Chapter 2: Juliette's Pool Table Tricks
I opened the front door of Big Mike's Bar and allowed Jules to go first. Chivalry, remember?
When I stepped in the bar, I saw about fifteen faces scattered around the floor, most of which standing or leaning on a tabletop. Big guys, small broads. Occasional fresh looking college graduate, a few years shy my own age. None of which we recognized.
There were several pool tables in the back, and a stage with spotlights that I was sure they used for events or karaoke nights. I prayed tonight was not one of those nights. Bad singing makes me feel awkward.
We bought some brews, and as turned to find a spot of our own I remarked that I was already drunk on her kisses by the time we got our glasses. Rightfully, she rolled her eyes and donated a moderate chuckle.
We found some privacy in the far corner by one of the pool tables, the heels of Jules' boots click-clacking all the way back. I removed my jacket but she kept her jean jacket on. I had teased her in the car about the frigid temperatures and that I hardly thought a jean jacket would be considered a winter jacket anywhere. She rebutted that she looked cute (and she did), and that she could "be a big girl" for the walk in and out of the bar. I parked at the end of the parking lot to make a point.
"You're going to be so cold. What if the bar doesn't have heat?" I asked. This made my date a rock's toss away from becoming apoplectic.
"What kind of bar doesn't have heat in the winter?" she asked.
If only later that night a lack of heat would be the most unbelievable of the events at Big Mike's.
Its safe to say that when I removed my coat and lay it on the back of the nearest chair to our pool table, I knew she would be keeping her jean jacket on. She's cold already, I thought. The bar did have heat, though, so I knew she would warm up quick.
She did look cute, I thought as I studied her thoroughly. Her dark blue jean jacket wrapped over her black t-shirt, down to her navy blue slacks I desperately wanted to pull off her, and her petite boots -- it was a masterclass in cute. To complement it all, and yet to complicate it as well, her diamond wedding ring paired with her engagement ring -- the rings that promised a relationship to a man who was waiting for her at home.
"Are we going to play or are you going to ogle me all night long?" she asked, boldly. I loved her newfound cockiness.
"We can play but I am not promising I will stop ogling," I returned with a smile.
Jules and I love to be competitive, and we have found very early on that any sort of competition intensifies our cravings for one another. Our pool match was expected to be tense. What was unexpected was her turning to me as I chalked my stick getting ready to break for the first game and offered, "Want to bet on this? Best two out of three games?"
The proposal started me and I was just about ready to skip the games altogether and mount her on the table instead. "What do you want to bet?" I asked coyly. She took a moment to pause, but I knew she already had ideas. She always had a plan.
Jules crept up real close to my ear and whispered, "If I win, we don't stop until I climax three times tonight. If you win, I'll let you fuck my pussy without a condom." She then looked down at my jeans to find out I agreed before I even got to tell her, "Deal."
I broke and got a striped ball in one of the corner pockets. "Stripes!" I called out with a smile. It was going to be an amazing night, before they walked in and the night turned on its head. As Jules concentrated on her first shot, I saw a couple enter the front doors. Jules hit two solids in and began to do a cute, little celebratory dance.
I smiled and thought about how sweaty our hotel sheets would be by the time she reached her third orgasm if she won. We would have to sleep on the floor, I thought with a smile. As I began to line up my second shot, I heard a high pitch voice call out "Well isn't it fancy seeing you here, Juliette?" My heart stopped. I didn't recognize the voice, but if they knew Juliette this was going to be a tough sell.
I looked up to see an anxious Juliette, stunned in disbelief. Then I saw the couple who had just entered standing at the other end of the table with her. The woman was dressed in khakis and a black turtle neck with a vest over top, and the guy wore a business coat and jeans. His hands tucked into his pockets told me he was not happy to be here. Something told me I wasn't going to be thrilled either.
Before Jules got the opportunity to respond, the woman approached me with an outstretched hand and said, "Juliette and I are work pals, well we used to be until she stole my biggest client today -- my name is Jessica," she said as I noticed the gum in her mouth that she chewed viciously. Fuck.
To give Jules credit, her pronunciation of her rival's name was right on the money, down to each bitchy syllable. "You must be her husband, Calvin," she followed up a smile that made me uneasy. As we shook hands I saw her look at my left hand. The one without a ring. Jessica wasn't messing around.
Before I could get Jules' attention for us to leave, Jules fired back, "Technically he wasn't your client, you failed to seal the deal." If Jessica's face was red before, it was scarlet now. I looked around, and luckily the rest of the bar hadn't yet noticed the confrontation going on in the back of the bar yet. I looked at the guy, he shrugged. "I'm starting to think that this town ain't big enough for the both of us, Juliette," Jessica said as she approached Jules until she was nose to nose. I was relieved to see Jules laugh that off and turn away to grab her purse and my jacket.
"Did you seal the deal, Juliette? What did you have to give up I wonder?" Jessica asked loudly to the back of Juliette.
"Unlike you, Jessica, I don't spread my legs for clients," Jules fired back. It was met with a smug grin.
"Well you are welcome to stay, but tonight we will be going," I offered, supporting my woman's exit strategy with a smile. As soon as Jules' hand corralled her purse and touched my jackets, Jessica said calmly, "Well why don't we play for it?" Jules stopped immediately and turned around to face her rival. "Excuse me?"
Jessica looked satisfied to have her attention. "It's simple. We play a best of three game of pool. If you win I'll quit. If I win, you quit." She smiled like the bad consultant I knew she had to be to offer that deal. Jules had already secured her top spot this year in the company by landing that client, while Jessica was complacent and come up short. Jules and I were on the same page, as I saw her began to laugh again. "And why would I agree to that?"
Jessica took a few steps closer to Jules and with four words made her intent known. "I love your ring." She said with a bright smile, turning to me and looking at my hand. Jules went quiet as her smile faded. I took a few steps forward her to encourage her to follow through on our exit strategy, but Jessica motioned me to hold off. "And your ring looks so good kissing your husband Calvin in this bar, doesn't it?" she said as she showed Jules her phone. There it was, that was her play. Blackmail.
I knew Jules needed me to take the lead. "We are leaving," I said as I went to grab my coat from here and embraced her hand. Jules didn't budge. I nudged her but it was like we were both in a bad dream. Jessica knew she had her in her sights. "Oh alright, I'll just tag you in this post on all the social media we have together, say what a good double date we had," Jessica offered with excitement.