That evening's experience haunted my sleep for several nights afterward; I would wake in a cold sweat with my legs tangled in my sheets. Changing the locks on my front door helped me sleep a little better. I wasn't sure if Tyler got a key to my place or not but I didn't want to take the chance. I wasn't ever going to that bar again, or any bar for that matter. Not any time soon anyway. Some nights while I was reading before bed I wondered what I would do if he were to show up at my door again. Hell, part of me wasn't sure I wanted to let him go. The two long scars down my back from the knife would tingle whenever I heard the slightest sound outside. I couldn't talk to anyone. Forcing myself deeper into my work and reading more books helped me after a couple weeks and I slowly forgot about him. Painfully slow.
Several weeks went by and everything was going just fine. Well, normal at least. I had been out on a couple group dates with a co-worker and nothing really panned out. One evening I thought I could take the guy home with me but I felt those familiar tingles down my back and decided it wasn't a good idea. I needed a hobby or something. Or a good friend. These days, those were extremely hard to come by.
One Thursday I was at my desk at work and I received an email. Ryan, an old flame of mine from college, was going to be in town this week on business and asked if he could take me out for drinks. He missed me. I took some time to think before replying that I would. He and I were better friends than lovers back then and I could use some companionship. Plus I loved to catch up with people I hadn't seen in years. He replied with a time and a place near his hotel. Smiling at my computer screen, I mentally scanned my closet to find something to wear for my evening out.
Ryan met me at the front door of the place just before 8 p.m. dressed in a black shirt and gray slacks, square glasses perched on his nose and reddish brown hair parted to the side. He has aged well, I thought as he led me into the establishment. It was a little Irish pub with tall tables and chairs and a long bar crowded with people watching a baseball game on each of the four television screens displayed around the room. He led me to an empty table in the corner, pulling a chair out for me facing the wall and I stepped up into it. I was wearing a navy blue cowl neck blouse that showed a reasonable amount of my nice cleavage on top of a pair of tight faded jeans that I knew my ass would look good in. I smiled at my date as I sat down.
Glancing up from the front of my shirt, Ryan asked "What can I get you to drink?"
"Should I start with a beer?" I asked.
"I don't drink beer myself," he replied.
"Okay," I sighed. "Amaretto sour, please."
He left for the bar while I turned around and casually checked out my surroundings. Plenty of people in here to keep it busy but not too noisy that we would have to shout to be heard. Comfortable atmosphere. A short tingle started up my back as I located the exits but I shook it off. I was going to have a good time tonight, I told myself.
"Here you go," Ryan said as he placed my drink in front of me. I took a long sip and relaxed my shoulders. He smiled at me over his glass, and I smiled back. "So what have you been up to, Lindsey?"
I chuckled. "Work, mostly," I replied, taking another sip. "What brings you to town?"
Ryan went into his story about expanding his business into a wider area and there were some possibilities here in the city. We chatted for a few hours about work, life and people in and out of our lives. He told me he had had a few relationships that didn't work out and he thought of me often. I tried not to show it, but I really felt nothing in return. The days of "us" were long past, but of course I valued his friendship. Which meant I shouldn't sleep with him so I shouldn't lead him on, I said to myself. I had genuinely forgotten about a certain someone until I heard the front door bang open. My whole body tensed up and I froze for a moment, then slowly turned my head around to follow the person making the heavy footsteps. It was a large, older man with longish gray hair making his way to the last empty stool at the bar. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief as Ryan stared at me curiously.
"Is everything okay?" he asked me, concerned.
I breathed again. "Yes, I'm fine. The door just... startled me."
"Are you sure? You seemed really nervous all of a sudden." He gently covered my hand in his. My hand jerked back a bit at his touch since my thoughts were still heavy in my mind. He pulled his hand back, a very worried look crossing his face. "Lindsey, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," I said, trying to smile and reaching for his hand, grasping it as I picked up my glass in my other hand and finished yet another drink. "I'm good."
"Well, I would say you were better than good," a familiar voice spoke behind me. Goosebumps ran down my arms and back as I froze in my chair again. No... "Hi, Lindsey," he said as he walked around to the empty chair on my other side and slid it out, sitting across from Ryan. He placed two drinks on the table in front of him.
Slowly I turned my head towards him and looked into those sparkling eyes I remember too well; eyes that were locked on me. A lazy grin spread across his lips and I found myself getting wet between my legs. Really?! I asked myself. Not now...
"Who are you?" Ryan asked, to which neither of us answered right away. I couldn't find my voice as we just stared at each other for a long moment. My clit began to throb and I turned my head away, shifting my legs around.
I heard Tyler chuckle under his breath. He turned to Ryan. "I'm Tyler, a friend of hers," he nodded at me as he slid one of the drinks to me. "Amaretto sour, right?"
I bit my lip as I looked down at the amber liquid. This one had a cherry in it, unlike the others I had already drank this evening. Without thinking, I picked the cherry up by its stem and dunked it through the ice cubes into the alcohol a few times before putting it in my mouth and sucking the juice from it. I closed my eyes a moment before remembering there were two men watching me. My eyes flew open as I returned the cherry to the glass, dropping my gaze to the table.
"Lindsey?" Ryan asked.
I didn't reply. Instead, I turned to Tyler. "Why are you here?"