be—” the waitress began.
“Thirty bucks. Here.” Bronwyn handed her the money, and I stared at her in amazement.
She and the waitress exchanged unfriendly stares before the waitress stalked off to get our drinks.
I stared at Bronwyn. “What was that about?”
“Nothing,” she said.
“Bronwyn—”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not—”
“Yes, I am. Let it go, angel.”
The waitress returned and put the rack on the table. Bronwyn grabbed the first test tube—a shot of Midori—and downed it without a thought.
I watched as she poured another six out of the twelve in the rack down her throat in quick succession.
“Well,” I said, “since nothing’s wrong, why don’t we get out there and dance?”
The alcohol was beginning to have an effect on her, and her eyes spat less fire as she smiled. “Sure.”
I led her to the dance floor, and within seconds found her in my arms, our bodies touching along their entire lengths. I grinned.
She slipped her arms around my neck, and her green eyes flashed as she gazed deep into my eyes. I wrapped my arms around her waist and cupped her behind. She trembled in my arms. She kissed the hollow of my throat.
I glanced at the waitress, whose eyes were now flashing fire.
We moved around the dance floor, and Bronwyn slowly relaxed.
We spent a few hours alternating between the dance floor and our table as the club filled.
Every trip to our table was a duel between our waitress and Bronwyn, each shooting daggers at the other.
I finally got sick of it, and we left the club at around three in the morning. I put my arm around Bronwyn and helped her back to the bike. When we reached it, I found myself in her arms and the recipient of a firm, deep kiss.
I gently extracted myself. “You’re going to have to stop doing that, Bronnie.”
“Why? I love you.”
“No you don’t,” I said as I mounted the bike. “You barely know me and you’re afraid of me.”
“What is there to know?” she asked as she wobbled behind me.
“You’re as hot as they come.”
“So you’re saying you just want to fuck me but you don’t want to know anything about me.”
“No, I’m saying you won’t tell me anything about yourself.”
I smiled as we headed out of the city. “If you want to talk, this isn’t the time to do it.”
I pulled the throttle back, and she held onto me for dear life. We arrived home about half an hour later, and by that time Bronwyn was unconscious.
I gently nudged her as I hit the kill switch. “Wake up, sleeping beauty. I think it’s bedtime for little girls.”
“I’m
not
a little girl,” she said, and I caught her as she fell off and put her on her feet. I held her elbow, but she pulled out of my grasp.
“I can do it,” she said with drunken dignity. She took a step forward and tripped over her own feet. I caught her and scooped her up into my arms.
“You’re so strong,” she said as her arms crept around my neck. She kissed my chest.
“Really?” I said, pushing the back door open with my foot.
“You’re so beautiful.” She sighed.
“Uh, huh.”
“I love you.”
“No, you don’t. We’ve been through this before,” I said as I put her onto the bed. Her grip never loosened, and I found myself lying on the bed beside her. She snuggled into my arms, her head on my shoulder.
“I want to know everything about you,” she whispered.
“Like what?”
“Where did you come from?”
“Right here, actually,” I said, slipping my arm around her.
“How long have you lived here?”
“I think you already know the answer to that one,” I replied. I traced a soothing, circular pattern on her back.
“For an old chick . . . you’re . . . you’re . . .” Her breathing deepened and became regular.
I laughed softly.
I made sure she was asleep before I extracted myself from her gentle embrace and covered her. I gazed down at her.
She looked so much younger when sleep robbed her of her maturity. It was almost as
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