yes I did, and you better not tell him or he’ll kill me for stealing one of his beloved hats. He has about—”
“He has as many fedoras and vests as you have plaid shirts and ripped jeans,” I interrupted.
“Exactly,” he nodded, “so he shouldn’t notice.”
“He’s probably already called the police,” I laughed, tying the laces of my converse sneakers.
“What can I say? I like to live dangerously,” he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. “Ready?”
I nodded, curious as to what he had up his sleeve, but I knew better than to ask. Besides, surprises could be fun. Sometimes.
He got in the car and we drove a few miles away from the motel, parking outside a bar.
“A bar? Really, Trace? No. Just no,” I shook my head. A bar was definitely not my scene. True, I was twenty-two and legal to drink, but I didn’t enjoy contending with annoying drunk people. I had better things I could be doing, like sleeping.
“Calm yourself,” he snorted, “it’s not what you think.”
I pointed to the lit up sign in the window of the establishment. “See that? It says bar. B.A.R.”
“Now’s not the time for your adorable sarcasm. See that sign,” he pointed to one above it, nearly smacking me in the face by accident. “It says, music lounge . Now untangle your panties from the wad they’re currently bunched in and get that cute ass in there.”
“So demanding,” I sighed, fighting a smile as I opened the car door and stepped outside.
He grabbed his guitar case and we headed inside.
The place was packed with people. I didn’t know how they all managed to fit inside. Trace took my hand, pulling us through the crowd. The walls and bar were covered in a dark wood, and the concrete floor was painted black. Instead of the typical white or yellow light bulbs, they were all blue, giving the space an almost ethereal glow.
Trace found an empty high-top table and snagged it before someone else could.
A waitress came along, looking frazzled and exhausted, to take our order.
“Can I get a drink for you guys?” She asked, fumbling for her pen.
“Sweet tea, please,” I smiled at her.
“Uh…” Trace paused, “A beer.”
“What kind?” She asked.
“Surprise me,” he grinned, showing his ID. “I’m adventurous. Oh, and we want an order of cheese fries.”
“Alright,” her hand fluttered over her notepad and she seemed even more flustered than before. I wasn’t sure if it was because she was nervous over his request, or his appearance. I’d probably looked much the same when I met him the first time. “I’ll be right back with that,” she smiled, tucking wispy pieces of blonde hair behind her ear.
“So,” I nodded towards his guitar case, “I take it you’re going to play.”
“Of course,” he smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he played with the fedora, “and I’m hoping this really hot girl I know will sing with me,” he batted his eyelashes.
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” I snorted. “Nice try, bud.”
“Aw, come on,” he bumped my shoulder with his and then ran his hand up my thigh, “I can be very persuasive,” he whispered huskily, his lips brushing against my cheek.
My eyes fluttered closed and my breath faltered. Damn him.
“Quit it,” I pushed his hand away before he had me agreeing to things I shouldn’t be.
“You have such a beautiful voice, Olivia,” he ran his finger lightly up my bare arm and I shivered in response.
“But-but,” I stuttered, “there are a lot of people here.”
“They don’t matter,” he coaxed. “ Please , one song?” His eyes pleaded with me to give in.
“I-I-I-don’t know,” I closed my eyes to avoid his gaze.
“You know you want to,” his voice grew husky as his lips tickled the curve of my ear. “I’ll reward you later, and trust me, it’s a prize you don’t want to miss out on.”
“O-o-okay,” I agreed. I was a weak person, but I didn’t know anyone on the planet—especially
“He has as many fedoras and vests as you have plaid shirts and ripped jeans,” I interrupted.
“Exactly,” he nodded, “so he shouldn’t notice.”
“He’s probably already called the police,” I laughed, tying the laces of my converse sneakers.
“What can I say? I like to live dangerously,” he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. “Ready?”
I nodded, curious as to what he had up his sleeve, but I knew better than to ask. Besides, surprises could be fun. Sometimes.
He got in the car and we drove a few miles away from the motel, parking outside a bar.
“A bar? Really, Trace? No. Just no,” I shook my head. A bar was definitely not my scene. True, I was twenty-two and legal to drink, but I didn’t enjoy contending with annoying drunk people. I had better things I could be doing, like sleeping.
“Calm yourself,” he snorted, “it’s not what you think.”
I pointed to the lit up sign in the window of the establishment. “See that? It says bar. B.A.R.”
“Now’s not the time for your adorable sarcasm. See that sign,” he pointed to one above it, nearly smacking me in the face by accident. “It says, music lounge . Now untangle your panties from the wad they’re currently bunched in and get that cute ass in there.”
“So demanding,” I sighed, fighting a smile as I opened the car door and stepped outside.
He grabbed his guitar case and we headed inside.
The place was packed with people. I didn’t know how they all managed to fit inside. Trace took my hand, pulling us through the crowd. The walls and bar were covered in a dark wood, and the concrete floor was painted black. Instead of the typical white or yellow light bulbs, they were all blue, giving the space an almost ethereal glow.
Trace found an empty high-top table and snagged it before someone else could.
A waitress came along, looking frazzled and exhausted, to take our order.
“Can I get a drink for you guys?” She asked, fumbling for her pen.
“Sweet tea, please,” I smiled at her.
“Uh…” Trace paused, “A beer.”
“What kind?” She asked.
“Surprise me,” he grinned, showing his ID. “I’m adventurous. Oh, and we want an order of cheese fries.”
“Alright,” her hand fluttered over her notepad and she seemed even more flustered than before. I wasn’t sure if it was because she was nervous over his request, or his appearance. I’d probably looked much the same when I met him the first time. “I’ll be right back with that,” she smiled, tucking wispy pieces of blonde hair behind her ear.
“So,” I nodded towards his guitar case, “I take it you’re going to play.”
“Of course,” he smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he played with the fedora, “and I’m hoping this really hot girl I know will sing with me,” he batted his eyelashes.
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” I snorted. “Nice try, bud.”
“Aw, come on,” he bumped my shoulder with his and then ran his hand up my thigh, “I can be very persuasive,” he whispered huskily, his lips brushing against my cheek.
My eyes fluttered closed and my breath faltered. Damn him.
“Quit it,” I pushed his hand away before he had me agreeing to things I shouldn’t be.
“You have such a beautiful voice, Olivia,” he ran his finger lightly up my bare arm and I shivered in response.
“But-but,” I stuttered, “there are a lot of people here.”
“They don’t matter,” he coaxed. “ Please , one song?” His eyes pleaded with me to give in.
“I-I-I-don’t know,” I closed my eyes to avoid his gaze.
“You know you want to,” his voice grew husky as his lips tickled the curve of my ear. “I’ll reward you later, and trust me, it’s a prize you don’t want to miss out on.”
“O-o-okay,” I agreed. I was a weak person, but I didn’t know anyone on the planet—especially
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