. “Whether we want to admit it or not.”

Her eyes reflected the lights from above. “Just tell me. I won’t make fun of you.”

I shrugged. “To lose weight.”

She got my joke and laughed loudly.

I smiled while I listened to her. It was such a cute laugh. It was loud but it was also controlled. She even snorted a little.

“Seriously, what is it?”

“To run the Boston Marathon.”

She eyed my body up and down, not being discreet about it. Then she faced me again. “You don’t strike me as a runner…”

“Because…?”

“You’re so…muscular.”

I smiled, showing her my full set of teeth. “Why, thank you. But I enjoy running as well as lifting tree logs and bulldozers.”

She nodded, clearly entertained. “I didn’t realize you were the Hulk.”

“Well, I’m not the original one. But he had to retire sometime.”

She laughed again.

I had some slick moves.

The guys talked to their dates, and the girls seemed to like them. Of course they did. When did girls not like us? We were rich and good-looking. If we combined the number of girls we slept with, we would give prostitutes a run for their money.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

She didn’t answer because she looked at something over my shoulder. “The ball is about to drop.”

I looked at the time. There was a minute left on the clock. Then I turned back to her. “Your lips have a date in the next minute?”

She gave me a playful smile. “I need to check my calendar.”

“Someone’s popular…”

She shrugged in guilt.

“Well, can you cancel your plans? Because my lips are going for it anyway.”

She swayed from side to side while she rested one finger on her chin. “Hmm…”

“Oh, the anticipation.”

She finally decided. “You’re really cute, so okay.”

“You’re cute too.” I came closer to her and got ready for the ball to drop.

The other guys seemed to be kissing their girls at midnight too.

I kissed a different stranger every year on New Year’s. It was an odd tradition I had.

“10…” She watched the big clock.

“9…” I said.

Her shoulder was pressed to mine and she looked at me in excitement, like she couldn’t wait to get her lips on me.

“You ready for this?” I asked playfully.

“The question is, are you ready for me?” Confidence was in her eyes.

“I guess I’ll find out.”

The ball finally dropped, and the new year had arrived. The crowd cheered and threw their hats in the air. Confetti dropped and sprinkled around us. It was freezing but everyone seemed to forget that for a moment.

My hand moved around her waist, and the action made me realize how petite she was. She was at least five inches shorter than me, so I had to lean down and get access to her lips. Her arms immediately wrapped around my neck and she closed the distance between us with enthusiasm.

I went for a closed-mouth kiss first so I wouldn’t be too forward. Her lips were soft like I expected, and even though I was kissing a stranger it didn’t feel foreign. Actually, it felt familiar.

When she didn’t pull away, I kissed her hard, massaging her lips with mine. It turned into a make-out session, but since she was cool with it I kept going. Her lips danced around mine like she was a professional, and her tongue slowly made its way into my mouth.

I pulled her into my chest harder then grabbed the back of her neck, deepening the kiss and falling hard into her embrace. I was a bit old-fashioned when it came to kissing. I really enjoyed it and thought it could be hotter than sex sometimes.

She was definitely a good kisser.

I wanted to keep going but she pulled away. “We’ll be out here all night…” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear but there was a sense of playfulness in her eyes.

I stared at her lips, wanting to kiss her again. “That’d be a shame.” A note of sarcasm was in my voice. I’m sure she picked up on it.

When I looked passed her shoulder, I realized my boys were gone. They obviously hooked up with their ladies. It was okay to ditch a friend if getting laid was involved. “Your girlfriends are gone.”

She turned and looked. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“Well, I don’t have any plans for the rest of the evening.” I gave her my best smoldering look.

“You want to spend it with me?”

“After that kiss, fuck yeah I do.”

Her cheeks flushed with pink. “What did you have in mind?”

I had one thing on my mind. “First, let’s get a drink. Then let’s start that New Year’s resolution. You need to try all the different kinds of Oreos.”

She laughed, and the joy reached her eyes. “Right now?”

“If not now, when?”

***

We went to a convenient store then migrated to the cookie aisle. When we found the Oreos I was surprised there were so many different flavors. “I didn’t know they had different choices. I always get the regular ones.”

She stood by my side and looked at the shelves. “You don’t look like you munch on cookies all day.”

An involuntary smile spread on my lips. “Everything in moderation.”

She grabbed mint, vanilla, and root beer flavors.

“Root beer?” I asked. “I doubt that would even taste good.”

“We’re about to find out.”

After we paid for the Oreos we headed outside and stopped on the sidewalk. She grabbed the box on mint flavor Oreos then took a bite. She chewed slowly with a concentrated look in her eyes. “Hmm…pretty good.”

I grabbed one and shoved it into my mouth. “Not bad. Reminds me of mint chip ice cream.”

She opened the vanilla box then tried one. “It’s okay.”

I did the same. “Not my favorite.”

Then she opened the root beer package. “I’m really hesitant about this one.”

I eyed the box then her. “Dido.”

“You go first.” She handed me the box.

“What if it’s poisoned?”

She shrugged. “I’ll call an ambulance.”

I chuckled. “How sweet of you.” I ripped open the plastic then shoved one into my mouth. Then I made a pleasant face and moaned. “Wow, they’re really good.”

“Really?” Disbelief was in her voice.

“These are my favorite.” I handed the box to her.

She immediately took one out and took a bite. Then her face contorted in disgust and she spit it out.

“Gotcha.”

She wiped her mouth then shook her head when she faced me. “Gross…”

I laughed as she shook head quickly with pursed lips. “You shouldn’t have made me go first.”

She smacked me on the arm playfully. “You’re such a jerk.”

“Hey, you had to try it anyway, right?”

“Even so…” She threw everything in the garbage. “That’s the quickest I’ve completed a New Year’s resolution.”