This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between the characters and real individuals is coincidence. All characters are over age eighteen.
A younger redhead gets hassled by a jerk. I intervene, but she isn't sure she can trust me either. So I find a way to prove myself.
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While some people hate travelling alone, it doesn't bother me. It gives me the opportunity to fool around. On one such trip, I stayed in a funky old place built in the 1800s. Tiny rooms with no chairs, bathrooms down the hall, live music on Tuesday evenings, and cheap. My company loved the cheap part.
One Tuesday evening, I came back to the hotel while the band was playing. They weren't very good, but I hung around anyway to ogle the women. One in particular caught my eye. She was young, to me anyway, in her early thirties. She had a full head of curly, red hair. She also had some lovely curves, and liked to show them off in tight clothes. Confidence is always a turn on for me. So I worked myself around to see her face, and was pleased to see freckles, hazel eyes, and a big easy smile.
Her smile didn't last. There were a couple of guys there trying to chat her up. They both looked like they had a few too many. The harder they tried, the more uncomfortable she looked. Then one leaned in and said something into her ear. Then her smile disappeared completely and she turned and moved away from him.
The guy didn't get the hint and tried to follow her. I believe she sensed this, turned to face him, and held up her hand. I couldn't hear a thing, but I'm sure it was a clear signal for him to get lost. She found a spot to stand over to my left, and the guy bothering her was on my right, talking to his friend. He turned toward her, and started coming over. I could tell by the look on his face that trouble was coming. He didn't like being shot down and the word 'no' meant little to him. I looked over at her and she was tensed for a confrontation.
Men that don't understand what 'no' means piss me off. They make all men seem like jerks. So I stepped right into his path and looked him in the face. "I don't think she's interested," I said. The band was playing and I doubt he heard me, but that didn't matter. He knew what I said. I've never been in a fight, except with my brother. That's partly because I'm well over six feet tall and weigh around 220 pounds. That usually ends fights before they start. He said something to me, but I didn't hear and didn't care. He turned around, talked to his friend, and they both headed for the exit. I watched them leave. The one guy stared at the redhead on his way out, but she was watching the band.
Just then, the music stopped and the frontman was talking to the crowd. The redhead walked over toward me. "You didn't have to do that," she said.
"Sorry, I wasn't trying to butt in. But I don't think too much of men like that."
"I can take care of myself."
I looked at her and nodded. "I'm sure you can. My apologies."
I figured that was the end of it, but she added, "But thanks anyway."
"You're welcome."
"So were you trying to defend my honor?"
I didn't know what to say, unsure of what the right answer might be. Still, this attractive woman was still talking to me, and that at least was a good sign. "I guess I didn't really think anything. I saw him following you and he looked pissed. I was already in front of him before I did any thinking."
"Okay, I appreciate it. I just wondered if you hoping for rescue points."
"Um..." I stalled, not understanding.
"You rescue me, then you check to see if I'm okay, then you offer me a drink or a dance."
"Oh, I wasn't thinking that. But I confess I only noticed him because I was looking at you."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah." I paused for a moment, still unsure of what to say and beginning to feel like there was a game going on where I didn't know the rules.
"Now maybe you're trying to take advantage."
"Uh, well, like I said, I think you're very attractive and..."
"Mmmm, hmmm."
She was still bantering with me, but I felt a little on the defensive. So I made an attempt at humor and hoped for the best. "Well, if you came closer and kissed me, then no one could say I was taking advantage of you. In fact, an impartial observer might think it was you taking advantage of an old man."
"Ah! You are just a piece of work aren't you. You just want me to get close."
"Guilty as charged."
"So you can grab me?"
"No, no," I said, beginning to think she might like me. "So that you can grab me."
She groaned and rolled her eyes, "I think you're trying to pick me up."
"Mmmmaybe. How am a I doing?"
"Not very good."
"Yeah," I thought quickly. "Maybe we'd have better luck if you tried to pick me up."
"Ah!" She smiled at this and said, "What if I'm not interested?"
I acted the part of being hurt, looking at the ground, pouting. Then I looked at her with giant, sad puppy eyes and said, "I guess I'll be going."
"Oh, please! You're impossible. How do I know I can trust you?"
"Oh, you can trust me. Of course you can. But if I were you, I wouldn't."
"What? Why wouldn't I trust you?"
"Because you just met me. We haven't even exchanged names. For all you know, I could be a psycho-killer."
"Are you a psycho-killer?"