Aspect and Flit were across the street from each other and I usually had an easy decision based on what I had in mind for the night. My plans were shot to hell so now I had to decide, did I go to Flit to dance or did I go to Aspect because it was tradition.
The decision wasn’t really hard as my feet carried me to the front of the line at Aspect. They knew me. Knew it was the Friday before my birthday and the bouncer was a friend – well not a friend, but he I’d let him have a go at me so he had a soft spot when it came to letting me in.
I stopped at the black velvet rope that separated the passing crowd from those in line. The big black man standing at the door pointed to the end of the line but never turned around to see who it was. “End of the line.”
I grinned and leaned over the rope spoke in a hushed whisper just under his ear, the string from my hoodie dangled against his shoulder and I used my core to just barely lean against him but not actually touch him as I spoke, “Aw, come on Mike. It’s my birthday.”
The big black man turned on his heel quickly his face a hair’s breadth from mine. He’s white smile a stark contrast against his heavily dark skin. “If it isn’t the playboy. Max has missed you.”
I grinned. “I’m all growed up.”
“He’s been losing a lot of money since you left.”
“Why’s he still betting I’ll fuck a girl on the dance floor then?” I asked.
Mike laughed. “I don’t know. I guess he thinks once a player – always a player.” He lifted the velvet rope as two people staggered out of the exit to let two more inside. “You know the drill. I can’t let you in. End of the line.”
“I do know the drill so why do you make me play this game – every year?”
He laughed again and put his hand to his ear to listen to his comm unit. “Boss says I can’t let you in without a show.”
“I don’t have any friends to kiss for you.” I grinned at him.
Mike looked around and nodded to the guy in a pair of black pants and a grey ‘Friday, my second favorite F word’ t-shirt. I loved the shirt. He was looking off into the club, I wondered what he was thinking, he didn’t seem to be with anyone else. Mike tapped him on the shoulder, “You want to get in at capacity?”
He turned and those eyes struck me. I bit my bottom lip when he asked, “What do I have to do?” He looked at me then back at Mike.
Mike laughed, “I’ll let ya both in if you let him kiss you.”
His very familiar ice blue eyes looked at me again and I wanted to look away but I couldn’t. Drawn to those eyes. I loved that color, but feared them just as much. Not that I should be afraid of this random guy just because I was seeing him everywhere.
He gave me a slow hot once over then shrugged. “I think I could suffer through that,” he said with a smirk.
It took me a few seconds before I realized exactly what had just happened. And register that he’d said yes. Problem was he didn’t move, he stayed leaning against the wall. I waggled my finger at him in the classic come hither motion. I realized then that I was clamping down rather hard on my bottom lip. Fuck! I let it go when he was close enough to reach and to grabbed a fist full of his sarcastic t-shirt and pulled him closer. “You move too slow.” I said then pressed my lips to his.
I jumped a little as our lips touched and a charge of static ignited between us zapping both of us but his lips were soft and he tasted like strawberries. I could smell Bonnie’s perfume on him, he’d been there just before coming here. Strawberry milkshake, that’s what he tasted like. I licked at his lips but he jerked back, that smirk back on his face as he said, “Uh uh. Just a kiss pretty boy.”
Holy fuck! I let go of his t-shirt and took a step back involuntarily. I stood and stared at him while he smirked at me, then turned to Mike with the same smirk, “That good enough?” I wasn’t sure he’d said what I thought he did. I pushed it from my head. I didn’t need to relive those memories not tonight of all nights.
Mike laughed, “More than good enough. Come on in, Nox Make sure you buy this guy a beer.”
I nodded, “I will, Mike. Thanks.” I handed Mike a $50 as I passed by. It wasn’t a bribe, it was a thank you. I didn’t bribe my way in. Not once. The bar man would get a $50 as well when I left. Even if the service was shitty. It was my birthday and I spent the money on those who made my day better.
The guy in the in the F word t-shirt walked ahead of me and I caught up with him. “Let me buy you a drink to thank you.”
