“Not cocky, sweetheart, confident,” he answered huskily, reaching for our drinks with one hand when Joe brought them over.
I reached over to relieve him of my glass, but before I could retract my hand with my drink in it, he snagged my pinkie with his. Looking at our now linked hands, I watched as he slowly raised my hand to his mouth. I gripped the glass tightly as he brushed his lips across my knuckles before releasing my hand.
Suddenly, the drink felt ten times heavier with the sudden absence of his hand. I worked to keep the glass upright in my shaky hand as I raised it to my lips. Gulping the contents, I set the glass down and took in his slightly blurred features.
“You okay?” he asked as I swayed slightly on my barstool.
“Absolutely. I do this all the time,” I lied.
“I’m sure,” he mocked, softly signaling Joe for another round.
“You can bank—” my retort was cut short when my cellphone chirped in my purse.
“I need to use the ladies’ room,” I breathed, rising unsteadily to my feet as the floor tilted slightly beneath me. “I’ll be right back.”
“Do you need some help?” he asked, cocking his eyebrow at me.
“Um, I’m pretty sure I know how to pee on my own,” I answered, feeling flustered.
He chuckled. “I meant getting to the bathroom. You looked like you were a bit unsteady there.”
“I’m good,” I clarified before strutting away. It took all my willpower to keep my gait steady as I made my way across the scuffed wooden floors to the bathroom. Tressa and Brittni were leaning against the bathroom counter waiting for me when I entered. It was all part of the plan we had set up. They were here for the status update.
“So, is he a serial killer?” Brittni asked as I headed for one of the stalls.
“Hold on, I really do have to pee.”
“He looks like he’s into you,” she added, switching on the faucet so I could pee in peace.
“Of course he’s into her. She’s smoking hot,” Tressa interrupted. “I bet he’s already suffering from a case of blue balls,” she added laughing as I heard the smacking of flesh.
“Do you always have to be so crude?” Brittni asked disgusted as I flushed the toilet and opened the stall door.
“He’s not the only one,” I muttered, filling the palm of my hand with soap before sticking them under the faucet that was still running.
“Ooh, things a little damp downstairs?”
“Oh my god, Tressa, seriously?” Brittni said, taking another swipe at her.
“That’s one way to say it. Put it this way, he’d slide in pretty damn easy right now if you know what I mean,” I giggled, bracing my hands on the counter as the floor beneath me continued to sway.
“You okay, slick?” Brittni asked, really looking at me for the first time since I’d entered the bathroom.
“Fine,” I answered, moving my eyes from the slow rolling floor.
“She’s buzzing,” Tressa crowed, taking in my glassy eyes and flushed cheeks.
“I sure am,” I cracked up, not entirely sure why I found it so funny.
“Are you sure you’re up for this, you lightweight?” Brittni asked, placing her hands on my shoulders so she could study me critically.
“I’m fine, Mom,” I teased. “I just decided to take the liquid courage route.”
“So, you’re going through with it?” she asked, looking worried.
“Duh, that was the plan,” Tressa chastised.
“I know, but I thought she’d chicken out,” Brittni retorted like I wasn’t even there.
“Hey, standing right in front of you,” I said, waving my hands exuberantly in front of them like I was trying to land a plane or something to that effect. “Besides, I have to do it, it’s on my list,” I pointed out.
“Right, it’s on your list. I still think it’s ridiculous for someone our age to have a bucket list.”
“I told you a million times. It’s for a study I’m doing for the master’s program I’m hoping to get into,” I lied, smiling brightly at her. “It’s a study on living life to its fullest in a limited time frame.”
“So you’ve said a hundred times. I just think a study on males that have the best pecks or dreamiest eyes would have been more productive.”
“That’s so cliché and overdone. Having a nice six-pack usually translates to ‘conceited asshole,’“ I answered, sweeping the lip gloss Tressa handed me across my lips. “Thanks,” I told her, handing the wand back. I tried not to focus on the irony of my new friends having no