SHOOT: A Novel (17 page)

I was going to
make the most of our night out.

“Boy, you really
know how to pick’em.” I said as I looked around the small dusty dive bar before
my eyes finally settled on a tall, muscular, man playing pool in the corner.

“What’s the
matter? Not fancy enough for you.” Vivian teased as she took a drink of her
beer.

The man glanced up
from the table and locked eyes with me. My heart lurched a little the moment
his gaze caught sight of me. He had a thick head of black hair, a little more
than a 5 o’clock shadow that speckled across a sharp jaw line, dark eyebrows
and bright green eyes that pierced through the dusty, dimly lit bar.

“Not fancy enough?
Now don’t make me sound like some prissy little girl that doesn’t like to get
dirty.” I shot back with a smile before finishing off my drink. I had already
had a few Long Island’s and was starting to feel the buzz coursing through my
body.

“Well I wouldn’t
exactly call you prissy, but I’m not sold on the idea that you like to get
dirty.” Vivian said as she gave me a playful nudge of the elbow.

I glanced back at
the man playing pool as he rounded the table to take aim, his heavy motorcycle
boots thudded on the wooden floor as he walked. He bent over, back facing
towards me.

“Are you checking
out that guy’s butt?” Vivian asked with a shocked look on her face.

I was.

“What? No!” I
laughed with embarrassment.

“Liar. Your face
always turns red when you’re embarrassed. Look at you Ms. Kayla Rhoads. Slummin’
tonight.” Vivian burst out in sharp laughter as she waved to the bartender to
get more drinks for each of us.

“Oh hush, I can’t
help it. All the guys at the office are boring. Samantha set me up with a date
with a guy named Jonathan, but I can’t help but think he’s a stale piece of
toast.”

“Maybe not, give
it a try. At least you’ll get free dinner out of it.” Vivian said with a shrug
of her shoulders.

I wrapped my lips
around my straw and sucked my drink down to the middle of the glass. I was already
starting to feel lightheaded and made a mental note not to have another.

“Free dinner or
not, the man is as boring as a brick wall.” I said with a heavy sigh, dreading
my date with him later on in the week. “I always feel like everyone is forcing
expectations on me. Like I can’t just tell Samantha I don’t want to date
Jonathan or tell my mom maybe I don’t want to focus my life on-” I held up my
hands and made quotation marks with my fingers, “‘being successful’” or making
money.”

“Do you really
have to make money to be successful?” Vivian asked as she leaned in to listen
to me vent.

“Try telling my
mother that.”

“Really though, I
don’t make a whole lot of money but I’m comfortable. I pay the bills, I have
enough left over to have fun, and I don’t work myself like a dog like you do.
Could you not call that successful?”

“I suppose you’re
right.” I said, sucking the rest of my drink dry. The bartender made a motion
to see if I wanted another drink. I quickly waved him away as I tried to shake
off the lightheaded feeling.

“Sometimes I envy
you Vivian.”

“What do you have
envy about me?” She asked with a laugh.

“The fact that you
could go out and have fun. You’re so outgoing and lovable.”

“Oh stop it, your
outgoing and lovable too. At least you can be when you want to be.” Vivian shot
back.

“I guess. What I’m
really trying to say is I envy that no one breaths down your neck. You’re free
to live your life the way you want without feeling so…” I wracked my brain for
the right words, “constrained and constricted. It’s like I’ve come this far and
I’ve done so much work for
someone else
.
It wasn’t for
me.
Sometimes I just
want to do something for me. You have that freedom and I don’t. I envy that.”

Vivian sat in
silence as she listened to me practically pour out my heart in a small dusty
bar. Just then, the man looked up from the pool table to lock eyes with me. My
heart gave a little jump when I realized the whole time I was spewing out my
life’s problems to my best friend, I was staring at the man like a hypnotized
zombie. You know those times when you space out and look off into the distance?
That was me, only the distance was some handsome biker dude with a nice ass.

“I want to have a
one-night stand.” I blurted out before coughing up a burp. Vivian burst out
laughing, nearly attracting the attention of everybody around us.

