ROSA:
You know those kinds of friends who would do anything for you? The kind that would drop everything to help you out, the ones who support you and empower you?
Those kinds of friends were the stuff of fairy tales in my fucking life. Bitter anger surged in me as I closed the messaging app on my phone again, the light too bright in this dark club. I'd invited a few girls from work to go out and party with me since it was my birthday today, and I'd wanted to do something exciting for once.
When I'd asked them, Cindy, Layla, Penny, and Ingrid all had seemed very willing to join me, and I'd filled with warmth at the potential for actual friends. I didn't make them easily; I was shy, reserved, and more than a little awkward. I did better with computers and gadgets than I ever had with people.
But despite their initial excitement, one by one over the last 30 minutes they'd all texted to back out. So there I was, all alone in a loud and unfamiliar club on my 25th birthday.
I never should've even bought this stupid outfit, or bothered with makeup. It was all a waste of time. The thoughts tumbled through my mind, one after the other until it was all I could do to hold back the frustrated tears.
I stood up suddenly from the booth I'd been hiding in, ready to go home and eat my feelings. I stumbled out of the booth on the too-tall heels I'd put on, and regretted the decision to wear them even more now that the floor was rushing up to greet me in what would end up being a very painful and embarrassing collision. I closed my eyes tight and willed it to just be over already, bracing myself for the fall.
I jerked to a stop in midair, and my eyes popped open with surprise. I was hovering above the ground, the floor within reach of my fingertips. It took me a moment to realize that a pair of strong arms were holding me tightly, preventing the inevitable face plant I'd been headed for.
"Don't worry, I got you." The deep, male voice washed over me in a heat wave that I'd never experienced before in my life. The man's arms tightened around my waist before lifting me into an upright position, helping to steady me on my shoes. I watched in fascination as his arms loosened and his dark hands slid across my stomach to gently smooth my dress down around my wide hips.
The warmth cascading through my body increased, and the resulting throb in my pussy surprised me. I could feel the heat from his body behind me, and I could tell that he stood well over my average 5'6" height. His hands tightened on my hips and slowly turned me around so that we were now face to face.
I was still looking down, admiring the fit of his pantsuit on his thick legs, the material not able to hide the obvious muscles covered by the expensive material. My eyes began to travel up his body, widening with every inch they gained.
I knew nothing about fashion, but even I could tell that everything this man wore from the tips of his shiny black dress shoes, to the perfectly polished cufflinks winking in the fabric of his dark suit, to the white shirt that emphasized his build, cost him some serious money.
His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, giving me another glimpse of dark skin that I suddenly wanted under my tongue. My eyes stopped there, frozen from all the images swirling through my mind. A chuckle rumbled through him and it was that that broke my stupor. My brain cleared slightly, and I realized with shame that I'd been staring at the man, not even thanking him for helping me.
I finally moved my gaze to his face, and my heart thudded in my chest. I had never in my life seen a more beautiful man. His jaw was strong, covered in a light beard that framed lips women pay good money for. His eyes were a liquid caramel brown, several shades lighter than his skin, framed with lashes that rivaled my own. Those eyes and lips captured me not only with their perfection, but with the satisfied pleasure they projected.
He pulled me forward, and suddenly he was sitting in the booth I'd just left with me across his lap. One of my hands splayed over his chest while my other arm snaked around his neck in order to balance myself, not wanting to make a fool of myself all over again.
His scent surrounded me as much as his arms did as he held me tight against him, my plush curves pressed against the tight muscles of his body. His touch was making my nerves ping in happiness, which surprised me since I usually hated being touched by strangers. My nipples were tightening, my pussy getting wetter by the second, and then he spoke again.
"Do I pass inspection?" I watched his mouth move, his words taking a minute to get through the haze of lust I was thrumming with. I blushed furiously, glad that it was dark in this club and that meant he probably couldn't see. I still tilted my head down, my long black curly hair obscuring my face from him.
Immediately, he spoke again. "Don't look away from me baby, I want to see those big dark eyes eating me up like they were before."
The command in his voice had me lifting my head back up before I even knew what was happening. My bottom lip made its way between my teeth, and his gaze narrowed on the movement, his chest rumbling with a sound I couldn't hear, but could feel vibrate through my body.
"Th-thank you. For helping me earlier, I mean." My voice was quiet, but he somehow heard me over the music blaring through the speakers. I was impressed with myself for being able to get the words out in the first place. I was so focused on the way his arms wrapped around my waist and kept me pressed against him that any real thoughts had basically been obliterated.
He moved one hand to brush some hair away from my face, then cupped my cheek gently. I nuzzled into the hand, enjoying the feel of his roughened palm against my soft skin.
"Fuck." I read the word on his lips, and a little pang went through me that I hadn't been able to hear it. An incredibly strong need for the feel of his lips filled me, and I leaned forward. In a move that was nothing like the usual, shy Rosa I was, I palstered my tits against his chest before I placed a light kiss on his mouth.
His arm around my back tightened, and the hand on my cheek slid back onto the nape of my neck, tangling in my thick hair. The move had me gasping, my breath blowing across his lips still touching mine.
What the hell was going on with me? I was not the kind of woman to cuddle up with a stranger. In a club. And then kiss him. I jerked back, struggling to move off him and escape.
"Please, don't go." His words made me freeze, although I couldn't bring myself to look at his face. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes from all the helplessness, loneliness, embarrassment, and anger from today taking over.
"We can go somewhere else, quieter if you want. Or we can stay here where you're surrounded by people. Just don't run away from me."
His words were soft, like he was talking to a cornered, frightened animal. I suppose that was very much what I seemed like right now, since that's how I felt. But the fact that he'd started off with please, and how he was willing to stay here where I was safely surrounded by witnesses, calmed me.
I turned back to take a peek at him, and his eyes were soft, yet burned with something I couldn't name. Just to test his reaction, I move slowly off of his lap. His hands tensed on me for a second, before he let out a reluctant sigh and let me go. I stood in front of him, and a wide smiled filled my face. I liked that he didn't seem to want to let me leave, but would if that's what I really wanted.