It was one of those cold December nights where I was the only one behind the bar. I worked at a swanky cigar lounge in midtown Manhattan, and on slower nights like tonight, there was no reason for any of the other girls to come in, so I had the place all to myself. I was itching for someone I knew to come to keep me company; my man, Luke, was away on business.
Just as my mind began to wander, daydreaming of the moment Luke got home and how rapidly I'd strip him naked, I noticed that a customer had come in and was walking directly toward where I was standing behind the bar.
I thought I recognized the man's walk, but being it was the dead of winter and he was bundled up under a large black coat and wool hat to match, I couldn't tell if it was who I thought it was. As the man approached, he unbuttoned his coat and took off his hat, confirming my suspicion, and fulfilling my desires for company: it was Luke's best friend, Jason.
Jason was an avid cigar smoker but preferred frequenting other lounges in the city, his favorite being a particularly laid-back establishment uptown; it was a surprise to see him at my spot this evening. Although he was alone, I figured he would be welcoming company soon, likely someone he was looking to impress.
A smile danced across my lips as I slowly made my way to meet him in the middle of the room. I held my hand out to take his coat as soon as Jason slid his arms out.
"May I take your coat, sir?" I asked, a cheeky intonation in my voice.
He hadn't noticed that I was standing directly in front of him and I startled him a bit. He looked up quickly to the sound of my voice; a satisfied smile quickly replaced his look of surprise.
"You scared the shit out of me, Lee," he said as he pulled me into a close hug. I could feel the cold air on his cheek and it sent a shiver down my spine as the contrast of our body temperatures collided.
"Sorry about that, but you really ought to take your headphones out of your ears before you go into a bar," I responded as I reached for his coat. I looked up at him smirking and shaking his head at me. He smoothed his hands down the front of his shirt.
"Will do." He rolled his eyes, still smirking. "How are you? I didn't realize you work here..."
"Yeah, for almost a year now. I'm just as surprised to see you here."
"I have guests in town, thought I'd make an impression with a bit more class than usual," he said, adding a wink.
"Well, it's just me working tonight so I'm not sure you should expect too much of that." I nudged my elbow gently into his rib. Jason smiled at me again.
"Let me hang your coat. What are you drinking?"
"Just a beer, for now. Surprise me."
I headed to the back and hung his coat in the coat closet before pouring him a local beer from the tap. Jason made himself comfortable on one of the plush couches, spreading out his own collection of cigars before grabbing one, clipping it, and beginning to light it. I returned with his beer and set it down in front of him on a black napkin.
"Cheers, J," I said, and pushed an ashtray across the table in front of him.
"Thanks, Lee," he responded, keeping his eyes on the tip of his cigar to make sure it was adequately lit. "Is Luke back in town yet? I almost called him tonight to see if he wanted to join me for a cigar..." he trailed off, still focused on the flame. The smooth, woody scent of his Montecristo swirled past my nostrils.
"No, he'll be back on Friday. How long are you in town for?"
"Just a few days. I'm working on closing this deal and then I'll fly back to Miami after the weekend."
"Oh, okay. Hey, I'll be right back. Let me check on these people and then we can catch up."
"You got it, Lee. Do your thing."
There weren't more than a handful of people in the place. I brought a group of men in suits another round then noticed that Jason's friends had arrived, two men and a woman. I went over and Jason introduced me.
I took their drink order: three bourbons, neat, and a dirty vodka martini straight up for the lady. I retreated to the bar as they settled in and when I returned to the table with their drinks, I overheard them talking about how Jason and I knew each other.
"...Leana's man, Luke, and I grew up with each other outside the city," Jason explained. I pulled over a nearby chair and took a seat, happy to get involved in the conversation. I smiled at Jason as he spoke of Luke, my mind momentarily drifting back to my thoughts of riding his dick as soon as he touched down.
When I snapped out of my daydream, I noticed that the woman, who Jason introduced as Autumn, did not seem too interested. She neither smiled nor illustrated any distaste toward the story or me, instead, she sat there listening intently, feigning apathy. It was a disposition that I could not put my finger on.
As the night progressed, the drinks were flowing and I made sure not to be too overbearing, knowing that Jason was trying to close a deal. Additionally, I was a bit irked by Autumn, who I realized was with Jason to some romantic capacity, I just didn't know to what extent.
It was upon my realization that I decided to bring Autumn a drink on the house. As I approached their table, a single drink in my hand, she stared at me earnestly.
I carefully set the drink down in front of her. "Because you happen to be drinking my man's favorite drink, here's one on the house." I smiled.
I figured this gesture would either break the ice or perhaps have no bearing on our icy dynamic whatsoever; either way, it couldn't hurt. I couldn't rationalize why I wanted this woman to like me. Perhaps it was more the fact that she had no reason not to.