“What!” I laughed
as I nudged her arm to get her to quiet down. “Seriously though, I want to do
something wild and crazy. Something unprecedented and unequivocal.”

“And a one-night
stand is unprecedented?” Vivian asked as she tried to wrestle control of her
laughter.

I took a moment to
pause and think. “Yeah. You have one night stands right?”

“Hey now, don’t
make me sound worse than I am.” Vivian shot back. She wasn’t offended, she knew
I didn’t mean anything bad by it. “Occasionally I’ll have a little fun.” She
added.

“I look at all the
men in my office and they all look like pansy-paper-pushers. They’re all pale,
clean-shaven, and overly professional. I want a real man to take control of me.
A man with calluses on his fingers.” As I said all this my eyes were glued to
the guy across the bar. Occasionally he would look up to ensure I was still
staring at him.

He probably thought
I was some kind of creep.

Actually, who was
I kidding? He’s a guy, he probably loved a woman staring at him.

Vivian’s eyebrows
scrunched up as she tried to make sense of my ramblings. I wasn’t one to keep
my thoughts and feelings to myself, but I also wasn’t one to open up like this
so blatantly.

“You need to
loosen up a bit and have some fun. Go meet a stranger or something. Why not
that guy playing pool over there that you can’t seem to tear your eyes away
from?” Vivian asked with a chuckle. My eyes lit up in shock.

“I can’t.”

“Kayla… Go.”

“No, no.”

She shot me a
punishing look as if she were daring me to say no again.

“Okay fine, but
I’m going to the bathroom first.” I said with a smile creeping across my face.

“Deal.” Vivian
said as I stood up from my barstool and made my way to the bathroom.

As soon as I got
out of my seat I felt the alcohol hit me. I held onto the bar for a brief
moment as I readied myself for my walk to the bathroom. I wasn’t
that
drunk and I wasn’t one of those
women that got drunk and did things they regretted. And as ridiculous and wild
as the thing I was about to do was, I still don’t regret it to this day.

I had a thousand
feelings swirling inside of me. The drinks, the talk with Vivian, the pressure
I was under at work—it all felt like a weight on my chest that I couldn’t get
rid of. To be honest, I just wanted to drop everything in my life and leave. Go
to the Grand Canyon or the redwood trees in California. I didn’t care, I just
wanted out.

I stared at myself
in the mirror after I used the single toilet bathroom. Call me weird, but I had
a habit of staring at myself in the mirror several times a day. I think it was
one of those things where you can’t believe the life you’re currently living. I
was trapped and I had to figure out something.

“Get it together
Kayla.” I said to myself with a heavy sigh as I dried my hands off on a paper
towel, tossing it to the trash can and missing.

I unlocked the
door and swung it open. As soon as I walked outside my face ran smack into
someone’s chest; a strong, toned, manly chest.

“Whoops, I’m
sorry.” I muttered as I looked up to see who it was. My heart dropped the
moment my eyes landed on his strong jaw line and bright green eyes.

It was the man
across the bar playing pool.

“Ohh, hey there
sexy.” I said without thinking. My eyes lit up in shock and my hand shot to my
mouth as I tried to cover up any more honest words that might escape it. I
couldn’t believe I had just said that.

“Not bad
yourself.” He said with a devilishly smooth smirk.

My breath
fluttered still as I got a waft of his scent. He smelled like a perfect mix of
sandalwood, leather, and whiskey.

“I couldn’t help
but notice you staring at me from across the bar.” He said as I stared at the
floor, trying desperately to avoid eye contact. My face was blazing red with
embarrassment. Alcohol always made the honest Kayla come out. Sometimes it
could be a good thing, and other times it could be terribly embarrassing. Now
was one of those terribly embarrassing moments.

“Do I know you? Or
do you just find me irresistibly attractive?” His smile grew a little bigger as
he tried to hold back laughter. He was playful and his face lit up with perfect
charm, but he was all man. He had on an unzipped worn leather jacket, dark gray
T-shirt underneath that clung to his muscular chest like tissue paper just
waiting to be peeled off. His boots were scuffed with tiny clumps of dirt
clinging to them, and his pants hugged his meaty thighs and butt in the most
tempting way possible.

