Liam
You can keep me company any day, gorgeous," the words slipped out before I could stop myself. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the day, or maybe it was just the way she looked, but a spark ignited within me.
She took the empty barstool beside me. "My friend over there," she said, gesturing towards a beautiful Latina, "is an amazing singer. She rarely performs live, but she has promised to grace us with a song tonight if I can score a drink or two from a handsome stranger."
"Well then," I said, trying to sound smooth and cool, "consider it done, gorgeous. What's your poison?"
"Margarita, on the rocks," she replied, her smile blooming and keeping me enamored by her. At that point she could demand anything from me and I would willingly give it to her, especially when she says it with her sultry voice and those full cherry lips of hers that I wanted to kiss so bad like my life depended on it.
What is happening to me? I am a grown man, I have had my fair share of women in the past. Why am I so taken by this gorgeous stranger? I am fucking married for christ sakes.
I ignored this thought and signaled the bartender, and moments later, a perfectly chilled margarita appeared before her. "Cheers," I said, clinking my glass against hers. "To brave damsels and unsuspecting victims."
She drank and laughed, her laughter was like music, and for the first time that evening, the weight of the day began to lift.
*************************
Vanessa
Thanks, Paloma, I thought, sitting side by side with this handsome stranger. He was as captivating as ever, I can't seem to take my eyes off him.
This stranger sitting close to me was like one of those models on the cover of magazines, his face, with the rugged charm, took my breath away. His jawline was sharp, his features sculpted, and every detail seemed to come together in a masterpiece of masculine beauty.
But it was his eyes that truly stole the show. Piercing blue, like a summer sky moments before a storm, they held an intensity that was both captivating and arresting. I felt a strange urge, a yearning to dive right in, to swim in the depths of that ocean of blue and lose myself completely.
As if sensing my scrutiny, his head turned, and the air crackled with a sudden awareness. A subtle smile played on his lips, and a whiff of something masculine and enticing reached my nose, a musky, woodsy scent that sent a shiver down my spine, and ignited a spark of unexpected passion within me. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the backdrop of the bar's low hum. At that moment, I knew this night was going to be anything but ordinary.
Just then, a flash of shimmering black hair caught my eyes. There, on the small stage, was Paloma, grabbing the microphone with an impish grin.
"Hey everyone!" Paloma's voice boomed, silencing the murmurs. "This next song goes out to anyone who needs a little pick-me-up!"
The band, in hesitation, exchanged glances. That was until Paloma belted out the first powerful notes of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive", and they were hooked. The bar fell silent, captivated by the raw emotion pouring from Paloma's voice. I couldn't help but beam, watching my best friend shine. Even the handsome stranger's attention was snagged, a smile tugging at his lips.
As the final notes faded, the crowd erupted in applause. Paloma, cheeks flushed with triumph, sashayed off the stage, a conspiratorial wink directed at me.
"Your friend," the stranger said, his voice a husky whisper, "is incredible. Now that is an amazing singer."
Feeling proud, I puffed out my chest a little. "I told you," I said, smiling cheek to cheek. "She's got pipes of steel."
Suddenly curious, I leaned closer. "So, what brings a handsome young man like yourself to this bar all alone?"
His gaze dipped momentarily, a flicker of sadness crossing his face. "My father passed away two days ago," he said quietly. "It's just me and my mother now."
I felt a pang of sympathy. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," I said, my voice softening. "I lost my father two years ago myself. It's tough, but having good friends and family helps."
His eyes met mine again, a hint of a smile breaking through the melancholy. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "I apologize, my manners seem to have flown the coop since I got back from France. I'm Liam . And you are...?"
"Vanessa ," I replied, with a playful smile. "And you better remember this face, because you're going to see it on the silver screen someday."
Liam chuckled a warm sound that had me blushing. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Vanessa ."
"So, you're going to be a movie star. Who's your favorite actor?" Liam asked me.
"Amy Adams. I love all her films." I replied swiftly.
Liam , brimming with enthusiasm, chimed in, "She's my favorite too! I loved her in 'Arrival' and 'Enchanted'. Her acting is spellbinding."
I couldn't help but long for the days when Richard shared my passion for films and acting, I suspect now that he might have been faking it.
"Have you ever thought about doing plays?" Liam then asked.
Vanessa responded, "No, that would require me to go to New York, and it's cold out there."
