It's A Crime (5 page)

A place where you could hook up if that was what you wanted or simply people watch.
We came here often, usually to meet before going out or to finish off the night with a quick drink. Luke’s was six blocks away from our apartments. On a side note, the eavesdropping was always interesting, adding intrigue to the whole Luke’s experience. Anyway, this was one of those bars that just about anyone could walk in at any time, and usually did from wealthy “pole up their assholes” right on down to bad boy biker dudes.

As he passed our table
,
his
scent wafted toward our table along with the cold rush of air from the door slowly closing. He smelled sinfully delicious. It wasn’t a cologne type of smell. It was more like soap with a hint of leather, masculine scent. He was mouthwatering. His scent could only be described as pure male.

Michelle
didn’t notice the newcomer to the bar. She was still recounting her horror stories at work and was just moving onto discussing her boss, whom she believed wanted her in the biblical sense; I have no doubt he did. We have been best friends since the first grade and I would truly take a bullet for her, but at times like this I wished I had one for myself. When she got started the never ending, incessant carping regarding her job had the ability to turn people to stone, and I was not immune.

Looking around
again, we definitely sat at the worst table here. But I have to admit if it weren’t for the cold air that kept blowing our way each time the door was opened, I’d have fallen asleep an hour ago.

I was watching, distractedly,
as the man leaned in close to Sarah, the bartender, giving her his drink order I assumed. Sarah laughed at something he said. Her flirty laugh, the one she reserved for men she wanted to take home. I watched as she possessively placed her hand on his arm. She smiled broadly and quickly went to get his drink.

When she placed
the drink in front of him, he held his money up folded between his two long fingers; I couldn’t see the denomination this far away, but it was obviously substantial as Sarah squealed with delight when he indicated he didn’t want the change. She quickly stuffed the money into her bra. I was staring openly as he lifted the drink to his lips and took a sip. He swirled the amber liquid around in his hand, then took another sip. bourbon, I’d bet on it. He just looked like a bourbon guy to me.

He was
definitely eye candy.

I continued to watch him through lowered lashes.
He leaned back in the stool slowly looking around the bar. He took his time scrutinizing the people, as though on the prowl, then abruptly stopped. His eyes settled on me, looking me up and down, as if contemplating a purchase. A lazy smile touched the corners of his mouth along with a satisfied look, as though he’d hit pay-dirt. My breath caught and awareness of him prickled across my skin.

Feelin
g embarrassed getting snagged checking him out, I quickly lowered my head and turned slightly toward Michelle, still watching him from the corner of my eyes. He turned back to the bar and took another long sip from his drink. He gestured for Sarah and leaned in close to speak with her.

I
was miffed he’d prefer Sarah to me; however, when they both looked at me at the same time, a strange tightening clenched my stomach. Without taking his eyes off me, he smiled at something Sarah said as she leaned in toward him, obviously flirting, making sure her cleavage was all up in his face. He didn’t seem to notice the bodacious set she had on display for his benefit.

Her nickname at Luke’s was
Simple Sarah
, seeing she was an easy lay. I myself liked her. She was pretty, funny, outgoing and a really nice girl, besides I don’t judge when it comes to women and sex. However, at this moment I found myself thinking of her as competition. He laughed again, I was barely able to hear it with the steady buzz in my ear, compliments of Michelle, but his face lit up and his eyes smiled back.

His teeth were
stunning. White, gleaming and about as perfect as perfect gets. I like teeth. Call me weird, but clean, white straight teeth to me was what a perfect set of breasts were to a mammary fan, a definite turn on.

I couldn’t stop looking at him.
Something, apart from his good looks and perfect teeth, drew me to him. An attraction I couldn’t put my finger on. I found myself instantly thinking of sex. A flush suddenly spread like wildfire on my face. I took a sip of my second wine. It was warm.

An idea formed in my overactive, over-stimulated brain and
I came to a decision of what I wanted to drink next. The flash of a warm, amber colored liquid swirling in a glass. I stopped Michelle mid-sentence with a wave of my hand.

“I’m going to get something else to drink
. This is warm as shit. Do you want anything?”

“No, I’m still working on this.” She
paused gesturing to her glass of warm red wine. “I’m going to the ladies room, be back in a minute.”

I nodded to her and stood
to walk over to the bar. I positioned myself at the corner where I was able to look at him without looking like I was. I raised my hand to Sarah, who didn’t see me. I was about to call out her name when the man, who Sarah couldn’t turn away from, pointed in my direction. So he noticed me too.
Sweet
.

When Sarah finally sauntered up to the bar where I was standing, I pointed to the drink
Mr. Magnificent was drinking and ordered the same. Sarah knew at that moment I was seriously flirting with her shiny new toy and copped a bit of an attitude toward me.

“You sure you want one of those
, Grace? Not
your
usual?” Her tone was overly sweet, dripping with envy.

“Yup.
I want that,” I said with the confidence of a boxer.
Grace one, Sarah zero.

She nodded and
went to get me my bourbon. When she returned, I told her to add it to my tab.

I looked directly down to the end of the bar where he was leaning
back in his seat watching me. I took a sip. The heat of the strong alcohol burned my mouth and stung my throat as it tricked down. I nearly spit it right out; it was sharp as hell, but I managed to put on my “I drink bourbon all the time”
look quickly. Amusement lit his eyes and curved his mouth. He of course saw right through my game and smiled broadly at me with a look on his face that clearly spelled out
amateur
.

