*** This version has been edited since first being published. After getting some really great feedback I cut out a lot of filler junk, added a few more flames, and hopefully did a better job of rounding out the ending. Thanks for any feedback and have a great day! ***
"Sally, we'll go in and register and get our little name tags. After that we'll head to the bar area or where ever they have everything set up and there's a little mixer of sorts for about half an hour. It gives you a little chance to scope out who all made it out while giving the organizers time to get the logistics planned out depending on the number of people who show up. Once they have it all figured out, they'll separate the men from the women and instruct us as to where we'll sit and how the men will start rotating around. Once everyone has found their first table, they'll start a timer for 5 minutes. After another half hour mixer, they'll put out a list of matches and you can see if there's anyone else that would be interested in a real date." With that she grabbed my now empty glass and announced that we were there.
I looked out the window to the front of the club all this was taking place in and took in a deep breath. At least she had the forethought to get us there about an hour before we needed to be. That would likely prevent any guys hitting on us just because they think we're loaded. I stepped out of the limo with the help of Greg and quickly made sure all my bits were in their correct places. He'd been our driver pretty consistently over the past month so he was already in place to block out my little jiggle from the public eye. Every time he'd snicker at me and shake his head. I knew it was a little crazy, but I'm not completely sane. A tap on his broad shoulder indicated I was ready to be seen and he'd quickly move out of the way like he was revealing some great prize.
I quickly thanked him after his grand gesture of presenting me to the world and met Angela on the sidewalk by the front door. She yelled to Greg that we'd be at least 3 hours, but to keep his cell on just in case and was on her way inside with me following after her looking pretty nervous I'm sure. Once we found the organizer and got registered we headed to the bar for a few snacks to help soak up the liquid courage we had been enjoying on the ride over. After a couple of potato skins and a cheese stick or three, it was about time to get the party started. We could see the others showing up in slow trickles. Some of them in groups of 3 or 4, but mostly solo. As we headed over to get in line to be 'sorted', I could have sworn that I'd seen Greg. I did a double take, but didn't see him anymore.
I brushed it off thinking it was highly unlikely that any man built like Greg would need to be at a speed dating event. He wasn't what you'd call drop dead sexy, but he was handsome and exuded this confidence that made you sure that he'd be an excellent lay. His eyes were deep pools of green with tiny flecks of brown that would sparkle when the sun hit them just right. He kept his hair kinda long and scruffy along with his facial hair. On most guys it would be a big turn off, but on him it just seemed to work. These days, I was sizing up every man around me as a potential lay, but to be honest Greg was the guy that had been fueling the late night solo sex sessions I'd been having since he'd first showed up. Before then, it'd always been a faceless lover who had taken me where I needed to go.
Angela grabbed my hand and was leading me to our seats before I could try to get another look for Greg. She had managed to make sure we were seated together so I wouldn't run away when she wasn't looking. I sat down and tried to get as comfy as I could with all the wires and latex gripping most of my body. Before I knew it, a bell from somewhere rang and the men descended like locusts during the second coming.
The first guy was in his late, late, late 60's and was wearing the absolute worst hair piece I'd ever seen in my life. That's saying something since I remember the 70's. The 10 others after him were just as disappointing. One guy sat down, took a swig of his drink, and asked me if I knew if we were required to sit at the table until the bell rang cause he didn't do 'fatties'. Another kept making googly eyes at the chick on the other side of me. To say this was turning out to be exactly what I thought it would be was putting it lightly. By the time they told us this was the last swap I was almost in tears I was so happy. I took a swig of my drink, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath to prepare myself for the last loser to grace my presence this gloriously horrendous night.
I opened my eyes and almost spit out my drink. There sitting in front of me was Greg, but not the Greg that had just dropped us at the front door a mere 2 hours ago. This Greg was clean cut and sexy as hell. He'd pulled his hair back into a man bun instead of the normal half hazard pony tail he usually sported. Someone had gone through his beard and mustache and evened it all out as well as cleaned up all the edges. The suit he had on was fitted perfectly to his body. It showed off all the right body parts in all the right ways. I swear I could see the muscles rippling under his sleeves as he picked up his glass to take a drink. He looked like a Greek God. The entire time I was processing this he kept his eyes locked on mine; holding my gaze like he owned my thoughts and forbid me to look anywhere else.
I couldn't say a word. There have been very few times I've been speechless in my life and this was turning out to be one of them. I opened my mouth to say something several times, but no sounds ever escaped. I couldn't think of anything to say. All that kept running through my mind was that I wanted him on top of me, running my fingers through his hair. I sat there completely stunned that he was sitting here in front of me. The girl at the next table brought me out of my daze by complaining that he didn't stop at her table and that wasn't fair. I looked over to her and saw that she was one of those normal skinny girls with too tight and too short clothes on with blonde hair and fake boobs. The ones that are always hanging onto the arms of men who looked like Greg did tonight. Before I could say there had to be a mistake and have him move he put his hand up and looked at the girl with a very annoyed look on his face.
"I know exactly what table I'm supposed to be at young lady. Yours is not it."
Again my jaw dropped. What the hell is going on? I looked over at Angela to see if she was seeing what I was seeing only to realize by the look on her face she was in on it. That little Bitch. No wonder she wouldn't let me back out of tonight even though I tried to a bajillion times.
"Sally, I wanted the chance to take you out on a date, but didn't think you'd give me the time of day in my driver's uniform. Just showing up at your door to ask you out seemed to be a little on the stalkerish side, so I asked Angela what I should do the last time I took her out shopping. Her first response was that you deserved better than some bum limo driver who couldn't seem to get his hair in a rubber band, but once I explained to her who I was, she decided to give me some help in getting all this set up."