Page 15 of Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind
While they waited, they turned their attention to the dance floor. Since the bar was perched on a raised dais, they had a great view.
“Come on; let’s dance.”
Between the flashing lights and the illusion of being under water, Ryan opted to keep her butt firmly planted on the bar stool, at least until her stomach settled. “You go. I’ll wait here for the drinks.”
Betty looked torn. “You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. I just need a few minutes to acclimate.”
“Promise you won’t leave?”
While the thought had crossed her mind, Ryan wasn’t about to ditch her friend. Not yet anyway. If the night ended as it usually did, with Betty finding “the man of her dreams” and her feeling like an awkward third wheel, she was so out of there ... after she flashed her badge and got a screen shot of said beefcake’s photo ID and license. A girl could never be too careful.
“I promise. Now go. Shake your booty. I’ll be right here.”
Betty scampered off and was almost immediately swallowed by the crowd.
“What happened to your friend?” The bartender returned, placing both drinks in front of her.
Ryan whipped out a twenty, expecting to get change back. She didn’t.
“That’s twenty-seven fifty,” the bartender informed her.
Mumbling to herself, she fished another twenty out of her clutch and handed it over. “There better be a lot of top shelf liquor in these,” she warned him.
“Only the best,” the guy assured her. “I’ll be right back with your change.”
“Keep it,” she said on a sigh. Maybe by giving him a big tip now, he wouldn’t mind her taking up space without ordering anything else but water for the next two hours.
Grinning, he leaned over the bar. She was hit with a deliciously heady male scent that made her want to inhale more deeply. “You gave me a tip, so let me give you one. Relax. Have fun like your friend out there. You are far too beautiful to be sitting here alone.”
He winked again then moved on, no doubt to blow smoke up someone else’s heinie. Not that she didn’t appreciate the compliment ... but she did doubt the sincerity. Flirting was part of his job. Besides, it had been a long time since a man had shown genuine interest in her.
Ryan turned her attention back to the dance floor. Every now and then, she would see Betty’s bright red hair popping up, usually amid several buff male patrons, but none of them seemed to have captured Betty’s serious interest. At least, not until the tall drink of water came along.
Judging by the way people moved out of his way, he was well-known and important. Adding to that, he was extremely handsome in a bad boy sort of way and gracefully fluid on the dance floor. And he was exactly Betty’s type.
“And we have a winner, folks,” she said softly to no one in particular.
When Mr. Sex-On-A-Stick escorted Betty over to the bar a short time later, and Betty gave her the thumbs-up, she knew her presence wouldn’t be required for much longer. Betty would drag her to the ladies’ room soon and let her down gently.
“Ryan!” Betty said, her faced flushed and her eyes sparkling. “This is Q. Q, my BFF, Ryan.”
The man called Q gave her a sexy half-smile. “A pleasure.”
Ryan offered a small smile in return. “I’ll bet. What kind of name is Q anyway?”
“Ryan and I are going to powder our noses,” Betty informed him as predicted, grabbing Ryan’s wrist and pulling her away from the bar. “We’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said with amusement.
“Squee!” Betty squealed the moment she and Ryan were inside the opulent restroom. It, like the rest of the place, had an underwater theme and was over the top in terms of décor. “Isn’t he positively sex-a-licious? And the way he moves ... Gah! I think I came a little on the dance floor.”
“TMI, my friend.”
“What about you? Any bites? Or did you just sit at the bar and watch everyone else have a good time?”
“I’m having a good time.”