"There's a bustling theater scene here in Los Angeles. You should try it out." Liam countered.
I contemplated this as we continued drinking.
Paloma, flushed with success, sashayed over to our section of the bar, a wide grin splitting her face. "That was amazing, girl!" I exclaimed. "You were like a firecracker on that stage! Lady Gaga got nothing on you girl."
"Thanks, honey!" Paloma replied, her voice brimming with confidence. "I think I blew the roof off the place!" She turned to Liam , extending a hand. "Hi there, I'm Paloma, Vanessa 's best friend."
Liam took her hand, his eyes crinkling at the corners in amusement. "Liam ," he replied, charmed by her infectious energy. "It was a pleasure listening to you sing. Thanks for gracing us with your voice," Liam said, offering her a margarita with a smile warmer than the salt rim glistening on the glass.
Paloma accepted the drink with a nonchalant "You're welcome," but I caught the glint in her eyes – she was definitely impressed by him.
Leaning closer, Paloma murmured in my ear, "He's way hotter up close, and a gentleman too! He could totally be one of the Hemsworth brothers.
Girl, you hit the jackpot tonight."
I felt a blush creep up my neck, the warmth spreading beneath my skin. Liam , catching sight of the two of us giggling, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Ladies," he said playfully, "Please let me in on the joke."
My cheeks burned even hotter. "Oh, nothing," I stammered, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Just... girl talk."
Paloma chimed in before I could flounder further. "Vanessa thinks you're hot."
A slow smile spread across Liam 's face. He tossed his mid-length blonde hair back, his blue eyes holding mine in a way that sent shivers down my spine. "Well," he drawled, "I think you're hot too."
My breath hitched. The air crackled with sudden electricity, leaving Paloma caught in between. I noticed her attention shift to a handsome guitarist across the room, their eyes locking for a fleeting moment.
"Well," she said, leaning closer to my ears, "I am leaving you two so you can do much more than eye fuck each other." I chuckled at her remark as she rose from the bar stool, declaring, "You two carry on. I'm going to go check out that guitarist's fingers. They look suspiciously talented. Don't hurt yourselves though."
Vanessa grinned, feeling a pang of sympathy for her friend's sudden isolation. "Good luck, Lory!"
I called after her as she weaved through the crowd. Then, turning back to Liam , I couldn't help but grin.
—---
—---
A clink of ice cubes echoed as Paloma sashayed away, leaving me alone at the bar with Liam . He lifted his margarita, the salt rim glinting under the dim lights, taking a slow, thoughtful sip. Our eyes met then, his piercing blue like a summer sky after a sudden downpour.
"It seems we're alone now," Liam murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent a delicious shiver down my spine. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs as I mirrored his action, the cool tequila doing little to calm the sudden inferno taking root in my stomach.
"There are still people around," I managed, my voice a touch breathless.
He dismissed the observation with a nonchalant wave. "They don't matter," his gaze intensified. "You, my dear, are the most gorgeous thing God ever made. Everything else fades away."
My cheeks flushed under his heated stare. "You must have used that line on other women," I teased, a playful smile tugging at my lips.
A slow grin spread across his face, a flicker of mischief dancing in his eyes. "Is it working?"
"Don't be cocky," I countered, despite the blush creeping higher into my hairline. "Yes, it is."
He took another sip, his eyes lingering on my lips. "You're the most beautiful lady I've ever seen," Liam began, a suggestive tone creeping into his voice. "And I've been to England..."
I couldn't help but interrupt with a playful scoff. "Are British girls much more beautiful than American girls?"
He chuckled, the sound warm and inviting. "No, not at all," Liam admitted with a disarming honesty. "I just like to say it. I think it is funny." His confession caught me by surprise, eliciting a soft laugh from me.
Suddenly, the air crackled with a different kind of energy. He leaned closer, his eyes locking onto mine. "Vanessa ," he said, his voice a husky whisper, "I think we should stop eye fucking each other and just do..."
He didn't finish the sentence. The space between us had evaporated, replaced by the warmth of his breath across my lips. Before he could utter another word, I surged forward, throwing caution to the wind.
"So you heard what she told me?" I asked after I pulled away from him.
"Yes, Your friend is quite vulgar, but she isn't wrong," Liam replied, catching his breath.
Immediately my lips met his again in a searing kiss, the taste of tequila and unspoken desire igniting a fire that neither of us could control.