Page 2 of Dear One Night Stand
The hostess turns and realizes that we've stopped. She looks annoyed, and I don't blame her. The place is getting busier as we speak, and she doesn't have time to stand around and wait for us to talk.
“You aren’t going to run out on tonight, are you?”
"I promise." I hold up my hand. "Just give me five minutes, and I will join you."
“Ladies?” the hostess asks politely.
Marnie looks at her and then back to me. "You have five minutes, and I'm coming to look for you."
“I’d expect nothing less.” I smile at her and turn to head back towards the bar.
2
CHRIS
She’s forty-five minutes late. I’m not even sure why I’m still sitting here. I didn’t even want to go on this blind date, and now I’m getting stood up. This is the last time I’m going to let Dela try and set me up with one of her co-workers. My sister-in-law is so annoying happily married to my brother, Brent, that she can’t stand the idea that I’m alone. It's been six months since my last relationship, and I'm not ready to jump into something else yet. I told her a hundred times that not everyone in this world gets to have a great love like her and Brent have. As much as I secretly want what they have, I’m realistic enough to know that it’s unlikely to be in the cards for me.
The restaurant is starting to fill up, and my guitar case sitting next to me is taking up some valuable real estate. I have a gig later tonight, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it back home to pick it up if I didn’t bring it. It was helping me to hold the empty stool next to me for my date.
A woman slides onto the stool, ignoring the case, and orders a vodka cranberry from the bartender. He glances at me from across the bar and then wordlessly down at the beer bottle in front of me. I nod, telling him I’d like another, and he gets to work on our drinks.
I glance surreptitiously at the woman next to me, and my heart flutters in my chest. She’s beautiful in that way that she either doesn't realize it, or she doesn't care to show it off—a natural beauty.
“Are you Gabby by any chance?” I ask, holding my breath.
She looks over at me, a small crease forming between her dark brows, and she shakes her head. “Nope.”
Damn. I was already mentally high-fiving Dela for finally getting one of her setups right this time. She tends to set me up with women that are nothing like my type—like a thin, blonde Marilyn, when my type is more of a curvy Jackie, like the gorgeous woman currently sitting next to me.
“How late is she?” she asks.
I touch the screen on my phone, and the time lights up. "Forty-three minutes."
The bartender sets down our drinks down in front of us.
“Ouch," she says, taking a sip.
“Not really. My expectations for tonight weren’t too high. Maybe it’s for the best.”
“If it helps,” she says, turning towards me. “I’d happily change places with you if I could.”
I match her movements and really take her in. Her fair skin is a nice contrast to her dark curled hair. My eyes dip to the snug dress hugging her curves, and my dick twitches at the sight of her ample cleavage.
“Why is that?”
"I'm meeting my ex for the first time since he dumped me," she says and takes a large sip of her drink. “And I’m pretty sure he’s going to take one look at me and think that he made the right call dumping me.”
I shake my head, feeling an easiness speaking to this stranger. “I can guarantee you that he’s going to take one look at you and wish he wasn’t such a moron letting you go.”
She smiles and looks down. “That’s nice of you to say.”
“It’s the truth.” I shrug and take a sip of my new beer.
“I’m Annie.” She holds out her hand to me.
I set down my beer and take her hand. “I’m Chris.”
I can’t deny the spark I feel the moment we touch.
