Read Online A Kiss and a Cuddle by Sophie Sloane - Free Book Online Page B

the
negative voices in my head tried to convince me otherwise, I really didn’t want
Rex to think of me as just a tour guide.  It was time to unleash my womanly
wiles.
    After
choosing my outfit, I quickly grabbed my brown leather jacket, headed out the
door, and pushed the elevator button.  Rex said he would be waiting out front
in a cab.  The bell dinged and the elevator doors opened up to reveal another
young woman.  She was all dressed up, presumably to go on a date too. 
    “Wow,
you smell great,” she said.  “Like vanilla and Christmas.”
    “Thank
you,” I gushed.  “You look gorgeous.  Whoever you are meeting tonight is one
lucky guy.”
    She
laughed, and we both watched the floor numbers on the screen count down.  I
felt the butterflies stirring in my stomach as the elevator descended.  When
the elevator doors opened, we exchanged goodbyes.  I could see the yellow cab
through the glass doors.  As I walked out of the doors toward the cab, I could
see Rex squished between his two bodyguards in the backseat.  Oh, right.  I had
forgotten about the babysitters.   I opened the front passenger door and
sat next to the driver.
    “Hello,
Rose!” all three of the men chimed in unison.
    “Hi,
guys,” I replied.  “Thanks for picking me up.”  I hoped it would be a quick cab
ride.
    “Our
pleasure. Take us to the Three Kings Tavern, please,” Rex declared to the
driver.
    “It
is on South Broadway,” I added.  The driver nodded and pulled out on to Larimer
Street.  There was a net of white Christmas lights that enveloped the street
like a tunnel of light.  The streets and the sidewalks were crowded.  It was a
typical Friday night downtown with horse-drawn carriages and couples walking
hand-in-hand.
    After
a few minutes of brain-numbing silence, Rex asked, “So, tell me again, Rose. 
How do you know this bloke?”
    “Derek
is a really good friend of mine.  We met a few years ago while playing open mic
nights at a bar downtown, and we just clicked.  He is an aspiring rock singer,”
I explained.  “He is really talented.  You will love him.”
    “Oooh,
you speak very highly of him.  Do you fancy him or something?” he grinned.
    “Me? 
Fancy Derek?”  I laughed out loud.  “Never in a million years.  We are such
good friends.  Absolutely not.”
    “Me
thinks the lady doth protest too much,” he said in a Shakespearean voice, and Johnny
and Clive chuckled.
    “You’ll
see.  Men and women can just be friends, you know.”
    “I
sure hope not,” he quipped in a low voice.
    The
cab couldn’t get to the tavern soon enough.  I always felt slightly awkward
when his bodyguards were involved in our conversations.  The driver turned the
radio on a bit louder as we continued our journey.  It wasn’t long before I
announced that I could see the tavern coming up on the right hand side of the
street.
    “Alas!”
Rex said.  “You boys seem to have indulged in a bit too much American food.  It’s
like you have supersized yourselves.  It is a tad squishy back here.”
    “We
just wanted to get a proper cuddle with you, mate,” Johnny replied, while
leaning in closer to rub his arm.
    The
driver pulled over to the side of the road outside of the tavern, and Rex paid
the driver.  I opened my door and stepped out on to the sidewalk.  It was a
crisp October evening, and I felt a chill in my lacy dress.  Soon enough, Rex
squeezed his way out of the cab and walked towards me.
    “Oh,
my little marshmallow… wow!” he said, eyeing me up and down. “I couldn’t see
how cute you looked in the cab.  You look absolutely delicious.”
    “Thank
you.  It’s nothing fancy, just an old dress.”  I replied.  Or it was quite
possibly the cutest outfit in my entire closet.  “Shall we go in?”
    “Lead
on, Macduff,” he said, extending his arm with a rolling gesture towards the
entrance.
    I
led the way into the bar.  It was dimly lit, and there was music blaring from
the speakers.