I r
allied pulling myself together, hoisted the drink to my mouth and drank the remaining liquid down in one gulp. This time I was prepared for the onslaught of fire that streamed down my throat into my belly. The warming effect spread languidly through me.
Nice
.

Getting bolder, I c
alled Sarah’s name out loud, ordering another. When she brought it, I smiled my brightest smile, showing off my years of orthodontics, took the drink, turned and went back to my table. Michelle was sitting there watching the small show I put on, shaking her head

“What’s the problem?”

“What the hell are you up to?” she reprimanded.

“I don’t know.
I just wanted to try it.”

“You
, my friend, are going to feel like shit tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah…Fuck it.
It’s been a shitty day, night, week and I don’t care. I’ll reschedule a few appointments. Have Karen open the shop.”

“Dear Lord, here we go
. You’re in one of
those
moods.” Her condescending tone came on strong.

“Yeah, yeah.”
I waved my hand in the air, immediately stopping any more harping, which I’m sure was on the tip of her tongue. She knew me. She knew my tolerance for hard liquor was almost non-existent. I only hoped I wouldn’t be hugging the toilet later tonight.

I turned
away from her to quickly glance in his direction, and was stunned to see he was walking toward us. I mentally gathered myself together and put my “confident as hell” look on. Meanwhile, a thousand butterflies let loose in my stomach all at once.

A
ll I could think of while watching him approach was sex and how good he would taste. He exuded sexuality. It was like a glow outlining his body. He was so beautiful he was almost pretty. His chiseled face with its strong jaw and defined cheekbones was the mark of which I will hereinafter grade all other men.

He had ink black hair long en
ough to graze the collar of his denim shirt, which clung to his broad shoulders and muscular long arms. His lashes were enviably thick and long, and framed his heart-stopping green eyes, which were truly out of this world. He moved with animal grace that was a major league turn-on. His slim hips and long legs carried that flawless package toward me like a jungle cat with a purpose. I quickly prayed my makeup was right and sat up straight. The bourbon giving me the confidence I lacked ten minutes ago.

“So
...bourbon?” His voice matched his looks and was every bit as sexy as he looked, low, even toned.

“I do now.”
I felt off my game.

“
Can I get you another?”

“As soon as I finish this one, Ace
.” I looked up into his angelic face and melted.
Wow
. An inexplicable pull drew me to him.

He raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow and laughed.

“Ace?”

“Well, until I kno
w your name, it’s Ace,” I said, feeling bold by bourbon.

“Cole.
Cole Grayson.” He extended his hand.

“Grace Preston.”
I accepted his handshake and introduced Michelle, who was looking at her cell phone. “Well, Cole Grayson.” I paused, winking at him. “I think I’ll call you Ace for a bit, that okay with you?” I liked the feel of his hand. I liked that he continued to hold mine.

All perfect teeth, gorgeous smile and smelling divine.
The electricity sparked to life between us, the pull made turbulent by his sexy assed smile.

He leaned in close
, his breath in my ear gusting in humid pants, its warmth causing the hair on my neck to rise. “You, beautiful, can call me anything you want,” he whispered. His voice resonated, coursing over me in a seductive rhythm.

Oh, you are smooth
, Ace.

Chapter 5

Releasing my hand, his eyes still locked on mine, a strange look came over his face exposing an all-consuming force of will that pulled the air from my lungs. He looked at me like he wanted to eat me, as if I were dinner. I have to say, it was sexy as hell and I was sure he knew its effect. I started to feel heated. I was tempted to fan myself, but wisely refrained.

“Uh-hum.”
Michelle cleared her throat, breaking the tension building between the two of us. She walked up to me and leaned in for my ears only. “Jeff has been calling me non-stop. I have like twenty voicemails. I’m going to step outside and call him back before he uses up all of my battery power, I’ll be right back.”

I nodded.

She grabbed her coat and cell and rolling her eyes went out the front door, pausing a moment to cast a glance back at us both.

I was happy for the distraction
. I took the opportunity to clear my head, still recovering from the frying of my brain cells.

“U
h-hum.” Cole cleared his throat.

“Please sit.”
I waved my hand toward Michelle’s chair.

Cole
instead pulled an empty chair from the table behind us, making sure to leave Michelle’s chair empty for her when she returned, a thoughtfulness that didn’t get past my observation. He lowered himself slowly, pulling his chair close to me. I lifted and emptied the remaining bourbon down my throat. Its warmth once again resigned me to the fact this was going to be one hell of a nasty hangover.

Fuck it.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, I didn’t realize I said that out loud.”
I blushed. More from the effects of the drink, as I seldom blush. I don’t have that filter, let alone when I’m drinking.

“Read
y for that drink now?”

“I can be persuaded
.” I used my “sexy voice” and was rewarded with that killer smile.
Holy Hell!

Cole turned his head
toward the bar, fully expecting Sarah would be right there waiting on his next demand. This must happen to him regularly, women just standing waiting for the slightest chance to have any interaction with him. I did notice she, like most of the women in this bar, couldn’t take her eyes off him. I, myself, was not impervious. He raised his hand extending two long fingers into the air ordering another round. Sarah nodded, smiled weakly, looking defeated, and turned to get our drinks.

I wasn’t crying for her
; she wouldn’t be going home alone tonight. She never did. And after what I went through with that psycho Jonathan, I wouldn’t be opposed to mindless sex with a stranger.