I can never figure out why I still come here. Yvonne's has got to be the last place I should come to when I'm bored. I'm still not sure whether to call this place a hole-in-the-wall club or hole-in-the-wall bar or a combination of both but I do know one thing; this place has great music…despite the smoke. I can't stand the smoke. Being a non-smoker it sucks for me because I have to deal with it just to enjoy some good live music but at the rate the radio is declining I think I'm going to be dealing with this more and more as time goes on. I remember some years ago I saw this story on the news that some lady who worked at a bar for about 20 years caught lung cancer and didn't even smoke. Won a big settlement and I'm hoping she's alive now. I think if something similar were to happen to me I would just have the place ban smoking instead of bankrupting the business. I really do love the music at Yvonne's that much and I guess my only real problem is dealing with the fact that the smokers do too. Not to many 26 year olds spend their Wednesday nights listening to live soul and blues music played by local groups but then again, not too many of my peers aren't smoking either.
Tonight, Flowers are performing a laundry list of covers ranging from Norah Jones, Brandy, Christina Aguilera and Maroon 5. There are three of the most beautiful girls singing with their own band and for some reason they make me love all of the songs they sing even more than I already do. It's a no-brainer to buy a CD of their original material whenever one comes out. I'm usually always the only person who can recite their songs word for word and I think the lead singer, Iris, notices every time. It's always dark in here but she still sees me and it's hard for me not to notice a star on the stage. I thought that tonight would make a great night for me to ask her out and I was fully prepared to after hearing her sing Anita Baker's "Sweet Love." It almost seemed like the air was clear after she sang that song and she even smiled at me after her performance. There's never too many people here on a Wednesday so it's not hard to think that she was just smiling and happened to be looking in my direction…still, a single guy has needs and 8 months is a shitty amount of time to go without girlfriend. I haven't been sexless though, lucky me, just lonely at night. I was determined not to let that happen tonight and I had no idea how real that thought was going to be.
As the performance ended I clapped to show my appreciation and stared right at Iris, almost letting her know that I was mostly applauding her. Just then I felt my phone vibrate on my hip indicating a text message coming in. It was surprising because it was a number I wasn't familiar with but the person seemed to be familiar with me.
She's gorgeous isn't she?
I looked around to see who could be watching me and also know who I was looking at. There were a few regulars and the bartender, Tiffany, but no one holding a phone or even looking at me. I decided to reply just to see if anyone would pick up or if I could hear an alert from their phone.
Yeah she is. Who is this?
About a minute or so and I didn't see anyone around me move. I pretty much figured that I wouldn't hear much, not only because of the music, but also since I had my phone on vibrate I guessed that this person would have theirs on that way too. That was a little too creepy for me and so I stood up and began to walk towards the front door and see who would follow me; that's when I received an order.
Sit. I'm coming.
There was already enough I was creeped out about but I knew I wasn't in the position to argue with a stranger who knew me. I did as told and sat down, waiting very impatiently for this mystery person to arrive. That's when it finally happened and I smelled her before I actually saw her. My addiction had come back to tease me. I knew it was her by the combination of Ange Ou Démon perfume and regular Kool's cigarettes. The mix was intoxicating, hypnotizing even. I grew rock hard instantly and I'm not sure if she knew it or not. I turned around and saw her sitting down in the chair closest to me on my right; Victoria, the woman I should never have touched.
"It's good to see you again, James. Eight months is a long time to not talk to someone."
Wow. I couldn't believe she was here…and damn near stalking me.
"Tory…"
"Ooh," she interrupted, "I haven't heard that name in a long time. You're the only one I let call me that."
"Well, Tory, you're 40 years old, I'm not to sure if your peers feel like calling you the name some kid you were fucking gave you."
She laughed that sexy laugh she always does. "James, do I look any bit of my actual age?" She had me on that one. When we were together I'm sure there were people that thought she couldn't be too much older than me, let alone get that there was a 14 year difference. To see her yourself you would probably guess 30 as a stretch for her age and as a smoker that's something truly amazing. "I deserve to be called a cute name that the man I was making love to gave me. It makes me feel…younger."
"Victoria," I started.
"Tory," she interjected, "that's what you're supposed to call me."
And I couldn't help but do as I was told since the smell wasn't going away at all. I'm pretty sure she just doused herself in that damn perfume before she walked around to see me. I never told her that I was addicted to that smell or even that it made my dick snap to attention. It was like a magic potion and whenever I got a whiff of it I was hypnotized, strung along and toyed with like a puppet. Even at that moment I was ready to do whatever it was that she asked me to, all because of a smell. But I had to make it look like I had at least
some
control.