My eyes wandered over the people that filled the bar as I sipped my drink. That wasn’t usually my thing, but I was in unfamiliar territory. When I looked up again, my breath was caught in my throat at the woman who was coming into the bar.
She was beautiful, dressed in a black sweater dress and black knee-high boots with her coat thrown across her arm. Her toasted pecan skin glowed brightly in the dim lighting of the bar. Her full pink lips were begging to be kissed, and her hair was in wild curls that had flurries of snow in it.
We held each other’s gaze as she made her way to the seat next to me. As she sat down, “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey began to play. I inhaled her scent of citrus, flowers, bergamot, and patchouli. I turned to look at her and was shocked to see that she was already looking at me.
I was sure that my cheeks were rosy. I was embarrassed that she caught me attempting to check her out. I was also shocked at my behavior because I never really gave women a second glance. Ever since college, my main focus has been my business.
When the last woman I called myself being involved with showed that she was more in tune with what I could do for her pockets than me as a person, I cut her off. That was sophomore year of college, so about six going on seven years ago, and I’ve been celibate ever since.
This woman sitting next to and staring back at me, though, had awakened something in me that I hadn’t known existed. Just sitting next to her, I felt this warm sensation course through my body. I shuddered to understand how someone I didn’t even know could affect me so much.
“Do you normally stare at strangers?”
I was taken aback, but I smiled. “No, not normally. I’m usually not around people.”
“Hmmm… interesting.”
“Can I buy you a drink?”
“Sure. As long as you don’t expect anything in return.”
“I don’t expect anything at all. You just look like you need one.”
“I do.”
As I looked for the bartender, a waiter brought out my food and placed it in front of me on the bar. I flagged down the bartender so that she could order a drink. The bartender hurried over and took her order, and the song playing switched to “Santa Baby” by Ashanti, and I watched her as she mouthed the words to the song.
“Can I have a Mai Tai please?”
“Put it on my tab.”
The bartender nodded and began to make her drink.
“Thank you…”
“Tahir.”
“Thank you, Tahir.”
“Would you like something to eat?”
“You gon’ pay for that too?”
I chuckled. “I can. If that’s okay with you?”
“I can cover my food if you’ll keep me company while I eat.”
“I think I can manage that.”
I looked around to find us a table and spotted an empty booth in the back right corner. “Why don’t you take my plate to the booth, and I’ll be over with your drink in a minute.”
She nodded and then picked up my plate and the rolled silverware. “I’m just going to say sorry now. If you get to the table and find a piece of your steak missing, I apologize.”
I threw my head back and laughed from the depths of my stomach. “Have it. I’ll order another one.”
She smiled and walked away to the booth. I watched the sway of her hips and got lost in their movement. I adjusted myself underneath the bar. When the bartender finished making her drink, I ordered another meal and drink and asked that they be brought to the booth when they were done.
I picked up her drink and walked toward the booth to find that she was halfway through the plate. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You were hungry?”
She wiped the corners of her mouth with a cloth napkin. “This steak is hitting all the right spots.”
I grunted and sat across from her, afraid that my erection would scare her away. I adjusted myself under the table, and then I watched her finish the rest of the food before she sat back and patted her stomach.
“I see you can put away some food.”
“That’s one of the things I don’t play about.”
“What’s another …”
“Yadira.”
“What’s another thing you don’t play about, Yadira?”
“My family.”
I nodded. “Now, I definitely understand that.”
“Tell me something that mak