He was the exact
opposite of a pansy-paper-pusher man that I had grown so accustomed to seeing
around the office. He was a man’s man that looked like he knew how to fix
things, but the only thing that needed fixing at that moment was my racing
heart.

His hand reached
up and he placed the bottom of his index finger underneath my chin to push my
head up and force me to make eye contact with him.

“Well, which is
it?”

“Which is what?” I
couldn’t even remember what he had asked me. He pulled his hand away and rested
it on the door. His skin was rough and even though he was a complete stranger I
wanted him to touch me again. He leaned against the door, blocking my way to
the tiny hallway that led out into the bar.

“Do I know you? Or
do you just find me attractive?” He asked again. He was so direct and pointed
to this question that it threw me off guard.

I swallowed hard
against my dry throat. “I don’t know you. But I couldn’t help but notice your
cute tooshie bending over the pool table every two seconds.” I couldn’t help
but giggle after saying that.

“Tooshie?” His
dark eyebrows shot up as he held back the urge to laugh. “That’s not a
‘Tooshie’, that’s a grade-A high quality man ass right there.” This time we
laughed together.

“You’re damn right.”
I said as I reached around him and grabbed a nice handful of his grade-A high
quality man ass. It was nice and firm underneath my palm.

He practically
jumped out of his skin. “Woah!” He blurted out and after the initial shock he
inched a little closer to me. “You sure are forward aren’t you.” His hand
reached up and lightly brushed a curl of my hair behind my ear. His fingers
sent rough and tiny tingles racing up the back of my neck the moment his
fingertips grazed across my cheek.

“It’s just been a
different kind of day.” I said as my life worries crept into my mind yet again.

“Or maybe you’re
just a different kind of girl.” He said as his playfulness melted away from his
face and his hand slipped around my waist and pulled me closer. I drew a deep
breath in. His unmistakable scent tickled the back of my nose and nearly made
my knees wobble. He didn’t say another word as his hand snaked up my back until
it nestled on the back of my head.

He stooped down a
little and pulled my head closer to him as he planted a firm kiss on my lips. I
just let it happen, because deep down I wanted it to happen. The moment his
lips touched mine my breathing stopped, my heart stopped, my knees trembled and
my hands clutched at his arm. Even over the thick leather jacket I could tell
he was strong and muscular. His breath smelled like whiskey and a hint of mint.
The realization of what was going on started to crush down upon me as soon as
he pulled me closer and his tongue found mine.

I pulled back,
hand smacking against his strong chest as I thought about pushing away and
escaping. His grip on the back of my head loosened slightly as he looked at me
with a giant question mark written across his face. There I was in a dusty dive
bar at the entrance of a single toilet unisex bathroom kissing a complete
stranger that smelt and looked like everything I thought it man should be.

But I didn’t even
know his name.

“I don’t even know
your name.” My thoughts practically blurted out of my mouth.

“Rick.” He said
pointedly, still holding on to the back of my head.

“Kayla.” I said
with a nervous smile.

“Well, now were
not strangers anymore.” He said with his signature smirk, pulling me a little
closer as he dared to kiss me again.

“Nice to meet you
Rick.” My eyes traced across his perfect face and dark features.

“Nice to meet you
too Kayla.” He said as he pulled me in for another kiss. I could already tell
he was the type of man that took what he wanted. And right now he wanted me.

His stubble
brushed against my soft skin as his lips found mine. Slowly, he started walking
me back into the bathroom. The door shut behind us as we stepped in the tiny
room. I trembled the moment I felt his hand slide down the side of my hip and
rest between my legs, right on my pussy. I bent at my knees a little, trying
desperately to apply pressure from his hand on the outside of my pants. I was
already wet.

I let out a tiny,
muffled moan against his mouth as he pushed his hand against me. My hips
pressed up against him. My hand slipped underneath his jacket and fumbled with
the bottom of his shirt as I tried to slip it up underneath. As soon as I heard
him unzip my jeans my heart stopped.

