AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I came with a colleague a few months ago. Actually, it was my boss.”
“Your boss?” I laugh. “Was that kind of awkward, coming to a place like this with him?”
“It was in the beginning,” he admits, laughing, “but once I got past all that I was just thankful to him for showing me this world.” He pauses, throwing me a glance. “So, are you strictly only here for work?”
My face heats at what he’s asking me. How am I supposed to answer that?
“I’ve…participated once when I was very drunk, after a lot of encouragement from a co-worker,” I say. I can’t believe I just admitted that.
“You have to give me more than that,” he groans. “Which room? What happened?”
“I’m not divulging any details,” I giggle. “And honestly, nothing really happened. It was barely anything.”
I take a seat on one of the barstools as he does the same. From downstairs, you’d have no idea of the world that exists upstairs. Just a normal club with plenty of dancing and drinking, the bar does well in its own right.
“What can I get you?” asks Conrad.
“A beer, thanks,” I reply. I don’t drink much, but when I do, beer is one of the only things I can handle. “So, you never did tell me why you’re here.”
“Yeah, I thought I did pretty well to avoid that question.” He winces and I laugh.
I’m shocked at how relaxed I am around him. I feel like we’ve known each other longer than a day—and that we met under different circumstances.
“What can I say? I’m a guy with a hearty sexual appetite.”
I love his honesty, and he has this rawness about him that is so damn attractive. I listen to him talk about his life, not even caring that he changed the subject on me again.
“So what about you?”
“Pardon?” I stutter, embarrassed that I wasn’t listening closely enough.
“Am I that boring?” he jokes.
“No, I was just thinking how nice it is to meet a guy I feel at ease around,” I say. As soon as the words are out there I want to grab them back. I sound like a lunatic. The guy is going to run a mile. I settle down slightly when he laughs.
“I said I could really go something to eat.”
“Ah, burn up a bit of an appetite?” I quip and he laughs again.
“Something like that. So, you know any decent eateries open at,” he glances at his watch, “three in the morning?”
“Sure, there’s this awesome place just down the road that do an awesome burger.”
He nods and drinks down the last of his drink. “I’m keen if you are. I’m parked underneath.”
“Oh, I have my car with me too. Maybe I should follow you?” I suggest.
He shrugs. “Or I can drop you back here when we’re done.”
“Okay,” I agree, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach. “Sounds good.”
**
“This is your idea of a fine eatery?” he laughs, as I direct him into the parking lot of McDonald’s.
“It’s about the only place open at this time. Besides, I promised you a decent hamburger,” I defend myself. I can hear him chuckling as we get out of his car. I follow him inside, loving how safe I feel with this tall, attractive man at my side. I’ve lost count of how many times this place has served me a very late-night dinner from the drive-thru because I was too scared to get out of my car and venture inside.
I ask for a cheeseburger while Conrad orders nearly everything on the menu. I giggle, trying to push a five-dollar bill into his hand, which he refuses to take.
