Oh God! Had Gary just complimented her? She had hardly even heard what he said. It had sounded sort of sweet and sincere. But Julie's attention had been drawn yet again to the stranger sitting at the bar. Poor Gary.
Julie smiled and nodded to him, unsure how to respond, as she wasn't sure exactly what he had said. Would he realize?
"That's one of the things I really love about you," he said, apparently not aware of her momentary lapse of attention. She smiled again and reached across the table to touch his hand. He was such a sweet guy and Julie knew she was lucky to have him. But somehow that didn't keep her eyes from wandering back to the dark haired stranger sitting with his date at the bar.
Gary was smiling at her, his soft brown eyes swimming behind his glasses. He laid his other hand on top of hers and squeezed slightly. Dinner tonight had been his idea. He had chosen this restaurant, even though it was a little more expensive than places they would ordinarily go. It wasn't a special occasion, just their usual Friday night dinner out. Taking her to a particularly nice place well... it was just Gary being Gary. Julie gave his hand a squeeze in return, smiling back at him and trying to keep her eyes from straying to the stranger at the bar.
But try as she might, her gaze kept returning to him, like a moth to a light. He was tall, maybe six-one or six-two. He had thick dark hair and blue-gray eyes. His body was muscular, athletic, but not overly big with broad shoulders and a tapered waist. There was an easiness, a confidence, to his body language. His blue chambray shirt and jeans at once flattered him and left her wondering what he'd look like without them. And his smile made Julie want to smile herself every time he flashed it.
His date was a curvy brunette, very similar in build to Julie. She was dressed in a low cut top and short skirt. She was smiling and laughing at his every word. She was also giving him that look. The look that said she was his tonight. Did Julie actually feel envious of that girl?
Julie tried concentrate on her conversation with Gary. It was Friday night and he wanted to talk about the weekend. There were things to do around the house, a friend stopping by for lunch and so on. The same conversation married couples everywhere were having over dinner. The same sort of conversation that Julie and Gary usually had and she usually enjoyed and participated in. Why was she so distracted tonight? Because of a guy she had never seen before, who had a cute little bar fly hanging all over him?
A few times during dinner, Julie had looked over at the handsome stranger, only to find him looking back at her, his eyes boring into hers. She quickly averted her eyes, hoping that Gary wouldn't notice the color rising in her cheeks. The second or third time he caught her, their eyes locked for what was definitely too long. Just by a couple heartbeats really, but long enough to be more than random eye contact. How was Gary not noticing?
But Gary was oblivious. He was talking to her about some mundane thing or another... she could hardly pay attention. Especially when the girl with the guy at the bar was hanging on him and laughing and smiling. Did Julie just see her hand run along the inside of his thigh? Was that little hussy going to go home with him? Was that trampy little outfit of hers going to wind up crumpled on his bedroom floor? Was she going to be calling out his name when he brought her to climax?
Julie blinked. She had to get her mind off of this guy and his date. What the hell did she care if he fucked her right there at the bar, right? So why was Julie still looking over there? Why was she annoyed at the way the girl surreptitiously ran her hands along his legs? Did her hands actually just brush across his crotch?
"I'll be right back," Julie said to Gary. "I have to use the ladies room." She didn't really, but she had to walk away for a second, collect her thoughts and get back to having dinner with her husband. Not gawking at some guy picking up a girl at the bar.
She was coming out of the ladies room headed back to her table when the stranger from the bar rounded the corner right in front of her. In her surprise, she almost walked into him. She gave a polite smile, excused herself and went to step around him. He moved in front of her.
"Weren't you the one at the table?" he asked, "That was looking at me? Do I know you?" Julie looked up at him. He was tall. She had realized that when she had seen him across the restaurant, of course. But it was far more evident as he stood in front of her now, towering above her petite frame.
"Uh, no," Julie replied with a polite smile. "I don't think so." She moved to go around him and again he moved to block her.
"What's your hurry?" he asked, giving her a dazzling smile. Julie was instantly irritated. She held up her hand to show him her wedding band.
"Sorry," she said, her face conveying that she was anything but. "You're too late. If you'll excuse me." She tried again to get around him.
"Don't worry," he laughed. "That guy will wait there forever for you. And you know it." He gave her a meaningful look. "You, on the other hand, seem more interested in looking around at what else might be out there."
He had her there, Julie admitted. She had been staring. But now that she was actually talking to him, his arrogance was quickly wearing thin.
"What about her?" Julie said, nodding toward the bar where his date was waiting. Julie didn't really care. She just wanted to deflect the conversation away from herself. He shrugged off her question.
"Yeah, I'm booked for tonight," he replied. "But maybe I can help you out another night." He held out a business card. She looked at it in disbelief.