Where We Left Off

Where We Left Off by J. Alex Blane Page A

Book: Where We Left Off by J. Alex Blane Read Free Book Online
Authors: J. Alex Blane
Tags: Romance
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he was sure someone in the group had just turned thirty.  Mason sat back and never took his eyes from her.  Rounds had moved down the line at the bar to every one of her friends; all except her.  Not one glass had touched her hands or lips since she’d arrived.  Maybe that was his chance to, at the very least, say hello, but than again maybe it wasn’t.  He wasn’t sure if he wanted her to notice he was there just yet, so instead of walking to the bar and buying her a drink he signaled one of the waitresses over and had them take her a drink without telling her who it came from.  He watched and waited in anticipation of a smile of gratitude, a glance in any direction, not knowing from whence her secret admirer came.  Neither smile nor glance came from her, however, as she politely turned it down she asked for a Sprite instead.  She didn’t know it came from him, so her turning it down wasn’t personal.  He wanted so badly to walk up to her and say hello, but that was what kept him glued to his seat, unmoving and antisocial. 
    What am I doing? he asked himself.  Why, of all things, am I trying to figure out how to say hello?  Why do I even want to say hello?  Regardless of every answer he had come up with he still hadn’t moved, and his eyes still rested on her sitting at the bar with her friends.  He watched them laughing, whispering in each other’s ears as different guys tried to approach them.  He even laughed at himself, seeing how hopeless some of them were.  It became entertaining for him outside of the distraction of people dancing and trying to yell over the music to one another.  He was content to stay right where he was.  This was one of the only times he had occupied a booth alone.  He didn’t fully understand his enjoyment at seeing her of wondering what she was thinking, wondering what she did before she’d gotten there, or what she’d do after she left. 
    He felt the vibration of his cell phone against his leg and quickly answered it without looking to see who it was. 
    “Hello?” he answered. 
    There was a slight pause before he heard a soft whisper on the other end of the phone.
    “Do you want to guess what I’m not wearing right now or are you going to come and find out?” 
    Erika, he shook his head.  She couldn’t have called at a more inconvenient time.
    “Where are you?” he asked her.
    “Somewhere comfortable, warm, and soft… it smells like you.”
    He knew from her playful tone she was already in his house and his bed.  She was the only girl he had ever taken to his house, and since she was a bit of a regular they had an extremely unorthodox relationship.  She knew where he kept the spare key and he was okay with that.  He enjoyed her surprise visits in the middle of the night, although he didn’t really feel up to it tonight.
    “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” he said, hanging up the phone. 
    Erika’s boyfriend, Chris, was out of town, and like usual she decided to pay Mason a visit. This time was more of a surprise, but Mason being Mason couldn’t turn her down, even though everything in him tonight wanted to.  Like Angie said earlier, though, it was who he was.
    “Do me a favor,” he said to the waitress handing her his card to pay his bill; “I have a running tab here.  Whatever the young lady at the bar,” he pointed, “in the deep purple dress and her friends order, put it on my tab.”  He gave her his information and walked out of the club, each step heavy with regret.
    Why didn’t he just say hello?  What was the big deal about sitting in a dark corner for hours just staring at her?  Did he expect her to notice him and maybe spark the conversation he felt he so badly wanted?  Either way it was too late, and despite his kind gesture of picking up her tab, she’d never know he was there tonight.  He occasionally glanced in his rear view mirror, finding himself thinking the approaching lights behind him were hers.  As odd as

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