Page 172 of Under Her Skin
“She will make you weak.You can stand up to it for a while longer if you want, but in the end she will leave you a shell of your former self. I think that would be acrime.”
“Yeah,” I say then take a gulp of beer. “You’re probably right. Best to forget about her. I think I need something a little bit stronger than this to erase her memorythough.”
Tilly smiles. “Good. You should just get drunk tonight and take a cab home and in the morning you’ll feel like shit and never want to feel that way again. It’s cauterizing the wound. It burns at first, but then it heals, leaving a scar, but it’s over and donewith.”
I’m not positive that any of this is healthy, but I’m going to try itanyway.
Four shots of whiskey later and getting into the prime of the night time crowd, I’m dancing with all the pretty ladies in here and buying rounds for the whole bar. I’m living it up tonight. Tomorrow I’ll pay for it, but tonight I’m living like I don’t have a care in theworld.
My body is pretty numb as I hold a tall, slightly heavy woman in my arms and slow dance with her. I hiccup and she giggles. It makes her body jiggle and I kind of want topuke.
“So what is it you do for a living, honey?” she whispers in myear.
“Not a damn thing. I’m filthy, stinkin’ rich. I’m about to start wasting away my money on booze and broads though.” I laugh and hiccupagain.
She pulls her head off my shoulder and looks at me. “Rich?Really?”
“That caught your attention, I see,” I slur andsmile.
“So how rich?” Her green eyes go all sparkly as the songends.
“Thanks for the dance,” I slur and let her out of my sloppyembrace.
Iturnto walk away and her hand slips into mine. She comes along with me to the little table I got to myself and after I sit down I find her plump ass on mylap.
She licks her thick lips that are too red and says, “We should take this party to your place,handsome.”
“No can do, lady. I’m just sowing some wild oats tonight. No hanky panky for me. No sir, none for me.” I reach out to find my glass empty and wonder who drank myshot.
I can barely see the bar from my seat way in the back and push at the lady’s shoulders. She gets up and frowns. “You sure? I can be a lot offun.”
“I’m sure.” I stumble my way to the bar and find Tanya frowning atme.
“Why the long face?” Iask.
“I think you’ve had enough, Blake. I’m going to get Tilly to drive you home. She quit drinking a few hours ago,” Tanya tellsme.
I sit on the bar stool. “Fine. But just so you know I am nowhere neardrunk.”
“Oh, you past drunk two shots ago,” Tanya says as shelaughs.
The door opens, and a monster sized man walks in. He looks at Tanya and says, “Where’s yourdaughter?”
“Washing some glasses for me in the back. You can go on back there if you want,” she tells the guy who looks like a real jackass.
“You her boyfriend?” I askhim.
He looks at me and frowns. “Who wants toknow?”
“Me, dumb ass,” I say and stand up. “Duh, who the fuck asked ya?” I look at Tanya. “Another real winner we gothere.”
She’s shakingher head and looking really concerned for some odd reason. Then I feel my feet leave the floor and my shirt is in the monster guy’s hands. “Who the fuck are you?” he asksme.
“A concerned citizen. You can put me down now,” I slur and notice that I can’t really feel mybody.
“Put him down, Spike,” Tanya tellshim.
I find my feet back on the ground, though if the truth be told, I still feel a little floaty. “Spike!” I laugh. “That would be yourname.”
