Deep red lighting illuminates the understated furnishing of the hotel bar. Dark, polished wood gleams in the low glow. Jaxson sweeps his eyes over the room. He pulls nervously at the hem of his plum button down, the colour complimenting his dark skin. The room has a soft ambiance with slow jazz playing over the speakers. The soft chimes of sparkling glasses tinkle in the background. Couples are dotted around the room at small round tables, leaning in close and enjoying the intimate atmosphere. A blonde woman sits alone at the bar. Jaxson smooths a hand over his short-cropped hair in a nervous tick. He feels his palms sweat when he clenches his fists.
Jaxson takes a deep breath and makes his way over to the bar, sitting on a stool two away from the woman. He signals the bartender and orders a whiskey neat and a glass of ice water. From the corner of his eye, he takes in the woman. She has long hair, straight and sweeping over her left shoulder. Her dress has a deep neckline, clinging to and showing the subtle curves of her body. A slit in the skirt bares a glimpse of her crossed legs, muscular and tempting with so much still hidden. The duck egg blue of the dress reminds Jaxson of a clear morning sky, hair shining like the sun rising over the horizon. He swallows against the sudden dryness in his throat as the bartender places his drinks in front of him. He thanks him quietly as he pays and tips, then returns to his quiet solitude. Jaxson sips his whiskey, savouring the burst of flavour across his tongue. The sharpness of the drink wakes up his senses and clears his mind.
Another sip and another sidelong glance. The woman is looking back at him this time, appraising him over the rim of a glass of white wine. Jaxson feels his cheeks flush and he sharply averts his gaze back to his drink. A single bead of sweat rolls down the back of his neck, past the collar of his shirt to trickle down his spine. He shivers at the ticklish sensation not noticing the woman move until she's sitting next to him, offering her hand.
"Jasmine," she introduces herself, hand held out confidently. Her voice lilts pleasantly, high-pitched but not grating.
Jaxson clears his throat as he meets her eyes, the shade of them startlingly close to the blue of her dress. "Jaxson," he says, taking her hand in a firm grip. Jasmine smiles down at him, barely an inch taller but taking great satisfaction in looking down at him.
"Lovely name," she says with a pointed squeeze of her hand. "It suits you."
Warmth floods Jaxson's body at the compliment and he knows his cheeks are deeply flushed. He breaks eye contact and looks down at the hand she'd clasped so confidently. He gestures towards her and meets her gaze. "That's a beautiful dress."
Jasmine smiles and thanks him softly, both sweet and sultry as she holds his eyes through her lashes. "What brings you here?" she asks.
"Work," Jaxson says. "I usually work from home but I live outside of the city. Sometimes I'm required to make an appearance in the office to prove that I'm still alive. You?"
"I travel a lot and I just happened to be here today." She takes a sip of her wine and Jaxson's eyes are drawn to her tongue as it chases a droplet caught on her plush bottom lip. Jasmine smirks at his attention, revealing a flash of brilliant, white teeth for Jaxson to admire. He takes another drink to wet his dry mouth. Images of her sat astride him, smirking down at him as she takes her pleasure floods his mind. He pictures her baring that perfect smile at him before she leans forward and bites down. The pleasant warmth running through his veins sparks into a suffocating heat. Another bead of sweat trails down his spine and he drinks again.
"You- uh," he starts and stutters nervously. Clears his throat and tries again. "You're awfully dressed up to be drinking alone in a hotel bar." Jaxson tries to sound confident, inviting, but he's worried that he only sounds out of his depth.
Thankfully, Jasmine laughs, voice like windchimes in a gentle breeze. "Let's just say I was hopeful that someone handsome would come along." She raises her eyebrows at him with a slight tilt of her head and a smile. "Was my effort in vain?"
Jaxson's ears burn. "No. It wasn't."
"Then things are looking up." Jasmine rests her glass on the bar, left hand gently caressing the stem as her right reaches out to settle on Jaxson's knee. He jumps, just slightly, her touch sparking an electric current beneath his skin. The way she smiles at him sets his pulse racing. Confidence grips Jaxson and he turns in his chair, angling his body towards hers and covering her hand with his left.
"For me, too."
Jasmine's eyes dance playfully over Jaxson's face. They sparkle with delight and anticipation. She leans in with a soft smile and asks, "What are you doing
here
."
Jaxson shivers and his core trembles. He shifts on his stool, barely resisting the urge to squirm. He swallows heavily. "I wanted company."
Jasmine smiles, shark-like, very obviously satisfied with Jaxson's answer.
"What a coincidence," she says. "Me too."
They finish their drinks quickly, both eager, though Jasmine is significantly more suave about it. They stand and leave the bar together, her hand on the small of Jaxson's back.