Thank you to bomakerasdf and findingmyvoice for their thoughtful suggestions and proofreading. Both were polite and very helpful. I'd work with either one of them again.
*****
Beatriz did her best to not roll her eyes as her coworkers gossiped about the men in the office. She idly sipped her drink and nodded at the appropriate times. Office outings were painful but they assured that she fit in and that mattered in any workplace. When her lips found nothing but ice in her glass, she excused herself and made her way through the press of people. She caught the eye of the bartender, ordered her drink, and leaned against the bar while she waited.
"May I buy you a drink?" asked Shawn. He smiled and moved in close.
"No thank you," she replied.
"Well, then is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked, placing a hand on her hip.
"Oh, Shawn," she said and patted his face with her right hand. "How old are you?"
"Twenty-four."
Beatriz clicked her tongue. "Shawn, you are attractive, confident, motivated, and very very boring."
She could see the confidence that had grown during her praise, quickly evaporated with her final words. She traced a glossy red nail down the line of his jaw.
"You're also just a boy. I like men." She gave his cheek a firm pat as the bartender arrived and set her drink down.
"Oh, thank you. This gentleman here will be paying. He's also graciously agreed to buy the next round for that table over there." Beatriz pointed towards her coworkers. When they saw her gesture, they waved. Shawn gave a weak smile and waved back. She eased her drink off the bar and returned to her table.
"What happened?" whispered Sara as Beatriz settled into her chair.
"Oh, nothing. Just putting a boy in his place," she replied. Her phone chirped. She retrieved it from her bag and squinted at the display. The week had been hectic and caused Thursday to sneak up on her. Jane's party started in thirty minutes. Beatriz emptied her drink, said her goodbyes, and slipped through the crowd on her way to the exit.
"You came! And you're on time!" cried Jane as she greeted Beatriz at the door. They embraced warmly.
"Of course. I wouldn't miss your party," said Beatriz as she gave her friend a light kiss on the cheek. Her eyes swept over the room. "Where are your kids?"
"Maggie is spending the night at a friend's house. Ryan is sulking in his room." Jane smiled and shook her head. "He thought he should be able to attend because his eighteenth birthday was last week."
Beatriz mirrored her friend's gesture. "Teenagers."
"Ooh. You have to try the new cheese we found. Also, watch out for the punch. It's a touch strong," Jane said as she pushed her friend into the ring of people gathered around the refreshment table.
Beatriz spread fancy cheeses across several types of artisan crackers and nibbled on carrot sticks while she chatted with couples in the neighborhood and the odd acquaintance of Jane's. After her second cup of punch, she began to feel light-headed. She snatched a bottle of cider from one of the ice filled tins with the intention of nursing it until her head cleared. The drink had a crisp taste and a tartness that nipped at her tongue. Lost in a brief conversation, she was shocked to find the bottle empty.
"Be careful of those, they have a kick," said one of Jane's friends. "I had two the other night and was out like a light."
Beatriz set the bottle down and looked for a
place to sit until she felt better. It was late and the crowd had thinned. She found herself sitting on a couch in a dark room while soft music played in the background. The patio doors to the backyard were open. Several couples danced slowly to the music while others lounged in chairs under the clear night sky. A gentle breeze tickled Beatriz's cheeks. She struggled to keep her eyes open. Her body felt warm and her limbs were heavy.
She was barely aware of a weight settling down on the couch with her. An arm slipped over her shoulders. Beatriz fidgeted weakly but the arm stayed in place. Fingers closed on each side of her chin and steered her head to the left. Lips pressed against hers.
"Such soft lips," her kisser mumbled.
Over the music she couldn't place the voice. Lips found hers again. It wasn't wholly unpleasant. The warmth of another body was soothing. She sighed when a tongue slipped into her mouth. Beatriz ignored the tugging on her blouse and focused on the soft, warm lips. She shivered when a cool hand brushed across her stomach and squeaked when it slid underneath her bra.
"Shush, it's OK," the voice told her.
A finger circled her nipple and caused her to shiver against the arm across her shoulders. She was sensitive to temperature and it felt like the cold finger was running along her spine.
