It was a quarter past nine and I was sitting on a stool at the Chandelier bar in the Cosmopolitan hotel. I was slowly nursing a lemon drop martini as I sat the end of the left side of the bar people watching. I was trying to do everything that I could to keep myself from counting the minutes on the clock. In just fifteen minutes he would be walking into the bar.
The nerves were slowly starting to set in. We had been talking for the past four months via emails, text messages and more recently phone calls. We had exchanged pictures, but we had yet to truly see one another in the present.
I hit the menu button on my phone to illuminate the screen and the digital clock read 9:25, only five minutes remaining! I tossed back the remainder of my drink, took a deep breath and pulled out my compact mirror from my clutch and did a quick check of my makeup. I added a fresh coat of red lipstick, finger combed a few loose strands of hair back into place and put everything away. I checked the time one more time on my phone and it read 9:30. The moment my mind registered the time it was as if my heartbeat tripled in speed. I closed my eyes, took three deep breaths to calm my nerves and turned on my stool to face the entrance of the bar...and there he was.
He looked just like his pictures. Tall, lightly toned, graceful, and pale. My breath got caught in my chest as we made eye contact and a slight smirk appeared across his mouth. I parted my lips to exhale and slowly licked my lips as he stalked his way toward me. His stride was powerful and full of confidence. He was elegantly dressed in all black: slacks, shirt, tie, and shoes. The dark colors of his clothing made his creamy alabaster skin stand out that much more. His eyes and the smirk on his face never strayed as he made his way over to me; and then he was in front of me, two feet away.
"Hello Steph," he stated as he extended his right hand to me.
"Hi," I breathed as I placed my mocha colored hand in his. My voice was breathy and dry, fuck he took my voice away! I cleared my throat and tried again, "Hello."
"May I sit?" I nodded my response and he took the sit to my right. We both turned so that we were slightly facing each other and the bar. "May I buy you another?" He asked as he glanced down to my empty martini glass. I nodded my response, once again, silently castigated myself to get it together. I was a powerful woman; at least that is what I had led him to believe in the last four months. But, my silence was betraying me, and I knew it, he knew it.
"You look exceptionally beautiful," he stated as he leaned into me, grasped my right hand that was resting on my thigh and gave it a lite squeeze. He didn't let go of my hand as he motioned to the bartender and placed his order. When he finished with the bartender he turned back to me and gave my hand another squeeze.
"Cat got your tongue? You haven't said much." He stated as he turned his chair to face me completely.