- Comfortably Numb (5/12/2018)
- A Day In the Life… (5/14/2018)
- Meeting Up with Friends (5/15/2018)
- Decision: Flit or Aspect? (5/16/2018)
- What’s Your Name? (5/17/2018)
- The Card (5/18/2018)
- The Ritual (5/19/2018)
- Vampires, Werewolves and Venatori, oh my! (5/20/2018)
- My Brother (5/21/2018)
- New Job (5/22/2018)
- Grocery Shopping (5/24/2018)
- Panic Attack (5/25/2018)
- Atlas (5/26/2018)
- Elevator (5/27/2018)
- Linner? Lupper? Hell Food (5/28/2018)
- Small Talk (5/29/2018)
- The Setting Sun (5/30/2018)
- Me v Anxiety (5/31/2018)
- A Puppet (6/1/2018)
- The Tattoo (6/2/2018)
- Dr. Silverman (6/3/2018)
- Hangouts (6/4/2018)
- Childhood Bully (6/5/2018)
- Getting Ready (6/6/2018)
- You’re Late (6/7/2018)
- Train Ride (6/8/2018)
- Friendly Game (6/9/2018)
- Grocery Shopping Round 2 (6/10/2018)
- Falling Apart (6/11/2018)
- Breakfast for Dinner (6/12/2018)
- Heavy Burdens (6/13/2018)
- Time For Work (6/14/2018)
- Ugly Dog Saloon (6/15/2018)
- Run Away Dragon (6/16/2018)
- City Tracking (6/17/2018)
- No Hope (6/19/2018)
- Lost Phones (6/20/2018)
- Over Coffee (6/21/2018)
- Chocolate Cake (6/22/2018)
- A Walk in the Park (6/23/2018)
- Young Novices (6/24/2018)
- The Dragon Boy (6/25/2018)
- Negotiations (6/26/2018)
- Nothing But the Truth (6/27/2018)
- Groceries Round Three (6/28/2018)
- Alex’s Place (6/29/2018)
- A Tour (6/29/2018)
- It’s Early (6/30/2018)
- The Next Morning (7/1/2018)
- What About Me? (7/2/2018)
- Breakfast at Bonnie’s (7/3/2018)
- Emergency Session (7/4/2018)
- Lead Number One (7/5/2018)
- Lead Number Two (7/6/2018)
- More Than I Was Looking For (7/7/2018)
- Manhattan Wolfpack (7/8/2018)
- Happy Reunion (7/9/2018)
- My Nephew, The Intern (7/10/2018)
- My Big Bad Bosses (7/11/2018)
- Testing My Dragon (7/12/2018)
- Downright Weird (7/13/2018)
- The Rune on My Door (7/14/2018)
- Packing My Things (7/15/2018)
- Dusk Arrived (7/16/2018)
- A Pep Talk (7/17/2018)
- The Favor (7/18/2018)
- Friendly Dinner (7/19/2018)
- Clearing My Head (7/20/2018)
- My New Place (7/21/2018)
- Relaxation (7/22/2018)
- All Growed Up (7/23/2018)
- Before the Party (7/24/2018)
- It’s My Party (7/25/2018)
- Family and Friends (7/26/2018)
- Joe, The Doorman (7/27/2018)
- Nightmares and Comfort Foods (7/28/2018)
- Breakfast with Family (7/29/2018)
- Well Done IT (7/30/2018)
- Safe Harbor (7/31/2018)
- Unlawful Entry (8/1/2018)
- Things that Go Boom! (8/2/2018)
- Cleaning Up Your Mess (8/3/2018)
- Hacking the System (8/4/2018)
- It’s Underground (8/5/2018)
- Vampire Negotiations (8/6/2018)
- Finding a Dragon (8/7/2018)
- I’ll Never Tell (8/8/2018)
- The Grand Plan (8/9/2018)
- Many Firsts (8/10/2018)
- Where Are You? (8/11/2018)
- Returning the Favor (8/12/2018)
- Desparate (8/13/2018)
- Ant’s Favor Returned (8/14/2018)
- Head Honcho Sucks (8/15/2018)
- Hacker v Hacker (8/16/2018)
- Finding a Hacker (8/17/2018)
- Negotiating with Lives (8/18/2018)
- New Old Players (8/19/2018)
- Hacking the Fishbowl (8/20/2018)
- Walker’s Prognosis (8/21/2018)
The Mind of Nox 