Just my luck, I got sent to Illinois.
Not that I have anything against Illinois, really—it's just that the rest of my company got sent to New Mexico. From New York. In January.
This was my "reward" for actually being on the ball, doing what I'm supposed to, making myself into the "up-and-comer" in the business—I got sent as the only representative from the company to the more "important" conference. But of course the more important conference had to be in Chicago in the middle of the fucking winter.
Let this be a lesson to you: don't work hard. You'll just end up with the same pay for more work, delivering bullshit powerpoints in Chicago while your co-workers are living out their "Breaking Bad" fan-fiction dreams exploring the desert and chillin' with ladies in bikinis (or hunks in trunks, whatever your preference, no judgements).
Where would you rather be?
However, all that said: this trip worked out in my favor. Hence why I'm writing this story.
To (only slightly) make up for the fact that I was getting lake-effect snow while everyone else was getting pool-side cocktails, the company put me up at the best hotel they could score: I was on the Mile, great view of the lake, they were covering all the cabs or Ubers I could need or want, dinners on the company card, they got me Blackhawks tickets AND Bulls tickets, the works. 9 days in Chicago, I'd be frost-bitten and miserable, but at least I'd be well-fed & entertained.
Turns out, I didn't need any of that. I had all the entertainment I needed right at the hotel.
To preface: I enjoy beer. In both ways you're thinking: I both love to try new stuff, act like a beer snob and talk about the nose and the palate and all that b.s., and I also love to just DRINK. So my first night in town, I found the closest beer bar, made friends with the bartender to talk shit for a couple hours, and over that time went through 4 new brews I hadn't sampled before. 2 of those were really strong, so I was pretty-well ripped by the time I left.
But once I got to the hotel, it was only 9:15. I could catch the end of the Rangers game on tv if they'd show it, so I figured I see what was up at the hotel bar. It being a Tuesday night, there weren't too many people there, just a drunken guy in a suit hitting on a pair of bored-looking 20-somethings, and an older lady at the end of the bar, chatting amicably with the bartender, a busty 30-something with a lot of tattoos and too little clothing.
Having an affinity for busty, I figured I should sit close to the mature woman. I was thinking I'd try to chat up the bartender and enjoy the view, but when I got closer to her end of the bar, I realized, "you ass, you made the right decision and you didn't even realize it..."
Because forget about the bartender: the older woman who was chatting with her was incredible. Probably mid-50s, with a gorgeous face, wavy brown hair, brown eyes you could get lost in, wearing a sort-of-conservative-but-goddamn-you-can't-hide-curves-like-that kind of cream blouse and blue skirt combo...and insanely sexy tits. Nice and full and curvy the way I LOVE a lady to be...
My buzz was still on, but seeing this lovely lady made me focus. I had a mission, and I didn't want to fuck it up!
I sat down a stool away from her—the busty bartender immediately thrust her chest at me, winked and asked what I was having. Taking off my coat to put on the back of the chair, I said, "whatever's warmest." I winked back. "Just kidding, gimme the your favorite stout on draft."
Seeing that my neighbor's drink was almost empty, I added, "...and another one for the lady."
She seemed surprised, which surprised me in the moment—a lady that gorgeous should be used to getting sent drinks. But she responded, "not every night a handsome young man buys me a drink. Thank you." And she smiled.
And oh damn, was that mission ever on now. What a smile. My cock instantly stirred, she had the most naturally pretty "come-hither" smile I'd ever seen, without even meaning to. I'm getting hard again just thinking about it.
"I don't believe that for a second, pretty lady," I said back. "And who you callin' young?" I flirted back at her.
"My kids might have went to college with you, young man, you better watch out," she said, but in a playful way.
"I'm watching," I replied. "And I like what I see."
The bartender came back and was putting our drinks out at this point, overhearing the last couple lines of our exchange. She got this stupid grin on her face, winked at me again, and made for the other end of the bar, giggling as she left. My companion blushed, and she saw me notice.
"What was that about?"
"Oh, nothing." She was lying, so I gave her a side-eye. "Ok fine, we were having a little girly discussion before you arrived, and it seems she thinks I may have solved my little...well, what I was complaining to her about."
"Which is?"
"Oh, you're going to have to chat me up a lot more before I tell you." She winked.
And so I did. We talked for about 2 hours, Valerie and I (she finally told me her name, after I got her to stop laughing about my name being Monty), about where she was from (Illinois, but in the city visiting one of her kids), what we both did for a living, a little about sports ('cause I was, in fact, keeping an eye on the Rangers game), and just general Chicago stuff, where to go, what to see, best pizza and hot dog and beer bar and whatnot, a nice conversation to have with a stranger at a hotel bar. Of course, after about 10 minutes I'd made my way to the stool directly next to hers, and after about an hour or so she was finding excuses to touch my arm and shoulder.
I only got thru one more beer after the first I'd ordered, and she got through another daiquiri, so while we were both lightly buzzed, neither of us was wasted. I'm usually kinda shy about these things, but this woman was way too hot to not try, so I brought it back to the earlier conversation.
"So, I think I've chatted you up a good amount...what was it that you were complaining to our busty bartender friend about?"
She blushed again, but kept my gaze, and said lightly, "Well. I was complaining that I haven't enjoyed the company of a man in a long time."
"Well good thing I arrived, huh? You've had my company for...oh wow, what has it been, over two hours now?"