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Light rock music filled the darkened, cavernous room. Laughter twittered around the table as Karen took a deep drink of her pinot grigio. The warmth from the alcohol spread from her stomach to throughout her body. She looked around the table of eleven women. She didn't know anyone besides Tracy and Jill, but that hadn't made the night awkward for Karen at all. A few were Tracy's co-workers and the rest were her family. They were easy to pick out. Like Tracy, they were all tall with red hair. Her mom, Mary, looked good for a woman in her mid-fifties, willowy and full of energy. Her younger sister, Sue, was even taller than Tracy, at least six foot. But her slim figure kept her from appearing overbearing and she had been great chatting up Jill and Karen while her sister had entertained the other women. Sue wore a simple black dress that made her pale skin glow; her bright red hair cascaded down to the small of her back.
Jill winked at Karen before refilling both her glasses. Karen tugged at the hem of her dress. She did feel a little less risqué after seeing Jill's deep red dress. The slit ran up to her hip, showing leg at every movement, but it was the plunging neckline that almost went to her belly button that caught the eye of every man she passed. Jill's perky tips promised sexuality as her tanned skin flashed beneath the dress.
Absently, Karen smoothed her own dress. She took a deep breath and Jill's eyes followed her movement.
"Better be careful Karen or the girls are going to bust out!"
Sue laughed as Karen blush and hunched a bit.
"Oh don't listen to her." Sue said. "You look great."
"Thanks." Karen gave her friend a fake pout. "Nice to see someone appreciates me."
They all laughed and cheered before taking a sip of wine. Karen felt good. She didn't know if her husband had emailed any men, but if he had, the group of eleven women had kept the men away. Even afterwards, it looked like her and Jill would skip their routine. They had gotten a hotel suite with Tracy, but with only one king size bed. She took another swig of wine, surprised at the faint glimmer of disappointment.
Tracy yelled out. "To the birthday girl!" As everyone looked at her in surprise, the tall red head stubbornly lifted her glass. "Hey! It's my birthday, I can do what I want!"
"To the birthday girl!" They all laughed and clinked glasses.
"I think that's my cue to get going. It must be one in the morning already!" Tracy's mom said, standing up. The rest of the group started saying goodbyes as well.
Karen started gathering Tracy's birthday bags so Tracy could concentrate on the departing guests.
"You are not driving home!"
Karen looked over to see Mary, hands on hips, staring down the youngest daughter.
"I'm not sixteen, mom!" Sue complained.
"Damn straight! But you've had a lot of drinks!"
Tracy put an arm around her younger sister. "Sue, come stay at the hotel. We have more than enough room."
Karen caught Jill frowning slightly. She gave her friend a questioning look, but the blonde merely shook her head.
Mom smiled at her daughters. "See? It all works out."
The four women squeezed into a taxi, Jill sat on Tracy's lap and hilarity ensued as Tracy tried to find every tickle spot in the petite blonde's body. Karen let out a drunk howl and Sue doubled over in laughter. By the time they piled out at their hotel, their energy level was ramped up.
"Let's hit the hotel bar!" Jill suggested.
Karen rolled her eyes, but Tracy and Sue cheered. They crossed the lobby and walked into the martini bar. Karen blinked her eyes in the darkness. Everything appeared decorated in black – curtains, tables, even the staff. Everything but a martini glass shaped bar that glowed an ice blue. Classic rock and roll blared riding the fine line between drowning out conversation and sparking energy. Jill led the group to a dark corner and the slipped in around the table.
A waif thin blonde came up with the martini list and took their order.
"Oh there's a dance floor!" Tracy excitedly said.
Karen glanced passed the bar there was a small dance floor. There were many twenty to twenty-five people, clearly all tourists, gyrating to the music.
Sue made a face. "You want to dance there?"
Tracy punched her in the arm. "Come on! It's my birthday!"
Jill waved them off. "I'll wait for the drinks."
Karen chirped in. "Me too."
"Your loss!" Tracy pulled her sister and the two tall red heads made their way through the bar.
Jill slid a fifty dollar bill over to Karen. "Can you get the drinks? I got to go pee!"
"No problem... don't fall in!"
The brunette woman scanned the bar. Besides the dance floor, there weren't that many people in the bar. Clearly this was a place to go before it was time to go and hit the clubs or for tourists too timid to venture into Chicago.
A man sauntered towards the table. Karen glanced away, but kept track of him through the corner of her eye. He was maybe in his mid-twenties, light eyes (maybe green?), and dark hair slightly moused up. He was clearly fit, a dark t-shirt hugged sculpted shoulders. Karen shifted nervously as she realized her table was his destination.
"Hi, I'm Jeff." His hand took hers in a firm handshake.
"Hey there, I'm Karen."
"Abandoned by your friends?"