Was I actually
going to do this? Was I actually going to fool around with a stranger in a
bathroom. I mean sure he was dead sexy beyond belief, but was this what I
actually wanted?

He fumbled with
the button of my jeans for a moment before he broke our kiss and looked down.
In an instant he had my pants unbuttoned and unzipped.

I was going do it.
I was going to go through with it because that’s what I wanted. I wanted him. I
wanted spontaneity in my life. I wanted to be wild and different like Vivian. I
didn’t want to know where I’d end up any given night or wake up any given
morning. I needed an escape from the mundane and the pressure.

I wiggled my hips
a little, helping him awkwardly tug my jeans down my thighs. He didn’t even
bother getting them all the way down before his hand pushed between my thighs
and rested on the outside of my panties.

“Oh, fuck…” I whispered
against his mouth as I felt him push my panties aside and trace a fingertip up
my wetness.

“You’re sexy
Kayla.” He said as he eased the tip of his finger inside. I held onto him as my
knees grew weak and I did my best to widen my stance, making it easier for him
to push inside.

My mouth locked
open in a silent scream as soon as I felt the entire length of his finger ease
into me. I rolled my hips against him, trying desperately to get him to go
deeper.

And that’s when
the door swung open.

“Oh shit, we
didn’t lock it?” I said in shock as I tried to awkwardly pull my pants up as
quickly as possible. Rick immediately pulled his hand away and swung around.

A bigger man with
a long beard and a drunken walk stumbled into the bathroom.

“I gotta take a
piss…” He managed to slur out. I was still shimmying my hips as I tried to get
my pants back up.

“Can’t you see
we’re busy here. Fuck off and take a piss outside if you have to go so bad.”
Rick barked as he turned around to face him. I watched as Rick squared up with
the man. His fists clenched at his sides. He was clearly ready for a
confrontation. There was something about watching him be so aggressive towards
another man that made him even more attractive. And I was already as wet as I
could get.

“Sorry man… shit.”
The man said as he stumbled back towards the door.

“Hurry up.” Rick
said, giving him a swift push towards the door to hurry him along. The man
tripped outside the door and I heard him mumbling something as he walked down
the hallway.

Rick continued to
stare at the door until it swung closed. Finally, he turned around with a smile
and nearly on the verge of laughter.

“Sorry about that.
Drunks can be ridiculous.”

“I’m drunk, am I
being ridiculous?” I asked with the teasing smile.

“No. You’re being
sexy.” He said as he walked back toward me and grabbed my hand.

“I got a better
place to go. Follow me.” He said as he started pulling me towards the bathroom
door.

“To your place? I
can’t leave. I have a friend out there.” I said in protest as I quickly tried
button up my jeans as he tugged me out of the bathroom.

“Not my place.” He
said, pulling me out into the tiny hallway. I hadn’t even had a chance to
button up my jeans. I stumbled behind him and awkwardly looked down the hallway
towards the bar. I could see Vivian chatting up the bartender as Rick pulled me
in the opposite direction of the bar towards the end of the hallway.

He opened up a
door and practically slung me inside with a smile. My eyes raced around the
room as I tried to figure out where we were. The door shut behind him and he
turned on the light. We were in a tiny office with a small desk and a few
filing cabinets.

“Who’s office is
this?” I asked as I leaned against the desk and he made his way towards me.
Without saying another word, he grabbed the back of my head and forced another
kiss. I let out a heavy sigh as his tongue found mine and his other arm pulled
me closer.

My heart skipped
the moment I felt his bulge press against my hip. He grabbed the back of my
thighs and hoisted me up on the desk. The wooden leg squeaked against my weight
and for a moment I worried if it would be able to hold me.

I broke my kiss
and pulled back. “We can’t do this here…Who’s office is this?” I said, looking
at him like he was crazy.

“It’s my office.”
He said before stooping back down and pressing his lips against mine.

I pull back again.

“Your office?”

“Yes my office. I
own this place.” His hands snaked up the underside of my shirt, lips forcing
their way against mine yet again.